Archive of Our Own

They were stronger than they had been as humans. Faster. Better. They were hunters and used their differences to their advantage. No one had been the wiser. No one had suspected a thing about them; how they weren’t quite human anymore. How would anyone notice the difference in them? They had always been loners, preferring each other’s company to those around them, only spending time with people long enough to get their jobs done, grab something to eat, find a place to crash or have a few beers before they extricated themselves, and returned to the safety and seclusion of either the Impala or whatever rundown motel they were staying at before moving on. Most people who knew them never questioned their preference for their own company, chalking it up to the fact that they were brothers and had been raised together, raised by a hunter who never trusted others and had instilled that quality in his sons. So, no one noticed the change in them. Why would they since they didn’t seek out other hunters? They didn’t seek out the company of others. Period. They were enough for each other. Always had been, even when he’d been too stupid to realize that, and always would be. And the kicker had been that Dean had always known that. What neither of them had known was that someone had taken an interest in them. They hadn’t realized anyone had noticed the differences in them until it was too late or that there were things they were still vulnerable to. 

They hadn’t been separated since that time Sam had tried to live a normal life. Normal. There was never anything normal about them, not now. He should have known then that there was no way for him to escape the life he’d been running from. He should have realized back then that the center of his life had been Dean and always would be. It was a fact of life, just like how the sun rose and set, Dean was there for him. Even when he’d left, putting miles between them, Dean had still been there for him, silently checking in on him but never intruding on the life he’d attempted to create from himself away from hunting. And while he’d been separated from Dean, for those two years, he’d missed his brother every second of every day. 

Sam hadn’t known how to right the wrong he’d caused because he’d been sure that Dean would be upset with him, possibly reject him, and never want anything to do with him again. It turned out that couldn’t have been farther from the truth. Dean had missed him, and wanted to reunite with him, but had kept his distance out of respect for his decision to live a normal life. And looking back on things, what he’d wanted was Dean all along. He’d been too angry with their father to realize it and then he’d been upset with himself for the time they’d lost being separated from each other. He’d abandoned Dean. He’d just up and left Dean behind. It was his biggest regret in life and now… now he had a chance to make up for that. He would rescue Dean, get his brother back, and never let anyone separate them again.

There was a bond between them that no one seemed to understand. It was more than just being brothers, more than being in tune with each other, or something that came from spending one’s life with another. It was a bond that had been created when they’d mated. They were able to use that bond to see things others couldn’t understand. Sam could see what Dean saw, just the way Dean could see what he saw even if it was just snippets. He could sense Dean’s presence, could feel what Dean was feeling, and right now his brother was feeling pain. Whoever had Dean was torturing his brother and he was going to make them pay. Closing his eyes, he took a steadying breath, centering himself before he opened the bond they shared. Dean, hold on. I’m on my way.

Sam…

The response was weak but there, reassuring Sam that Dean was still fighting. That Dean was still doing his best to hold on. Dean was counting on him. It had been nearly a month since they’d been separated and being apart was taking a toll on both of them. He could feel Dean’s rising desperation, adding to his own agitation. He’d been out of the cabin, a town between them, when their world had been tossed upside down. They’d settled in a secluded area away from humans, wanting to keep to themselves unless they were needed on a hunt, knowing other hunters wouldn’t understand how they had survived a werewolf attack that left them changed if that had ever been discovered. They weren’t human and they weren’t fully werewolves either. They were something unique. They had been seeing a lot of unknown creatures turning up now, things that weren’t ever supposed to exist outside of fictional stories, now that Lucifer and God had been defeated. It seemed as if these creatures had somehow clawed their way out of the bowels of Hell, but that was no longer their concern. At least not for Sam. His main concern was keeping them safe now that they were different. The change had resulted in them having the strength of a werewolf, their heightened hearing, acute eyesight, and a great sense of smell, but none of a werewolf’s vulnerability to silver or the need to eat human hearts. They’d found they could survive on human food, so the werewolf that had turned them had been different, resulting in them being some type of hybrid. There had also been another change in them that neither had been expecting; he was an alpha and Dean was an omega. 

After running what he’d thought was a fever for about a day after the attack, Sam had found himself feeling strange. It had started with a tingle that coursed through his body which he really hadn’t given much thought to until it started to intensify. Then it changed from a slight irritation to a burning sensation making him feel as if his entire body was on fire. He’d scratched at his arms, and then his torso as the burning intensified. He’d stripped out of the clothes he’d been wearing and stumbled into the bathroom hoping a cold shower would lower the heat of his body and help with the intense itching he was now dealing with. As he stood under the cold water spraying down over him from the showerhead, he’d begun to feel better only to double over with pain that radiated from his groin area. Placing a protective hand on his cock, his eyes had widened in shock when he felt something that hadn’t been there before, something that shouldn’t be there at all - a knot. Then the other changes to his senses happened, heightening them as well as the ability to heal quickly, something he was thankful for in their line of work.

Dean’s change had started out like Sam’s at first with his brother running what they’d thought was a fever. But as Dean’s fever intensified, building as his fever had, it hadn’t stopped after a day or so as he’d been expecting. Dean’s fever seemed to last nearly a week with his brother becoming delirious as his fever spiked, babbling about how his insides felt as if they were being liquified at first and then rearranged, something Sam hadn’t experienced. He’d sat by Dean’s bed, worried that the scratches his brother had sustained during the attack had become infected, or worse, Dean was having an adverse effect from the creature’s claws, possibly being poisoned somehow and that his brother was dying. He’d done his best to bring Dean’s fever down, wiping his brother’s normally pale skin which was flush and covered in a sheen of sweat with cool water. Dean was barely conscious after the third day and when his brother wasn’t sleeping, Dean was curled into a ball moaning in pain. Sam had been frantic with worry, fearing he needed to haul Dean out of bed and bring his brother to the hospital, which was something he knew Dean would have hated. Luckily, that hadn’t happened. Dean’s fever had broken sometime during the night on the sixth day with his brother stumbling bleary-eyed into the bathroom. He’d waited to hear Dean’s reaction to finding a knot and had been surprised his brother hadn’t said a word about that but had bitched up a storm about feeling wet which had led him to believe that Dean was an omega.

Dean had smelled so good to him. His brother smelled of home, of sun-kissed warm skin and something he couldn’t quite put his finger on at first but had eventually come to realize later that his hindbrain had realized what he was smelling. Dean smelled like his. He hadn’t recognized it at first, but what he’d been scenting was the telltale sign of Dean being his mate. But he’d wisely kept that revelation to himself not wanting to anger Dean or worse, spook his brother which would only cause Dean to pull away from him. No, he’d kept his mouth shut, letting Dean figure it out on his own.

The attraction they’d felt for each other had been heightened, making it impossible for them to deny what they’d tried so desperately to keep from each other, but they recognized it after their change. And while Dean had grumbled about being an omega, Sam had been happy about it, liking the idea of his brother bending over for him. The first few months had been challenging for them. He could smell Dean, could feel the need to take his brother, make Dean present for him, but he hadn’t. He’d vowed to himself that he would never force himself on Dean despite the need in him to sink his knot into his brother’s ass growing with each passing day. It had been hard to honor that vow, and he’d hated the looks Dean received from anyone, wanting to rip their eyes out of their heads for just looking in his brother’s direction. But amazingly, he’d held strong to his resolve.

No, he wanted Dean to come to him willingly. He wanted Dean to want him just as much as he wanted his brother and one night that had happened. Dean had gone into heat. At first, neither of them had any idea what was going on. Dean had been irritable for a few days, snapping at him, seemingly looking for a fight and he’d found himself on edge, ready to pounce on anyone who looked too long at Dean. Slowly, it dawned on him as Dean’s temperature spiked and his brother had become glassy-eyed. Dean had snarled at anyone who approached him aside from him which ignited a spark of possessiveness in him, making him feel satisfied that Dean only wanted him around. With Dean pressing against him, rubbing his body against his, he smelled his brother’s sweet scent. It was intoxicating, calling to him on a primal level he’d never experienced before. 

Growling, he’d wrapped his hand around Dean’s bicep, pulled him from the booth they’d been occupying, and led his brother back to the Impala. The inside of the car smelled of them which made it hard for him to think clearly but he’d managed to make the short drive back to the motel they’d been staying at, getting them inside their rented room before he attacked someone just for looking in their direction. By the time he’d gotten the door closed, Dean was nearly incoherent, babbling about how good Sam smelled to him and how he wanted Sam, and why was it taking so long for Sam to fuck him. Whatever restraint he’d had was instantly gone. He’d slammed Dean against the door, running his hands over his brother’s body before leaning in and scenting Dean, taking in the combined scent of their arousal. Looking into Dean’s green eyes, he noticed how they seemed to glow making his brother look otherworldly. Catching his reflection in the mirror he saw that his hazel eyes were amber-colored but before he could put much thought into that change, he was overcome with the desire to sink his cock into Dean’s ass, and judging by the way Dean was grinding his body against his, Dean was thinking along the same line. 

Their clothing hadn’t stood a chance. The sounds of ripping fabric were soon drowned out by their heavy breathing. He’d growled at the feel of Dean’s naked and hot skin against his. He heard Dean’s needy whines which he swallowed when their lips crashed together and then there was no stopping him. His hindbrain had taken over and he’d given in to his longing for his brother, no longer caring that it was wrong to desire his brother. He had Dean in the middle of the bed, with his brother on his hands and knees, ass up and ready for him. Dean had been dripping wet for him by the time he’d slid his aching cock into his brother’s hole, groaning in unison when he’d bottomed out. Their moans filled the room, accompanying the sound of flesh against flesh as he fucked Dean hard, growling harshly until his knot forced its way past his brother’s rim, tying them together. And then he’d done something he hadn’t counted on, he’d bitten Dean’s neck, barely breaking the skin, and marking his brother as his. His mind had screamed at him - mate - and he couldn’t find it in him to regret what had just happened as he whispered, mine and mate against Dean’s skin. 

And judging by the soft mewls coming from Dean, his brother, his mate, along with his brother’s own acknowledgment of them being mates, Dean was also on board with how things had so quickly progressed between them. Wrapping his arms around Dean, he’d pulled his brother to his chest and then positioned them on their sides, letting Dean comfortably rest against him. From that moment on, there hadn’t been a time when they’d been apart until that fateful day when he’d left town to attend an estate sale advertising several trunks filled with first-edition books on the occult. Things had been good between them, so good that he hadn’t picked up on Dean’s distress through their bond until it was too late. He still wasn’t sure if it was because of the miles that separated them or because the attack had happened so quickly, catching his brother off guard that he hadn’t noticed what had taken place. Hearing Dean screaming for him through their bond still haunted him and echoed in his head even now, nearly two weeks later.       

Without a second thought to the books he’d been hoping to purchase, he raced back to the Impala, slammed it into gear, and drove at breakneck speed back to their cabin. He was nearly out of the car before he’d even parked it when he saw the door had been kicked open and was hanging from one hinge. Running into the cabin, he’d been assaulted by the unfamiliar scent of those who had been inside. It took him a moment, reminding himself to breathe through his mouth, to see that the cabin had been left in shambles. Dean had put up one hell of a fight judging by the broken furniture and the blood smeared on the floor and one wall. Whoever had come for Dean had overpowered him, making him think there had been more than one and they had been aware of what he and Dean now were. Someone had been watching them and whoever that was, was going to regret ever taking his mate from him. He could smell Dean’s blood mixed with at least two others when he stopped to scent the cabin as he tried to push aside his rage. He needed his wits about him if he was going to find Dean and get his mate back. Bending down, he grabbed the broken chair leg, scenting it and breathing in the hint of Dean. It was Dean’s blood and instantly he roared with rage at the idea of his mate being hurt. It took a moment for his mind to register that the blood mingled with Dean’s was human. So, humans had come for Dean while he’d been gone. The question was why? Why had they taken Dean? What did they want with his mate? 

Despite knowing the cabin was empty and that Dean was gone, he stalked through the rooms in search of his mate and anyone who might be there. He could tell when he entered their bedroom that the fight had started in that room. Normally, Dean was fastidious with ensuring their bed was made - bedding pulled tight over the mattress and the corners tucked in with perfection, with their pillows placed at the head of the bed. This time he saw the bedding had been ripped away, the mattress was exposed and the pillows were strewn across the floor along with one of his flannel shirts. Dean had either been asleep or making the bed when whoever it was had come for him. The sanctity of their bedroom had been tainted. Their home had been invaded and their safety had been stripped away. He backed out of the bedroom, needing to distance himself from that mess before he added to it with the rage coursing through him, his anger ramping up with the thought that someone had put their hands on Dean and had taken his mate from him. 

He stood in the main living area of the cabin, his amber-colored eyes, eyes that only changed to that color from intense emotion, surveying the destruction that had resulted in Dean’s abduction and trying to calm himself. He needed to rein in the desire to burn the cabin to the ground since it no longer held his and Dean’s combined scents. The sound of his cell phone ringing cut through the eerie quietness of the cabin and brought him out of his thoughts. Reaching into his jeans pocket, he fumbled for his phone, pulling it out. He stared at it for a moment, his mind not registering at first that the call was coming from Dean’s phone. “Dean!” he called, expecting to hear his mate’s voice only to listen as an unfamiliar male voice spoke to him.

“Whoa there, Winchester,” the man chuckled into the phone.

“Who is this? Why do you have Dean’s phone? ” Sam demanded. Clearly, whoever was speaking knew who he was and who Dean was so why had he decided to mess with them? His left hand curled into a fist while his right held the phone clutched to his ear. He could hear the plastic case covering his phone cracking with the brute pressure he was using to hold the phone. If he wasn’t careful, he would crush the phone before he got to hear the man’s answer.

“I’m one of the guys who has your brother…”

“Where is he? Where’s Dean?” Sam gritted his teeth, doing his best and probably failing at remaining calm. Even to his own ears, his voice sounded desperate and whoever this asshole was who’d taken Dean could probably hear his desperation. “What have you done to my brother?” he demanded when the man remained silent. 

“Nothing… Yet,” the man chuckled into the phone. “But then again there’s still time. Anything could happen to your brother…”

Sam felt a tendril of fear slithering down his spine and curling in the pit of his stomach at the man’s words. His first instinct was to beg for mercy for his mate, asking the man to take him instead, but he knew that would be futile. Whoever had taken Dean had waited until he’d been gone to make their move on the cabin. And, the man had called Dean his brother, not his mate so he at least had that secret to use to his advantage. Obviously, whoever this guy was, he had a plan for Dean, whether it was to use his brother to draw him out in order to capture him or worse, he had no idea. Whatever this guy wanted, he knew it wasn’t good, not if he and however many were working with him had taken Dean and taunted him. “What do you want?”

“Ah, now there’s the all-important question. Knew you were the smart one, Sam. I can call you Sam, can’t I?”

“Yeah, sure, whatever,” Sam snarked. He could feel his temper flaring and he had to remind himself to remain calm. Losing his shit was probably what this guy wanted and that wouldn’t help get Dean back. If he showed his anger, he feared what they would do to Dean. He couldn’t take the chance of them hurting his mate which was something they had no clue about. Whoever had taken Dean probably only thought they were brothers and nothing more but they were more, so much more. “Since you know my name, how about sharing your name with me, unless you want me to refer to you as the asshole who abducted my brother.”

“Sam, play nice. You’re gonna want to check that temper of yours while you’re talking to me or after I get off this call, Dean’s gonna be the one paying the price of your stupidity,” the man warned. “And you can call me… Guy. Of course, it's not my real name, but that doesn’t really matter now, does it? All you need to know is that we’ve got Dean and for right now he’s alive and in one piece. The rest depends on you… and of course him. How you both behave determines Dean’s treatment…”

“You still haven’t told me what you want,” Sam cut in not bothering to hide his desperation, hoping that actually worked in his favor. If the guy believed he was desperate to get Dean back, which he was, maybe that would work to his advantage. 

“What I want is to know exactly what you are…”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

The man tsked at Sam. “Don’t play at being stupid. You’re not human, neither of you is. I want to know what you are…”

“We’re human,” Sam argued, hoping to persuade the man into thinking otherwise. They’d been so careful, or at least he’d thought they’d been careful, around others. No one had questioned them until now. If he’d had any inkling that their safety had been in jeopardy, he would have taken Dean and cleared out of the cabin in order to find them someplace safe to crash until he could have figured something else out for them. Now, none of that mattered. What mattered was getting Dean back.

“Oh, Sam, now you’re just being rude and insulting my intelligence. Because of that, Dean’s gonna have to pay the price for your uncooperativeness,” Guy said ominously.

“No! Wait!” Sam screamed into the phone only to be met with silence. Shit! He’d fucked up and now somehow Dean was going to pay the price. “Please…”

“Ah, now that I’ve got your attention, here’s what's gonna happen. I’m gonna hold Dean through the full moon to see what happens since you’re claiming you’re both human.” He clicked his tongue at Sam. “A lie, which we both know. Then after that, once I see what he really is now, he’ll go up for auction. I’m sure someone would really enjoy taking out one of you, Winchesters, especially one of your hunter buddies. Oh, and when I’m making Dean pay, seeing what he’s made of, I’ll tell him you’re the reason I’m doing what I’m doing to him,” Guy said and then ended the call.

Sam stood there shaking with rage and fear and then a smile appeared on his face as he recalled Guy’s words regarding the full moon. The joke was on this asshole. He and Dean didn’t need the full moon to turn. In fact, they didn’t turn, not really. Dean’s eyes glowed an intense green when his emotions were heightened and his eyes turned amber, which he was pretty sure they were now, but so far, they hadn’t sprouted fur, claws, or fangs. So waiting for the full moon to see Dean turn would be uneventful for his brother’s captors but useful for Sam. He could use that time to find Dean. And maybe, if things went their way, whoever was holding Dean would think his brother was human and let him go when Dean didn’t turn into a werewolf with the coming full moon. It was doubtful, but he still held onto that slim sliver of hope.

Now the only problem Sam had was that he had no idea who he was looking for or how to find them. The cabin he and Dean had picked for their dwelling was remote; the nearest neighbor was over ten miles away affording them the privacy they craved. Neither of them wanted to get to know their neighbors; they didn’t care who was around as long as they stayed away from them. Now, it seemed the idea of a secluded cabin in the woods hadn’t been the smartest of ideas. There were no traffic cameras around for miles so tapping into them to try and figure out what vehicle Dean’s captors were driving would be a long shot at best but he still had to give it a try if he was going to get Dean back. 

Shoving his cell phone into his pocket, Sam stalked over to the stairs which led up to the loft area he and Dean had made into their office. Curling his hands around the banisters on either side of the stairs, he climbed them, one step at a time, his feet feeling heavy as he did until he’d made his way to the landing and then the wooden desk. Pulling back the brown leather chair he allowed himself to fall into it, listening to the chair’s protest at his sudden weight dropping down. Grabbing his laptop, he pulled it closer to himself and then opened it, powering it up. He started searching through traffic cameras trying to find the closest one to the road which led to their cabin. He knew it was a long shot but he had to try. He noticed a white panel truck with out-of-state plates covered in dirt which obscured the full plate numbers traveling up and down the same stretch of highway several times over the past few days. While he had no tangible proof that the van was involved in Dean’s abduction, there was something in him screaming that somehow the van was involved. “Damn it!” he growled when his research came up empty. Closing his eyes, he took a steadying breath and called out to Dean through their bond hoping his mate would answer him. Dean.

Sam. Dean’s response was groggy and soft but there. 

Sam felt relief flooding through his body making his knees weak with it. At least Dean had answered him. At first, when he hadn’t been able to sense his mate through their bond he’d felt untethered when there hadn’t been a response. Now he realized that Dean had probably been drugged when the men had grabbed him and his brother was just coming out of it. Where are you?

Don’t know. Woke up in some kind of van… No windows. They came… Never heard them until it was too late… Overpowered me… Knocked me out. I think they drugged me…

That confirmed Sam’s suspicion that they’d drugged Dean, otherwise, his brother wouldn’t have been overpowered. Whoever they were dealing with had come prepared. Are you hurt?

Don’t think so, aside from the healing bruises… I’m sore. Gave as good as I got… Dean got out to Sam before darkness overpowered him, pulling him down into all-encompassing nothingness, his memory of his abduction replaying in the form of a dream, distant but still real. Missing Sam, hating being separated from his mate, he had been curled up on their bed nearly asleep, wrapped in one of Sam’s flannel shirts when the cabin’s door had been kicked in. Before he’d been able to react, he’d felt hands on him, pulling him off the bed, tearing at the bedding, and sending the pillows onto the floor. Letting go of Sam’s shirt, he’d fought, kicking and punching at whoever had invaded his home. He’d managed to move the fight out of the bedroom and had gotten in a few punches and landed a few kicks, despite the ones he’d taken, before he’d felt a sharp sting to the back of his neck. Before his body had stopped responding to his desire to fight and he’d crumpled to the floor, his eyes unfocused before they’d slipped closed. He’d heard heavy breathing and a mumbled conversation before he’d lost consciousness only to wake up to find his hands and ankles zip-tied making his movements difficult in the moving van.

“Yo, he’s awake,” a man called out.

Blinking, Dean tried to crane his neck to see where he was and who was with him. The interior of the van was dim making it nearly impossible for him to make anything out aside from the breathing coming from whoever was with him. Sniffing the air, he wrinkled his nose at the stale air inside the van and the stench coming off the man in waves. He rocked back and forth on his side trying to move only to receive a kick to his midsection knocking the wind out of him and making him gasp from the pain

“Stay still, Winchester,” the man growled. 

“Who are you?” Dean asked when he’d managed to pull in enough air into his lungs to breathe and form a sentence. Whoever the man was, knew who he was, and judging by the fear and sweat he smelled, the man was human. 

“Doesn’t matter who I am. Just know that we came for you and soon we’re gonna find out what the fuck you are…”

Dean jerked in surprise at the man’s words. We came for you. We’re gonna find out what the fuck he was… That didn’t bode well for him or Sam. Someone had been watching them. Someone suspected that they weren’t human. That they’d been turned into… Whatever the hell they were now. But they didn’t pose a threat to anyone unless they were hunting something supernatural. Then all bets were off. But they didn’t feel the craving for human hearts… Or any heart for that matter. They were still just them… With a slight difference… An advantage as far as they were concerned which they used in favor of helping humans rather than hurting them. “Where’s my brother?” He needed to know if Sam was okay. Sam’s well-being was all that mattered to him, if his mate was fine, then he would be able to remain calm and wait for Sam to come for him because he knew there was no way his mate wouldn’t move Heaven and Hell to get to him.

“Sam’s fine. In fact, Guy just spoke to him. What you need to focus on is you and the situation you’re in ‘cause it ain’t gonna be a walk in the park for you,” the man snickered. “Your brother pissed Guy off and someone’s gonna have to pay for that.”

Before Dean could ask what that meant he heard a rattling and then another voice, gruffer this time, speaking. “Stop speaking to him. In fact, he doesn’t need to be awake, got it?”

“Yeah, I got it.”

Before Dean could protest he felt another sting to his neck and he felt himself losing consciousness, with Sam’s worried voice in the back of his mind calling out to him. Sam was his last thought before he lost his fight to stay awake, barely registering the conversation going on above him by disembodied voices. 

“He’s out. You really think he ain’t human? He looks pretty human to me…”

“Are you doubting me?”

“No, man, just asking…”

“Shut the fuck up and do your job. Keep your eyes on him,” Guy grumbled, turning his attention back to the phone in his hand before glancing at the driver, another buddy of his. Satisfied that things were under his control, he tracked the progress of their drive. A few more miles and they’d reach their destination and then the real fun would begin, he thought to himself as a cruel smile formed on his lips.  

When Dean woke again, he found himself in the cell he’d been residing in lying on a mattress that made his skin crawl with the filth it was covered in. He hadn’t given a damn about learning the names of the men that had taken him, the only thing on his mind was that he’d be separated from Sam. He didn’t have time to make sense of things before the metal door to the cell was flung open, a grating sound filling his ears as metal slammed against the stone wall. He tried to scramble away, get himself into one of the corners of the cell, trying to make it difficult for whoever had come for him to get to him but his wrists and ankles were still zip-tied and all he’d been able to do was flop around as if he was a fish out of water. Two sets of hands reached for him, grabbing him under his armpits and by his ankles, levering him up, and carrying him out of the cell like he was a sack of wriggling potatoes because there was no way he was going to make it easy on these bastards. “Get your fucking hands off me!” he bellowed, trying to kick his secured feet, hoping to connect a blow to the man at his feet in some way. Maybe if that happened and the guy dropped his feet, he’d be able to put up more of a fight. The idea was laughable because, again, his ankles were zip-tied, and even if he managed to get his feet free, there was still no way he’d be able to get himself free. “Let go of me,” he seethed as the two guys half-carried, half-dragged him along a short hallway and into another room to unceremoniously dump him into a metal chair. Before he was able to lunge forward with the intention of headbutting one of the guys and knocking the air out of the man’s lungs, he felt a hand on his right shoulder, an iron grip holding him back. He struggled to free himself of the man’s hold only to find he couldn’t since somehow, in his struggle, he hadn’t noticed he’d been secured to the chair by a rope wrapped around his chest, restricting his movements. “Fucking bastards…” Whatever else he was about to spew at the men was stopped by a burning fire lighting up his gut from a punch to his stomach.

“You’re in no position to make any demands, Dean,” Guy warned, watching as Dean’s eyes widened in surprise at the use of his first name and then they narrowed as Dean leveled a glare at him. “Yeah, I know who you are… The question I want answered is what are you?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Dean demanded and then felt his head snap to the left from the force of being backhanded, making him see stars as blackness encroached on his vision. He fought through it, refusing to give in to the pain or the threat of unconsciousness. He wouldn’t give the bastard the satisfaction of seeing him weaken from just one blow to the head.

“Don’t insult me. Now, let’s start off with me introducing myself. You can call me Guy and what you need to know is that your life is in my hands.” Guy crouched down in front of Dean, his hands resting on his thighs as he regarded the secured man who had started wriggling in the chair in an attempt to free himself. A smile came to his face as he watched Dean, waiting for the other man to tire himself out. With a chuckle, he said, “The chair is metal so it’s not gonna break apart and it’s bolted to the floor. It ain’t going anywhere and neither are you.”

“What do you want?” Dean panted out in between gasping for air. The rope around his chest was cutting into his lungs, making it difficult to breathe after exerting himself with his futile attempt at freeing himself. 

A menacing smile curled the man’s lips. “Now we're getting somewhere. Here I thought your brother was the brains between the two of you. Seems you might not be as stupid as everyone thinks. Putting on a show, all brawn, no brains…”

“You’re boring me… What do you want?” Dean demanded, earning him another backhand, causing him to sputter from the unexpected blow.

“Shut your mouth before I shut it for you,” Guy warned. “I want to know what you are, what you and your brother are…”

“Hunters,” Dean cut in, hoping that explanation would clear things up. “We’re hunters…”

“Now I know you’re lying… Yeah, you’re hunters,” Guy agreed with a nod. “But you’re not human… Not anymore. I want to know what you are. You tell me and this will go a lot easier for you…” Guy rubbed a hand across his chin, a smirk coming to his lips as his dark eyes caught Dean’s. “You don’t and your stay here with us won’t be as pleasant as it could be.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about… I’m human… Sam’s human… Are you off your meds? Maybe you should see someone about that…” Dean started to taunt, only to receive another blow, this time to his stomach.

“Well, we’ll see about that.” Guy backed away, nodding to the two men flanking Dean’s chair. “Sam was rude to me and I promised your brother I was gonna take it out of your hide. These two are gonna do that for me,” he explained as he leaned against the stone wall, crossing an ankle over the other and his arms across his chest while the two men walked in front of Dean, listening as their fists connected with whatever body part of the secured man they could. “That’s enough!” he called out after a few minutes, listening to the three men breathing heavily. “Don’t want to damage the merchandise too much.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Dean asked between healing breaths. He and Sam didn’t have much in the way of money and he didn’t believe that Guy was holding him, waiting for a big payday from Sam.

“You’ll see… In time. Cut our guest loose and escort him back to his accommodations,” Guy commanded and then disappeared from the room, leaving the two men to follow his orders. 

Several days later Deen had been dragged from his cell and brought to the same room with the damn metal chair. “This the only other room you got?” he asked, looking around the room, trying to get a sense of how big the place was he was being kept in. So far, he’d only seen the inside of his cell and this room. He needed more information if he was gonna get out of the predicament he was in or even help Sam find him. The room was made of stone, the same stone that comprised the walls of his cell, making him think they were still in the same building. He sniffed the air hoping to pick up a scent that might clue him in to whatever the building was. All he was able to smell were the two men circling him, making him wrinkle his nose at the smell of unwashed bodies. He was about to taunt them, suggest that they take a shower and maybe think about washing their clothes when one of them spoke, pulling him out of his thoughts.

“Look at you, it seems to me that you’re healing pretty damn quickly from the beat down we gave you,” the man Dean had taken to calling in his mind as Shemp said.

“What can I say?” Dean shrugged, a hint of a smirk on his face. “I’m a fast healer, always have been.”

“Guess we’ll see about that.”

“Maybe you just didn’t hit as hard as you thought. Maybe you’re not as tough as you think.” Dean taunted only to be stopped by a punch to his gut causing him to double over and fall to his knees, bracing himself as best as he could with his hands still tied together. 

“That tough enough for you?” Shemp snarled before giving another well-placed blow to Dean’s back, forcing the green-eyed man’s arms to give out.

With a grunt, Dean’s arms gave out, causing him to crash onto the hard and unforgiving floor. He wheezed from the impact of the second blow and then found himself being hauled to his feet and dragged back over to the chair which he was forced into and then secured to. “What the fuck!” he screamed as the men backed away from him, anger and fear warring within him. He knew whatever was coming next wouldn’t be good. These assholes hadn’t tied him to a chair just so they could have a friendly talk. Trying to throw them off guard he jutted his head toward the second guy, the one he’d named Moe. “Hey, so what’s your story? Huh? You just some muscle for hire?” Meeting Moe’s surprised eyes, he licked his lips. “Come on, you can tell me. We’re all friends here.”

“I ain’t your friend,” Moe hissed, crossing his arms over his chest and sneering at Dean. “I ain’t friends with the likes of you.” To make his point, he spat on the ground and then looked directly at Dean.

“Come on, we could be friends. I’m a likable guy,” Dean responded with a smirk.

“Go fuck yourself,” Moe snarled and then turned as he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. 

Turning as best he could despite being tied to the chair, Dean watched as Guy, the leader of this merry little band of fuckups, walked through the door. Sighing, he frowned, making himself look uninterested as the man approached him. “Are we doing this again?” he snarked, waiting for another blow to his face or stomach.

“That depends on you,” Guy said. “Are you ready to tell me what you are?”

Rolling his eyes, Dean looked up at Guy. ‘Well, if I were in the military, I’d be reciting my name and rank but I’m not, so I don’t have anything else to tell you other than the last time you asked me that question. Human… Oh and fuck you.” He grinned up at Guy, watching as the man narrowed his eyes at him. He knew he’d pissed the man off and sat, waiting for Guy to retaliate. He wasn’t left waiting too long.

“Okay, funny man,” Guy snarled before curling his right hand into a fist and slamming it into Dean’s stomach, listening to Dean sputter for air. “That’s how you wanna play it?”

Dean gasped for air when Guy punched him in the stomach. “It’s the only play I got,” he managed to say once he was able to breathe again. Raising his head, he looked defiantly at Guy before grinning at the man. 

Dean! Sam frantically called out, feeling the pain his mate was in. For a moment his eyesight swam in front of him, the image on his laptop seemingly out of focus before he realized what he was looking at wasn’t his laptop but what Dean was seeing. The first time that had happened it had freaked him the fuck out, sure he was losing his eyesight or worse starting to have hallucinations until he’d realized that as their bond strengthened, not only were they able to silently communicate to each other, and feel what the other was feeling if the feeling was intense enough, they were also able to see what the other saw. Controlling his frantic breathing, he focused his attention on his bond with Dean, opening it fully so he was able to look through Dean’s eyes and hopefully catch a glimpse of where his mate was being kept. What he saw wasn’t helpful as far as a location things were too blurry to make out but he was able to catch a glimpse of a man staring at Dean. The man was older with a weathered face, graying hair and beard, cold dark eyes, and a sadistic smile that sent a shiver down his spine. Who is that?

Calls himself Guy. So far, I’ve only seen three of them. The other two I call Moe and Shemp. 

So that was the man in charge, the man he’d spoken with, and one of the men holding his mate. Sam let out a frustrated growl. Now he knew what one of the men looked like but he was still no closer to finding him or Dean. How the hell was he supposed to find Dean and rescue him if he didn’t have a clue as to where his mate was being held? He was still no closer to finding Dean. I’m gonna find you.

I know, Dean managed to get out before his head jerked to the right from being backhanded by Guy. “That all you got?” he taunted, his tongue swiping over his split lip, and tasting blood. 

Sam felt a sharp, stinging sensation emanating through their bond. What’s going on?

Asshole’s trying to prove a point.

Sam roared with anger with the understanding that what was happening to Dean was that his mate was being hurt and there was nothing he could do to stop it. I’m gonna find you and then I’m gonna make them pay!

I have no doubt about that. And Dean didn’t. If there was one thing he was confident about, it was that Sam would keep his promise to him. His mate always had in the past. If Sam said he’d find him and make these assholes pay, then it was only a matter of time before they would be reunited and these three were lying in a puddle of their own blood.

Sam’s chest would have puffed with pride over the confidence Dean put in him but it didn’t. He was still no closer to finding Dean and they both knew that. Just hold on. Love you.

Love you, too. Dean turned his attention back to the man standing in front of him and the two goons flanking him. “What’s the plan today, huh boys?” This time, he made sure to keep the bond open while he looked at the other two men, attempting to give Sam any advantage he could. While he still didn’t have a clue as to where he was or who the men who’d taken him were, he could at least help Sam. Maybe his brother could work with knowing their faces. He hoped Sam would figure something out.

With their bond still open, Sam was able to see what Dean was seeing. He was able to see the faces of the other two men. He knew what Dean was doing. His mate was trying to help him figure things out, who these guys actually were, and where they’d taken Dean. At least now he knew something the men didn’t. He knew what they looked like. It still didn’t help him at that moment but he knew eventually that knowledge would come in handy. Dean? Dean?! Dean! He called frantically when he realized he was no longer able to see through their bond or feel Dean as clearly as he’d been able to moments before. With a heavy heart, he knew why. Dean had closed their bond and the only reason he could figure was to in some way protect him from knowing what his mate was going through.

With the next blow to the face, Dean closed off the bond between himself and Sam, not wanting his mate to feel the pain he was in. It was bad enough he was dealing with being on the receiving end of a beating, he didn’t need or want Sam to feel what he was going through as well. Grunting, he pitched forward when the next blow to his body hit him in the gut leaving him to gasp for air.

“We can do this all day,” Guy said, looking over at the two men flanking him before meeting Dean’s green eyes. He saw the pained look on Dean’s face was screwed up into and frowned. He’d thought after a day or two of being separated from his brother and a couple of beatings Dean would have broken by now and told him what he wanted to know. “But wouldn’t it just be easier to tell me what I want to know? Tell me what you and your brother are.” He made his point by slamming his fist into Dean’s jaw.

Dean grunted from the impact on the left side of his jaw. He heard his teeth grinding and felt the jarring sensation that caused pain to shoot through his head from the blow. He blinked several times in an attempt to clear the blackness trying to encroach on his vision. He couldn’t give in to it despite how tempting it was to just let go and surrender to it knowing if he did, nothing good would come of it. No, he had to stay conscious if for nothing else than to show these fuckers he wasn’t someone who they’d be able to easily screw with. “That all you got?” he snarked and then leaned over to spit out the blood pooling in his mouth. He knew he was taking a risk by taunting these men, there were three of them after all and while they might be able to do this all day, beat the crap out of him, at some point his body was going to give out. It wasn’t a matter of if but when. Even with his heightened abilities, he knew his body would only be able to take so much abuse before it finally gave out.

With a grunt, Guy stepped back, eyeing Dean as he did. For a moment, his temper flared at Dean’s refusal to tell him what he and his brother were, and he was tempted to take another shot at the man tied to the chair but common sense ruled out. If he damaged the merchandise too much, he might not be able to fetch the price he was hoping for when Dean went up for auction. He knew those bidding were picky and didn’t want to purchase damaged goods and right now, Dean was sporting a split lip and several bruises. Dean needed time to heal before they went another round because he was determined to break the man in front of him and find out what he was. “Cut him loose and take him back to his cell.” 

Through blurry vision, Dean watched as the two men moved forward, two hulking forms before him, as one pulled a knife from his boot and used it to cut the ropes holding him to the chair. He sucked in oxygen once the restrictive ropes had been cut away from his chest filling his lungs and coughing as he did. Through the sounds he was making, he heard Guy speaking to one of the men but he wasn’t able to make out what was being said before the two men grabbed him, pulled him out of the chair, and dragged him from the room, tossing him back into his cell and on the dirty mattress. Before he could move, he felt an unfamiliar pressure on his legs and realized Shemp was sitting on his thighs while Moe unlaced his boots and stripped him out of them along with his socks. “Get off me!” he’d screamed, attempting and failing at getting himself free. He’d done his best to struggle, wanting to make it as difficult as possible for the two men to do whatever it was they were doing. Once he was left barefoot, Shemp stood up and gave him a kick to his side, the man’s booted foot colliding with his kidney and leaving him gasping in pain before retreating to the door with a smile on his face.

“You’re not getting those back until you play ball,” Shemp announced. “Be happy that’s all Guy wanted us to take from you. It could’ve been a lot worse if I was the one calling the shots.” Shemp sneered at him and then winked at Moe before pushing past the other man in order to exit the cell.

“You’re gonna have to earn them back,” Moe cackled before walking out of the cell and slamming the door shut, leaving Dean to scream himself hoarse as he demanded his boots and socks back.

Groaning, Dean curled up into a ball on the mattress not caring how filthy it was. All he wanted was to sleep. No, what he wanted was to sleep in the comfort of Sam’s arms. His body ached from the abuse he’d been put through, and he knew it would take him a while to heal since he hadn’t eaten or drank anything since being taken. He was going to have to earn back his boots and socks. That thought sent a chill down his spine as he wondered just what those three assholes had in mind for him. Guy seemed motivated to find out what he and Sam were but he had no idea why. What did Guy and those other two chuckleheads stand to gain? Then it hit him as he recalled what Guy had said the first day he’d been taken. Guy had called him merchandise. Merchandise. Did Guy mean to sell him? Was that what this was all about? A payday? If so, that didn’t bode well for him. He had a feeling that there were many out there, specifically those of the supernatural designation, who would pay top dollar for him and his brother. A few hunters might want to get in on the action especially if they ever learned that he and Sam weren’t exactly human anymore. The question was, would they be sold as slaves or would it be something far worse for them? Would they be hunted? If he and Sam were kept together, he knew they stood a chance at surviving whatever might be in store for them. But separated… Even with their bond, he doubted that would be enough to help them through whatever they were dealing with. Sure, they were great hunters on their own but their dynamics had changed. They weren’t just brothers, they were mated. The desire to be with each other overruled anything else and that just might be their downfall was his last thought before he gave into the ever-encroaching darkness pulling at him. 

Dean? Sam called through their bond feeling the need to connect with his mate. At first, he wasn’t sure what to make of Dean’s silence. For a moment, his blood ran cold when he couldn’t feel Dean through their bond until he got a faint response and realized his mate was unconscious. Whether that was from the need to sleep or because of the beating Dean had endured he wasn’t sure but either way he could feel his anger bubbling up to the surface from the knowledge that he was separated from Dean, and he hadn’t been there to protect his mate. Deciding not to bother Dean and that his mate needed to sleep, he forced himself to focus on his efforts of finding the men who’d taken Dean and getting his mate back.

Sometime later, Dean roused from his slumber. His body ached. He was cold and dirty. He needed a shower as well as something to eat and drink. Without a few good nights’ sleep and food in his belly, he knew his body would take longer to heal from the trauma he’d suffered at the hands of the men holding him. Sam? He needed the comfort of his alpha and while Sam wasn’t there with him physically, he could at least connect with his mate through their bond.

Dean! Oh, thank god. Sam had to force himself to calm down so he would be able to hear Dean over the hammering of his heart. The connection through their bond was weak and it felt as if Dean was slipping away from him. I was so worried… What’s going on?

Dean could hear the relief in Sam’s voice and feel it through their bond. He found comfort in knowing that Sam was not only worried about him but that his mate felt relieved over connecting with him through their bond. Sam, I’m here. What was going on? Did he tell Sam the full extent or keep things to himself? Knowing that Sam would find out eventually, he opted for filling his mate in on what had happened so far and what he’d surmised was the reason behind his abduction. Every few days they take me into this room where they have a metal chair bolted to the floor. They tie me to the chair and use me as a punching bag. 

Sam couldn’t help the angry growl that slipped out and through their bond. His anger wasn’t directed at Dean but at the men hurting his mate. I’m going to fucking kill them when I find them!

I think… I think… They keep asking me what I am. They’re not hunters… Definitely human, though… They called me the merchandise… 

Unintentionally Sam shivered at hearing Dean say that word. Dean…

What? They’re gonna sell me… Or at least try to… Dean hoped he was wrong but he could feel Sam’s anxiousness through their bond and he had a sinking suspicion that he was right. Trying to lighten Sam’s mood, he asked, Is it a sex thing? When Sam remained silent and his mate’s mood hadn’t shifted, he followed his teasing with, What’s going on? What do you know? The better prepared he was might give him a chance at getting out of the situation he was in.

They think they know what we are.

Dean couldn’t help but scoff at that. We don’t even know what we are. How the hell do they know what we are?

They’ve been watching you… Me… Us… Somehow, they found us… Trying to figure out what we are. Somehow, they figured out we’re not exactly human. 

So that’s why they showed up at the cabin? They were watching us? The idea of someone watching them was unnerving to Dean. Their privacy had been invaded not to mention the fact that the sanctity of their cabin had been tainted. What the fuck! 

Dean, you've gotta stay calm. We both do. 

Tell me what’s going on. It was easier for Dean to ask that question than for him to remind Sam that staying calm was easier said than done, especially since he was the one locked in a cell and being tortured and not Sam. He knew if he said what he was thinking it would be seen as a low blow by Sam and he didn’t want that. It wasn’t Sam’s fault he was where he was. 

Whoever these guys are, they plan on selling you and probably me to the highest bidder. The one who calls himself Guy thinks it’d be great for one of our hunter buddies to take us out. No sooner were the words out and Sam was flooded with the fear Dean was feeling through their bond. It wasn’t fear for Dean, no, it was fear for him.

You’ve gotta watch your back, Sam. You need to stay safe and make it difficult for them to get to you.

Dean… Knowing that there was nothing he could say to relieve Dean’s fear over his safety other than that he would take every precaution, Sam responded with, I’ll stay safe . You just concentrate on healing.

Yeah, Dean agreed before rolling over, suppressing a groan as he did, and closing off their bond. He didn’t have it in him to tell Sam that healing would be hard for him since he hadn’t been given anything to eat or drink and he had the suspicion that his captors were doing their best to weaken him. He let himself drift back into unconsciousness hoping that soon he and Sam would be reunited and that the threat to their very existence was eliminated.

Sitting back in his chair, Sam scrubbed his hands down his face. Since their cabin had been discovered and was no longer safe, he’d cleared out of it the day Dean had been taken. He’d been moving around, never staying in the same place for more than one night. He’d stored the Impala knowing that their car was recognizable, and he’d purchased a used nondescript car which he was using as his home base. Currently, he was sitting in the back of the local library with his laptop in front of him as he searched for more clues about the van used to transport Dean and the men who’d taken his mate. 

If the men holding Dean had been watching them, it stood to reason they were either from the area or at least had a place that wasn’t far enough away but still remote enough to hide Dean without drawing too much attention to themselves. The place might be a good distance from their cabin but not far enough away to make the drive longer than a few hours. With that thought, he grabbed his laptop and started searching through the street cameras, finding the same van making its way up and down Main Street several times before disappearing down the highway where the footage cut out along a long stretch of highway. Pulling up aerial views of the surrounding area he realized there was a dirt road turnoff that disappeared several feet in, the dense trees cutting off any surveillance footage of where the road led or what was in the area. 

If that was the case, and Sam was pretty sure it was, he knew he needed to investigate. With that thought in mind, he packed up his laptop and made his way out of the library and to the brown four-door sedan parked in one of the library’s parking spots. After placing his laptop in the backseat, he slid behind the wheel of the car. He needed food and to wait for the right time to make his way out to that long stretch of road with the hope of playing out his hunch and finding Dean. He couldn’t go in broad daylight in case the road was being watched. He’d easily be seen and that was the last thing he wanted. He also couldn’t go out there in the dead of night. The headlights from his car would be a dead giveaway that someone was on the road, and he couldn’t risk whoever was holding Dean discovering him out there. No, he had to play this smart. He needed to keep his wits about him, and he also needed to trade in the car he was currently driving for the Impala. He needed their weapons which they kept in the trunk of the Impala and he would also need the safety the Impala would provide them once he got Dean back. 

With his decision made, Sam drove to the storage unit he’d left the Impala at and changed vehicles. As soon as he opened the driver’s door of the Impala he was hit with Dean’s familiar scent. The scent of his mate was stale but there and as much as it comforted him, it also angered him. He growled at being separated from his mate as he closed the door. Nothing seemed to soothe his frayed nerves, not the scent of his mate sitting in the Impala which he’d missed, and not the hum of the engine. He was on edge, feeling as if his skin was stretched too tightly across his body. His blood burned in his veins, and he was becoming increasingly irritable. 

It hit him as Sam made his way to the diner he’d seen earlier that day. While he’d been separated from Dean and doing whatever he could to get his mate back, he hadn’t realized how close to the full moon they were or the fact that his mate was due to go into a heat soon, and because of that, his rut would be coming on as well. Pulling into a parking spot, he gripped the steering wheel tightly, the skin over his knuckles bleeding white. Closing his eyes, he took a steadying breath. He needed to keep a clear head or he’d end up doing something he’d regret. He kept reminding himself of that. He wouldn’t be any good to Dean if he gave in to his anger over them being separated or the rut he could feel creeping up on him.

When he opened his eyes, he noticed a man walking out of the diner. He had a sense that he knew the man, one he couldn’t seem to shake, as he tried to place where he’d seen the man before. Sitting forward, with his hands still gripping the steering wheel, his hazel eyes tracked the man’s movements as the man made his way over to a pickup truck. Cocking his head, his brows furrowed, he was about to dismiss the idea that he knew the man when his eyes widened. He’d figured out where he’d seen the man before - through Dean’s eyes. He was looking at one of the men who’d taken Dean. He had to stop himself from getting out of the Impala, stalking over to the man, and pulling the man from the truck with the thought of beating the man until he told him where Dean was being kept. He knew that wouldn't work and most likely the police would show up and haul his ass to jail before he ever got the information he so desperately needed. Plus, it would alert those holding Dean to his presence and they would probably end up moving Dean, or worse. No, he needed to think clearly about his next move.

He watched while the man pulled out of his parking spot and onto the highway. Wanting to give the man time to put some distance between them without losing sight of the truck, Sam waited before pulling the Impala out of its parking spot and following in the same direction as the truck. He made sure to keep a safe distance between himself and the man he was following, not wanting his presence to be detected. His instincts paid off; he’d been right about the dirt road, watching as the truck pulled off. Pulling the Impala onto the dirt road, he found a safe place to park so he could follow on foot, not wanting anyone to hear the sound of the car’s engine which would alert anyone around to his presence. Now he needed to wait until the cover of dark to make his next move, sure that this trail would lead him to Dean.

Dean’s chin rested against his chest, his breathing shallow. He was weak, too weak to fight back; lack of food and water had a way of making sure a person stayed that way. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been held captive; it wasn’t as if the men holding him would announce the day and date when they entered the tiny cement room where they were keeping him. Without windows, he didn’t register the passing of time, never knowing if it was day or night. The only thing he knew was he’d been separated from Sam. The separation was painful but bearable up until now. Now, he needed Sam to find him because he wasn’t sure he’d be able to survive being tortured when he went into a full-blown heat. He needed Sam to find him and fast. He could feel his heat approaching and soon he’d be too far gone to fight back, not that he could at the moment with his hands tied together, as they always were, and suspended over his head, his toes just barely scraping along the stone floor underneath him. 

Earlier, they’d come for him again, hauling him off the dirty mattress, and out of his cell, dragging him into the same room with the metal chair where they’d hooked his zip-tied wrists to a chain and then hoisted him up, dangling him like a worm on a hook. He’d thought he was in for another workover, waiting for his captors’ fists to connect with his flesh but this time that hadn’t happened. This time, they had something else in store for him, cutting away his ripped and blood-stained t-shirt, leaving his torso exposed, and wearing nothing else but his boxer briefs and his jeans as he hung there waiting for something to happen next. His boots and socks had been taken away from him sometime after the first day there, a tactic used to make him feel vulnerable. It hadn’t, it had only pissed him off. He’d raged over the loss of his boots, screaming obscenities that fell on deaf ears because no one had come to even gloat about having stripped him of his socks and boots. For him, his missing boots had been something to focus his rage on, and he’d hoped whoever was holding him captive would see him as unhinged and think twice about keeping him against his will. 

That hadn’t happened. They’d left him alone, with no contact, no food, no water until he’d passed out on the mattress he’d found in the corner of his cell. He still wasn’t sure what day it was, but he now knew nearly two weeks had passed since being taken. He could feel the telltale signs of his heat approaching. He was shaking, his skin was clammy, his eyesight was blurry, and he ached and it wasn’t from the beatings he’d been taking. He’d hoped to make it through his captivity and figure out a way to escape before his heat started but apparently, fate had other ideas for him. A heat without Sam to give him what he needed was something he wasn’t looking forward to. He’d never spent a heat without Sam since they’d been turned, and he wasn’t sure what it would be like to be separated from his alpha during his heat but he had a feeling it was something he wouldn’t enjoy. Something deep within him told him it wouldn’t be pleasant and that he’d be begging for his mate’s knot.

“Always thought with the way you acted you were the alpha,” Shemp snickered, coming closer to stand only a foot away from Dean. “All that swagger you portray but you’re not an alpha, are you?” Shemp placed his hands on his hips, looking Dean over. “No, you’re the bitch, aren’t you?” Shemp cackled at his own words, finding humor in them while he waited for Dean’s reaction.

Fuck, they’d figured out what he was and Dean knew there would be no way for him to talk his way out of the situation he was in. Raising his head, he looked at the man and then wrinkled his nose at his captor’s foul-smelling breath. “Still more of a man than you are,” he taunted and then wheezed when the man punched him in the gut, forcing the air out of his lungs.

“Yeah, we’ll see about that when you’re in heat, begging for your alpha’s knot. Begging to be fucked. Tell me, when you’re too delirious from being denied what your body craves, do you think you’ll bend over for me?” Grabbing Dean’s hair, Shemp used it to force Dean’s head up so they were looking at each other, a sadistic smile spreading across the man’s face.

“Doubt I’ll ever be that desperate,” Dean choked out, watching as the man’s eyes widened in shock before they took on a hard edge to them. Despite the pain he was in and the pain he’d cause himself, he jerked his head away from the man’s hold. 

“You’re cocky now, but you won’t be too cocky when you're in a full-blown heat.” Shemp palmed his crotch. “Never come across a male bitch before but a hole’s a hole, ain’t it, and a cock’s still a cock…”

Dean’s lips curled into a sneer, ready to toss out a cutting remark about how the man’s cock would never be able to satisfy him or anyone else when he heard another voice.

“Back the fuck off him,” the man growled. “Keep it in your pants. We ain’t got time for that.” Guy stepped closer, placing a bucket down in front of him, water sloshing around as it settled. He watched as the man raised his hands and backed off, satisfied that he’d exerted his authority. This was his operation, and he was in charge. A smirk came to his lips when he saw Dean raise his head and peer at the bucket. Cocking his head to the side he looked at Dean, taking in the green-eyed man’s state. He’d been just as surprised as the other two men when they’d realized what was going on with the older Winchester. “So, we can do this the easy way or the hard way…” he said, crossing his arms over his chest and looking down at the bucket of water before raising his eyes to Dean’s face, searching for the man’s acknowledgement. “The way this goes next is all up to you…” He rubbed the fingers of his right hand over his lips. “Just tell me what you are, and you can go back to that nice little cage I’ve got you stashed in. Then I’ll go get your little brother and you two can have a nice little family reunion before I sell you to the highest bidder…”

Raising his head, Dean looked at Guy. “Fuck you,” he spat. He wasn’t about to give in so easily even in the state he was in. “Don’t you touch my brother…”

“Seems it’s the hard way for you,” Guy said and picked up the bucket, tossing the water over Dean’s torso before pulling the cattle prod out from where he’d had it stashed in his back pocket. He clicked the button on the handle, listening to the loud zapping sound it made when electrodes on the end came to life, watching as Dean’s eyes widened before he raised it and applied it to Dean’s wet skin. He watched as Dean’s body went taut, the electrical current running through the man’s body.

As soon as Dean saw the cattle prod, he knew what was coming next. He didn’t have time to prepare himself for what was about to happen to him as he sputtered and shivered when the cold water hit his skin. He didn’t have time to draw in a breath before the cattle prod connected with his bare, wet skin sending a jolt of electricity through his body. He felt his muscles involuntarily tensing up and all he could do was open his mouth and scream from the pain. 

Guy watched as Dean shook uncontrollably from the touch of the cattle prod to his skin. “Now, that’s just the first setting,” he announced before pressing the cattle prod to Dean’s skin again, watching as he seemed to dance in place. When Dean stopped moving, he chuckled. “Still wanna do this the hard way?”

Raising his head, Dean looked at Guy. “Fuck you…” he started to say. Whatever else he was going to say was lost in a scream when the cattle prod touched his skin again sending another jolt of electricity through his body. He could feel his muscles locking up as the electricity coursed through his body making it difficult for him to move or breathe. 

“You can save yourself some pain if you just tell me what you are. It’s clear to me and the others that you’re not human. What turned you?” Guy asked, cocking his head to the side. When Dean continued to hang there without answering him, he shrugged. “Guess it really doesn’t matter now, does it? Either way, I’ve got my answer, you’re not human.” 

“Fuck you!”

“Fuck me?” Guy chuckled and then smirked at Dean before changing the setting on the cattle prod. “No, see, that’s where you’re wrong,” he warned before jabbing Dean again, watching as Dean convulsed from the intensity of the electricity coursing through his body. 

“Yeah, I think I’ll make sure that whoever buys you knows that you’re able to go into heat. That’ll make it interesting for you. Won’t it?” Guy couldn't help but laugh. “Seems to me you could use a good, hard fuck right about now,” he said and then brought the cattle prod up to Dean’s stomach, watching as Dean seized in front of him from the intensity of the electrical current running through his body. 

Dean couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t move as the cattle prod touched his skin and he felt the searing pain engulf him, whiting out any thoughts he had. He couldn’t think and he had no control over his own body. All he could do was give in to the pain and hope it ended quickly.

Shooting while hot pain hit Sam, making him gasp and white knuckle the steering wheel. He did his best to breathe through the pain while he tried to make sense of what was going on. Pain flooded his body, making him gasp again as he realized what he was feeling was coming through to him by way of his bond with Dean. The men who were holding Dean were torturing his mate and this time whatever they were doing to Dean it wasn’t a couple of punches to the gut. He snarled in anger, ready to howl his frustration at not being able to protect his mate from whatever was happening to Dean, which had to be bad if he was able to feel it this strongly through their bond despite them being separated. 

Forcing himself out of the Impala as he breathed through the pain, the only thought Sam had was that he needed to get to Dean. He made his way through the woods coming to a clearing and to see a stone building before him along with the white panel van. As he got closer to the van, he was able to pick up Dean’s scent faint mixed with that of the three humans holding his mate. Pulling his gun from the waistband of his jeans, he stalked toward the only entrance to the building. Reaching out, he tried the handle and found the door unlocked, and pushed it open. Whoever had Dean clearly wasn’t counting on him finding them if he’d been able to make it this far without being detected. 

Once inside the door, Sam could pick up Dean’s scent which was stronger than it had been around the van. He was about to make his way to wherever Dean was being held when the man he’d followed to the stone building appeared. His eyes flashed red and he snarled at the man, watching as he pulled a knife from its sheath attached to his belt. 

Pulling a knife on Sam, the man brandished it, causing the blade to glint in the light. “Decided to make it easier on us by just showing? What, did you sense your bitch was in heat?” the man sneered and then charged at Sam.

Without realizing what was happening, Sam’s hands transformed from those of his human hands into claws. He lashed out at him, his razor-sharp claws raking down the man’s arm causing the man to yell in pain and drop the knife.

“Please…” the man begged as he pulled his arm back, cradling it while he tried to stop the bleeding from the claw marks Sam had made. 

“Please?” Sam mimicked. “Please spare your life? Please don’t hurt you?” he asked, watching as the man nodded. His lips curled into a sneer displaying his elongated canines. “I don’t think so. You came for us. You took Dean.” 

“It wasn’t my idea…” the man started to whimper. The rest of whatever he was about to say was cut off as Sam slashed at him, not stopping until lifeless eyes stared back up at Sam.

Sam stood over the blood-soaked body looking down into unseeing eyes. There was a part of him, the part that was still human, that knew he should feel remorse for taking this man’s life but the animalistic part of him didn’t care. The part that had taken over, the part that he’d given into sought revenge for this man invading their home and taking Dean from him and he knew he would stop until whoever else had been involved had been dealt with. A sound caught his attention and he turned to see another man standing there looking at him with terror clearly etched on his face. He advanced on the man using his claws to rip and tear the man’s flesh, taking the man’s life before the man even had a chance to scream. Two down and one to go was the thought that went through Sam’s mind as he stepped over the second lifeless body as he searched for Dean.

“Still not willing to talk?” Guy taunted while he turned the dial on the cattle prod to its highest setting. “Then I’ll settle for hearing you scream,” he said and then jabbed Dean with the cattle prod.

Dean threw his head back and howled in pain before his body seized and the wind was pushed from his lungs. 

Hearing Dean’s howl, Sam followed the sound down a stone hallway. Stepping inside the room, he saw Dean suspended from a metal hook, his mate hanging there as if he were a piece of meat. He could feel the pain Dean was in and his eyes bled to red as his fury built from seeing Dean being hurt. “You’re hurting him,” Sam barked. “And I can’t have that…” He took another step into the room, his eyes taking in his surroundings. There was only one way in or out of the room and he was currently blocking any escape for the man standing next to Dean. 

At the sound of the unfamiliar voice, the man looked up, letting go of the cattle prod. It hit the stone floor with a thud and rolled out of the man’s reach. “Yeah, I knew you’d come for Dean. Knew nothing would keep you from trying to rescue your brother.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Sam sneered at the man attempting to stop him from getting to Dean. “He’s not just my brother, he’s my mate.” The sneer morphed into a smile when he saw the man’s eyes widen in surprise. He saw the understanding register in the man’s eyes. How the man standing before him, attempting to keep him from Dean realized what his words meant. He would do anything to get to Dean. He would do anything it took to protect his mate and that the man had sealed his fate the moment he’d laid a hand on Dean.

A keening could be heard from Dean, emanating from his chest and anyone near Sam would be able to hear his predatory growl in response. “Sam…” he croaked when he heard his brother’s response. Sam’s voice was muffled as if his mate was far away but he’d still been able to hear Sam’s growl. Sam was close and he could no longer ignore the pain he was in. His body hurt not only from the torture he’d endured but also from being separated from his mate. He was so close to losing his mind from his impending heat and all he wanted was for Sam to bend him over and knot him. He needed his alpha to take care of him. He needed Sam to quelch the burning in his body. Throwing his head back, he opened his mouth and keened again.  

Realizing that Sam was covered in blood and that he no longer held the cattle prod, Guy raised his hands in surrender. “Look, I’ll make a trade with you…” He looked from Dean to Sam. “You can take him… I won’t try to stop you… I won’t come after you… Won’t say a word about this… You just let me go…”

Sam chuckled, his laughter reverberating off the stone walls. “There’s no way you’re getting out of here. Not alive anyway,” he assured Guy before charging at the man, his claws slashing at the man, digging into tender flesh, and ripping it from the bone. He heard the man begging for his life, pleading with him to stop but he didn’t. He couldn’t. This man was a threat to them. This man had come for them. This man had taken Dean from him. This man with the help of the other two who were now dead had hurt Dean and there was no way he could ever let that stand. With one last swipe of his claws, he slit the man’s neck, watching while the man’s lifeblood seeped out to pool around his body. 

“Sam,” Dean called, his voice sounding hoarse, catching his mate’s attention. 

Hearing Dean’s voice, Sam stepped back from the lifeless body and looked down at his hands which were still claws, seeing they were covered in blood. He was covered in blood. For a moment he began to panic worrying that he would like this forever until he realized his anger had triggered his transformation. Taking a deep breath and doing his best not to focus on the coppery scent of blood he reminded himself that Dean was no longer in danger. Dean was safe and he’d eliminated the threat to their safety. That seemed to do the trick. Raising his hands, he watched, fascinated as they changed back to his human hands before turning around to face Dean. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the state his mate was in. Dean’s torso was covered in burns from where the cattle prod had touched him, his eyes were glowing, his canines had extended, and his hands were claws. 

“Sam!” Dean called again, looking widely around the room, his eyes searching out his mate as he tried to use his claws to free himself. 

Hearing the panic in Dean’s voice, Sam closed the distance between them. “Hey, I’m right here,” he said soothingly, hoping to calm his mate down. As much as he hated to touch Dean while his hands were covered in blood, he knew he needed to in order to get his mate to relax enough that Dean would be able to change back. Wiping his hands on his jeans, he did his best to get as much blood off his skin as possible before placing them on Dean’s waist. “You’ve gotta calm down.” He could feel Dean’s rising panic, knowing that his mate’s concern wasn’t for himself but fear over his alpha being hurt.

“Sam…” 

“Yeah, I know. Just breathe. I think our heightened emotions triggered our change. Once you calm down…”

“Get me down,” Dean cut in, struggling to get himself free. While Sam was standing in front of him, touching him, he was still suspended by his wrist and hanging from a hook. His wrist, arms, and shoulders were screaming for some type of relief.

“Yeah… Right…” Sam shook his head at himself. He should have realized that Dean needed to be cut loose, that his mate was still in pain and fueled by his panic, and wouldn’t be able to calm down until he’d dealt with that. “Give me a minute,” he said and then disappeared from the room, searching out the first man he’d killed, remembering that the man had brandished a knife. Finding the knife a few feet away from the man’s body, he grabbed it and raced back to Dean. “Wrap your legs around my waist,” he advised, taking some of the pressure off Dean’s upper body and then raising the knife to Dean’s wrists, slicing through the rigid plastic securing his mate to the metal hook. Once the zip tie had been cut, he dropped the knife and grabbed onto Dean, taking his mate’s weight and supporting Dean, holding his mate in his arms.

With the zip-ties cut, Dean wasted no time in wrapping his arms around Sam’s neck, his claws digging into the meat of Sam’s shoulders and puncturing his mate’s shirts, pulling his alpha to him and crushing their lips together, his canines nipping at Sam’s bottom lip. He continued kissing Sam, ignoring how his lungs were screaming for air. After being separated from Sam for so long, and now that he was in heat, the only thing he wanted was for Sam to knot him.

“I’ve got you,” Sam murmured once their kiss had ended. He ignored the claws digging into his shoulders in favor of savoring the fact that Dean was once again in his arms. “I’m here,” he assured Dean, feeling his mate beginning to relax. “I’ve got you,” he repeated, knowing that Dean needed his reassurance that they were finally together again and that there was no way he would allow anyone to separate them again. 

Now that Dean was in Sam’s arms and he could kiss and scent his alpha, he began to relax enough that his claws and canines retracted, and his eyes were no longer glowing. “Sorry about the shirts,” he said and then buried his face in the crook of Sam’s neck. 

“Come on, we gotta get out of here.” The longer Sam held Dean, the more he found himself fighting the urge to take his mate right then and there. With his rut being triggered, he knew it wouldn’t be long before he lost control and reason went out the window. He started to let go of Dean with the intention of helping his mate walk out with him when he noticed his mate was barefoot. “Where are your boots?”

“They took them…”

Sam growled in response and then shifted his weight so he was able to carry Dean out of the building. There was no way he was allowing his mate to walk barefoot through the building or out to the Impala where he safely deposited Dean on the backseat.

The Impala smelled of them, reminding Dean of home and safety. It was the only thing they owned in the world, and it was the closest thing they had to a home. “Sam…” he choked out, his eyes slipping closed as he sprawled against the backseat. 

“I know,” Sam responded, his voice low and rough. He was feeling the effects of Dean’s heat, triggering his rut, and he knew it wouldn’t be long before he was consumed by it, overcome by the need to fuck and knot his omega, his mate. But before that happened, he’d get them somewhere safe, somewhere private because he wasn’t about to take Dean in the back of the Impala. “I’ll be right back,” he assured Dean, forcing himself to leave Dean in the safety of the Impala. 

Rounding the back of the car, Sam popped the trunk open and grabbed a full can of gas, salt, and matches and then made his way back into the building making quick work of salting the dead bodies and lighting everything on fire. As he made his way out, he noticed Dean’s boots and grabbed them before standing in front of the building, watching it as the flames took hold and began to burn away any evidence of him or Dean ever being there before returning to the Impala. After tossing Dean’s boots in the trunk, he grabbed a blanket to cover his mate with.

Placing a blanket over Dean, Sam forced himself to pull away, warring with the desire to climb into the backseat and strip Dean of what little his mate was wearing, turn Dean so he was ass up, and stick his throbbing cock into his omega’s tight hole. With a frustrated growl, he closed the door and gulped in a few breaths of fresh air hoping to clear his head before he climbed behind the wheel and slammed the Impala gear shift into drive. Pressing down heavily on the gas pedal, he urged the car forward, guiding it onto the open road and away from where Dean had been held captive and tortured. Once he had put enough distance between the burning building and felt safe enough to stop, knowing he needed to find a place for them to pass the night, he would. He needed to get food and water into Dean and then find a safe place for them to stay so he could tend to his mate’s needs. He had to stay levelheaded and put Dean’s needs and care first before he gave into his rut. 

Driving was unbearable even with Dean in such close proximity to him. Scenting Dean’s need and arousal was clouding his brain. He could feel Dean’s need along with his mate’s pain through their bond; Dean was too far gone to try to rein it in and what barrier they kept up between them was now long gone. Glancing in the rearview mirror he saw Dean huddled in the backseat still wrapped in the blanket. Knowing he needed to get some food into his mate’s stomach, he pulled into the parking lot of the first gas station with a convenience store attached to it he saw. “Dean, I’ll be right back,” he announced as he pulled the key from the ignition and then got out of the car. 

“Fuck,” Sam breathed out when he looked down at himself. He’d forgotten that he was covered in blood. His first stop was to the restroom where he washed the blood from his skin. His clothes were a lost cause and he just hoped that if anyone asked, they’d buy the story that he was covered in red paint and not blood. He got a few curious looks from the store’s clerk and one or two of the customers but thankfully no one said a word to him while he paid for a few bottles of water and granola bars; Dean would probably hate the granola bars but at least his mate would have something in his stomach.

Making his way back to the Impala, Sam climbed into the backseat with Dean. Right then, seeing how far-gone Dean was with his heat, and even though he was fighting the desire to give into his rut, the concern he had for his mate’s wellbeing won out. “Here, drink this,” he said, holding the open bottle of water to Dean’s lips. 

Cracking his eyes open at the sound of Sam’s voice, Dean attempted to sit up but failed. “Sam…” he croaked and then winced at how raw his throat felt. After days of not having any water and from the screaming he’d done while he’d been tortured, his throat felt like it was filled with shards of glass. 

“Hey, I’ve got you,” Sam crooned as he held Dean and lifted the bottle to his mate’s lips, coaxing Dean to drink. “You’ve gotta eat something.” He broke a piece of granola off and offered it to Dean, hoping his mate wouldn't fight him.

Raising a hand, Dean tried to push the food away. His stomach felt as if it was twisting in on itself and the last thing he wanted was food. “No…”

“Please, Dean… You need to eat… Just a bite…” Sam sighed heavily. He knew the last thing Dean wanted was food but he needed to get something into his mate’s stomach. “It’ll help…”

Hearing the desperation in Sam’s voice Dean nodded and then opened his mouth when Sam brought the food to his lips again. The piece of granola wasn’t the worst thing he’d ever tasted but it sure as hell wasn’t the best either. He allowed Sam to feed him a few more bites and drank a few sips of water before turning his head away and closing his eyes. 

“Get some rest,” Sam murmured and then kissed Dean’s cheek. He made sure Dean was comfortable and covered with the blanket before getting behind the wheel and starting the Impala. Gripping the steering wheel tightly he drove another fifty miles before he finally found a motel to pull into. 

Sam stumbled into the office, hoping the flashing neon sign offering available rooms was accurate because if it wasn’t, he was going to lose his mind. For the last twenty miles, he’d driven with the window down so he was able to breathe in the fresh air and not the heady scent of his omega in heat. He’d had to turn the radio on to muffle Dean’s mewling so he was able to focus on driving and find them a place to crash. “Hey, do you have any rooms still available?” he asked, not waiting for the guy behind the counter to acknowledge him. 

The man glanced up from the book he’d been reading and then stood to make his way over to the counter. “Dude, you okay there?” he asked, looking at the tall man before him.

Forcing a smile on his face, Sam nodded. “Yeah, paint mishap.” 

The man chuckled. “Yup, had that happen to me a while back. Dumped an entire can of yellow paint on myself. Ruined everything around me, including what I was wearing.” Turning, he glanced at the room keys. “We still have a few rooms still available…”

“Do you have a room away from everyone else?” Sam smiled again and then added, “I like my privacy.”

“Sure, no problem.” The man nodded in understanding. Reaching for the last room key, he held it up. “Room number fourteen. No one will be around you.”

“Thanks.” Sam nodded to the man, grabbed the key after paying, and made his way out to Dean. “Got us a room. I’m gonna move the car and then get us inside. Take a shower. Maybe eat something.” He knew he was babbling, and that Dean probably didn’t have a clue as to what was going on around him but he felt the need to fill the silence between them. It helped keep his mind focused on what he was doing rather than the need to knot Dean that was nearly consuming him. 

With the car moved and parked, Sam went to unlock the motel room’s door, making sure the room was safe for them before returning to the Impala to help Dean inside. Opening the back door, he was hit with Dean’s sweet and alluring scent. He also saw how pale Dean was which made his mate’s freckles stand out. Licking his lips, fighting the desire to lick Dean’s skin instead, he gently pulled his mate to him. “Come on, let’s get you inside.” Knowing that Dean wouldn’t be much help, he carried Dean into the room. As soon as he’d kicked the door closed, he set Dean down, not letting go of his mate until he had Dean sitting in the overstuffed chair in the corner of the room before making his way back to the car to grab the bag from the convenience store along with their duffle bags and Dean’s boots. As soon as he was back in the room, he locked the door and then dropped what he’d carried in with him. Turning back to Dean, he kicked off his boots and started shedding his clothing before undressing what little Dean was still wearing. 

Feeling the heat radiating off of Dean, Sam knew he needed to get his mate in the shower to lower Dean’s body temperature and to also wash away the underlying scent of the humans who’d touched his mate. “Come on, gotta get you cleaned up.” He helped Dean into the bathroom and then into the shower, letting the warm water spray over his mate’s shoulders before stepping into the tight confines to wash Dean’s hair and skin.

Dean shivered under the cool water. While the water felt good against his overheated skin, he was also cold and needed the warmth of Sam’s body against his or the water temperature turned up. “Sam,” he whimpered and then felt his alpha’s hand on his shoulder and his mate pressing his large and muscular body against his. He felt Sam’s breath against his skin and heard his mate’s baritone voice in his ear telling him that everything was fine before Sam started to wash him. Closing his eyes, he leaned into his mate’s body, letting Sam take control. 

“Come on, let’s get dried off,” Sam murmured as he turned the water off and stepped out of the shower. Despite the coolness of the water, his cock hung heavily between his legs and even though he’d washed them both, the soap did nothing to hide the scent of Dean in heat. He offered Dean his hands, worried that his mate wouldn’t be able to support himself for very long without his help. His eyes moved over Dean’s body and he had to stifle the growl of anger bubbling up in his chest when he saw the bruises and burn marks dotting his mate’s body. 

Taking Sam’s hand, Dean held tightly to it as he forced his legs to move, taking one tentative step after another until he was out of the shower stall and wrapped in a towel. Through the sound of his own blood pounding in his ears, he heard Sam telling him to go lie on the bed and that his alpha would join him shortly. While he didn’t want to be separated again from Sam, he did as his alpha had asked and made his way out of the bathroom and over to the bed. The feeling of clean sheets against his skin had been something he had realized he’d been missing until he laid down. With a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes and rolled over, settling on his right side. Wrinkling his nose, he picked up the scent of the laundry detergent on the sheets, wishing it was Sam he was smelling instead. With that thought, his stomach began to cramp, and his body began to shake with the all-consuming need to be knotted by his alpha. “Sam…” he croaked out wondering where his mate was and why Sam had joined him. Had he done something wrong? Was Sam mad at him and was now leaving him to deal with his heat on his own? Tears pricked at his eyes, wetting his lashes and skin. Tears he wanted to wipe away but couldn’t seem to since he no longer had command of his body. 

Before he gave into his rut and the need to knot his omega, Sam made sure to leave two bottles of water and granola bars on the nightstand so when they were tied together and if Dean was hungry or thirsty his mate would have something to fill his stomach before crawling onto the bed next to his omega. He wrapped his arms around Dean, pulled his mate closer to him, and kissed along his omega’s freckled shoulder. He heard Dean’s breath hitch and his mate’s chest heave, making him realize that his omega had been silently crying. “Dean? What’s wrong?”

“Need…” Dean’s voice quivered and he turned his face, burying it in the pillow. 

Sam could feel fear gripping his heart at the sound of Dean’s voice cracking. “Dean,” he whispered and then did something he’d never done before, he prodded at their bond, silently looking for answers as to why Dean was upset. He was hit with a wave of emotions - longing, desire, pain, and confusion - coming from Dean and he realized what was upsetting his mate. Dean needed his alpha and was feeling neglected, that would soon change. “You want your alpha’s knot?” he rumbled and then manhandled Dean until his mate was on his hands and knees and he was kneeling behind Dean. He trailed a hand down Dean’s back, feeling his mate relaxing into his touch before his fingers delved between the globes of Dean’s ass. He couldn’t help the moan that escaped his lips when he felt how wet Dean was. “So ready for me.”

Dean’s breath caught in his throat when he heard Sam’s words, causing fresh tears to wet his lashes. Yes, he wanted his alpha’s knot. The desire for Sam to knot him was all-consuming at that point. It felt as if his blood was boiling in his veins and at any moment his heat would cause him to burn from the inside out. He moaned when he felt Sam’s fingers prodding at his rim, and he gasped when his alpha’s fingers began to work him open. “Sam… Please…” he begged and then buried his face in the pillow, muffling his whine when Sam pulled his fingers free of his body only to moan when Sam’s cock breached his body.

Withdrawing his fingers, Sam used Dean’s slick to coat his throbbing cock, lined himself up with Dean’s hole, and pushed home, moaning in unison with his mate when he bottomed out. He gave Dean time to adjust to being breached before he pulled his hips back only to snap them forward, growling when he heard Dean moaning his name. Blanketing Dean’s body, he bit down on the meat of Dean’s right shoulder and then kissed away the sting. “This what you wanted? What you needed? You needed your alpha’s cock?” he growled into Dean’s ear.

“Yes… Sam… Alpha,” Dean moaned and then clawed at the sheets, twisting his fingers into them, and balling up the material in his hands. Despite being in heat, he could feel his body wanting to change. Reminding himself of what Sam had said to him earlier, how their heightened emotions seemed to have triggered this change in them, he did his best to calm himself down.

While Sam wanted to let his rut take over, he knew he needed to maintain some semblance of control, not wanting to hurt Dean while his mate was in the throes of his heat. Doing his best to keep from changing as he had earlier, he kissed along Dean’s spine. He could feel the change, the alpha in him, rising close to the surface, begging to be unleashed. Maybe one day he would take Dean in his new form but today wasn’t that day. Dean was vulnerable in his current state, and he wouldn’t put his mate through any more than Dean had already been through. 

“Sam,” Dean moaned. “Please…” 

Knowing what Dean wanted, Sam gripped his mate by the shoulders and pulled Dean up until his mate was straddling his thighs. “Fuck,” he murmured, enjoying the change in their position. He felt his knot forming, catching on Dean’s rim, and knew it wouldn’t be long before they were tied together.

Turning his head to the right, Dean sought out Sam’s lips, crushing them together as Sam gripped his hips. He could feel Sam’s knot forming and moaned. “Sam,” he murmured against his alpha’s lips and then cried out when Sam’s knot forced its way past his sensitive rim, tying them together.

With them tied together, Sam couldn’t help himself. He let his canines extend and he bit down on the tender flesh of Dean’s neck, breaking the skin, and truly marking Dean as his mated omega. He felt Dean shudder against him, and he wrapped his arms around his mate before running his tongue over the broken skin. Feeling Dean sag against him, he gently lowered them to the bed, moving them so they were lying comfortably on their sides with Dean wrapped in his arms. “Dean,” he said softly, fearing he’d hurt Dean or worse, that Dean would hate the idea of bearing his mark on his body.

“Sam…” Dean said and then raised his hand to his neck, wincing when his fingers rubbed over Sam’s claiming bite. This claiming bite was different from the one Sam had given him when they’d first been turned, the first time Sam had knotted him. This claiming bite was meant to mark him forever as Sam’s mated omega and he couldn’t seem to find it in himself to be angry with his mate. One way or another, they were always meant to be together and this just seemed to drive that point home. 

With a stuttering breath, Sam said, “Do it… I want to.”

Dean could feel Sam’s determination hitting him through their bond. Despite them still being tied together, he turned as best he could, let his canine elongate, and bit down on Sam’s shoulder, breaking the skin and leaving a claiming bite of his own on his alpha’s body. He kissed over the broken skin, wincing in sympathy at the pain Sam had endured before turning back to lie comfortably in his alpha’s arms. “Should we talk about…” he let his words trail off. He knew they’d both changed. They’d both had claws. Sam had killed the three men holding him with his claws. He had tried to free himself at one point with his claws. Their canines had extended. Sam had bitten him. He had bitten Sam. They had claimed each other; there was no denying that. There was no denying they had changed, been changed by whatever type of hybrid werewolf that had clawed them. There was no going back, not that either of them wanted to. He knew that and could feel that through their bond. 

Sam shrugged. “Nothing to talk about. I did what I had to do.” He kissed over his claiming bite, enjoying the feeling of Dean shuddering in his arms from the touch of his lips against his mate’s skin.

“Yeah, but still…”

“Dean, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. I’d burn the world to ash just to get to you,” Sam admitted and then kissed Dean’s freckled shoulder.

“Where do we go from here? We’re not what we were… We’re not human… Haven’t been since that night,” Dean mused.

“True, we’re not,” Sam agreed, thinking about what Dean had just said to him. “We’ve changed, even before that night. As for where we go from here… We can figure that out as we go. As long as we have each other, that’s all that matters.”

Snuggling into Sam’s embrace, a smile spread across Dean’s face as he thought about Sam’s words. The only thing that mattered was that they had each other. The rest would fall into place.