What Part of Forever
Annaleise Marie
cross-posted from livejournal
username: girlgotagun

Part Five

X

Dean's heart leapt when he saw first the old Toyota broken down on the side of the road, and then the sign proclaiming that he was entering the township of Bragg. He checked the clock. Just over two hours since Sam had last called. Maybe he wasn't too late. Maybe there was still time.

The hope was short-lived as he reached the small downtown area and had to slam on his brakes. It looked like the entire population of Bragg was out, a few stragglers at the outer boarder of the gathering gradually growing into a dense mob as his eyes scanned towards the town square. He threw the Impala into park, twisted the key to kill the engine, and jumped out, making his way on foot as he pushed through the crowds, slowly but surely forcing his way through to the center.

What he found when he got there made his adrenaline spike further, his own scent growing in strength to compete and then disappear into the muddled cloud of the high-energy crowd. He had heard of pack rite before; had heard stories from his dad and Bobby, who were old enough to remember when the rituals were more commonly practiced, although even back then they had been fading out of popularity, pack already overwhelmed by full-blooded humans in the general population, the older practices being pushed into obsolescence.

So he knew their stories. Knew how Bobby had won his late omega wife in pack rite. Knew how his dad had made an enemy of an entire town by running away with Mary before her own could take place. But he had never really grasped the enormity of the story; words couldn't ever fully describe the scene before him.

Gore. That was the first thing that Dean noticed. The square was covered in blood, the smell of it, along with sweat and thick suffocating rage and aggression made Dean's eyes water. This wasn't a fight to the death, Dean knew. Or, not inherently; it was a fight to whatever point the last Alpha finally gave up. But it was a fight that ended just short of it, no Alpha willing to submit for anything less than the last inch of his life.

The pack rite could be done in brackets, and it was Dean's understanding that it often was, out of a desire to seem more 'civilized'. But that wasn't the old way. The old way was a full-out battle royal, a free-for-all. That was what was going on here. No less than twenty Alphas were scrambling around in the melee, their feet sliding in blood, faces and arms and legs and torsos smeared in gore. Hands and fingers twisted into claws, teeth bared and snapping, jaws locked and wide, ready to fasten over a fragile throat. Bodies collided with sickening impact, snarls ripped from chests. Nearly inhuman sounds filled the air, overwhelming the surreal cheering from the crowd.

And behind it all, there was Sammy. He was on some sort of raised platform, a bed at the center, his eyes wide as he looked out over the carnage, his body trembling in sheer terror at the scene unfolding before him. Dean's breath froze in his chest at the look on his brother's face, and he genuinely wondered if he was ever going to be able to put Sam back together again after this.

He moved, circling around the crowd and toward the platform. He was moving quickly, without hesitation, and he figured that was the only thing that stopped anyone from thinking to stop him as he climbed up. Sam didn't seem to notice him at first, and he jumped about a foot in the air with a loud cry of fear when Dean's hand landed on his shoulder before suddenly the omega was plastered to his side, face pressed into his shoulder and fingers twisted into the back of his jacket.

The crowd was beginning to quiet down, momentarily stunned by Dean's presence, but Dean could hear the angry murmurs starting; knew that soon he wouldn't be able to make himself heard over them.

He cleared his throat, drew on everything in the baser part of him to make his voice strong, commanding. "My name is Dean Winchester; I'm here to exercise my claim as fated mate to Samuel Winchester and to take him back to our pack."

A loud roar of outrage rose collectively from the crowd and the Alphas in the center of the square who had paused in their fighting as Dean made his announcement. An older Alpha stepped forward into the square, the crowd parting easily for him. Dean felt Sam's chest heave, heard the exhale of "pack council" as the man opened his mouth, eyes locked on Dean.

"Pack claims to Mr. Winchester have been voided by council ruling." The Alpha's voice was smooth but commanding as he attempted to stare Dean down. Dean noticed a uniformed police officer standing slightly behind the Head of Council, like a body guard. The man's eye was swollen nearly shut, a deep purple bruise covering it and blossoming onto his nose. He felt Sam laugh against him and realized Sammy must have punched him. His chest swelled with a strange sort of pride.

Dean smirked, not at all intimidated by the older Alpha. "Yeah, well. Fated mate. I win."

"The omega hasn't been mated yet. Your claim doesn't stand." This came from a younger Alpha, one of the unmated who had been fighting when Dean arrived. His jaw was caked in blood, his knuckles split, bare chest smeared with gore.

Dean felt his blood boil as Sam's panic kicked back up at this proclamation. "You have no authority to take Sammy from me." He glared at the Alpha, teeth bared in aggression. "I'll never let you have him."

"Pack law states that an omega must be mated, or claimed." Dean knew that he was bringing out the Head of Council's aggression as well, no matter how diplomatically he spoke, and he could hear the vague threat in the words. "The pack claim was made void, and your claim as fated mate remains unconsummated. Brady has a fair claim."

"I'll kill you and anyone else who wants to try it." Dean's voice was a low promise as he gently pulled Sam's arms loose from around him and shrugged off his jacket, tossing it aside. He walked to the edge of the platform and jumped down, walking the short distance to meet Brady halfway. "Any other takers?" Dean's voice was loud as he addressed the crowd. No one came forward. His eyes snapped back to Brady, disgust curling his lip away from his teeth. "Then let's do this."

He didn't hesitate, didn't give Brady a chance to move before he had pulled back his fist and slammed it into the Alpha's face. Brady went stumbling back and Dean advanced, but as the Alpha regained his footing he lunged, barreling all of his weight into Dean, knocking him to the ground. They both went tumbling and Brady got in one good punch, snapping Dean's head back into the ground. Dean brought his knee up, slamming it into the Alpha's stomach and forcing him off before rolling, scrambling to his knees and then stalking towards him as he struggled to regain his breath. He drew his foot back and kicked the Alpha hard in the ribs, causing him to hunch in, struggling to get to his feet.

Dean kept kicking him, rage fueling every move until he was sure that Brady wasn't getting up any time soon. He rested his foot on the Alpha's shoulder and then pushed, rolling him onto his back. Dean kneeled down, pressing one knee to the center of his chest, keeping him pinned as he leaned close to his blood-smeared face.

"If it wouldn't break Sammy's goddamned heart, I'd turn you into the bitch you really are right now." His words were a low growl, more of a promise than a threat. But it would hurt Sam to see him do that, after what had happened to him. He'd never be able to look at Dean without seeing those vampires who had turned him, and Dean knew he couldn't live with himself if that were how Sam saw him.

He stood up, stalking past the Head of Council and planting one hand flat on the stage for balance as he jumped back up. He wrapped his arm protectively around Sam and turned to address the Head of Council again. "If we're done, Sam and I are leaving this crazy-ass town."

"You've won the right to claim him. But he's still not claimed." The look the Head of Council gave Dean then was an unmistakeable challenge and Dean felt his breath hitch as he realized what the man was saying. He brought Sam's face up to make the omega look at him and tried to calm his scent; he didn't want Sam to think he was ordering him to do anything.

"Sammy. I don't think we're going to get out of this without me claiming you. Officially. As your mate." He watched as his words landed, watched his brother turn them over in his head.

"I want you to claim me, Dean." Sam's voice was small, vulnerable, and it kicked up everything in Dean that wanted to rage, to punish everyone in the damned town who had threatened the omega. "When we get home we can—"

Dean swallowed hard before cutting him off. "No. I mean, I think we're going to have to do this here. Now. That's how a pack rite ends, and we're pretty stuck. You're not getting out of here without being claimed in front of all of them."

Sam's breathing and heartbeat picked up so quickly that Dean was afraid he was going to pass out. He tried to calm the omega, but the terror in Sam ran too deep. And no wonder. The closest thing to this that Sam had ever been through had been—

"It won't be like that, baby boy," Dean muttered, holding him tight against his chest. "I swear. I won't let anyone get near you—kill them first. I'll take care of you, Sammy; keep you safe. It'll be like it would if we were back home; slow and gentle." He kissed Sam's forehead, the tip of his nose, and finally his lips. "I'll show you how much I love you; how much I need you." Dean felt himself hardening at the thought alone and he tried not to let Sam feel it, didn't want to pressure the omega.

He wouldn't do it if Sam said no; he'd find another way to get them out if he had to slaughter the whole square to do it. He couldn't force the omega his first time, couldn't let it be like that.

Sam buried his face in Dean's neck, clinging tighter to him as he tried to stop the trembling throughout his body, with no success. "I'm scared, Dean," he finally choked out.

"I know." Dean's voice was quiet; Sam heard it more from the Alpha's throat than his mouth. "I won't let anyone hurt you, Sammy. I'll keep you safe. Forever, I swear." And then he was tilting Sam's face up again, his lips landing on the omega's in a gentle press that slowly grew more heated, deeper as his hands moved to hold either side of Sam's face. He poured every ounce of love he had for the omega into the kiss, from baby brother to best friend to hunting partner and now to mate. He felt Sam begin to relax, to respond, and he slowly let his control over his scent relax, letting the wave of lust and mine creep forward. It would keep the other pack gathered in the square at a distance, but he was also afraid that it would overwhelm Sam with its intensity, so he let it out little by little until it was finally full-strength.

"Sammy…" he spoke softly to get his attention as the omega seemed to be lost in the haze of the scent. His eyes opened, hazel nearly edged out by dilated pupils, and Dean almost forgot what he was going to say. "You know how this is usually done… Do you…do you want to try it a different way or…"

He could tell by the look in Sam's eyes that he knew what he meant. The usual mating position was the same one that the vampires had put him in. There wasn't any significant ritualistic reason to the position; it was just the easiest one to knot in. So Dean was asking him if he wanted to do it another way; try to bypass that association.

Sam shook his head. "No. Want you to replace that…" He flushed, his gaze snapping to the crowd below the platform.

Dean moved his head back to look at him. "Don't look at them, Sammy. It's just you and me; they don't matter, might as well not even be real."

The crowd had gone silent, seeming as though it were collectively holding its breath. There was an air of awe about their scents now, as though they were witnessing something sacred. Which, Dean realized, in the old ways of pack they were. He understood now why Bobby seemed so fond of his pack rite memories. If the omega were willing, like his mate had been, Dean was sure that this would be a truly amazing experience.

He kissed Sam again, more urgently this time, his hands going to the hem of the omega's shirt, pulling back only to yank it over Sam's head and then pull off his own before he continued the kiss, his own lust mounting as the bare skin of their chests met. Omegas ran a little warmer, and Sam felt hot to the touch. He pushed forward gently, making Sam walk backwards until they reached the bed and then guided him to lay down on it. He did the best he could to keep his body between Sam and the audience, to shield his brother from sight, but after crawling onto the bed there wasn't much he could do.

He undid his belt quickly, popping the button and lowering the zipper on the jeans before pulling them down along with his underwear and kicking them off. He knew instinctively that he had to be naked first, that Sam couldn't be exposed up on the platform alone, couldn't take that without being thrown back into the memories of that nightmare.

Sam had one arm thrown over his eyes, his chest heaving, and Dean could smell a heady mix of lust and fear rolling off of him, which he had expected. What he didn't expect was the sudden rush of shame that surged off of the omega when Dean finally managed to strip him of his pants and underwear. He moved forward, quickly covering the omega with his body, unable to hold back a hiss of pleasure as his hard cock rubbed against Sam's stomach.

"You're doing good, Sammy," Dean said, his voice low as he kissed the omega's chest and up over his collarbone to lick gently at the spot at the base of his neck where Dean was going to sink his teeth later. "You're doing so good. So proud of you, baby boy. Love you so much."

It was so startlingly true that he couldn't believe today had been his first time saying it; couldn't believe that it had been some random Alpha in a pool hall who had first brought his attention to it.

He moved back, tapping Sam's hip to get his attention and then gently guiding him onto his stomach and to raise onto his knees. Sam let out a shaky breath that sounded as though it ended on a supressed sob, and Dean's heart nearly broke. He didn't know how to make it better, how to stop the fear from creeping in. Couldn't claim Sam without penetrating him, but knew that even if Sam wanted him to, it was scary for him.

He had an idea but was hesitant to follow through on it; wasn't sure if it would help or make things worse. It might be too intimate. Sam might find it humiliating with the crowd watching. But it might also help Sam ease into this and—Dean's mouth watered as he took in the sight of Sam's firm ass raised for him—yeah, he really wanted to do it, himself.

He leaned forward and licked along the seam where Sam's cheeks met in a long, gentle stripe. He heard the choked sound of surprise that escaped Sam and half a beat later he smelled the omega's piqued interest. He smiled against the right cheek and bit down lightly, causing Sam's back to arch before he pulled back and placed his hands on the firm globes, thumbs running between them to help him gently pull them apart and expose the puckered opening between them to him—only to him, despite the large audience. No slick had made its way out yet, but judging by Sam's increasingly growing scent, it was only a matter of time.

Without hesitation Dean leaned in and ran his tongue around the tight ring of muscle, lapping and pressing in lightly before sealing his lips around it and sucking lightly.

It took Sam by surprise and he arched his back, pressing against Dean's mouth, seeming to forget for a moment that they were being watched as he cried out. Dean smiled as well as he could. That was what he wanted. He lapped at the hole as the first trickle of slick appeared, groaning at the taste as he finally pushed his tongue inside, feeling Sam's inner muscles flutter around it as the omega let out a keening moan.

After a minute Dean drew back, watching as a surge of slick appeared, chasing his tongue. He brought his hand up, gathering the glob of slick on his fingers and looked at the shine of it in the sun in awe. The baser part of his mind told him to hold it up, to show the crowd what he was doing to the omega—his omega—but he knew that Sam was self-conscious about his slick, and he couldn't humiliate him by showing it off. He tamped down the instinct, instead running the slick-covered fingers over the tight hole before dipping one in gently, testing the give. He felt Sam tense and then relax as he slid the finger in completely, his pulse picking up as he saw the digit disappear into the tight, wet heat.

"So fucking perfect, baby boy," he muttered appreciatively. "So nice and slick for me; so fucking good."

He worked hard not to rush the preparation, not to cave to the baser instinct that was screaming at him to push inside of Sam and take him hard, claim him, knot him and pump him full of his seed. By the time he had three fingers in Sam, curling and twisting, he was almost at the end of his rope.

"Ready, baby boy?" he asked, wincing at a painful throb from his dick. There was a moment of hesitation and then he saw movement as his brother nodded, forehead still pressed against his forearms.

Dean lined himself up, notching the head of his cock against the fluttering ring of muscles before leaning forward to cover Sam's body with his own. "Thank you, baby boy." It was said in a hushed whisper, and Dean didn't know exactly what he was thanking the omega for—for picking him, for accepting him, for trusting him, for giving himself to him—didn't know which one, probably all of them. But he meant it. He pressed a kiss between Sam's shoulder blades as he slowly pushed into his slick passage, closing his eyes as the tight wet heat enveloped him. He paused to let both of them adjust to the sensation, a groan escaping his lips.

He started to thrust slowly, his mind stuttering and blanking at the waves of pleasure. "You feel so good, Sammy. So perfect," he said, his voice low, words for Sammy's ears only. The omega responded by pushing his hips back, metting Dean thrust for thrust, and it wasn't long before the Alpha felt his knot start to swell.

"Hang on, baby boy." He grasped Sam's hips tight and gave one hard thrust, pushing the knot inside and then grinding deep, drawing a cry from the omega as he felt him deeper than before, the growing knot pressing hard against his prostate, making his squirm and moan beneath him.

Dean tried, experimentally, to pull out, and a surge of pride rushed through him when the knot caught on Sam's rim, too swollen now to be removed. The knowledge pushed him hard towards climax, and he growled, his hand closing under the omega's jaw to pull him back, baring his neck and in one swift motion sinking his teeth into the soft skin between neck and shoulder.

Three things happened almost all at once: warmth flooded Dean's mouth as he broke through skin and a slight layer of tissue, the sweet metallic taste of Sammy's blood coating his tongue; his little brother came hard, his cock painting the bed below them with his release as he cried out Dean's name on a breathy moan; and the spasming of Sam's walls around his knotted cock finally pushed Dean over the edge as he flooded Sam's channel, long streams of seed shooting deep inside of him, filling him up and marking him inside as Dean's.

The world around them disappeared as they rode out the pleasure until they were both spent, and then Dean carefully moved them to their sides, his body between Sam and the crowd. He could hear them moving, the growing swell of noise as they swiftly vacated the square. He knew that Bobby had mentioned that the town he had grown up in had given the newly-mated couple privacy while they were tied, and Dean was relieved that this town seemed to do the same.

When the square was silent again, the scent of others clearing from the air in the afternoon breeze, leaving only the intertwined scent of Dean and Sam, Alpha and omega, Dean wrapped his arms around his brother and whispered in his ear how much he loved him, thanked him again, told him how good he had done, how proud he was of him, how happy he was that Sam was his forever.

X

They pulled up to the house as the sun was starting to set, and Dean could see the anxiety on Sam's face.

"What if they're not happy about this?" the omega asked.

Dean snorted out a laugh. "Doesn't matter. You're mine forever."

"What if they don't want us in the pack anymore? Especially me. I haven't exactly been the easiest person to live with."

"Doesn't matter." Dean shrugged, smirking at his brother. "You're mine forever."

"Dean…" Sam rolled his eyes, clearly wishing that the Alpha would be serious.

"Sammy, exactly what part of forever don't you understand here?"

Sam sighed and got out of the car, making his way to the house as Dean followed close behind.

He could tell as soon as they made it inside that the rest of the pack knew. Whether Dean had told them or they could smell it, or a combination of both, Sam didn't know. But one look at their faces made it obvious that they knew.

Cas smiled and gave them this little nod. Garth made a crude joke, his eyes twinkling in genuine affection. Bobby just muttered something about "bout damn time" and "idjits".

And John; John crossed the room with a smile on his face and gathered his youngest son in his arms in a tight embrace. "Glad you finally found your other half, son."

And Sam tried not to cry as he hugged his dad back.

Something had shifted again, like it always did, in their strange pack's dynamic. But it felt sturdier, more in balance in a way, Sam thought as Dean held him through the night.

The End.
I hope you enjoyed it. :)