Chapter Text
Castiel and Dean were searching for firewood in the forest when Castiel picked up on an unusual scent. It was sweet and fresh like newly bloomed flowers, but it was the middle of fall so all the forest flora had long become droopy and stale.
The curious omega followed the scent towards the stream that steadily flowed through the forest. Just before he reached the clearing Castiel could hear faint whimpers and straggled cries. When he emerged on the other side he came to a sudden halt, shocked by what he had stumbled upon.
Perched on the bank of the stream was a small wicker basket. As Castiel stepped cautiously closer the cries grew louder. When he finally peered into the basket his suspicions were confirmed, and his heart sunk from sadness.
A tiny pup who could not have been more than a few months old looked up at Castiel with frightened and tearful blue eyes. His cheeks were wet and he was shivering as he only had one shabby blanket to protect him from the cold.
Castiel knelt down beside the basket and found a piece of paper tucked inside. It simply read: My name is Jack. There was no explanation as to why the little pup had been abandoned there.
"Oh, you poor thing” Castiel said sadly as he picked the baby up and cradled him against his shoulder. “Shhh, it’s alright sweetling” he soothed in a gentle tone as he rubbed the pup’s back.
“Cas? Cas!” Dean yelled as he came barrelling out from the trees with his shotgun raised.
"Dean, I’m fine” Castiel assured him as he stood up and walked towards his mate. “Please, put that down."
"Sorry” Dean mumbled; sometimes his protective alpha instincts got the better of him. “I couldn’t see you and then I smelt you with something else.”
“Actually that would be a little someone” Castiel said with a small smile.
Dean looked alarmed when the bundle in Castiel's arms started squirming.
“Where did you find it?"
"Him. His name is Jack" Castiel replied. “He was just abandoned by the stream. There was a note with his name on but no explanation as to why he had been left there."
Dean frowned sceptically as he studied the pup. “Could be some kind of trap. A distraction while his pack robs our house."
Castiel shook his head. “I don’t think so. Please, Dean, he’s shivering with cold and he must be starving. We have to help him.”
Dean was still unsure but as he looked into his precious omega’s wide and pleading eyes he knew that there was no way that he could say no.
“Alright, let’s take him home until we can figure out what to do with him.”
———————
They took Jack to their cottage by the lake. Castiel and Dean enjoyed the solitude and had never really wanted to be part of a pack life. A lot of pack alphas treated their mates poorly, but Dean and Castiel had a true love and respect for each other that gave them equal footing in their bond.
"See, still in one piece" Castiel lightly teased as Dean unlocked the door. He was met by an unfathomable mumble in repose.
“Why don't you get the fire started while I build Jack a nest?" Castiel suggested as he carefully placed Jack on the sofa.
Dean did not argue, although, he was not particularly happy about it either. He enjoyed his quiet life with Castiel and was not sure how he felt about this strange pup nuzzling his way in when they had no idea what line of alpha he came from; obviously not the noblest one if he had just been abandoned.
Castiel was oblivious to his mate’s worries. He gathered some blankets that he had knitted himself and some pillows and set about making Jack a safe and comfortable nest by the fireplace.
Once it was prepared he removed the pup from the tatty basket and carefully wrapped him up in the fresh new blankets. Jack gurgled happily as he felt the warmth against his skin. Castiel smiled at him.
"Is that better, sweetling?” he cooed. He placed a delicate kiss on Jack’s forehead. “I’ll bathe him and get him some milk. You’ll have to go and buy him a few things” Castiel told Dean. “Like diapers and clothes. Although I don’t think we have much cash.”
“There’s enough to get him through ‘til tomorrow” Dean said; he kept his distance, standing near the doorway. "Until we decide what to do with him."
"Dean, we can’t take him to an orphanage” Castiel pleaded; he knew that was what Dean was implying. “Those places are awful. All they see are pups abandoned by their pack before they can even crawl; already disregarded as unworthy.”
Dean sighed and ran a hand down his face. He loved that his omega was so sweet and kind and that he always stood up for what he believed in. However, Dean was sometimes concerned that Castiel was just being naive and that people would take advantage of him.
“So, what, we just have a baby now?” Dean asked more aggressively than he meant to.
“Dean, this may be a blessing” Castiel reasoned.
“Why, because you’ve given up on the idea of having pups of our own!?"
"Dean!” Castiel exclaimed; he sounded hurt.
It was an incredibly touchy subject. They had been trying to get pregnant for about six mounts now, but despite how many books they read and doctors they visited it came to no avail.
Dean would never forget the night he came home to find Castiel weeping on their bathroom floor because the seventh pregnancy test that he had tried came back negative; it was one of the most heart-breaking thinks either of them had faced. Every time Dean would sooth Castiel and tell him everything would be okay, it just takes time, but with every negative test Dean began to believe his own words less and less.
Dean took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I don’t ever want to sound like those controlling bastard alphas, but I also can’t deny what I am no matter how much I want to. Having a pup around who doesn’t share our scent and bond makes me feel uneasy.
This morning we went to get firewood and now you’re talking about us keeping a pup we know nothing about."
Castiel walked over to his alpha and wrapped his arms around his waist. "And as an omega it is my instinct to nurture and care for those in need. I understand you fears, and perhaps I am asking too much, but please, can we give Jack a chance? He has no one else."
Dean looked over at the now slumbering pup who seemed content in his new surroundings.
"Alright” the alpha conceded. "We'll give it a few days and then evaluate everything."
"Thank you” Castiel smiled and kissed the alpha’s cheek.
——————
That first night was stressful to say the least.
After Castiel had bathed and fed Jack it was getting late. He moved the nest into his and Dean's bedroom in case the pup needed anything during the night. However, Jack would settle for barely an hour before he started bawling. Castiel tried everything - feeding him, changing him, holding him - but Jack just cried and cried.
By the early hours of the morning Dean had had enough.
"I'm going to sleep on the couch" he huffed as he pulled himself out of bed.
"Dean" Castiel said almost pleadingly, but Dean just waved his hand dismissively as he left the room with a pillow tucked under his arm.
The alpha flopped down on the sofa and pulled the pillow over his head. He was not sure how long it was before Jack finally stopped crying again but Dean felt like he had gone deaf.
The door groaned as Castiel entered the room and Dean braced himself for the berating he knew was coming his way.
"Dean, I would have appreciated a little help" Castiel snapped as he pulled the pillow off the alpha's stubborn head.
"I'm sorry, Cas, but I've got a lot to work on tomorrow-"
"Don't give me that crap!" Castiel seethed. "You're so upset about the fact that Jack is around, but this is exactly what it will be like when we have pups of our own. Only, I don't expect you to run out on me when things get tough!"
"Of course it would be different then" Dean argued as he sat up to face Cas. "I want to be involved in every aspect of raising our pups, dirty diapers and all, but Jack isn't our pup-"
"You and Sam are not Bobby's but he raised just as much as, if not more than your father did" Castiel retaliated. "Family doesn't always end in blood, that's what Bobby always says, isn't it?"
"Cas, we've had the kid a matter of hours" Dean stated. "Bonds like that take a long time to form."
"I know" Castiel replied, much calmer now. "But, Dean, you said that you would give Jack a fair chance, and this isn't a very good start. Remember how you felt when your dad would just leave for days on end? Well, Jack's father has left him and is likely to never come back."
Dean wanted to fight back but found that he could not. His father would often go on patrol with the other alphas in their pack to make sure their land was protected from rivals, and Dean could barely sleep at night worrying that he would not return. He would not wish that feeling upon anyone.
When Jack started crying again Castiel retreated to the bedroom.
"Come back to bed if you want to" he said quietly before he left.
Dean sighed heavily and lay down again. His alpha pride would not allow him to return to the bedroom but he was now too wound up to sleep.
More time passed as Dean tossed and turned, and he must have been on the planes of nodding off when he realised that Jack had gone quiet again and there was now a low humming sound coming from the bedroom.
Dean got up and slowly tiptoed up the stairs. Castiel had left the door slightly ajar, so Dean peeked inside.
Castiel was sat in their rocking chair, swaying ever so gently as he hummed a lulling tune. Dean could see that Jack's eyes were closed, and he was emitting the softest snores. Castiel was looking at the pup so adoringly. The scene warmed Dean's heart, he could not deny that, but there was still a niggling feeling telling the alpha that it should be his pup in Castiel's arms.
Dean did not want to disturb them so he headed back downstairs, a mixture of emotions churning inside him.