The Hunt of Love

The Time That Follows

Cas's POV
  Waking up alone I got out of bed, getting a change of clothes from my bag and going into the bathroom. I washed my face and brushed my teeth, continuing my daily routine. Then came the part I didn't want to do but needed to... I grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it off, dropping the piece of clothing and staring at my reflection. I had deep dark circles under my eyes and too many different scars to count. I gently traced my finger along all the new ones, pausing to turn around where the sight of my tattered back made me cringe and drop my head.
   "Why me?" I said to nobody in particular. I turned back around and turned on the faucet, rinsing off any new blood spots and cleaning off anything I missed. Drying off my torso I looked at my reflection that seemed to lazily stare back. My reflection didn't look like it belonged to me but somebody I once knew, but seemed to be getting to know again. It was the image that had protruding bones and harsh scars, shaking limbs and goosebumps that seemed to be permanently there. Maybe I should stop missing so many meals but maybe I liked not looking in the mirror at the figure with a little chubby tummy. I leaned on the edge of the counter briefly before changing my bottoms from the pajama pants to some grey sweat pants then I stared again, letting my eyes trace over the reflections' scars.
   "Not all of those are new, aren't they?" I jumped a little and turned to face Dean who was leaning against the doorframe and looking at all my scars, making me feel very vulnerable. I quickly grabbed my sweatshirt and pulled it on, exiting the bathroom and sitting on the window bench. Dean walked over and sat in the chair next to me. "My dad said I could stay with you and that he'd take care of the boys who did this to you."
   "You're right."
   "What?"
   "Not all of these are new, in fact most of them are over a year old."
"What happened?" I just sat silent and rock stiff as memories flooded my mind. Memories of Balthazar, my boyfriend that I lived with for a long time that 'helped' me but as long as I would smile and pretend I loved him when my brother was around... I didn't get beat more than usual. Pretending it didn't happen and making up excuses for everything he did, even going as far to make lies to myself that he didn't mean it or that I wouldn't happen again. And yet, it always did. I pulled myself out of those memories and exhaled the breath I didn't know I had taken. "It was a person that did that to you, wasn't it?"
"I don't feel like talking about it." Dean tried physically staying calm but I knew mentally he was going nuts that he couldn't do something. His wolf had a strong attraction to my panther and I knew what that meant, even though he might not. But I can't force it on him because if he doesn't want me then... If the alpha mate rejects their omega mate, nothing happens to the alpha because he finds somebody else but the omega... The omega gets so heart broken that they either take their lives or their broken bond kills them. Dean handed me two little pills and a glass of water which I cautiously took, draining the water then handing the glass back to him. "When is you dad kicking me out?"
"He hasn't seemed to want to yet but he can change his mind at any moment. Thanks to my mother though, you won't get kicked out until you're all healed and okay." I nodded and then watched the branches sway in the breeze and a little bird jumping and flittering about the cluster of branches, calling out for family that seemed to abandon him. "What are you thinking?"
"That the little bird out there is much like me..."
"A bird?"
"Yes Dean, a bird is like a panther. He's like me because he's been left behind." Dean sat silently for a moment, probably thinking about it.
"Your family?"
"Brother and pack."
"No mom or dad?" I nodded my head again and watched as the little bird eventually gave up, flying back to his nest and sitting in it, producing a heart shattering chirp.
"He's been left behind in a world that hates the very mention of him. Abandoned by his own family and left to figure out things..." Dean got up and sat behind me, scenting along my neck until he left a small kiss on my neck and stood up quickly, backing away. I looked up at him confused and my heart was fluttering harshly until it turned into a thumping as my body went numb at the thought of him running.
"I'm going to... I'm sorry." He ran out of the room leaving me to sit, stone still and frozen with fear. My bond with him was weakening quickly and was now very small. My heart ached painfully and I began to cry, curling in on myself while sitting in that window bench. Somebody entered the room and looked at me before walking over.
"You must be Cas. Oh god, he ran away didn't he? He got scared and ran? Fuck." The person pulled me to him, sitting on the bench next to me and holding me in a hug. "My name's Sam, Dean is my brother."
"He, we... It hurts..." He swore under his breath and tried using his scent to calm me as much as possible which helped a little but it didn't help the pain growing in my chest.
"You're life mates, aren't you?" I nodded weakly and stared at my knees. "And he ran away didn't he? He rejected his feelings?" Another weak nod and a harsh burst of sobs escaped me. "Shit, we have to get mom. Jess!!"
A pretty beta dashed into the room and looked at the heart breaking scene in the room, the room spilling fear and sadness. She looked at Sam and ran out of the room, quickly returning with a woman who had helped me in the hospital room. She ran over to me and picked up my arm, sticking it with a needle that seemed to do nothing at first. She helped me up and made me sit on the bed then asked everybody else to leave, shutting the door behind her. Very quickly the effects of the needle took place, numbing the pain away so all I felt was the bond being tugged to its thinnest point. I picked up one of the pillows, trying to get as much of Deans' scent as possible to try to stop this aching and hollowness. She then left the room, carefully watching me for a second before shutting the door. Soon enough someone opened the door and closed it behind them.
   "Cas. Oh god I'm so sorry." Dean was quickly in front of me, pulling me against him and letting me bury my nose in the crook of his neck. "I was scared and I ran but I didn't know this would happen to you. I'm so sorry omega, my omega and my mate and I let this happen to you. I made this happen to you."
   And just like that, the bond grew back and my heart didn't feel so wrecked like it had only mere minutes ago. I eventually relaxed into his arms and sat practically straddling his hips as he sat cross legged, me on top of him. I put my forehead against the crook of his neck until the room smelled like him again, him and I and safety and acceptance.
   "Cas, love will you please look at me?" I pulled my head from his neck and looked at him, my eyes red and slightly puffy and his jade green eyes looking at me with love and affection. "I love you."
   "I love you too."