Chapter Text
When they got out of the corridor they found themselves in a random family’s living room, startling the hell out of the household cat when the door appeared and then collapsed behind them. Evidently when they had moved across purgatory they had also moved across earth—however that worked—so it was awesome that they didn’t appear inside a tree or something randomly shitty like that.
Cas was nice enough to fly them all out of the place, asking where they should go and then taking them to a motel they had left the impala by. Derek had volunteered to go and get food and the impala when Dean and Cas started a short argument outside the motel office. If not for being jealous at the ease with which the two interacted, it was actually quite amusing, Dean insisting that Cas eat something and sleep while Cas said he was an angel and didn’t need to, though even Derek could tell that Cas needed it. The guy was still filthy and bearded and agreed to getting cleaned, but Derek knew he was also tired. It didn’t look like it was going to be a long argument, more of a tradition than anything, but Derek had felt distinctly out of place. He wanted to be close to Dean but wasn’t sure how the angel would take it. That was just to add insult to injury, as Derek shouldn’t care how the angel would take things when it came to his mate.
So Derek had volunteered and left, knowing that they’d speak about him in his absence but hoping that he’d be safe as long as Dean was around. If the hunter hadn’t allowed him to be killed without their bonds, there was little reason or possibility of him doing so with the bonds. This nice little optimistic view lasted until Derek parked the impala and got out to find himself face to face with the angel, swearing under his breath as he was reminded of all the times that Stiles had freaked out about the werewolf appearing unannounced in his room. Uncertain of what to say, Derek shut the door, pocketing the keys and waiting for Cas to speak first. The angel had cleaned up, as he was shaved and no longer covered in dirt or blood. He was also wearing Dean’s clothes underneath his trench coat, something Derek was not happy about.
“You’ve had bad experiences with having relations with hunters in the past, so why did you choose Dean as your mate?” The angel spoke suddenly. Okay, so that hadn’t been expected. And also, how the fuck did the angel even know that? Conveying this sentiment aloud, Derek almost wished he hadn’t at Cas’ quick reply. “Everyone has marks left behind on their souls, when Dean asked me not to smite you I took the time to examine yours.”
“And why should I tell you?” Derek asked when no more information was forthcoming. He really didn’t want to explain how safe Dean made him feel, and how much the hunter was pack, though he’d never met any of Derek’s other wolves. Even more than that he didn’t want to think about any potential marks left behind on his soul.
“Because Dean is my charge. He is important to me” Cas replied simply
Unable to stop the touch of jealousy Derek retorted, “And yet he’s agreed to my claim.”
Though Cas’ face did not change, the buzzing smell of ozone that followed the angel around increased to feel like lightning was about to hit. “If it is a question of ownership, we both are aware that Dean would sooner belong to me than you. But as it is, he carries your bite on his neck and my handprint on his arm, so I’ll ask again, why did you choose him as your mate?”
Aware of the background sounds of Dean taking a shower in the motel room and realizing he wouldn’t be getting out of this conversation without answering Cas, Derek shrugged, feigning nonchalance, “He’s pack, I’ve fucked him over and yet he’s safety.”
So that had been a bit more than Derek had meant to share and he was totally going to blame it on the angel, but he couldn’t take it back now. Instead, the werewolf scowled at the angel, defiant in the face of Cas’ coldness. Cas tilted his head to the side, submitting Derek to one of the long stares he had noticed the angel giving Dean, though a much colder version to Derek.
“Dean wishes us to get along.” The angel stated abruptly, “I do not care for you, but I am aware that neither you nor Dean wants your bond broken. I will always do whatever I can to protect Dean, even if it requires making him unhappy.” Cas paused and Derek took a step back, forgetting that the impala was behind him and pressing back against the metal. Killing Derek would make Dean unhappy, but it wouldn’t protect Dean, unless it did in Cas’ eyes.
Where other enemies would’ve mocked this sign of fear, no amusement crossed Cas’ face as he continued to speak. “In this case you can be useful. If I am not there and since Sam has abandoned him, you will protect Dean.”
Derek blinked before narrowing his eyes suspiciously. “Are you planning on not being there?”
“That isn’t something I’m going to share with you.” Cas glared in reply.
Unable to believe what he was saying, but knowing how much Dean had done to get Cas back, Derek hissed, “You are not leaving Dean, he did everything to get you back and would be broken if you abandoned him. You said you’d do anything to protect him”
Cas tilted his head to the side, evidently as confused by Derek’s words as he was himself, even with the good reasoning behind him. No, Derek didn’t like the angel, but his absence would hurt Derek’s mate, so the werewolf would deal with him all the same.
For the first time a slight smile appeared on Castiel’s face and Derek faltered, not knowing what that meant. “Then we understand each other. As he is your mate, there is little that you wouldn’t do for Dean, and I have and still would give my life for him if necessary. I don’t trust you, but I understand werewolf instincts. Do not hurt Dean again and we will not have any problems, Dean always comes first.”
Biting his lip, Derek gave a short sharp nod and the angel tipped his head in acceptance before disappearing. The displacement of air and echo of flapping wings faded quickly and Derek noticed that the shower had turned off, evidently Dean was getting out and Cas didn’t want him to notice the angel had gone.
Still slightly confused at their conversation but accepting it because he couldn’t do anything else, Derek slowly walked over to their motel room. He knocked on the door and was greeted by a cheerful hunter wearing only a towel. One that was dropped as soon as Derek was inside and the werewolf’s eyes instantly flickered over to Cas. The angel wasn’t watching Dean though, and gave no sign of having had their conversation outside.
“There isn’t any warm water left ‘cause Cas used it all to clean his feathery ass, but the water pressure is okay” Dean remarked, pulling on boxers and hiding Derek’s view of his nice ass, which he had been looking at as soon as he made sure Cas wasn’t. The marks Derek had left behind were quite visible even amongst the other scars Dean had, and his wolf wanted nothing more than to worry at the back of Dean’s neck where he had bitten the hunter. Claw marks on Dean’s hips, a bite on his neck, beautiful and visible signs of Derek’s ownership.
To stop this line of thought before he just dropped everything and took the hunter in front of Cas, Derek made a soft noise of acknowledgment and went to the bathroom, stripping and getting under the ice cold water. By the time he was out of the shower and throwing on some boxers, Dean had claimed the bed closest to the door and Cas was asleep or pretending. Derek longed to be close to his mate but the hunter betrayed his unease with the way he didn’t move quite as naturally as he had the last time he was around Derek mostly—or completely—unclothed. He put up a good show of it, that was for certain, but Derek could smell the lingering spots of unease
Upset by this but knowing the hunter needed time away from Derek, the werewolf walked over to the couch, trying to figure out a way to make it comfortable enough to sleep on. Dean had slept with Derek in purgatory for warmth, but that that was it.
“What are you doing?” Dean asked, already in the bed and watching Derek with his head tilted to the side.
Derek almost mirrored the motion in confusion to the question, replying “Going to bed?”
He hadn’t meant to make it a question, but Dean dismissed it like one anyways. Though the hunter tried to act nonchalant his heart sped up slightly as he patted the bedding clear invitation. “You’re not sleeping on the couch. And don’t you dare ask me if I’m sure”
Derek probably should’ve moved slower and been more cautious, but as soon as Dean stopped speaking he was pressing forward, sliding under the covers beside Dean and then hovering uncertainly, wanting and not knowing how much he could have.
Dean rolled over immediately, wrapping his arms around Derek and attaching himself to the werewolf’s side. His head tilted to the side and pressed amusingly into the pillow, Dean murmured, “You don’t need to act like I’m going to throw you out all the time.”
Snorting softly under his breath Derek replied “You might not”
“I won’t let Cas do that either.” Dean huffed, rolling his eyes before stating seriously, “As much as I’m yours, you’re mine.”
The possessive words sent a thrill through Derek and he confirmed, “You are still mine then?”
The hunter smiled softly, cuddling closer to the werewolf and pressing his lips against Derek’s in a lazy open mouthed kiss that he allowed the werewolf to take charge of. After pulling back Dean whispered, “Yes, I’m still yours”
Derek grinned in reply, his wolf growling in contentment and a little bit of the sound coming through. The hunter laughed softly at the happy noise before twining their legs together and burrowing his face into Derek’s neck. The obvious show of trust and vocal submission allowed Derek to fully relax for the first time since they had found Cas, and he held Dean in return, nosing into the hunters hair and breathing in the wonderful scent of his contented mate.
This, Derek thought sleepily, this was why he stayed with Dean.