A different sort of hunt

[low_key_angel]

Gabriel was used to being odd man out, the only Omega born to his small, powerful pack. But with two older brothers who were both Alphas, they were usually more concerned with their own power plays than Gabriel and his search for a mate.

Because heat when you were unmated? Sucked.

Michael would probably prefer to chain him up once a year and let him sweat it out, which is probably why he left home as his heat started to near.

If he was going to find a mate, it was going to be on his terms.

What he didn't expect was to catch a tantalizing scent at the local bookstore. Something that called up images of sunlight and pine trees and cool shade.

Comments

[low_key_angel]

Gabriel had heard the stories before, but always discounted then as myth. There was no way a wolf would be able to find a mate on scent alone, a destined pairing. Destiny was for the trashy paperbacks that he passed by, still tracking that scent. Strength and cool woods and a promise of belonging. No more running.

Rounding the corner, Gabriel came across a wolf settled in one of the comfortable back chairs. Tall, attractive, everything about him screaming 'Alpha'.

Sam Winchester. One of three Alphas from the Winchester pack. They'd never really met, but he made it his business to know just about everyone in town. "You know, most people on break tend to give homework a break too."

[fromfryingpantofire]

"Gabriel." The one time they had met, Sam had been far too young for status to have shown itself. Adam had still been a baby, but Sam remembered those eyes.

Sam blinked at the statement, though, tearing his attention away from those eyes to look down at the book in his hands. "I don't think The Dresden Files counts as homework, do you?" He held up the book, but mostly because it gave him a reason to look back up. His nostrils flared as he took in the scent again, confirming what he thought he already knew.

[low_key_angel]

His eyebrows loft. "Hey, that's the new one, isn't it? I think Bobby's been holding out on me."

Gabriel flopped easily into the chair beside Sam, the movement an excuse to breathe in deeply, drag in the Alpha's scent again. Mate. His wolf is positive and it takes all of his self control not to simply bear his neck to the much larger wolf.

He was doing this on his terms, instinct be damned.

"Back in town for the holiday?"

[fromfryingpantofire]

"New to paperback. He only finished writing the new one." And yes, Sam was a fan.

Somehow, it was good to see that Gabriel liked the books as well. Especially since his own wolf was not quite happy with Gabriel in the next chair. Definitely wanted him closer.

Down, boy, he told himself firmly, watching Gabriel. Knowing his eyes had lightened from their usual hazel to something more of a golden green. Too close to the surface right now. "Yeah. You know how packs can be about family holidays. Even Adam's down from college."

[low_key_angel]

"I knew it, he was holding out." Which was completely expected. He lived to rankle the old wolf and Bobby paid him back by fiddling with his book orders. "Cranky old goat. He's probably angling for another box of scones."

His eyes were incredible and Gabriel rolled a shoulder to distract himself. "Some packs. My brothers just use it as an excuse to fight, which is why I'm here instead of at home."

"Adam's back too? Always knew that kid would go far. Still going pre-med?" Gabriel nodded at the anatomy book at Sam's elbow.

[fromfryingpantofire]

"Dad's always been big on family. Especially since this is the first year for us since Mom passed." 'Mom' wasn't Mary Winchester, though she was definitely Sam's mother. No, 'Mom' had been Kate, John's second wife and Adam's mother. She'd been the one who got John to stop running after Mary was killed when Sam was six months old. Got him to settle down and raise his sons in a more stable environment. All of them had loved her. But even wolves weren't immune to cancer.

He shook his head slightly, clearing his thoughts. "Yeah, he's still going pre-med. We're all pretty damned proud of him." Sam looked at Gabriel seriously. "I'm sorry Michael and Lucifer are being such assholes."

[low_key_angel]

Gabriel dropped his gaze to his hands for a moment. "Thanks. I'll probably check out the Roadhouse, see if Ellen needs a hand over the holiday." After all, anything was better than listening to his brothers fight and threaten each other all weekend. And if she didn't need help, then he'll just spend it at his bakery. Get caught up on holiday orders. Inventory. Anything.

"'m glad that things are working out for the kid. I know it wasn't easy when she passed. For any of you."

Another deep breath, dragging in the soothing scent of the Alpha next to him. "It's good to have a pack like that. Close."

[fromfryingpantofire]

It was on the tip of Sam's tongue to invite Gabriel to the Winchester house for the holiday before he stifled the urge. A single, unbonded Omega in a house full of Alphas was just asking for trouble. Especially since Sam could already feel his hackles going up at the idea of anybody else touching Gabriel.

He pulled back on his wolf, hard, closing his eyes before blinking them open again. Still not entirely hazel, but closer to his usual color. "No, it really wasn't. Mom was a good woman. One of the best. But we've got each other and that helps a lot."

[low_key_angel]

It was bad enough being an unbonded Omega in his own pack, spending time around that many Alphas might be a little too much, even for him. He needed a mate and the last thing he wanted was to spark a fight among the Winchesters.

Especially when his wolf had already chosen.

"Family's important, it keeps a pack stable."

Gabriel's eyes flashed gold, he was having a harder time keeping control of his wolf, keeping himself from crawling into Sam's lap and bearing his throat to the Alpha. "You guys stocked in terms of baked stuff for the weekend? I might head over to the bakery early, do a little stress baking."

[fromfryingpantofire]

Sam would have been all for it, even if part of him would have realized that the middle of a bookstore, even one owned by another wolf and family friend, was really not the place for it. "I'm sure we could use something. Pie or bread. None of us ended up with the baking gene." And of course Gabriel ran a bakery. He remembered that from somewhere. And it definitely made the scents he was picking up making more sense to him.

Maybe it wasn't 'destiny'. Maybe it was just Gabriel being around baked goods.

If his wolf could have scoffed, it would have.

[low_key_angel]

Gabriel nodded with an easy grin. "Sure thing. Come by when you're done? I'll hook you up."

Because as much as he'd like to deliver it to Sam and his pack, Gabriel was still painfully aware of his status. He didn't want to cause any trouble or risk upsetting Sam. Not when his wolf was begging to be closer to him.

"Should be able to get you enough pie to keep even Dean happy."

[fromfryingpantofire]

"I'm not convinced there's enough pie in the world for that." That jealous pang at the mention of his older brother, though. Sam was definitely going to have to do something about that. Especially since he knew his brother's type and it really wasn't Gabriel.

He took a breath, which filled his lungs with the scent of Gabriel, the scent of baking and...well, he knew the scent was home for him. But, obviously, just the bakery. Really. "I'm not really doing anything at the moment, though."

[low_key_angel]

"You're welcome to hang out there if you want. Shouldn't take long to knock a few things out you can bring back to Casa Winchester." As Sam closes his book and starts to move, Gabriel breathes in his scent. Warm sunlight and cool rain, a sense of home he's been longing for his entire life.

Now, if he can get through showing Sam around his place without throwing himself at the Alpha.

"You ever read through the old legends Bobby keeps in the back? The old pack legends?"

[fromfryingpantofire]

Sam nodded slowly, draining the last of the coffee from his cup and tucking the book under his arm. He already paid for it earlier. The bookstore was just a good place to sit and have some peace for a bit. "Dad made us all read them. Figured they should probably be taken with a grain of salt, but he said every legend has some truth to it. You just need to figure out what it is." He paused, watching Gabriel. "Not sure how much stock I put in any of it, really."

Until half an hour or so ago, at least.

[low_key_angel]

Right. Because why would a young Alpha who could easily have his pick of eligible Omegas put much stock in those old stories?

Hell, an hour ago, Gabriel wouldn't have either.

The walk to the bakery was brisk and he managed not to make a complete fool out of himself, chatting idly about the bakery and his plans for it after the holiday.

After his heat really, but he didn't want to make Sam uncomfortable mentioning it.

"Make yourself comfy," he called, tossing his keys on an immaculate steel prep table and kicking an oven on.

[fromfryingpantofire]

Sam was absolutely itching to reach out and touch Gabriel, but he'd been brought up better than that. Gabriel hadn't said he would welcome the touch and hadn't made any moves toward Sam. Of course, there was another part of his brain urging caution, but not for any reason he could see.

Of course, they get to the bakery and...Sam can smell the difference. Oh, don't get him wrong, the bakery smells nice. Bakeries often do, after all. But it doesn't smell like anything he's been getting from Gabriel. A little, maybe, but only from places where Gabriel seems to work a lot.

Shit. He wasn't sure how to handle that little bolt of news.

So, for now, he pushed it down and to the side, finding a chair and sitting down to watch Gabriel work. "Thanks." He paused a moment, then, "You know. Mom used to bake all the time when we were kids. I used to love sitting in the kitchen and watching her."

[low_key_angel]

If Sam had touched him, Gabriel would have happily leaned into his touch. But he wasn't an Omega in heat (yet). He'd control himself, damnit. Rolling up his sleeves, Gabriel set to work, rolling out pie crusts and kneading dough that he'd set to rise earlier that day.

"Yeah? This kind of became my sanctuary when I was growing up. Whenever Michael and Lu started tearing into each other, I'd come here. Lose myself in work for a few hours."

A sanctuary he was happy to share with the big Alpha.

[fromfryingpantofire]

If Sam had been more on the ball, his brain might have added things up and realized that Gabriel was on the verge of going into heat. It might have explained things, though possibly not.

He crossed his arms, watching the way the muscles in Gabriel's arms shifted as he worked the dough and crusts. "Whereas the worst I have to deal with is my grandmother asking me when she's going to get great-grandchildren." Deanna Winchester had pretty much given up on Dean settling down, so she'd turned to Sam. "Not to mention the questions about why Jess and I broke up."

Of course Gabriel would have heard about Jess. She'd come to town with Sam last year, after all. Though it was possible that the break up wasn't general news yet.

[low_key_angel]

He got a sympathetic grimace in reply. "Guess you can't deflect that one back on your brothers?" Gabriel spent hours working in the bakery, kneading, hauling heavy bags of flour and cases of butter and while he wasn't one of the bigger wolves, he was lean and strong.

"Didn't work out, huh?" He'd been too near his heat that year to venture out much, not unless Lucifer was near and, well. Lucifer and Sam didn't exactly get along.

And God help him, he's a little glad to hear it. He should be Sam's. At least his wolf was insisting on it.

[fromfryingpantofire]

"Oh, I have no doubt that Dean's going to have kids one of these days. I'm also not entirely certain they're going to be legitimate." Not that it mattered so much in packs. Children would be loved no matter what.

Sam sighed and grimaced as well. "Really not," he said after a moment. "I mean, it wasn't anything in particular? We just sort of drifted apart once the spring semester started. I think at some point we both realized we'd stopped being boyfriend and girlfriend and started being roommates who happened to share the same bed."

[low_key_angel]

Gabriel laughed easily at that, nodding at the refrigerator behind Sam. "Reach behind there and snag the two containers of fruit for me? One apple and one cherry." He dusted his fingers off and slowly laid out the two pie shells in old, well-used tins, pressing them down with deft fingers.

"Maybe not legit, but kids are pretty awesome."

The explanation gets a slow nod. Better than the explosive fallouts that sometimes came with breakups. "Still. Sucks that it had to happen. So - home and single for the holidays. Gotta be a barrel of laughs." A quick wink as he starts rolling out the top crusts.

[fromfryingpantofire]

Sam stood, heading for the spot that Gabriel had indicated. "You ever think about it?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder before picking up the containers. "Kids, I mean. Not the breaking up with someone."

That was...smooth. Really smooth. Sam rolled his eyes at himself as he walked over to put down the containers on the table. And had nothing to do with being able to get another nose full of the Omega's scent. "I love Jess, but...somewhere along the line, we just became friends more than anything else. Which is better than the alternative, really. I like having her as my friend still."

[low_key_angel]

The question gets a startled blink before Gabriel reached for the containers. "Me? Yeah, especially when someone brings in their cubs before the first shift. I keep a few teething crackers on hand for the little ones." Gabriel smiled faintly. "Cute as hell. Always wanted a whole houseful of 'em myself."

But, there was the whole unbonded Omega thing.

Gabriel set the rolling pin in a sink full of soapy water before filling the two pies. "That's good though, that you two are still friends." And never mind that pang of jealousy that she was close to Sam. The Alpha that his wolf was clamoring for. "Makes things easier than a blowup."

The pies filled, he draped the crusts over the top. "Snag one of those sheet pans from the rack over there? We'll pop these bad boys in and send you home a hero." Not that he wanted Sam to leave. But if he didn't keep moving, Gabriel would simply close the distance between them and offer himself up to the big wolf.

[fromfryingpantofire]

Sam hummed softly at that. "I like kids. Used to worry that I wouldn't be much good with them, mostly because Adam always seemed to cry when Mom let me hold him. I think that had more to do with the fact that I was too young to know how to hold him."

He watched Gabriel with the pies before turning away to get the pan as asked. He turned back, accidentally--and maybe a little on purpose--brushed his hand against Gabriel's arm as he put the pan down.

[low_key_angel]

"Nah, you'd be great with 'em, I'm sure."

The brush of the Alpha's hand set off an immediate chain reaction. Heat bloomed across Gabriel's skin, rocking him to his core. His pupils dilated, breath instantly coming in quick, short pants. Heat. Oh god. It was starting already, triggered by Sam's touch. The small kitchen was flooded with a rush of pheromones and Gabriel whined, the pies completely forgotten in favor of the big wolf in front of him. Alpha. His Alpha.

"Sam?" A breathless whimper as he tangled his still-floured hands in the front of his shirt. The instinct is too strong to fight anymore, and Gabriel simply tipped his head back, bearing his throat.