Dean first becomes aware of his mom's influence on him a few months before he pops his knot at 12 - ridiculously young by alpha standards, where some present as old as 19 but more generally around 14. He's an early bloomer and it made his father proud. Not that Dean could take credit for it; it wasn't like he could control his sexual gender or will his knot into existence, but he couldn't help feeling elated at being the pride of his father, Castiel.

Sure, Castiel is anything but a knot-head, or an old-fashioned "pack leader" (which is an outdated 'wolf-country' term traditionally given to family providers, or the head alphas of a house). But who isn't at least a little glad when their son presents as a dominant? It's primal nature.

Dean's dad isn't exactly traditional but he's an alpha alright: strong, driven, opinionated, territorial, a little jealous, overprotective, somewhat overbearing, "the husband" in this house, but also a solid presence and always there for his family. So yeah, in true alpha fashion, Castiel couldn't help being happy when his first son turned out to be like him, and Dean knows it.

Despite being a believer in discipline, being the head of his household, and respecting Alpha-Omega roles, Castiel is usually neither strict about them or half as brutal enforcing them as the typical alpha. Mind you, he never denies his or his wife Sam's nature, but he doesn't define either himself or Sam by it. For instance, he never barks orders at Sam, or patronises Sam, or attempts to humiliate him to show him who's boss, or asks too much of him that he couldn't give, but he does put his foot down when it's called for.

As far as Dean knows, Cas never forces his mommy into sex if Sam doesn't feel like it, and, for that matter, he never pushes him to bear many children as per alpha tradition.

After Dean was born, a little more than a year into their marriage, Sam wanted to give his body a long break and Castiel indulged him,without argument - another thing that separates Castiel from regular, traditional alphas, who more often than not force their wives to pop babies, health concerns notwithstanding.

Castiel didn't even flinch when a relative suggested that, as far as alphas go, Castiel is too pliant toward his omega. The comment would enrage a prototypical alpha. Castiel just chuckled and didn't even deny it.

Part of it, Dean thinks, might be because his father and mother are actually in love. Hopelessly so, from the looks of it. Childhood sweethearts and all that. They got married in their late teens and never separated since. In this society, that's not how alphas and omegas typically get together; they usually get betrothed or engaged through business-like deals and, the marriage is either arranged by the families, or happens in response to a purely physical, earthly attraction (someone's heat aligns with another's rut and that's that).

More often than not, alphas and omegas get well acquainted after marriage, not before. Not Sam and Castiel.

Their love was nurtured over the years, and well before moving in together each had already known what made the other tick. Dean could swear they talked with their eyes sometimes, and that's why, for instance, Castiel rarely uses his alpha voice inside the house, except with his children. Say, when Dean is misbehaving or pulling tantrums, or later on when Dean's little brother Adam grew up into a small beta menace and became hard to control. Only then he'd use his deep alpha voice, usually in warning, a scare tactic. Otherwise, Cas never needs to force his way.

In short, Cas is a reasonable man, a loving husband and a doting father. In many ways, he's just perfect.

But that doesn't stop Dean from feeling some resentment for him when he himself starts getting interested in mommy that way.

It doesn't stop Dean from trying to dethrone his dad, either, later on, when his Alpha nature rears its ugly head. But that doesn't happen until much later — perhaps a few years from now, when things get- uhm- complicated.

Now, even Dean doesn't realise how far this thing - these feelings - will one day take him, how aggressively it will consume him and scar his relationship with his parents for good. Now, he's just mesmerised by his tall, built, tanned and beautiful mommy. Obsessed with how his scent makes his stomach tingle and makes him feel funny between his legs. Right now, Sam is slowly becoming his world. Castiel's claiming rights be damned, Dean thinks.

It was Sam's scent that caught Dean's attention first and drew him closer. It started to permeate strongly right after Sam gave birth to his brother Adam. Dean would sit beside his mom as Adam nursed from him, and bask in the delicately warm smell of his beautiful Sammy. Whiffs of cinnamon, milk, this thing that's pure omega; his mommy smelled like summer and freshly baked pie, and sex! Dean couldn't help but lean into the smell every time it tickled his senses. He'd put his head on mommy's right arm and watch Adam suckle on one of his round full breasts - now lactating and engorged thanks to his baby brother.

These days, he gets drunk on the proximity.

Right now, for instance, they're sprawled on the living room's sofa. Sam is feeding Adam and Dean is glued to his side. It's a hot summer afternoon. His mommy's sweaty. His long hair - perspired and damp - is sticking to his forehead and the back of his neck. His t-shirt is bunched up on one side, and one pair of boobs is leaking out of his sports bra, one dark perky nipple engulfed by his baby brother's small mouth. Sam's soft belly, still marred by stretch marks, is bare, and Dean can see the beginning of the dark treasure trail that runs from Sam's navel down to his groin, hidden under the thin fabric of his sleep pants. The threadbare pants sit low on his hips and reveal a glimpse of Sam's plain white briefs. Dean's eyes keep flickering hungrily from one part to another. He wishes he could just lean forward and kiss the bare skin, but he doesn't have the courage, not yet. He settles for laying one hand on Sam's thigh, the one currently brushing his. Just a small casual move.

First his hand lies nearer to Sam's knees, then he slowly moves it up. Sam's eyes are closed; he's visibly tired, he's had a long day and Cas is at work, so he's taking care of a newborn and Dean on his own during the day. Better for me , Dean thinks, more alone time with mommy .

He shifts his hand up a little more and now Dean's hand is comfortably lying on top of Sam's thigh, next to his groin. Dean's very aware of this. His heart starts drumming a little faster, like he's scheming or something. And on some level, he is.

Only a few months back, Dean used to shrug mommy's constant affections, often wriggled away when Sam kissed his cheeks or tried to hug him. After he turned nine, Dean had become self-conscious about receiving any affection that made him feel like he was being babied - more so in front of his school friends and his best friend Benny. He remembers being horrified when his mother would swoop down on him and give him a kiss on the forehead or on the cheek when he'd drop him off to school. A few months back, that was out of the question. He'd huff and puff and turn his head away to escape said kisses. Then lecture mom about it after school, tell him he embarrasses him (his mom would sometimes be amused, other times a little pained he and his boy seem to be growing apart. Dean is the apple of his eye, he'd want to keep him close to himself, in his arms, forever ... if he could) - well, Dean would only lecture when Castiel wasn't in earshot. He had to be always careful with this. Sam was the soft parent. Cas doesn't tolerate attitude, more so when it's directed at his Sammy.

When he turned 11, it was worse. Instead of spending time with mommy and his dad, he'd run to his room after school and only come out to use the restroom or eat. Or he would go out with his friends. He wanted his space, he told Sam. He spent less and less time with him and his other parent. At the beginning, Sam would try to coax him out, drag him to the living room to force them to spend some more time together, or offer to take him to the movies (Dean was adamant not to be seen going out and about with his mom. Made it a point. He's grown up, now. What if any of my friends see him? What kind of a loser goes to see a movie with his mom? ). In desperation, Sam would demand that Dean helped with meal preparations or in cleaning up the house sometimes just to get Dean to leave his cocoon and spend time with him. It used to make Dean furious sometimes, and make Sam feel guilty for being too clingy himself.

Now? Now, any physical contact with his mommy leaves Dean breathing hard, and makes him warm inside. He's now always aware of where his mom's body is touching his when they're sitting side by side, or when his head is cradled in his lap when they're all sitting together watching TV, or when Sam pats a cheek, or runs his fingers through his hair - which happens rarely since he'd complained about it in the past. "Stop it, I'm not a kid," he had once mumbled in annoyance and brushed Sam's hand off. It was one of those times that Sam had ruffled his hair lovingly. At the time, Dean was playing a video game, engrossed in it, and hadn't welcomed the distraction - or the touching. Again, that was only a month earlier. Oh, how things changed. Dean sighs and decides to concentrate on the present moment.

"Are you hurting, mommy?" Dean looks up at Sammy, and asks through half-lidded eyes, noticing now that his mom is still laying his head against the back of the couch, eyes shut.

"No, sweetheart, just tired," Sammy responds. He lifts his head up and looks down at his son, smiling. His dimples show.

"Mommy, I love your smile," Dean says, romancing.

He sometimes gets caught up in how beautiful his Sammy looks, like now. He kneads Sam's thigh, curling his hand around, shifting it more to the inside of Sam's thigh. Now the tips of his fingers can barely touch Sam's flaccid length. He can feel it , a shiver runs through him at the thought. "It's like sunshine," he elaborates.

Sam is a little surprised yet amused, not used to his son being so openly affectionate. "Is that so?"

"Yeah," he says, staring right into Sam's tired hazel-green eyes. His mind is where his hand is, right now. He strokes his thumb back and forth, lightly; he's sure this is Sam's cock he's brushing against, but his touch is so light it's almost non-existent. "Mommy, do you need me to help you with anything? You know, dad's not here, and you look drained."

Sam chuckles. "Ok, now I'm a little freaked. Who are you and what have you done with my son?" Then he winces, "oww!" it seems Adam bit his nipple a little. Sammy sits up abruptly, and puts a finger in Adam's mouth to force him to release the abused nipple. Dean looks at the puffy red and wet bud, and feels a rush of jealousy that Adam gets a taste of the delicious-looking tit and he doesn't. He understands Adam needs this but he can't help the surge of jealousy, Goddammit! Sammy tucks this side in, hiding it away, and takes the other boob out.

When he was dislodged from the source of nourishment, Adam gave an ear-piercing squeal that didn't die out until mommy rearranged him and he latched back on, humming contentedly around the breast. Sam finally sits back and Dean lays his head against his shoulder again, now getting more space on Sam's chest when this side is baby-free.

Without thinking, Dean reaches out and touches around where Adam's lips are stretched around Sam's areola. His touch lingers. He wishes he could put a finger in Adam's mouth and touch his mom's nipple, feel the ducts from where the milk is sucked out. But he holds back. "Does it always hurt badly, when he nurses?" Dean asks. He's aware he sounds like a six-year-old. But that's the thing: his new feelings for mommy made him regress in some ways but feel older, more entitled, in others.

"It's only painful when he bites, but I'm sure you know it's not on purpose, sweetheart. He's just trying to force out more milk" Sam responds. Dean feels like moaning; he wishes he was the one suckling on the teet, biting lightly, drinking up Sam's sweet juice, feeding from one side, and petting the other, but he holds it in. A pause. Then Sam asks: "Are you okay, Dean?"

"Yeah," he shrugs. "Just feel a little sorry for you." Sam momentarily pushes away Dean when moves his right arm, only to curl it around his son and pull him snuggly against him.

"Hey, why do you feel sorry for me? Where is this coming from, Dean?" Sam says, his voice silky, dripping with mommy-warmth.

"It's just that ... just, you know. A baby is a lot of work is all. And other moms ... I mean, you're- you always look worn out these days. It makes me, it just-," he huffs, not knowing what to say.

Sam gives him a squeeze, then, "Dean baby, look at me." He does. "You're right, it's a lot of work. But I love every bit of it. You and Adam, you're everything, and I'm so happy to have been blessed with you. I may look tired, and sure a child takes its toll on the body. Every man or woman is different and it's somewhat harder on me. I happen to struggle a little after giving birth. But I chose this. And I'm the happiest person on Earth right now. Besides, Cas helps a lot, he's an angel, and just knowing you feel for mommy helps too, you know." Sam smiles then kisses Dean's forehead tenderly, and this time Dean doesn't push him away. Instead, he leans in and places a soft peck on the side of mommy's mouth.