Chapter Text
“Excuse me, could you say that again?” Dean leaned forward in his chair. “I don’t think I heard you right.”
The attorney gave him a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry, Mr. Winchester. Your father incurred significant debts before he passed away. According to state law, his home and business will be sold to pay his creditors.”
Dean couldn’t even think about keeping up appearances. He sagged forward, head in hands.
“I take it you had no idea?”
“None at all. He was so old-fashioned, the traditional alpha head of the household. He would never discuss the finances with me.” Dean was silent for a moment.
“I wish I had better news for you, Mr. Winchester.”
Dean felt a wave of panic overtake him. “That son of a bitch. What am I gonna do? I’ll have nowhere to live, and if the garage is sold I’ll lose my job. Oh, God. What’s Sam gonna do?”
“Speaking of your brother, I’m surprised he isn’t here. He is the alpha head of household now, so he should really be the one making all these arrangements.”
“Give the kid a break. He’s only 18! And he has midterms coming up...he can’t afford a distraction.”
“Dean--may I call you Dean? There are other options for you.” The lawyer’s eyes skated up and down Dean’s leather jacket and jeans. “It may not be my place to say so, but you’re very attractive…”
Dean sputtered. “Excuse me?”
“It’s just that there are wealthy single alphas out there looking for mates. Omegas like you are in high demand. Young, pretty…”
“Financially desperate?”
“It’s not as bad as that, Dean. You’d have a stable home, financial support. And Sam could use the dowry payment for his schooling.”
Dean brightened. “Dowry? You mean someone would actually pay money for me?” He leaned forward eagerly. “I hadn’t thought of that! Granted, I’m poor, so I’ve never really hung out with rich folks. They really still do the arranged marriage thing?”
The attorney laughed. “Of course! That’s how most upper middle class and the really wealthy find their mates, Dean.” He peeled off a post-it note and scribbled on it, then handed it over the desk to Dean. “I’d recommend Select Omega Services. It’s the best agency in Lawrence. Discreet, efficient. It’s where I met my wife.”
After breaking the news to Benny, his fellow mechanic at Winchester Auto Repair, the alpha invited him to the neighborhood bar for a drink. “We both need it, brother. Rough day.”
Dean took a long drink of his beer. “That’s an understatement.”
“You sure you want to go through with this matchmaking thing? Andrea and I can put you up for a while. We can both look for another job.”
“I appreciate it, Benny, but I can’t impose on you guys like that. And you know that no one else is gonna hire an omega for a mechanic. Hell, Dad only did because I was basically free labor.” John had been of the school that omegas were not to be trusted with money, and had only allowed Dean a small weekly allowance.
“Will they sell the Impala, too?”
“I guess so.” This was a fresh wound, and Dean was momentarily stunned. He would truly be left with nothing.
“Well, I can help you there. I haven’t done anything with Mom’s car after she died. Didn’t have the heart. We’ll fix it up and you can use it as long as you want.”
“Benny, I…”
“I don’t want to hear it. It’s settled. It’s the least I can do.”
Dean exhaled shakily. “Thanks, brother.”
A week later, Dean pulled up to an understated brick office building in Benny’s mother’s Cadillac. The landscaping was impeccably neat, and the only identifying feature was a brass plaque near the front door.
SELECT OMEGA SERVICES
Arranging your happily ever after since 1952.
After Dean had contacted the agency, there had been a lengthy application to fill out. He had to send some photos of himself. He had no recent ones, so he’d taken some selfies in front of his bedroom mirror and emailed them to the address provided. He’d had to visit a doctor to confirm he was healthy and to be tested for STDs. Finally, a cheerful lady named Celeste had called to say that the agency had selected him for an in-person interview.
Dean opened the front door slowly, scenting the air nervously. The receptionist looked up when she heard the jingle. “Mr. Dean Winchester? Right this way! Ms. Bradbury is expecting you.”
Due to the scents, Dean figured that this office was much like any other: an alpha or two in charge, a staff of efficient betas who actually ran things, and some pretty omega receptionists. Celeste Bradbury turned out to be an exuberant, red-haired beta who had Star Wars and Lord of the Rings memorabilia on her office walls.
“I’m so happy to meet you in person, Dean! I can tell already that we’re going to get along. Don’t take this the wrong way, but some of our clients are so...uptight. You’re a breath of fresh air.”
Dean shook her hand awkwardly. “It’s nice to meet you. Should I call you Ms. Bradbury, or Celeste?”
“Neither, please! That’s for my stuffy clients. You can call me Charlie. All my friends do.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, either, but you’re not what I was expecting.”
“Well, just between you and me, this isn’t my endgame. I want to study computer science at the university, but I need to save up some money first.”
“The main reason I want to do this is because of my brother’s college bills. Sam’s such a smart kid, I want to give him every opportunity.”
“That’s so sweet!” Charlie gushed. “My mom is a friend of one of the other betas here, and she recommended me for the job. They were looking for a new matchmaker, so voila! Here I am. It’s not so bad, really, and the opportunity for bonuses was something I couldn’t pass up.”
“I’m not sure how this works,” Dean admitted. “I never expected to be in this position. How much does this cost? Do you do, like, a payment plan?”
Charlie giggled. “Oh, Dean, honestly! You’re so innocent about all this stuff; it’s pretty cute. Of course YOU don’t pay, you’re the omega. When you’re matched with an alpha, they pay an agreed upon dowry, which goes to your nearest alpha relative. Usually. There are exceptions. The matchmaker--that would be yours truly--gets 10% of the dowry.”
Dean’s mouth fell open. “So it’s free for me? That’s great! I was really worried about how I was going to manage; money’s kinda tight right now.”
Charlie frowned slightly. “Well, it’s not exactly free for you. I mean, you are the one getting mated to an alpha here. So technically…”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m technically selling myself here.” Dean forced himself to smile. “But that’s not a bad deal for you, I guess. So if someone paid a $10,000 dowry, you’d get $1,000. Nice.”
Charlie’s face fell. “Oh, Dean, sweetie. Select Omegas only accepts wealthy alpha clientele.” Seeing Dean’s blank expression, she took a deep breath and continued. “Most dowry payments are around $100,000.”
Dean gripped the armrests of his chair, and felt himself break into a cold sweat. Charlie looked concerned, and leaned forward in her seat. “Are you all right, Dean? Do you need some water, or…”
He waved off her concern. “Nah, I’m good,” he replied, ignoring the fact that his voice sounded like it was coming from very far away. “So $10,000, huh? That’s. That’s great for you. You’ll save up enough for college in no time.” Dean rubbed his hands over his face, and was quiet for a long moment. Charlie waited silently.
“$90,000, Charlie,” Dean finally whispered. “Do you know what Sam could do with that much money? I can’t believe this. It’s the solution to all my problems.”
“Don’t sell yourself short, Dean,” Charlie rose from her desk and crossed the room to a small refrigerator. She removed a bottle of water and handed to Dean. “I said our standard payment is $100,000. It’s not uncommon for an omega to go for more. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t swing that way, but I do have eyes. You’re very pretty, Dean. I wouldn’t be surprised if you did very well.”
Dean took a few sips from the bottle of water and exhaled heavily. “All right, then. Let’s get started.”
Charlie smiled brightly and gestured toward a computer monitor on a small desk in the corner. “While I get you registered and start your file, you’ll fill out this survey. Standard stuff. Your likes, dislikes, interests, and personality. Select Omegas is a pretty progressive agency; they actually try to match alphas and omegas according to compatibility. That’s why I work here, actually.” Charlie shuddered slightly. “Some agencies are nothing more than meat markets. Disgusting. Me? I still believe in the power of love. Or at least, like.” She returned to her desk and started typing furiously.
The “survey” took Dean almost two hours to complete. He rated innumerable personality traits on a scale of 1 to 10, answered questions about religious, political, and sexual preferences, and finished by clicking through dozens of multiple choice questions. Charlie rustled papers and answered phone calls in the background. About an hour in, she brought him a small plate of cheese, crackers, and fruit, for which he was grateful.
At long last, Dean clicked the final “submit” button, and laid his head on the keyboard. “Ugggghhh. That was horrible.”
“All done?” Charlie chirped. “Great. I have all the preliminary paperwork completed, and your application has been approved by my manager. Welcome to Select Omega Services, Dean. We are proud to have you as a client.”
“So what do I do now?”
“Now, I’m going to take you to the studio. After your hair and makeup are finished, our photographer will take some head shots and some candid photos. Sometimes he does the more casual photos outdoors, weather permitting. And then, you let us work our magic.” Charlie scribbled on a card and handed it to him. “Here’s my work number and email address. I’ve written my cell number on the back. Technically I’m not supposed to do that, but I like you, Dean. Call me for anything you might need, or any questions you have.”
Dean had assumed the hair and makeup comment was a joke, but as soon as they reached the studio, he was whisked into a chair by a dark-haired beta named Hannah. “I don’t know about this,” Dean admitted.
“Oh, don’t worry, sweetie. Most male omegas are nervous about this part. I’m just going to style your hair, and do some very light makeup to accentuate your features. Nothing much. Now, just lean back and relax. Would you like a warm towel for your neck?” Hannah had a light, soothing touch, and Dean found himself enjoying the attention, even when she began applying foundation with a brush.
“You have very nice cheekbones, Dean. An absolute pleasure to work with.”
“Am I done?” Dean mumbled sleepily.
“Not quite. A little highlighter, some bronzer, and then I’ll do your eyes.” Hannah finished his face with a few more sweeps of her brush, then dabbed with a pink sponge. “Try not to squint for this next part, so I can get your eyeliner just right.”
“Eyeliner?” Dean sputtered. “What happened to light makeup?”
“It will make your eyes pop, and your photos will look lovely. Don’t complain, dear. You should see how much makeup our female omegas have to wear.”
Dean let her have her way, watching her nervously in the mirror. He had to admit, he did look…pretty. Like someone from a magazine. Hannah chuckled. “See? I know best, dear. Wait til the alphas see your photos. You’ll be in high demand, I shouldn’t wonder.” She patted his shoulder. “Now hop up and we’ll go to wardrobe. I have a green button-down that would look wonderful on you.”
Dean felt like a doll by the time Charlie came to take him to the photographer. “Dean!” She squealed. “You look hot! You’re gonna go places, baby!” Charlie grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hall to meet the photographer. “Kevin, sweetie, this is Dean Winchester for his photo shoot. He’s okay, you don’t have to be polite and stuffy with him.”
Kevin whistled. “Whoa! Look at you, Mr. Photogenic. My job just got a lot easier.”
Charlie checked her phone. “All right, Dean. You’ll be fine with Kevin here, I’m gonna go back to the office and start matching you with compatible alphas. Call me if you guys need anything!”
The photo shoot turned out to be more fun than Dean expected. Kevin had a good sense of humor, and kept Dean laughing by calling out poses like “early 90s yearbook picture” and “awkward family photo”. Kevin took him to an outdoor garden surrounded by a privacy fence for the second part of the shoot, and told Dean about a nervous alpha who had tripped and fallen in the koi pond right before meeting his potential mate.
Dean was sorry to see the afternoon end. While he was with Charlie and Kevin, it was easy not to think about what the future held, but now he had to return to his empty home. He changed back into his own clothing, his mood suddenly sour. When he exited the changing room, however, Charlie was waiting for him.
“So, Dean, you got any plans for tonight?”
It took him a moment to answer. “Absolutely none, but…”
“No buts. Kev and I are gonna grab dinner and see a movie, and we want you to come with. We’ll pick you up at your place and drop you off after, so you’ll be with us the whole time. Perfectly safe and proper. Whaddya say?”
Dean couldn’t say yes fast enough. They picked him up at 7:30 in Kevin’s Prius and whisked him off to Charlie's favorite diner, which she insisted was the best-kept secret in Lawrence. After tasting a burger topped with mac and cheese, Dean was inclined to agree.
“My only regret about this whole evening,” Charlie announced, “is that Dean decided to wash off the eyeliner before coming out with us.”
Dean threw a french fry at her. “So what kind of nerd movie are we going to see?”
“He figured out we were nerds! Good call, Dean. We’re going to see ‘The House with a Clock in its Walls’, which we are both very excited about.”
Charlie and Kevin dropped Dean off slightly after midnight. After the movie, which Dean had enjoyed, they’d talked him into going out for a nightcap. Dean was uncertain, but their bar of choice was one that specialized in beta customers, so he was spared the unwanted advances of drunken alphas. It was a heady feeling to be out past midnight; his father had always threatened to lock him out of the house if he came home past 10:30.
As he got ready for bed, weaving slightly from one too many margaritas as he slid on his pajama pants, his phone buzzed on the dresser. It was a text from Charlie.
Heyyyy, Dean-o. Kev and me have decided, no matter what happens with the matchmaking thing, you’re one of us. Talk to ya soon, bestie!