After meeting and talking with Crowley under the bridge — a place where no one could possibly see them — Alex, Dean, and Sam were already driving back to the Bunker. Along the way, Alex explained in detail how he had managed to track down the Colt and Michael’s spear, and how those weapons had ended up in the hands of the Knight of Hell, Ramiel.

Dean clicked his tongue irritably when he learned that it had been Crowley who handed the Colt over to Ramiel — all just to cling to the infernal throne and become the King of Hell. But when Alex showed the recording of Ramiel’s house literally blasting into the air in a towering column of fire, Dean burst out laughing.

Sam, meanwhile, could only sigh heavily and shake his head as he watched the Knight of Hell’s mansion being torn apart — in the most literal sense of the word.

When they returned to the Bunker, they ran into Castiel, who had once again come back from who-knows-where. In response to the usual question about where he had been, Castiel, as always, answered that he was searching for anything that might help in the fight against the Darkness.

However, the moment Castiel noticed Michael’s spear in Alex’s hands, a perfectly reasonable question immediately arose — where they had found it.

Alex once again briefly retold the story of the Colt and the spear. Castiel showed restrained surprise and agreed that such weapons could indeed prove useful. After that, he said his goodbyes and left.

Dean and Sam had long since stopped reacting to Castiel’s usual odd behavior. The only thing that truly pleased them was that he no longer sulked over his vulnerability after Rowena’s curse.

Alex, however, watched Castiel leave with suspicion.

Once again, he noticed something strange in the angel’s behavior. Only for a moment — but Alex caught how the calm in Castiel’s eyes shifted at the sight of the spear, as if the angel had, for a second, felt the urge to break it.

The sense of unease only grew stronger. This Castiel was different from the one Alex knew. And the strange feeling of something both close and familiar refused to leave him every time the angel was nearby.

“What are you standing around for? Let’s go,” Dean said, clapping Alex on the shoulder. “It’s dinner time. I’m starving. And you’re the only cook we’ve got in the Bunker.”

“You only ever think about food,” Sam snorted, looking at his brother like he was a complete idiot. “Did it ever occur to you that Alex didn’t sign up to be our chef?”

“Say that after you stop stuffing your face with his cooking,” Dean rolled his eyes. “And anyway, you’re the idiot.”

“I didn’t say you were an idiot,” Sam replied calmly, looking at him with an empty stare.

“But you thought it,” Dean said confidently.

“Alright,” Alex chuckled. “I’ll cook something for dinner. But first I’ll ask the girls what they want. We usually vote, after all.”

“Since when do we have a democracy?” Dean blinked in surprise.

“Since there’s been more than two of us,” Sam replied and headed off to his room to change.

Dean watched him go, then looked back at Alex. Alex just shrugged, slung Michael’s spear over his shoulder, and headed toward the library.

“No weird herbs! Fried fish at most!” Dean shouted after him.

Without turning around, Alex raised his thumb, making it clear that dinner would be, at the very least, excellent.

In the main hall of the Bunker, where the library was located, Alex was met by the girls’ silent stares. He cleared his throat awkwardly — he knew perfectly well that they had seen everything. Still, their interest in the newly acquired weapons proved stronger.

Lucina immediately took the Colt into her hands — everyone in their family knew about that revolver, especially since absolutely all of them had watched the series about Dean and Sam. Wednesday, on the other hand, was interested in the angelic weapon.

Enid and Alice, by contrast, moved as far away from the spear as possible — by their nature, they were supernatural beings, and even under Alex’s protection, that weapon made them deeply uncomfortable.

Samantha, meanwhile, carefully ran her finger along the shaft of Michael’s spear, examining it with undisguised interest. While the girls were inspecting the trophies, Alex asked what they wanted for dinner.

“Japanese food,” Lucina suggested, continuing to spin the Colt in her hands.

The others didn’t object. Only Wednesday, with her most serious expression, declared that she wanted sushi made from poisonous fugu fish. Alex simply nodded in response.

“And, Alex, if it’s not too much trouble… I’d like ramen,” Lucina added, aiming the Colt at him — just checking how comfortably the weapon sat in her hand.

“Anything else?” Alex asked thoughtfully, stroking his chin. “Since we’re doing Japanese cuisine today, I’ll just make a quick trip to Japan for the ingredients.”

The moment Alex asked that question, Alice immediately tore a sheet out of her notebook and began writing rapidly, filling it with an entire list of food. When she finished, she handed the page to Alex. After skimming through the items, he nodded and went off to find Sam and Dean to ask what they wanted to eat.

The list, now supplemented with the brothers’ requests, turned out to be impressive. Alex was just about to head straight to Japan for the shopping when he suddenly heard rapid footsteps in the Bunker corridor. He barely had time to turn his head before GIR, MIMI, and Stitch came flying out from around the corner, shouting.

Alex looked at the noisy trio and immediately noticed the sheet of paper in Stitch’s paws. Drooling with enthusiasm, Stitch eagerly shoved a ridiculously long food list into Alex’s hands. After glancing over it, Alex quickly realized that for a normal family, that amount of food would last an entire month — whereas this trio would somehow manage to devour it all in a single evening.

All he could do was sigh heavily and nod.

Alex stuffed all the lists into his pocket and immediately teleported, appearing at the very top of Tokyo Tower. Looking down at Tokyo from above, he pulled the list out again, holding his phone in his other hand as he checked where and what he could buy.

Once he had settled on a route, Alex began his shopping run. Taking a step, he vanished from the top of the tower and appeared in a nearby alley, right in front of the first store where he could buy some of the needed ingredients.

A little over an hour went into buying everything he needed. When he was done, Alex paused for a moment and decided to stop by Korea as well — to pick up a few things for dinner. Once there, he went into a shop and bought an entire pack of soju.

The last item on the list was bluefin tuna.

To get this fish fresh, it had to be caught alive — a task that posed no difficulty for Alex at all. Catching nearly three hundred kilograms of tuna and freezing time around his catch, Alex immediately returned to the Bunker.

When he appeared in the kitchen, Dean was just pulling a beer out of the fridge. Startled by Alex’s sudden appearance, he flinched.

“Damn it, man. How many times have I asked you not to do that? I almost dropped my beer because of your surprise entrances,” Dean grumbled as he opened the bottle.

“Buzz off, Dean. I was buying us dinner, actually. Literally on the other side of the planet,” Alex replied, rolling his eyes as he began pulling food out of his inventory.

“You wanted this yourself. Nobody made you. So what did you bring us? Come on, let me see,” Dean said, stepping closer.

“A lot of things. Including drinks and a very big fish,” Alex replied calmly.

“I heard ‘drinks’ and ‘some big fish.’ What kind of fish?” Dean asked with even greater interest.

In response, Alex pulled out the pack of soju and briefly explained what kind of drink it was. Dean nodded in understanding.

Hearing the noise in the kitchen, Sam also came in and immediately saw the mountain of food, with the drinks clearly standing out. The last thing Alex was about to pull out was the bluefin tuna. Before that, he had pushed a large table aside to make room.

Dean and Sam watched silently as Alex pulled the massive fish from his inventory and carefully laid it on the table.

Once finished, Alex called GIR, MIMI, and Stitch to start filleting the tuna as quickly as possible — before it began to spoil. Erina had already messaged him, explaining that bluefin tuna needed to be handled quickly and as carefully as possible, or the meat could be ruined.

Dean and Sam continued staring at the fish, clearly calculating how long it would take to eat it. Moments later, GIR, MIMI, and Stitch ran into the kitchen, holding filleting knives, and immediately got to work.

“Why did you even bring such a huge fish? We won’t even be able to finish it,” Sam said, pointing at the bluefin tuna.

“Do you even know how much a bluefin tuna this size costs?” Alex asked, crossing his arms.

“Uh… a couple thousand?” Dean guessed, raising an eyebrow.

“If you sell a bluefin tuna this size to a restaurant, it would cost several million,” Lucina’s calm voice came from the kitchen entrance.

Dean immediately choked on his saliva, shifting his gaze from the fish to Lucina, and then to Alex. Alex simply nodded calmly, signaling that such a price was more than justified.

To confirm her words, Lucina showed the screen of her phone with the indicated amount. Even Sam, glancing at the display, was momentarily stunned.

Now Dean looked at the fish not as food, but as a gold ingot that Alex had undoubtedly brought into the Bunker.

Alex just chuckled, finishing the final preparations for dinner.

After a while, Alice, Samantha, Wednesday, and Enid came into the kitchen — each immediately taking a portion. GIR, MIMI, and Stitch fully played the role of sushi chefs, skillfully filleting the tuna and preparing sushi. They ate about half themselves and generously gave the rest to the others.

Alex sat at the table drinking soju with the girls, while Dean and Sam stuck to beer. However, Dean quickly became interested in the drink Alex and the girls were having and decided to pour himself some as well.

Gradually, the atmosphere became so homey that everyone forgot about the outside world and simply enjoyed the dinner. Alex and Dean tossed around silly jokes, while Sam recalled the old cases they had gone through.

Even Wednesday, usually quiet and distant, relaxed in this setting and subtly leaned against Alex’s shoulder.

Later, Castiel joined them, completing this strange but warmly familial atmosphere.

Dean and Sam once again felt that sense of comfort and warmth that seemed long gone. They had lost too many loved ones, endured too much, and had long forgotten what it was like to simply relax. But now, they were genuinely enjoying this rare feeling that only family can provide.

A few days passed after dinner.

Lucina, Samantha, and Wednesday took on a separate case. Samantha wanted to gain more experience, Lucina went along to back her up, and Wednesday decided to do this kind of work for material for her new book.

Alice and Enid, on the other hand, had no desire to hunt monsters or spirits, so they preferred to stay in the Bunker. At the same time, they had to keep an eye on the crazy trio — GIR, MIMI, and Stitch — who were more than capable of causing another mess… or robbing a store due to a sudden bout of hunger.

A couple of days later, Crowley called Dean and insisted on a meeting.

Dean immediately informed Alex and Sam, and without further discussion they headed out to meet him.

The meeting place was the same spot under the bridge — where only the homeless usually hung around and where there were no prying eyes. When the Impala pulled up, Crowley was already waiting for them.

Alex got out of the car, leaned back against the Impala, and lit a cigarette while Dean and Sam внимательно watched the King of Hell.

“So, spit it out. What have you come up with?” Dean said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Your little brother is dead if he steps into the Cage. Sure, I dream of the day you both croak — but now isn’t the time to start tearing each other’s throats out again. We need a safe place and a way to neutralize Lucifer,” Crowley said calmly, pacing back and forth with his hands in his pockets.

“In Hell?” Sam asked with a frown.

“Obviously, Moose. So I can keep some kind of control over it. No offense, but I’m not about to trust the Winchesters’ buddy. Even if he is the new Death,” Crowley said, glancing at Dean and Sam before looking at Alex.

“It’s fine, Crowley. You’ve been stabbed in the back more than once already,” Alex replied lazily, giving a small wave of his hand.

“Do you really think I want that filth rampaging upstairs again?” Crowley shifted his gaze back to the Winchesters.

“Get to the point, Crowley. How exactly are you planning to control this? If it’s dangerous for Sam, we’re calling it off,” Dean said darkly.

“Easy there, worried mommy, dial it down… Theoretically, it’s possible. But there will be consequences. I can get you into Hell, but opening the Cage is probably beyond me,” Crowley replied, rolling his eyes.

“Some King of Hell you are if you can’t even open it without the keys,” Dean snorted. “You sure you’re not just wasting the throne?”

“Dean, Crowley doesn’t have the key to the Cage,” Alex interjected calmly, idly twisting the Ring of Death on his finger. “He didn’t create it. There was only one key, and it was destroyed. We only have a fragment of it left. Don’t forget that.”

Dean and Sam turned to Alex at the same time, watching as he slowly rotated the Ring of Death on his finger. An unpleasant memory immediately surfaced: the only key to Lucifer’s Cage was the four Horsemen’s rings. Three of them were nowhere to be found… or possibly destroyed forever.

Crowley also looked at Alex and gave a barely noticeable smirk. It seemed that the Winchesters had finally found someone who actually knew how to use his head. The thought was both irritating and… potentially useful. However, Crowley didn’t yet know that he had already become part of Alex’s plan — and very much against his own will.

“Finally, someone in the Winchester family with a brain instead of a gorilla’s intellect,” Crowley sneered caustically. “God sealed the Cage, and you two idiots managed to lose the key. How exactly do you expect me to open it?”

He paused, fixing Dean and Sam with a hard stare, then continued in a calmer, almost lecturing tone:

“The Cage is a mechanism of divine origin. And its secrets, along with the spell to protect Sam, are located exactly where they should be… in the Book of the Damned. And if your new friend isn’t planning to open the Cage personally, then there’s only one option left.”

“And how are you planning to find Rowena?” Dean narrowed his eyes. “She usually runs from you faster than we can grab the salt.”

“That’s my problem, Squirrel,” Crowley snorted. “Mummy doesn’t run because she can — she runs because I allow her to. If that’s settled… see you later, idiots. I’ll call.”

With those words, he vanished.

Dean and Sam stared for a few seconds at the empty spot where Crowley had just been, then turned their gazes to Alex. He only shrugged, making it clear that there was no point in holding the King of Hell any longer — the conversation was over.

The Winchesters let out heavy sighs and returned to the Impala.

Alex settled into the back seat and was talking on the phone with Lucina. Judging by fragments of the conversation, she was together with Samantha and Wednesday in the infamous cursed house — the one that had accumulated decades of legends, documentaries, and terrifying rumors.

When they heard the word “Amityville,” Dean and Sam exchanged looks at the same time. Alex, meanwhile, calmly explained how the house’s curse could be dealt with and what they should pay attention to.

From Wednesday’s voice in the background, he understood that the girls would be staying there for some time — at Wednesday’s personal request, as she clearly wanted to spend more time in the cursed house.

“Your pale girlfriend is in her element,” Dean smirked. “For normal people, a cursed house is hell on earth. For her, it’s just material for a book.”

“The important thing is that she likes it,” Alex shrugged, slipping his phone into his pocket. “And Samantha needs experience. In the end, everyone benefits.”

“Using a cursed house as a training ground is a questionable idea,” Sam remarked, shaking his head.

“Oh, Sammy, don’t start,” Alex waved him off, leaning slightly forward. “While Dean and I were in Jericho, what were you doing? Hunting a killer imaginary friend who turned out to be a girl who lost her sister? Or chasing Bagul, who uses children to slaughter entire families? Is that what you call a ‘normal set of experience’?”

He smirked.

“A cursed house is just a cursed house. Nothing more than that.”

“Sam, Alex is right,” Dean cut in, not taking his eyes off the road. “Remember how we started and how many things we had to put down. Only back then, we didn’t have Death’s boyfriend watching our backs.”

“Alright, I get it,” Sam sighed. “I’m just saying that caution never hurts. No one has ever managed to deal with that house. It’s still standing, and people keep dying in it. I can’t even imagine what kind of curse could slowly drive people insane and make them kill their own loved ones.”

“Wednesday and Lucina are there,” Alex said calmly, settling back into the seat and lacing his fingers behind his head. “I think they’ll figure it out pretty quickly.”

Dean nodded. He also knew that Wednesday was smart enough to find the right answer and get to the heart of the problem. The same went for Lucina — intelligent, attentive, and far too careful to miss any details.

After some time, the Impala returned to the Bunker.

As soon as Alex got out of the car, he headed straight to find Alice and Enid. He found them in the library — in the middle of a game of Monopoly, accompanied by GIR, MIMI, Stitch… and Castiel.

Seeing the angel so focused on a board game, Alex just smirked. Dean, however, couldn’t resist a sharp comment:

“I knew it. Cas has zero money again.”

And indeed — the “richest” player turned out to be Alice. In front of her lay a sizeable pile of bills, while Castiel sat stone-faced with almost nothing.

Alex decided to join them, sat down, and pulled a book from his inventory. No sooner had he made himself comfortable than Enid and Alice threw their legs onto his lap and continued the game as if it had been planned that way all along.

Even Dean came over to watch, holding a beer.

Everyone laughed when Castiel calmly argued with Stitch, who was demanding his money, waving his arms and raising his voice. The angel remained unflustered, ignoring the hysteria, while Stitch was a step away from flipping the board and wreaking havoc.

The noise drew Sam, and he peeked into the library as well, taking in the amusing scene.

In the end, the game ended in a draw — Stitch finally lost his patience, screamed, flipped the board, cursed everyone he could, and immediately got into a scuffle with GIR and MIMI. Of course, they weren’t going to tolerate insults, especially spoken in Stitch’s usual alien language.

“I’ve been meaning to ask…” Dean began, sipping his beer and watching the fight. “Where did you even find Stitch?”

“At the shelter,” Alex answered calmly, lightly tickling Alice’s feet. “We were vacationing in Hawaii. He could talk, and we were like, ‘Oh, cool, a talking dog.’ So we brought him home. He’s been with us ever since.”

“Why am I not surprised your first thought was to take him home?” Dean smirked.

“He’s cute. And dangerous,” Alex said with a wide grin. “Perfect combination. You felt it yourself when you and Sam broke into our house.”

“Wait…” Enid interjected in surprise. “You broke into his house? Why?”

“We thought he might be some local god eating people,” Sam calmly explained. “Or an alpha werewolf. In the end… we were wrong.”

“Don’t confuse ‘wrong’ with ‘screwed up,'” Dean snorted. “We really screwed up back then. Got beaten, bags on our heads, and called thieves. Not the most pleasant experience. Especially after we found demons in the basement… in a state like they were first blended in a blender and then reassembled like LEGO.”

Enid looked at Alex with obvious interest.

Alice took over the explanation:

“Alex hunted the crossroads demons. Pretended to be a human ready to make a deal, then beat them up and dragged them to the basement. The first ‘resident’ was Albert — he eventually gave up all his friends just to avoid more torture. Especially the endless chatter of one robot who wouldn’t shut up.”

Enid nodded in astonishment, pretending she understood everything. In reality, it was hard for her to process it all.

And so ended another day in the Bunker.

The next day, closer to evening, Dean got another call from Crowley. He said they needed to meet — this time at a different location. Specifically, at the psychiatric facility he used as a base on Earth.

Once everyone was ready, Alex placed his hands on Sam’s and Dean’s shoulders, and they teleported.

The facility greeted them with oppressive silence. Alex, Dean, and Sam appeared in a room that Crowley had transformed into something resembling a throne hall.

Crowley was already waiting for them, sitting on a red throne with his cheek propped on his hand.

“You’re quick,” he remarked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

“There are perks to having a family member who’s Death,” Dean smirked.

“Can’t argue with that,” Crowley snorted. “She’ll be brought shortly. For now, if you don’t mind, boys… wait outside. I need to have a little chat with Mommy.”

He gestured toward the door.

Alex, Dean, and Sam didn’t object and simply stepped out through the side door, waiting for Rowena to be brought in.

Entering the adjacent room, Alex lit a cigarette and leaned lazily against the wall, patiently awaiting the witch’s arrival.

Several minutes passed before two demons entered the throne hall. They were escorting a woman with a black sack over her head and shackled in chains. Bringing her closer to the throne, the demons removed the sack.

Rowena immediately lifted her head and glared at Crowley.

She looked fragile and elegant, but her confident posture made her presence truly commanding. Her bright red hair was neatly tied back in a ponytail. Her face was youthful, almost without signs of age, despite standing before them was an ancient witch who had lived for centuries. As always, Rowena wore a luxurious long gown, giving her the appearance of an aristocrat.

“Mommy, thank you for coming,” Crowley said emotionlessly, waving the demons away.

“What, Fergus?” Rowena spat angrily. “Rejoicing that you’ve chained your own mother again? Just dare to touch me — and my followers, with the power of the Book of the Damned, will flatten your pathetic palace!”

“Cut the crap, scum,” Crowley replied coldly. “You have no followers. If you did, you’d have done everything already, not been running around like a rat. And I wouldn’t let you hide — I’d have finished you off.”

“As if you didn’t try,” Rowena said with a faint smile.

“You tried to kill me twice, in case you forgot, Mommy,” Crowley met her gaze.

“And how do we know God doesn’t love a trio?” Rowena replied, looking at him with barely concealed murder in her eyes.

“Alright, enough family nonsense,” Alex’s voice called from behind the door. “You can kill each other later. I’m tired of waiting — I still have to make dinner.”

Rowena snapped her head toward the voice. Dean and Sam entered the hall. The witch’s face immediately darkened, but then her gaze settled on Alex. She squinted slightly — he seemed vaguely familiar to her.

“Don’t tell me you’re handing me over to them,” she snorted, glancing at Crowley. “Even for you, that’s low. Hell, they’re your enemies… Although, if it’s this new handsome fellow — I don’t mind. Sam, Dean, where did you dig up a specimen like this?”

“Cut it out, Rowena,” Dean said irritably. “He’s out of your league.”

“Oh really, Dean?” she smiled.

“Because I’m married,” Alex said calmly, pulling up a chair and sitting down. “And by the way, nice to see you again, Rowena.”

“I don’t recall ever meeting such a handsome man,” she said, keeping her eyes on him. “I would have remembered for sure.”

Alex smirked, ruffled his hair, and pulled a pair of thick‑framed glasses from his pocket. Putting them on, he adopted a slightly tired look.

Rowena’s eyes narrowed. The next moment, she recognized him.

She remembered that night when she had been fleeing from a demon sent by Crowley. A young man had appeared, distracted her pursuer, giving her time to curse the demon and escape. Rowena hadn’t spared a thought for the consequences — someone else’s life had always meant less to her than her own.

Noticing that she had figured it out, Alex took off the glasses, casually slicked his hair back, and lit another cigarette.

“So that’s who you are… my hero,” Rowena drawled with exaggerated sweetness. “I thought you were dead. Care to let me thank you?”

“Stop flirting with our little brother,” Dean said wearily. “I told you, he’s out of your league.”

“And yet, why do you think that?” Rowena turned to him.

“Because, Mommy,” Crowley cut in lazily, picking at his nails with a knife, “he’s Death.”

“Fergus,” Rowena scoffed. “I didn’t think you’d sunk to jokes this pathetic. You really should spend less time around Dean.”

“No,” Alex said calmly, rocking back and forth on the chair as he took a drag. “I really am Death.”

Rowena snorted expressively, clearly not believing him, and looked at Crowley. He merely shrugged lazily, his entire demeanor making it clear that it was the absolute truth. Her gaze then slid to Sam and Dean — both nodded without a word.

Realizing that no one was joking, Rowena narrowed her eyes slightly and focused on Alex. He continued to rock on the chair with an indifferent expression, as if his thoughts were somewhere far away.

She smirked, considering the situation. The company gathered in this hall was far too strange.

“I think I’m beginning to understand what’s going on here. When the seal was broken, something… quite sinister crawled into the light. And if even Death is standing at your side, then the situation really is dire,” Rowena said with an almost cheerful smile.

“So you’re aware of what’s happening in the world?” Sam asked, watching her closely.

“Word travels fast, Samuel. Is it truly that bad? I am right, aren’t I, boys?” she drawled mockingly.

“Let’s put it this way,” Dean replied calmly. “The only way to stop what’s been unleashed is by joining forces.”

“I see. And what awaits me once the danger has passed?” Rowena tilted her head slightly. “Why should I trust a single one of you?”

“You can trust me,” Alex said, raising his index finger. “When this is over, no one will touch you. Not Crowley, not Sam and Dean. Not even me.”

“And why should I start trusting you at all?” Rowena asked, studying his face intently.

“Because I can kill you anywhere, anytime. At any moment — with nothing more than a snap of my fingers,” Alex replied calmly, exhaling smoke. “The same goes for Crowley. One or two deaths won’t disrupt the established order. But my hands are, let’s say, tied in certain matters, and that’s why we need you.”

He inclined his head slightly.

“I guarantee that you won’t die — not now, not later, not a year from now. Is that enough for you, Rowena?”

“Don’t drag me into this,” Crowley muttered, cutting in.

“Quiet, Fergus,” Rowena snapped, never taking her eyes off Alex. “Can’t you see the adults are talking? Will you keep your word?”

“My family always keeps its word,” Alex replied, rising from the chair and stepping closer. “You help us — we help you. Provided, of course, you don’t start your usual tricks.”

Rowena looked him straight in the eyes. Deep down, she knew perfectly well that in her current position, she could only trust him. Everyone else, given the chance, would slit her throat without hesitation.

She cast a brief glance at Dean and Sam—and saw that they trusted Alex completely. Everything fell into place. Formally, he was their younger brother, but he carried himself as if he were the one controlling the situation.

Hiding a smile, Rowena simply nodded.

After that, she was brought up to speed on what was happening. Alex had beforehand warned Sam and Dean not to utter a single word about the shards of Amara’s power. Both understood: such information could not be trusted to Rowena under any circumstances. Even Crowley had already dispatched demons tracing the Darkness, trying to find its source.

The more Rowena listened, the more her expression changed—astonishment gradually giving way to outright shock, as if she had touched the greatest secret of this world.

“You’re saying… she’s… his sister?” she exhaled. “In my time, thoughts like that would get you burned at the stake.”

“Now you understand, Mommy,” Crowley said lazily from the throne. “Why we’re gathered here. And why we have almost no time left before she gets bored playing hide-and-seek with her brother.”

“If it’s so important for you to decode the entries from the Book of the Damned,” Rowena said with a slight smile, “what do I get in return?”

“I think we’ve already covered that,” Dean said, leaning on the table. “You help us, we leave you alone.”

“Alright, alright, I understand,” Rowena waved dismissively. “I’ll need the book itself and the decoder Charlie used.”

“And keep in mind,” Sam added, watching her carefully, “we’ll be keeping an eye on you.”

“As you say, Samuel,” she drawled. “But if it’s this new friend of yours, I have no problem at all.”

She looked back at Alex. He sipped his coffee silently, unmoved.

“Let me remind you,” he said calmly, without turning his head, “I’m married.”

“No one forbids a little side fling,” Rowena smirked.

“He’s got five of them,” Dean interrupted irritably. “So pout all you want and do what you’re asked.”

“Five, you say?” Rowena raised an eyebrow, turning to look at Alex again with evident interest. “Then I’m even more curious to see how things are set up around here.”

Alex pretended not to notice Rowena’s attempts to flirt with him. Still holding his coffee mug, he simply vanished from his spot—no flash, no sound. A moment later, he reappeared as if he had never left.

In front of him on the table lay the Book of the Damned and the decoder that Charlie had created shortly before her death.

For a brief moment, Alex’s gaze lingered on the device. An image of Charlie flashed in his mind—alive, intelligent, far too good for this world.

He thought that perhaps it was worth bringing her back. Not out of sentimentality, but out of respect. The girl had managed to decode an ancient book that even a witch like Rowena couldn’t handle. That was priceless.

Noticing the appearance of the Book and decoder, Rowena smiled with satisfaction and reached for them, intending to pull them closer.

But Dean immediately placed his hand over the artifacts and drew them toward himself.

Rowena dramatically rolled her eyes.

“We need to know two things,” Dean said, holding up two fingers. “How to open the cage. And how to protect Sam.”

“And what’s so terrible about this cage that you’re all so worked up?” Rowena asked lazily, looking at him with mild curiosity.

“Nothing special, really,” Alex replied nonchalantly, taking a sip of his coffee. “A fallen mutt with answers to our questions. An evil villain. The unloved son of a big daddy. The Prince of Darkness. Crap on a shelf. Horned. Or just a piece of trash.”

He shrugged.

“Pick whichever version you like best.”

“I hope you mean the one I’m thinking of?” Rowena asked, glancing at Alex.

“Yes,” Sam sighed heavily. “Lucifer is in the cage.”

“Lucifer?” Rowena slowly looked over everyone present. “You’re serious? The real Lucifer? The Prince of Darkness, not that parody named Fergus?”

“The very same,” Dean confirmed with a nod. “The one God himself locked in the cage.”

Rowena’s eyes widened for a moment, then a thin, almost imperceptible smile appeared on her lips. Too pleased. Too deliberate.

The smile of someone whose mind had just conceived a plan.

Alex, calmly sipping his coffee, watched her out of the corner of his eye. He didn’t even need to read her thoughts—he already knew exactly where this was heading.

And that suited him perfectly.

The fact that Rowena would eventually try to help Lucifer was exactly the outcome he had been aiming for. The irony was that the witch believed the plan was her own.

Sooner or later, Alex would have to reveal his true intentions to Sam and Dean so they would understand where things were headed. But not now. Not yet. First, Rowena had to find the right spells.

Alex knew full well that he could handle everything himself—quickly, efficiently, without unnecessary complications. But, as always, he preferred the classic approach. Slowly. Step by step. Savoring every moment instead of rushing to the end.

To be continued…

(Ahem, I certainly promised Lucifer would appear, but I didn’t. I don’t like cutting things short and skipping them, it’s too boring. You need to show a mixture of everyday life and what’s happening around you. Yes, yes, that’s exactly it. Okay, let’s move on with the plot, and as I already said, right after The Cage, there’s Silent Hill. Anyway, I thought, screw the voting, we don’t have a democracy here. Hehehe.)

Early access to chapters on my patreon: p*treon.com/GreedHunter

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep