As the four Omegas sat and drank water and ate a small meal they introduced themselves properly. They had all been too busy before trying to stay on the horses. The girl Merlin was sharing a horse with was called Freya, the other two were Sefa and Kara. The girls were younger than Merlin, Freya being thirteen, and Sefa and Kara twelve. None of the girls like Merlin had been outside their villages before and were finding the whole experience frightening. The knights were busy were checking the horses and were eating their own lunch when Leon went into the trees, presumably to relieve himself, the minute he was gone several of the other Alpha knights moved closer to the omegas.
The self-proclaimed leader of the group said, so the omegas could hear "They are all very young but the boy is pretty enough, it seems to me we should be able to have some fun to reward us for all the work we are doing collecting them." Merlin heard what the man said. Merlin had noticed him and a couple of the others watching their small group as they rode along. Merlin tried to pretend he hadn't heard anything, after all what could they do.
One of the other knights sniggered "I wouldn't mind a try myself"
The group moved closer and the girls started to get frightened. Merlin stood and turned to face the alphas. He had no intention of surrender to anything, nor allowing the younger girls to be touched, even if his instinct was to submit. The combined smell of the alpha's had been making life difficult for the young group. Luckily up until now Leon had got the beta knights to ride the closest as they travelled. Merlin looked at the group and spoke up, his voice squeakier than he would have liked "You are to transport us safely, Sir Leon told my mother you would"
"Oh you'll get there little omega, but nothing was said about not having a bit of fun as we did" the first knight said. "You see none of us have an omega yet, why should we do all the work and let the courtiers see you all first?" he leered. "Come here omega, lets us have a smell, see if you should be ours. We should have at least one Omega between us." the man grabbed out at Merlin, who was stood in front of the others, and caught hold of his arm roughly and pulled him into the group of Alphas.
The beta knights looked at each other, they knew they couldn't stop the alphas. It had been an unpopular trip and none of the alphas had wanted to go on it. Then as one of the betas went in the direction Leon had gone, Merlin found he was being passed from one to the other of the knights and each of the alpha's smelled him and mauled his body, he was getting frightened and felt his magic bubbling under the surface. But he knew he could do nothing to protect himself not with so many witnesses. He could hear his mother's voice warning him to keep his magic secret. But at least while they were concentrating on him the girls were safe. One of the knights grabbed at him through his trousers and squeezed. Whilst another was nuzzling his neck. His shirt was being lifted up as hands explored his body. With another gripping his buttocks. By now Merlin was whimpering with fear, he could feel several of the men had erections and knew this would not end well for him. He was more scared than he had ever been and there was nothing he could do without making things even worse. The three girls could smell the aroused Alphas and were whimpering.
"Come on boy, if we take you the girls get left alone." The man who was fondling his buttocks whispered. "We will all have a taste, you will be honoured with us all, if you are good enough one of us might keep you."
"I haven't had a heat I'm not ready" Merlin pleaded his voice breaking, he couldn't believe how weak he was as he struggled, falling into a patch of mud as he pulled away. He knew that if he was taken before his first heat he would be damaged internally and it would be very painful. His mother after all was a healer and had made sure he knew what to expect.
With that a hand found its way inside his trousers and started to fondle him he tried to pull away, he as panicking and beginning to feel terrified he tried to scream but it came out as a whimper. Then one of the men pressed his lips over Merlin's in a kiss, trying to force his mouth open.
"Heat or not boy you are going to pleasure us, we won't knot you, but we do deserve a taste" the first man told him.
It was at that moment that Leon returned to camp at a run, having been alerted by the beta knight "What do you think you are doing?" he demanded as he entered the clearing. He was clearly outraged "Let the omega go"
One of the knights looked at Leon. "Oh come on, they don't know how many we are collecting, why shouldn't we have a sample? There are never enough omegas to go round, why should the court have first pick? We have to collect them and smell them after all"
"You would go against your oath! The knight's code! We protect those weaker than us. All unbound Alpha's will have the opportunity to find their true bond." Leon told the knight his tone one of disgust.
"Yeh and then the lords will have the pick of the rest. I want an Omega, there won't be enough to go round. We have been collecting omegas for months now and I for one want a taste." The group's leader told the first knight.
Leon went into the group his hand on his sword and pulled Merlin free and passed him to a couple of beta knights. "Look after him" he ordered, then turning to the group snarled "You are a disgrace to alpha's everywhere. We will all get the opportunity to find our true mates. Now unless you want to face Prince Arthur when we get back I suggest you remember your oath. I too have no omega, but we swore an oath and I for one intend to keep it."
All but the ringleader stepped back. Sir Leon was a fair man and a good leader, they realised they were letting their urges get the better of them, not only that but the threat of the Alpha Prime becoming involved was enough to cool their ardour. The ring leader glared at Leon "I intend to have an omega, we have collected over twenty in the past months and it's only right. You can have first taste but we will have him"
Leon's drew his sword "The only right any of us have, is the right to claim our true bond. Many will be too young to claim for years anyway. We all have as much chance as each other."
"Will the king remember who has done all the work" the knight demanded. He was feeling less sure now. Sir Leon was known as the best swordsman after the Crown Prince and was also the Princes best friend.
Leon smiled in a way that didn't make the other alpha feel any better "I will allow you to ask Prince Arthur when we get back or perhaps the King himself. If you go near the omegas again then I will personally make sure you have the opportunity. Now back down or draw your sword."
The knight turned and stomped off to his horse. He knew if Sir Leon did as he threatened he would be stripped of his knighthood, even if he had served the King loyally up till now. The King would not want to be seen to backing such action. Something, he as a third son of a minor noble, he couldn't afford to happen much as he wanted the omega.
The beta knights gently led Merlin back to the other omega's who comforted the trembling male omega. Leon approached the group but as Merlin saw the alpha he began to shake and cower, he hated that he couldn't control the fear but at that moment this omega instincts over road his normal character. Leon, realising that the distressed omega was unable to cope with him being close, stepped back before he spoke to the other omegas "Tell Merlin I am sorry about what happened. It won't happen again. Is he harmed in anyway?"
Although Merlin didn't answer he was too traumatised, he could feel many bruises forming. Freya looked up at the Knight from where she had been trying to remove some of the mud of Merlin to check him for injuries, her voice was quivering the amount of alpha hormones in the air that was still unsettling all the omegas. "Thank you for saving him Sire, he has bruising and a few scratches but he seems to be very shocked and frightened. Will we truly be safe?" Her voice quivered, like all the omegas the actions of the alphas had petrified her.
"I give you my word as a knight that no one will touch any of you again on this journey" Leon was careful not to answer for what would happen once they reached the citadel, he had no powers once they were placed in the den. He knew tensions would be high the unbound alpha's outnumbered the omega's by four to one. And there was sure to be conflict. They had been to every village in the kingdom, these four were the last. "Please care for him as you can, I will get the physician to look at him when we get to Camelot."