Disclaimer and Warnings: Mentions Mpreg, Heats, violence, swearing, and Alpha Dominated Society!

Timelines and ages are slightly different. Different world from the original DBZ world.

Since I'm making up a lot of terms here I thought I'd drop some definitions.

Suitors:An Alpha who is courting a Omega. During the courting phase they are Suitors, after the pair has mated they are referred to as Mates.

Pillage: When a crew goes off to claim planets in the name of Vegeta-sei. A first Pillage and how well a crew does on pillages is a status mark.

Ranks of the Saiyan Warriors: (from lowest to highest)

Third Class
Second Class
First Class- Also known as Elites
Captains

High Council:The High Council is a level between Captains and the King. They advise the King on troublesome planets and which troops should go to what planets. There are Six Council members total. Generally the position is passed down from generation to generation, unless circumstances dictate otherwise.

In This Chapter: Trunks and Goten both struggle with their instincts.


Alpha Royal

Chapter Sixteen: The Heart of Restraint


Trunks gasped as the cool blanket of the healing tank began to drain. His breathing mask pushed oxygen into his mouth covering the foul smell of rotten eggs that clung to the liquid. He moved slowly, expecting his muscles to be stiff with pain, but relieved when everything felt fine.

Better than fine, he felt like new.

Taking off the mask and climbing out of the tank he took in the new surroundings as his fuzzy memory crawled back. He was in the healing ward of a very large ship, Squral's ship. His fist clenched as he remembered the look on the other Saiyan's face when he arrived, how blood lust and triumph twisting into a toothy smile that would forever haunt his nightmares.

But Squral was dead, and so were the rest of the men he had brought to Borgessa with him. It startled Trunks that he didn't feel any remorse about killing his own people.

The other healing tanks in the room beeped occasionally, alerting him that they were still occupied. Beet and Leta were all still recuperating. They'd been near death when he finally got to them but after that… he didn't remember much.

Trunks ran his fingers threw his hair and sighed. So much had happened in such a short amount of time. They hadn't found out any information about the missing planets but Squral's sudden appearance had to be connected somehow.

He helped himself to a nearby wardrobe, filled with clean armor, and waiting on the nearby sitting chair was his sword. Dry blood decorated the steel, but it seemed whole and undamaged from the fight.

Bit by bit he pulled himself together. Although his injuries had healed it felt as if someone had tied heavy weights onto his arms and legs. Gohan once mentioned that healing the body wasn't the same as healing the soul. Exhaustion wasn't something a healing tank could fix as easily as broken bones.

Trunks did a quick tally in his head, since arriving on Borgessa there had been three straight days of fighting. He'd nearly died twice and when fighting Squral his body had been pushed to a level it had never gone to before. He'd been a Super Saiyan, but the energy boost pushed to something beyond that. And it was all because Goten had been in trouble.

His heart leapt up at the name. Goten.

Turning back to the healing tanks, he recounted. It wasn't a mistake, only two of the tanks were full. Once again two of his crewmates were unaccounted for. He tried to remember what had happened, but the memory was still hazy from exhaustion. What happened?

Before he'd even finished the question he was walking out of the Healing Ward. From the inside, Squral's ship was a cylindrical in shape, one of the models used for large-scale planet operations where one crew wasn't enough. The ship was made to sustain at least three whole crews and a working faculty to heal and feed the warriors. Trunks had toured an identical ship with his father when he was younger. Back then he'd been so bored he memorized every turn and door way in an effort to pass the time.

The way out was two hallways down, directly connected to the Ship's main control room. Trunks was nearly there, his heart hammering at the thought of Goten laying outside still, probably dead without any medical treatment. Then he smelled it.

The strong, clear odor of Omega wafting through the walls. His groin tightened at the smell and the weights he'd been feeling disappeared. He moved slower down the hall, assessing every door to check if it was the source. It felt like an eternity before he came to where the smell leaked.

Trunks swallowed the onslaught of saliva that had built up in his mouth and pushed the small button beside the door frame. With a whisper of noise the door rose up and revealed a dark room. It was simple in design, a single window showed Borgessa's purple sky and a single cot was pressed against the wall.

The stench of Omega hit him with astonishing force. His lungs caught on fire as he inhaled the scent, it was stronger than when he'd last seen Goten. Somehow it had taken on a distinct odor, one that called out to him.

A blanket on the cot shifted with a soft moan. Goten, Trunks realized. There was a flash of bare skin, slick with sweat and littered with bruises. Beautiful. He wanted to touch him, check over those injuries and make sure his crewmate was alright.

The door suddenly slammed in his face, nearly scrapping the Prince's nose. A large hand flexed on the door's command pad as it's owner scowled. "Leave him be Your Highness."

Axal stood beside him, still dressed in his tattered uniform. Blood soaked the material from numerous deep gashes that were sure to scar. Trunks worked his mouth but the words refused to appear. He was happy to see his mentor alive and well but somehow the closed door captured all his attention. "Is he alright?"

Axal's eyes narrowed, "Heat is a hard time for Omega's and his injuries will make it even harder."

"That's cruel," Trunks stated, "We should at least get him into the healing tanks."

There was a flash in Axal's eyes, anger along with something else. "He needs to be secluded. The scent will overwhelm you, even in the healing tank. We'll have to wait until Leta and Beet are done before we can move him."

"So we're just going to leave him like that?" His anger snapped out along with his aura. Trunks moved towards the command pad, ready to give Goten the assistance he needed. But Axal stood his ground and wouldn't allow the Prince near.

For once Axal's voice was soft, sounding almost like remorse. "Yes."

The wrongness of it clawed under Trunks' skin. He couldn't bare to stand in front of the door and yet, he couldn't bring himself to step away either. Frustration burned his throat dry as he contemplated pushing the guard out of the way. It would be easy to make a dash for the door if only…

Axal's voice shattered the train of thought like glass. "What do you remember Your Highness?"

Blue eyes blinked rapidly, as if shaking off a haze. The Heat, it was already affecting him. When he answered his voice was tight, sounding so much like his father's it hurt. "I don't remember anything."

"You saved us." Axal said, "Within seconds you killed every elite and third class who wasn't a part of our crew and then passed out. That power, whatever it was nearly tore your muscles in two, you passed out after the enemy was dead. Leta and I were the only two conscious at the time. We dragged you onto the ship and into the tanks. I have never seen such strength before and never from you." Dark eyes bore into the young Alpha, pressing him for answers.

Trunks shrugged and stared at the door in front of him. "We all have our secrets Axal."

A pause hung between them. "Yes. I suppose that's true. Come, the others will be waking up soon as well."

"There's one thing I'd like to know first."

"Yes your highness?"

Trunks turned to the man, his guard for years. He saw the bruises that still marred Axal's face, the way he favored one leg and tried to move as little as possible. He took note of all this things and asked, "Who brought Goten in? Surely Leta didn't in her state."

"No Prince Trunks, that was me."

Just as he thought. Trunks remembered the anger radiating off Axal after they'd found out Goten's secret. He tried to kill the Omega, but now he seemed calmed. Something had changed.

"Why? I thought you wanted him to die because of his actions." Nerves fluttered in his stomach when a small smile pulled at Axal's lips.

"Because I still have questions I think he can answer."


The ship, though big and equipped with everything they needed was also slow. Trunks drummed his fingers along his arm as he watched the vapid darkness of space pass by. The beds and storage of dehydrated food meant they would have to be fully conscious for the whole two month journey home.

His stomach twisted at the thought. His father and mother were potentially in danger for two months while he traveled. It felt like an eternity. And then there was the issue of Goten.

"What's going to happen to him?" Beet asked as their small group stood in the main control room.

Just the four of them barely took up the grand floor. The large screen tracked the progress of their journey and the planets they passed by. Trunks' gaze shifted from the screen to his crew member. Beet's usual bright eyes focused on him expectantly.

Axal spoke up, "We'll take him home, and then it is out of our control and up to the King."

"He can't die though, right?" Beet asked. Silence greeted the young Saiyan and Trunks watched as his face twisted in anger. "He saved our lives."

"And broke about twenty Saiyan laws while doing it." Leta pointed out. Her usual snappish tone was dull. She didn't look any man in the face as she added, "but he doesn't deserve to die."

"It is not our decision." Axal said, "Let it go."

Beet snarled, his anger rising. He'd been more irritable then normal since getting out of the healing tank. Trunks knew it was Goten's scent getting to him. Even hidden behind the steel door it still lingered in the halls. Nearly invisible until one focused on it and then it was near impossible to forget.

Even invisible though, the draw of an Omega was affecting them.

Trunks shook his head. "We have other things to think about. More important things," He added with a pointed look. "My father has to be warned that we've been betrayed. We need to get a message out to them."

A solemn mood filled the room. Beet took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright, I can look at the communication system. I can probably patch us in with the docking bay. Though this far out the reception won't be great."

"Good," Trunks smiled, "Do you think you can track down the last line of communication the ship made recently?"

Beet gave a dry laugh, already inspecting the control panel and fiddling with the knobs. "Should be able to, I doubt Squral's men were smart enough to erase the history."

Finally some good news. Trunks sent up a silent prayer to Kami. "Track down the history, figure out who Squral was talking to then get my father on the line. I want to give him as much information as possible when we talk."

"Yes sir."

"Leta," Trunks called out, "You have the best senses on the team. See what you can gleam from the rest of the ship. They must have left something here that will give a clue to where they were heading next."

Leta, usually the first to move on any given order, hesitated. A frown pursed her small lips and her tail kept lashing back and forth. "Are you sure that's a good idea Sir?"

As if to answer her question a loud wail threw the door. All the Alpha's tensed at the noise and Trunks' heart threatened to sink into his stomach. Every atom in his body begged to move towards the Omega that had cried out. When he did not, a violent shake traveled down his spine.

Axal scowled, "It'll get worse before it gets better."

"He sounds like he's dying," Leta whispered. Her eyes were dilated and Trunks couldn't help but notice she was the closest one to the hallway.

An urge arose to kill her. Tear her limbs off if she made even the attempt to go down the hall.

Then he noticed Axal staring at him. The older Saiyan's face was unreadable as he looked between the three younger Alphas. When his eyes settled on Leta she squeaked and quickly moved away from the doorway.

"You three should stay here. I'll take care of him." Axal said.

"What? For how long?" Beet asked.

Axal strolled out of the control room and when he turned back his entire body filled the door way. An impossible obstacle that they would never be able to get past. "However long it takes." He growled before the door closed.


Dying felt horrible.

Goten wished his body would just give into the pain, but it never did. The heat was the worst part, he felt as if he was being boiled alive. As if he were back down in the tunnel of Borgessa with no water, no energy, no hope. He couldn't even think about water. The nagging voice in the back of his mind told him it was needed to survive the rest of his thoughts screamed for something else.

Someone else.

An Alpha. He needed an Alpha. Someone to touch him, to pet him, to help him. He could smell them. Three unmated ones just outside his room. But when he crawled out of bed and up to the foreign steel door it refused to open.

No matter how hard he slammed his fists against its frame and wailed; they wouldn't come to him. They didn't want him.

And so he dying.

At least the cool metal of the door felt nice against his burning skin. Goten sighed unhappily and closed his eyes. His body refused to move another inch. He couldn't remember why he hurt so much, just that he did. His entire side ached from when he fell out of bed and now his head was spinning.

I'm going to throw up, but when the sensation finally came all he could do was dry heave. There was no food in his stomach and yet... he wasn't hungry.

There was only one thing he wanted.

The door moved under him, sliding open and knocking his body to the ground. Goten grumbled at the disturbance but quickly became quiet as the smell of Alpha entered the room. His body tightened, from his groin to his fingertips, everything curled in on itself.

"Kami," Axal murmured as large arms wrapped around his torso and scooped him up. "You are not getting out of here Goten."

His touch was a god send. Goten snuggled into it, even though the smell of another Omega was embedded into the skin. "Please," he whimpered, though not entirely sure what he was asking for.

The other Saiyan sighed and didn't say anything. Goten's body was propped in a sitting position and a moment later a glass of cool water was pressed to his lips. Goten turned his head away, he didn't need water.

"Drink," Axal growled, "You're dehydrated."

He didn't have the energy to snap back. Goten opened his mouth and tried not to moan as the deliciously cool water slide down his throat. When Axal pulled back the empty glass he licked his lips and whispered, "Thank you."

"The others are out of the healing tanks," Axal said, "I'm going to put you in one now."

"Will it help?" Goten asked, the weakness of his voice was surprising.

Axal shook his head, "Not with the fever but it will alleviate some of the pain."

Without warning he felt himself being lifted up. The room spun as Axal moved. Outside the hallway lights were too bright and the overpowering stench of Alpha assaulted his nose. He couldn't help but squirm and Axal's grip tightened. "Stop squirming, you'll hurt yourself."

"Where is Trunks?" Goten heard his voice but couldn't remember speaking. The heat made his entire face feel numb.

Axal growled, "Don't worry about his Highness."

"Please," Goten sucked in a gulp of air as Axal squeezed him tighter, "I need him."

"That may be true but I still can't allow it."

There was no arguing against the harsh tone. Goten swallowed, trying to ease his dry throat as his body was lowered into a sterile healing tank. He heard the quiet tapping noise as Axal put in the amount of time and felt the cool touch of water begin to surround him. "Am I going to die?" he mumbled as Axal fiddled the oxygen mask around his face.

The large hands paused for a split second before one rested against his scalp, an affectionate touch that he leaned into eagerly. "No, you're not. And do you know why?" Goten blinked slowly, trying to think of a reason but his mind wasn't working right. Axal answered for him, "because that would hurt his Highness more than anything else in this galaxy. And I suspect you wouldn't do that, right?"

His heart thumped in answer and slowly Goten nodded.

"Then you'll live." Axal said just as the lid closed.


It took hours for Beet to decrypt the ship's communication history which was the first sign that something was very very wrong. There was clearly something Squral and his crew didn't want others to find and Trunks' fear was confirmed by the look on his crew member's face.

"It's bad," Beet said, "There are six recorded transmissions in the past two months and only one was from Vegeta-sei."

"Any clue who they talked to?" Trunks asked.

Beet shook his head, "The code came from the docking bay so they could have talked to anyone. It's the other communications that I'm worried about. It's… they contacted an Icejin Carrier."

Trunks' muscles froze at the mention, his grip tightened and he found himself at a loss of words. Leta was the first to recover from the shock. "That can't be right," she cried, "The Icejins were pushed back to the wastelands of the Northern Quadrant after the King destroyed their planet. They haven't been seen in years. Besides, no self respecting Saiyan would dare try to contact one."

A nervous laugh bubbled out of Beet, "Well we are talking about Squral here." He tried to joke, but it fell flat.

The room grew heavy with the implication of the news and one name rang in Trunks' ears with the thundering of his blood. Freeza. Freeza. Freeza.

He had heard stories. From his father, from Goku, even the older Elites had their tales, but he had never met the Icejin who had tried to wipe out the Saiyan race. He didn't even think of Freeza as a threat. Leta was right, now one had seen tail or scale of the alien in years.

Beet cleared his throat hesitantly before he asked, "So what do we do now?"

"Are you kidding?" Leta scowled, "We have to contact Vegeta-sei. We have to tell the King."

"No," Trunks said quickly, drawing all eyes to him. He took deep breath, ignoring the quiet tremor that ran through it. "No," he repeated, "This information. It is incredibly sensitive. If we transmit it someone else might pick it up."

Currently they held the upper hand and he intended to keep it that way. Squral couldn't have been working alone, which meant there were traitors in the palace, traitors who would be looking for confirmation that the crew accomplished their missions.

And the Icejins that Squral had contacted. They would be looking out for some form of communication as well. It was only a matter of time before they realized their assassins had failed.

Trunks cupped his chin as he formed a plan. "We keep this information close hold," he said, "which means we'll need to deliver it in person. Axal how many escape pods are on the ship?"

"Two your highness."

"Right," it wasn't ideal but it would be enough. "Leta, Beet, I'll need you two to go ahead of us in the space pods. They're faster. You'll be on Vegeta-sei two weeks ahead of us. You must give my father this information personally."

He watched as surprise befell every member of his crew.

"U-Us?" Leta questioned.

Axal shook his head, "Your Highness, if anyone it should be you who delivers the news to the King."

Trunks frowned, "You expect me to leave the ship with an injured civilian? An Omega?" he asked eying the guard, "How would I explain that to Kakorot or Gohan if I met them in the palace? Hmm?"

It was a weak excuse but he knew Axal wouldn't question it. The older Saiyan frowned and said nothing.

"When do we leave?" Beet asked looking anxious.

Trunks ran his hands through his hair, and sighed. "As soon as possible."


He's was in a haze of pain. When the healing liquid drained away, it became ten times worse. A burning sensation itched under his skin, causing Goten to cry out. He felt weak, it was easier just to keep his eyes closed as he tossed against the overwhelming sensations.

When something brushed against the sensitive skin his body didn't know what to do. Curl into it? Wither away? The smell of alpha drifted into his nose, causing Goten to freeze as strong arms scooped him up again.

Taken. This alpha was taken, but there were others. He could smell them. Those who weren't mated. Who could smell him and...

"Stop squirming," Growled the Alpha.

His body immediately stopped and in no time he was laid on a soft mattress. The alpha didn't bother putting a blanket or clothes on him, thank kami. He was too hot for either. A cool glass of water was brushed against his lips with another order, "Drink."

He did. As the water dripped down his throat Goten began to greedily gulp it down. The Alpha took the cup away before he'd finished and before he could whine a complaint something else touched his lips. Tentatively he licked it and tasted the smooth outer skin of a apple. "Now eat Goten."

"I'm not hungry." It smelled wrong. The apple, the Alpha, all of it made his stomach turn.

"You're always hungry." the Alpha sounded exasperated, "Just eat this apple."

"No. I don' t need it."

Another growl of frustration and the fruit was by his head, leaving the decision up to the Omega. "Please," Goten heard his voice crack with the single word, "Please I need him." It was a pathetic plea. When his body trembled he tried to convince himself it was out of revulsion of what he'd become.

Begging. Whimpering. Lusting. This wasn't him, but he could barely remember who the real him was. Alpha? Omega? Crewmate… Mate?

He thought he had more control but with the Heat there was no control. Tears brimmed the edge of his eyes.

No answer came. He heard the door quietly slide close, leaving him alone... again. Goten whimpered and curled against the bed, trying to bite back any noise as he quietly suffered.


Trunks watched in silence as the two escape pods shot off into the depths of space. The bright light of their exhaust trailed behind the white cylinders like the tail of a comet. In seconds, Leta and Beet were gone.

They would get home before him, they would warn his father of the traitor among them. For a brief second he wondered if he had made the right decision. No doubt his father would be displeased that he didn't deliver the news himself.

Axal quietly cleared his throat, dragging the prince out of his thoughts. "It will be alright your highness. We'll get to the bottom of this."

His guard never lost sight of the real threat, even when Trunks did. He shook his head and ran his hands through his lavender locks. He let out an exhausted sigh. "There's nothing we can do from here, so might as well get comfortable. We have a long journey ahead of us."

"Yes," Axal agreed as they moved towards the hallway.

The door slid open and the smell of Omega hit Trunks hard once again. No matter how long it lingered he would never get use to it and as time went on it only got worse. The smell became sweeter and his muscles tightened just thinking about it. Control was a constant battle that he struggled with. He paused for a moment to center himself even as Goten's wails drifted from the end of the hallway.

To get back to the control room he would have to pass the small bedroom where the Omega was kept.

When they'd first made their way to the escape pods Axal had to drag them. Two minutes in the hall were almost a complete disaster. Leta nearly knocked Trunks' tooth out as she made a lunge for the room. A small part of him was glad that they were gone. Less to worry about. Less competition.

With his head held high he started down to the control room, determined to show Axal that he was not a slave to his instincts. His boots hit the floor with an audible click, one after the other. In the distance Goten began to call his name.

"How is he?" Trunks asked, though talking was difficult. Every inhale brought Goten's scent into his lungs. It had been only a few days since he'd last gotten a glimpse of Goten but it felt like years. At night he replayed the moment over and over again in his mind. The pale skin, those soft moans. He was desperate for more, becoming jealous of the days they'd spent careless in each other's presence.

"Is this the first time Your Highness has witnessed an Omega in Heat" Axal asked, his tone unusually light.

Trunks paused mid step and turned to look at his guard. The same unreadable scowl decorated Axal's face as the man awaited an answer. Axal had been his guard since he was a cub, the man knew nearly everything there was to know about Trunks. He knew the answer to question without Trunks even answering.

Meeting his friends' eyes Trunks said, "Yes."

"It is a unique experience that effects all Omega's differently. Goten's wounds are physically healed but he's finding it difficult to think about anything more than breeding. In all honesty its been difficult to take care of him. He knows that I am taken and I am not his family so he refuses the food I bring. Not to mention his fever is running high. Those years of suppressants are not doing him any favors now."

Trunks could hear his own teeth grinding together, as an overwhelming sense of helplessness seized him. "How long will he be like this?"

"The height of his Heat will last one week, and then another week as he comes down from it."

They were near the door now and Trunks could hear the faint banging on the wall. Goten's cries were getting more desperate. Axal's dark eyes stared at him for an uncomfortable moment, daring him to make a choice. Continue towards the control room or make an attempt to see the Omega.

A lonely wail interrupted the silence. The sound was unnatural, heartbreaking even.

"Isn't there anymore more we can do to help him?" Trunks asked, feeling desperate, "He needs a unmated Alpha nearby right? Let me help take care of him."

"You can't control yourself." Axal said bluntly, but the Prince didn't miss the flicker of emotion that rippled across his face.

The words hit like a punch and Trunks snarled, "The hell I can. If Goten was able to fight despite his Heat then I can control myself long enough to help. Right?"

Axal shook his head looking ten years older. "Maybe you can Prince Trunks, but Goten is lost to his instincts now. He'll beg and plead with you to mate. Do you think you can turn him down?"

The answer hung on the edge of his lips, hesitating there. He was strong but with Goten's scent surrounding him it would be difficult to restrain himself.

But Goten was his friend, his friend.

He remembered the first time he brought food to Goten, feeling pity for the poor fool with a bruised face and toothy grin. Now a flush of embarrassment filled Trunks thinking that he'd been unknowingly courting Goten the whole time. And still Goten didn't bow or blush like all the other Omega's he'd met. He'd put his role as a fighter, as a friend, before his Omega instincts.

Trunks had to do the same, despite the feelings he held for the black haired teen.

"Your Highness," Axal said, placing a hand on the Prince's shoulder. Ready to steer him in the director of the control room. "I'll take care of the boy. Don't worry."

"No." Trunks shook his head, determination flashing in his blue eyes. "I'll help him. He's my crew."

He expected to see disapproval on his guard's face but it wasn't there. Instead there was the same flicker of emotion that he'd glimpsed on Axal's face the past for few days. A calculating look that made Trunks feel like he was being tested. In the end the man's loyalty to the Prince won out. "If I feel you are about to do something you'll regret. I will intervene."

Trunks nodded, "I'm going to hold you to that promise."


Axal came into the room with him, and for once, Trunks was glad his shadow stayed close. It was Axal's hand that kept the Prince standing when the smell of Omega flooded out of the small room. He had thought the hallway had been powerful, but being inside a confined space nearly brought Trunks to his knees.

"You can still go to the control room." Axal murmured.

"No, I have to see him."

Have to see him. Not, want to see him. Already his control was slipping.

Something caught a hold of the hem of his pants in a desperate grip. Trunks jumped back until he saw the body slumped over by the door frame. His heart nearly jumped into his throat.

Goten.

"Trunks?" a voice asked. It was so weak, hoarse from the yelling. Nothing like Goten's usual chipper greeting.

"He's been crawling out of bed more and more," Axal said as he dropped to his knees and scooped the teenage Omega up like a rag doll. "He needs some water. Go get it while I put him back in bed. He will also need some food."

Leave? He couldn't. Not when Goten was like this, right here in front of him, smelling like... that. But when he met Axal's eyes he heard the silent warning, keep it together.

Slowly, Trunks nodded. "Of course."

It was difficult to ignore the panicked noise that rose out of Goten when he stepped back, but he had to push it aside. Quickly he went and filled up a jug of water and raided the ship's kitchen. He returned to the room with a plate full of fruit and water in less then ten minutes. Still, it wasn't quick enough. Returning to the scent filled room was like coming home. It was unnerving how quickly his body was craving the smell. It was an addiction that lingered in the blood after just one hit.

Axal looked up from the bed where he was pinning Goten down. A dark figure that dwarfed the small Omega like a sinful presence. "Good, come here and feed him."

Trunks quickly swallowed the killing urges boiling in his stomach. He moved quickly, handing Axal the water before sitting down on the edge of the bed. Immediately Goten's thrashing stopped as the small body curled against him. Naked flesh brushed against the thin spandex of his Saiyan armor. His body stiffened at the contact and then it melted into it. Having Goten beside him had always felt nice, but now it was different. Now it felt absolute.

A wave of heat hit Trunks with the thought. The feeling felt as if he was back in the Borgessa tunnels again. Dying slowly as the heat rung the air from his lungs.

He took a deep breath and pushed it aside. "Goten, you need to eat."

"Yes," Goten whined, "Whatever you say Trunks."

"No," Trunks said firmly, but it didn't hide the tremor in his voice. Axal looked from the glass of water he'd poured. Concern etched in his features. "No, Goten. Don't say things like that. Please."

It was right and yet so wrong at the same time. The glassy look in Goten's eyes, like he'd do anything if Trunks so much as asked. It wasn't the Goten he knew. Not his best friend.

Axal nudged him with the glass of water. "He can't help it."

"I know," Trunks mumbled as he took the glass and held it up to the Omega's lips. Eagerly Goten drank it, his lips glistened from the water in a way that was sinful. Trunks sprinkled some across the fevered forehead to help with the heat then held a piece of fruit out. "Please, eat. You're not well."

Dark eyes half lidded, Goten looked up at him. Without a word he obediently opened his mouth and took the offered fruit from Trunks' fingers. Coating them with a thin sheen of saliva. Trunks felt himself go painfully hard.

Axal sighed in relief, "He's eating."

Trunks nodded, grabbing another piece of fruit and then another until the entire plate was finished. He was working on instinct now. Some sense deep into his bones that knew exactly what to do to ease Goten's pain. And the Omega responded to him, eager to do anything that would please him .Trunks wished he could return the blind devotion.

"I want more," Goten mumbled as he reached out to touch the Prince.

"Goten…" Trunks growled in warning, his body refused to move. His tone managed to do the trick; Goten stopped. Another shaky breath escaped him, "I'll stay here and take care of you but you can't touch me. Alright. It's… hard enough for both of us."

"But you're here." The voice was soft with confusion, "You're here. Don't you want me?"

Kami, Axal hadn't been lying. It was torture hearing those words and being unable to act. He wanted Goten, wanted him so bad his muscles shook from the effort of control. But he didn't want Goten like this. Not half out of his mind with Heat and unaware. This wasn't the real Goten and if he acted now… if he took advantage of the situation, Goten might never forgive him.

"I'm here," Trunks answered softly and resigned himself to pet the mess of spiky black hair. "I'm here and I'll take care of you. That's all that matters. But if you try to coax me otherwise I'll leave. Alright?"

Goten nodded mutely, bumping his head against the hand like a needy kitten. Trunks watched him for a long moment, watched the way his fingers twitched against Goten's scalp and felt the heat radiating off the body beside him. When he looked up, Axal was smiling at him. "What?"

"You're handling yourself very well, Your Majesty. I'm impressed."

"I told you I could." Absently he began to stroke the hair, and maybe it was his imagination but when he checked it felt as if the fever had gone down the slightest bit. Goten had gone quiet, his panting slowing before he fell into a peaceful sleep. It all happened so fast, so easily, Trunks could only imagine the past few days were exhausting for the Omega.

Axal hummed, "You must love him very much."

The word startled Trunks out of his thoughts. "Wha-What?" Quickly he checked to see if Goten had heard but the younger boy was fast asleep, snoring softly against the pillows.

"Any other Saiyan wouldn't have thought twice about control when an Omega was nearby. But you, you've shown a substantial amount of strength ever since we found out what he was. Do you think Leta or Beet could have done this?" Axal's bushy brows rose with the question and silence answered him.

He carried on, his voice gaining a sagely tone to it as he spoke. "I see now that you aren't going to give up on him any time soon and he's been crazy about you since the beginning. So now you must ask yourself if you really want to protect this Omega for the rest of your life; from the Icejins and your father when the time comes."

In the darkened room Axal'ss eyes were the only thing that caught the starlight from outside and they glittered in challenge. A test, Trunks remembered thinking that word and now he was beginning to understand.

He stared the shadow down until a small smirk turned up his lips. "I've already considered that question and I'm not afraid. Because when the time comes I'm not going to be the one protecting Goten. We're going to protect each other."

Axal nodded, the barest hint of a smile on the older Saiyan's face. Trunks blinked, he could count the number of times he'd seen that smile on one hand. "Did I say something that amuses you?"

"No Your Highness, I was just hoping you'd say something like that."

"So this why you took care of Goten? Because you wanted to see if I really cared for him?"

And just like that the frown was back. "When you say it like that, it sounds trivial." Axal shook his head, "I told you, there was a question I needed answered. If this whole thing is just instinct or if its real." He gestured towards the two of them with a massive hand. "As your guard it is my duty to protect you from potential danger. Mating someone in the heat of a moment is one of the those dangers."

"My father's orders I'm sure." Trunks bit out angrily.

"And your mothers. Granted they both had very different approaches to how they worded it."

"You… took orders from my mother?"

Axal's frown deepened, "She's a terrifying woman. Very head strong and very expressive. She matches your father well despite they're obvious differences. But you should not forget Prince, that together they rule one of the greatest empires in the galaxy. Their bond is very real and your mother wants you to have the same thing."

A deep sigh rattled Trunks' lungs, "They're both still going to have a fit when we get back to Vegeta."

Grim faced, Axal nodded.

"And these are dangerous times," Trunks continued to muse, "people we love tend to die during times like these."

Surprise cut across the guard's face, "So you won't mate with him?"

"I will." Trunks answered, "but only when Goten is well enough to say he'll have me."

Axal shook his head, his lips pulled into a terrifying smile, "Then these next couple days are going to be hell for the both of us."


Author's Note: You guys, the reviews and support I've been receiving for this fic have been amazing! You are all amazing! I'm so happy there are still Truten shippers out there and you're all willing to put up with my long dry spells of updates. So here's a treat for you! I've been really inspired this month because of the new DBZ series announcement! Yep, I am hyped for Dragonall Super and all the Goten / Trunks antics I hope it brings us! When the show premiers in July it should motivate me to update more often!

I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Original I had hoped Trunks and Goten would get together here but Trunks decided he was going to be chivalrous and wait for Goten to get out of his lust filled stage. He's such a gentleman! That means next time there will be lots of Goten/Trunks scenes. Steamy scenes if you know what I mean.

Also, allow me to shamelessly plug my anime review blog where I'll try to do episode reviews for DB Super when it airs. Check out my profile page for more information. Again, thank you everyone!