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Chapter 5

(Four days later mid afternoon)

It had been four days since the incident with Avith and Arthur and Merlin becoming mates. Merlin's leg was fully healed and the past four days went on as normal.

Today Merlin had absolutely nothing to do, the omega's had no meetings or things that needed doing it was just a day to relax. Merlin's was in his and Arthur's chambers just relaxing on the bed lost in thought while he waited for Arthur to get back from training. Arthur had been a lot more protective of him since the incident and kept close to him when they were out. Merlin was also protective of Arthur.

Just yesterday there had been an incident that had pissed Merlin off to no end but now Merlin could not help but chuckle at it.

(Flashback)

Merlin and Arthur were walking in the courtyard when they passed the training ground. Two of the alpha's who did not particularly like Merlin came up to them. It was Sir Alend who spoke first "You know Arthur you're so much better than this I can't believe you got stuck with a common born. How low you have fallen." Then Sir Canlith spoke "Definitely, you should just cast him aside and get a good princess before it is too late. You could sell him, with him being a rare male omega you could make a lot of money especially if you sell him to Cenred." Merlin saw red his canines sharpened, his tail bristled in anger, and his ears flattened against his skull as he growled "You have no right to speak to him like that, He is your prince and he can do as he chooses. But I for one will not stand talk of me being sold especially to a pig like Cenred. I know what he does and I won't stand for it not when it comes to me or any other omega. Speak of it again I don't care if you are an alpha or not, Knight or not, I will rip you throat out." Merlin had moved from Arthur's side and was standing face to face with the knights. Arthur just had a proud and amused look on his face.

"Learn your place common- born bitch!" Sir Canlith growled hitting Merlin hard across the face causing him to fall the ground hitting his head on the flagstones. Merlin passed out from the force of the hit.

From what Arthur had told him about had happened afterward was that sir Canlith was locked in the dungeon overnight and stripped of his knighthood as was Sir Alend. Both had been sent back to Cenred's kingdom in shame for what they had done.

When Merlin had woken up Arthur embraced him "I am so proud of you, who could have asked for a better mate." But Arthur had been curious about one thing Merlin had said "Merlin, you said to Sir Canlith that you knew what Cenred did and you would not stand for talking about being sold to a pig like him, and Canlith said Cenred would pay me good for money for you. I don't understand what that was about because I would never even consider such a thing. care to explain it to me." Merlin eyes got a hint of steel in them and his voice shook with rage and fear as he spoke "You know I was born in Cenred's kingdom, my parents came here with me directly after. Our parents knew each other long before that so my parents were welcome here. The reason we came here is because I would have been in danger. Cenred's a bastard, what he does is he pays handsomely for any information on male omega's even young ones. If he gets word of one the person is paid handsomely, the male omega is stolen from their family and if it is only a child then it raised by him to be totally dependent on him until it comes of age then he claims the omega for his own. Once he is through with the omega he lets his lords fight over it and use the omega as they see fit. Then Cenred starts the hunt again. I would have been a treasure and weapon to him because I am a male omega, I have powerful magic, and I would hard to break. I am everything he enjoys he loves to break each male omega he finds. The harder they are to break the more fun he has. After he was done with me he would used me as a weapon only beholden to him.

My parents knew the danger I would be in so we came here. That is why I got angry when Cenred was mentioned and that is what Canlith meant when he said Cenred would pay great money for me."

Arthur now understood and could tell that even though on the outside Merlin looked angry and cold through their bond he could tell that Merlin was terrified that Arthur would consider it and actually do it. "Well Merlin, you sure put him in his place and don't worry I would never even think of giving you up or selling you to anyone. Your mine and I am yours and no one is going to take you from me. If anyone ever got a hold of you and took you away I would search to the ends of all the kingdoms, I would leave no place unsearched no stone unturned until I found you. Not even Cenred would get away with taking you without inciting a war. So just forget them and what they said because they have already left and you and me can get on with our lives. I love you with all my heart my feisty omega." Merlin smiled "I love you too. With all my heart."

(Flashback ends)

Merlin smiled knowing Arthur would always be there for him. It had been almost thirty minutes since Arthur had gone to training and he would be back soon and Merlin could not wait to see him.

Merlin noticed a few minutes later that he could not get comfortable at all no matter what position he laid in it was like something with the bed was not right. Merlin's mind went blank and instinct took over as he just rearranged the pillows and blankets as well as anything else on the bed till he was satisfied with how it looked and felt to him. After he was done he curled up like a real wolf and dozed off a little.

About an hour later Merlin woke up when he heard the familiar sound of Arthur's boots coming down the hall. The door opened and Arthur's scent washed over him like a calming breeze. Merlin let out a small mewl to his mate which Arthur answered with his own comforting growl. Merlin looked over at Arthur noticing that Arthur had yet to look his way as Arthur spoke "Well our friends still having fun teasing me. It still hard to believe that Gwain coveted you but I am glad he did not get you that would have been a disaster. I do not even want to imagine they trouble you two would have gotten into." Arthur laughed a little at the thought and Merlin couldn't help but chuckle as well. "But everyone trained hard, I actually had fun today." Arthur finished with a sigh as he stretched and his bones in his back and neck popped. Merlin smiled laughter coloring his voice as he said "I'm glad and your right about Gwain that would have been a disaster and he is so not my type. I like pratish, strong, blond Alpha's." Merlin replied Arthur chuckled.

When Arthur looked over at Merlin and the bed for the first time since walking in his eyes went big as he asked "Merlin have you noticed what you have done to the bed?" "I just could not get comfortable so I rearranged it a little bit to make it a bit more comfortable for me." Merlin replied a little confused Arthur shook his head "Merlin you did more than that. Merlin your nesting, look at what you did you made a nest. We both know what means." Arthur exclaimed with a sparkle in his eyes.

Merlin looked at what he had done and it finally hit him when he looked back at Arthur he did not know what to do and to be honest he was a little afraid. Thank god Arthur had already planned what to do. Arthur walked over and kneeled in front of him on the floor and took his hands in his after he felt Merlin's fear knowing he had to do what he could to make that fear go away. "Merlin it's alright, I have to go let my father know and then when I get back you'll have me all to yourself until this is over ok. I'll be right back." Merlin nodded as Arthur placed a kiss on his brow and nuzzled Merlin's head for a second then he turned and left the room.

Merlin watched as Arthur left to go and tell his father what had happened. Merlin was happy but also scared at the same time all he could do was see what happened and hope for the best. He knew Arthur would protect and take care of him os he knew he did not have to worry.

(Arthur)

Arthur left the room in a bit of a daze the time of waiting to make Merlin completely his and bind himself to Merlin was at an end. He was a exhilarated That Merlin would finally be his completely he could not be happier. He thanked the gods his parents chambers were just down the hall and it did not take long to get there.

Arthur knocked on the door waiting for father's permission to enter and when it came he slowly opened the door and went in. Now Arthur was nervous he had to tell his father about this he just hoped that his father did not make a big deal out of this "Arthur, what can I do for you son?" Uther asked Arthur could hear his amused tone but Arthur knew he needed to get back to Merlin soon as possible and not play his father's games. Arthur braced himself hoping he could get out of here as quickly as possible "Merlin has started nesting father, and you know what that means. I am here because you asked me to let you know when the time came so I could be excused from my duties for the duration of Merlin's heat." Uther laughed outright how red Arthur's face got but answered evenly enough "All right, Leon can take over training the knights until you can return to it and food will be left outside the door periodically. I can take on whatever else needs to be done during the time you are," Uther could not help the snigger that escaped him at the last word "indisposed." Uther gained his composure again and dismissed Arthur who hightailed it out of there as fast as he could.

Arthur ran back to his shared chambers, bolted in and, bolted the door. All he could think was "By the gods that was embarrassing."

(Back to Merlin and Arthur)

"Arthur are you alright?" Merlin asked still a little stunned by Arthur's sudden reappearance "Yeah, fine. I just hope my father does not embarrass me like that every time." Arthur said with a chuckled then he turned to look at Merlin with a predatory grin on his face "Now I have you all to myself for the next week and I am all yours." Arthur climbed over the mound of pillows and into the little nest Merlin had made for them. Merlin laughed and said "Who said I would have you, prat." Arthur climbed on top of Merlin effectively pinning him to the bed as he replied nipping Merlin's ear "Well I think that was you my idiot." Merlin smiled suggestively "I think I would remember that care to remind me why I would say such a thing." Arthur just growled playfully in response before attacking Merlin with kisses all up his neck, jaw, and cheekbones until he claimed Merlin's lips with his own for a few seconds. Merlin smiled into the kiss and when Arthur pulled away Merlin laughed and breathlessly said "Ok I think I remember now."

After that they both undress completely knowing it would just be easier to do it now instead of when Merlin's heat fully hit, they cuddle up in their little nest just holding each other. A while later Arthur could tell that Merlin dying to ask something "What's on your mind?" Merlin got a strange look on his face which confused Arthur before he answered "No one would ever answer this question saying it wasn't their place to tell me the answer so maybe you can tell me. I have noticed that every mated pair has marks on their necks. Mating marks I think they are called but each pair is different. The mark looks like the mix of a scar and a tattoo. But each mark pair is unique only to them some have a similar mark they are never the same. I was wondering if you could explain why every mated pairs is different and how the hell they are made because I know they are not tattoos because of the scare like quality to them." Merlin buried his face in Arthur's chest embarrassed about the question.

Arthur smiled feeling his mates embarrassment and pulled Merlin back a little looking into his mates eyes "They could not tell you because it was always my job to tell you about that when we became mates only your alpha can tell you about that for that his job." Arthur paused then started to explain "The first time that an omega goes into heat is when the marks are made. What happens is the first time the Alpha mates with his omega officially making them a bonded pair he would mark his omega by leaving a bite on their neck and piercing the skin enough that it would not bleed or cause pain but it would leave a mark. He would do this while they are tied together. The next time they were tied together the omega would do the same to his or her alpha. After that magic that connects us changed the bite into a mark that is unique only to us. Yes a lot of the symbols made in the marks look similar because each symbol does not just identify who their mate is it also signifies how strong the mated pair is. Certain symbols are stronger than others. So it just depends on how strong the couple is for the magic of the connection to decide what the mark will be. But the mark of the same strength will look a little different unique to each pair with that mark." Merlin contemplated this for a while, while his ears flicked curiously then asked "What is the strongest symbol just out of curiosity?" Arthur chuckled "One you do not see very often because very few pairs are strong enough to be given it. The strongest mark is a black wolf howling. No mated pairs in Camelot even has that symbol at the moment the strongest pair there is here in Camelot is my parents and you've seen theirs it is a wolf paw print that is the third strongest symbol." Arthur paused letting all the information sink in before saying "We should rest for a while we only have an hour now before you go fully into heat I can smell it your close to going into heat that it is driving me a little nuts." Merlin laughed but agreed. Settling down cuddled into his alpha.

As they rested both of them could not help but wonder what their mating mark would take the form of.