Chapter Text
Merlin doesn’t mean to be out when in heat—it’s an accident. He didn’t expect it to come on so fast—one minute he’s fine and in a convenience store, and they next he’s sagging against the outside of the building, limbs trembling with need. If he’d only had his pack around him, he would know what to do, but Merlin’s pack is long gone. Dead. And he’s the only survivor.
He looks around the dark streets. It isn’t too crowded out. He should be able to make it home to his small flat without any trouble. He licks his dry lips, waves of pheromones washing over him, breaking him out into a needy sweat. He can feel the slick gathering at his hole, beginning to drip out to soak his pants. Thank goodness for his long jacket.
A man crossing the street several yards away lifts his nose to the air and sniffs, and Merlin freezes in his tracks, terrified. An alpha, no doubt. Scenting him. As the breeze shifts, Merlin detects the alpha’s scent and he has to brace himself against the overwhelming urge to run into the open and present.
Merlin squeezes his eyes closed, sending a prayer to the gods to get him home before he can be taken like something worthless out on the street. Although isn’t that what’s bound to happen to him eventually? Merlin doesn’t have a pack. He was once proud to be an omega, knowing that he would be revered as an alpha’s mate. But he doesn’t have a prayer anymore of a decent mating to a respectable alpha. He’s a lone omega without the backup of a pack. Worse than the human equivalent of a whore.
Still, while he has a breath in his body, he refuses to be taken down and used for some horny, random alpha’s pleasure or dragged off to become a pack breeder. He’ll have to call in sick tomorrow to the small firm where he works as bookkeeper. He doesn’t even know how long this heat will last. Days? Weeks? He racks his brain trying to remember the other omegas in his pack and what their heats were like, but that part of his life was so long ago when he was merely a child. He'd learned things later in the orphanage, but not enough to really know what to expect.
Merlin risks a peek around the corner of the building he’s been hiding behind and sees with a relieved sigh that the lone alpha that scented him has gone. Taking a deep breath, Merlin moves forward, keeping to the sides of buildings, every step bringing him closer to his flat—his den and sanctuary from a world made up of either humans or weres. Merlin doesn’t belong in either group anymore.
Head down and moving swiftly, Merlin turns onto his street, the low, flat roof of his building finally within sight. He is only feet away from the entrance when another rush of pheromones hits him, making him sag up against the door of a closed shop. The terrible gush of arousing need assaults him, and he breathes through it before pushing his way to his building, feeling the trickle of slick oestrum running down his thighs in a fragrant stream.
His first real heat. He stumbles up the stairs almost blindly, thankful not to meet anyone else so late at night. His neighbors are elderly and have probably been asleep for hours. Merlin reaches his door, fingers shaking as he turns the key.
A whoosh of air and a strong scent he doesn’t recognize are the only things Merlin registers before he’s knocked off his feet and onto the floor of his flat, something heavy and terrifying pinning him down.
“Who are you?” Merlin asks, a strong, familiar smell of citrus and leaves assaulting his nostrils. He hears his door kick shut behind him, but the heavy body doesn’t move.
A nose burrows into Merlin’s neck, scenting him, breathing becoming ragged against Merlin’s back. His attacker is a man, no doubt about that, but also a were. An alpha. Merlin trembles both from fear and intense arousal.
“What were you doing walking around out there, spreading your delicious scent on the air like that?” The alpha asks, his voice hoarse and British. “Where’s your pack?”
Merlin whimpers in fear. He’d planned to fight if something like this happened, but he finds himself oddly submissive. The scent of the alpha is intoxicating, and Merlin suddenly realizes where he smelled it before—out on the street just a short time ago. Merlin scrunches down into himself, his entire body shaking.
“I don’t have a pack,” Merlin admits. Stupid! Why didn’t you lie?
“I scented you out there. Followed you home.” The alpha breathes in Merlin’s ear, his hands already scrambling to get Merlin’s coat off him, tearing at the sleeves, slashing the material from Merlin’s body.
Merlin’s breathing accelerates with fear and desire. His slick is heavy and dribbling freely from between his arse cheeks. He can feel his hole pulsating. He’s ashamed that he doesn’t fight when the alpha rises off him and pulls Merlin’s shoes off before ripping Merlin's trousers from his body. He risks a turn of his head to gaze over his shoulder at the alpha, whose eyes are burning as gold as the hair that tops his head. He’s beautiful.
He watches as the alpha removes his own clothing, shedding the jeans and heavy shirt. His body is perfect and the sight of his huge cock with the knot near the base makes Merlin's hips jerk up in need, presenting. He flushes as the man gives him a feral smile before getting behind him and running his tongue over Merlin’s hole, licking up the juices flowing there. Merlin trembles.
“So good and wet for me,” the alpha tells him, pleasure lacing his voice.
Merlin’s afraid. He’s afraid of what he’ll be after the alpha is done with him. Afraid of what’s about to happen. But his strong need overrides the fear.
“Are you scared, my omega?” The blond man asks him, as though reading his mind. He drapes his body over Merlin’s and whispers in his ear. His scent is heavy and enveloping.
Merlin nods. “I’m all alone. If you do this, I’ll be less than nothing. Please..." At this point, he's not quite sure what he's begging for.
“My virgin, I scented you and followed you because I recognized the scent of my mate calling to me.” The alpha runs his cock up and down Merlin’s crack, and Merlin’s legs shake from the strain of holding himself still.
“M-mate?” Merlin asks.
It seems to take a great effort, but his captor rises off Merlin and gets to his feet, putting out a hand for Merlin to take. Merlin does, and the alpha stands before him. He is about the same height as Merlin, although Merlin knows that in wolf form, the alpha will be larger. He’s blond, and now that he’s forced himself to be calm, his eyes have reverted to a deep blue. He lifts a hand and puts it to Merlin’s face, and Merlin can’t help but press into it, seeking the scent.
“You are lovely. Do you have a nest where we can be comfortable while we tie?”
The words fill Merlin with a primeval lust. He nods eagerly, taking the man’s hand and leading him to the bedroom and the small bed in the corner. He can’t believe this is happening—he’s going to be mated. The alpha gives the bed a sniff, and finding Merlin’s scent there, nods. He leans in and presses a kiss to Merlin’s lips, his eyes raking over Merlin’s nude body, lingering on the fat omega cock.
“Time for other things later,” he says. “My name is Arthur, and I’m your alpha. That’s all you need to know for now. Do you understand?”
Merlin nods and climbs up onto the bed, getting onto all fours. It’s embarrassing how much he wants this—how he can’t prevent himself from presenting. Arthur growls low and begins stroking Merlin’s hole with his tongue again, making Merlin tremble and howl from deep in his chest. Merlin feels pressure and then the sweet, painful glide of a huge alpha cock into his body, pushing, pushing, deeper inside before sliding out only to push in again. Merlin cries out, loving the feeling, and Arthur climbs up behind him, forcing Merlin down into the mattress.
“Mine,” Arthur groans as he starts to rut, and inside Merlin it feels like a match being struck over and over again. He whimpers and offers up his vulnerable neck. Arthur licks at it, just where the pulse beats, all the while forcing his knot past Merlin’s tight rim. Merlin gasps as the growing bulge pops in, feels it expanding inside him, filling him up and pressing hard on that spot—and then Merlin’s coming, crying out as he pushes back against Arthur. Arthur holds onto Merlin’s hips, fingers digging into flesh, lowering his face to Merlin’s neck and sinking sharp canines into the pulse point, claiming him as Merlin bucks and shouts his release, his clear spunk coating the sheet beneath him.
They are tied, and Arthur only has to shift his knot and Merlin comes again, tears spilling from his eyes. Arthur hasn’t relinquished Merlin’s neck yet, marking him well and sucking at the blood he’s drawn, shaking Merlin a little in his jaws. Arthur pumps his hips, Merlin’s slick ooze squishing between them, and Merlin comes yet again, letting out a short yip of submission and pleasure. Arthur growls his dominance into Merlin’s neck, working the mark with his teeth. Merlin’s never felt so right in his life.
Finally, Arthur releases Merlin’s neck and pumps his seed inside him, soft pants filling Merlin’s ear. “Mine, little omega. You’re all mine now. I've claimed you. What’s your name?”
“Merlin,” Merlin breathes, and Arthur licks the mark he’s made on Merlin’s neck, sending a shiver up Merlin’s spine.
“Merlin,” Arthur repeats. “Merlin, you’re mine.”
He withdraws, falling to the mattress and pulling Merlin down with him, wrapping strong arms about Merlin’s waist as they rest.
Merlin finds himself burrowing his nose into Arthur’s neck, loving the smell of him and seeking the comfort of it. He’s still reeling from what’s happened, but he feels inexplicably safe with Arthur.
“The scent of your alpha,” Arthur tells him, sensing Merlin’s feelings, and Merlin nods, knowing it’s true. He recognizes his mate now. He reaches up and touches where Arthur bit him. It’s sore, but already starting to heal. He feels safe and secure in Arthur’s arms—a virtual stranger. His mate.
It isn’t long until the rush of pheromones comes on again prompting Merlin to rub his greedy arse back against Arthur, writhing in the circle of his arms in a way that is embarrassing, but Merlin can’t stop himself. Arthur moans and growls, nipping at the back of Merlin’s neck, pulling him upward so Arthur can drive his cock into Merlin’s throbbing hole again, pumping hard. Merlin lets out a series of primal squeaks, loving the feel of being dominated and filled by Arthur.
“Sweet omega,” Arthur breathes between grunts, “I'll take you back to my pack and my den and knot you every night for the rest of our lives. I’ll fill your body with our pups, my sweet little bitch...”
Merlin gasps and groans at the promise, and as Arthur’s knot slips into him, slightly easier this time but still with a painful pop, the omega immediately comes, his body convulsing in Arthur’s arms as his clear omega spunk spurts over his stomach. Arthur releases his seed right after, snarling into Merlin’s neck as he does so.
“If we were home with the pack, they would take care of us during your heat and our tying,” Arthur tells his mate as they rest again. He seems a bit calmer--less intense. Arthur has licked every bit of spunk off Merlin’s stomach and abdomen, and Merlin finds he can’t take his eyes off the gorgeous blond alpha who suddenly looks so at home in Merlin’s bed.
“They’d bring us food and water and keep me apprised of pack business.” Arthur sighs, leaning back onto the pillows, his abs clearly defined beneath strong pectoral muscles. He has a sprinkling of blond hair from his navel to his groin; it makes Merlin's mouth water.
“They’re going to be wondering what’s taking me so long, since I'm supposed to return home tonight. Now I need to stay here until your heat’s over and we can travel.”
“What will the pack do without you?” Merlin asks.
“My second alpha, Gwaine, will take care of things,” Arthur replies. He nibbles at Merlin’s shoulder with his front teeth.
After a while, Arthur gets up off the bed and stretches languidly. “I’ll go see what you have in your kitchen to eat.”
Merlin starts to follow, but Arthur stops him. “Rest. This is your heat and all you need to worry about is being bred.” He smiles, showing beautiful white teeth before leaving the room, and Merlin’s cock twitches at the word. Bred. He’s being bred.
Sounds from the kitchen tell Merlin Arthur’s made himself at home. When another wave of heat suddenly washes over Merlin, he stifles a moan. He knows Arthur’s just in the next room, but he might as well be a million miles away if he isn’t there filling Merlin’s hole up with his huge cock and knot. He bites his lip, trying to fight it, but it’s no use.
“Arthur!” he cries out, unable to stand it, and then Arthur is there, turning Merlin over and raising his arse, filling it, making Merlin come and come until he’s blinded by the pleasure.
The knot lasts longer this time, and they talk while tied. Arthur managed to bring in a loaf of bread with him, and they eat it, getting crumbs all over the bed. Then Arthur’s eyes flash gold, and he begins pumping inside of Merlin and his knot releases more glorious alpha seed into Merlin’s awaiting channel. Merlin sees stars. His dick is sore and his hole is insatiable. He leans his head back on the pillow and closes his eyes, smiling when he feels Arthur dotting kisses over the lids.
“How is this possible?” he asks. “The way I feel?”
“It’s the way of the wolf,” Arthur tells him, nuzzling Merlin’s ear. “We are true mates. Don’t you know about this? How long have you been alone?”
“I know about mating,” Merlin frowns, “but I don’t think there were any true mates in my pack. We lived far out in the woods. There weren’t any other packs around, and all the mating happened within our group.”
“What happened to your pack?” Arthur whispers, hand stroking Merlin’s side as their heads share a pillow.
“Hunters, I think,” Merlin answers, and looks up at Arthur. “It was a long time ago.”
Arthur kisses Merlin’s nose. “Your eyes are the colour of the sky in deep summer.” He kisses Merlin’s ear. “You smell of earth and pine.” He nudges at Merlin’s neck and kisses the bonding mark, sending tingles throughout Merlin's body. “You’re mine and I’m yours, always, little omega. Sleep, if you can.”
Merlin closes his eyes and finds that sleep comes easily in his alpha’s strong arms.
Merlin doesn’t know if it’s his heat or Arthur pumping into him that wakes him first, but it’s happening again. Arthur has turned Merlin onto his back, and Merlin raises his legs, wrapping them about Arthur’s waist as the knot slips inside him, pushing down and making Merlin cry out with pleasure, his juices spurting from his fat cock onto his stomach. Arthur hangs above him, mighty and beautiful, breathing hard, his knot bulging inside the walls of Merlin’s rectum. Merlin presents his neck to Arthur, and Arthur eagerly gnaws at it, drawing a little blood and shifting his knot so that Merlin comes again, crying out for him with need.
When Arthur’s knot lets go its seed, Arthur howls, pushing deeper into Merlin’s body while Merlin grasps at the sheets with his hands, coming yet again. Both fall into immediate slumber when they finish, Arthur still inside Merlin’s body. This time they have several hours of respite, and it’s late morning when they awaken next, Merlin rubbing up against Arthur, eager for another go.
After three days of intense fucking, Arthur decides that they need to get back to the pack. “I don’t know how long your heat will last—sometime the first one can linger for weeks, and they’re going to be worried. Added to that, there’s been some signs of hunters in our area lately, and I’ll just feel better when I’m there with them. I’ll also feel better when I have you in my den and within the safety of the pack.”
Arthur helps Merlin gather his things. Merlin has already called in his resignation at work and arranged for his utilities to be turned off.
“I wish I could turn off your scent,” Arthur tells him as they place Merlin’s bag by the door next to Arthur’s duffle. “Not only do I not want any other alphas to scent you, but it’s driving me mad. I want to bury myself in you all the time.”
“I thought that’s what you’ve been doing,” Merlin laughs. He’s gotten to know Arthur a little in the intimacy of the past few days, and he really likes him. He thinks he’d be friends with him even if they weren’t mates. Arthur’s funny and caring and wise, and Merlin can tell he’s a wonderful pack leader.
But the fact that he and Arthur are mates brings them even closer together. They are tied and they are bonded. Arthur has marked Merlin and bred him. They are one.
Even more than that, Merlin and Arthur are true mates, and Merlin is just learning the significance of that bond. It is the reason why Merlin had no trouble submitting to Arthur right from the start, even though Merlin had been determined not to let an alpha take him. An alpha could have forced Merlin to submit, but Merlin would have put up a fight first and perhaps attracted a mated alpha in the process who might have run the attacker off. However, with Arthur, Merlin had had no desire to resist. He’d wanted the alpha to take him. He’d cowered and offered his throat without a struggle.
The fact that they are true mates is the reason why Arthur’s scent was immediately pleasant to Merlin. And it is the reason for the deep and eternal feelings he is quickly developing for his alpha. Feelings that tell Merlin he would follow Arthur to the ends of the earth; that he would die for his mate.
Arthur gathers Merlin into his arms. “I can’t believe how lucky I was to find my sweet virgin omega mate on this trip,” he says before kissing Merlin longingly. Merlin responds, wrapping his arms around Arthur and running his tongue inside his mate’s warm mouth.
“Are you ready?” Arthur asks, and Merlin nods. They get their bags and go.