Notes:
  Merlin learns exactly what kind of threats have been happening while he was gone.
Warnings: threats, foreplay, sibling fight, mention of smut

   Merlin hated the idea of leaving his mate locked up, especially when she didn't know the rules quite yet but he knew that he had no choice. Sometimes, as the Alpha Pack Leader, he had to make difficult decisions. A lot of those involved punishments he hated handing out but were necessary to keep the peace.
   Even more, he hated the look on his mate's face when he'd had to banish her to the Omega Den. He knew he had no choice (she had attacked a fellow pack member after all) but it didn't make him feel any better. At least Morgana was looking out for her.
   Merlin smiled. Even if Morgana was a rebellious troublemaker, she was nothing if not a kind and loyal person. She had probably already claimed Rose as her sister.
   With that thought, Merlin forced all thoughts of his mate out of his mind for the time being. He had even bigger problems to worry about at the moment.
   By the time he left the den, the sun had gone down and it was dark outside. Luckily, his heightened senses made it much easier for him to see. He saw enough to notice Arthur and Agravaine standing off to one side, waiting for him.
   "Ah! Brother, you've arrived!" Arthur said as soon as Merlin walked over.
   "Uncle, have you decided to join us?"
   "Yes. I feel I can be of assistance when it comes to this...occurrence as I was present at the time of the incident."
   "Very well. Arthur, what is it you wished to tell me earlier about hunters?"
   "Follow me."
   They shifted into their wolf forms, Merlin into a large black wolf, Arthur into a more muscular white wolf of the same size, and Agravaine into a slightly larger black and white wolf with patches of grey in its fur. The three wolves rushed out to the ruins that marked their border.
   Once there, they shifted again, turning human once more. "There!" Arthur pointed. "They came from those woods!"
   The three moved into the cover of the trees and Merlin could see footprints made by large boots, one than one pair.
   "Uncle, are you sure this is where you saw them?"
   "Positive." He explained how he'd been out hunting with a few other wolves and heard the gunshots. "I didn't think they tracked us back this far, though."
   "How come they didn't just come the rest of the way? They're already so far off the usual trails, there's no way they could be so far away that they wouldn't have a way of getting here."
   "That's what worries us, Merlin."
   Merlin debated the issue. It concerned him that hunters had come this close to finding their hideout yet didn't come the rest of the way. "And have there been any reports since?"
   "Not that we're aware of." Agravaine stated.
   "They seemed to have left since then, brother."
   "We can't count on that. I'll need to do some investigating when I have a chance. Starting tomorrow, I'd like to get a few Alphas and Betas together to comb this area. While we are under investigation, I must insist that everyone in the pack travels in groups more than two. I don't want anyone getting hurt. Maybe it's a good thing Rose got herself in trouble. I'll worry about her a lot less if she's stuck in the Omega Den, especially since she's with Morgana."
   He sighed. "Arthur, I want you to lead one group and Uncle, you take another. Travel with two Alphas and two Betas each and have at least one member of your party as one of the endowed, just to be safe. I'll stay since I need to keep the shields up and to check on my mate from time to time. If you come across any hunters, do not engage. Send the fastest member of your party back to tell me."
   "I think that's the best way to handle this for now."
   "And keep me updated, both of you. Now, it's getting late and I'm tired. I have my mate to take care of and that, coupled with the journey, the drama, and this news, I'm exhausted. So, I'll see you both bright and early tomorrow and, after Peter and Felix have their punishments, I'll send you out on your way."
   The two older men nodded in agreement. That done, they each headed back toward the pack. Merlin put the protection spell back up and then made his way back...back to her.
                         * * * * *
   Rose was enjoying her time with Morgana. The Omega sister of her Alpha mate was sweet and she was really good at helping her to get used to how things worked in the pack.
   "So, how do you like being mated to my brother?" Morgana had asked.
   "I love it!" Rose said. "I..." She searched for a way to explain. "I never thought I'd want to be mated but, when I met Merlin, I felt...I dunno...like I was where I was meant to be."
    "I've never been mated so I wouldn't know." Morgana stated, a bit sadly.
    "Oh...I'm sorry. I'm not so good at explaining things. I haven't really spent much time around other people, let alone other weres."
    "It's ok. I'm glad my brother makes you so happy. I hope to find that kind of love one day." Rose tensed up at the word "love". Neither her nor Merlin had spoken that word before. "That's why I've been so stubborn." Morgana continued, seemingly not noticing Rose's reaction. She soaped up Rose's back, massaging her gently yet firmly. "When I mate, I don't want it to be just any Alpha. It will be to my true mate."
    "But aren't true mates a rare thing with an Alpha and Omega pairing?" Rose asked as Morgana slipped her hands around to soap up her breasts.
   A low moan escaped her lips. Typically, Alphas and Omegas are mostly physically close when it comes to the Omega's heat. There are exceptions to the rules, of course, but that is the way it usually works.
   That's why Omegas spend so much time together. Omegas crave physical affection unlike the other types of weres. Betas and Gamas rarely crave affection, some Gamas don't even care for physical affection.
    So it's not uncommon for Omegas to be very touchy-feely and even sexual acts together is wanted only for the closeness and to help cure the ache a bit when it's not too severe.
    That's why Rose merely leaned into Morgana's touch, enjoying the closeness.
    "Supposedly." Morgana said. "But I'm not so certain. If both my brothers can find their true mates, why can't I?"
   "Fair enough." Rose agreed as Morgana's hands left a soapy trail down her stomach, heading lower.
    "You still have a few days of heat left. I can smell it on you." Morgana remarked, not unkindly. "I bet you're excited about the official mating ceremony."
    "Well I'm not sure what to expect so I don't know."
    "Oh. It's simple. Merlin will probably tell you all about it."
    Morgana's fingers brushed against Rose's clit, making her begin to ache for her Alpha. Morgana pulled her fingers away, now focusing her attention on washing Rose's long red hair out.
    "You have such pretty hair." She replied.
    "Thanks. Yours is really pretty too and your eyes are gorgeous."
    Morgana smiled. "Thank you. Coming from you, that's a compliment I'll take willingly."
   After a few more minutes in the makeshift tub, the women got out and dried off before slipping on robes. Then they continued to talk, now about happier things.
    Morgana was in the middle of telling Rose a funny story about her and her brother's childhood when Merlin suddenly appeared. The two Omegas were laughing, tears practically pouring down Morgana's face as she breathed heavily.
    "Having fun, you two?" He asked, a sliver of a smile appearing on his face.
    "A bit." Morgana laughed.
    "Merl, you never told me how great your sister is! She's been telling me stories, making me laugh, and helping immensely with my social anxiety."
    "Well, I'm glad my sister could be of some use to you." Merlin sassed, smile on his face.
    "Oh please! You know you love me!"
    "Only when you're sleeping, dear sister." Morgana stuck her tongue out childishly. Merlin laughed before turning his attention to his mate. "It's getting late so I was hoping to take you to bed."
   There was something strange about the way he spoke to Rose at that moment. His voice was quieter and sounded as if he was asking a question, rather than making a statement, as if he was suddenly apologetic about something.
   "K." Rose said, getting up from her spot on the floor and making her way over to the door.
   Merlin found himself internally wincing at the nonchalance in her voice. He sincerely hoped he hadn't hurt his mate with the punishment from earlier. He didn't want her to be angry with him and start regretting their mating.
   He instead turned his look onto his sister. "Morgana, I'm gonna have to insist that you stay here for a few nights instead of your room."
   "Why?"
   "I don't want to alarm anyone but I have reason to believe the pack is in danger."
   "What kind of danger?" Morgana persisted.
   Merlin growled, feeling his inner Alpha start to grow more irritated than usual. "So many questions! For once in your life, would you just do as you're told?!"
   He didn't wait for an answer, turning on his heel and escorting his mate out of the Omega Den, nodding to Tristan and Isolde as he left.
    "What the hell?!" Rose shouted as soon as they were a good distance away. "Why'd you do that?"
   Merlin's nostrils flared. For the first time, he used his Alpha voice on his mate. "Come with me to bed!"
   Rose looked angry but had no choice. No Omega can stand up to their Alpha when the Alpha voice was used, not even her with her charmspeak. Turning away from him, she started moving in the direction he steered her in.
   His room had curtains in place where a door should be and there was no furniture other than a large pile of furs and animal skins on the floor, making a sort of makeshift bed. Two doors stood at two different sides of the room. One door was ajar and she could see a peek of his clothes, meaning it was possibly a closet. She assumed the other was a bathroom.
   She walked in and sat down quietly, not speaking a word to her Alpha. He sighed as he realized what he'd done. "Are you angry with me?" He again spoke in that quiet tone of voice that sounded so apologetic. She merely shrugged. "Please talk to me." He begged.
  "Yes." She stated simply.
  "What?"
  "Yes I'm mad."
  "I'm sorry I hurt you, sweetheart, but you know that I have to keep order in the pack. If I didn't punish you, it would be as if I was picking favorites. I can't do that. Not as the Alpha Pack Leader. So I made it as painless as possible for you."
   "You think that's why I'm angry?!" Rose shouted.
   "I thought you were angry that I locked you up?" Merlin asked.
   "No. I'm mad because of how you treated Morgana."
  "My sister? That's why you're angry?" Merlin laughed.
  "It's not funny!"
  "I'm sorry. It's just...I didn't expect you to bond with her so quickly. I guess I should've." He moved closer to her. "And I am sorry for how I spoke to you both. I just...I don't want anything to happen to either one of you. You're both important to me and I didn't realize how my behavior would affect you both."
  "Apologize to her. Not me."
  Merlin wrapped his arms around his mate, lovingly. "I will tomorrow." He kissed her neck gently. "I don't think you realize just how much you mean to me. I love you."
   Rose immediately turned in her mate's arms. "What?"
   "I love you." He stated simply.
   Tears shined in her eyes. "You've never said that before. I...I love you too."
   "Let me make it up to you. Let me show you just how much I love you."
   She nodded her consent. Within seconds, he had pulled her into his arms and she felt her heat flare up. They took their time loving one another that night and, by morning, all was forgiven.