Notes: Disclaimer, I don't own Merlin or any of its characters. Written for merlinxarthur's fanfic challenge #8, pictures used were #04 (a scene of a full moon) and #13 (a gold chained amulet with a purple stone in its center). Warning: Non-con/Slash/Blood/Con/Bestiality (only on the first chapter)

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Bitten Bound

Chapter One: Under a Full Moon

Merlin ran, brown boots slamming hard against the slippery grass as it squeaked its protest; the wind wailed an unspoken warning pass his ears. The moon shined even whiter against the darkened blue night sky providing enough light against the darkness. The young warlock pushed himself clumsily through a thick bushel of thorny tangles, most of them cutting into the thin brown jacket covering his thin frame, and around dew covered tree barks. His breathless gasps for air echoed loudly against the chilled air, slightly muffling the howl of his pursuer.

The sudden prickle at the back of his neck and the fear sticking heavily against his rapidly rising chest reminded Merlin of the need to run faster. He picked up the pace to only have a soft moan escaped his lips as the heels of his boots now covered in mud finally brought the young warlock stumbling to his knees. Before Merlin could find his footing and push himself the rest of the way up, a huge harry paw knocked him back down, pinning him to the forest floor. His head hit the floor hard, wet grass sticking to his raven hair.

Merlin let out a loud cry as the sharp claws cut into his chest, tearing at his tattered jacket and making quick shambles of his red shirt to pierce the ivory skin underneath. He bit down on his lips, muffling the painful scream. Shaken fingers tried to pry the deadly grip from the blood soaked fabric with no avail. Merlin could do nothing but hold still as a pair of yellow eyes loomed closer, small hints of copper and bronze, seeping deep into his heart and mind to choke the mixture of feelings there.

Barring its sharp set of teeth half hidden behind layers of fur and blood tainted gums, the werewolf inched even closer stopping inches above Merlin's pale face. The monstrous creature seemed to catch a familiar scent in the air that angered it beyond human understanding. Opening its large jaw, a deep growl escaped from its throat. The young warlock, finally free from the trance fear had put him in, didn't wait for the bite that was to follow; he met the werewolf's wild eyes, a glimpse of sadness overpowering the fear in his blue ones as they flickered gold.

"I'm so sorry." Merlin softly said. The young warlock's words a mere whisper against the rapidly changing wind and the magic pulsing through his wounded body.

With a single thought, Merlin sent his attacker towards two closely grown trees and quickly rose to his feet, staggering slightly when the cut in his chest robbed him of breath. The huge trees cracked and bent at the force of the huge creature, falling apart in large splinters. Merlin quickly recovered at the sound of the trees breaking, pushing the pain to the back of his mind, and made his way through the dense forest hoping he hadn't caused serious damage to the beast. He had no intention of killing it just immobilizing it long enough to make his way back to the castle and the safety of its stone walls.

The werewolf easily rose, standing on its rear legs to arch its back and puff out its chest at the full moon above. Its pointed ears flattening against its head and tail clinging to his leg to slightly resemble the stance of a man. A deadly howl sliced through the silver transparent clouds passing over the moon and filled the forest with its sadness and fury. Falling to all four paws, the creature quickly covered the gap between it and Merlin, a furry blur among the still standing trees. Eyes frozen on the slim figure, it barred its teeth once more as its senses got overwhelmed with the scent it craved.

Merlin didn't dare to look back, the sound of dirt being tossed into the air as the sharp claws tore into it was enough to let him know of how close the werewolf was. The young warlock's eyes turned gold once more and time slowed down just as the werewolf lunged for him. Merlin stumbled out of the way and using the last of his strength he took a sharp turn, tumbling down a slope. Landing at the bottom with a loud thump and rustling of leaves, the young warlock scanned his new surroundings for cover.

His gaze fell on the shimmering lake; it glimmered against the moon which it reflected in its calm waters. Moving to the edge of the lake, the cold waters didn't waste time to cling to his cuts, seeping into the torn flesh. Merlin pressed himself against some fallen trees and thick bushels just as time returned to normal. His shaken knees scrapped the bottom as he bent lower into the freezing banks. Refusing to push his tired body to try and move further up the lake, he chanced a glance towards the grassland.

The werewolf circled around the edge of the water, eyes scanning the lake and its shores. Another cry escaped from its throat at its new found frustration, the water stifling its ability to catch Merlin's scent. The beast quickly wore a path in the grass, pacing and calculating before moving into the water. It swam with grace and force, ears sticking out ready to pick up any sound in the water. The werewolf stayed in the lake only long enough to determine that what it sought wasn't in the deeper parts of its depths. Pain reflecting in its eyes as it glanced towards the forest, the need to claim the young warlock growing stronger the longer it took to find him.

Forcing the knot in the back of his throat down, Merlin curled and uncurled his toes to keep the numbness at bay. Time seemed to pass at a snail pace as the cold waters continued to cling to his clothes making it hard for him to keep still and awake. With his body tired and weak from the blood loss, he fought with the desire to get out of the water. The creature moved slowly down the edge of the lake, passing just a few feet from Merlin. Its eyes almost seemed to land on the young warlock. Merlin gave one final shudder before he felt his strength leave him; he was soon slipping all the way into the water, the taste of salt on his lips. Before he blacked out, a sharp pain shot through his right shoulder and then the darkness took him.

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Merlin jerked up, coughing and spitting up the water that had seeped into his lungs. His eyes looked frantically around his surroundings; he was back on land, soaked to the bone, and dripping blood from a large gash on his shoulder. Merlin got to his feet pressing against the wound with numb fingers, trying to keep the blood from spilling faster to the wet grass beneath him. A rustle in the trees in front of him brought the fear and dread rushing back, pressing his body against a tree Merlin found he was unable to run away.

The werewolf moved from behind some trees and slowly approached Merlin; its paws grazing the fallen twigs and leaves on the ground. It narrowed its eyes at the young warlock, waiting for any change in those blue eyes, all the while calculating. Merlin moved from the tree and stumbled against its roots, his back slamming against the ground hard as his boots slipped on the muddy ground. A cry broke the silence as the pain on his shoulder made him forget about the looming threat in front of him. He clung to his shoulder and turned slightly to his side, the pain too great. The werewolf stared at the young warlock, a small trace of sadness crossing its eyes.

It quickly moved towards Merlin and pushed its wet fur against the shivering frame of Merlin. It opened its mouth, licking the new wound it had created, its yellow eyes narrowed even more at the taste of blood. A growl echoed from the back of its thick throat, almost sounding human, its chest rising faster as it pushed the body underneath it harder against the ground. Heat rose from the werewolf's lower body and coursed through it causing its eyes to darken in need. One final deep growl and it clung to Merlin's shoulders, its claws mercilessly sinking into the delicate flesh tearing new cuts into the young warlock. Its muscled legs pried Merlin's legs apart with ease, moving into the warmth it craved without hesitation.

"No Arthur!" Merlin yelled as he pushed a bloodied hand against the massive muscular chest above him. His fingers shook with realization at what the beast on top of him wanted, tears filling his eyes at the thought that the creature had once been his prince; he pressed his hands harder against the soft dark fur. When the creature failed to stop and moved a claw down Merlin's waist tearing at his clothes, he brought his other hand up brushing against a golden amulet half hidden in the thick fur. The violet rhinestone glimmered against its gold circular backing, clearly more breathtaking then the intricate weavings forming a triangular shape around it.

Merlin clasped at the amulet, recognition filling his thoughts as he recalled it as one of the gifts the prince had received from a visiting noble. As his fingers tightened around the metal the creature's eyes turned a sapphire color, a familiarity reflecting on them before turning back to their yellow hue. The werewolf lowered its mussel on Merlin's neck, its hot breath making him shiver harder and breaking the trance they had been under. A deadly scream tore into the night as the creature's teeth tore into Merlin's shoulder for the second time; its claws shredded the thin wet trousers separating it from the desire it sought.

"Arthur…" The young warlock arched his back at the pain and force of the intrusion, his hands tightening their grip on the pendant and chest above him. Tears fell onto his cheeks at having the moment he had craved to spend with his prince taken away from him in a brutal manner. Merlin had spent an entire month trying to find a way to tell Arthur about his newly discovered feelings, but the blonde prat had ignored him in every turn. Tonight's banquet, Merlin had promised himself would be the moment he would come clean about his love for his prince. "Stop it Arthur…" Merlin gasped between thrusts as he fought back his memories, he could feel himself tear against the huge size of Arthur.

After a while the only thing that could be heard were the cries of pain from Merlin and the groans of pleasure from the savaged beast as it claimed its mate, forcing its way in again and again. Merlin's pale cold fingers encircled around the pendant and tugged at it harder, the golden chain finally snapped breaking apart. Parts of the broken chain fell into the grass, hiding against the darkness. Then just before the creature could thrust deeper into Merlin, its movements halted as bone started to break and contract. It moved off the young warlock and crawled against the ground as its turn to scream out in pain came.

The werewolf shrunk in size, its hair falling to reveal smooth human skin and a golden set of locks. Its teeth retracted and became a more familiar human set of teeth. One final crack of the spine and the creature was gone leaving a fully naked prince in its toll. Blue eyes peeked from between gold bangs and scanned the forest, landing on a sight that made them shake with a new kind of emotion. Arthur rose to his feet and rushed to his manservant's side. He slipped an arm under Merlin's still head and called out to his friend, the lover he had longed for so long but unable to have until this night. The beast in him had finally accomplished what he had tried to fight against for the past month.

The young prince traced the edge of Merlin's chin, cupped his well-defined cheek and side of his face all the while pressing his forehead against the pale forehead of his friend. He kissed the soft lips that had haunted his dreams for so long, his own shaking from the cold and fear spreading through his naked body. The reality of what he had done clear on his mind and he cursed first under his breath and then loud at the moon still shinning down on them. Its glow half hidden behind the clouds making them seem a lighter blue against the blackness of the night.

"Please Merlin..." Arthur pled as he pushed himself to his feet bringing Merlin's unmoving form tighter against his blood smeared arms. He pressed him against his chest and took a few steps before falling back to the ground, his guilt and regret weighing heavily in his heart. Merlin couldn't die; he was everything to him, without him Arthur's days and nights seemed meaningless. The desire to protect his manservant the only thing that outweighed his desire to protect his people and yet Arthur had wounded the man he loved raping him in the process. "Dammit…" He yelled as he pressed his face against Merlin's fragile chest, closing his eyes in an attempt to force it to rise again.

Merlin woke, his eyes slowly flipping open as his lips parted to take in a deep breath of air. He sleepily looked up at Arthur, a sheepish smile reaching his lips. "It's great to see you again; I was worried that I might have to explain to everyone why the prince was covered in hair from head to toe." Merlin softly said and then moaned as the pain shot up his body. "Besides the idea of keeping you locked up in the dungeons on a full moon doesn't sit well with me." He added with a weak smile replacing his first one. Arthur gently pushed him off him and he landed on the ground.

"Ouch, you did tear into me like chopped liver." Merlin reminded his beloved prince, taking care as he tried to rise to his feet, Arthur's hands on his arms helping him up. The night hid the teeth marks as they became small gashes and then smooth skin under layers of blood, but it didn't hide the prince's hurt expression at the reminder of what he had done. Merlin moved his gaze downwards, unable to say anything further until his eyes took in Arthur's naked form. He took his torn jacket and handed it to him.

"Thank you." Arthur replied as he took the brown garment and put it on. Once he was less naked then before, he slowly picked Merlin up in his arms, messing with the shredded trousers to hide the exposed flesh beneath it. Resting most of his manservant's weight against his chest, he took care not to press against the wounds as he made his way towards the direction of the castle. The prince's bare feet rustled loudly against the forest floor, followed by a silent curse as a twig dug into his heel almost causing him to drop his manservant. "Shut up Merlin." Arthur tenderly said in response to Merlin's laughter echoing around them, blushing as two slim arms wrapped around his neck.

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Gaius was getting ready to turn over for the night, his glasses resting neatly on his desk, when the door opened to reveal two bloodied figures. A half-naked Arthur, carrying a half conscious Merlin had him reaching for his glasses. The prince moved into the room and gestured to the physician to open the door to his manservant's chambers. Gaius rushed over to the young warlock's room, pushing the door open he moved aside to allow Arthur entrance. He quickly followed behind the prince, a bowl of fresh water and wrappings in hand, his eyes never leaving Merlin, the large amounts of blood on his skin, and torn clothes.

"What happened to him?" Gaius asked and then once more taking in Arthur's current form added, "To both of you?" Merlin let out a soft moan as he was laid on his bed, the thin layer of hay doing nothing to help him ignore the stiffness and hardness of it. Gaius moved Merlin's shirt upwards and glared with surprise at the golden amulet in Merlin's tight grasp, the jewel in its center giving off a wary feeling. He shook his head breaking his gaze from it and quickly pried the object away, catching the look his friend gave him.

"Werewolf," Arthur failed to speak the rest of the words that were meant to follow, the sound of that single word Merlin had called out as he had started to transform made him shudder.

The memory of what had happened in the dark forest, of how he had turned into a monstrous beast, and chased Merlin until having his way with him was too much for Arthur to admit to out loud. His legs gave way and he leaned on Merlin's bed, sitting on the edge afraid that he might turn into a werewolf again and finish what he had started. Gaius stared at him and turned his attention back to Merlin when the prince failed to provide further explanation. The physician didn't waste time in looking Merlin over, forcing himself to ignore the pieces of cloth that once were his ward's trousers.

He checked every spot that blood had touched with expert eyes and gently wiped away the red smears finding no deep wounds that required extra caution. Seeing only minor cuts and bruises on Merlin's body, Gaius concludes that Merlin would be alright after plenty of rest and a few of his medical tonics later. He reassured himself with the thought that the blood on both Arthur and Merlin must have belonged to the now hopefully dead werewolf. The matter of clarifying that assumption and the many worries its existence brought still a prominent worry on the physician's face, he turned to address the still half-naked prince again.

"Sire, werewolves are creatures that haven't been seen in these parts and there have been very little reports depicting specific methods such beasts are created. One is through a curse, a pact, or a bite from another werewolf." Gaius explained as he wrapped up Merlin's wounds and stepped back to observe his work. Seeing there was nothing else he could do, he nodded his head and moved out of Merlin's room. Grabbing one of Merlin's discarded trousers on the floor he handed it to Arthur as he too stepped out of the room, before resuming a seat behind his desk.

"Did he get bitten sire? Did you?" The old physician asked, a sympathetic look on his face taking in Arthur's painful expression as he glanced back at the sleeping form of his manservant. "Did you manage to kill it?"

"What?" Arthur replied, his mind now a mixture of blurred memories of the bloodied events. His eyebrows cringed together as he tried to keep them from vanishing with the small gush of wind that sneaked into the room through Merlin's open window. He pushed the tight trousers further up his waist and turned to look at Gaius. "I... uh, no he wasn't bitten." The prince found himself saying, his mind throbbing against the last escaping image of Merlin screaming, shoulder bleeding through the torn flesh.

"I'm fine." Arthur quickly added, wanting nothing but to wash the blood from his body. He moved to the door and with one final glance towards Merlin's room opened it to retreat to the safety of his own chambers.

Gaius eyed the confused look on Arthur's face and moved to hand the prince a small vial. "This will help you sleep." The blue liquid swirling as he pushed it closer towards its intended recipient. Arthur took the bottle, frowning at the fact of the horrible taste that many of Gaius' concoctions held and nodded a thank you.

"I would like to keep this between us, no one in the castle especially my father should know about what's happened tonight." Arthur suddenly stated, stepping closer to the physician, before stepping out the door and down the steps, his bare feet moving fast and stealthy against the night. Gaius continued to stare at the open door, wondering what exactly he could have told King Uther if he had wanted to. He moved back to Merlin's room and brought the amulet to his desk, one of his eyebrows rising higher than the other.

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The last remaining hours that made up the night couldn't pass quick enough for Arthur. The young prince tossed in his bed unable to find condolence in the soft layers of sheets and pillows, his dreams plagued by nightmares of a furry beast. Red colored images of torn flesh and pain filled screams lingered in his mind as he shot up in his bed, sweat clinging to his blond hair and forehead. Arthur tried to push the images away, but they became stronger and clearer as the fogginess disappeared.

Fully awake, he moved from his bed to wash his face, the water giving him that last clarity he dreaded. Arthur changed into a set of clothes he thought were presentable enough, the first pair of fabric his fingers had touched from the shelves of his wardrobe. One last tug at his boots and a glance at his attire, he took a seat behind his desk and stared at the doors to his chambers, waiting. The room failed to fill with the sun's rays as the thick curtains blocked its advances and yet the prince remained in his seat unwilling to move.

Arthur was unsure of how much time passed, the faint sound of footsteps down the corridor bringing a smile to his face. The door opened and Merlin stepped in, moving straight to the curtains. He stopped inches from Arthur's desk when his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness of the room and landed on the prince. Taking a step back, a confused look on his face, Merlin hesitated before moving the rest of the way to the curtains. Parting them, making sure to shake the dust from them, he turned his attention back to Arthur.

"I wasn't sure if you would come." Arthur told his manservant, his voice just high enough for both to hear. He licked his lips and swallowed the dryness in his throat, the blue hues of his eyes turning a slight darker.

"I wasn't sure either. Besides I had to sneak past Gaius, he practically barricaded me in my chambers." Merlin shyly replied, nervously licking his lips in response to Arthur's deep stares, the red handkerchief around his neck suddenly too tight against his slim neck and his blue shirt too heavy on his shoulders. The temperature in the room rose drastically bringing Merlin to his senses and he moved towards the table, the leftover food the prince had left the day before still there.

"There is something Gaius said that has been bothering me." Arthur asked rising from his desk and moving towards the edge of his bed to rest his back on one of the pillars, crossing his arms across his chest. "Something about me biting you, Merlin did I bite you?"

Merlin dropped the silver platter, the food on it spilling to the floor before it was followed by the clattering metal. He clung to his injured hand, the pain already fading to be replaced with embarrassment and confusion at the mess he had created. Arthur's eyes burned into him as he moved to his side pulling Merlin's hands towards him, the burned flesh turning from bright red to a light pink color and then back to his natural pale skin tone. Merlin looked at the platter near his feet and back to his skin to watch in amazement the completely healed skin, no traces of the burns.

Arthur looked at Merlin's hand one final time before letting it go to pick up the silver platter, laying it on the table and wincing as it burned his skin as well. He brought his healed hand up to his manservant's face, cupping it and caressing it with his fingers. No words were exchanged as the prince pressed his lips against Merlin's, kissing him vigorously as a low growl escaped the back of his throat. Merlin found he was unable to push Arthur away, his own lips reacting to the kiss and the warmth they offered. The bond between them ached painfully in his chest, the bite and their first mating sealing it, making it final. Their kiss deepened and he found himself pressed against the table with Arthur's fully hard shaft rubbing against his thighs, bringing a blush to his cheeks.

"Arthur…" Merlin moaned, the need for more warmth spreading through his entire body and resting between his legs to harden against his brown trousers. The young warlock found his hands tugging at the prince's clothes, frantically slipping under Arthur's shirt to roam the smooth flesh hidden behind it. His thoughts were filled with the image of his prince, naked, thrusting hard into him, and making him climax against the white sheets. Another moan escaped Merlin's lips as their kiss was brought to an end and the pressure against his body lessened.

"Merlin I'm sorry I hurt you. I never meant it to be that way." Arthur whispered his voice thick and low as he gave in to the desire. He yanked at Merlin's clothes, pulling his trousers down and lifting the slim hips upwards to claim his mate, pressing their bodies against the top of the table. The need to properly take him in a gentler way the only thought in his mind besides the heat that seemed to consume his entire body. Arthur entered Merlin slowly, pushing against the tightness and then pulling back out to only thrust again. Thrust after thrust, each going deeper and faster as Merlin stretched around his throbbing shaft, brought them both closer to the climax they sought.

Merlin clung to Arthur, his fingers fighting with the red shirt still on his lover's back. Moans escaped his lips on their own accord as his body rocked automatically to meet each thrust. He could feel the thickness of Arthur deep inside him and he pushed his hips harder against his shaft, driving Arthur even deeper into him. Merlin didn't want this feeling to stop and he greedily brought his lips against Arthur's, making them both gasp for breath between kisses. He ran his fingers through the prince's hair as his body shook with pleasure, Arthur's moans echoing in his ears.

"I love you Merlin," The prince said as he tore his lustful gaze from the rosy lips, slightly parted and wet with his taste, to thrust faster and faster into his manservant. His hand moved to grasp Merlin's equally hard shaft, moving his fingers in a rocking motion up and down, before tightening at the base as Merlin buckled forward into him, the young warlock's cum sticking to Arthur's hand. He moved his eyes upwards to meet Merlin's clouded gaze. One final thrust and Arthur reached his climax, his own cum spilling inside his manservant. Two sets of yellow eyes stared at each other, unable to say anything as their breathing slowly calmed against the pounding in their ears.

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Author's note:

This story was intended to be a one shot, but will be turned it into a full length story due to the great interest and feedback it got. Even though werewolves weren't mentioned until way after the time of the Arthurian legend I really wanted to write one involving such beasts of the night. If anyone has a LJ head on over to merlinxarthur community and vote for my entry, I would greatly appreciate it. The voting ends on July 22nd.