Fated Servitude

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/37306423.

Rating: Explicit
Archive Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Categories: F/M, M/M
Fandom: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Relationships: Levi Ackerman/Erwin Smith, Mikasa Ackerman/Jean Kirstein, Moblit
Berner/Hange Zoë, Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Ymir
Characters: Levi Ackerman, Erwin Smith, Jean Kirstein, Hange Zoë, Moblit Berner,
Annie Leonhart, Mikasa Ackerman, Mike Zacharias, Darius Zackly, Nile
Dok, Dot Pixis, Kenny Ackerman, Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss, Ymir
(Shingeki no Kyojin)
Additional Tags: Modern Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, eruri - Freeform,
Alpha/Omega, Omega Verse, Omega Levi Ackerman, Alpha Erwin
Smith, War, Post-War, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe -
Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Historical, Rebellion, Marley (Shingeki
no Kyojin), Marleyan Erwin Smith, Discrimination Against Eldians
(Shingeki no Kyojin), Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Soul Bond, fated pair,
Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mating, Mating Bond, Slavery, Sexual Slavery,
Breeding, The Underground (Shingeki no Kyojin), Oral Sex, Rough Sex,
Gay Sex, Rape/Non-con Elements, Drunk Sex, Implied/Referenced
Rape/Non-con, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Threats of Rape/Non-Con,
Rape Recovery, Discussion of Abortion, Pregnancy, Unplanned
Pregnancy, Forced Pregnancy, Mpreg, Violence, Blood and Violence,
Domestic Violence, Falling In Love, Romance, Drama & Romance,
Angst and Romance, Fights, Escape, Wet & Messy, Sexual Tension,
Servants, Loneliness, Anger, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Series: Part 1 of The Eldian Wars
Collections: good_long_ereri/eruri
Stats: Published: 2022-02-22 Completed: 2022-07-15 Words: 171,220
Chapters: 31/31
 Fated Servitude
by TheRealhero

Summary

Pre-modern AU, 1800-1900s.

Levi Ackerman survived the war between Eldian and Marley, only to be captured with the
intent of being sold simply because he was born an omega. By chance, he ends up meeting
his fated pair but refuses to accept that he could be destined to be with the man responsible
for invading and taking over his homeland. Though he doesn't want to believe what is
happening in his now enslaved life, he finds that there is more going on than what is seen on
the surface. Erwin Smith and Hanji Zoe are not just Marleyans bend on taking over the world
one country at a time... they are fighting for something beneath the cover of the wars their
country wages. Will Levi join them and accept his fate or will he find a way to escape and to
return to the life he once had?

Notes

Welcome to my new Eruri omegaverse fic! If you're read The Program, then be warned that
this one is going to be quite different. This story will involve scenes depicting the darkness of
war, the enslavement of humans and the harsh means of survival that some are forced to
endure. It will follow Levi and Erwin as their two drastically different worlds come together,
as well as dropping in on some other well known characters and their parts in this tale. Nearly
every chapter will be nsfw for violence, uncomfortable scenes, and sexual acts. While it will
have moments of humor and light hearted scenes, it will still remain as something dark and
difficult. If you choose to read it, please understand that I am not making light of war or
slavery, only that I am writing a story within those tragedies. Please enjoy it for what it is.
 The Fall of Eldia

The war between Marley and Eldia had finally come to a close. Years of bloodshed and
violence ended in a single night. It carried on for so long that even those on the losing end
found themselves in a state of relief. Even if things would change for them, at least it was
over. Eldia had lost so much ground and even more lives. It seemed as though it were
inevitable that they would lose but they’d fought on without giving up. Perhaps it would have
been easier if they had.
The day after the King gave up his reign and let Marley take over, it was a bleak and gray
world to live in. Smoke blocked the sun, leaving all the soldiers and survivors in a soft haze.
The ground was littered with blood and pieces of discarded armor. Bodies were collected to
either be buried or burned. Survivors were gathered in town squares all across the torn
landscape. They were assessed for their use. Some were sent back to their farms with a
Marley flag over their heads. Others were sent to be slaves, whores, or servants to the Nobles.
Eldia was ripped to pieces, the parts sent off to be of use. Was that all war was?
For weeks after that, the gathering continued. Marley’s soldiers moved across the land,
collected anything of value. It could be weapons, food, valuables, or people. They took what
they wanted and left the rest to the people who were allowed to stay. They hung fliers on the
walls of the marketplaces and churches, making demands of the people there. To turn in the
things they wanted was to receive rewards. For weapons or useable tools, one could receive
warm clothes or some bread. For valuables such as precious metals or gems, they could eat
for a week… but the highest paid reward went to those who turned in their fellow human
beings.
Alphas and omegas had a price on their heads higher than anything else. To turn in a strong
Alpha was to receive seeds, food, perhaps a small patch of land. But to turn in a young,
healthy omega capable of breeding… the prize was great. Those who found them and handed
them over to Marley would receive sought after land to build and grow on. They would have
a future in the new empire. Their families would be safe and fed… and it seemed that such an
enticing offer was more than enough for the Eldians to turn on one another. Survival and gain
were all that mattered.
Trusting anyone was a gamble and it didn’t always pay off. Levi knew that better than
anyone, but he’d thought that maybe… just maybe, he’d be able to trust someone to get him
out of the town before the soldiers found him. Clearly, he’d carried far too much faith in
those around him. People who knew him, people who had been around for his entire
upbringing… had turned on him in a heartbeat when the promise of reward was laid at their
feet. No matter how hard he’d tried to keep his gender a secret, those who had known him
since childhood knew the truth. When the walls fell, they used that knowledge for their own
gain.

The sound of metal reached his ears as he was carried into the town square. Horses cried out
and whispers floated all about. The strong smell of smoke stung his nostrils, but he could do
nothing about it. There was a thick, dirty gag tied across his mouth, keeping him from
breathing or speaking. He had only his nose and it was being thoroughly assaulted. Pain
pulsed in his ribs as he was carried over the shoulder of a young man he’d literally grown up
with. The brat kept quietly apologizing but Levi had long tuned him out. There was no need
to apologize. The kid had a family and as much as Levi wanted to fight and rip away from
him… he couldn’t fully blame any of them. They wanted to survive as much as he did and
turning in an omega… it would save them all.
When the man stopped walking, Levi opened one blurry eye to look around. They were in
what used to be the marketplace now. Apparently, this was where he was to be turned in. Levi
wiggled his fingers, getting some circulation back through the binds that kept his wrists tight
together. There were soldiers all over, dressed in the red and gold Marley colors. Their hands
remained on their swords, ready to pull the weapons if anyone got out of line. There were too
many. Even if he got free of this person, there was no way he’d make it past all those men.
The war had sapped his strength. No food and minimal sunlight had its negative effects.

“What’s this?” He heard a gruff voice ask. Smoke passed by and the sick scent of a cigar hit
him. It made him feel nauseous.

“We’ve got something to turn in.” Someone said. Levi recognized it as the young man’s
father. A neighbor that had helped his mother many times… now turning her son over to a
foreign invader. “…an omega, sir.”

There was a hush over the people around them. Whispers started then and he knew that all
eyes were turning to him. The reason omegas and Alphas were so well paid for was because
of their rarity. Alphas were slightly more common but most of them already joined the
military willingly on both sides. Most of Eldia’s Alphas were killed in battle. Those that
survived were being collected just as the omegas. It was obvious why. Anyone with brains
knew the reason Alphas and omegas were so sought after and collected more fiercely than
gems.
It was all about breeding. The normal people all around him were called Betas. They were the
most common sub gender among humans. Though most common… they all shared one
unfortunate flaw. They struggled to breed. Perhaps it was a factor of their environment or
maybe it was just evolution working its way through the species. Whatever it was, most Beta
couples were lucky to produce a single child from their unions. It was believed to be the
female’s fault, but everything was blamed on women, as men were so infallible.
Omegas and Alphas were far more successful in procreation. Both male and female omegas
could carry and give birth to offspring. Their pregnancies were far shorter than a Beta’s as
well, meaning they could produce children at a much faster rate. In Eldia, omegas and Alphas
were granted all the same freedoms as Betas. Of course, they were still highly sought after as
mates. Alphas had a higher success rate even with Betas but pairing up an omega and an
Alpha was the ideal scenario. They could have children one after the next if they chose to…
but with them being so rare, such pairings rarely happened. An Alpha could have their pick
of any mate they wanted. Omegas were usually put into arranged marriages to broker deals
and expand lands. But at least they were still allowed to live their lives. In Marley, things
were quite different.

“Bring it over, let’s see.” The guard called and Levi was moving again. He was brought down
off the man’s shoulder and turned around. His silver eyes both opened now, and he stared
ahead. An officer was standing up from behind the cracked wooden table he’d been sitting at.
He walked around it and approached the much smaller male. “Well look at that. I didn’t think
we’d see one out of this poor area.” He said and grabbed Levi by the jaw. He forced him to
tilt his head back and examined his neck. Rough leather rubbed against his skin as the man
pulled at his shirt, checking his shoulders as well. “No mark. Unmated. Even better.” He said
before stepping back.

“He’s healthy.” The old farmer said quickly. “We’ve known him since he was just a child.
He’s always been very strong and healthy. No disease.” He assured the soldiers, clearly trying
to drive the price up. Levi wanted to be sick. “Never married or mated!” The man continued.

“That’s good. I know this one will go for a high price.” The officer walked back around the
desk and pulled out a scroll. He started writing on it while they all waited. The people around
Levi seemed to be buzzing. They were excited but nervous. He looked over and met eyes
with the young man who had carried him in. The other looked away with shame. He knew
the price they were paying for their reward. “You will receive land by the river, it has already
been marked. You can collect your grain and other things to the right. One of my men will
direct you. Marley thanks you for your contribution to its future.” He said in a tone that was
almost robotic. Rolling the scroll back up, he held it out and the old man grabbed it. His wife
started to cry with relief and off they went to collect on their rewards. Levi watched them for
a moment before another soldier grabbed him by the arm and dragged him towards a tent
behind their post.

Inside, there were only two other people seated on the ground. One was an Alpha from the
town that Levi recognized. He had ash colored hair and sharp eyes. What was his name…
John? Jean? He was young, probably only just old enough to have presented his sub gender.
Even so, he didn’t look afraid. He looked fierce. This one would probably be given to a good
Noble family and provided a military career. Marley loved their Alphas. The other person
was an Alpha as well, but he was much older. Levi could remember this man patrolling the
town when he was still very small. An old drunk... hell, he couldn’t even remember his name.
He was an Alpha, but alcohol and age had worn him down. He probably only had a couple
years’ worth of breeding left in him. His fate would be less rewarding than the young man
seated next to him.
The three of them looked at one another. Two Alphas and an omega. This town had done
well. They might even be left alone once the collection was complete. Places that produced
such bounty might be looked at positively by the empire. At this point, Levi just hoped that
they all got to survive. He didn’t hold grudges over things like this. Not after years of war,
fear, and death. People needed to survive. They had children and families to look after. He
couldn’t say he’d have done the same thing, but he would not blame them, either.

The rest of the day was spent sitting on the ground in the tent. No more people joined them,
which meant there either were no more Alphas and omegas left alive here or that they had
somehow managed to avoid getting turned in. Either way, Levi was thankful. There wasn’t a
lot of room in this tight space. Being stuck around Alphas was the last thing he felt like
dealing with. While locked up and gagged, he could enjoy the little things, such as personal
space. But it didn’t last very long. As the sun began to fade, a soldier came in and stood them
all up. They were walked out into the cool night air. He could hear the old Alpha grumbling
through his gag about the cold, but he and Jean stood quietly and waited for whatever was to
come next.
Someone came and checked them over, looking for any wounds that might need dealt with or
sickness that could affect them on the ride back to… wherever they were going. Once they
were cleared, they were each given some water and one piece of bread. Levi ate without
saying a word or making any attempt at trouble. He was still bound and out numbered. That
didn’t mean he wasn’t keeping an eye on his situation. He had a feeling the young Alpha was
doing the same. After that, they were put into a wooden cart pulled by horses… and the
journey began.

They traveled for three days, barely stopping. The captives were allowed to use the bathroom
and fed once a day, then shoved back inside. On the third day, the bumpy ground they
traveled on changed, becoming smooth. Levi could feel the worn cobblestone under the
wheels. They were in a town, now. Leaning back, he looked out through the cloth that
covered the cart. His eyes immediately went wide as he took in the sight of tall buildings all
around them. In his entire life, he’d never seen anything like this. The town he came from
was made of clay and stone houses that were only big enough for the family to sleep and eat
in. These buildings were like several houses stacked on top of each other, made from stone
he’d never seen before.
His view became even better when they cart stopped and they were pulled from it. The
massive buildings were all around them, up and down either side of a road wider than any
he’d ever been on. Levi looked around, taking it all in. Huge red and gold flags hung from
tall posts and before them, soldiers in clean, shiny armor stood in a line. There were carts
behind and in front of theirs and more captives were being pulled out of them. More Alphas
and omegas turned over from different parts of Eldia. Levi felt bad for them. Some were old
like the drunk, others were mere children. Had their parents turned them over? He didn’t
want to think about that. Before he could keep looking around, a loud voice drew all attention
to the front.

“Eldians, look here!” It was a woman, which surprised him. She was dressed in officer’s
attire. Her golden blonde hair was tied into a neat bun at the back of her head and her
piercing blue eyes moved slowly over them all. She was small but carried an aura of power
around her… an Alpha. “You have been turned over into the service of Marley. This may
seem like hell, but I assure you, you’re better off here with us than out there. You are prizes
worthy of a high price and will be treated as such… so long as you cooperate.” She
announced and narrowed her gaze. “Marley sees your value and will see to it that your
potential is not wasted. Children will be placed into suitable families until they come of age.
Those of you who are too old to produce will be found servants work within Noble
households. Anyone who is crippled but still able to produce will be found stations to serve
in. The rest will be evaluated and given to the appropriate families. Alphas may be given
proper positions within the military. Omegas will be taken to Noble families to carry on their
lines. Do you understand?” She snapped.

No one answered her but he could see people nodding down the line of Eldians. A healthy
young omega… he was going to be given to some stuck up Marley family and made to breed.
It was exactly his nightmare. Levi had never even had sex before. He didn’t want to have
children at all, let alone children that would be taken from him and raised by some asshole
family from the country that overtook the one he was born in. He could already picture it…
some fat, spoiled asshole mounting him and breathing down his neck as he came in less than
a minute. Every fucking night. Dread filled him but he did not move or try to speak. There
was nothing that could be done, yet. Maybe he’d have a chance to escape later. For now, he
had to play nice.
“You will all be cleaned up and seen by our doctors. You’ll receive any medical attention that
you may need, then you’ll be fed and allowed to rest. Tomorrow, we’ll begin the sorting
process and you’ll be moved to your new stations.” With that, she was done. The woman
walked off and other soldiers took her place. They began shouting out orders, separating up
the Alphas and the omegas.

Levi and Jean shot each other a look. Even if they hadn’t known each other well, they were
from the same village and maybe that created some sort of bond. The old man was being
dragged away first, likely because of his age and generally weathered appearance. As they
were pulled apart, Levi silently wished the young Alpha good luck. He was young and
strong. No doubt he’d end up with a decent life here if he didn’t fuck it up. Maybe he’d even
be happy. The odds weren’t so good for the omega, but that was his problem to deal with.
All the omegas were gathered and lead into one of the buildings. Inside, there were more
Marley natives, all dressed in plain soldier attire instead of armor and battle gear. It was a
mess of activity. They were shoved about and ordered here and there. This place was like
nothing Levi had ever seen. The wood floors changed to smooth stone as they entered some
strange new area. There were curtains hung, separating different small spaces. And in each
space… were tubs. Hot water was being poured into them and honestly, he was surprised.
When told they would be cleaned up, he imagined having cold water dumped on his head and
nothing but a cloth to scrub his skin. This was a real bath. He hadn’t had a real hot bath since
he was a child. Usually, a bucket of hot water and some home made soap was the best the
village had to offer.

“Clean yourselves thoroughly.” One of the plain soldiers said and unlashed his bonds. Levi
immediately rubbed his wrists and looked down at his bruised skin. “There are clean clothes
left on the shelf. You have soap for your hair and body. Do not miss anything. The better you
smell and look, the better things will go for you.” The woman said and then turned around.
She remained in the space but kept her back to him.

Levi hesitated a moment and then just shrugged. A chance to be really clean was not
something he’d pass up. Things were probably going to get a lot worse so he should take the
good where he could get it. The omega slowly pulled off his grimy clothing and left it on the
floor at his feet. He wasn’t a fan of being naked where other people could see but at this
point, dignity was the last thing on his mind. Grabbing the soap she mentioned, he climbed
into the tub and had to suppress a groan of just pure relief. The hot water felt amazing on his
aching body. The cart ride and the many harsh days before it had not left him in the best state.
Survival was hard.
The omega went down under the water and just let it envelope every inch of himself. When
he came back up, he let out a sigh and then started to clean. Using a cloth and the soap, Levi
scrubbed himself down from head to toe. He made sure to remove every single speck of filth
from his body. By the time he was done, the water was disgusting, and he was eager to escape
it. Levi got out and used a towel to dry himself completely, removing any remnants of the
dirty water from his skin. After that, he quickly dressed in what was provided. A plain white
shirt with long sleeves and a pair of dark brown pants. They also had shoes, but he had to
request smaller ones.
Once all the omegas were clean and dressed, they were marched to the yet another place.
Here, they were split into three lines, each line leading to a doctor. He hadn’t been looked
over by a doctor since he was a small child and his mother had still been alive. Such things
became far less important as he grew and had to start working. But he’d always been healthy,
so it wasn’t really a concern that plagued him or anything like that.

“What’s your name?” The male doctor asked as Levi entered the little curtained area that he
sat in. The man was older than him by a number of years. There were just the smallest hints
of gray entering his well-kept beard. In his hands, he had some sort of book that he was
writing in.

“Levi.”

“Do you have a family name?”

“No.” The man glanced up at him but didn’t press the subject.

“Date of birth and age.”

“Mid winter, eighteen.”

“Seems a lot of Eldians do not keep to the calendar…” he commented. “You’re a male
omega, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Any children?”

“No.”

“Ever been pregnant?”

“No.”

“Have you had intercourse?”

“No.”

At that, the man looked up at him with surprise. Levi knew it was odd. Omegas were usually
bred as soon as they were old enough to produce. He’d gotten his first heat when he was
around thirteen years old. In most cases, an omega would be married off immediately and
would start having children. Omegas did not stay pure this long. Already, he could see the
questions in the doctor’s eyes. He was likely wondering if something was wrong with him.

“Is there a reason for that?”

“My father died, and my mother became ill so there was no one to take care of our land. I had
to do it. My mother was too sick to make any deals so… she never arranged for me to be
married.” He explained.

“And no one came to offer marriage to you?” He didn’t look like he believed this.
“I didn’t want to get married. And when my mother died, I was in charge of myself. I chose
not to accept any proposals.” He said and shrugged.

“Interesting. An independent, untouched omega.” He said and wrote in his book. “Being
unmated and pure is really going to work in your favor, you know.” He commented and then
set the book aside. “By your age, most omegas have already had several children. There are
many Nobles that will jump at the chance to have you.” He explained and started examining
him. The man checked his mouth, his waist, and everywhere else. Levi just had to grit his
teeth and take it. “I just need to confirm your story….” He said and Levi gasped as the man
shoved not one but two fingers inside him without much warning. “Ah yes… you weren’t
lying. You’re intact…” he said and pulled his hand back. The omega panted and tried to
ignore the pain from the invasion. From there, he was poked and prodded more around the
rest of his body including his dick and chest. By the time it was over, he wanted to choke this
man out. “Perfectly healthy. Impressively so. I haven’t seen a single Eldian come through in
as good of shape as you are. This is going to go quite well for you. If you behave yourself,
you’ll have a very comfortable life in Marley.”

“Great. Keep my mouth shut and my legs open, right?” He asked in a dry tone.

“Precisely.” The doctor confirmed and wrote more into his book. “Alright, Levi. One more
thing.” He said and set a box on the exam table. There were many clothes in it, in different
colors with patterns that he couldn’t quite make out until the man pulled one out. It was a
thin, dark blue sash with a white star on it. The doctor tied it around his upper arm. “There.
Now, you’re done.” He said and ushered Levi right out. A soldier was waiting to line him up
with the others who were done.

Looking them all over, he saw that they all had sashes as well… but they were quite different
from his own. There were only two other male omegas among all of them. They had dark
blue sashes as well but theirs had small colored stars on them. Some red, some blue... in
different numbers. The females had red sashes, also with red and blue tiny stars on them. The
children had sashes of red and blue, but they had white stars like him. It only took him a few
moments to realize what it was. Red for female, blue for male. And the small stars… were for
the children they’d had. Levi had no children, so he had a single white star, just like the kids
who were too young to breed. They were being identified by how many and what genders
their children were. One female had all blue stars. She seemed relieved. That was no surprise.
Male offspring were more desired than female.
As they were taken to a place to eat, Levi felt eyes on him. The other omegas as well as the
soldiers. The bright white star on his arm was apparently a big point of interest. When they
entered the new space, it was large and open with windows all down one side to let in the
bleak clouded sunlight. On the other side of the room, more people were coming in. He
recognized some of them from the line up. It was the Alphas. Their numbers were smaller,
though. It was then that he realized not all the omegas were there either. Some had been taken
away. Maybe they hadn’t passed their medical exam.
The Alphas all had armbands as well but theirs were larger, with silver threading. Just like the
omegas, they had stars on theirs. Most of them had many more stars than the omegas but that
made sense. An Alpha could impregnate as many people as they could find, whereas omegas
had to carry out pregnancies. A couple of the men had so many stars, it was almost too much
for their sash. Apparently, they’d been busy over the years. Levi slipped through the crowd
until he spotted Jean. Any kind of comfort was better than none. And it seemed the other man
felt the same. They sat down, side by side at one of the wooden tables. Others took seats
around them.

“I see you passed.” Jean said in a hushed tone.

“And you.” Levi replied. They watched as trays of food were brought round and set down in
front of them. Bread, potatoes and some kind of porridge. It didn’t smell bad. Levi glanced
over, seeing two pink stars on Jean’s sleeve. “Didn’t know you had kids.”

“Yeah, two girls. But they didn’t make it.” His voice was even but Levi could see the hurt.

“I didn’t even think you were old enough.” He commented and took a bite of the food.

“Wasn’t really my idea. The second I presented, my dad shoved me into a room with the
neighbor girl and… boom. Babies.”

“Twins?”

“Yep. See.” He tabbed his arm. The stars had a little pin between them that he hadn’t noticed
before. “Apparently twins are a good thing. My mom told me it was the woman who makes
that happen but around here, they think men are responsible for all good things so…” He
shrugged. Levi nodded and for a while, they ate in silence. “You uh… no kids?” Jean asked
after a while.

“Nope. Too busy running the family farm. Didn’t have time to pair up. And definitely didn’t
have time for kids.” He answered.

Around them, people were doing the same as they were. They were talking, trying to feel
normal at least for a few minutes. They could interact, eat, and just be as they were. Levi
knew that it was only on the surface. Underneath, everyone was tense and afraid. A lot of
omegas accepted their roles in life but there were those, like him, who didn’t want to be some
Noble prick’s fuck toy. Of course… the promise of a comfortable, safe life went a long way.
He imagined that most of them would fall into their role as a breeder and live happily that
way. He was not going to be like them.

“What happened to the old man?” He asked as he tore his bread in half and took a bite.

“He fucked up his body with all that booze. They hauled him away. Not sure what’s gonna
happen to him.” Jean answered.

“Probably going to end up with outside labor or something.”

“Yeah.”

They both knew they were lucky. They were young and healthy. Their value was high and
maybe they’d end up with good families who didn’t abuse them. Jean would likely go into a
military family. He’d make little girls and end up in an officer role or something. And Levi…
would end up having as many babies as they could pump into him and watch some snooty
bitch raise them as her own. Ah, what a bright future he had ahead of him. He had to get out
of here.
The rest of the day went pretty quickly. After they ate, they were sorted. Older omegas,
children, those with more boys, etc. It was a quick process, surprisingly. Levi was the only
one left when the sorting was done. The reason? No one knew where to put him. As all the
other omegas were led off to wherever they needed to be, he stood alone in the middle of the
floor, his arms crossed over his chest. Three soldiers stood in front of him, talking quietly
among themselves. They were lost. He was a male. He was eighteen. He had no children. No
pregnancies at all. He was perfectly healthy and unmated. Not one other omega was like him
and that left him on his own.

“So, what’s the plan here?” He asked after standing there for a while. The soldiers glared at
him.

“Quiet, Eldian.” One snapped and Levi rolled his eyes. “You little…” the soldier walked over
and made to slap him, but Levi wasn’t going to let that happen. The second that hand came
near him, he caught the man’s wrist and twisted it. In seconds, the soldier was on his knees,
holding his arm in pain.

“Let go!” One of the other soldiers yelled and came rushing over. Levi released his hold on
the man and took a step back. “Eldian scum. How dare you!?” He growled and helped his
fellow up.

The third soldier circled around him but Levi was well aware of the man’s presence. When
the man came up to try and hit him in the back of the head, Levi ducked at the last second.
Instead of hitting him, the soldier hit his fellow right in the head with his baton. The injured
soldier cried out and fell backwards. While they were caught up in that accident, Levi swept
his leg out and caught the baton soldier at the ankles, knocking him right to the ground. The
omega then jumped out of the way, rolling to a crouch a few feet away. By now, the first
soldier was back on his feet and rushing over. He now had his own baton out. It slammed into
the ground just inches from the omega as he jumped up and moved back to avoid the blow.
With a swift move forward, he caught the man right in the jaw with a hard right hook. The
other two rushed him as well but one after another, he dodged and struck them. No matter
how many times they tried, none of them seemed able to get even a single hit in on him. Levi
was used to fighting men larger than himself and his speed had always been his advantage.
This situation was no different than those before it.

“What the hell is going on here?” A voice cracked through the air. The soldiers all stopped
their attack and stood up straight. Levi followed the voice and found himself looking at an
impressively tall blond man. He had pale eyes and rather scruffy facial hair. It was clear that
he held rank because he had different plates on his military garb, and these men all dropped
what they were doing to salute him.

“Captain Zacharius.” One spoke. “This omega is refusing to follow orders, sir.”

“Like hell. I didn’t do shit.” Levi snapped.

“He spoke out of turn and when we attempted to correct him, he fought back against us.”
Another said.
“It looks like he was winning, too.” The captain said and looked Levi over from floor to
head. “What’s your name?”

“Levi.”

“Were you an Eldian Soldier, Levi?”

“No. I was a farmer.”

“But you know how to fight better than these trained men?” He asked. Levi heard them all
muttering angrily at the captain’s words.

“They must not have been trained very well.” He answered and saw the hint of a smile appear
on the man’s face.

“Who taught you?”

“My uncle. He figured that I might as well know how to fight if I planned on turning down
every man that tried to come along and claim me.”

“I see. And do you plan on fighting any Noble that you’re given to?”

“Are you asking if I’m going to bend over for them?” They stared at each other. “I’m not
interested in letting some pig stick his little dick in me just to make more little pigs.” He
answered. One of the soldiers moved to try and hit him again but the captain raised his hand,
stopping them.

“A virgin omega who plans to fight us every step of the way. You know, we could just keep
you bound and use you as we please. Or we could just kill you and avoid any more trouble.”
Zacharius said calmly.

“Yeah, you could. It would definitely be easier.” Levi said back, folding his arms over his
chest again.

“But that’s not for me to decide.” He said and gestured towards the door. “I think I should
take you to the Commander. It’s his right to decide what we do with you. Maybe he’ll be
merciful and grant you a quick death.” He said, some amusement in his tone.

Levi hesitated. Was this man letting him just walk through? No rope or gags? After a
moment, he started forward, approaching the giant. As he walked by, he caught the scent of
Alpha. That was no surprise. Betas did not get this big. Only strong Alphas could gain such
size and muscle. The guards did not follow them. Levi walked steady, the captain slowing
himself so they could walk together. With legs that long, he could outpace the omega without
effort. They walked side by side out of the building and into the street. He wrapped his arms
around himself to fight off the cold. The captain seemed unfazed that the smaller man was
freezing next to him. Luckily, the outdoor part of their walk was brief.
They entered a building that was made of some kind of clean white stone. It was up a few
steps and entered through a large set of carved wooden doors. Levi didn’t get a chance to
really taken them in, but he caught a glimpse of some kind of battle scene carved into the
wood. Inside, it was warm, which was what he noticed first. Then he took in the extravagance
of the interior. The floors were wood with stretches of vibrant red carpet, decorated in gold
threading. Marley flags hung from the walls and there were many portraits of officers on the
walls. He took it all in as the captain lead him up a staircase off to the side of the foyer.
On the second floor, there was another set of wooden doors, though these ones had no scene.
Zacharius knocked twice and then pushed them open. This room was large, with massive
windows overlooking the street below that they had just come from. The heavy drapes were
red with golden ropes holding them open. At one end of the room, there was a massive
fireplace. Flames flickered within it to keep the room warm. On the other side, there were
bookcases that were completely packed with literature. Levi had never seen so many books in
one place before. In front of the windows, there sat a large wooden desk. What appeared to
be leather sofas sat in front of it, on either side of a table. A tea tray was there, still hot with
steam seeping out. The desk was covered in papers and scrolls. There was a stack of books,
an ink well and pen, among other things. A large armchair sat empty behind hit. Aside from
the two of them, the room was empty. Or so he thought.

“What’s this? Have you brought me a victory gift?” Came a voice that sent a chill right down
Levi’s spine and left a pool of uncertainty and heat right at his core. The tone was like velvet
against his ears. It was deep and commanding but filled with a light amusement.

“Hardly. More like a punishment.” The captain said in an almost bored tone. “This is one of
the omegas from the Trost Territory. He’s… trouble. I could smell it on him even before I
caught sight of him taking on and beating three of our men.”

“Beating them?” The voice asked. Levi looked around. Where was it coming from? The size
of this room made it hard to tell. “I find that hard to believe.” Then he caught movement from
the corner of his eye. Levi turned his head towards the bookshelves and found the source of
that alluring voice.

There was yet another set of armchairs by the shelves. He’d overlooked them in his
amazement at all the books. From one, a man stood and snapped a book shut. He set it back
to the shelf and then turned around to walk towards them. Levi felt like all the blood in his
body set to boil in his veins. His heart started pounding wildly in his chest, so hard that he
was sure it could be heard by the two other men in the room. This Alpha was not like the
others he’d seen. He was tall, though not as tall as Zacharius. His hair was the color of golden
wheat in the sun, laid perfectly against his head, just covering the short cut sides. Unlike the
Captain, he was clean shaven, showing off his strong jaw. His nose was slightly crooked at
the top, likely broken once or twice. He had broad shoulders and a strong, wide chest.
Everything about him screamed strength. The thing that struck Levi the most were his eyes.
They were a vibrant, spring blue. The crystal-clear orbs fell on him and his knees actually felt
weak. What the hell was happening?

“Hmm...” he hummed, and Levi saw what appeared to be just a second of hesitation. The
man’s amused smile fell but it was so brief that maybe he’d imagined it. A mere heartbeat
later, he was walking to the desk and taking a seat behind it. From that point on, though, he
did not look at Levi at all. His gaze was on the captain. “Explain.”
As the other Alpha told him everything he’d observed from the fight, Levi found himself in a
slight panic. Never in his life had he worried about Alphas. They were just people to him, and
he did not care what they did as long as they stayed away from him. During his heats, he
locked himself into his house and got through it all alone. Was it fun? No. But that didn’t
matter to him. He never wanted anyone to touch him. No man ever aroused him. No one ever
interested him. But right now, he felt like his entire body was going to melt right into the
plush red carpet under his feet.
Heat was flooding his body. It was making him feel dizzy, like he was going to fall over. The
voice of the captain was fuzzy at best. The only thing he seemed able to focus on at all was
the man in front of him. He watched him, taking in the way his eyes moved and how he
nodded his head. So caught up in whatever was happening to him, Levi actually jumped
when the man beside him nudged his side. Instantly, he ripped his eyes away from the blond
and look up at the giant beside him.

“Are you deaf?” He asked and Levi just stared at him. “I told you to explain yourself to
Commander Smith.” He snapped.

“Uh…” Levi looked back at the man and now, those blue eyes were on him and God, they
were so intense. He shivered slightly, hoping they didn’t notice. “Those assholes were taking
forever to sort me. Then one tried to hit me. I stopped him and they got all bent out of shape
about it.” He explained, taking very shallow breaths. “Your men are shitty.”

“They were good enough to defeat your armies.” The Commander said, sending another
shiver through the omega.

“There’s a difference between the guys you have handling the omegas and the ones out there
on the field. And we both know it.” He ground out, trying to keep himself calm. He was
failing.

“Valid point. So, you’re not only a capable fighter but it seems you’re intelligent as well.”
Those blue eyes fell on the band on his arm. “An omega with no offspring? How old are
you?”

“Eighteen.”

“Are you barren?”

“Wouldn’t know.”

“Oh?”

“Never been with anyone to find out.”

“Untouched. Well, aren’t you full of surprises? Things just keep popping up, making you
more and more interesting.” Smith said, chuckling lightly. The sound of his laughter made
Levi shift uncomfortably. What the fuck was going on, here?

“What should we do with him?” The captain cut in. Smith just stared at him, and Levi made
the horrific realization that wetness was gathering between his legs.
“He made it clear to you that he’s not going to cooperate with any Noble families we try and
place him with. He’s a capable enough fighter that if we try, he’ll end up doing harm or
escaping. Maybe both.” He sighed and stood up. Levi tensed as the man came around the
desk and stood right in front of him. “But it would be a true loss to waste an omega like this.
Strong, smart… no. I suppose we could lock him down and breed him. Cut out his tongue
and break his legs…” He commented. Levi remained perfectly still, just staring up into those
almost glowing blue eyes. They caught the flames reflection, making them seem alive with
movement. “Or we could just break him in until he’s willing to be a good omega and serve
Marley as he’s meant to.”

“Commander…” Zacharius said. It took a moment, but the blond pulled his gaze away,
breaking their eye contact. He looked back at the captain and Levi looked straight down. “…
his scent.”

“I smell it.” The man grabbed Levi’s jaw and forced him to look back up. “Are you in heat?”
He asked.

“I… no… I mean, it’s not time…” He mumbled out. The second Smith had touched his skin,
it felt like the moments before a lightning strike. His skin tingled and his hair stood on end.
“It feels like it.” He finally admitted and the man nodded. He let go and Levi actually
stumbled forward. He’d been leaning into that grip so much that he lost his footing. He
placed a hand against the man’s chest to hold himself up. Smith grabbed his upper arms,
steadying him in place.

“Should I take him to medical?”

“No, I’ll deal with it.”

“Sir, he’s a virgin. Do you know what he’s worth? If the Premier…”

“Mike.” Smith said and glanced up at the other Alpha. “We can’t sell him. He’s too
unpredictable. If we gave him to a Noble family and he pulled anything, it will come back on
us.” He pointed out. Levi was barely listening. He leaned forward and actually rubbed his
face against the man’s chest, breathing in his enticing scent. “If I take this one, I’d be saving
us a lot of headache.” He added.

“I guess that’s a good point. And you’re entitled to some spoils from your victory. I’ll take his
name off the registry.” The captain gave in. “Shall I lock the door behind myself?” He asked.

“Yes please. Have my carriage brought up and ask my driver to wait for me. This won’t take
long. I’ll need to get him to my home quickly.” Smith said.

Levi was only slightly aware of what was happening around him. His whole body was on
fire, and he was so wet, he could feel slick dripping down the backs of his legs. His brain was
fuzzy and no matter how hard he tried to pay attention, everything was slipping by him. He
heard the man… Mike, leave the room. There was a soft click of the lock and then they were
alone. At that point, Levi was rubbing himself against the Alpha, his hands sliding over his
chest and down to his hips. There came a soft sound from him, like a purr. It was certainly
nothing he’d never done before.
When the man moved away, Levi whined and tried to follow him, but a strong grip held onto
his arms, keeping them slightly apart. With hazy eyes, he looked up and found those blue
eyes staring right at him. This man was gorgeous. Levi just kept leaning forward but he was
being held back. Why? Didn’t Alphas want to fuck omegas? Especially omegas who were
going into heat? As far as he’d ever been told, that was all they wanted. Breeding. It was the
most important thing that an omega and Alpha could do. Normally, he wanted nothing to do
with it but right now… right now, he wanted this Alpha inside him, knotting him and
breeding him.

“Look at me. Focus.” His voice broke through the haze and Levi looked at him. It was hard
but he focused as much as he could. “You’re going into heat because of me.” The man said,
still holding him back. “I think we’re a bond. Do you know what that means?”

“A bond.” Levi said and closed his eyes. It sounded so familiar. “A… like a fated pair?”

“Yes.” The man confirmed. “You felt it when you heard my voice? When you saw me?” He
asked.

“I don’t know what it was. It felt… like heat. A pull. I don’t know.”

“That’s right. I felt it the second I looked at you.” Levi looked back at him and frowned. “If
we have sex, I won’t be able to stop, and you will get pregnant. Do you understand?” Levi
nodded. “Do you want that?” The question caught him off guard. Why was this man asking?
Why did his opinion matter?

“What does it matter? Isn’t that why I’m here… to make babies for Marley?” He countered,
reaching up to weakly hold the man’s wrists.

“Do you want to get pregnant?” He asked again.

“…. No.” Levi finally admitted, though it went entirely against all his instincts in that
moment.

“Then you have to hold yourself together until I can get you to my home. I can keep you safe
there… away from me.”

“I don’t want to be away from you…”

“I know. But it’s just your heat talking. You were thrown into it because of me. If I stay away
from you until it passes… you’ll be fine.” Levi could see that this man was not as composed
as he’d seemed in front of his subordinate. His skin was flushed, and his pupils were blown
out, taking away almost all the blue of his eyes. “Can you get yourself together? Can you
control it?” He asked and swallowed hard. Levi watched the way his Adam’s apple bounced
and licked his lips.

“I can.” He said and closed his eyes. Levi pushed himself back, away from the other man. He
rubbed his face and tried to breath, but everything smelled like the Alpha. “Fuck.” He cursed
and glanced down at himself. He was rock hard and wet, though thankfully, it was not
showing through his clothes yet. “We need to go.”
“Yes, we do.” The Commander said and Levi turned to see him adjusting himself, clearly
trying to hide his own erection. “Take a moment to collect yourself.” He said and turned,
going to get things from his desk into a briefcase that had been sitting beside it. “We’ll feel
better outside in the open air…. And we’ll open the windows of the carriage. It’s cold but…”
he paused and looked back at Levi. “Shit.” The Alpha unbuttoned his jacket and shrugged it
off. He then placed it around Levi’s shoulders and stared down at him. “I know it smells like
me but it’s better than freezing out there, I’m sure.” He commented but did not move. When
Levi tried to touch him, he pulled away quickly and went back to his desk.

This was completely insane. A fated pair? That was just a fairy tale told to sub gendered
children, so they had some hope for their futures. It wasn’t real, right? Even as he thought
about it, he knew it was happening to them. The way he’d felt when he heard this man’s
voice, when he saw him for the first time. Shit, he was soaking wet and so turned on… going
into heat just from being around him. It had to be true…
A fated pair was a legend. Or so he’d thought. It was a bond between one Alpha and one
omega. Some people thought it meant they were soul mates, meant to be together and bonded
by fate. Others thought that it was something more logical like biology. A fated pair was
simply the combination of an Alpha and omega who were genetically perfect for one another
and would produce the healthiest, strongest offspring. Levi had never bothered to lean one
way or the other because he didn’t believe in childish things like soul mates. Alphas and
omegas could breed well together, big deal. Well, now he was seeing it from the inside and
had no idea what it really was. Was this Marley Commander his soul mate? He watched
Smith as he finished packing his case and then moved to the door. Or were they just
biologically predisposed to be together to make offspring? He had no idea and in the
beginning stages of his heat, he really had to make himself care.

“Come along. Stay close to me.” The blond said and unlocked the door. He held it open and
let Levi walk through before heading down the stairs. In this weakened state, it was hard for
Levi to keep up, but he did his best. The Alpha walked ahead of him, straightening out and
looking more like he had when they first met. He was hiding what was happening. “I’ll return
in the evening.” He heard Smith telling one of the soldiers that waited by the outer doors. “If
anything comes up, have Captain Zacharius deal with it. I want reports made for me to
review.” He ordered and the man saluted. Levi was then ushered towards a waiting carriage.
The Commander told the driver what they were doing and then climbed in as well.

“How far?” He asked and gathered himself into the corner of the carriage, across from where
the blond was taking his seat. Levi shoved the window open and breathed in the cold air.

“About an hour’s ride.”

“Stuck in here with your scent for an hour.” Levi groaned and rubbed his legs together. How
the hell were they going to do this?

“Just breath through the window.” The man said and slid his own window open to do the
same. As the carriage started to move, Levi whined softly. Every bump they hit made him
more aware of how wet and needy he really was. “Don’t do that.” The Alpha said and the
omega looked at him.

“What?”
“Whining.”

“Huh, why?” He asked.

“Because… it does things. Don’t you know anything about how Alphas and omegas work?”
He asked, sounding slightly irritated.

“No, not really.” Levi admitted.

“Well… it’s not just your scent that entices an Alpha. Everything about you is meant to lure
us in when you’re in heat. Your scent, the sounds you make, even the taste of your sweat and
other fluids.” He mumbled and swallowed hard. He adjusted himself again and Levi’s eyes
dropped down to where his hand was moving. The bulge under the fabric of his pants was…
not small. “So, when you start whining like that, it’s like a dinner bell. It makes me want to
come over there and sooth your needs…” He said, his voice painfully strained.

“I’ve never been around an Alpha… while I was in heat. Fuck, I’ve never even been around a
regular Beta. You’re… the first person who’s even seen me in heat… you and that captain.”

“Don’t talk about Mike.” Smith growled. “Don’t talk about other men at all, in fact.” There
was that Alpha jealousy.

“Don’t worry. I don’t want him or anyone else.” Levi huffed and watched the city pass by.
The sun was near to setting, making everything dimmer. “I don’t even really want you…
asshole who took over my entire fucking country…” Levi growled and closed his eyes. “But
my body does… it wants you so bad. I’ve never felt this way before….”

“Stop. Stop talking.”

“Sorry… can’t help it…” he groaned and reached down, rubbing himself through his pants.

“Stop.” His voice was slightly more aggressive this time.

“…can’t.” Levin moaned and dropped his head back against the seat. He cupped himself
through his pants and really started rubbing. The friction had him squirming in his seat. Soon,
his legs were spreading wide apart, and the scent of his arousal filled the carriage. “I can’t do
this…” he panted. “Please…”

“Fuck.” He heard the Commander say. Opening one eye, he watched the man cover his nose
and mouth with his hand, his eyes locked outside the window. He’d never seen an Alpha hold
themselves back. They always just took what they wanted. This one had some serious self
control. Eventually, their eyes met again, and the tension was so thick, he could almost taste
it in the air. “Take the pants off, come here.” The Alpha ordered and it sent a chill through his
body. Levi shrugged out of the jacket and quickly unbuttoned his pants. He shoved them off
and within seconds, he was on the other side of the carriage, crawling right up onto the
Alpha’s lap. “Don’t move.” Smith said and Levi shivered but stayed put, straddling his waist.
Slick dripped from him, falling down between the other’s spread thighs. The man worked his
pants open and when he finally got his cock out, Levi felt not only excitement but fear.
“Shit…” he breathed and reached out to touch it. However, his hand was stopped. He looked
up at the other.

“Hands on my shoulders.” Levi did as he was told. The blond grabbed his hips and pulled
him forward until their lengths rubbed together. The Alpha was so much bigger than him, it
felt like they were different species. When they touched, both of them hissed out in pleasure
and growing desire.

“Put it in… please…” Levi begged but the Alpha shook his head.

“No… we can’t. Not unless you want me to breed you.”

“I do…”

“No, you don’t.” He countered and Levi whined. The man was right but at the moment, he
just wanted to be filled by this man’s frighteningly large cock. “I can help… enough to get us
home.” He promised and then Levi felt a hand wrapping around them both. He looked down
and saw that the Commander was now stroking them both, pinning their cocks together.
“Focus on the pleasure…”

And he did. Levi closed his eyes and just focused on how good it felt to have any stimulation
at all. The Alpha was stroking them slowly at first but that didn’t last. Soon, he was pumping
them both, his fingers moving quickly up and down their shafts. It probably wasn’t as good
for him because Levi was smaller, and it kept him from stroking his entire length… but it
sure didn’t seem like the Alpha was going to complain. He groaned and panted heavily as he
moved. Levi could feel his hot breath on his lips, and it just made him want more.
Leaning up on his knees some, he started to thrust into the other’s hand, rubbing more against
the upper part of the blond’s cock rather than the base. The heads of their cocks slid against
one other, spreading clear fluid all over. The larger man’s lap had to be soaked but Levi didn’t
hear any complaints about it. He pressed his forehead against the other’s and panted against
his lips until their breath was mingled into one.
He gasped when the man’s other hand released his hip and instead moved behind him, sliding
down his ass. Levi was pressed closer to him and then, he felt fingers spreading him open.
This was something he definitely had never had someone else do. Sure, he’d fingered himself
during his heats, but it was an entirely different feeling to have someone else do it. The
Alpha’s fingers were much bigger than his own and when one digit started to rub at his
soaking entrance, he felt slightly afraid. Though, not enough to stop him from pushing
against that pressure. He wanted it inside. Anything inside, really. He got what he wanted.
The Alpha pushed one of his fingers inside. In heat, his body opened up immediately and
without much resistance. The second that digit started to shove inside; he came. Levi cried
out, loud enough for the driver to hear for sure. His fingers dug into the other’s shoulders,
and he dropped his head against the man’s neck. Between them, his cock spilled out his
release all over the Alpha’s hand, cock, and clothes. Everything went white and Levi was
totally lost to pleasure he’d never felt before. But it wasn’t over. The Alpha was still fucking
his finger into him and pumping them violently fast. The overstimulation had Levi squirming
and trying to escape but he was trapped there, forced to feel every ounce of pleasure that was
burning through him. The blond was groaning and growling against his ear, sending shivers
through him that shook his entire body.
Then he felt him cum. He shoved a second finger inside him, so deep that the omega nearly
shot up out of his lap. A thick heat spread out over his stomach and down over his thighs. He
knew it was the heavy release of an Alpha. He’d heard they came with a far larger volume
than omegas or Betas. Seemed that was true. That was something to worry about later. Right
now, he was entirely focused on trying to remember how to breath. No orgasm he’d ever had
was as good as the one he just experienced. And it was only from being touched… it wasn’t
even from actual sex. What would sex with this man even be like? How could it possibly be
better?

“Try to breath…” The Commander said in a husky, deep voice that vibrated right against his
ear.

Levi nodded and slowly wrapped his arms around the man’s neck. His omega instincts for
affection after release were kicking in. He even found himself gently running his tongue over
the Alpha’s neck, tasting the sweat on his skin right over his hammering pulse. Without
realizing it, he was rubbing himself against the man, grinding their now soft cocks together. It
wasn’t sexual… just a need to spread his scent all over the other. Like the omega way of
marking what was theirs. He felt exhaustion coming over him now, seeping into his every
limb and making him feel heavy. It was probably because he hadn’t slept in days and a
sudden, out of cycle heat, had hit him. His body was tired.

“Shit, I’m gonna pass out.” He mumbled and dropped his head onto the man’s shoulder.

“Good, you should sleep. This will be much easier if you’re asleep.” The Alpha agreed and
made him sit up. “But you can’t sleep on me. We’re a mess and if I have access to you…”
Well, they both knew what could happen. So, Levi nodded and with some help, he slipped off
the man’s lap. From his pocket, the blond pulled out what seemed to be some kind of
decorative pocket square or handkerchief. He handed it to Levi and then went to fixing his
pants. “Wipe yourself up a bit and put your pants back on.”

In a sleepy daze, Levi followed orders. He wiped up as much of the slick as he could, only
stopping when he watched the other lick their combined releases from his fingers and
knuckles. Blushing, Levi went back to what he was doing. Once his pants were on, he moved
onto his side of the carriage and sat against the window. He took the jacket that he’d had on
earlier and covered himself with it. He was barely even settled before he stated to nod off. All
this sudden activity after the hellacious weeks and months he’d had… Levi couldn’t keep
himself awake any longer. And for some completely unfathomable reason, he felt safe here.
He was with an Alpha Commander who had likely played a very big part in the overtaking of
his homeland. They’d just done something intensely intimate together… and he didn’t even
know this man’s first name. Somewhere behind all his exhaustion and his heat fueled desires,
Levi felt disgusted with himself. Not only that but he also felt confused. Why was this man
holding himself back? Why was he saving him from breeding entirely? Both from himself
and others? It made no sense at all. He was a Marley Commander… he should have either
killed Levi or locked him up to be bred like livestock. Was it all because of the connection
they felt? Was this Alpha only protecting him out of a selfish need to have him to himself or
because fate demanded he protect him? The omega’s mind was so heavy as he drifted off to
sleep. Maybe he’d be able to ask Smith about all this when they arrived at his home. For now,
he was just going to have to accept how things were going and see what was coming next.
 A Grand Prison
Chapter Summary

Arriving at the Commander's home, Levi finds himself trapped in a comfortable prison.
He must adjust to being in Erwin's home, meeting the people that the man chooses to
surround himself with. Learning to live within the boundaries set for him is difficult but
a new confession gives him more to cloud his already heavy mind.

The Commander’s house both amazed and infuriated Levi. It was huge, made from both
wood and stone. There was a gate to be passed through before following a path up through
what was probably a lovely garden. This time of year, everything was brown and lifeless.
Large pillars framed the front door, which had a pattern of intricate glass designs. On either
side, there were windows done with the same designs, held in place by polished wood. As
soon as they walked up, someone opened the door from inside. It was one of Smith’s
servants, of course.
The inside of the house was just as lavish. In the center of the foyer was a large grand
staircase that led up to a landing with a massive window that likely overlooked a back
garden. Glass lighting hung from the ceiling, twinkling and shaking a little as the door was
shut behind them. Wood flooring covered the ground, only broken up by the occasional rug.
Levi noticed that nearly everything in the house was done up in soft brows, pale blues, and
cream colors. It was really lovely and much better than all the gaudy reds and golds of the
military buildings. His silver eyes were wide as he took it all in. Tables were set here and
there with plants on them, or statues of things Levi didn’t know of.
The servant that opened the door for them was a man just a bit taller than Levi. He had sandy
colored hair and seemed a bit timid. The moment they were in, he took the jacket from Levi
and folded it over his arm. Even though they looked and probably smelled a bit of a mess, the
servant said nothing. He seemed to just be waiting for instructions. Levi stood awkwardly by
the front door as the Commander removed the bolo that was around his neck, as well as a
couple things from his pockets. For the first time, Levi realized he had a pistol under his arm.
Had that been there the whole time? It was all set onto a table by the door, then the man
turned to the servant.

“Moblit, please have Hanji come up to my bedroom. I need to see her right away. I’ll also
need plenty of fresh linens and whatever that medication it is that she’s been raving about.”
He said and reached down, placing a hand against the middle of Levi’s back. Before he knew
it, he was being ushered forward and up the stairs. “Levi, come along.”

The upper level of the house was just as nice. There were paintings on the walls in the hall.
They had to be Smith’s family. All the men looked like him. Strong jaws and bold brows,
sharp blue eyes… Some were individual portraits; others were of families. Levi took them in
but every step he took, he felt a little weaker. Just before they reached the double doors at the
end of the hallway, Levi had to stop and press his hand to the wall. The Alpha paused and
looked down at him.

“Sorry… I think another wave is starting…” He mumbled.

“Alright, in here.” He pushed open a door just before the double set. Levi slowly trailed in
after him. “I’ll give you your own room but for now, you can stay in here. My scent will
help.” He explained and shut the doors behind them.

This was definitely the master bedroom. It was huge and open. A fireplace with a huge
decorative mantel was to his left. There was a big painting hung over it that looked like some
religious scene. Horses charging across a burning field towards huge monsters that looked
almost human. It didn’t seem like the best choice for a bedroom. A big rug was placed in
front of the fireplace with armchairs. Levi could see books stacked up next to one of the
chairs. Papers were sticking out from the pages, probably notes. The bed was bigger than any
bed he’d ever seen but that made since because this Alpha was a large man. Wooden posts
stood up from each corner, holding up a lovely deep blue canopy. Curtains were tied to the
posts, but they could obviously be let down to enclose the matching bedding. It looked so
comfortable.
There was also a desk by the windows that was covered in books and scrolls. It was so piled
up, there was no way it was useable, but he was sure this man probably had a proper office
somewhere in the house. Levi was sort of stunned by all the literature in the room. Bookcases
along the wall were packed, stacks of books stood near every chair and table. There were
even some by the bed. This man really loved to read. Maybe that was how he got to be
Commander. Not just that but a Commander who just won a multiple year war against
another country. He had to be intelligent.

“Make yourself at home.” He said and walked over to a large wardrobe almost hidden by
stacks of books. Opening it up, he started pulling out fresh clothes for himself. “I’m going to
clean up and then I’ll likely head back to the base.”

“You’re not staying…?” He asked and spread his fingers out over the soft comforter on the
bed. He could smell the Commander’s scent strong here and it made him shiver.

“Absolutely not.” He said casually and started unbuttoning his shirt. “You’ll be safe here to
get through your heat. I have a woman named Hanji Zoe who runs the house in my absence.
She’s a bit odd but harmless unless the need should arise for her to be otherwise. She’ll make
sure you’re well taken care of.” Levi could tell he was trying hard not to even look at him. “I
have a lot of work to do now that the war has ended and…” he hesitated, glancing over. “If I
stay here, we both know what is going to happen.”

Yes, he knew, indeed. Just thinking about it was making him wet again. His heat was about to
flare up again. He could feel the warmth pooling inside him, and he was becoming more
aware of the Alpha on the other side of the room. The omega was trying to keep his head
clear but every passing second, it was getting harder to do so. Slowly, he climbed into the bed
while he still had the strength to do so. Everything smelled like the Alpha. He leaned to the
side and pressed his face into the other’s pillows. He breathed in that scent and shivered.
“Stay in this room until your heat is over.” Smith told him. Levi glanced over and watched
the man unzipping his pants to change those as well.

“You could just stay a little while… just one more time…” Levi said, making it clear that he
wouldn’t mind the man getting them off again. He’d never had anyone help during his heat
and already, and he felt addicted. Or maybe he was just addicted to the man, himself.

“That is not a good idea.” He said but looked over. “Being in the carriage made it easier to
hold back but here…” He shook his head.

“Fuck.” Levi groaned and flopped backwards. He pressed his hands against his eyes and tried
to calm himself. This wasn’t like him at all. In fact, he felt like a completely different person.
Suffering during his heat was one thing. Wanting an Alpha to fuck him was something
entirely different. All he could think about was that man’s thick cock sliding inside him,
totally filling him up. Pumping into him, swelling… “Mmmmm what is wrong with me…?”
He whined.

“You’re in heat and you’re around me. I told you. We’re a bond. I feel it and clearly you do.”
He said, but now his voice sounded closer and more strained. Levi moved his hands down
and got his pants open. He needed them off. “Can you wait to do that? Hanji is on her way
up.”

“No. Can’t wait anymore…” Levi panted and shoved them off as fast as he could. The second
he was free, he started stroking himself. It was already not enough. “Fuck… stay... please.”

“I can’t…” Apparently it was a losing battle because just a few seconds later, he felt the bed
pressing down to either side of him. When Levi opened his eyes and looked up, the Alpha
was there. “Damnit.” He cursed and then his lips were on the omega’s neck. “We can’t do
this…” he groaned and grabbed Levi’s hands. He pinned them both over his head and kept
eagerly biting and sucking at his neck. The omega whined, squirming under him as he looked
for some kind of friction.

“Aht! No no no!” Levi’s body tensed when a female voice snapped loud into the room.
“Erwin, off!” She called and the Alpha groaned. He sighed heavily against Levi’s neck and
then slowly rolled to lay on his side next to the omega.

“Wonderful timing, Hanji.” The man growled, clearly not actually pleased with her
interruption. Levi wasn’t really able to pay attention, though. His heat was fully hitting again,
thanks to Smith’s… no, Erwin’s attention. He finally had a name for him. “Could have waited
another few minutes.” He said while Levi rolled to face him. The omega was busy rubbing
himself against the other, grinding his exposed length against the other’s body, any part of
him that he could get to.

“Another few minutes and you’d be busy making babies.” She huffed.

“Yes.” Levi hummed and threw one leg over the Alpha. “Let’s do that… right now…” He
groaned. Erwin’s fingers slid up his thigh, moving towards his backside. Levi hummed,
wanting more but then… it was all ruined. Suddenly water splashed over them, and Levi
jerked upright, wiping it from his face. “What the fuck was that?” He growled. Erwin also sat
up, wiping himself off.

“You are not thinking straight because you’re in baby making mode. We’re not doing that
because I know damn well Erwin doesn’t want that and you’re an Eldian prisoner, so you
don’t want to get knocked up by a Marley Commander.” Came the woman’s voice.

Looking up, he finally got to see who it was that had disturbed them. It was a woman, though
she was not dressed like any woman he’d ever seen. Instead of a dress or skirt, she wore
slacks and a button up shirt. Glasses rested on her nose, making her brown eyes seem bigger.
Her hair was a tad messy but pulled mostly up away from her face. One hand rested on her
hip; the other was holding up a now empty pitcher of water.

“I’ll go get more. Don’t test me.” She said and narrowed her eyes.

“No no…” Erwin said and slid out of the bed. Levi shivered and shook himself, water flying
off his hair. “Thank you, Hanji…” The Alpha said and straightened himself out. “That was
not going to end if you hadn’t come in.” He added and walked to the other side of the room,
far away from where Levi still sat on the bed.

“No problem, boss. So… what’s with the omega?” She asked, looking Levi over. Her gaze
made him move further into the bed, pulling the blanket up over himself.

“He’s mine.”

“Yours?” She asked and gave the man a questioning look. “Erwin, we don’t…”

“I know.” The man said and smoothed a hand through his damp blond hair. “But this one is
different. He’s mine. My bond.”

“Holy shit, really!? That’s amazing!” Her excitement was obvious as she moved over to the
bed and leaned on it, looking closer at the other. Levi leaned back but he was too weak to
really do much. He felt incredibly hot, and his body was aching all over. “Are you gonna
mark him?” She asked, adjusting her glasses.

“No. Not now, anyway.” Erwin answered and Levi felt something like disappointment hit
him. But that was probably must more of the heat kicking in. Omegas in heat wanted to be
bred and marked.

“Hmm you shouldn’t wait too long, you know. Don’t want someone else coming in and
taking him away.” She teased. Erwin actually growled. It was a low and dangerous sound.

“No one is coming near him. That’s why I brought him here.” He said and pulled on a new,
dry shirt. “I want you to take care of him while I’m gone.”

“Wait, you’re leaving?” Hanji asked and pulled away from the omega. Levi sighed in slight
relief. “Erwin, he’s in heat. He’s going to suffer without you here.” She said, sounding almost
sad. “I know the formula I came up with works. We gave it to those other omegas, and it
helped them….”
“It helped them after they were raped. It’s not the same thing.” Erwin countered.

Levi had no idea what was going on anymore. They were talking about things that he didn’t
understand and in his current state, he couldn’t hope to keep up. The omega whined and
rubbed at himself. He was caring less and less who was in the room. He just needed some
relief. The other two seemed to be ignoring him anyway. Well, Hanji was. Erwin was
probably very aware of him and what he was doing. His scent was thick in the room, filled
with needy, aroused pheromones. He rubbed his cock under the blanket and just tried to get
something. Any kind of relief.

“If he takes it right after his heat, nothing is going to happen. You know that right. It’s not
enough time to really even consider it life…” Hanji was still explaining.

“I can’t, Hanji. I’m not going to do that to him or make him make that choice.”

“The whole point of a fated pair is to have babies, you know. Eventually it will happen.” He
heard Hanji argue. They were talking about his body… at least Erwin seemed on his side.

“It doesn’t have to. It’s too dangerous. I… this was the worst timing for us to meet.” His
voice almost sounded sad.

“Either leave or come fuck me!” Levi finally snapped. He couldn’t take this anymore. They
were chatting so fucking casually while he was sitting here jerking off, soaking in his own
desire with nothing to do but try and get himself off. His heat was making him needy and
very irritable that he was not getting what he so craved.

“Damn, you really got landed with a spicy one, huh?” The woman laughed. Levi growled and
she made a surprised little sound of her own. “Why don’t you just let him decide, then?” She
asked and there was a silence. Levi sat up, glaring at them both. He swayed a little, the fever
making him uneven.

“Decide what?”

“I’ve got this stuff right here.” Hanji said. She walked over and shoved a pillow over his lap.
“This prevents pregnancy.” She explained, waving a little bottle in front of him.

“It ends pregnancy.” Erwin countered, still remaining flush against the door on the other side
of the room. “You drink it after you’ve mated, and it ends any life that you might be
growing…” The man sounded bitter and unhappy by it. Levi closed his eyes and took a deep
breath, trying to think.

“And you’re asking me if I want to let him fuck me… then take that stuff?” He asked.

“Yep!” The woman said, her voice far too peppy for a subject like this.

“No.” Levi said and rolled onto his side, facing away from both of them.

“What do you mean, no?” She asked, sounding totally crestfallen. “This will let you get
through your heat with your mate without having to worry about any little Eldian Marley
hybrids running around….”
“He’s not my mate and I don’t need help. I’ve dealt with my heat for five years by myself. I
can deal with it now.” He mumbled and pulled the blankets up over his entire body.

“But you said…” Hanji started but Erwin cut her off.

“Leave him alone. Consider what he’s been through.” The man pointed out. Levi bit his
tongue, wanting to snap that all he’d been through was because of the Alpha and his
relentless countrymen. But he kept quiet and just let himself settle.

“Fine… I’ll go make sure we have clean sheets.” He heard her walking away. “Probably
should say something before you just up and leave him here…” The woman said in a voice
that was probably supposed to be hushed but Levi got the distinct impression that Hanji
didn’t know how to whisper in the first place. When the door shut, a silence fell over the
room and if it weren’t for the strange pull he felt towards the Alpha, he might have thought
he left as well.

“When I return…” Erwin’s voice was closer now. Levi felt the bed dip slightly as the man sat
down behind him. “…we can talk about everything. Things will be much easier when you’re
out of your heat and we can talk with clear heads.”

“If we’re mates like you claim we are… is this just going to keep happening?” He asked.

Really, he didn’t know that much about all this. Over the years, he’d heard this or that but
mostly, Levi only had the stories his mother told him to go off of. If fated mates were
supposed to be so biologically perfect for one another, he’d heard that they were always
going at it. Like rabbits. Right now, that was all that was really on his mind. Sure, he was
holding it together to have a conversation but inside, he was screaming. He wanted Erwin to
breed him. During his past heats, he’d just wanted to be fucked. It really didn’t matter who
was doing it. But now, his body was specifically wanting this Alpha. He felt like some void
had been filled and no one else mattered… was that part of this bond that Erwin claimed they
had or was it just because the man was close by, like a matter of convenience?

“…it’s possible.” Erwin said and drew him from his thoughts. “As far as I know, when a pair
meets, this is what they want...” He felt the man place a hand on his hip over the blanket.
Levi shivered at the touch. “If I were to mark you, it would stop, though. We would only feel
this intense need during your heat cycles.”

Marking. That was not something Levi felt he was ready for. For Alphas and omegas, a mark
was more binding than marriage. Well, for the omega. An Alpha could mark and bind an
omega to them, completely changing who they were. That was what scared Levi. If an Alpha
were to bite his nape, it would change his body on a chemical level… or so he’d been told.
He’d belong to Erwin, only want Erwin, only be able to be bred by Erwin. So much
dependency scared him. Levi never had relied on anyone. Not since his mother died. Sure,
Kenny had taught him how to survive but then the man was gone, and he was on his own. To
think he’d need an Alpha… it was not something he embraced, exactly. But if he was stuck
with Erwin, here in Marley… wouldn’t his life be a hell of a lot better if he just allowed it to
happen? Then he’d belong to him officially and no one here could touch him…

“Are you going to be alright?” Erwin asked.

“Like I said…I’ve made it every heat so far by myself.” Levi mumbled.

“Of course.” The hand stayed on his hip for another few moments before he felt Erwin stand
up. “I’ll come back in a few days. You should be feeling better by then. We can discuss how
this will all work, amongst other things, when I return. If you need anything, Hanji will be
running the house. She’ll get you whatever you need.”

“Am I your prisoner?”

“What?”

“Am I your prisoner?” Levi repeated.

“On the surface? Yes. At least for now. I claimed you as a spoil of war, as I’m entitled to. It
should keep anyone from trying to remove you from my home.” He answered but they both
knew that if he were marked, he’d be safer.

“Right.”

“I’ll be back in a few days.”

Levi was silent and kept his body facing away. He heard Erwin go and finish getting dressed.
There was a silence and then, the door opened and shut once more. This time, he was alone.
The omega took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. For the first time, the world slowed
down. He was alone, he was relatively safe, and he didn’t have someone breathing down his
neck. There were no soldiers, no doctors, nothing. He was in a huge comfortable bed, and he
was being left alone. Sure, his body almost instantly ached when Erwin left but he could deal
with that. All he had to do was get through his heat and then he’d be clear headed and able to
figure out what to do next. Maybe, if he could figure out a plan fast enough, he could get out
of here before the Alpha returned and fucked it all up.

While Erwin was gone, Levi suffered. He suffered worse than he’d ever suffered before.
During his heats in the past, he could lock himself up in his house and jerk off or fuck
himself with his fingers to get some relief. This time, there was no relief at all. It didn’t
matter how hard he tried, how rough or gentle… nothing worked. He could’t orgasm. He
even tried thinking about Erwin and what they did in the carriage, but it would just get him
right to the edge… then no party. Levi wanted to scream. Hanji checked on him sometimes
but apparently the fury he felt towards Erwin was pretty obvious and she’d quickly leave.
And yes, he was pissed off at the Alpha. The moment the man came into his life, his body
decided to go rogue. It wanted Erwin and that was it. Just thinking about the man made his
body hotter and his mind go into a sputtering mess. He was perfectly fine until he met Erwin
Smith. The Commander completely fucked up his entire life. In more ways than one.
Destroyed his home, enslaved his people, dragged him here… and how he was expected to be
his little house omega and make babies for him? Yeah right. There was no way in hell he was
going to follow along with this.

By the end of the third day in Erwin’s house, Levi was finally started to feel back to normal.
His heats normally lasted about a week but apparently the introduction of Erwin into his life
had changed that. Not being around the Alpha had made it shorter. That was what Hanji said
when she’d checked on him the night before. Away from Erwin, heats were short. With
Erwin, they might be longer… blah blah something about omega biology… he hadn’t paid
attention. He just been too exhausted to really listen to her. That morning, she returned, and
Levi was starting to wonder if she ever ran out of her incredible amount of energy.

“Good morning, sleepy head! We brought you breakfast! Seems like your heat is ending and
you haven’t eaten in days, so we must make sure to get something into you. If Erwin comes
back and you’re starving, he’s gonna kill me.” She said, all in one breath. Levi groaned and
pulled the pillow over his head, trying to avoid her voice. “Nope. I don’t think so, mister. We
need to get you up and out of those sheets. Seriously, it’s gross. All omega gooey.” He lifted
his head and glared at her. “Hey, it’s facts. Just accept it. Come on. You can take a bath, have
some toast and then we’ll get you dressed.”

Finally, he looked around, more aware. Hanji was standing by the bed, her hands on her hips.
Today, she was wearing a deep blue button up with black slacks. She had a gray tie on as
well. None of this was how ladies dressed but he’d gathered that Hanji was definitely not a
lady in the traditional sense. Back behind her, the guy named Moblit came in. He placed a
tray on the bedside table and then went through another door that led into the bathroom. The
sound of running water came and he knew the man was running him a bath. That was perfect
because he felt completely disgusting.

“I’ll send word to Erwin that you’re finally coming out of your heat. He has a lot he wants to
talk to you about.” She said and offered him a robe to put on. He’d shed all his clothing at
some point, feeling too hot and sticky to keep anything on.

“Like what? How he wants his cock sucked or what names he’s already picked out for our
kids…?” He muttered and stood up, taking the robe and pulling it on.

“I really think you’ve gotten the wrong idea about him.” The woman said, her once happy
face falling into a frown. “Erwin isn’t like that.”

“No? He’s the Commander of the army that took over my homeland, abducted all the omegas
and Alphas and is now selling them off to noble families as breeding tools. Explain to me
exactly how I’ve gotten the wrong idea.” He snapped.

“You don’t know the whole story. He’ll explain everything.”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“Don’t you think it’s weird that he didn’t immediately take you when you went into heat?
That he was working so hard to control himself around you? If he were really as bad as you
say he is, he would have taken you in his office, in the carriage, and spent the last three days
pounding you into that bed.” She said, her voice just a little sharper. “Instead, he left you in a
safe, comfortable place where you had people to watch over you. He left so that he was not a
threat to you… and he obviously did not want to knock you up.” She explained. Levi stared
at the ground, weighing her words. On those points, she was right. But it just made no sense.
“When he gets back, he’ll explain. All I want is for you to at least listen to what he says. If
you’re his mate like he believes… you two are meant to be together and…”
“No. No, we are not talking about that.” Levi said and walked over to the tray. He lifted a cup
of dark liquid and sniffed it. “What is this?”

“It’s coffee.” She answered and sighed. “Fated pairs are really rare and super serious, Levi.
You really need to…”

“And this?” He asked, holding up a container of cream. “Why is this here?”

“For the coffee. You add it in, with sugar. Will you please pay attention to me?” She huffed,
looking defeated.

“Listen.” Levi set the container back down and turned to look at her. “I don’t want a mate. I
don’t want anyone. I have lived my life so far on my own and it works for me. I don’t want to
belong to an Alpha. I don’t want to be his pretty little omega, at home taking care of his
house while he’s off destroying other countries and enslaving more people. I don’t want to
bend over for him whenever he wants or pop out his fucking litter of little brats. I want to go
home, back to my farm with the people there that I can mostly tolerate. That is what I want.
Just because I might be fated to be with him, doesn’t mean I have to. I’m an adult omega
who’s never been had. I beat the odds so far; I can continue to do so.”

“…I wish he was here. He’s so much better at talking than I am.” Hanji mumbled. Levi stared
at her as he brought up a piece of toast and took a bite of it. “I guess… I should tell you not to
try and leave.” She said and Levi lifted a brow. “Guards. And dogs. No one gets in or out
unless Erwin wants them to. So, for now, just… sit tight. Enjoy this house.” She suggested
and turned, walking into the bathroom, probably to check on the tub and Moblit.

Levi moved some books out of a chair by the table and sat down. He made the coffee up until
he got it how he could drink it and then ate breakfast. As pissed off and upset as he was, his
body was on empty. Days of being in heat had drained him and he had nothing left. A meal
and a bath would do him good. Hanji was going to tell Erwin to come home, meaning the
asshole would probably be there by nightfall, assuming he didn’t have things to attend to.
Having the Alpha back in the house did make him nervous. He didn’t want to be attracted to
him. He didn’t want to get thrown into another heat. It seemed Erwin was going to want to
talk to him and Levi just was not in the mood. Didn’t they realize that he was their prisoner
and had no interest in their shitty methods of trying to make themselves seem like good
people?

After he ate, Levi went into the bathroom and shooed Hanji and Moblit out. He locked the
door and sank down into the hot water, just letting it take over his entire body. After days of
being so tense he thought he might snap, it all felt good on his muscles. Sunshine was
pouring in through a frosted glass window, making all the white tile in the room really stand
out and seem to glow. The omega looked around, taking it in. The bathroom was big…
everything in this damn house was big. The tub was on a lifted portion of the floor by the
windows. There was a toilet in its own little sectioned off area and the vanity was massive,
taking up one wall. It had mirrors, sinks, and space for Erwin’s things. He could see a razor
set, containers for shaving cream, cologne, and other things he didn’t recognize. There were
towels and different kinds of soaps… this man lived so unnecessarily luxuriously. That was
something Levi probably wouldn’t be able to get used to if he was to stay.
Here and there, Moblit would knock on the door just to check on him. Levi would assure the
man he was fine and then he’d be left alone again for a while. When the water finally started
to cool, he let it drain through a pipe in the floor… which was crazy… and got out. The towel
he tried off with was like the size of a blanket compared to his small body. But it was fluffy
and warm, so he didn’t complain. Wrapping it around himself, he padded over to the vanity
and just looked it over. He touched a few things, opened some bottles and sniffed them, and
ran his fingers over the smooth marble that the countertop was made of. This bathroom was
probably worth more than every house in his hometown. It was hard to believe that people
lived this way. He’d never even seen a tub that large that could also drain water out through a
pipe. It was like magic to him, really.
The bedroom was empty when he came out. There was a neatly folded pile of clothes on the
now made bed. Fresh silver sheets had been put on, replacing the blue ones he’d mucked up
during his heat. Levi dropped the towel and got dressed quickly. They gave him a white tunic
style top with long sleeves. It had laces at the neck, but he left them untied. They’d also
provided a pair of dark slacks, some socks, and the shoes he’d worn when he got to the
house. Levi left the shoes off and walked to the door in his socks.
Listening against the door, he waited but no sound came. So, he slowly eased the door open
and peaked outside into the hall. It was empty. No voices, no footsteps… wherever Hanji and
Moblit had gone, it did not appear they were on the second floor. Though he felt a need to
sneak, Levi didn’t bother. He walked out of the room and strolled down the hall. His fingers
ran over the railing that kept one safe from tumbling to the lower level. At the end of the hall
were the double doors he’d seen his first night here. Reaching out, he turned the handles and
was surprised to feel them give. For some reason, he’d just thought they would be locked.
The room on the other side of the doors was slightly smaller than the bedroom but not by
much. A row of three floor to ceiling length windows were at the other end, letting in enough
natural light to illuminate the entire space. On both sides of him, there were bookcases of the
same length, stretching from the floor to the ceiling overhead. And they were all completely
packed. There was not one free space on a single shelf. The head of the room had a large
wooden desk not unlike the one he’d seen in Erwin’s office in the city. Here, there were even
more things piled onto it, with just a small space for one to work in. A large circular coffee
table sat between himself and the desk. Worn leather sofas framed it on either side and upon
it, a massive map was laid out. It had small figures on it, notes sketched here and there and
looked beyond well used.
Levi frowned as he moved to one of the bookshelves, finding it covered in dust. When was
the last time anyone cleaned this room? The only places that weren’t dusty were the spots
Erwin had obviously been working in. His desk, the table, and some piles of books that were
lest scattered about the furniture. Placing his hands on his hips, he looked around. Did this
man just live for books?

“Oh! I… what are you doing in here?” Levi turned around and found himself looking at a
tiny girl. She had to be younger than him. She was short with vibrant red hair and golden
eyes that were as big as dinner plates at the moment. She wore a plain dark green dress with
matching slippers on her tiny feet.

“I’m looking around.” He said honestly and went back to strolling about the room.

“This is Commander Smith’s private office. I really don’t think you should be in here…” She
girl mumbled.
“Yeah well, apparently I’m Commander Smith’s private mate. So, I’m going to do what I
want.” Levi said, deciding that if he had to hold that title, he might as well use it for
something. “Who are you?”

“His mate… oh my… I’m Petra, sir. I work for Commander Smith as a maid here.”

“Don’t call me sir. Just call me Levi. And if you’re the maid, you’re doing a pretty shitty job.
Look at this place.”

“He doesn’t let anyone clean in here. We’re actually not supposed to come in here at all.” She
said, looking around nervously. “I really think you should come out with me.”

“Nah.” He turned and looked at her, his sharp silver gaze digging into the girl. “I’m gonna
clean this room. It’s making me sick.”

“You can’t! He’ll be upset if anyone touches his things!”

“Let him be upset. What’s he going to do to me?” Levi scoffed. “I’m his prisoner already and
he claims I’m his mate so…” He shrugged. “I need hot water, clean rags, a mop… you know
what, just show me what you have.” He said and approached her. The girl just stared at him
with her wide eyes. “If he gets mad, I’ll take care of it. I won’t even mention I saw you.”

“Okay…” Petra said and turned, heading out. Levi followed her, feeling better already to be
doing something normal.

Erwin’s office was truly disgusting but cleaning it actually made Levi feel much better. He
hated clutter and filth more than anything. The girl at the pub back home had loved him
because he would come in after the weekend and help her to get the place back into shape. He
was pretty sure she’d liked him for more than just his cleaning skills, but he’d avoided that
entirely. Omega males couldn’t get anyone pregnant, and that girl deserved a family of her
own one day. That and he didn’t like women. There was a lot working against that
relationship.
For a few hours, he focused on cleaning. Petra would occasionally peak in on him and once
or twice, Hanji would swing by to tell him what a good job he was doing. He dragged the
bookcase ladder around, climbing it so he could dust every shelf, even the ones that would
normally be out of reach. He scrubbed the shelves, neatly stacked the books in safer piles out
of the way and mopped the wooden parts of the floor. He was just about to move to the desk
when he heard the floor creak behind him. Assuming it was Petra once again, Levi ignored
the sound and set his mop and bucket aside.

“You’re not a servant here, you know.” That deep voice hit his hears and Levi froze. His heart
immediately started to hammer but he did all he could not to show his reaction. Instead, he
stood up and cracked his back before glancing over his shoulder.

“You should let your actual servants clean this room, then.” He commented and finally turned
around. Erwin stood in the doorway, his long tan military jacket still on. He seemed tired but
Levi said nothing about it. “Just get in?” He asked.
“Yes, actually. Hanji sent word that you were feeling better, so I decided to come back and
check in on you. I wasn’t expecting to find you cleaning my house. I’m sure someone told
you not to be in here.” He added, appearing amused.

“Yeah well… cleaning helps me to ground myself. It makes me feel normal.” He explained
and leaned backwards against Erwin’s desk. “The little redhead told me that she’s not
allowed to clean in here and that I should leave. I told her that it’s disgusting in here and I’m
cleaning it.”

“Seems you also told her that you’re my mate and… what was it… oh, you do what you
want.” He chuckled and stepped into the office. He pulled off his jacket and hung it up on the
coat stand by the doors. Then he slowly shut them. Levi narrowed his eyes.

“If you’re gonna stick me with that title, I might as well get something out of it.”

“Being my mate will get you far more than just the right to clean my office.” The blond
pointed out and walked over. He strolled right past Levi and went to sit at his cluttered desk.
“You really should wait to judge until you know all the facts.”

“I know what it means to be bound to an Alpha.”

“I’m not sure how you did things in Eldia but here, the difference between being marked by
an Alpha and being a true pair is quite expansive. A marked omega merely belongs to an
Alpha and is subservient to them. A true pair is a partnership. We’re equals, Levi.”

“Like hell.” He snapped and turned around, placing his hands on the desk so that they were
staring at one another. “Who the hell would accept an Eldian, omega male as your equal?”

“Everyone here.” Erwin countered and stared right back at him. “You don’t seem to realize
the significance of this. The odds of ever finding your perfect match are unmeasurable. It’s a
miracle, really. So, when it happens, it’s unquestioned. The second we met, everything
changed. You no longer will be seen as an Eldian prisoner. You’re a Marleyan. You’re my
mate and equal to me.”

“So, I can leave if I want?”

“If you want to go out to the city, for walks…”

“But I’m not allowed to go home?”

“This is your home.”

“Fuck you. You know what I mean.” Levi growled, irritated with the Alpha already.

“Levi, you’re not marked. The mark makes it official. Just telling people that you’re my mate
does not make it fact. A bond mark on your neck does. The mark between fated mates never
fades or goes away. If I mark you, no one can ever question it again. Within reason, you can
do as you please. You’re an official Marleyan citizen and will be respected as such.”

“Only if I’m marked.”

“Only if you’re marked.”

They stared at each other for a while before Levi huffed and pushed away. He went to one of
the sofas and dropped down onto it. So, he could be free… within Marley. He could never go
home or have his old life back. From now on, he had to stay with Erwin and give all that up.
Something inside him rejoiced at the idea of staying with the Alpha. But the person he was…
just wanted everything to go back to how it had been before. He wanted to return to Eldia,
have his farm, and pretend the war wasn’t even a thing that was happening. That wasn’t
realistic.

“What happens if I kill myself?” Levi asked and glanced over. Erwin looked back at him with
an even gaze.

“If one of us dies, it will break the other.”

“How do you know?”

“Because we’re connected, Levi. And once marked, it will be even stronger. We’ll know
when the other is hurt or suffering. We’ll be able to feel it. If something happened to you… I
would likely soon follow.”

“You’d off yourself if I did?”

“No. But I doubt I’d make it long. Do you really not feel a connection to me at all?” He
asked, tilting his head. Levi hated that he thought it was cute.

“I feel something.” He said honestly. “But I don’t know what it is. It’s like… this pull. I want
to be near you. While you were gone, it was awful. I wanted to crawl out of that bed and find
you, even if I had to drag myself.” He grumbled and looked away. “And… I couldn’t fucking
do anything while I was alone.” He admitted.

“…I know exactly what you mean.” Erwin said back and Levi shot a glance his way once
more. “While I was in the city, it was hard not to think about you being here, in heat. I tried to
alleviate the pressure I was feeling but it didn’t work. I had no idea that would happen. It’s
been horribly frustrating.”

“Are you telling me that now, we can’t even get off unless we’re together?”

“Seems like it.”

“Fuck.” Levi groaned and dropped his head back against the sofa. How was he ever going to
make it through another heat if he couldn’t even get himself to climax anymore?

“May I ask you something?” Erwin asked, breaking him from his self pity.

“Sure.”

“When Hanji offered you that elixir of hers… why did you say no?”

“You said no to it, too.”

“I know my reasons. I want to know yours.”

“Well…” Levi hesitated and thought back through the haze of his heat to that moment. He
could picture the little brown bottle of fluid that she’d held up. “Preventing a pregnancy is
one thing… ending one…” he shrugged. “It felt wrong. I mean. I don’t want to get pregnant.
Especially by some Marley prick like you. But if I did… I’m not gonna just kill it off. A baby
didn’t do anything wrong to deserve that. And… it would be half me so…” This felt very
strange to talk about.

“I see.”

“Why wouldn’t you use it? Some Alpha need to procreate?” Levi asked.

“All Alphas want to breed. It’s in our genes. But no, that’s not really it.” Erwin said and
leaned back in his chair. “You’re my mate. We’re meant to be together and have a family. I do
not want children right now and maybe I never will. My body wants that, but I’m not
controlled by it. Now is certainly not the time to do something like that. But I cannot fathom
the idea of being with you, bonding with you in that way and creating a life… only to end it.”
He admitted and Levi felt his heart speed up. Something about the way he worded it all… it
just struck him right in the chest. Erwin never said anything crude like he did. He didn’t call
it fucking or anything like that. It seemed so much more poetic coming from him.

“Why do you guys have that medicine, then?” He asked, trying to distract himself.

“That’s what I had hoped to talk to you about.” Erwin stood up and walked over to one of the
bookshelves on the right side of the room. He tapped his fingers along the spines until he
found the one he must have been looking for. Pulling it out, he fished a paper from within the
pages and turned around, holding it out to Levi. “Have you ever seen this before?” He asked.

“What is it…?” Levi took the paper and stared down at it. It was a printed sheet, like
newspapers he’d seen. There were two wings over lapping with a frame around them.
Beneath it, words read ‘Wings of Freedom’. “No, I don’t think so.” He admitted and handed
it back. Erwin tucked it away again and put the book back. He then sat on the sofa across
from the omega.

“The Wings of Freedom. It’s an underground organization that is working to free omegas in
Marley from their bondage as breeding tools.” Erwin said and Levi just stared at him. What
was happening? “They are often referred to as the Scouts because most of what they do
involves scouting out safe routes, targets, and so on. The medicine that Hanji showed you is
used for omegas who were raped or carry pregnancies that they cannot bare to continue. It’s
to help them so that they can escape and start new lives.”

“And… you’re trying to stop this organization?” Levi asked, watching the man closely.
Erwin smiled as he looked across the large map covered table at him.

“Levi, I am the organization.”

 Ever Changing Winds
Chapter Summary

Levi learns more about what is going on around him but life in Erwin's house is proving
to be more difficult than he'd imagined. After sharing a close evening with his captor,
the omega puts a wall up between them, only causing more stress and struggle for
everyone.

Chapter Notes

NSFW Warning.

To say things were a bit different after Erwin’s confession was to make an exceptional
understatement. Levi could have never expected such a thing to come out of the Alpha’s
mouth. He was helping omegas and Alphas to escape Marley… after he was the whole reason
they were captured in the first place? It seemed, though, that Levi was not entirely educated
on how this country, or their military worked. Thankfully, Erwin and Hanji had sat down and
tried to explain it all to him.
Marley was a massive empire, growing all the time as they fought and took over surrounding
lands. They actually had a King, like Eldia, that sat at the top and from there, their order
broke down into different factions. The High Military was what Erwin was part of and even
though the omega had thought him to be the leader, he was not. He was merely the
Commander of this particular area. There were three other Commanders in the HM.
Apparently there was also something called the Garrison, which controlled the sections of the
military centered on the defense of their current lands. Then there was the Military Police that
basically served as law enforcement. And there were other things, he was losing interest at
that point.
Erwin worked under someone called the Premier. He was the man that took charge of all the
factions and then worked directly under the King. The Premier decided who and when to
attack. He was the one that made Marley attack Eldia. When asked why he would participate
in such a thing, his answer was simple. Erwin was one man. And if he had tried to take down
the system as just one man on the outside, he’d fail, and nothing would ever change. From
inside the military, he could do more and have further reach. In a lot of ways, it made sense.
He knew all their movements because he was the one making them. And he could access
information that would never have been within reach outside of his rank. Commander Smith
knew everything going on in the military and knew how to work around it. Citizen Smith
would have had to try and make connections inside and rely on others. Levi supposed he
couldn’t be angry with the man for those decision but there was still much to blame him for.
Erwin and Hanji worked together with a system of other people all throughout Marley in
order to operate their little underground organization. Moblit and Petra were part of it, as well
as the Captain Levi had met before, Mike Zacharius. Apparently, there were many others,
spread throughout empire and outside it. They worked together to try and save as many
omegas and Alphas as they were able. They prioritized children and younger folks but did
what they could for them all. Levi had been flagged as high priority even before he and
Erwin met. Given that he was still a virgin and had never been forced to have children, they
wanted to get him out before that could happen. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that
information.
In his mind, there were others who deserved to be saved far more than himself. Didn’t most
decent people think that way, though? Erwin explained that it was very difficult to do this
because some households were willing to work with them to get their omegas out. The
problem was, if ten omegas escaped one house, that house would be in danger and looked
upon as traitors. The blame would go on them. So, they had to constantly try and rotate,
looking for more people to take in the omegas. Some could not help them escape but at least
were able to give them good homes. Hanji explained that when it was not safe to move them
out, omegas could potentially be placed in homes where they could live without fear and
without being used. It still seemed like enslavement but at least no one was being forced into
breeding or anything like that.
It was all quite complicated and by the end of the multiple hours they spent discussing it, his
head had hurt, and he was trying to process it all. Levi went to bed that night feeling more
confused than ever. Luckily, he was left alone to do his processing. Moblit set him up in a
room that was going to be entirely his. He would not be forced to share space with Erwin.
Not until he decided he wanted to… the Alpha had pointed out. Levi didn’t know if that
would ever happen but for now, he wanted to be alone to figure out what all this information
meant for him.
The room he was put in was on the other side of the house from Erwin, but also on the
second floor. His windows faced out the back, where he could see a garden and fountain that
probably looked nice once the world came back into bloom. His bed was nearly the same size
as Erwins, perhaps slightly smaller. It had tan and gold colored bedding that matched the
drapes and the large rug on the floor. He also had a fireplace, but it was nowhere near as
grand as Erwin’s. There was also a desk, wardrobe and floor length mirror. The Commander
told Levi that he could get whatever he wanted to furnish and make the place his own but that
was the last thing on his mind.
The Alpha that he was currently being held by and was apparently to be bonded to was not
only a Commanding officer in the Marley army, but also some sort of rebel, underground
freedom fighter. Levi had asked if he would be allowed to escape to freedom as well. Erwin
and Hanji had looked at each other almost sadly before telling him no… he was stuck here.
Erwin had pulled him from the city publicly and if a Commander were to lose a high value
omega… it certainly would not look good. The blond tried to explain to Levi that as his
official mate and true pair, his life could be wonderful. And if he wanted, he could help with
the Scouts. None of that really made him feel better. They parted that night without much
more than a nod.
This was how the days went from that point. Erwin worked from home as much as he was
able but a lot of the time, he left for most of the day to attend business in the city. Levi didn’t
want to discuss the Scouts or his own fate, so he busied himself with learning the layout of
the house and cleaning it. Petra became his shadow and often followed him everywhere he
went. At first, he thought she was just spying on him for Erwin but slowly, he realized that
the girl was just lonely. When she wasn’t helping with the Scouts, she was stuck in the house,
just as he was. So, they ended up spending quite a lot of time together during the daylight
hours.
Levi taught her new and more efficient ways to clean. She taught him how to cook recipes
he’d never even heard of. And so on, they went. When Erwin would come home, he
sometimes tried to strike up conversation with Levi, but the omega was doing his best to keep
distance between them. He didn’t want the burdens that came with Erwin’s underground
work, and he certainly did not want the affection that this Alpha was seeking from him. It
was obvious that the man wanted more but for the most part, he respected Levi’s space. There
were times when he would come in while Levi and Petra were cooking, acting as though he
was only interested in the food. Leaning over Levi so that they brushed against one another
or reaching past him to crowd him against the counter were a few of his tactics to get close.
The omega did his best to ignore the man.
It didn’t really work, though. At night, he was a mess. Erwin’s scent was like fire in his lungs,
and it never seemed to go away. He would shut himself in at the end of the evening and touch
himself until he was crying in frustration. Even outside his heat, Erwin aroused him to the
point of blind anger. No matter how hard he tried, he could not orgasm without that prick
helping him. He tried thinking about their time in the carriage, he tried stealing Erwin’s shirts
from the laundry to use but none of it helped him to get to the peak. He was trapped inside
constant sexual frustration. After weeks of this, it became clear that he was not the only one
feeling that way.

“Go have sex with Erwin.”

“What?” Levi spun around and looked at Hanji. He’d been right in the middle of trying to
find something to read out of the sitting room library. Erwin had books everywhere in the
house.

“You have to go have sex with Erwin.” She repeated.

“No.” He snapped, face slightly red.

“It’s fucking things up. We all know that neither of you can get off. Okay? You think you are
subtle, you’re not. You guys’ eye-fuck each other from across the room every time you’re in
the same place. You’re loud as hell at night. Both of you. The whole house can hear you
moaning and groaning and getting pissed off. Now, he’s starting to get really pissy with
everyone and it’s effecting his work with the Scouts and with the military. At least go suck
him off or something.” She said, sighing.

“I am not going to go suck him off just so he can get back to work. I’m suffering too. But I
don’t need him. I’m dealing with it.”

“Levi, please. You’re not fooling me. You’re not even fooling yourself, clearly. All you two
do is stomp around, angry and frustrated. I’m tired of having to deal with you both. Go screw
and get it over with. Your lives will be sooo much easier and so much better if you just do it.”

He wanted to choke this woman. Did she not understand what it would mean to just give in
and do that? He’d be giving up his control and Levi was not at all ready to do that. If they had
sex, Erwin was going to end up marking him. Hell, in this state, he’d probably beg him to do
it. Then he would be owned officially, and the thought made him want to vomit. As much as
it would probably feel good and relieve a lot of stress in both their lives… Levi just couldn’t
do it.

“No. I’m not letting him mark me.” He stated and turned around, grabbing a random book off
the shelf just to escape her. It didn’t work.

“Is that why you’re holding out? Gods, Levi!” She sighed and followed him. “An Alpha can
only mark an omega while they are in season.” She explained and he paused, looking back at
her. “You know, you have to be in heat, and he has to be in a rut. It must be like… a breeding
thing. That’s how a mark is made and sealed between you. If you’re just fucking around, he
can bite you all over and the marks will fade. You won’t be bound or whatever the heck it is
that you’re so worried about.” She explained. Levi stared ahead for a moment and then
carried on, walking with his book up to his room. “Come on, Levi! Do it for my sanity!” She
called after him. “If I hear one more night of you guys angrily yanking on your dicks, I’m
gonna burn the house down!”

Going up to his room, Levi shut the door and leaned against it. He didn’t know that there
were circumstances that dictated a proper marking. He just thought that Erwin could walk up
to him whenever he wanted and bite him. He knew that most marks happened during sex so
he’d really been doing all he could to keep that from happening. What if she was right and
they just did it… getting it out of the way. Then he could get back to normal and stop
spending half his nights trying to cum when he knew he couldn’t. Rubbing his face, the
omega groaned quietly.
Levi spent the rest of the day in his room, trying to argue with himself about the pros and
cons of having sex with Erwin Smith. This was the stupidest thing he’d ever had to deal with
but being bonded to the Alpha, even without the mark… he knew that eventually it was going
to happen. Either Erwin would snap and take him or they’d both break down and end up
fucking right on the kitchen table or something. He knew it and everyone in the house knew
it too, probably. So, maybe it was best to just get it out of the way before he went into heat
again. Weeks had passed but his normal cycle wouldn’t throw him into heat until the spring.
There was always the chance that he’d go into again with Erwin always close by but right
now, he was fine. It was the best time to put this on the table.
The omega ate dinner in his room alone that night. Erwin still wasn’t home but that was
normal for him. After eating, he took a hot bath and scrubbed every inch of himself until he
was sure he was totally clean. He considered using some of the scents that were left in the
bathroom but decided against it. When he got out, he pulled out one of the shirts he’d stolen
from Erwin. This was one was clean, straight from his closet. Levi stared at it for a while. He
was thinking about trying to get himself off again but even thinking about it as frustrating at
this point. His thoughts were interrupted by voices from outside.
He could hear Erwin and Hanji talking as they came up the stairs. The Commander was
finally home but he certainly did not seem relaxed in being here. They were speaking about
some omega girl that was killed by the Alpha she was given to. The Noble was being
punished for wasting a healthy omega but not nearly enough, it seemed. Standing by the door,
he listened until the two reached the office. He could barely hear them now. Doors shut and
then he heard someone going back down the stairs. He had to assume it was Hanji. Erwin
must have shut himself into his office.
The omega paced in his room for a moment, thinking about what Hanji had told him. Erwin
was having trouble doing his work because of what was going on between them. Or rather,
the lack of anything going on between them. The man had been very respectful of his wishes
and had not touched him or brought it up again. And in turn, they were both suffering
terribly. Maybe Hanji was right… he’d feel better afterwards so it wasn’t like it was all about
Erwin or anything… even though he had a deep-down instinct as an omega to take care of his
Alpha… that was something he’d deal with later.
Looking down at the shirt in his hands, he chewed at his lower lip. Stay in the bedroom and
masturbate fruitlessly or go and have what was probably going to be mind blowing sex with a
gorgeous Alpha? He’d never had sex before but just based on the pleasure he felt in that
carriage, Levi really felt like it would be good no matter what. Just thinking about it was
making him start to get wet. Cursing, the omega gave in. There was no point in holding back.
He couldn’t get pregnant or marked and he was going to end up losing his mind if he didn’t
deal with all this frustration soon.
Levi pulled off all his clothes and instead, slipped on Erwin’s shirt. It was huge on him. The
sleeves hung down over his hands and even buttoned all the way up, it still hung enough for
his collar bones to be seen. He and Erwin rarely got close enough for him to remember how
big the man really was in comparison to his own body. The shirt was really a good reminder
of that. But it also made Levi nervous… because he could still recall exactly how big his
cock had been as well. The thought of trying to fit that inside him was pretty exciting… and
horribly terrifying. He didn’t want Erwin to rip him apart. There was no way that would
happen though… he was sure…

“Come in.” Erwin answered when Levi softly knocked on the doors to his office. “I’m not
really in the mood, Hanji. So, make it…” The Alpha’s blue eyes moved up and when they
landed on Levi, he fell silent. The smaller man was wearing only the oversized shirt and
nothing else. He slipped in and shut the door behind himself. “Levi? Is… everything alright?”
He asked in a now strained voice.

“No.” Levi said honestly. “I think I’m having a heart attack and I can’t stop shaking.” Levi
admitted and walked over. As he did, Erwin never took his eyes off the other. The closer he
got, the more the omega could feel his body heating up. Slick was already gathering between
his legs, and he might have been embarrassed if he wasn’t so ready to finally get some relief.

“And... what can I do to help?”

“Well…” As Levi approached, Erwin moved his chair out from the desk slightly. Seeing an
opening, the omega pushed back some of the man’s papers and lifted himself up onto the
desk. He spread his legs to either side of Erwin’s and stared at him, feeling the heat in his
face. “…you can start by… helping me with this.” He said in a slightly less confident voice.
The Alpha’s eyes dropped down to the junction between Levi’s spread legs. He was totally
exposed to the man, letting Erwin see exactly how hard and wet he was.

“I… see.” The man breathed out. He let his fingers slowly move up Levi’s thigh. “Why
now?” He asked and moved closer. “You’ve been so adamant about…” But Levi stopped
him.

Instead of giving a vocal answer, he decided he might be more successful with actions.
Grabbing Erwin’s face, Levi leaned in and kissed him. He’d never kissed anyone before and
thankfully, the moment their lips met, Erwin took more of the lead. He parted his lips and
angled his mouth to deepen the exchange. He tasted sort of like coffee but there was a taste
there that couldn’t be identified, and it was incredible. Levi moaned softly and slid his arms
around the man to hold on closer. When he did, Erwin grabbed his hips and pulled him right
off the desk. He was dragged into the man’s lap, where he could feel his hard length pressing
up against his pants.
This was how they’d been in the carriage, though without the kissing part. Levi pressed in
close, his fingers tangling into the longer parts of Erwin’s hair at the back of his head.
Already, he was grinding against the other’s lap, his wetness soaking into the man’s pants.
Erwin didn’t seem to mind at all though. His hands slipped back to cup the smaller man’s ass.
He helped to guide him, grinding them right against one another. Soon though, it was not
enough for either of them.
Erwin pushed Levi back just enough that he could work his pants open. There just was not
enough room. Levi scrambled to get up and Erwin stood with him. He got his belt open and
then shoved his pants down, not even bothering to step out of them before sitting and pulling
Levi right back into his lap. Their cocks brushed and Levi whined desperately. Why did he
make these sounds when Erwin was around? He’d never made them before in his life. That
thought came and went as Erwin grabbed their lengths together and started to do what he’d
done before. Levi was quick to stop him.

“Not this…” he panted, and the Alpha gave him a confused look. “I want it. I want you.” He
breathed out against the man’s lips and lifted himself up on his knees in the chair. It was
fairly obvious what he wanted and this time, Erwin did not ask questions.

The blond moved his fingers between Levi’s legs and rubbed at the entrance. He gasped and
almost dropped at the feeling. His body pushed against Erwin’s fingers until finally, one
entered him. The digit moved in and out, working him until he was used to the feeling, then
another was added. This was taking far too long but Erwin kept kissing him and whispering
things to him about how good he was doing and how they were almost ready. At that point,
Levi didn’t care if he ripped open. He just wanted Erwin to fuck him.
When those big fingers were finally pulled out, Levi shivered and tried to focus. He knew
what was coming next, but he felt so empty. It was uncomfortable. Erwin was currently
mouthing at his neck, leaving little kissing and sucking motions across his skin. Between his
legs, he could the man doing something. Erwin was stroking himself, spreading slick all over
his length. Levi was just about to complain when he felt the pressure of the Alpha’s hand
forcing his hips down. Then the head pressed against him. He made a surprised sound and
tried to relax his overly sensitive body. If he tensed, it would hurt. He’d learned that from
touching himself. But Erwin was much much bigger than his own fingers or Levi’s… this
would hurt.
Except, it didn’t. When the Alpha started to push his length into him, it stung but it wasn’t the
pain he’d expected. It just felt like he was being stretched. Inside, his body was sucking the
man’s cock up like water in the desert. He held onto Erwin’s shoulders and let him control the
speed with which he went in. It felt like it dragged on forever. His body felt more and more
full, to the point that he was sure he could not possibly fit anything else inside. But he did. He
was positive that he if he looked down, his stomach would be bulging in the shape of the
alpha’s massive cock.
Finally, he settled flat into the man’s lap. Erwin was completely inside of him. Somehow,
Levi had managed to fit in every inch of the other. Breathing hard, he let his head rest on the
man’s shoulder. He was no longer a virgin, no longer pure and untouched. It didn’t really
bother him because he just assumed that it would happen at some point in his life. He just
never thought it would feel this good the first time. Erwin was not moving at all. They were
both just sitting there, breathing out shallow, shaking breaths against one another. Strong
hands remained settled on his hips, holding him in place firmly. It all felt sort of like a dream.
Like this was something that could only have happened in his mind and not in his reality. Yet
here they were.
Before he could beg for something more, Erwin began to move. His hips rolled and he moved
Levi’s with his hands to match his pace. Every time his cock slipped out only to plunge back
in, the omega let out a sound of pleasure that he really had no control over. He clung to the
other as if his life depended on it. Every thrust sent him deeper into a haze of pleasure. This
was nothing at all like when Erwin got them off before. This was leaps and bounds better.
They could not even be compared. His cock wasn’t even being touched but pressure was
already building up inside of him that he knew meant he’d cum from just this movement. So
focused on that, he didn’t even realize Erwin was speaking to him at first.

“…feel so good, Levi…” he purred out, his voice hushed into a whisper. “So… so tight…”
He continued. The deep velvet tone was sending shivers through the omega’s entire body.

“Keep… talking.” He begged in a broken voice. Erwin chuckled and he wanted to melt right
there.

“Anything you want.” He continued and purred out soft words right against his ear. “Do you
like it slow...” he asked and ground his hips slowly against the omega. “…or do you want me
to take you hard and fast, Levi?” At that, he started to move faster, his hips slamming up into
the smaller body. It had his eyes rolling back in no time.

“F-fast… please… harder…” he begged, speaking more out of instinct than thought.

Erwin took it seriously, though. The Alpha stood up, making the omega’s eyes go wide. Levi
heard things hitting the floor and then he was flat on his back on the surface of the desk. His
ass was half over the edge and Erwin was standing there between his legs. Standing up
straight, the Alpha grabbed his hips and held them as he started really pounding into him.
Reaching back behind himself, Levi gripped the edge of the desk and held on as his body was
jerked back and forth from the motion. He could feel his cock bouncing against his body,
slick and pre-cum all over them both and everywhere in between. How could anything so
messy and so aggressive make him feel so good?
Questioning it was quickly shoved aside as pleasure overwhelmed him. Erwin was still
talking but Levi couldn’t even make out the words. All he knew was that that voice was
totally surrounding him. But Erwin’s words changed into actual sounds. He was moaning and
it was like angels singing. That deep, desperate sound was heaven, and he could not get
enough of it. Their bodies were slamming together, loud and unashamed in the open air. The
blond was dragging him into thrusts that threatened to tear him apart, but he didn’t care. The
only thing he cared about was Erwin moaning out a warning that he was about to cum. He
asked if he could cum inside and Levi only managed to nod before he was cumming, himself.
The tension all broke at once and he was spilling out his empty seed all over his own
stomach. Slick poured out of him, coating the Alpha’s bare thighs. It didn’t slow him down.
Erwin kept thrusting, kept pounding until Levi felt a distinct swelling. Erwin was cumming,
pumping all of his load into his body with twitching, off pace thrusts. He could hear him
gasping and groaning in pleasure and it sent shockwaves through his whole body. He was
being filled by his Alpha.
The only sounds now where of their heavy and harsh breathing, on top of the pounding of
blood in his ears. The Alpha had stopped moving, leaving his length buried inside Levi’s still
quivering hole. Erwin’s hands were pressed to the desk on either side of him, holding him up
as both of them got through their orgasms. Nothing in his life had ever felt this good and Levi
was nearly blacking out from it. The world was fuzzy and buzzing. It took actual effort for
him to pry his fingers off the edge of the desk. Once he did, he dropped his arms out flat on
the desk. Some more things fell off onto the the floor but neither of them seemed to care. The
world was frozen for them both as they worked hard to catch their breaths and recover.
Eventually, Erwin started to go soft, and he pulled his length out. Levi shivered. That was not
a fun feeling. What was even worse was all the semen that dripped out of him afterwards. He
felt a hand moving slowly up his thigh, over his hip, and to his side before stopping. Then
lips touched the middle of his chest and moved up to mouth lazily at his throat. The omega
let out a soft, pleased sound and lifted an arm so he could run his fingers through Erwin’s
sweat damp hair. Reality would set back in at some point so for now, they both just enjoyed
the feeling and the comfort of each other’s company.

“Sleep with me, tonight.” Erwin purred.

“I just did…” Levi said, smiling genuinely for the first time around this man since they met.

“You know what I mean. Even if things go back to normal tomorrow, I’d like to have you
with me tonight.” He said softly and Levi felt his chest tighten. What was this feeling?

“Alright…”

When they were both recovered enough, Erwin helped Levi up and carried him to the master
bedroom. Levi’s plan was to just go to sleep, maybe just rest until Erwin fell asleep. Either
way, he was going to leave before morning. Of course, it seemed like since this war started,
nothing ever went to plan. Somehow, something as innocent as a little cuddling had turned
into rubbing, then grinding, then they were back at it. Apparently, Erwin’s scent was far too
enticing, and Levi’s body was too alluring. Sleep was long forgotten as they tangled up with
one another. Once became twice, then three times. Each time, they lasted longer, explored
more, and dipped into intimacy that Levi wasn’t quite sure he was ready to process.
No matter how hard he tried to ignore it, though, that time came. The sky was turning purple
as the sun began to rise. The room was silent other than the soft snores and breathing of the
man next to him. Finally, the pair settled and not long after they cleaned up, Erwin was out.
The man was stretched out in the bed next to Levi, his naked body cover only from the waist
down by the blanket. He had one arm thrown up over his head, the other rested on his
stomach. The omega watched the steady rise and fall of the man’s chest as he slept.
While they were active, he could shut off his mind and just let himself enjoy the moment for
what it was. But now that the world was calm again, his mind was racing. Silver eyes moved
slowly, drifting over Erwin’s body. If he said the man wasn’t attractive, he’d be lying. The
blond really was a masterpiece of a human being. Everything about him was so perfect. It
was like he was sculpted and shaped to be exactly what worked for Levi. He never had a type
until this man came along. The second he laid eyes on the Commander, that was it. He’d
never find anyone else attractive ever again. It was exciting and scary all at once.
The truth was, Levi wasn’t sure what he felt. Part of him was relieved to have finally gotten
this milestone in his life over with. He was glad that he’d finally done it and that it was
something positive. There was no force, no pain, and most importantly, no expectation of
procreation. To him, sex had always been about having kids. That was it. He’d heard so many
horror stories from woman in the village about how their husbands would climb on top of
them, do their thing, and that was the end. It was a sad experience that he never wanted.
Thankfully, as of right now, he didn’t have to worry about that. It genuinely seemed like
neither he nor Erwin wanted kids and their coupling had been only for their pleasure and
nothing more. That made it easier.
Of course, he could help but also hate himself for giving in. This didn’t change anything.
Erwin Smith was still a Commander in Marley’s army. Even if he was helping omegas, there
was just too much for this omega to ignore. He had literally slept with the enemy, and it was
weighing heavily on his mind. This was such a confusing place to be. They were connected
in a way that he could not possibly deny. Something had bound them together, even without
marks or promises. They were drawn to one another, pulled by some invisible force. It made
Levi want to give up on his stance and just be with Erwin all the time. Not even just sexually.
He wanted to be at the man’s side, to comfort him and support him. It also did make him
want to breed but that was a desire he was thoroughly suppressing it. It was just biological,
that’s it.
When the sky lightened even more, Levi finally pushed himself up. He stretched his arms out
over his head and pushed his legs over the side of the bed to stand up. Erwin didn’t even
move in reaction. Grabbing up the shirt he’d worn off the floor, Levi pulled it on and went to
the door. Before leaving, he checked to make sure there was no one outside. Quickly, he
bolted for his own room. The second he was inside; the door was shut. Levi pressed his back
against the door and took a deep breath. There was a lot to unpack from his mind. Around
Erwin, that was never going to happen.
Instead of getting any sleep, he just agonized over all the stress in his mind. It took another
hour before he dressed properly and left the room. Downstairs, he could smell food being
cooked and coffee being made. Trying to be a as casual as possible, Levi slipped into the
kitchen and got himself a cup for coffee. Moblit was making breakfast, not even bothering to
look over at him. That was perfectly fine. The less attention he received, the better. The last
thing he wanted was for anyone to be staring at him and making him feel weird about what
happened the night before. They were loud… he was under no illusion that the entire didn’t
hear everything they got up to both in Erwin’s office and in his bedroom. What he was really
dreading, was Hanji.

“Ha!” came her loud voice and he sighed heavily into his cup. “I told you! How was it? Do
you feel better? You feel better. I know it.” She said as she took the seat directly across from
Levi at the kitchen table. Those brown eyes were big and filled with excitement, a wide grin
across her face. He stared at her for a while before shaking his head. “Oh, come on! Don’t act
like nothing happened. The whole neighborhood had to have heard you guys. I’m pretty sure
at one point, I heard someone begging to be fucked harder…” She was saying and Moblit set
a cup of coffee down in front of her. Levi caught the sharp look that the man gave her. It was
a warning to behave.

“I’m not talking about this.” Levi stated and kept sipping the hot liquid. He needed the
caffeine, for sure.
“I have been waiting years for Erwin to finally let loose and be with someone! I wanna know
all about it! The guy is so pent up and serious all the time. Did he cry?” She asked and Levi
lifted a brow.

“During sex?”

“Yeah!”

“No. No one cried.”

“You didn’t?”

“Why would I?”

“Well, it was your first time, right? That’s a big deal!”

“Not really.”

“You’re no fun at all!” She huffed and folded her arms over the table. “I wanted all the juicy
details. I thought we were gonna bond over sex talk and giggle and stuff!”

“In what realm of reality did you think that I would ever do anything like that?” Levi asked,
giving her a flat stare.

“I don’t know. I always imagined Erwin would end with…”

“A woman?” He asked.

“Well, no. Just, someone fluffy.”

“What does that even mean, Hanji?”

“You know… fluffy. Lighthearted and sweet. Someone to compliment the sweet person that
Erwin is.” She explained and Levi frowned. He really didn’t want to talk about this stuff.

“Yeah well, he got stuck with me.” He said, an edge to his voice. Apparently, it was enough
so that Hanji actually caught on.

“I didn’t mean it like that.” She backtracked and placed her hands on the table. “You’re his
true pair. That means you’re perfect for him. Don’t worry about me.” She laughed and then
brushed some of her out of her face. “Maybe I’m just being bunched up in this house too
much.”

The omega just shook his head and went back to sipping his coffee. He was feeling off still
and Hanji was doing nothing to alleviate that. Maybe, she was even making it worse. Now he
was thinking that Erwin probably had different ideas about what his mate would be like as
well. Perhaps Levi was a disappointment for all of them. A bitterness settled in his stomach.
Why did it matter if he was or wasn’t their perfect idea of an omega? He shouldn’t care about
their opinions at all. Yet here he was, letting it sour his morning after such a good night.
While Hanji left him alone to go help Moblit finish up breakfast, Levi tried to just silence his
mind. The sound of footsteps drew his attention and a few moments later, Erwin strolled into
the dining room. He looked at prim and proper as ever. His hair was smoothed back and neat.
He was clean shaven and dressed in his usual white button up and dark slacks. As he looked
up and his blue gaze fell on Levi, he froze. The omega saw his eyes go wide and instantly; he
went on alert.

“What?” Levi asked, looking around.

“You… are you okay?” The Alpha asked.

“Yeah… why?”

“Well, you look… a bit beat up, if I’m being honest.”

“Beat up?” He repeated. Levi stood up and walked over to a decorative mirror that was hung
up on the wall just outside the dining room. Erwin stood there, watching him. “What the
fuck, Erwin!?” He snapped as he looked at himself. His neck and jaw were covered in marks.
Some looked like bites, others like suck marks. He tugged his shirt collar a bit and could see
that the marks extended down to his chest and shoulders as well. His hair was still sort of
fucked up, even though he’d tried to smooth it down. “I look like I got my ass kicked!”

“Not kicked…” Erwin teased but Levi rounded on him.

“No. Do not get cute with me.” He growled. This seemed to only amuse Erwin more because
he laughed.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was doing that, at the time. I was a bit distracted…”

“I came down here, like everything was totally normal, looking like this…” he mumbled and
cupped his hands over his neck. Levi turned to head for the stairs, but Erwin gently caught
his shoulder and pulled him back.

“Wait wait, please don’t rush off.” He said and tried to pull Levi close to him. The omega
immediately resisted and pulled away.

“Listen. I want to make something clear.” He stared at the Alpha and took a deep breath. “I’m
not… just because we had sex, it doesn’t mean that now we’re suddenly a couple. I’m not
gonna hug and kiss and do all that flirtatious shit. I barley know you.” He didn’t necessarily
want to hurt the other man’s feelings, but he wasn’t going to hold back what he was thinking,
either.

“You’re right.” Erwin said, which came as quite a surprise. “I was thinking that just being
mates meant that we could fall into some domestic role but that’s not realistic, is it?” When
the omega did not answer him, he continued. “I can’t expect you to just accept me. Not even
if things were normal and we’d met on the street. Especially not with how you’ve come to be
here.”

“Exactly.” Levi agreed. “I don’t know what I want… from this.” He gestured between them.
“I’m still a prisoner here. That makes it really hard to focus on a relationship.”
“I don’t want you to be a prisoner, Levi. This isn’t ideal, I admit. I know you won’t believe it
but I’m very much stuck in this situation as well. I won’t try to diminish your position, but I
understand it…”

“You understand it?” Levi cut in, narrowing his eyes.

“I don’t mean…”

“Stop.” He held up his hands. “I get it. You’re stuck in the system. You have to be a cruel
Commander on the surface so you can be the savior of my people in the dark. What a
struggle that must be.” Levi felt his frustration building. “Have you ever fought for your life,
Erwin? Have you ever had to cut a soldier’s throat so that he didn’t find a group of terrified
children as you all hide in a cellar? Have you ever spent every single day for years, worried
that some asshole is going to show up and kill you? Or rape you?” He snapped. “I fought and
was hunted, Erwin. I got dragged from my home and forced into this place. Then I’m told
that I’m so valuable that people would pay to breed me like fucking livestock. Okay sure, you
don’t want to have kids. That’s great. Thanks for that. But what happens when you decide
you do? You’ll expect me to just spread my legs and give them to you. Why? Because that’s
what happens in Marley. You make omegas populate for you. I gave in and let you fuck me
because my body was in agony. It’s been in agony since the moment I met you and I’m
miserable! I wanted one minute of peace, that’s all! I’m furious with myself for being so
weak but apparently, this is something I have no control over. So, not only am I prisoner here
by your laws, but I’m also now a prison to the connection we share! As long as I’m here, I’ll
behave. I’ll stay quiet and not cause you problems. When we need to, we can fuck. But I
don’t want to be courted by you. I don’t want to have some cute bond. No hugging. No
kissing. No holding hands. I don’t want anything to do with you in that way. Is that clear?”

The house was suddenly silent. Levi could hear blood pounding against his ears as he stared
at the other man. Erwin was looking back at him with an expression that somewhere between
hurt and nothing at all. An almost flat, disconnected look came over his features. It was
slightly unnerving, but Levi said nothing. For the moment, he was just waiting. He probably
could have turned and left the room, but he wanted to know what Erwin had to say back to
him. Did this man understand anything of what he’d just said to him?

“If I could set you free, I would.” The man said and Levi gave him a questioning look. “I’m
fighting day and night to balance being the villain and the savior, you’re right. One good act
does not correct all the wrong. I’m working to set all those Alphas and omegas free. The only
one that I cannot do that for is you. For me, it was exciting. I finally found my pair. My
partner…. But I was living in a fantasy that you’d just instantly love me. I never imagined
you’d be Eldian… I…” Erwin took a deep breath. “I understand.” He finally said, seeming to
give up on anything else he’d planned on saying. “Your terms are fair. We won’t engage in
any of the courting activities. I’ll let you know if I’m in need of your physical help and you
may do the same for me. Other than that, I suppose this conversation is over.” Levi opened
his mouth to speak but Erwin just turned and walked past him, going right back up the stairs.
Levi watched him, not sure what to say. Apparently, nothing.

That day and every day after it, the house was different. Levi continued to read, clean, and
exercise on his own. Sometimes Petra would join him, other times he found himself corned
by Hanji and forced into conversation with the woman. Erwin did not speak to him at all, and
no one seemed brave enough to bring this tension up with either of them. That was fine by
him. He didn’t want to talk to the blond asshole. His entire world had been flipped by that
man and he’d told him so. That part had made him feel a little empowered. In a situation that
felt helpless, Levi had managed to speak his mind and it did and didn’t make him feel better.
It was a strange mix of emotions.
His supposed bond to Erwin was the problem. When they went days without even seeing
each other, it made his heart actually ache. His body did not appreciate it either. When Erwin
was around, he would go straight into his office, or they’d have dinner together and the man
would talk only to Hanji before excusing himself and vanishing again. It was obvious that
there was tension. The whole household could feel it. Any time Levi and Erwin were in the
same room, it seemed like his staff were afraid to even speak for fear of igniting a fire in the
house. Little by little, it was wearing him down. Not to the point that he wanted to fix things
between himself and his captor, but more that he just wished it would all go away entirely.
Nearly two weeks after he shut down Erwin’s romantic dreams, there came a knock on the
door. Levi was in the dining room, showing Petra how to deal with a stain on the rub that
she’d accidentally made with a spilled cup of coffee. They were both on their knees, focused
on their task. The knock made him look up. Moblit answered it. When he did, he stepped
back and gestured for someone to come in. A second later, two men were walking through
the doorway. Levi watched them from the corner of his eye. They were dressed in military
attire, but it was more formal, more like what Erwin normally wore when he came and went
from the house.

“Good evening, Sir. Commander Smith is in his office. I’ll fetch him. Please take a seat in the
sitting room.” Moblit said and showed them to the room across the foyer from the dining
room.

“That’s Premier Zackly.” Petra whispered. “And the dark-haired man with him is
Commander Dok. He’s in charge of the Military Police.”

Levi glanced back over, taking them in as they walked away. Zackly was a much older man
than Erwin or his companion, Commander Dok. He had long silver hair that was smoothed
back, a full matching beard, and glasses set upon his nose. There was an aura of command to
him that did not surprise the omega. If he ran everything under the king, the guy was
probably pretty confident in himself. The other man was much less impressive. He was thin
with very dark brown hair that was cut rather oddly along the center of his head. He had a
weak mustache and beard that didn’t seam to fully want to grow in. The bags under his eyes
meant he either worked too much or was a drinker. From here, it was hard to tell. Either way,
Levi had to assume they were both Alphas, given their positions.

“What are they doing here?” Levi asked quietly.

“Sometimes other Commanders and people come here but I’ve never seen Zackly here
before.” She said, leaning around him to watch the two men. They each took a seat and
waited as Moblit went upstairs to get Erwin. “Dok is Erwin’s friend. They grew up together.
He’s been here plenty of times.” She continued. Levi wasn’t pleased with the idea of these
pompous military men coming into the house but there wasn’t anything he could do about it.
So, he turned and gestured for them to continue. Erwin could deal with them. They had no
reason to.

“Gentlemen!” He heard Erwin say in a peppy voice. The blond Alpha came down the stairs in
his usual home attire. His slacks, boots, and button up. Though his sleeves were rolled up,
and his hair wasn’t as perfectly kept as it normally was. He often looked a little stressed these
days. It was probably because of what was going on between them. “To what do I owe the
pleasure?”

“I just needed to address a little concern that some of the Nobles had with you, son.” Zackly
said in a voice that was false in its warmth. While they spoke, Moblit came back through to
the kitchen, likely to make them some coffee. “Seems you finally took yourself a prize for
your efforts.” He continued and Levi felt a chill run up his spine. The prize, being him, of
course.

“I was under the impression I was allowed to do so, Sir. Was I mistaken?” Erwin’s voice
sounded smooth and practiced.

“Not at all. But you know how those people are.” Zackly chuckled. “That omega was pretty
unique and word about him got around. Seems some of the upper class think they got cheated
out of a pretty little prize. Since you’ve never taken an omega before, I just thought I’d come
and see what’s so special about it that you’d take it for yourself.”

“Ah, of course.” Erwin laughed and then Levi felt watched. He turned and looked over his
shoulder, seeing those blue eyes on him for the first time since their fight. “There’s quite a
good explanation for this.” Erwin held out his hand. “Levi, darling. Would you please come
here? I’d like you to meet some people.” He said in a sweet, loving voice. It was fake. This
was a show and Levi was expected to play along.

He sighed quietly and handed Petra the towel before standing up. This was stupid. He wasn’t
the person that people presented to their friends and family, but he’d do his best to try and
keep them both out of trouble. If he couldn’t convince these men that he and Erwin were a
pair, they might want to take him away and give him to someone less pleasant. It would be to
his benefit to behave and act like the good little omega for his Alpha. The thought made him
sick, but it was what had to happen. So, he wiped his hands on his pants and walked over.
When he got close enough, he glued himself against Erwin’s side, a hand coming to rest in
the middle of the man’s chest. He’d seen women do this clingy little move and it worked, so
fuck it.

“Gentleman, this is Levi. He’s not just a prize I took, he’s my true bond.” He said and looked
down. Levi looked back up at him and found such a lovingly, adoring smile on his face. He
slowly smiled back, unable to help it. Erwin wrapped his arm around the omega and Levi
suppressed a shiver at the contact. When he glanced back over, both the other men were
staring at him.

“What an interesting development.” Zackly said, looking dangerously amused.

 Threats Inside and Out
Chapter Summary

Unexpected guests arrive, putting pressure on Levi and Erwin to prove their
relationship. Unable to communicate, Levi and Erwin stop talking entirely and only
allow themselves physical moments together... until Erwin pulls Levi out to help him.

Chapter Notes

NSFW warning.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Darius Zackly was a hell of an actor. Down to the basics, he and Erwin were quite a lot alike.
They both had confidence, charm, and the ability to spew bullshit like they were filled with
it. After introducing him to both the other men, Erwin pulled Levi to sit at his side on the sofa
across from them. Moblit brought them coffee before vanishing and leaving Levi with the
wolves. Zackly kept staring at him, making his skin crawl. Dok, who Levi learned was
named Nile, looked pissed off and didn’t seem to want to look at him at all. He kept close to
Erwin’s side, their hips and legs firmly pressed together while Erwin’s arm was wrapped
around him. It wasn’t just for show, but also because Levi didn’t like these men and felt
better being close to the blond. It was probably the stupid bond.

“Your fated pair.” The man said, picking up his cup and smiling devilishly. “It’s hard to
imagine that I’d ever meet someone who found theirs. It always seemed like a fairy tale, if
I’m being honest.

“I felt the same way.” Erwin agreed with a warmer smile on his own face. “One of my
captain’s brought him to me because he was causing trouble for the soldiers. I assumed I’d be
dealing with nothing more than a little scrapper but the moment I laid eyes on him…” Erwin
looked down at him and Levi met his gaze. “It felt like the world stopped turning and my
heart seized in my chest. I knew in that instant that he was the one I’d been waiting for….”
His words were spoken with so much truth and sincerity that Levi’s own heart started to beat
rapidly against his chest. He felt his eyes burning and swallowed hard.

“What about you? What was your name?” Zackly asked and Levi had to actually tear his
gaze away from Erwin to look at the other man.

“Levi.”
“Just Levi?”

“Yes, sir.” He said and kept his gaze flat and even on the man across from him. “I heard
Erwin’s voice first. When I did…” He thought back to that moment, weeks ago. “It made my
heart race, and my legs almost give out from under me. Everything else just sort of drowned
out into the background and all I could think about or focus on was him.” He said honestly,
feeling his face become a bit red. “Then, all I wanted was to be close to him.” He added and
glanced up, finding those blue eyes on him.

“Spoken like a true love story.” The man laughed, drawing their attention back to him. “Then
the feelings of those Nobles don’t matter, now do they?” He asked. Erwin smiled and shook
his head.

“I do apologize if I upset anyone who had an interest in him. My only thoughts after that
were to get him home and protect him. I never realized how much would change when I met
him… because I never expected to.” He laughed. Levi loved the way he sounded when he
laughed. It was such a warm and deep sound.

“Hopefully, that’s the only thing that’s changed.” Nile said in a tone that was clearly not as
impressed with their little love story.

“What do you mean?” The blond asked and Levi caught the way his voice just slightly
changed to one that was less lovey and more direct.

“I just hope it doesn’t make you soft.” He commented.

“Has having a wife and children made you soft, Nile?” Erwin asked back, an edge to his
words.

“You leave Maria and the girls out of this. They have nothing…”

“Nile, if you’re going to throw stones, make sure you’re prepared to have them thrown back.”
Zackly cut in. He then looked over at them. “I think he merely means that you’ve been just a
little distracted lately. I’ve noticed it at our meetings. I hope that things are well enough here
that you can properly focus on your work.”

“Ah yes, so you’ve noticed.” He laughed. Levi could already tell he was about to lie his ass
off. “Well, you see, our first meeting was not entirely as perfect as it sounds. It was the same
day as the Eldian surrender and I was extremely busy. I escorted Levi home, but I was unable
to stay. Unfortunately, that meant that I missed his first heat after our meeting and so I’ve not
been able to properly mark him. It’s got me a little agitated, if you get my meaning.” Erwin
explained and it seemed like Zackly just instantly fell into the same mindset.

“I see.” The man said, smirking. “And when will his next cycle be?” They all looked at Levi.
His eyes widened slightly.

“Uh… Soon? Spring.” He said quickly, trying to think. Three sets of Alpha eyes on him had
left the omega a little blank. “I have a normal heat cycle in the spring.”
“Oh, soon indeed.” The Premier said and nodded. “It’s understandable that you’re a little off,
then.” He said and sipped his coffee. “Well, do try to be a bit more focused while we’re all
working. There is still much to be done and we need you in tip top shape.” His eyes shifted
back to Levi. “I’m sure you could help to keep him on track, couldn’t you?”

“He’s a handful but I’ll do my best, sir.” Levi said and put on a sweet smile before looking up
at Erwin. The Alpha leaned down and gently captured his lips. It didn’t feel strange at all to
kiss the blond, even after the fight and no contact. Levi closed his eyes and leaned into it,
returning the gesture. It ended just seconds later, though.

“Run along now. I have business to attend to.” He purred and the omega nodded. Levi forced
himself away from that damn allure that Erwin had and stood up. He gave a quick nod to the
Officers before turning and walking out of the room. As he walked, he felt eyes on him.

Wanting to distract himself from all the things flooding his mind, Levi went through the
kitchen, heading for the back of the house. He passed through a music room and then further
until he got to the wing of the house that was meant for Erwin’s staff. He found Hanji in the
open sitting area, her hand moving as she furious wrote things down in a journal she kept.
Hearing him coming, her eyes moved up and a smile spread over her features. She was
always so happy to see him. Other than when she was pissed off that he was making Erwin
miserable. But apparently that wasn’t on her mind at the moment.

“Hey kiddo.” She said and put her journal down. “What’s up?”

“Zackly and Dok are here.” He huffed and dropped down onto the other side of the sofa from
her. “Erwin just showed me off to them. I guess some Nobles got bent out of shape that
Erwin got to fuck me before they did.” He rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, that sounds like those stuck-up pricks.” She agreed and nodded. “Well, if they know
you’re a true bond now, they’ll drop it. Zackly will, anyway.”

“Will the Nobles?”

“They might be jealous, but people really love Erwin, so I think they’ll be happier for him
than anything. He’s really popular among the citizens. If you guys ever have a kid, they’ll
probably make statues.” She joked but the look on Levi’s face must have shut that
amusement down. “Anyway…”

“That Dok guy seemed pissed off that Erwin found his mate. What’s his problem?”

“Ooooh.” Hanji grinned. She was clearly filled with gossip and happy to spill it. “Nile and
Erwin grew up together. They were best buddies for like ever. Them and Mike… the captain
you met before. When they were younger, still cadets, there was this girl that worked at the
pub in the town they trained in. Maria, I think. She was like head over heels in love with
Erwin. Now, Erwin likes men. It’s not just that he likes you. He doesn’t prefer women at all.”
Hanji explained. “But he used to pretend he did so that he didn’t have to deal with any
trouble. When Maria confessed her love for him, Erwin politely turned her down and broke
her heart. She ended up with Nile but was kind of like a consolation prize.” She laughed. “He
was the guy she settled for. I guess they are happy now, but Nile still has this like, grudge
against Erwin because he was her first choice. My guess is, now Erwin has found his fated
mate and Nile is jealous.”

“If he’s married and has kids, why be jealous of Erwin, now?”

“Levi a fated pair is like, a really big deal. It doesn’t happen. Most Alphas and omegas go
their entire life and never even meet their mate. It’s like a miracle.”

“…and Nile is mad that Erwin found his mate, but he hasn’t?”

“I would guess so. Erwin has a reputation for being the golden child, so to speak. He’s the
most popular man in the military, he does everything right, and now he’s got his fated pair at
his side. That’s just going to make him more popular… thought I’m sure a whole nation of
young women will be disappointed.” She laughed.

“I didn’t realize it was such a big deal.” He admitted and frowned. “What happens if I deny
all this and refuse to be marked or be with Erwin?”

“From the stories I’ve been told, it could eventually kill you. Like, for real.”

“This is stupid.” He grumbled and rubbed his bridge.

“I heard all the things you said to Erwin that day.” Hanji said softly and he glanced back to
her, waiting for whatever else she had to say. “You’re not wrong. I’m not gonna say you are.”
She started and sighed. “I think we thought that you’d come in and be happy here because
you were with Erwin but it’s not that easy. I realize that now. I’m not a captive here. I’m
Marleyan and I’m used to being on the winning side. I have no idea what it feels like to be
torn from my life and forced into a completely new and different one. And I’m not an omega
so I don’t know what it’s like to be used and expected to just fall into some breeder role… but
I help Erwin with omegas and Alphas all the time. I treat their wounds, help them with their
children, and move them on to lives that I can only hope are happier. Erwin has done wrong.
I know that and he knows that. He’s had to kill and take and… so much else. But he’s also
trying to help where he can. He puts his life in danger every time he arranges for an omega to
be moved or an Alpha to desert. I have never seen him as happy as he was the morning after
you two finally did your thing. I think he really thought that you could move forward but…
clearly that didn’t happen.”

“If you’re trying to convince me that I need to let this all go…”

“No, I’m not.” She said, holding up her hand. “What I’m saying is… you should come with
me when I go to our meeting place.”

“What meeting place?”

“It’s the location where we pick up the omegas and move them. We treat any wounds they
have, give them clothes or food, whatever they need. I think you should come with me next
time I go.”

“…why?”
“Because I want you to see what it’s like for them.”

“What, so I can appreciate what I have here, more?” He asked, giving her a flat look.

“Yes.” She said plainly and Levi frowned. “Levi, I know what happened to you is wrong. I
can’t change that, and neither can Erwin. If he lets you go, you’ll both be miserable but not
only that, it will draw attention to him, and he might have to stop helping other people. I
know it’s selfish but… I want you to see what good he is doing so that you won’t want to
disrupt it.”

“So, what it comes down to is… you want me to stay here and try to be happy with Erwin…
so that you can both keep helping people? It’s my life for theirs.” He stated.

“…yes.” At least she was honest. “If you can make this work with Erwin, we can keep doing
what we’re doing.”

“And if I make the man miserable all the time, he fucks up both his military career and his
underground career. All those people don’t get helped and it’s my fault.” Hanji just stared at
him. “I’m being blackmailed with the lives of my own people.”

“Levi you’re meant to be with Erwin. You’re fated to be together. Don’t you feel that?”

“I feel like I want him to fuck me. All the time. I’m thinking about it now. It never stops.”

“That’s it?”

“I…” He paused, thinking about how it felt to be sitting on that sofa with the blond. Being
curled up next to him was so comforting. It wasn’t about sex. It was just the closeness. Levi
had been so content there. He felt safe and secure while Erwin’s arm was around him. “… I
have no idea.” He said and it was pretty much the truth. He had no idea what was going on
with him at the moment.

“I know it seems like blackmail and we’re all telling you to sacrifice yourself for this but… I
think if you let your guard down and actually get to know the person that Erwin really is, it
might change your mind. No rush. Just open the door a little, you know what I mean?” She
asked.

Levi thought about it. What it came down to was, Hanji wanted him to let go of the
resentment he was holding against Erwin and Marley. She wanted him to give the
Commander a chance. This woman just didn’t understand that trauma like he’d been through
could not be easily forgotten and moved on from. The things he’d seen during the war… all
the suffering and pain. Erwin had a huge part in that and when he looked at the Alpha,
sometimes he could almost see the blood on his hands. For Levi, it was painful and so
conflicting. His entire being wanted to be with that man. He wanted to love him… but he
could not let himself do that, knowing all that had happened just from the Commander’s
directions. His homeland was gone now, his friends and family were likely all dead. To just
give in and embrace that man felt like a betrayal.
When he left Hanji, Levi felt heavy. He had so much going on in his mind. He was thinking
about Erwin, about the omegas that he was helping, and about how he was expected to fit
into all this. Erwin was underperforming and it was his fault. That should make him pleased
with himself. Instead, he felt guilty. Not because he was fucking up in his day job, but
because it might be affecting the lives and futures of those who weren’t as lucky as he was.
There were omegas who were being raped and bred every single day that might have a
chance to get to safety and freedom. Erwin was the man allowing that to happen but if he
drew too much attention from his superiors, which could all be endangered. Levi wished he
had a guide for how to deal with all this.
Slowly, he made his way back through the house. Reaching the dining room, he found it
empty. Petra must have gone to bed. He glanced over and found Erwin in the foyer. The man
was standing there, staring right at him. Their eyes met but neither of them moved. There was
a tension in the air that was so thick, he felt like it might suffocate him. Those blue eyes were
blazing as they stared at him. It was like Erwin was perched on the edge. Levi took quick
breaths as his heart sped up. In that moment, he felt like prey and this man was a dangerous
predator.
Moving carefully, Levi turned around. He unbuttoned his pants and then placed his palms on
the table’s surface. Staring at the wall, he heard the Alpha close the space between them.
There was the sound of his belt being pulled open and then a hand pressed hard against his
back. Levi’s chest hit the table before his pants were jerked down. Just seconds later, Erwin
was shoving inside him. He was wet, which helped, but it was still harsh. He made a small
sound of discomfort as the blond started to slam into him. Erwin’s hands gripped his hips
firmly, pulling them back against each thrust he made. Behind him, he could hear the man
grunting quietly. He wasn’t going slow or being gentle like he had when they shared that first
night together. His thrusts were hard, quick, and incredibly deep.
The omega closed his eyes and tried to just focus on the pleasure. Even if the situation was
not an ideal one, it still felt good. Erwin was his mate, after all. His body reacted to the man
as if it were made for him. His walls gripped the Alpha’s cock, sucking him in. Levi panted
but did not make any other sounds. He kept himself as silent as he possibly could while the
other was taking him. This wasn’t a romantic moment. It wasn’t some beautiful union in
which they both bonded further. No, this was a release. That was all. Just like he’d told
Erwin. They could have sex when they needed it and that was it.
The thrust became faster and more erratic. Erwin leaned more over him. He gasped at the
pressure of that broad chest over his back. The Alpha groaned and panted heavily against the
back of his neck. It sent chills along his spine and just made him want it more. His hands
remained pressed to the table, but Levi used it to push back as much as he could. Any attempt
he made to be part of it, Erwin countered by slamming into him harder. The Alpha didn’t
want to give him an inch of control this time. He didn’t fight it. Laying on his belly on the
table, he just let himself get taken.
When the pleasure peaked, he bit down hard on his tongue, eyes shut tight. His body tensed
and he came, spilling out onto the floor beneath the table. At the same time, Erwin buried
himself inside and twitched as he released. This time, he didn’t bother asking if it was okay to
cum inside. He just did it. They both remained there for a few moments as they got through
their orgasms and caught their breaths. Levi stayed frozen there, waiting to see what Erwin
would do. Would he want to kiss? Would he hug him close like he did after every climax the
first time around?
The Answer was no. The Alpha pulled out of him slowly. Levi heard him fixing his pants and
then footsteps as he walked away. Seconds later, he heard the man going upstairs. His body
trembled as he slowly pushed himself up. His hands were actually shaking as he reached
down and grabbed his pants to pull them back up. He could feel his own slick and Erwin’s
release dripping down his legs. What just happened? That was nothing like it had been
before. And quickly, he realized that it was his own fault. He did this.

“Levi?” His eyes shot over and he found Hanji standing there. Her brown eyes were wide as
she watched him. Quickly, he looked down and tried to focus on getting his pants buttoned
again.

“Give me just a second… I have to… I have to clean the floor.” He spoke. His fingers were
shaking so badly that he couldn’t seem to get them to work.

“Do you need help?” She asked and started towards him. Levi quickly held up a hand to stop
her.

“No. I don’t need help. With anything.” I just want to clean up and go to bed.”

“…are you sure?” Instead of answering, he just looked at her. His eyes burned but he refused
to let even a single tear fall. Hanji stared at him for a moment before she nodded. Then she
turned and headed back to the other wing.

A soft breath left his lips and he managed to get his pants back on properly. Then he went and
got a cloth and water to clean up the mess he’d made. Levi scrubbed the floor thoroughly and
then cleaned the table as well. His hands never did stop shaking. When he finished, he rushed
upstairs and shut himself into his room. He stripped off his clothes and threw them into the
basket before going into the bathroom. The omega scrubbed his skin as roughly as he’d done
to the floor, wanting to wipe away and remove any hint of the Alpha having been there. This
wasn’t Erwin’s fault, but he needed someone to project his anger onto.
Levi had put the wall up between them and set the terms. Erwin was merely following them.
He’d presented himself and let himself get fucked. It wasn’t rape. But for some reason, his
heart was still aching terribly. His eyes burned to the point that as he pulled his fresh clothes
on, he felt wetness finally staining his cheeks. Crying? Levi never cried. Yet here he was,
sniffling and swallowing hard to try and stop it from happening. Was it because he was so
adamantly denying his bond to the Alpha? Was this heartache because he wanted to be with
him? It was so shard to tell but it was eating away at him slowly. As he crawled into his bed
and curled up into a ball beneath the blankets, Levi tried to shut off his mind and his heart.
All he wanted was to close off from the world.

That was far easier said than done. After that night, things in the house stayed quiet and
tense. Levi didn’t interact with Hanji, Petra, or Moblit. He ate alone and in silence, not even
coming to the dining room. He kept himself in his room at nearly all hours. He’d lay on the
floor and listen to Erwin and Hanji as they spoke while passing by. Sometimes he could even
hear them when they were in the foyer, below. There was a meeting coming up and he
wondered if Hanji would bring him along as she’d said before. Would Erwin be there with
them?
His relationship with Erwin did not get better as days passed. They had sex a lot, but it was
never like it had been the first time. It seemed like any time they passed each other in the
house, that switch would be flipped, and they’d end up doing it again. It was always the
same. Erwin fucked him from behind, no matter what. They never faced one another. The
Alpha would pin him over tables, sofas, up against the wall. He’d fuck him hard and fast. The
second they both came; the man would let him go and vanish once again. It was like some
ritual for them. Maybe it was just their way of having that connection while still doing all
they could to hurt each other.
They did not speak to each other. Their eyes would meet and then they had sex. That was it.
Levi fought to keep himself silent each time. Sometimes, he’d even cup his hand over his lips
to silence himself. Erwin never said a word about it. He’d groan and grunt but there was no
panting, passionate words or anything like that. It was simply get off and move on. People in
the house knew better than to say a word about it. As far as anyone was concerned, nothing
was going on and there was nothing to talk about.

Once night, after spending his entire day alone in his room, Levi was woken from his sleep
by Hanji. He gently tugged at his arm until he was able to acknowledge her. Before he was
able to actually ask what was going on, she shoved clothes into his hands and told him to get
dressed quickly then to get his shoes on. He was to meet her downstairs as soon as he was
finished. More than once, he’d been woken up like that during the war, so Levi quickly rolled
out of bed and got dressed. His attire was warm and dark. Hanji had also left him a pair of
knee-high riding boots… which was definitely new. Once everything was on, he slipped from
his room and headed downstairs to the first floor. Hushed voices could be heard from the
kitchen, so he went there first.
There, he found Hanji dressed in her normal clothes and a long dark coat on. She also had on
riding boots. Beside her, Moblit was packing food into cloth sacks. He looked panicked,
which wasn’t really shocking. He always seemed a little on edge. Much like Levi, he was in
dark clothes. The third person was, of course, Erwin. The Alpha was wearing a black tunic
with the sleeves rolled up and the neck laces untied. He had on his dark military pants and
boots like the rest of them. Unlike normal, his hair was not at all smoothed back. It was
falling loose about his forehead and temples. It actually looked really good. That thought was
shook from his mind as the Alpha looked over at him.

“Ah good, Levi. Come here.” He said and gestured him over. That was the first thing he’d
said to him in days.

“What’s going on?” He asked and approached them.

“We have to do a run. I want you to come along and learn how it works. That way you can do
this when I’m not able to help Hanji and Moblit.” He explained as he pulled out something
from his pocket. It was a metal key. “Take this. Do not lose it.”

“Okay…” The key was a dark steel with an ornate design at the top. It looked like a master
smith had shaped it. The head was a diamond with a bird in the middle. “What’s it go to?”

“The safehouse.” Erwin answered as he helped Moblit put food into the bags. “Only Hanji
and I had keys to it. Now you do as well.”

“Why?”

“We have to pick up the omegas that we’re due to meet with and take them there. We’ll give
them enough food for a few days.”
“Why are you giving me a key?”

“Once the roads are clear, we’ll return there and move them to the next location.”

“Erwin!” He snapped and the man looked at him again, his eyes wide. “Why are you giving
me this? Why trust me with something this important?”

“Are you going to betray me?” He asked and they stared at each other.

“No.”

“That’s why. You’re an omega. You know what they are all feeling. I know that you’ll do
what it takes to save them. I trust you.” He explained and then went back to what he was
doing. Levi watched him a moment longer and then reached out. He grabbed Erwin and made
the man turn around. The blond raised a brow and stared down as Levi quickly pulled the
lace from his shirt. He then ran it through the necklace and tied it around his own neck.

“There. Now, what do I do?” He asked. It almost looked like Erwin smiled at him before
turning away.

“Go to the servant’s quarters and collect a few extra blankets.” He ordered and Levi quickly
did as he was asked. He rushed down the hall behind the kitchen and found the storage closet
where all their extra blankets and towels were. He got some and put them into a bag before
throwing them over his shoulder and returning to the group.

“Where’s Petra?” He asked, glancing around.

“She’s going to be staying here, in case anyone comes knocking.” Hanji chimed in. “If
anyone shows up looking for Erwin, she’s to tell him that you two are out on some kind of
date.”

“Guess I’m a good cover too, huh?” He asked and rolled his eyes before taking his place by
Erwin’s side.

“I suppose you are.” The man said and handed Levi a couple of the bags before taking many
of them into his arms. “Let’s get these out to the carriage.” And with that, he turned on his
heel and walked out. Hanji and Moblit started putting things away that went unused, so Levi
jumped to follow after Erwin with the bags and blankets.

Outside, the air was cold but warmer than it had been. Spring was approaching. A carriage
was waiting by the door. There was no drive so Levi had to assume Moblit, or Hanji would
be doing that. They were silent as they loaded up everything into the back compartment. Levi
felt his heart hammering in his chest. This was part of the Scout work that Erwin did and now
he was going to be part of that. It didn’t take him long to realize that this was rather exciting.
It felt like he was going to be able to get back at Marley, even if it was in a small way. He’d
be helping his own people to escape this shitty place. It didn’t matter if he had to stay. They
could get out.
“You know what to do if we’re stopped on the road?” Erwin asked, breaking Levi from his
thoughts.

“Be your sweet little omega lover.” He stated in a blunt tone.

“Indeed.” Erwin said and it was clear he was hesitating. “I have something I want to talk to
you about once we’re on the road.”

“How long is this gonna take?” Levi said, more or less ignoring what was said to him.

“The omegas that we’re picking up are just a half hour’s ride down the road. The safehouse is
another hour away after that.” Erwin said and shut the compartment. He stepped back and
looked down at the other man. Before anything else could be said, Hanji and Moblit were
coming out.

“Here we go.” Hanji said and handed Erwin his coat. She also had one for Levi. It was dark
like hers but of a much nicer quality like Erwin’s. Of course. If they were caught, they had to
look like they were merely out together. He couldn’t look shabby. “Get in and we’ll go.” She
said and both she and Moblit climbed up to the front of the Carriage to control the horses.

“After you…” Erwin said, holding the door open for him. Levi gave the man a flat look and
got in. He sat down and faced the Alpha as he got in as well. Erwin smacked the roof and the
carriage started moving. “Okay, that talk…”

“Do we have to?” He asked and stared out the window.

“Levi, this is important.” Erwin said and stared at him until Levi was forced to look over.

“What?”

“We need to talk about your heat. It’s going to be coming on soon, isn’t it? We’re nearing
spring.”

“What about it?”

“I have to mark you. Zackly knows about you and he’s going to be paying attention. The man
doesn’t miss much when it comes to things like this. If your heat passes and he sees that
you’re still not marked, he's going to ask about it. He doesn’t hold back when something has
his interest.”

“And in order to actually mark me, we…”

“We have to actually mate.” Erwin finished. The two stared at one another.

“How the fuck do we do that with you knocking me up?” They both made it clear that they
did not want to use that medication that Hanji had… but the only other option was to either
get pregnant or have Erwin try to pull out. As an Alpha, he probably wouldn’t be able to…
especially if they were really mating and he knotted the omega.
“I don’t know.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “If we actually want to solidify
the mark, we have to lock together and if we do that… you’re going to get pregnant.”

“Yeah, that would be the fucking problem. Now, how do we solve it?”

“Maybe we just prey one of us is sterile…” Erwin said in a dry tone.

“Very funny.”

“I don’t know, Levi. We are going to either have to take our chances or use the medicine that
Hanji presented to us. I just wish we had more time.” He sounded so tired.

“If we do this and I take the medication immediately after my heat… we’ll never know if I
was ever pregnant in the first place, right? So maybe... that’s the best option.”

“Is that what you want?” Those blue eyes were on him. Even in the dark, Levi could see
Erwin’s face as he watched him.

“I don’t want to have a baby with parents who can’t even look at each other when they fuck.
Who don’t even talk… It’s messed up. I’ve seen plenty of kids with dysfunctional families
but not like this.” He muttered.

“It’s what you wanted.”

“I know. It’s my fault. I told you how it was going to be and all you’ve done is respect that.
So, thanks.” He snapped back.

“I didn’t mean anything by it, Levi. I just wanted to do whatever I could to make you happy
here. And all I’ve done is fail, over and over.”

“It’s not your job to make me happy.”

“It is. My job is to make sure you’re happy and safe.”

“Because of the bond?”

“Yes, precisely.”

“Then I’m failing too. All I’ve done is make you totally miserable.”

“You haven’t.”

“Don’t bullshit me, Erwin.” He said, glaring at him. “I resist you at every turn, I shut you
down when you were trying to get closer to me. I won’t even talk to you at home. All you do
is walk around like a fucking mute, frowning and looking like someone stole your fucking
cake.”

“Stole my cake?”
“What? It’s an expression. Shut up. That is not the point!” He growled but Erwin just
laughed. It was light but it was real, and Levi felt his chest tighten a little. It made him feel
warm.

“Right, right. You are correct. You do resist me and… you should. Things haven’t lined up as
they should have. We’re… not aligned at all. I kept hoping it would change but I guess not.”

“Are you content with how we are now?” Levi asked and Erwin looked at him for a moment
before looking down.

“Not at all. But at least this way, I can have contact with you in some form. It’s cold and it’s
almost cruel but… it’s something.”

That sounded so sad. Levi stared at the Alpha. He looked so tired and broken. Erwin was
happy to be able to be with him in any way he could get. Even if it meant cold, emotionless
sex and nothing more. Was he really that dedicated to this whole mess? The omega sighed
and looked back out the window. One little chat was not going to change things. He wasn’t
going to pretend like they were all better and jump back into something warmer. That just
wasn’t going to happen. But… he didn’t want to keep going as they were. It made his heart
hurt.

“What can I do?” Erwin asked and Levi glanced across the space at him.

“About what?”

“About you. What can I do to make you happier here, Levi? What is there, within my
abilities to do, that can help you be happier here?” He sounded so genuine.

“I don’t know, Erwin. I mean…” He sighed and thought about it. “Maybe I’m not even
capable of being happy.” He muttered. “Seems like life never had that in store for me.”

“What did you do in Eldia to make yourself happy?”

“Erwin, I’ve been on the run for the last two years.”

“Before that, then.”

“I took care of my family’s farm. I… I liked to tend to the horses. When the work was done,
I’d go to the pub.” He said, thinking back. It seemed like such a distant memory now. “I’d
drink with my friends, and we’d play cards.”

“Oh? I can’t imagine you sitting down with a beer and playing anything.” The man said with
a smile crossing his features.

“Well, it happened all the time.” He said and shrugged. “People started drinking at like
twelve where I come from. Especially people that worked the farms. You work hard, you
earned it.” He pointed out. “I’d have a few drinks to loosen up and then we’d play cards for
hours at the pub. It was usually myself and my friend Furlan actually playing. Isabel and
Ymir wouldn’t really participate much. They were very outgoing and always making
trouble.”
“Did they make it?” Erwin asked and Levi swallowed hard.

“Ymir and Furlan were Alphas. I’m sure they’re alive somewhere in the world. Isabel was a
Beta and never knew when to shut her mouth. I imagine she’s probably dead.”

“I’m sorry, Levi. Perhaps I could help you look for them.”

“…I’m not sure I want to know, honestly. If I never look for them, I can assume they’re free
and happy somewhere.”

“I suppose that is true.” He agreed. “Maybe we could start going out together. Since arriving
at my home, this is the first time you’ve left it. That’s my fault. I think I was afraid to take
you out anywhere. I think being cooped up there has only made things worse. We could go to
the theater or to get dinner somewhere. We could even go to a pub and drink if you wanted.”

“I told you I’m not looking to be courted…”

“And I’m not trying to do that. I just think we should get out of the house.”

He thought about it. Getting out would be nice. He’d been stuck in Erwin’s house since he
was dragged into Marley. He had no idea what any part of the city looked like other than
what he’d been marched through. Hanji came and went; Erwin came and went… even Petra
and Moblit went out and did the shopping. Levi was the only one in the house that never left
it. He was always stuck there and until now, he hadn’t really realized it. It made him feel a bit
claustrophobic. The offer to get out and do anything sounded good. Obviously, he was glad to
be out doing something potentially very dangerous and excited to do it. It wasn’t just because
he was helping, either. It was just the excitement of it. His life had been a constant moving
action since his village was dragged into the war two years ago. Slowing down just hadn’t
done it for him. He needed this.

“We’re here…” He heard Erwin say as he stared out the window. “We’ll pick this
conversation up later.” The man said and when the carriage stopped, he opened the door and
got out. Levi quickly followed.

They were stopped on the side of some road. It didn’t look like there was anything around
them. No lights came from houses or patrols. It was just a stretch of road that ran through the
forest. Levi rubbed his arms and looked around, taking it all in. Hanji handed Erwin a lantern
and he knelt down to the ground, lighting it. When the light flared up, he could see that the
lantern had stained blue glass instead of the regular clear kind. The Alpha stood up and
started walking into the woods. He gestured for Levi to follow so the omega quickly did. He
stayed close to the man’s side as they walked through the trees and brush. They didn’t stop
until the carriage was barely in sight.

“What do we do now?” Levi asked in a whisper. Erwin held the lantern up higher.

“We wait.” He said back.

They stood there for several long minutes. Levi crowded more into Erwin’s space as he tried
to get warm. The jacket was great and all but standing in the middle of the woods at night
during this time of the year was not exactly pleasant. Just when he was about to complain, he
heard a branch snap and then movement. His eyes shot over to the source, on guard. But then
he saw them. Two women slowly moved towards them. They had three children with them,
all looking completely terrified. They were bruised and scraped up, presumably from their
journey. Levi frowned when he saw the little children clinging to the omegas. They were
terrified. Erwin lowered the lantern and looked them over.

“Is this all?” He asked in a hushed tone.

“Yes sir.” The woman at the front said softly. “No one else could make it out… we’re all
there is.” She said, almost like she was guilty of having escaped. She probably felt bad that
more could not come. Levi felt his heart aching for these people.

“Alright. Let’s move.” Erwin said and looked at Levi. “Can you bring up the rear? Make sure
no one falls behind?” He asked and the omega quickly nodded.

Erwin started walking, leading the little group through the trees, back towards the carriage.
Levi waited for them to pass before he followed. The two women were wearing decent
clothes and outerwear, but he could see that they were thin beneath it all. Their faces looked
almost gaunt and one of them had a nasty bite mark showing beneath her tied up hair. The
kids were all probably younger than ten. They scrambled to keep up with the woman,
tripping and stumbling some. The youngest of them, a little blond girl, fell down as she raced
to keep up. One of the women turned around but Levi was faster. He gently picked the child
up and held her. She was no more than three or four years old and very light. He nodded to
the woman, and they kept moving. The little girl clung to him, her little body shivering. Was
it from fear or the cold? Maybe both.
At the carriage, Erwin helped the ladies into the carriage first. Then the two older children
joined them. Levi walked up and the blond gestured for him to get in, so he climbed up with
the child still in his arms. He took a seat and then Erwin sat down right next to him. It was
crowded but not unreasonable. The woman and the other two kids sat on one side. He, Erwin
and the girl sat on the other. She stayed on his lap and nuzzled against him. His scent
probably put her at ease and his warmth comforted her. Levi kept his arms around her,
making sure she was secure as the carriage began to move.
As they road, he felt eyes on him and glanced over. Erwin was watching him. There was a
look on his face that was hard to decipher. Maybe it was some kind of longing? It was hard to
tell. Levi stared back, meeting his gaze with one of his own. It felt loaded. He could see
something stirring behind those blue eyes and he wasn’t sure exactly what it was. But when
the little girl nuzzled in closer to him, he realized what Erwin was thinking about. Levi was
sitting there with him, cradling a child in his arms. The Alpha was no doubt imagining what
it would be like if it was their child. They watched each other for just a few moments longer
before Levi had to turn away. He wasn’t ready for that yet and the last thing he wanted was to
give Erwin the hope that he ever would be. This was just for the kid, nothing more.
The ride to the safehouse felt like it lasted forever. No one moved around or said anything the
entire way, not until they were nearly there. Erwin leaned forward and started to explain the
plan for them once they arrived. They would make sure the road was clear and then they
would all move from the carriage, into the house. It was a farmhouse that was owned by a
friend of a friend of a friend of Erwin’s. During the summer months, it was used for wine
transport but for now, it was unused. Inside, there was water, wood for a fire, and some spare
items that he kept stocked in case they were needed. A single groundskeeper was there but
remained in his own home on the property. He knew about the operation and his only real job
was to keep watch. They would stay in the house for a few days, just long enough for the heat
to die down from their escape of their homes. Once things were clearer, Erwin or his people
would arrive to meet the other half of his team. From there, everyone would be moved to the
border, where they could pass into the neighboring country and hopefully move on to better
lives. It all sounded good on paper, but they all knew that anything could go wrong.
Erwin and Levi got out first, then the woman and kids followed. While Erwin went to unlock
the door to the house, Hanji and Moblit started unloading all the food and blankets. They got
inside and it was almost pitch dark. The only light came from the blue lantern in the Alpha’s
hands. Erwin left them to unload as he started a fire in the pit at the center of the open house.
There were cushions and bedding spread out on the floor around the fireplace. This house
was set up like the ones back home and it made him miss his house in Eldia.

“Stay here. Do not go outside for any reason.” Erwin explained to them all. Levi set the little
girl down and she smiled at him before running over to the woman that he assumed was her
mother. “Myself or one of my men will contact you in a few days. Look for the wings.” He
explained and they all nodded, seeming to know exactly what that meant. “Let’s go.” He said
and gestured for the four of them to return to the carriage.

“It’s freezing out here…” Hanji mumbled once they were back outside. Erwin locked the
door behind himself and then they returned to the carriage.

“I’ll drive this time. You three can stay inside.” Erwin offered as they reached the horses. He
patted one of them and then climbed up into the high driver’s seat. Levi watched Hanji and
Moblit get inside before he hesitated. Then he shut the door behind them and climbed up to
sit next to Erwin. He looked down at the smaller male. “You’re going to free out here.”

“On the run for two years, remember? Do you think I was always warm and cozy?” Levi
asked back.

“Fair point. If you get too cold, just tell me.” He said and then snapped the reigns. The horses
started moving and they turned around, heading back the way they came.

It really was freezing but Levi didn’t worry too much about it. He stayed close to Erwin’s
side, sapping off his body heat. His eyes moved all around, taking in the peaceful woods that
they passed through. This was nice. It was much more like the area he’d come from. His
village was nestled into some woods, a river running alongside them. He missed the sound of
running water and the coolness of it in the summer. Were there any rivers near Erwin’s
house? Maybe he’d ask. Though it was probably not very proper of a Commander’s mate to
go playing in the water. There were probably all kinds of rules for someone in his position.

“You were very good with that child.” Erwin commented.

“Yeah well, what was I supposed to do? Pick her up and shove her on?” He asked.

“I just mean that it looked natural for you.”

 “I’m an omega. That’s probably part of the job. Be good with kids because you’re supposed
to have them.” He said in a mocking tone. Erwin just chuckled. Levi watched the cloud
leaving his lips in the cold air.

“That’s probably part of it but I think it’s just you.”

“I don’t want to have kids, Erwin.”

“I never said you had to. I was just making conversation.”

“Like hell. I saw that baby hungry look in your eyes.”

“As you said, you’re an omega. I’m an Alpha and maybe that’s part of my job.” He
countered.

“Not gonna happen.” Levi huffed.

“Not if we can help it.”

But they both knew that with spring coming up within weeks, there was a very good chance
that they would, in fact, not be able to help it. Spring was mating season. It was probably the
most dangerous time of the year to be an omega. Alphas could breed with omegas or betas,
but the scent of the former attracted them more than anything else. There was no way they
were going to be able to resist each other and Levi already knew what was going to happen.
Erwin had to mark him and in order to do that, they had to lock up… which pretty much
meant he was getting pregnant. What happened after that was the real question. What were
they going to do?
The omega eventually leaned against the blond man next to him. He closed his eyes and tried
not to think about any of that. It was still weeks away and he had time to make a plan. Erwin
wrapped an arm around him and kept the reigns in his other hand. Levi enjoyed the warmth,
not really caring if it meant that they were hugging. He sighed and cuddled close. He was
thinking about sleeping in Erwin’s room tonight, just to keep close to that incredible warmth.
Maybe they could even talk to each other from now on… even if it was just to be civil. If he
was going to be forced to have a baby, he might as well try to get along with the future father.
And seeing him help those people… well it didn’t hurt the situation. It made Levi realize
what a risk Erwin was taking and… perhaps in this, he was genuine. Whatever, his mind was
too heavy, and he was exhausted. The sky was shifting colors again as they neared their
home. Soon, the sun would rise, and they’d start their day as if nothing happened. Because of
them, somewhere, omegas and children got to sleep without the threat of an Alpha looming
over their heads. If nothing else, that made Levi feel better about his own situation. Maybe it
wasn’t quite as bad as he’d thought it was.

Chapter End Notes

Just to be clear, at the beginning, Levi was not raped by Erwin. I didn't want anyone to
think that. He invited him to do what he did by 'presenting' himself. It's an omega thing.
He turned around and went submissive for Erwin. No rape.
 Outside Locked Doors
Chapter Summary

Erwin suggests an outing and Levi decides to go with it. He learns a little more about
omegas in Marleyan society and comes to an unfortunate realization.

Chapter Notes

This chapter is a little lighter. Enjoy.

Things at the house were better than they had been before. Levi and Erwin stopped having
angry sex all the time and actually spoke to each other like normal people. There was still
distance there that Levi was not willing to bridge. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to, it was just
that he had a lot on his mind. On top of that, Erwin was quite busy as well. The Alpha was in
the city for longer hours then he had been before, due to some meetings coming up involving
Eldian land. He briefly mentioned that they had to decide what would come of their new
territory and what to do with the surviving citizens that did not receive land rewards. The
omega clarified that he did not want to know about and so, Erwin politely agreed not to bring
it up around him.
During the hours that his mate was not around, Levi started to spend more time with the
‘Scouts’. Hanji taught him the layout of Erwin’s property and where it was located on a map.
From there, she guided him through learning the entire area, including where the safehouse
was located. Erwin’s home was set farther back than most of the Noble houses, more in the
woods than others. He valued his privacy and Levi could understand why, considering what
he did in his free time. They would spend hours learning the layout of the land, who to trust
and how to tell when someone was part of their organization. Apparently, there were color
codes that all the Scouts used. Blue and gray or blue and Silver, depending on how you
looked at it.
Blue represented major players such as Erwin, who directly arranged transport and saw to it
that tasks and missions were carried out. Silver was for those who assisted. Hanji wore a
single silver wing pin on her jacket collars when she was out of the house. Though he hadn’t
noticed it, both Erwin and Mike apparently wore blue wings on the opposite side of the silver
bearers. After learning that, he paid more attention and realized that the man did in fact, never
leave the house without that pin on his jacket somewhere. It was interesting how easily
something like that could be overlooked.
“Want to go out shopping?” Levi was sitting on the floor in the living room. He was currently
holding laundry with Petra. They both looked up when Erwin walked in. Today, he was
dressed casually in dark slacks and a soft green button up. Levi could see the blue wing pin
on his collar.

“Shopping?” Levi asked, lifting a brow as he folded a towel and added it to the pile at his
side. “For what?”

“Well, you’ve been here for quite a while now and you’ve only been wearing the things Hanji
has managed to find for you. You have absolutely no personal items… you don’t even ask me
for anything. I thought perhaps you’d like to get out and maybe… personalize your space or
your attire…” The Alpha suggested, lazily waving a hand through the air.

“I don’t mind the clothes I have, and I don’t need personal items.” He said and went back to
folding. The omega glanced up, seeing Petra giving him a glare. He frowned and then rolled
his eyes. “But… It would be nice to get out of the house, I guess…” He added and handed
her the shirt he’d been folding. Pushing himself up to his feet, he walked over to the other
man. “I’d tell you that I have no money but I’m sure you’d just say…”

“What’s mine is yours.” Erwin finished and smirked. “You’re right. That’s exactly what I
would say. You’re my mate and I’ll get you whatever you’d like.”

“I don’t want anything.”

“You might.”

“I’m good. We can just walk around or something.” He muttered and walked past the blond.
Erwin casually followed him as he made his way up the stairs.

“If that’s what you wish. Maybe we could have a nice dinner in the city.” He suggested and
Levi wanted to snap at him that he was still against courting. But he kept his mouth shut
because Erwin was being nice, and he was trying to appreciate that.

Since returning from the Scouting mission, Levi had made a conscious effort to be more
understanding while around Erwin. The Alpha was a jackass but not as bad as he’d thought.
And seeing how hard he worked for those people… it made Levi want to at least give him a
chance. They had been getting along really well, with no fights other than the one time that
Erwin tried to kiss him, and he’d shoved his hand between their lips. That hadn’t made the
Alpha very happy but since then, he hadn’t touched him again. All the random, rough sex
they’d been having was no longer a thing. Sometimes he caught the man staring longingly at
him, but Erwin never tried anything again. Maybe he was waiting for Levi to offer himself up
once more.

“Dinner at some fancy restaurant. Yeah, that sounds swell.” He mumbled, trying not to grind
his teeth.

Levi didn’t want to go somewhere and be seen with Erwin. It was obvious what would
happen. People would see them, start talking, and then the whole world would be certain that
Commander Smith had found his beloved mate. It would be a good thing because then people
would leave them along, but he also found it terribly embarrassing. People were going to see
him as some timid little omega that did whatever their Alpha said, and he hated that. What
could he do about it, though? Nothing. He had to play nice and not make Erwin look bad.

“Wonderful.” Erwin said, totally missing or ignoring Levi’s sarcasm. “We can do some
shopping, then have a meal. It should be a nice day off.” He commented as they reached the
omega’s room. The Alpha paused in the doorway as Levi walked in and went to his
wardrobe. He glanced over his shoulder at the man, lifting a brow.

“What are you just standing there for?” He asked and pulled out a fresh pair of pants and a
white button up that Hanji got him. He’d never warn these ones, but he figured he might as
well look decent if he was going to be about with the Commander.

“It’s your room. I didn’t want to just waltz in.”

“It’s your house.”

“It’s our house and this is your space.”

“Ah… well… come in?” He said and rolled his eyes. It was nice that Erwin was respecting
his bedroom, though.

“Thank you.” He said and walked in, shutting the door behind himself. The Alpha took the
seat from the desk and turned it around so he could sit facing Levi. “You’re totally sure that
there’s nothing at all that you want?” He asked while Levi pulled his gray tunic off. He put it
in the hamper and then glanced over at the Alpha.

“What could I possibly want? I have a big house, a comfortable bed, and food.”

“Is that all that matters to you?”

“What else matters?” Levi countered and took his pants off, leaving him in his
undergarments. He could feel Erwin’s eyes on him. “Back home, the most luxurious thing I
owned was a nice glass tea set. Other than that, I only had the things I needed to live.”

“That’s it?”

“Yeah.” Levi looked over at him before he pulled his new pants on and buttoned them into
place. “Erwin, I grew up on a farm with just myself and my mother. We had to do what we
could just to survive. She handmade all my clothes, our pottery and things like that. When
she died, I started doing it all, myself. I never bought anything other than drinks at the pub,
sometimes. I sold milk and eggs and put money back… but that’s all gone now.” He
mumbled, going to grab his shirt.

“The soldiers took your savings? How much did you have?”

“It doesn’t matter now. Everything I owned and worked for is now the property of Marley.”
Levi countered and slipped the shirt on. He started buttoning it up.
“I’m sorry about that, Levi. War isn’t pleasant… but maybe we could find some things to
make up for what you lost. I could get you a lovely tea set, some of whatever kind of ale you
prefer…” He suggested. Levi could tell the man was trying.

“The tea set belonged to my mother’s grandfather. It was destroyed. I don’t even think a
single cup survived.” He admitted. “It’s okay. I like the set you have here. It works just fine.”

“…I see.” Erwin looked down and seemed to be lost as to what he should be saying. Levi
sighed and walked over. He stepped close to the other man and grabbed his chin. Levi made
the Alpha look up at him.

“Don’t sit and feel bad. It’s over and done with. Nothing is gonna fix that. But I appreciate
how hard you’re trying.” He said in an even tone, ignoring the heat that spread through him
from being close to his mate like this after so long. “If I see something I really want while
we’re out, I’ll tell you.”

“Alright. I’ll stop pouting.” Erwin said and smiled. Levi felt him gently touching his outer
thighs as he stood nearly between the man’s legs. “Do you like candy?” He asked and the
omega almost laughed at how out of the blue that seemed.

“I have no idea. Never had any.”

“Really? Never?” Erwin asked. When Levi gave him a flat look, he cleared his throat. “Right.
Well, then we should get some to share. I’m sure you’ll love them.” The omega shifted a little
closer when those hands slid up a little higher, towards his hips.

“I guess I could give them a try. Nothing wrong with something sweet, right?” He said, his
voice softer than it was before. He felt a tingling rushing through his body, and he couldn’t
help moving closer.

“Mmm no, nothing wrong with that at all.” Levi’s hand slipped from his jaw to slid back into
the man’s perfect blond hair. The space between them was just about to be closed when a
knock and the sound of the door opening disrupted the moment. Levi moved away from
Erwin quickly and went to get his boots.

“Hey guys…” Hanji said and then looked between the two red-faced men. “Did I interrupt
something?” She teased, her face turning up in a grin.

“No.” Levi said quickly as he sat on the bed and pulled the riding boots up over his pants.
“We were just getting ready.” He added.

“Right.” She cooed and shook her head. “Well, the carriage is ready for you. The driver is
waiting.” She said and then slipped right back out, shutting the door behind herself.

The air in the room was suddenly very thick. Levi had felt himself completely giving in to his
desires. If Hanji had not shown up, he probably would have ended up climbing all over the
Alpha and then they’d never make it to the city. It felt very different this time. And it was. He
and Erwin had only had pretty emotionless, get done quick sex since that first time. This
hadn’t felt anything like that. Part of him really wanted to let it happen and explore being
properly intimate with the Alpha but… he still felt like he should be holding back. It was
complicated.
They kept their distance as they made their way to the city. Erwin and Levi sat on opposite
sides of the carriage and spoke casually about things that could be found in the city. Types of
shops, food, and entertainment. All things like that. Erwin seemed a little tense but nothing
terrible. They were just very aware of each other. At least, that’s how Levi felt. Every time
the blond would cross his legs or wave a hand through the air, Levi found his eyes closely
following the movements. Each time he looked away out the window and glanced off to
gather his thoughts, he knew that Erwin was staring closely at him. Not in the same way he
did when they were talking. It was a different kind of look.
It was probably a very good thing that they arrived when they did because the tension was
going to get unbearable. Erwin stepped out of the carriage first and offered Levi his hand.
The omega probably would have ignored it and jumped out if it wasn’t for all the people
around. He didn’t want to draw any more attention to himself than he was no doubt going to
receive. Of course, he was right about that. The second he took Erwin’s hand and was helped
to the ground, he felt eyes on him. People walking by would look him over and whisper. He
resisted the urge to roll his eyes and took his place next to the much larger man. Lots of
people nodded to the Commander but apparently, he wasn’t worth that sort of greeting. That
was fine. He didn’t want to have them doing anything with him. Friendly or otherwise.

“Shall we?” Erwin asked and held out his arm. He was smiling like a tom cat. Levi gave him
a flat look before walking past him. He heard the man chuckle. “Alright, I knew I was asking
too much with the arm.” He said, clearly quite amused.

“What are we looking at first?” Levi asked, ignoring the man.

“Whatever you’d like. This is the middle of the market district so there’s things in all
directions.” He pointed out. “We could get something to eat first if you’d like or… Levi?”

The omega had stopped and was staring off down the road at a man with two women
following after him. What really caught his eye was the gaggle of children following them.
There were definite traits of all three people mixed among them. He counted seven kids
totally, ranging from infants to perhaps ten or twelve years old. The two women that walked
along seemed happy enough, but they had one thing that made his stomach turn. Collars.
Both of them were collared omegas. That meant they belonged to that man but weren’t
marked. The kids were all laughing and teasing while the mother’s smiled and tried to keep
them in order as they all walked behind the man at the lead. His staring must have been
obvious because he felt a hand on his shoulder. Shifting, his silver gaze turned back to Erwin.

“It’s not as bad as you think.” He said and Levi’s face instantly dropped into an irritated,
suspicious glare. “The collars aren’t signs of servitude like I know you’re thinking. A collar
is an honor. It’s like a wedding band for omegas here. A servant wouldn’t have any signs that
they are wanted.”

“Should I have one, then?” He countered and Erwin just smiled.

“You’re my true bond so no. What we have is stronger even than those types of
relationships.”
“So…” He frowned and watched the family walk by. “Why doesn’t he just marry them? Or is
that now allowed here?”

“There’s a sort of system to it. I realize it’s complicated. I’ve never had any interest in the
actual facts, but I know them as part of my military knowledge. It’s good to know how things
work. Wives are married. Loved omegas are collared, and servants may be tattooed or
branded but usually they just show their status by their behavior. Walking with their heads
down, behind the family, etc.” He waved his hand through the air.

“They brand people?” He asked in surprise.

“It’s a rather old method of marking one’s property but it does still happen occasionally. It’s
frowned upon to brand your servants but not illegal. Tattooing is more common but still on
the outer edge of claiming people. I’ve never agreed with it.”

“So, servants are slaves.”

“I suppose some are.” Erwin said with a sigh. He guided Levi to continue walking as they
spoke. “Some start out as such but move their way up. It’s very dependent on the Noble
family that they are part of. After a territory is claimed, such as Eldia, some people are sold to
families. This would make them… temporary slaves, I guess. It’s awful. I know.” He said,
sounding sad. Levi thought about his Scout organization and understood that Erwin did not
agree with all this.”

“Do I have to wear something or do something to show people what I am to you?” He asked,
looking up at the taller man.

“Not specifically, no.”

“But?”

“But… I would like you to.”

“…. I’m not wearing a fucking collar or some shit like that.”

“Of course not. You’re not just my omega. You’re my partner. That’s very different. Those
women with collars are loved but they are there to have children. That’s their purpose.”

“I thought that you guys all thought omegas were put here to breed for you?” He asked,
stopping to look in a shop window. There were tons of baby clothes, and it was all frilly. He
made a face and kept walking.

“Most people in Marley believe that omegas are good for nothing but reproduction, it’s true.
I’m not one of them. But a true bond is different. You are, according to many beliefs, the
other half of my soul. We’re one complete soul when we are together. That makes us equal in
the eyes of most people. And what I’d like for you to wear, eventually… is a wedding band.”

“You’re kidding right?” Levi stopped and gave him a flat look.

“Not at all. I want to marry you.”

The two men stood there, staring at one another. Levi was sure this had to be a joke. Him?
Get married? To Erwin Smith? The very thought made him want to laugh… and also made
his heart flutter a little. It wasn’t that he opposed marriage to Erwin specifically. Levi had just
never wanted it. In his mind, he associated being married with being given to someone else.
That was how it usually worked. Omegas in Eldia were free to choose their spouses but
young omegas didn’t always know better. They would just go along with whatever business
deal arranged marriage their parents would lay out. Some were smart enough to argue but not
all.

“You better try harder, then.” Levi finally said and turned, continuing down the sidewalk. He
could hear the Alpha following.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, Erwin.” He sighed. “Sure, I feel the connection to you from this bond. And it
makes me feel… things. But really, we barely know each other. You don’t know shit about
me. Not even my favorite color. So marriage is not happening until we at least know each
other better.”

“What’s your favorite color, then?” He asked, sounding too amused.

“Blue.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, why?” Levi snapped, glaring at him.

“I’m just surprised. I thought you’d say something like black.” He laughed.

“Well, what’s yours then?”

“Green.”

“Why?”

“Well… I love the forest and the grass. I like nature and green just… fits.”

“Right…”

“Why blue?”

“Because of that.” Levi pointed straight up to the clear blue sky overhead. “Blue means
freedom. The open sky, nothing can contain it.” Erwin was smiling and it made the omega
blush.

“I completely agree. That’s a lovely reason to love that color.” He said, still smiling and
looking so happy. This man was weird.

Really, this wasn’t so bad. The two of them walked along, talking about themselves. Levi
shared his favorite things about his former farm life and Erwin told him stories about himself,
Hanji, and other friends. It felt both normal and strange. Levi just fell into the conversation so
easily that really, he didn’t feel like himself while doing it. He never talked this much, but
with Erwin, it was so easy to do. He found himself just spilling out information to the other
man. About his childhood, about his mother and uncle, and so forth. They stopped sometimes
and peaked into shops, but nothing really caught his eye. At least, not until they got to the
farmer’s market.
The second the smell of fresh baked goods hit his nose; Levi’s mind went to one thing only.
He led Erwin through the small crown and into the part of the market that was filled with
little stalls and covered areas. It looked like a bazaar, which surprised him. Marley was made
up of many nations, though. So, maybe it wasn’t as odd as he’d thought it was. There were
foods he’d never seen before, trinkets and treats that he couldn’t have imagined… this was
the place he wanted to be.

“Holy shit, Erwin look at this!” He said and earned a couple of dirty looks from ladies who
were walking by. “This looks amazing.” He said as he stopped in front of a stall that had what
appeared to be some sort of large iron oven at the back. It was transportable!

“Mmm yes, traveling bakers. These are quite popular.” The blond said and looked over the
selection of goods. Some of them were so fresh, they were still putting off rolling waves of
heat. “Would you like something?”

“Yes.” Levi didn’t hesitate. He pointed out two types of bread and one very large crème filled
dessert that had a weird name. The lady smiled happily and wrapped it all up for them. Erwin
paid and took the little bag while Levi was already moving on to the next thing.

“Apparently I just needed to bring you here to get you to open up.” Erwin laughed as Levi
moved from one stall to the next. By the end of the first section, he had Erwin holding five
little bags, all containing different kinds of food that could be eaten as is or put into cooked
meals. The Alpha didn’t seem to mind at all, though.

“I grew up eating potatoes and eggs… for almost every meal. This stuff is like treasure to
me.” He admitted as he stopped at another stall. This one had lots of little bottles and vials.
Levi thought they were spices at first but soon realized he was wrong.

“Commander Smith!” The old woman said as she came forward from the back of her little
covered stall. “I heard the wonderful news that someone finally caught your attention. You
were getting a little old to still be single.” She cackled and gently patted the large man’s arm.

“Ah yes. This is Levi. I’ve finally managed to drag him out so that I may show him off.” He
teased and Levi just gave him a flat look. As if he was someone to show off… “Levi this is
Matilda. She runs an apothecary just outside town but comes in to sell her concoctions.”

“Yes yes and I know just what you need!” She turned and walked to the back, coming to
them a moment later with a bottle in hand. It was small, fitting into her palm, and colored a
soft rose pink. “This is for fertility!” She said and smiled as she pushed it into Levi’s hands.

“I don’t think we need this…” he mumbled, his face turning as pink as the bottle.
“Oh, I’m sure you don’t. Not with a man like Commander Smith here.” She laughed. “But it
can’t hurt! I had a cousin who was a male omega, you know. He fell in love with a sweet
young Alpha, but they had years of struggling before they could have a little pup of their
own. So, you just take that!” She insisted. Levi sighed and tucked it into his pocket.

“Alright, thanks…” He said, feeling terribly awkward. The last thing he wanted was to be
fertile around Erwin.

“Do you have any more of that oil that you gave me before? I’m afraid my young
housekeeper is still having headaches. She refuses to ever spend money on herself so I
thought I would get more for her.” Erwin said and started talking to the old woman about
that. Levi chose to slip away to look at the next stall. He did not want to have to hear
anything else about fertility and medication.

As he looked at the beads and handmade jewelry in the next stall, his stomach growled. All
this food around and he hadn’t actually eaten anything. The omega rubbed his middle and
glanced around. Maybe there was something he could just grab to eat. People were moving
all around him and there were so many scents in the air, it was a little disorientating. Back
home, there weren’t even this many people in his whole village. Being surrounded was really
bothering him. His hand moved up to his head. Maybe it was time to grab Erwin and get out
of here. The sounds of voices, glass, and movement started to pulse in his ears, and he felt
dizzy.

“Levi?” He turned and found a familiar face.

“Jean…” he said and took a deep breath.

“You don’t look so good. Are you okay?” The young Alpha asked. He approached and held
his hands out as if he were going to catch him. Did he look that bad?

“Yeah, not used to crowds. It’s just making my head hurt.”

He glanced over the other, taking him in. He looked good and healthy. That made Levi feel a
little relieved. His clothes were clean and fine, nicer than most of those around him. No doubt
he’d made it into a proper Noble family. There was a gold pin on the collar of his shirt. It
looked like a running stallion. His hair was also a bit longer, tucking behind his ears. Since
they last saw each other, how much time had passed? Had it only been weeks or were months
finally passing? Levi realized that the weather was chilly but warming… what month was it?

“Are you here with someone?” Jean asked and Levi realized that he was an omega out here
by himself. That probably seemed odd.

“Yeah, my… uh… Commander Smith.” He said and pointed behind him to where he’d last
seen Erwin. “I’m here with him.”

“Oh right. The lady of the house talks about him a lot. She and her daughters are pretty
jealous of you.” Jean laughed. “I’ve never… holy shit.” He said, his thin eyes going wide.
“That’s a big guy… I’m sorry.” He said and snickered. Levi gave him a flat look.
“Shut up.” He hissed and the other just laughed more, covering his mouth with his hand.

“Levi, who’s this?” Erwin asked, walking over to them. Levi felt the hand that went around
his waist, a clear possessive display in the face of another Alpha.

“This is Jean. We’re from the same village. Ignore him, he’s a brat.”

“Commander Smith.” Jean said, straightening up. “I was just checking on Levi. He looked a
little faint.”

“Is that so?” Erwin looked down at Levi and must have believed it because he frowned and
removed his hand from his waist to instead touch his face. “You do look paler than usual.
Perhaps we should go back to the carriage.”

“I’m fine. Stop fussing.” He snapped and pushed the man’s hand away.

“Well, I appreciate your concern for Levi.” Erwin said, looking back at Jean. There was an
edge to his voice that made Levi shiver but also annoyed him. “I think we’ll be going.” He
said and Jean nodded. He gave Levi one last look before turning and walking off.

“That was rude.” Levi said and glared at Erwin, shrugging away from his touch. “He was
being friendly and checking on me.”

“He should know better than to approach someone else’s…”

“Someone else’s what?” Levi looked back at him.

“…omega.”

They stared at one another for a moment before Levi gave up and just kept walking. So now
he wasn’t even allowed to talk to other Alphas? That seemed stupid but he wasn’t in the
mood to argue. He still felt a little stressed by the crowd and he was hungry. Hadn’t Erwin’
said something about going to have dinner together. This seemed like the perfect time for
that. As he walked, he just assumed the Alpha was following after him. It wasn’t until they
reached the edge of the bazaar that he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was gently but firm
enough to halt his forward movement.

“Are you alright?” Erwin asked. His face showed genuine concern.

“I’m…” Levi paused and rubbed at his head. “I’m just hungry.” He finally said and took a
deep breath. There were still people moving all around them. “And I’m not good in crowds.”
He added, slightly embarrassed to admit to that.

“I see. Well, how about we drop off our purchases at the carriage and then we can get a
meal.” The man suggested and Levi just nodded.

The wonderful scents of the bazaar were left behind as they walked back through the streets
to the carriage. It was waiting right where they’d left it, the driver standing off to the side,
having a smoke. Erwin loaded up their things and told the man what they were doing before
he returned to the omega’s side. He gently slid an arm around his back. Normally, he would
have shrugged that off but right now, he felt a little weak from not eating all day, so he just
leaned into the man. Erwin was probably enjoying it, but Levi found that he just did not care.
All he wanted was to get something into his stomach before he puked or passed out.
Erwin took him to a place that was way too nice for him. The tables were all covered with
lacy white tablecloths, had candles, and there was a lovely scent of fresh cooked meat in the
air. Levi’s mouth was practically watering as they were seated. He glanced around them to
the other tables. The people in here looked like Erwin. They were all dressed nice and had
their hair nicely laid into place. The ladies had jewelry and gloves. The men all had ties or
suit jackets… these people looked like the Nobility that he’d been hearing so much about it.
More than that, they looked like stuck up assholes.
Erwin ordered himself a glass of red wine while Levi only wanted water. When a basket of
fresh baked bread was brought to the table, he had to fight himself not to just tear into it. Levi
did as he saw others around him, cutting off a piece and layering some butter onto it before
taking a bite. The menu was a bit complicated, so he just gave up and shoved it to Erwin,
wanting the Alpha to just order for him. He could see the amusement in those blue eyes as
the man read off their orders to the waiter. Levi didn’t miss the way the server looked at him
before walking off.

“You’re struggling, aren’t you?” The man asked and Levi sighed.

“Very.” He answered and Erwin laughed lightly.

“I appreciate your effort to fit in.” He said and smiled. “Don’t fill up on bed. You’ll be upset
if you miss out on the meal, I ordered for you.”

“What was it?” He asked and set his third piece of bread down, giving in to Erwin’s point.

“It’s chicken done in a white wine sauce with fresh greens.” Just the sound of it made his
stomach churn uncomfortably with hunger.

“Sounds good.” Levi commented, keeping his thrill over the food to himself. He lifted his
water to his lips and ended up downing the entire glass without realizing it. Looking over, he
found Erwin just staring at him. “What?”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” The man asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“You look a little rabid.” He said and smirked. “You would have eaten that whole loaf of
bread if I hadn’t said anything and now you’ve drank an entire glass of water in one gulp.”
Erwin pointed out. Levi narrowed his eyes and then froze.

“Shit.” He said and the blond perked up a brow. “I’m going into heat.”
 Within and Without
Chapter Summary

Levi and Erwin face decisions about what will happen next for them. After Erwin is
called away, the omega prepares for his heat and decides to handle things on his own in
order to do what he thinks is right... But will he feel the same way after it's over?

Chapter Notes

I want to give a brief warning and some info about this chapter.
There are some sections that reference and discuss abortion. Levi expresses his feelings
on what it means to terminate a pregnancy. This is the opinion that I have written for
him and does not reflect my own feelings, nor does it cast judgement onto others. What
is done with your body is up to you. The same goes for how I write my characters. I
hope that Levi's opinion and words don't offend anyone.
This chapter also has some stressful situations but it's nothing too bad. Just our omega
boy dealing with his cycle.

“Don’t panic.” Levi said and picked up his water after the waiter refilled it. “I’m not gonna
flare up right here. It’s not like it was when we met. This is a normal cycle.” He added
quietly.

When he’d said he was going into Heat, Erwin’s eyes had gone huge, and the man looked
like he was going to jump out of his seat. He probably thought Levi was about to throw out
pheromones and climb up on the table to present himself to him or something. That just
wasn’t how it worked. Eating everything was usually what happened a few days before it
actually started. During a real heat, omegas didn’t eat and barely slept. So, before it
happened, they ate a lot and spent a lot of time sleeping to preserve their strength. That was
the real reason he’d been so off today. It was just his body getting ready for his cycle. He’d
thought he had more time but… apparently not.

“Should we go?” The Alpha asked.

“No, we’re fine. It’s not actually starting yet. I probably have another day or two.”

“…but you’re sure?”

“Very. Now that I realized it, I’m feeling all the signs.” Levi shrugged.
“Damnit. I thought we had more time.” The Alpha said and looked down.

Levi could see the wheels turning in the man’s head. Truth was, he felt the same way. He
thought they’d have more time to come up with a plan but clearly not. His body had other
ideas. It was probably coming a little early thanks to them meeting each other. He wasn’t sure
exactly how being bonded to someone effected his cycle. Would it be shorter? Longer? More
intense? He didn’t know what to expect or what to feel about it. A full-blown heat with Erwin
would probably be amazing but he really should not be thinking about that. Luckily, their
food was brought out and for the omega, that was more than enough of a distraction. Not so
much for Erwin, apparently.
Levi’s eyes got big, and he had to stop himself from just digging into the food. The chicken
was juicy and cooked perfectly. It had some kind of sauce on it, Erwin had called it white
wine sauce. He didn’t care what it actually was. It tasted amazing. There were also vegetables
that he’d never seen before. It was all so good that it took his completely focus. That was,
until he realized that Erwin was merely picking at his own meal. His lips were turned down
and he looked really distressed. Levi paused his eating and stared at the man until those blue
eyes turned up towards him.

“What?” He asked and Erwin stared for a moment before finally answering.

“I don’t know what to do.” He admitted. There weren’t many people around their part of the
open floor plan. They could speak in hushed voices. “I thought I had more time. I kept
pushing it to the back of mind, honestly.”

“I thought you wanted this.” Levi said in a voice that was just slightly touched with
disappointment.

“I want to mark you, yes. Not just because you’re my mate but because it will protect you.
But the cost of doing that is great.”

Levi knew what he was worried about. He didn’t want the omega to get pregnant. Or rather,
he probably really did want that, but he knew that Levi did not. It was nice that he cared
enough about his feelings to be upset about this. He could deny it all he wanted but Levi
knew that Erwin wanted kids. All Alphas wanted to breed. Sure, maybe he didn’t want them
at this very moment because of everything going on but there was no doubt in his mind that
the other desired them at some point in his life. If they locked up and mated during his heat,
there was an extremely high chance of the omega getting pregnant, assuming there wasn’t
something wrong with either of them. Neither had ever had a pregnancy scare. At least, not
that he knew of.

“Should we… consider Hanji’s medicine?” He asked and the two looked at one another.

“Levi… I don’t agree with the use of that elixir but if you wanted to use it, I would not hold
anything against you or judge you for it.” He said softly and the omega felt his heart seize a
little.

“You’d be okay with me possibly ending a pregnancy?”

“No. Not really. But it’s not my body that has to endure it. I would never force you to have a
child. I want you to understand that.” He was so serious, now. “If it were my body and my
choice, I would let whatever happens, happen.”

“It’s not just about me. I can’t make that call by myself.” Levi countered and Erwin gave him
a confused look. “Erwin it’s my body, yeah. But… I feel like you should have a say in
something like that. It takes two people to make a baby, you know.”

“You… you’re so unique. Do you know that?” The Alpha said with a sad fondness to his
voice. “The whole rest of the world is black and white. They either believe the mother has all
the say or the father. Never both. But you… you operate in this gray middle ground that
includes us both. It’s refreshing and frustrating. It would be so much easier if you’d just make
that decision but… I love so much that you want me to be part of it.” He said and smiled.

“I’m not unique. I’m probably broken or something. Maybe my head isn’t put together right.”
He mumbled, slightly embarrassed at the words directed at him.

“That’s not it at all. I think more people should be like you, Levi. You speak your mind,
you’re direct. And even in a situation like this… you’re giving me a voice about what could
possibly be our future child. I appreciate it more than you know.”

“Okay but… where does that leave us on this decision?” Levi asked, trying to get them back
on subject because this was important.

“Well…” He paused and then set his hands into his lap. “If I wasn’t here. Say, I died. Would
you keep our child?”

“Yes.” Levi said without hesitation, surprising himself as much as Erwin.

“And in our current situation?”

“…yes.” He said again and took a deep breath. “I don’t want kids right now, Erwin. I mean, I
might never want them. But I’m just not okay with killing one off to protect myself. I don’t
care if it’s not even a person yet. If it’s there, it’s alive to me. And I won’t hurt it.”

“You understand that there’s really no doing back once you’ve gone through with this.”

“Yeah. I don’t plan on abandoning the kid when it’s born, either. If we make it, it’s ours. So,
you better not fuck around and leave me with the little brat all the time.” He snapped, going
back to eating his food. It sort of felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

“You talk like we’ve already got one.” Erwin laughed. He seemed more relaxed as well. “It’s
a terribly dangerous time to be having a child but I guess if it happens, it happens.”

“Yep. Now quit sitting there looking like someone kicked your puppy. Eat your food. We
probably only have a couple of days before you try to go baby making.” Levi muttered and
the Alpha laughed.

Everything was caught between relaxed and tense after that. They ate their meal and chatted a
little bit about how his heat worked. Erwin knew general facts, but he wanted to know what
Levi was like in the days leading up to his cycle. He answered the other’s questions while
eating and once his food was done, the Alpha ordered them each a piece of cake, which
completely blew Levi away. The second the large piece of chocolate cake was set in front of
him, he felt like his body would dry out from how much his mouth was watering.

“Okay look, this is the single best thing to come out of this Marleyan take over.” He said
bluntly and was halfway through is before Erwin had taken two bites.

“What? Meeting me doesn’t take the top of the list?” Erwin asked, amused.

“No, fuck that. Cake.” The omega answered and kept eating. The blond just laughed. “Can
we get one of these to take home? Like the whole thing?” He asked, licking the icing off his
fork shamelessly. He was going to have to learn how to make these at home.

“Of course. I’ll make sure to get one before we leave.” Erwin looked very pleased. He was
probably enjoying the show. Levi didn’t care. He loved this.

Erwin ended up giving him the rest of his piece as well, which Levi happily took and finished
off. When they were all finished, he drank down two more glasses of water while the Alpha
ordered a cake to be packaged up and paid their bill. Levi’s eyes moved all around while he
waited. No one was really paying them any attention, which was nice. He didn’t like the way
people watched him on the street. The omega jumped when he felt a hand on his arm.
Looking up, he found Erwin standing there offering him a hand up. He had a nicely wrapped
white box in his other hand. The cake.

“Come along, love. We need to get going.” He said in a sweet voice. The waiter was nearby,
patiently waiting to clean up their table.

“Right.” He took Erwin’s hand and stood up. Their fingers lingered together a bit longer
before they separated and the two of them walked outside. “Going home now?”

“I think that would be best.” Erwin said and they walked back to the carriage. Levi got in first
and took the cake. He set it into the seat next to him and waited as Erwin sat across from him.

“So… are you going to take time off to stay with me?” He found himself asking. “I mean, are
you gonna like, make me and leave?”

“I’m going to have to take time off. There’s not way that I’d be able to leave, Levi. If I give
in and sleep with you during your heat, I won’t be physically able to leave you until it’s over.
That’s why I was resisting so much during your first minor heat. My own instincts would
kick in and then… there’s no going back.” He explained.

“Is your boss gonna be mad?”

“Not at all. In fact, he’s been waiting for this. He’s eager for us to be properly bonded and
you to be marked. This will be settled more after that. I’ve been asked several times if I
thought you would be going into heat soon.” He said and shook his head. “I’ll let him know
that I’ll be going on a temporary leave. Mike can handle things until I’m back.”
“Ah.” Levi nodded his head. “I wonder what it will be like to be marked.” He mumbled.
“I’ve seen marked omegas but never any that were marked by their fated one or whatever. I
wonder if it’s different.”

“I’ve heard that it’s very different, but I’ve never known anyone who experienced it so I’m
not sure if the stories are true.”

“What have you heard?”

“Well, I’ve heard that it connects in a way that allows us to feel one another. Like… if one of
us was in distress, the other could tell and come help. Or if you were… in the mood… I’d
know it without even being around you.” He said and smirked. Levi just rolled his eyes. “We
would just know each other’s feelings more, as if we were more in tune. We’d be more
protective and possessive of one another. In sync with most things…”

“And regular omegas are just slaves to their Alpha when marked.” He said and frowned. “I
don’t want to be your bitch.”

“I would never treat you like that. And I don’t think that’s what happens between fated
mates.”

“Sorry. I’ve just only ever seen omegas change for the worse when marked. They go from
being free to being the perfect little servants for the ones that marked them. It’s pathetic. I
swore I’d never be that way. I just hope you’re right.”

“I want you as you are, Levi. I don’t want you to be a passive omega who does whatever I
say. I won’t let you be like that.” He said and there was so much sincerity in his voice that
Levi felt his heart speed up a little.

“Alright… thanks.” He said and meant it, eve if his voice was a little soft.

The entire idea of being marked made his logical mind nervous. He did not want to be a pet
for Erwin to control and that was all he knew about marking. It scared him. What if he lost
himself to it and just wanted to be a sweet little stay at home omega mother for his Alpha
mate? That thought really made him sick. But there was the instinctual part of his brain that
definitely wanted it. He wanted Erwin to knot him, mark him, and breed him. Levi groaned
and rubbed his face, shutting that right down. The blond gave him a questioning look, but he
just shook his head and looked out the window. Soon enough, he'd find out what would
happen.

That night, Erwin helped him bring everything inside and then he left. He had to travel back
to the city to make sure everything was prepared for his leave. Petra helped Levi put all the
food away that he’d bought and then she went about her nightly clean up as he went to his
room. It wasn’t exactly late but he just wanted to be in his room. His heat wouldn’t start for
another day or two, probably. Still, he could feel the effects starting. He wanted to smother
himself in bedding… Erwin’s bedding.
The omega did not ask permission as he left his own room and went straight to the Alphas.
He opened the door, slipped in, and shut it behind him. Erwin wasn’t home but the room
smelled like him and that’s all that mattered. Levi crawled into the massive bed and buried
himself into the pillows and blankets. Having an Alpha was a very different experience than
it was when he was alone. Back home, he’d lock all his doors and windows, then he’d climb
into his tiny bed, covered in furs, and just stay there. There was no comforting scent to help
him sleep and there was no warm of another body to join him when things got too bad. Here,
he’d have all that and more.
It took him only a moment or two to fall asleep once he was in Erwin’s bed. The scent was
enough to relax him, and he passed out. His slumber was filled with dreams about strong
arms around him, lips on his neck, and other wonderful sensations that he was sad to lose
when the first rays of sun started to cross the blankets and wake him. Whining, he rolled onto
his stomach and pulled a pillow over his head. He did not want to wake up yet. The only
reason he even considered it was because he was hungry. His stomach made a rumbling
sound and he sighed. No point in fighting it.
Sitting up, he stretched his arms out over his head and yawned. As expected, he felt sluggish
and weaker than before. Looking over, Levi found the other side of the bed untouched aside
from where he’d pulled at the blankets. Had Erwin not come home last night? Or maybe he’d
slept somewhere else to keep from bothering him. Frowning, he threw the blankets back and
got up. The soft cloth pants and tunic he wore felt hot and itchy against his skin, but he
ignored that and walked to the door. He checked his bedroom, but it was just as he left it.
Then he looked in Erwin’s office. There was no fresh scent from him. Had the man even
come home at all?

“Hanji!” He called as he quickly made his way down the stairs.

“Levi!” She called back, her voice coming from the kitchen. He went in and found her and
Moblit cooking breakfast.

“Where’s Erwin?” he asked, glancing around as if the massive Alpha could possibly be
hiding from him.

“Oh, he’s still in the city. There was some stuff he had to finish up before coming home.” She
explained and set a cup of tea on the counter for him. He’d finally convinced them that tea
was better than coffee. “He sent a message that he’d be home later this afternoon.”

“…ah.” He said, a little disappointed. Picking up the tea, he leaned over the L portion of the
counter and watched them good. He was so hungry. “Can I get three pieces of toast?” He
asked. Hanji lifted a brow and looked over at him.

“That’s a lot of bread.” She commented.

“Yeah well, I’m hungry.”

“Oooooooh! It’s baby time!” She said and Moblit smacked her hand. “Sorry sorry! But it is,
right?” She asked. Levi glared at her. “Are you gonna do it? Huh? Cause you and Erwin
would have the cutest little babies!” She hummed, earning another smack.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” He mumbled and took his tea, doing to sit at the kitchen table.

“Don’t mind her.” Moblit said and brought him out some toast and butter. “In Marley,
reproductive cycles are actually celebrated. In other Noble households, they make feasts for
the heating omega.” He pointed out and Levi just shook his head.

“No thanks. I’ll eat snack on the stuff we bought. I do not want a fuss. Ever. At all.”

“I assumed.” He said and went back to the kitchen.

Thank God these people were so normal and understanding. Levi did not want a celebration
just because he was going to be fertile for a few days. He couldn’t even imagine such a
ridiculous thing. For him, it normally just meant days of suffering and stress. This time, it
would be really different. But Hanji’s question was still on his mind. They were obviously
going to spend his heat together. They had to. But what if he got pregnant? Would they keep
the baby? Of course, they would. That was a stupid question. He slathered butter onto the
warm toast and nibbled on it while thinking over everything that was likely to happen very
soon.
He'd go into heat; his scent would be out of control. Erwin would come in, probably go into a
rut… they’d fuck, lock up, and breed for a few days straight. Levi would get marked and
probably knocked up. Then what? Was he going to have to stop helping with the Scout
missions? Was Erwin going to treat him like a porcelain doll because of his condition? But
more than anything… what would happen if he didn’t get pregnant? People would probably
assume there was something wrong with him. Maybe Erwin would be disappointed that he
was stuck with a mate who couldn’t give him children… he’d end up getting an omega to
breed with on the side or something like the Noble assholes did. That thought actually upset
him more than actually getting pregnant. This was all so confusing.
He ended up eating all his toast, drinking two cups of tea and having eggs and bacon with
Hanji and Moblit. They didn’t bring up his impending cycle, even thought he could tell that
Hanji was dying to ask him about it. Once breakfast was over, Levi tried to be normal, but his
body was too sluggish to allow that. He ended up laying on the sofa in the sitting room for
most of the morning. Petra cleaned around him, brought him tea and offered to read to him
but he just waved her off. The omega snoozed for a while before lunch was served. He
managed to drag himself up long enough to get through not one but three sandwiches that
Petra made from the bread and meat they’d brought back from the market. After that, it was
back to the sofa. He stretched out on his back and let the warm afternoon sun heat his body. It
felt really pleasant.

“Leeeviii!” He heard Hanji coo. Opening one eye, he looked over as she dropped into an
armchair across from him. “What is your deal?” She asked. “Is this a heat thing?”

“It’s a heat thing.”

“How long does it last?”

“Couple days.”

“You’re like a bear preparing for hibernation. Eating everything and lazing around. I’m so
used to you driving us all nuts about cleaning and never sitting still. It’s like you’re drugged!”
She pouted.

“It feels like I’ve been drugged. And it’s only gonna get worse.” He mumbled, closing his
eye and rolling over onto his stomach.
“Can I ask you something?”

“You’re going to do it anyway so sure, go ahead.” He sighed.

“Do you want kids?” She asked and he opened his eyes, staring at the arm of the sofa.

“I don’t know… I used to think that having kids would be too much work. But my life is
really different now. I’m not struggling to make it… Erwin has everything to offer a kid that I
never did before.”

“Money and a big house aren’t all it takes to have a baby, you know.”

“Of course, I know that.” He said and crossed his arms under his chin. “I don’t know if I’d be
a good parent. I guess all the instincts are there to care for a baby but all the other stuff… I
bet Erwin would be good at that shit. He’s better at emotional stuff than I am. I still can’t
even really acknowledge him as my mate and he’s planning to marry me. It’s stupid.”

“If you decide you can’t go through with it, I still have that vial. I’m not pushing it on you,
just offering that option, if it comes to that.” She said in a soft voice.

He appreciated her being there for him and offering something that could potentially help if
he found himself in a bad position. Levi just could not picture himself ever terminating a
pregnancy. He’d made it longer than most omegas. The ones he’d known growing up were all
having babies by the time they were fourteen years old. He was Eighteen and only just lost
his virginity. Now he was facing being a parent and still, he felt like it was too early for such
a thing. Erwin had money and power… but he was also running an underground rebellion. At
any time, he could get caught and then it was all over. That was something that needed to be
considered.

“Thanks, Hanji.” He said softly. “If I need it, I’ll let you know but… I just think I’ll have to
deal with whatever happens.”

“I understand. Well… if you have babies, I think you’ll have cute ones.” She teased and he
heard her stand up. The woman patted his back. “And no matter what, you’ve got all of us to
help you.” She added and then he could hear her walking away, heading back towards the
servant’s wing.

His mind was still really heavy, but the exhaustion of his body won out in the end. Laying
there in the afternoon sun, Levi slowly drifted off to sleep. This time, he dreamt of tiny little
children. He was back home at his farm with little blond children around him. They were
helping with chores, feeding the animals, and carrying in the vegetables from the garden. It
was always sunny and there was no hint of a war ever happening. Whatever this fantasy
dream world was, he wished it could be real. The images of his little blond, blue-eyed
children were stuck in his head as he was shaken from his slumber. When he opened his eyes,
he found Hanji staring down at him.

“Heeeey, you’ve been asleep for like two hours…” She said and Levi pushed himself to
slowly sit up. “I thought you might like to wake up for a bit.”
“Why, what’s going on?” He asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“A messenger just came.” She said and sat next to him. There was a try of freshly made tea
on the coffee table and with it, two pieces of cake. “Erwin isn’t going to make it home
tonight.”

“What? Why?” He asked, his gaze locking onto her. Right now, was when he definitely
needed the Alpha to come home. He wasn’t in heat yet, but it could start any time and being
alone… well it wasn’t sitting well with him.

“Something about another Commander coming into town and he’s expected to host him at the
High Military office… He said that he’ll be home tomorrow night.”

“Tomorrow night!?” He asked, his eyes actually going wide now.

“It’s okay! You’ll be fine. Even if you go into heat right now, it’s only a day. That’s not so
bad, right?” She asked and poured him some tea.

“Hanji, my heats were miserable enough before. Now, with Erwin in my life… it’s going to
be a nightmare unless he’s with me.” The very thought of being alone was making him sort of
nervous and panicky. That was a whole new experience for him. He’d never felt like this
before. “I need to see him. I have to go there.”

“No. No way.” She said firmly. “An unmarked omega in heat, going to the city, into a
military office filled primarily with Alphas? Ha. Yeah right.” She said and mock laughed.
“Levi you’d end up raped before you ever found Erwin.”

“How can he really expect me to sit here by myself…”

“You’ve got me!” Levi shot her a look and she realized what he meant. “Oh… well no. No,
you don’t have me.” She cleared her throat and laughed. “Listen, it’s going to be alright.
Erwin is going to come back as soon as he can. He’s already told Zackley that he has to be
home as soon as possible. I know he’ll be here to help you.”

He wasn’t so sure. Everything had been going too well. Now, right when he was on the brink
of finally going into heat so they could bond or mark or whatever, Erwin was stuck in the city
doing his bullshit military crap. The most Levi could hope for was that his heat would hold
off until the Alpha was around. But he’d never had very good luck so he wasn’t holding his
breath that that would happen. Huffing, the small male picked up his tea and had a drink
before going for the cake. It wasn’t like he could do anything about all of this.

“I’ve always wondered what it’s like for omegas and Alphas.” Hanji commented as she
picked up her plate and took a little bite. “I mean, what’s a heat really like? Everyone always
portrays it as this beautiful, wonderful…”

“It’s hell.” He cut in; his tone flat. “It’s like you’re trapped inside your body, and you can’t
control yourself. The only thing that you can do is try to relieve the pressure by getting
yourself off but if you’re alone, it’s agony. He can’t get deep enough; you can’t hit that
breaking point to make it work… the only thing you want is for an Alpha to pin you down
and fill you until you can’t take anymore.” He glanced over and Hanji was just staring at him.
Her cheeks were red, and her eyes were big and round. “Sorry.” He mumbled.

“No no, this is the stuff I want to know… it’s just… you were so intense.”

“I’ve always hated it. From the very first time. My uncle told me I’d be better off just letting
some Alpha take me. At least I wouldn’t be suffering. But fuck that.” He said and focused on
his food.

“I mean, he’s right though, isn’t he?” She asked and Levi shrugged.

“I’m sure he is. I probably wouldn’t have suffered as much if I let one have me but then, I
wouldn’t be me.” The omega pointed out. “I realize it’s hard for Betas to understand. You
aren’t controlled by your mating cycle. For you… you just do what you want, when you
want, and there’s no pressure to breed or be bred. For us… it’s all consuming. Two or three
times a year, I have to lock myself up and spend days starving, exhausted, and so pent up that
I would rather die than have to deal with it a second longer. But if I give in and let some
Alpha fuck me, I have no choice but to have their baby and raise it, more than likely on my
own. I knew omegas who had seven or eight kids before they’d even experienced life… all
because they let an Alpha fuck them during their heats after each baby was born. That’s just
not the life I wanted for myself. I didn’t want a fucking gaggle of kids to try and take care of
when I was still figuring out how to take care of myself. Shit, I still don’t know what I’m
doing.”

Maybe he’d been too honest with his words, but it was the truth. It was easier for Alphas
because they didn’t have to bond to anyone. An Alpha could mark five omegas and be loyal
to none of them, while they were stuck only wanting him. He could fuck his way through life,
leaving a trail of offspring and heartbroken omegas behind him. While his kind could only be
bound to one and trapped in something they never wanted. He thought about Erwin. They
were a true bond, or so he claimed. Levi definitely felt connected to the man in a way that
he’d never felt with anyone else in his life. They were drawn to one another. Levi felt it the
moment that velvety voice reached his ears. The whole world came to a stop and suddenly he
was spinning around Erwin Smith. And he hadn’t even been marked yet. What would happen
when he finally was?

“No one ever talks about this stuff.” Hanji said and Levi looked over. “No one but Erwin. I
went to school with him, you know. We were in the same classes, but he was a handsome, tall
Alpha and I was a nerdy Beta girl. One day… I found him helping an omega girl to hide from
some of the other Alphas. He had a bandana wrapped around his nose to avoid her scent, but
I could tell it was killing him. He had her pushed into a supply closet and was masking her
scent with his. When I showed up to get some paper, he begged me to get help… and I did.
Moblit and I escorted the girl home and then checked back on him. It was the bravest thing
I’d ever seen.” She smiled fondly. “From then on, we were friends. And when his military
career took off, he asked us to come work for him. I was mad at first that he wanted house
staff but then he told us about his plan to help omegas and Alphas escape…” She shrugged.
“He’s not the monster Alpha that others are. At least, not in my eyes. He’s never attacked a
single omega. He’s never bred with one. When he goes into season, he locks himself up in his
room and only comes out when it’s over. I’ve always been really impressed with his self-
control.”

“I can’t tell what he really wants.” Levi admitted. He poked his fork into the soft texture of
the cake. “He has so much going on right now with the military and the scouts… a kid is
gonna get in the way of that. What if having a baby with me, fucks up all his hard work and
he can’t help anyone anymore?” Levi asked softly.

“That’s… a pretty valid concern.” She said, not trying to spare his feelings. “The truth is,
Levi, you can’t control and perfectly plan everything. Having a baby might mess things up,
or it might not. You can’t possibly know that.”

“I know that if I don’t have a baby, nothing will change, and he’ll be able to keep on going as
he has been.”

“…don’t make a decision like this while you’re about to go into heat. I’m sure your emotions
are all crazy right now…”

“I won’t let my decisions effect all those innocent people, Hanji. I can’t be a distraction for
Erwin.”

He had made up his mind. After they got through his heat, he’d take that medication that
Hanji had to end any potential pregnancy that might come as a result. He didn’t want to. The
thought of it even made him feel sick but he knew that it was what needed to be done. Erwin
was doing something far too important to be forgotten over a single baby. Levi was not going
to get in his way. Too many people had already suffered, and it hurt him just to think about
kids like those they’d helped at the Safehouse being forced to stay in this shitty place all
because he needed Erwin to help raise their child. No, he would put an end to it himself…
and not tell Erwin. It would be better if the Alpha just thought he didn’t or couldn’t get
pregnant.

Hanji did not at all agree with how he was making his decision. She felt that he’d regret it if
he didn’t talk to Erwin about it. But he’d made up his mind and there was no more discussing
it. After eating his food and finishing of the tea, the omega went to his room and asked not to
be bothered until dinner. He ignored the sad look that Hanji gave him and shut himself off
from the rest of the house. No, it wasn’t a pleasant plan, and he wasn’t happy about it, but it
needed to be done. This wasn’t about him or Erwin. It was about all the people that the man
could potentially help if he wasn’t held back by Levi and a child. To expect the Alpha to drop
that part of his life was selfish.
As the hours passed, Levi felt more and more of the signs of his heat coming. He was restless
but exhausted, tossing and turning in his bed. Everything felt uncomfortable and hot,
resulting in him slowly shedding one article of clothing after the next until he was down to
nothing under his sheets. Even those were starting to get on his nerves. Eventually, he
wrapped himself up in a robe and went down the hall, back to Erwin’s room. Once inside, he
felt only marginally better. Erwin’s scent helped to calm him some but not nearly enough. It
seemed like things were progressing faster than he’d expected and that just figured. The one
time Erwin is stuck in the city and can’t get home, he goes into heat faster than he ever has
before.
At dinner, Hanji brought him a tray of food and left it at his bedside. She checked on him but
left quickly at his request. Right now, he wanted to be alone. Well, not alone. He wanted
someone there, just not her. The omega forced himself to eat his meal. Luckily it was
something light. A rice dish he’d taught Petra to make from his home village. When it was
gone, he downed his tea and managed to drag himself to the bathroom to guzzle as much
water as his stomach could take. Then it was right back into the bed to curl up and suffer.
His heat was just starting and already, he wanted it to be over. Every hour that passed sent
him deeper into it. His skin was red, sweaty, and felt like he could crawl out of it. Even
without the fireplace active, he was so hot that it was stifling. But experience taught him to
just suffer with that. He could never open a window while in this state, it was far too
dangerous. So, he remained in Erwin’s bed, tossing and turning as his body begged for the
touch of the man who wasn’t close enough to help him. It wanted what it couldn’t have, and
it was killing him.
By morning, he was fully into his heat, and it was miserable. No amount of release was
enough. Levi tried to take care of himself but just like with his false heat when first arriving
here, it did not work. His fingers weren’t enough, no matter how hard he tried. The false heat
was bad, but this was so many times worse that he couldn’t stand it. At one point, he tried to
actually drag himself down the stairs and out the front door… in nothing but one of Erwin’s
shirts. Hanji had practically tackled him and both she and Moblit wrestled him back upstairs.
At that point, he heard her telling Moblit to ride into the city and get Erwin. Apparently, his
condition was worse than even he realized.
Another couple hours passed and Levi wanted to jump out the window. A real, full heat
without Erwin was worse than anything he’d every experienced before. Heats were
manageable before. Now, it was hell on earth, and he was trapped in the flames. It was as if
his body knew that his mate existed and now, that was all it wanted. Nothing else would do.
He laid in bed, writhing and squirming in his own wetness and desire. Hanji came in and
helped him out of bed, walking him into the bathroom where she ran a cool bath. Levi sank
down into it, letting the cold water help his feverish skin. As he did that, she and Petra
changed out the bedding. That was probably a good idea, but Levi didn’t care. He just soaked
in the water, hoping it would keep him from boiling alive. The fever was so much worse now
than he’d ever experienced before.

“Come on…” Hanji said as the two women pulled him up and out of the water. He felt like
all his limbs were heavier than before and it was making it hard to move. Feeling this weak
would have made him furious if he wasn’t so caught up in the other emotions.

“Is this normal?” He heard Petra ask as Hanji wrapped a towel around Levi’s slightly smaller
body.

“Yeah. It’s because Erwin isn’t here.” The woman explained. Levi didn’t chime in. He just
swayed and ended up leaning against Hanji to keep from falling down. “He needs Erwin
here… hopefully Moblit can get him to come home. This fever is really starting to worry
me.”

“Just take me to him…” he mumbled.

“I already told you that we can’t do that. No more escape attempts.” She scolded.
“I could get him an ice pack from the cellar.” Petra suggested and he felt Hanji nod. The girl
was gone, leaving the two of them alone.

“Come on, let’s get you back to bed. It’s nice and clean, now.”

“Mhmm…” He hummed and just let her guide him out.

They had thoroughly cleaned the bed, which was fine because it didn’t even smell like Erwin
anymore. It had just smelled like him and that was doing no good. The omega climbed in and
handed Hanji the towel back. He wrapped his arms around his middle and pressed his
forehead against his lifted knees. How much more of this could he take? Hadn’t someone told
him that he’d die if he denied himself access to his Alpha? It was Hanji… or maybe it was
Erwin, himself. Whichever, it did not matter. All that mattered was that he believed it, now.
His body was aching and so hot that he thought he’d melt right through the sheets.

“Hanji!” Levi and the woman looked up, seeing Petra in the doorway. “Erwin is home, he
wants to speak with you!” She said but Levi stopped focusing on anything after hearing that
his mate was home. His eyes went wide, and he nearly fell out of the bed but the other caught
him.

“Whoa. Just stay here.” She said and helped him back up into the sheets. “He’s coming right
up, okay? Just stay.” The woman warned. When he didn’t make another attempt to flee, she
stepped away and headed for the door.

Levi stared at the wood as the door shut. He was left with nothing but his own rapid
breathing to fill the silence. Closing his eyes, he just listened and soon, he could hear voices.
It was Erwin and Hanji, of course but he could not make out what they were saying. His body
was shaking more with each passing second. How long was this damn talk going to take? The
Alpha was here, in the house. He was just down the stairs… he was so close that if he
wanted, Levi could just walk right down to him. But he was trying his best to wait. It would
be better if he didn’t just run down there naked and soaked… not that the only women in the
house hadn’t already gotten an embarrassing amount of him already.
When the door handle turned, Levi’s eyes snapped open. His racing heart only sped up when
he saw his Alpha finally step through the doorway. The blond man shut the door behind
himself and looked up, meeting the silver eyes that were locked onto him. He could see the
other take a breath and then his eyes dilated, vanishing nearly all the blue from them. Levi
was about to spring right off the bed when Erwin suddenly closed the space between them.
The omega pushed himself up onto his knees just as the other wrapped his arms around him.
Their lips connected and though it wasn’t all he wanted; it was enough to breath relief
through his entire body. Finally.
 Burning
Chapter Summary

Erwin and Levi spend days together as he experiences his first heat with his true bond.
The omega is forced to make a hard decision and starts to learn more about what is
really going on with the Scouts.

Chapter Notes

NSFW Warning: Levi is in heat so... you know... sex.

Levi could not get Erwin’s clothes off fast enough. He tore at his shirt, ripping right through
the buttons. The scattered over the floor and bed but the Alpha didn’t appear to care at all
about that. He was too busy touching the omega and that was perfect. While he worked the
man’s belt out of the way and then focused on his pants, he felt hands sliding down his back,
over his hips and to his ass. A gasp escaped as the man cupped his cheeks and spread him
open to the heated air around them. Suddenly his own fingers moved faster, jerking his pants
open.
Erwin stepped back just long enough to shed his boots and the clothes that Levi had literally
ripped open. While he did, the smaller male waited on the edge of the bed, barely able to
contain himself. In another second, he was being shoved backwards onto the bed and the
massive Alpha was climbing in between his legs. They’d done this before, but it felt so much
more intense than any other time. Erwin was kissing him, tangling his fingers into his hair
and pressing down over him with a weight that left him breathless and wanting more. This
was what he’d been craving and now, he finally had it.
There was no need to prepare him. His body was ready for the other. He felt Erwin’s cock
pushing at his entrance, rubbing into the slick soaked heat until finally, it penetrated that ring
of muscle. The omega threw his head back and let out a desperate sound of relief and want.
Finally. Finally, he was being filled the way he’d been so desperately waiting for. Nothing
could have prepared him for what it was like to have sex with Erwin during his heat. The way
the man slammed into him without holding back, it was almost too much but never enough at
the same time.
Erwin did not move slowly, nor was any part of it gentle. His scent was more aggressive and
somewhere in the back of his mind, Levi knew that he was probably experiencing a rut
caused by his heat. That just turned him on more. His fingers dug into the man’s back,
scratching over his shoulders, down to the base of his spine. All he could do at this point was
lay there and hold on. Erwin was pounding into him so hard, the bed slammed against the
wall over and over. Everyone in the house would be able to hear but there was no part of him
that could have possibly cared. Levi wouldn’t have cared if the whole of Marley could hear
them. All he wanted was more.
Their lips connected again, and he moaned against his mate’s mouth. It wasn’t romantic or
deep. This was all about instinct and he loved it. He loved how mindless and primal it all
was. There would be bruises inside his thighs from the force his Alpha was using against
him. Their bodies connected over and over, sending powerful waves of pleasure through him
that left his body trembling. Levi could only whine and moan, arching his body until his chest
was pressed up against Erwin’s. He could feel the sweat forming on the other man’s body. It
dripped down from his hair and the tip of his nose, falling against his own skin. Any other
time, this would have probably disgusted him but right now, it was just one more thing he
loved about what was happening.
Things changed so quickly; it left his head spinning. They were facing each other, kissing and
fucking… and then Erwin suddenly pulled out. Levi was seconds from complaining but
before he could, he was rolling over onto his stomach. His hips were grabbed hard, and he
was forced up onto his knees. Then, Erwin was plunging into him again. This time, it felt
different. His movements were more erratic, and his thrusts were harder. He held onto Levi’s
hips and jerked him back into every deep pounding. He quickly realized what was happening
as the tightness within him increased as his mate started to swell. Erwin was going to knot
him. There would be no going back after this, but Levi didn’t care. His body was begging for
it, sucking the Alpha in and tightening around him to try and lock him in.
Levi was focused on the pleasure that was rippling through him. He wasn’t thinking about
what came next until it was happening. Erwin’s hips snapped forward, shoving someone
much thicker into him and Levi actually cried out in surprise and slight pain. He climaxed on
the spot, spilling out all over the bed beneath him. But that wasn’t the end of it. Just as he was
realizing the knot was in, the Alpha leaned down over him and pinned him hard to the bed.
Not with his hands or body, but with his teeth. His powerful jaw locked and drove his
impossibly sharp teeth into the omega’s nape. Levi tried to push himself up but the moment
those teeth punctured his flesh, his entire body went numb. A pulse of heat and tingling
rippled through him and all he could do was lay there. He could feel Erwin’s length throbbing
inside him, releasing load after load of his seed into his very willing womb. The only thing he
could do was accept it.
They stayed like that for a long but unknown amount of time. The omega couldn’t move, nor
did he try to. All he really knew was that his heat was quieted for the moment, and he felt like
he was buzzing all over in a very pleasant way. The knot did sort of hurt but it was nothing
like he’d always expected. The worst part was the vice like hold Erwin had on his neck. It
hurt like hell, but Levi was too deep into pleasure to really focus on it that much. It would
probably be terribly sore later. That was a problem for the omega to deal with later.
Eventually, he felt Erwin’s jaw loosen and slowly, he pulled back. Levi gasped in pain. It
throbbed in his neck and made him feel strange, but he couldn’t put his finger on what
exactly the feeling was. A shiver rolled down his spine when Erwin started to gently lick over
the fresh wound. It was a gentle motion that actually did help the pain to subside some. Not
long after that, the pressure in his ass started to loosen and the Alpha’s cock slipped out. Levi
shivered, feeling more than just his length escaping. He was so full that when the other pulled
out, his release started to spill out, all over the bed. Levi whined involuntarily and tried to
move but it felt like his body wasn’t working right.

“Don’t move.” Erwin said and slid his fingertips down his back until he felt them slip down
into his entrance.
“Erwin what…”

“Shh…” The Alpha purred and pushed his fingers inside. Levi winced as more of his seed
was forced out. Erwin started slowly fingering him and he found himself moaning and
pushing back. “I could watch this all day…”

“….no you couldn’t…”

“Hm? And why is that?”

“Because… you want to fuck me again… and again… no time for staring…” The omega
moaned and pushed himself back up onto his hands and knees. He pushed back until Erwin
moved his hand and he was practically sitting on his lap. His back pressed against the other’s
chest. “You better not be giving up on me, now…”

“Never.” Erwin growled and wrapped his arms around him. His wet fingers smeared slick
and cum over the omega’s stomach, but he didn’t give a damn. He could be covered in their
mess and still be happy at this point, as long as he had his mate inside him, filling him
endlessly. “Damnit, Levi.” He hissed and kept him on his lap while rubbing his cock against
him again. Erwin was already recovered and hard.

The first time was so fast, as if they just had to get it out of the way. From there, things
slowed down a bit and they were able to enjoy each other in a way that Levi hadn’t really
expected. Erwin’s violent way of pinning him down and taking him shifted into the Alpha
driving him crazy with slow and careful touches across his entire body. He’d thought that his
mate was in a rut, but he’d been wrong. Alphas in ruts did not spend this much time trying to
please their mates. And that was exactly what Erwin was trying to do.
He let his hands wonder over his body, tracing over muscle and the few spots where his
bones were more prominent across his thin form. Worse than his hands were his lips and
tongue. When his heat was peaking and he felt like he might die without relief, Erwin found
ways to make him climax without ever entering him. His tongue was sinful but there was no
complain from Levi other than his begging for more. It made him wonder if the other man
would be able to keep up with this for days as he worked his way through his newly
aggressive cycle.
It was a stupid thing to have doubts about. The Alpha was more the capable. The first night,
they didn’t sleep at all. Each time he made him cum, or they released together, it was mere
moments before they were at it again. This was what heats were really supposed to be like.
This was what he’d been missing out on… no, that wasn’t right. He hadn’t been missing out
on anything because he was supposed to wait for this man. No cycle before this one would
have been as soon with anyone else. His body was built for Erwin. Maybe it was the mark on
his neck or the bond they shared; he didn’t know. All Levi cared about was that he was with
his mate, and he was experiencing pleasure like he’d never known before.

So exhausted after the second day, Levi was barely keeping up. He was on top of the Alpha,
rolling his hips over him. His head was tossed back, his palms pressing hard against the other
man’s chest to hold himself up. He was running on empty, barely able to keep himself going.
Erwin’s strong hands were on his hips, but they started to slide up his sides. Rolling his head
forward again, he looked down into those half lidded, blue eyes. Erwin was smirking,
probably enjoying how tired the omega looked as he tried to keep going.
“You’re not going to make it one more round.” Erwin said and Levi narrowed his eyes. He
lifted himself and slammed down a little harder. The Alpha groaned.

“What was that?” He asked and resumed his movements, though a little faster than before.

“Ah… you’re gonna collapse, Levi….” The man said and started moving his hips as well,
meeting Levi’s motions with thrusts of his own. This drove him deeper and the omega started
panting as the pleasure increased.

“No… I’m fine.” He half whined and dragged his nails over the man’s skin. They were both
thoroughly covered in scratch marks, bruises, and bites.

“Levi…” Erwin sat up and wrapped his arms around the smaller male. “After this, we need to
try and get some sleep.” He purred and kissed against his ear. Levi wrapped his arms around
Erwin’s neck and nuzzled into that space between there and his shoulder. “Just for a little
while, okay?”

“Mmmm fine…” He relented.

Erwin kept holding him like that, doing most of the work as Levi’s body simply ran out of
energy. He held onto the man’s neck and let Erwin move them both to yet another climax.
The omega gasped heavily against his mate’s skin and shuttered as he felt the Alpha filling
him up. How many times was this? There was no way he wasn’t pregnant, not after this.
They’d not stopped for nearly two days and yet his body still felt like it needed more. The
only thing stopping him was how very tired he was. There was nothing left in him to keep
going. Even if Erwin did all the work, Levi didn’t even think he had enough energy to
orgasm again.

“Levi?” He heard Erwin’s voice as if through a haze. “Are you asleep?”

“No…” he mumbled but he was drifting off even while sitting there on the Alpha’s lap, his
length still inside.

“Alright.” There was a chuckle and then he was being moved. Erwin pulled out, making the
omega let out a little irritated sound. Then he was being lifted. After that, there was nothing
but peaceful darkness.

When his eyes next opened, he was no longer in Erwin’s room. This was his own bedroom.
The sheets were warm and clean, meaning the Alpha had probably moved them in here so
they could sleep away from their shared mess. Looking over, he smiled. The blond was laid
out next to him, totally asleep. His golden hair was in his face, his lips slightly parted. He
looked kind of cute like this. Rolling onto his side to fully face the other, Levi scooted in
close and just looked at him. His heat hadn’t flared up again yet and for now, things were
calm.
His fingertips traced over the Alpha’s strong jaw, up to his pronounced cheekbones and then
along his thick brows. Erwin had such a unique face, but it was handsome. His nose was a
little bent at the bridge, broken more than once, probably. Even though his hair and body hair
were all such a light blond, his eyelashes were thick and as black as Levi’s hair. He kept his
hair shaved on the sides but the parts that grew out were so soft and always looked perfectly
kept and shiny. His muscles were all toned but not overly so. This man was a wet dream on
two legs.
Looking down slightly, he dragged his fingers over his collar bone and down to his chest.
There was thin hair there that trailed down between his pecks. It tapered off, only to pick up
again around and under his navel. Levi’s hand moved with the natural line down his body
before curving to brush his thumbs over the man’s pelvic bones. Erwin was everything a man
should be. Big, strong… he was the completely opposite of Levi. Not that the omega wasn’t
strong. Actually, he was surprisingly tough. But he wasn’t built like other men. His gender
kept him smaller than most.
Levi was narrow with only a slight flare to his hips. He had muscle but it was all proportional
to his slim form. He had close to no body hair at all, even along his arms and legs. It wasn’t
just his omega features that made him stick out. He wasn’t like the other people around him.
His straight black hair and angular eyes gave that away. Kenny had said that his mother was
from another country. She was… Eastern, he’d said. Though Kenny had brown hair and more
firm features, he also had the narrow, angled eyes. The man once told him that if he wanted,
he could probably sell him for a good price because of his exotic features. Thankfully, that
never happened.
If he had kids, would they look like him or would they take after Erwin’s strong features? If
his eastern appearance was something that people desired, then he hoped that any children
they had would take after their Alpha parent. That was usually the case, anyway. Alphas had
strong genes and usually their kids all resembled them, rather than the omega or beta parent.
His mind drifted back to his dream from the other day. He’d been back home but with a few
kids with them. A couple of boys and a girl, all blond. Their features were blurry to him now,
though. He couldn’t put faces to them, but he just remembered loving them so much. That
was never going to happen, though. Erwin lived a life that would only be burdened by a
family.
Bringing his attention back up to the man’s face, he just stared at him. What did he really
want? What was going on in this man’s mind and heart? Did he enjoy his military work? Did
he hope to one day escape with the people he helped? There were so many questions and yet,
he was afraid to ask any of them. What if Erwin wanted to stay in Marley and raise a family
here? The thought made his stomach churn a little bit… or maybe he was just starving after
not eating for two days. Either way, Levi shook the thought from his mind. It was best not to
dwell on something negative when he was in such a perfect place at the moment.

“Mmmm Levi?” Erwin’s eye lids twitched for a moment before opening. His glassy blue
eyes took a moment to focus, then he started to actually wake. “…are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Levi confirmed and laid his hand flat onto the other’s chest.

“Give… give me a moment and we can… keep going.” He said, trying to rub the sleep from
his eyes.

“I’m okay right now, don’t worry.” He said softly and watched the man stretch himself,
unable to keep his eyes from moving over his body yet again.

“How long have you been up?”

“Just a few minutes. I was trying to let you sleep. You’ve been working so hard…” He
teased.

“Oh darling…” The blond rolled back towards him and wrapped his arm around Levi’s waist.
“…it was not work, trust me.” He purred in a husky; sleep filled voice. The omega shivered.

“Good to know.” He cupped the man’s cheek and pressed in, kissing him.

Was this what it was like to be true mates with someone? Maybe it was all because of his heat
but Levi found himself genuinely enjoying Erwin’s company. They weren’t having sex and
though he was turned on from the way Erwin was when just waking up, he didn’t feel pressed
to climb on him again. Really, he just wanted to stay in his arms and enjoy whatever this
calm little moment was. Erwin was kissing him back, but they were both moving slow, not
even involving their tongues. It was just sweet. Every time they’d kissed before this, it was
feverish and fast. It seemed like they’d just been kissing as a means to an end. This was
different.

“What were you thinking about…” Erwin asked against his lips. “…while laying here
awake?”

“I wondered… what our kids would look like…” He said honestly. No point in lying.

“Oh?” The Alpha pulled back a little and rubbed his hand up and down his lower back.

“Mhmm.” Levi kept mouthing at his jaw lazily. “I hope they look like you. Sweet little
blondes with blue eyes.” Erwin was quiet as he moved his mouth down to his neck.

“Levi…” He asked and the omega hummed in response. “I spoke to Hanji before I came to
see you. She was worried about you.” He said and Levi tried to think back to when he spoke
to the woman before all this started. Then he froze. Had she told Erwin that he was planning
on taking the medication?

“What did she say?” He asked, pulling back so he could look at him.

“She said you’re worried about having children with me because of what I do. And she
doesn’t want you to… make any decisions that you might regret.”

“I’m gonna choke her.” He growled and pulled away from the Alpha.

“Don’t be angry with her. She cares about you. She’s worried for you.”

“She’s worried for you.” He countered and laid on his back, staring angrily at the ceiling.
“She’s afraid I’ll do away with your kid. That’s all this is.” He could feel his heat starting to
flare again and this was the worse possible time for it.

“You know that’s not it.” Erwin was watching him, but Levi ignored the man’s gaze. “Are
you going to take the elixir?” He asked, just being blunt about it.

“Yes.”
“Why?”

“I…” Levi closed his eyes, unable to shake away the images of those kids from his dream.
“What happens if you die in some shitty war? Or if you get caught helping the omegas?
They’ll take my kids and sell them off, just like they would with me. We’d all end up slaves
and pets and you’d be dead.” He finally turned his head, looking at the other. “I’m afraid to
bring kids into this, Erwin. It’s okay if we risk our lives. I can’t risk theirs.” They didn’t even
have kids yet and Levi was talking about them like they were there.

“There’s always risk, Levi. You know that. You were living your life and then one day… war.
I’m not proud of that but it could happen to us. Even here.” He touched the omega’s face and
Levi found himself leaning into it. His body was craving the Alpha again. “We could go to
war tomorrow. Our house could burn down, one of us could get thrown from a horse and
die… there’s so many things that could go wrong in life. Are you going to let that control
everything you do?” He asked.

“Are you trying to convince me to keep it?”

“I’m not going to stop you, either way. I just want you to make a decision because it’s what
you want, not because you’re afraid of something that might never happen.”

They stared at each other for a moment before Levi moved closer and kissed the other man.
Erwin was partially right. Levi was afraid but he felt like he was gambling with an innocent
life. This was such a hard decision, and he didn’t want to think about it anymore. It was
getting harder to focus. This was something to deal with when he wasn’t in the headspace
that was driving him to just breed. As soon as his heat was over, they could discuss it further.
For now, he just needed his mate. Erwin seemed to realize that. He pushed Levi onto his back
and climbed over him, sliding easily between his legs. There was no more talking after that.

On the fourth day, Levi woke up alone. It was early morning, and he could smell something
sweet. Slowly, he pushed himself up and arched his back in a large stretch. The sun was
shining in through the open windows and birds were singing outside. When he turned, he
found himself in the large, empty bed. On the bedside table, a tray sat. There was hot tea and
a stack of pancakes with sliced apples. Even though he was curious about where Erwin went,
he was too hungry to actually do anything about that. The tray was pulled into the bed with
him, and he quickly dug into the food. Everything was nice and hot, meaning it had just been
brought up.
He felt mostly back to normal now. Heats could last a couple days or into two weeks.
Thankfully, his never lasted more than a week. Four days… was short but he really felt like it
was over this time. Last night, they’d collapsed together and felt no more need to keep going.
That was probably a good thing because Levi was certain he was wearing Erwin out. Outside
of a rut, an omega’s heat scent could keep an Alpha going but only for so long. His heat was
probably short because he was marked and mated now. He’d heard that it changed a lot of
things but that was something he just wasn’t worried about. A shorter heat was a good thing.
The sex had been incredible, though…
After eating everything on his tray, Levi went and took a very long, very hot bath. His skin
kept disgusting after four days of being covered in sweat, slick, cum, and everything in
between. Erwin had clearly held nothing back. The mirror in the bathroom revealed dark
marks all across his body. Fingerprints, bitemarks, bruises… they were on his hips and wrists,
his thighs… there was almost no place that the man had left untouched. When he scrubbed
himself down, he felt how tender some spots were. Of course, he hadn’t let the Alpha get
away without some marks of his own. His back had to be raw with scratch marks. There was
also a lot of biting and sucking if he remembered right. Some parts of his heat were so
intense that he couldn’t actually remember them clearly.
He finally felt human again as he got out and dried off. Going into the bedroom, he padded to
his wardrobe and opened it up. Black sweater and slacks, socks… good enough. He was
exhausted and beat to hell. Why would he need to impress anyone? After dressing, he
realized the tray was gone and, in its place… a little brown vial, a cup of water and a note.
Levi walked over and picked up the note. It appeared to be a note from Hanji with
instructions for how to use the medication in the vile. He swallowed hard, realizing what it
was. His gaze fell on it, and he just stared for a moment. Had she left it here for him to make
a point or was it really her way of trying to help?

“Two drops into the water.” He read and set the note down. Levi picked up the glass bottle,
holding it up and looking at it. If he took this, there was no chance of a pregnancy. There was
no way to know if he was carrying and if he went through with this, he’d never know for
sure. “What should I do…?” he asked into the open air and sat down on the bed with the vile
in hand.

If his mother was here, she’d never stand for him using such a thing. He knew that. She’d
told him that she loved his father and that the man had died before he was old enough to
remember him… but Kenny told him the truth. His mother had been raped but an Alpha who
went into a rut and lost control. He was some soldier from the Trost main town. When young
Levi had asked where the man was, Kenny told him that he’d cut his throat in a pub, leaving
him to bleed out for what he’d done to his sister. If that man hadn’t done what he did, Levi
wouldn’t even exist. That was pretty confusing to deal with at such a young age.
His mom had chosen to keep a child that was forced on her and not once did she look at him
as a burden or something to despise. That woman had loved him unconditionally, even when
he presented as an omega. She worked so hard to care for him and always give him the things
he needed or wanted. His life was hard but good. There was much he owed to her. Even
though her life was a constant struggle, and she was alone to do it all, she’d still done it. The
more he thought about it, the more he realized that he was being selfish. Levi felt like he
deserved the life he had, so why wouldn’t his own child? If something were to happen and
Erwin was caught for his Scout work, he’d just take his child and run. He would do what he
had to in order to protect them, no matter what.

Taking the bottle, he walked downstairs and into the kitchen. Hanji was sitting at the kitchen
table, reading a paper. Moblit was washing dishes and Petra was sipping tea across from the
other woman. They all glanced up when he came in. Levi walked up to the table and set the
bottle down in front of the older woman. He looked at her and then dropped down into the
chair at the end of the table. There was silence for a moment.

“I’m not doing it. Don’t look so stressed.” He finally said and Hanji let out an audible sigh of
relief.
“Oh, thank goodness. I really didn’t want you to!” She said and set her paper down. “So, do
you think you’re pregnant?!” Her excitement was not even a little bit contained.

“I don’t know.” He gave her a flat look.

“I hope so! I want to see cute little babies! I bet they will have your eyes! Oh, and Erwin’s
hair! They’re gonna be so smart!” He just rolled his eyes at her while Petra poured him a cup
of tea. “Thanks. Where’s Erwin?”

“He’s in his office.” Petra answered and sat back down. “He got a letter very early this
morning and jumped out of bed. I guess it was important.”

“A letter.” He sipped his tea. It had to be something from the city, maybe from that Zackley
guy.

“Look.” Hanji set the paper between them, and Levi pulled it over. “One of those omegas that
we helped last…” The woman pointed at a black and white photo printed there. It was
definitely the shorter of the two women that they’d transported to the safe house. “She
apparently belonged to a Commander.”

“Erwin stole an omega from another Commander?” Levi asked, picking the paper up and
reading it. “Commander Dot Pixis reported that his marked omega, Lilian, went missing
while on a walk with their son… Did Erwin know who she was?”

“I don’t know. He doesn’t really share that part with us. He just tells us what the plan is and
that’s about it.” This seemed bad. Levi set the paper down and stood up. “Where are you
going?”

“To talk to him.” He said over his shoulder and rushed up the stairs.

Taking omegas and Alphas from Noble households was one thing but to steal from a
Commander… wasn’t that especially dangerous? Levi felt his stomach twisting up, but he
didn’t slow down as he swung around the railing at the top of the stairs and rushed towards
the double doors. They were closed but he wasn’t very good at holding himself back. Taking
one of the handles, he pushed it open and was relieved to find it unlocked. Erwin was sitting
at his desk. He looked up as Levi came in and shut the door behind himself.

“Ah Levi. I’m glad to see you’re alright. I thought your heat might be over, so I came in here
to get some work done.”

“You stole the omega and son of a Commander?” He asked, placing his hands on the desk,
staring at his mate. “She was marked, Erwin. Doesn’t that mean Pixis can find her?” Erwin
stared at him and then leaned back.

“Pixis sent me this.” He said and showed Levi the letter. He snatched it up and read it.

“He’s… asking you for help finding her?” He asked and looked back into those blue eyes.
“What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to look for her.” She said, as if it were obvious.

“Erwin this is the shit I was talking about!” He growled but there was a smile forming on the
man’s face. It confused and irritated him more. “What’s so damn funny?”

“This message is coded. Pixis is on our side.” He pointed out. “Lilian was the love of his life,
Levi. She was marked because he cared deeply for her.”

“Then why would she run away?”

“She didn’t. Their son presented as an omega. Dot and Lillian couldn’t bare the thought of
the life that boy would have here if he couldn’t find a good Noble to care for him so… the
Commander asked me to get them out.”

“…He… wanted to save his son?”

“And his mate. She gave birth to an omega. That’s a big deal. Most omegas here only give
birth to betas or Alphas. Omega births are becoming quite rare, even here where we collect
them. Once the truth came out about his son, the government might step in and want to breed
Lillian to get more omegas. Getting her out was the only option. And everyone knows how
much he loves her. No one would ever think the man capable of letting her go. I agreed to
help them escape. And that’s what I did. Now we have to play the game and thoroughly
search for her in the area she went missing.”

“Which is very far away from where she ended up, I assume.” Levi said and put the letter
down. Erwin nodded.

“Exactly. The escapees have already been moved out of the safe house by one of my other
teams. They are out of Marley and on their way to starting their new lives, safely in another
country.” He assured him.

“Isn’t that going to be hard for both of them, since she’s marked?” He asked, frowning and
going to sit on one of the sofas. “I mean, can she make it without him?”

“They aren’t like us. They are merely mates by choice. Being marked means she probably
won’t ever be with another Alpha… but she can raise her child and still live a full life outside
of that. And perhaps someday, he’ll be able to join them. Stranger things have happened.”

“Is that what will happen if we have an omega child?” Levi asked, his hand resting over his
stomach. He heard Erwin stand and walk around. The Alpha sat down next to him and took
his hand, holding it.

“That’s not something we have to worry about for a long time, Levi. But if it turns out that
we produce an omega offspring… then we’ll do whatever we have to in order to protect
them.” He leaned in and kissed his temple. “Don’t think about that, okay? There are other
things to focus on.”

“Like what?”

“Like this…” Erwin trailed his fingers over the back of his neck, across the still healing
wound in the shape of his teeth. A tingle ran through his entire body and Levi leaned heavily
into the Alpha.

“What the fuck was that...?” He hummed.

“You’re officially marked.” Erwin said and smiled. “That means that you have your freedom
to wonder about as you please.” He said and laughed when Levi perked up a bit. “You can go
into the city without me hovering over you, you can do things on your own and no one will
question it. Especially with this.” The Alpha stood up and walked to his desk. He picked up a
box and brought it back. It was too big for a ring, thankfully. Levi had tensed for a moment
but relaxed as it was handed to him.

“What is it?” He asked and opened it up. Inside, there was a necklace. There was an oval
shaped setting with a large, smooth, green stone in the middle. It looked almost exactly like
the bolo that Erwin always wore with his uniform. The pendent hung on a braided leather
band.

“Each Commander has a stone like this that they wear. It represents their rank and position
within the military. This emerald piece is mine. The wives or mates of each Commander
wears one as well, of course, not as a bolo. Should anyone on the street see this, they will
know that you’re mine.” He explained. “Usually, they are set with gold or silver chains, but I
thought you’d appreciate the leather more.” He added.

“It’s really nice, Erwin. Thank you.” He said and lifted it out of the box. It wasn’t as heavy as
he expected. He brushed his thumb over the smooth surface before handing it to the other
man. Erwin gently placed it around his neck and latched it. “I thought you were gonna
fuckin’ propose to me.” He admitted as it settled on his chest.

“I would love to but I’m fairly certain you’d hit me if I tried to do that this early.” He
laughed.

“I definitely would.”

“Levi, have things… changed?” He asked and when the omega gave him a confused look, he
continued. “I mean, between us. I know you were keeping me at a distance but now, do you
think that we could start working on a real relationship?”

“Ah.” He said and looked down. “We can work on it. I’m not saying I’m gonna be lovey
dovey with you or anything but, I think I’ll probably be less of an asshole towards you.” He
confirmed. Erwin laughed again and nodded.

“I’m glad. Does this mean I’m allowed to court you?” He teased. Levi had made it very clear
before that he did not want any part of that for them.

“…no flowers.” He stated and the Alpha leaned in, kissing him gently. Well, it started gently.
Very quickly, it deepened. Levi moaned softly into the other man’s mouth and was starting to
climb onto his lap when there was a knock on the door. “Fuck.” He hissed and pulled back.
Erwin just looked amused as hell as he straightened out his shirt and pecked his lips one more
time.
“Come in.” He called and stood up as Moblit popped his head in.

“Captain Zacharias is here.”

“Right, Mike…” Erwin said and glanced down at Levi. The omega got the hint and stood up.

“I’m going. Find me later.” He said and their eyes lingered for a moment before he tore
himself away. Mike was allowed in, and they passed one another with a nod.

As the door shut, Levi took a deep breath. He touched the pendent at his chest and then
dropped his hand. There was a lot to process. He was mated and marked to Erwin, officially.
That meant he could be his own person in Marley without anyone chasing after him or
questioning him. Erwin and other Commanders were apparently working together to get
people out of the country. And he might be pregnant. Shoving a hand through his hair, the
omega made his way downstairs to look for Hanji. He was going to hit her for exposing his
thoughts to Erwin. Then he was going to ask her to teach him more about this oppressive,
shitty country. It was best to start learning how things worked if he was going to be stuck
here.
 Public Outing
Chapter Summary

Erwin and Levi attend a party in their honor, where Levi finds out about someone that
may need his help. At the end of the night, he's forced to bite his tongue and let things
play out, even if his instincts are telling him not to.

Chapter Notes

I just wanted to thank everyone for all the wonderful comments I've been getting on this
story! It takes me a little longer to write because most of the chapters are significantly
longer than my last work, but all the comments and love really inspire me to keep it up.
So, thank you! <3 <3 <3

There were customs in Marley that Levi found completely stupid and other ones that weren’t
all that bad. Among all these things, the amount of excitement that came from other people
about a marking had to be at the top of the list for dumb. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate all
the attention… just that he did not want it. Erwin had to tell his superiors that he’d marked
him, finally. Apparently from there, things just escalated. His friends wanted to celebrate him
finally ‘settling down’. Apparently, a party was being thrown in the city and even though he
desperately did not want to go, Levi had to make an appearance with Erwin. Already, he was
dreading it.

“Basically, it’s just a bunch of men standing around drinking while their wives or mates’
gossip and giggle off to the side.” Hanji said as she lounged in a chair, watching Moblit help
Levi with his jacket. “You’re going to hate it.” She laughed.

“As long as they have decent food, I’ll be alright. I can’t even drink.” He said with a sigh.

In his possible current condition, Levi couldn’t drink or do anything strenuous. Everyone in
the whole of Marley knew that he’d just been in heat and that Erwin marked him. Now, all of
them were expecting a little Smith baby a few months down the line. Even if he didn’t know
for sure, it was best to be careful, anyway. He’d been putting it out of his mind because he
was secretly hoping that he wasn’t pregnant. It would just be easier. Until more time passed,
he wouldn’t know.
Currently, he was being dressed up so that he didn’t look out of place at the party. No matter
what Moblit put on him, that was going to happen. Male mates weren’t exactly common,
especially true bonds. Everyone was going to want to talk to him or look at him… Levi
wanted to crawl back into bed and never come out. He stared at himself in the mirror, trying
to figure out how the hell he ended up here. Obviously, he knew. They’d selected a white
button up with a black, form hugging suit jacket and matching slacks. His shoes were shiny
in black and white… Hanji had called them something… like saddle shoes? He had no idea,
he didn’t care. He wore white gloves and the emerald pendent hung just under the collar of
his shirt, showing him off as Erwin’s partner. For once, his hair was not in his face but slicked
back nicely against his head. He didn’t even look like himself.

“Everything looks good.” Moblit said as he walked a circle around the other. “Hanji?” She
stood up and came over, looking Levi up and down.

“Wow, he’d fit right into a high society party if he wasn’t so short.” She said, grinning. Levi
glared at her and she quickly looked away. “I was just saying…”

“So what even happens as these parties? Am I stuck standing with a bunch of women while
Erwin toasts with his buddies?” He asked, folding his arms over his chest.

“Pretty much.” Hanji puffed out her cheeks and let the air out slow. “You’re expected to stand
around and make him look good. I know, it’s stupid. But that’s what it is. The good news is,
you’re his true bond, which makes you literally better than all those goofy women. They are
going to be sooo jealous of you.” She snickered. “Just be ready for like, a ton of questions
about yourself.”

“And do not talk about Eldia.” Levi turned around and found Erwin walking in. He breath
caught in his throat at the sight of the man.

Much like himself, Erwin was wearing a black suit but his… it just filled out perfectly. It was
tight enough to show off his broad shoulders and narrow waist but not so much that it seemed
undersized. His button up was white as well and his bolo was tucked perfectly into his collar,
the rope on it was gold instead of the normal silver that he wore during his day-to-day
activities. All that blond hair was swept back, curving perfectly with his head. He was
adjusting one of his black gloves and Levi did not miss the wing pinned to his lapel. He
looked like a fucking wet dream and the omega found himself slowly eyeing him across his
entire form.

“Don’t talk about Eldia?” Levi forced himself to ask, feeling heat in his face.

“It’s going to be talked about but it’s best if you don’t get worked up about it.” Erwin
approached him and smiled as he looked him over. “You look gorgeous, Levi.”

“Gorgeous?” He asked, giving the man a flat look. “That’s the word you wanna use?”

“It is.” He said and leaned down, gently kissing him. Levi closed his eyes and found himself
leaning in to return it. He placed one hand against the Alpha’s chest.

“Hey! No hanky panky! We just got him into that suit and you’re not taking him out of it!”
Hanji snapped, pulling them out of their little moment. “It’s been nonstop with you two for a
god dang week!” She huffed and threw her arms into the air. Erwin laughed.

“I apologize. I just can’t seem to keep my hands off him.” He said and winked at Levi.
“She’s just mad that she’s not getting any.” Levi said casually and looked at Moblit. The
other man instantly turned bright red and looked away. There was definitely something going
on there but apparently it hadn’t gone all the way yet. “Anyway. I’m not going to get worked
up over Eldia. I’m sure they are all going to talk shit and be assholes. I’m prepared for that.”

“They may ask you questions about your life there. You’re free to tell them whatever you
want and aren’t obligated to tell them anything.” Erwin pointed out. “I’ve merely told people
that you’ve been through a lot and prefer not to talk about it. They still want to know but they
don’t ask.”

“Yeah, I’ll go with that. I don’t need all these weirdos knowing my life story.”

“We should be going. The whole party is going to be waiting on us.”

With Hanji waving at their backs, the two men left and headed for the city. Levi was dreading
every part of this. He hated crowds, wasn’t social, and didn’t care for anyone in Marley
except for the people in Erwin’s household. The last thing he wanted to do was be stuck
watching Erwin laugh and drink with is fellow soldiers while he was forced into the
henhouse. Hopefully Erwin would save him at some point or maybe he could just go outside
and nap in the carriage when no one was looking. That thought was sounding pretty good
when he realized Erwin was speaking to him.

“This is our first time out to a social event together so I should go over how this works…”
The man was saying.

“Don’t talk out of turn, stand up straight, no foul language…” Levi started to say as he stared
out the window.

“Well maybe no foul language and you shouldn’t slouch anyway… but you can talk as much
as you’d like. I just think you should keep it to polite conversation. People love to talk about
war, but it seems better if you lure their attention elsewhere.” Erwin suggested and Levi just
rolled his eyes. “They are definitely going to ask you about what it’s like to be a fated pair,
about what it’s like to be with me… and be ready for baby questions. Those will be abundant,
I’m sure.” The blond said and watched him. Levi glanced over, meeting his eye. They still
hadn’t talked about the little vial that Hanji gave him.

“I didn’t drink it.” He said and looked away.

“Drink what?”

“The elixir thing that Hanji gave me. I didn’t drink it.” He shrugged. His head ended more
than a week and a half ago. According to Hanji it would work up until the first month had
passed.

“You… didn’t?” He looked over and saw the shocked look on Erwin’s face. He must have
really believed that he’d taken it. “So… do you think…”

“I don’t know. I’m just telling you… maybe.”

“I’m so glad you changed your mind.” Erwin moved over to sit next to him on his side of the
carriage. “You really don’t know how happy that makes me. Why change your mind?” he
asked and wrapped an arm around him to pull him close.

“I figure if you be a dumbass and get caught, I’ll just take the kid and run away.” Levi said
with a shrug. “And I just kept thinking about how easily my mom could have made the other
choice and… I want this kid to have a shot at a life.”

“I didn’t realize your mother was faced with that decision as well.”

“Yeah, it’s a long story. I’ll tell you sometime. Just be glad she made the call she did,
otherwise you wouldn’t have my shining light in your life.” He said in a flat tone. Erwin just
smiled and hugged him.

“You are the light of my life, Levi. Don’t doubt that for one second. And you’re only making
it brighter.” He added and pulled back so they could share a gentle kiss.

He could practically feel the warmth of happiness rolling off his mate at that point and it did
make him feel sort of giddy, almost like he was lighter. Slowly, over the days since he was
marked, Levi was noticing differences in himself. He was much more aware of Erwin. When
the man left the house, he felt more sullen and down. When the Alpha returned, he knew he
was coming even before he heard the carriage pull up. There was some kind of invisible
connection that told him when the other was near or far. And the emotions… that was
something that he had heard Erwin talk about but never believed it until he felt it.
He'd been in his room, reading a book in front of the fireplace when his chest had suddenly
tightened, and a wave of anxiety poured over him. Without even thinking, he jumped up and
rushed down the hall to Erwin’s office. The Alpha was sitting behind his desk with his head
in his hand. He looked completely stressed. It turned out that Erwin had received a letter from
one of his patrols and found out that some left over Eldian rebels had attacked and killed
some of his men. The feelings Levi had were coming directly from his mate’s pain and stress.
It wasn’t all bad, though. There were other things they shared as well. During his heat, Levi
just knew that sex with Erwin was incredible, but when it was over, things did not become
suddenly less. Every time they had sex after that, it felt different. Each time was more
intense, more passionate. It was like he could feel everything twice as much and no matter
what it was, Erwin seemed to know exactly what he wanted. If Levi so much as thought
about the man pulling his hair, he’d do it. The bond they shared, and the mark seemed to have
teamed up in order to give them a whole new and intense level of intimacy and Levi was far
from complaining about that.

“Well, I guess when people ask if we’re expecting, I don’t have to lie.” Erwin said and kissed
at his lips more.

“We don’t even know if it worked.” Levi said back, his voice softer as he enjoyed the little
pecks of affection he was receiving.

“I know it did.” Erwin countered and brushed his gloved hand along his neck. “I’ve filled you
so many times, I know I found fertile ground.”
“Shut up.” Levi breathed out and pulled himself closer to the other, capturing his lips in a
more intense kiss. Why could he never resist this many, anymore?

“…mmm make me…” Erwin purred back and just as the omega was about to climb into his
lap and make him keep his damn mouth busy with other things, the carriage stopped.
“Damn.” Erwin huffed and pulled away. He gave Levi one last kiss and sighed against his
lips. “We’ll continue this after the party.” The man said and smiled. Then he finally turned
away and left the omega feeling heated and unfulfilled. They would definitely be dealing
with this later.

The city was a different place at night. There were tall lamp posts that he hadn’t really
noticed before. Now they were lit up, making the flags under them seem to glow. The party
was being held at some large, fancy thing called a hotel, which Hanji explained was just a
building filled with rooms for people to rent. Travelers and people like that used them.
Apparently, they were also quite popular for those who wished to spend an evening together
but didn’t want to do so at home. It also was used for events, such as this one because it had a
large banquette hall and ballroom area.
Outside, Marleyan soldiers were standing by the doors as people in suits and dresses walked
in. Every person he saw looked so clean and perfect. Levi felt so out of place, even though he
was dressed and done up as they were. Erwin got out first and took Levi’s hand, helping him
to exit the carriage. The building was massive, stretching up into the sky. Staring up, he was
stunned by all the little glowing boxes that traveled up it. They were all windows… how
could something so big even be real?

“Just stay by my side for now.” Erwin said softly and Levi nodded. He tucked his hand
through Erwin’s arm and played his role as they walked inside.

The inside of the building was decorated for the party. There were gold and green paper
decorations hung off the lights and the tablecloths were all done up to match. Levi realized
that these were Erwin’s bolo colors, which made sense. They weren’t celebrating the couple.
They were celebrating him finding someone. Levi didn’t care because he didn’t want any
attention. Let Erwin have it all. The Alpha was really good at being in the spotlight. People
adored him and that was totally fine. The brighter he shined, the more shadow Levi could
hide in.
There were many tables, most of which were already filled up with people in fine clothes and
jewelry. Two massive tables ran along one side of the room, filled to the brim with all kinds
of food and drink. Most of this stuff, Levi didn’t even know what they were. His eyes were
wide as he took it all in. The only thing that stunned him more than all the food was the
ceiling above them. It was vaulted and high with grand golden lighting fixtures that hung
down like crystals. He must have looked silly in his awed state because he heard Erwin
chuckle beside him.

“Are you alright?” he asked, clearly amused.

“I’m good. This place is just… damn. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Levi admitted, still
letting his gaze wonder through the room.

“We need to go greet the Premier first. Then we’ll probably have to make the rounds…
saying hello to everyone.”
Levi groaned but only loud enough that Erwin could hear him. The last thing he wanted to do
was be paraded around and shown off. But that was exactly what Erwin did. It was
embarrassing but at the same time… the way the Alpha seemed so genuinely proud of him
and happy to have him there, it made it a bit easier for him to endure. They saw Zackley first.
The man was already a few glasses of wine in and seemed quite pleased with the whole
occasion. He congratulated Erwin and clapped him on the back, loudly announcing that he
expected a strong new generation of Smith children to fill their ranks someday. Levi just
smiled and kept his mouth shut.
Erwin then introduced him properly to Mike Zacharias, the Captain who had pulled him out
of the sorting house and landed him with the blond Alpha. Mike was taller than Erwin and
built like a war horse. At the time, Levi hadn’t paid him much attention but now, he was
focused. Mike wore a black suit as well but his shirt beneath was a soft blue. He had a bolo
but his was a sapphire set into silver. He also had a wing pin on his jacket, just as Erwin did.
The hair that had been falling into his face before was now neatly parted to the side and kept
back. He had a very lovely woman at his side. She was a bit taller than Levi and had short
cropped blonde hair that was paler than Erwin’s. Mike introduced her as Nanaba. She was
also in the military, though not quite ranked as they were.

“I guess I made a good call when I brought you to Erwin.” The man said as he shook Levi’s
hand. Not letting go of him, he leaned in and sniffed. The omega leaned back.

“What the…” He muttered as Mike let him go.

“That’s just something he does. He’s got an Alpha nose times ten.” Nanaba said, shaking her
head. “I keep telling him not to just sniff at people like that. Especially when we’re at an
event.” She said, smacking his arm. It looked light but it was enough that Mike got the
message.

“Yeah so… thanks for saving those soldiers from me.” Levi said and Erwin laughed at his
side.

“They didn’t stand a chance.” Mike agreed and straightened back up. “Makes sense now.”

“What do you mean?” Erwin asked.

“He’s your bond, right?” The other Alpha said, and they both just smiled at each other. Hanji
said that Mike was Erwin’s best friend. He was seeing it, now.

“We have a space saved for the two of you at the lead table. Join us when you’re all done.”
The woman said and smiled at them before she and Mike turned to head off. Levi decided he
liked her.

From there, they continued around. Levi was doing all he could to be nice and social. That
was a serious effort because he wanted to run to that table and sit with the people he didn’t
mind. He also would have killed for a drink but that wasn’t happening. A few times, waiters
would walk by and offer him champagne or wine. It almost hurt to decline. Erwin introduced
him to a few other people and Levi would shake their hands or nod. He barely spoke unless
someone asked him a question. All these stuck-up Nobles probably thought Erwin was so
lucky to have such a well-behaved omega. They had no idea how much trouble he’d already
been and would likely be in the future.

“Ahem!” They were just speaking to that shitty Nile Dok guy when attention was called to
the head of the room. Levi turned and found a bald man in a fine tan suit standing at the head
of the room. He had a mustache and eyes that were sharp. “Ladies and gentlemen, may I have
your attention?” The man asked.

“That’s Dot Pixis.” Erwin whispered in his ear and Levi nodded.

“Thank you all for coming tonight. We’re here to celebrate one of our most dedicated officers
and his newly marked mate!” He announced and everyone clapped. Levi could feel eyes all
over him and he wanted to hide but couldn’t. So, he just stood up straight and tucked in close
to Erwin’s side. The Alpha gently placed a hand at the small of his back, which made him
feel a bit better. “High Military Commander Erwin Smith has led Marley to countless
victories, all while watching the rest of us find love and grow our families. I cannot imagine
how difficult it was to always go back home to that big empty house.” The man smirked and
Levi could see a mischievous edge to his expression. “His campaign to overtake Eldia was of
great benefit to all of us but none more so than himself, it seems.” The man laughed and
many people in the crowd joined him. “To find your true bond… a fated pair…” Dot took a
deep breath. “That is a miracle that many of us will never behold, let alone experience
ourselves. You truly deserve it, my friend.” He raised his glass and soon, the whole of the
crowd did the same. “To Erwin and Levi.” He announced and a chorus of the same words
chimed around them. Levi felt his face going red.

“Thank you.” Erwin said, his face beaming. He really did thrive in these situations.
“Everyone, I am so pleased to see you all here and I’m glad to have such a large gathering of
friends to help us celebrate. It means the world to us both.” He said and held Levi just a little
closer. The omega wanted to melt into the floor. People were looking at him, taking in the
sight of the omega that had bonded to Erwin. “I was quite fortunate to meet Levi, as it was
really by chance.” He started to explain. “Captain Zacharias brought him to me because he
was a bit of a troublemaker. The moment I looked at him… I just knew. I felt a connection to
him so strong that I couldn’t have denied it, even if I wanted to. Which, believe me, I did
not.” He said and put on a charming smile. Levi glanced around, seeing many of the woman
watching him with flirtatious smiles and lust in their eyes. “And now, I’ve finally been able
to mark him as my own.” Erwin’s eyes turned down to him and all his anxiety and jealous
slipped away. Those blue eyes left him feeling like there was no one else in the room.
Leaning down, Erwin kissed him, and Levi didn’t care that all eyes were on them. He kissed
the man back, gently grabbing at the jacket he wore.

Like hazy background noise, there was a serious of ‘aws’ and clapping from the crowd.
When Erwin pulled back, he smiled at him and then turned to address people who were
approaching to speak with him. Levi was left a little dazed. He stared at Erwin as the man
spoke to a couple that Levi hadn’t met yet. All he knew now was that he was hungry and
horny. So, that was great. Grumbling, he glanced around, spotting the table with all the food.
The omega shot his mate one more look before he slipped away. Even though a lot of people
were interested in him, more were interested in Erwin. It didn’t hurt that he was short, either.
The buffet was impressive. Levi walked from one end to the other, just taking it all in. There
was so much food, some of which, he couldn’t even identify. There were a few people getting
food or just hanging about chatting. Levi ignored them and grabbed a plate. He started just
picking up anything that he thought looked or smelled good, piling it all up onto his dish. He
was about to turn and go find Nanaba and Mike when someone stepped into his way and
addressed him.

“Levi, is it?” The man said. Looking up, he found himself facing some Noble Alpha. This
guy didn’t scream Alpha from his build, only his scent. He was shorter than most Alphas
he’d seen and a tad round. His eyes were large and blue, and he looked friendly enough, but
Levi didn’t trust anyone here.

“Yeah. Just Levi.” He said when the man lifted a brow.

“I’m Rod Reiss. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Do they not have surnames where you come
from?” He asked.

“In Eldia? Yeah, they have them. I just don’t use mine.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.” The man seemed to be waiting for an explanation, but Levi was not giving him one.

“Right… So, you’re Eldian? Where is your family from?”

“Eldia.”

“Well, your features depict something different.” He chuckled. What did this guy want? “I’ve
only seen one other person here in the city with features like yours. She’s a young girl
belonging to a friend of mine. A little beta he took in after her family was killed. She’s lovely.
I think she’ll be quite the looker when she’s grown up.” He said and Levi cringed. That
wasn’t creepy at all. “What was her name…” he said and tapped his pudgy chin. “Mikasa.
That’s right. Her mother was a real Eastern beauty. She looks exactly like you. Same hair and
eyes… and that intense look about them.” Levi just stared at him, waiting for the point of all
this. “…Ackerman!” He announced. “That was her name! Mikasa Ackerman.”

The omega froze. Ackerman? Yes, he very much knew that name. It was his mother and
uncle’s surname. Technically, it was his as well, but he never used it because he didn’t want
anyone to tack him to Kenny. There was a young girl here who was part of his family? He’d
said she ‘belonged’ to someone. But she was a Beta… that meant she was really just a slave,
didn’t it? Probably taken for her appearance. Levi pictured his mother. She looked much like
him but with slighter, more feminine features. Many people wanted her because of how she
looked. That girl was in the same boat, he was sure.

“Do you know that name?” He asked and Levi shook his head.

“Never heard it. Maybe my family comes from somewhere East, I have no idea.” He said and
shrugged. He was going to have to talk to Erwin about this. If he had a family member who
was a possession… he had to help her, right? “I really should be getting back to my table
before my food gets cold. It was a pleasure meeting you, sir.” He said and did a slight nod.
“Oh right, of course. I don’t mean to keep you. Enjoy the party!” He said and walked off.
Levi watched him approach a young blonde girl. He snapped at her and she rushed off to get
him a drink. Ignoring that for now, he went to find their table.

“What do you know about a girl named Mikasa Ackerman?” He asked as he dropped into the
chair next to Nanaba. Both she and Mike looked over at him.

“Uh… nothing?” The woman said, frowning. “Why?”

“Something wrong?” The larger man asked.

“Just hear something about a girl that looks like me, belonging to some other Noble or
whatever. I was curious about her, that’s all.” He and Mike shared a look and he was fairly
certain that the man understood his concerns.

“Ah.” He said and sipped his drink.

“Erwin is still being bombarded by his admirers.” Nanaba pointed out and Levi glanced over
while popping some kind of weird squishy thing into his mouth that smelled like fish.

Erwin was still where he’d left him. He was chatting with various people and was all smiles
and charisma. He was literally everything opposite of the omega. Levi would rather die than
be surrounded by people, forced to play on their puppet strings and smile all the time. How
the hell did he manage to deal with it? Shrugging, the omega turned around and focused on
his food. He was starving. Mike and Nanaba chatted a bit, sometimes including him but he
was too busy eating to contribute much to the conversation. Everything on the plate was
pretty good but he was over dinner. Now he wanted to hit that dessert table. Ignoring his
companions, the omega stood up and off he went, back to get himself something sweet.
While loading his plate with new and exciting treats, Levi was in his own little world. No one
was bothering him, so he was content. He’d really thought he’d be more of a focal point at
this event but thankfully, that didn’t seem to be the case. Erwin was the center of the universe
tonight. Returning to the table, he just watched his Alpha while taste testing all the things
he’d grabbed. He watched as men shook his hand and patted his back, and as women gently
touched his arms or chest. A flicker of jealously and angry moved through him. For Levi, it
was a totally new feeling. He had never had any reason to be jealous or protective but right
now… that was definitely what he had going on. Those women knew damn well that he was
taken. That was the whole point of this party. And yet they all kept batting their eyelashes at
him and touching him. Before he realized it, he was pushing himself to his feet. Mike was
saying something to him, but he couldn’t focus on that.

“Excuse me.” He said and literally shoved himself into the circle of people around Erwin.
“You’ve all had your fill. I’m taking him back now.” He said in a direct, completely non-
joking manner. He wrapped his arms around one of Erwin’s and looked up at him.

“Levi, I was just thanking them for…”

“Don’t care.” He cut the man off, just staring at him. The blond looked down at him for a
moment before a warm smile spread over his face. He had that knowing look in his eyes.
“Alright. Excuse me, everyone. I believe my attentions are needed elsewhere.” He said and
let Levi tug him away from the crowd. He was sure he heard some comments and grumbles,
but Levi did not give a damn about any of those people or what they thought.

“I don’t like it when they touch you.” Levi said while walking Erwin to their table.

“I believe I picked up on that.” He said, grinning. He was enjoying this, clearly.

“This party is literally to celebrate us becoming mates, right? So, why the hell are those
women all over you like that? They know you have me and we’re a fated pair, right?” He
growled.

“Levi…” Erwin stopped and gently turned the omega to face him. “I’m surprised. I never
would have thought you to be the jealous type.”

“I never wanted to be mates with anyone but now that it’s happened, I don’t plan on sharing.
I know that the mark binds me to you but you’re still free to fuck whoever you want. I don’t
want to see anyone crawling all over you right in front of my face.”

“I would never be with anyone else. Do you think I’ll do that?”

“I don’t know…” he mumbled and stared at one of the buttons on Erwin’s shirt. “I mean
there are a lot of really attractive women here….”

“And I’m very much not interested in women.” The man pointed out. “But more than that,
I’m not interested in anyone but you. Why do you think I’ve gone this long without ever
marrying or taking a mate just to be with? I was waiting for you. Now that I have you, I’m
not going to throw it all away on a fling.” Levi finally looked up at him.

“Really? But you could have anyone you want.”

“I have the one I want.”

Erwin leaned down, placing a finger under Levi’s chin. He then gently kissed him. The
omega was stiff at first, but he slowly leaned forward to return the kiss. His fingers slid up
the Alpha’s chest, only stopping when the kiss finally ended. He was realizing how much
changed after his heat. He was different. All that distance he kept between himself and
Erwin… and now he was jealous of other people touching him and kissing him every chance
he got. Was that all just from his mark? Or was it something more?
They went back to their table and sat. Levi ate more of his treats, occasionally sharing some
with Erwin. Mike and Erwin talked a lot and eventually, he started to actually chat with
Nanaba. She was a sharp young woman, probably only a few years older than himself. She
was a soldier, but it seemed to him like it wasn’t something she really enjoyed. As Mike and
Erwin discussed what it was like to be mates and things like, he could see her giving the man
a longing look. Nanaba was a Beta, meaning she could not be marked. Levi felt for her. She
loved Mike; he could see it from how she looked at him. She probably wished they could
have a bond like that. Really, he got the impression that this woman wanted to settle down
and start a family. Did Mike not want that?
“Levi, are you not drinking?” He looked over, finding Erwin staring at him. The Alpha had
been taking glasses from the waiters all night and Levi could see a rosy hue to his cheeks. It
was cute but he wasn’t a fan of drunks. He’d never seen this man drink, so he had no idea
what kind of drunk he’d be.

“No, of course not.” He said, giving the man a flat look. It seemed to take a moment and then
the Alpha’s eyes widened.

“Ah right!” he said and placed his glass down on the table. “You’re so wonderful.” He cooed.
“Not even sure if you’re pregnant but still being careful.”

“He’s pregnant?” Mike asked, one brow perking up.

“I don’t know.” Levi said and glared at Erwin. He did not want to announce this shit to the
world.

“Ah right, marking…” Mike said, recalling how that process worked. Erwin was busy
moving closer to Levi.

“What are you doing?” The omega asked as the other turned his whole chair to face him.

“Admiring my lovely omega.” The man said and Levi knew right then and there that he was
feeling his liquor. Erwin placed a hand against Levi’s stomach and smiled. “I really hope you
are.” He said softly and Levi felt himself blush. Drunk Erwin might be more honest.

“You do?” He asked, watching him closely.

“Yes, of course I do. I’ve waited my whole life to meet you, Levi. I want to have beautiful
children with you. With your gorgeous silver eyes…” He purred and kissed him. Levi kept it
short. “We should have lots of kids. As many as we can.” Mike snorted and Nanaba hit him.

“As sweet as you’re being, I’m gonna pass. I don’t think I want to have an army of children.”
Levi said and placed his hand over Erwin’s. “I would be really happy with just one.” He
added in a softer tone.

“Then one it is. One perfect little angel.” The Alpha slid his fingers through the other’s hair
and pulled him in for another kiss, this one a bit deeper. When he felt the man’s hand sliding
down to his thigh, he stopped him.

“Erwin… not here.” He said in a stern tone. The Alpha sighed and nodded.

“Of course. You’re right. You’re just so hard to resist.” He purred. Levi just stared at him
with a flat look.

“Looks like you’re going to have to take him home soon.” Nanaba laughed. Before Levi
could answer, another voice cut in.

“I don’t think. Erwin has to come celebrate with the men.” Nile Dok said and clapped a
heavy hand down on Erwin’s shoulder. “No offense.” He added as he shot Levi a judgmental
look.
“I think he’s celebrated enough.” Levi shot back; his narrowed gaze locked onto the other.

“It’s tradition.”

“I don’t give a shit.”

“Now now…” Erwin placed his hands up, looking between them. “I can’t just leave Levi on
his own. That’s not a good thing to do as his new mate.” The man said and looked at Levi.
“I’ll come home with you. I can drink with them anytime.” The omega stared at him,
frowning.

“Do you want to go?” He asked. Erwin hesitated.

“I… no.”

“Don’t lie.”

“I would like to, yes.”

“Mike, you should go and keep an eye on him. I’m sure Levi would appreciate it.” Nanaba
said and the Erwin looked over, smiling wide.

“Yes, Mike come with us!” The other Alpha was quiet for a moment before he shrugged.

“Alright, fine.”

“I’m going home, then.” Levi said and stood up. He was not happy about this at all. That Dok
gave him a bad vibe. But he wasn’t going to be some overbearing wife who kept their partner
locked down and unable to have fun.

“Wait…” Erwin stood up and caught his hand. “I got us a room here, just in case. You should
spend the night here. Get some room service, relax. And after I have a few drinks with the
guys, I’ll join you upstairs.” Levi stared at him, frowning. He then turned and looked at
Mike.

“Watch him. That guy is shady.” He said, pointing at Nile and not even trying to hide it. “I
don’t like him or trust him.” He said and Nile growled at him.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got years of experience babysitting Erwin.” Mike said and stood up. He
gave the blonde woman a kiss and walked around the table. Erwin turned back to the Levi
and smiled. He kissed his lips slowly and held him close.

“I’ll be up in an hour or two, tops.” Erwin said but Levi was not holding his breath for that to
actually happen. The Alpha handed him a key with a number tag on it. He looked at it. Going
up to a hotel room by himself was not what he wanted at all. But at least if he was here, he’d
be closer to Erwin. “We’re just going to the Hotel bar. I’ll be right downstairs if you need
me.”

“I won’t.” Levi said, unable to help his moodiness. He wanted to bag Erwin to come home
with him, but he kept his mouth shut and walked away.
“You’ve got to break that one or he’s going to ruin you.” He heard Nile say but he just
ignored it and kept walking towards the lobby. No one paid him any attention as he went.
 Dangerous Choices
Chapter Summary

After the party, Levi and Erwin move forward, though it's not always easy. While trying
to come up with a plan to help one person, Levi finds two more suddenly in his lap and
he's reached a boiling point.

Chapter Notes

Sorry about the delay. This chapter was taking me longer than I anticipated. I had to cut
myself off because I was just going and going!
NSFW Warning

The hotel room that Erwin got for them was extravagant and clearly, it was meant to be
opened up to the couple and not just him, alone. The room was large and open with big
windows that looked out over the city. Everything was in the gross Marley red and gold, but
it wasn’t terrible. There was a large bathtub in the corner, clearly made for more than one
person. The bed was massive and had draping curtains all around it. They were tied back,
revealing lots of pillows. On the table by the sofas, there was a bucket filled with Ice and
Champagne. Two glasses were resting beside it. Levi walked over and picked up the note
under them.

“Congratulations…” He mumbled and tossed the card back down onto the table. Shrugging
out of his jacket, he threw it over the back of the sofa and then sat down to remove his shoes.
If he was going to be stuck in here, he should at least be comfortable.

The omega loosened his top two buttons and leaned back on the sofa. He felt a little lonely,
being left behind while Erwin went off drinking with the guys. Sure, he was an omega, but he
was still a man he didn’t like being shoved into that feminine role like all the wives and
female mates down there. Sighing heavily, he rubbed his face and then leaned forward. Levi
popped open the bottle, holding it over the bucket so he didn’t spill any of the alcohol on the
table. He poured himself a single glass. One glass wasn’t going to hurt. Hold it up, he
watched all the bubbles rising in the liquid.

“Guess it’s just us tonight, huh?” he mumbled, referring to his potential pregnancy. “Much
like I thought, I get to sit on the sidelines while Erwin lives his life. Why would it be any
different? That’s how all Alpha omega relationships are. I’ll stay home, make babies, and be
the good little mate while he goes off and conquers other countries and drinks with other
Alpha assholes.” Levi sighed and set the glass down without even taking a drink. “Sorry. I’ll
be good. One glass probably won’t hurt but… why risk it?”

The man pushed himself up and walked over to the bed. There were roses laying on the
comforter with a little red ribbon wrapped around them. He made a face and picked them up.
They smelled nice but he wasn’t in the mood for this crap. Setting them onto the bedside
table, he dropped his pants and shut off the light on the table. It was the only source of light
in the room, so he was immediately cast into darkness. Part of him considered staying up and
waiting to see how long it would take his mate to return but he decided his full stomach
would make for a good rest, so he gave up on that.
The room was silent, and he could see the glow from the lights in the city below. He wasn’t
very high up, thankfully. Their room was only up a few flights of stairs. Levi just stared out
the window. Sometimes, he could hear people passing by in the hallway. They were all
laughs and chatter. Then they were gone, and he was left in silence once more. This felt
pathetic but he was trying quite hard not to think about things like that. Dwelling on his shitty
feelings wasn’t gonna do him any good.
It was strange to think that he’d come here as a captive omega that those asshole soldiers
intended to sell. Now he was sleeping in a very expensive back, maybe knocked up,
definitely mated to a Commander in the Marleyan army, and pretty much untouchable. There
were times when he felt like none of it was real. Tomorrow he’d wake up back in his
farmhouse. He’d get up, tend to the animals and then do chores until ending the night at the
pub with his few friends. There would be no war, no Erwin, no stupid parties in this damn
city. But thinking about not having Erwin made his chest ache. Their connection was
solidified and there was no living without that big, blond idiot.

As he laid there, he found himself not falling asleep. Moments ticked away but still, there
was he. Maybe it was because he was now in an unfamiliar place or more likely, he just
couldn’t sleep because he didn’t have Erwin there. The man was out drinking… getting into
who knew what kinds of trouble. What if his buddies took him to a brothel? The omega was
growling without realizing it. Surely Erwin was not that stupid? The man seemed very honest
when it came to their connection, but it was still something that passed his mind. He did not
want to sleep with that prick if he was burying himself into someone else out there. Mike was
with him, though. That Alpha seemed like he was fairly levelheaded. Maybe things wouldn’t
be that bad.
Levi hated that he was overthinking this. Before, he’d have been perfectly happy if Erwin
found someone else to chase after aside from himself. But things definitely changed when
they mated, and he was marked. Now he was filled with dread that they Alpha was with
someone else. He never worried about it before because Erwin worked so much but never
came home smelling of another person. This time… he could be doing anything. Laying
there, Levi worked himself up until he could not take it any longer. The more he laid there,
the worse it was going to get.

“Fuck.” He groaned and threw the blankets back.

The omega slipped out of bed and grabbed his pants up off the floor. He pulled them on,
tugged his shoes on and went right out the door. He didn’t bother with his suit jacket. He still
had the shirt on, so he'd be fine. Rushing down the hall, he made for the stairs. The hotels
upper floors were quiet but as he got downstairs, he could hear plenty of voices. The
ballroom where the party was held was almost empty now. He peaked inside and saw some
people cleaning up, a few sitting at tables, and that was it. Frowning, he headed across the
lobby, to the bar and restaurant. This area was still pretty busy. There were people at tables,
sitting at the bar, and standing around. He could hear music playing from somewhere and
there was a haze of smoke in the air. Making a face, Levi walked in.
It was a pretty nice place. The color scheme was dark with deep reds and stained wood. He
could still see hints of gold everywhere. Marley was so damn full of themselves. The omega
sniffed the air and could pick up on Erwin, though it was hard to do with so many people and
all that damn smoke. He hated cigarettes. They were disgusting. Moving slowly through the
room, he looked over each table and booth, hoping to see that head of blond hair. Eventually,
it was Erwin’s voice that he caught instead of seeing him. Turning, he looked around until he
spotted them.
At the other end of the room, there was a table tucked back against the wall. Nile, Erwin,
Mike, and a few other men he did not know were seated there. Nile, the gross asshole, had a
blond woman sitting on his lap and he was slowly rubbing at the inside of her thigh.
Apparently, he didn’t care who saw. Mike and Erwin were seated side by side, both looking
rosy cheeked and happy. The other guys either had women on their laps or too many empty
glasses set in front of them. Levi shook his head and marched over. He’d laid in bed alone for
well over an hour, maybe two. He wanted Erwin to come upstairs with him. He didn’t like
this crowd the man was putting himself into.

“Erwin.” He said and approached. All their eyes turned towards him. “I came to get you.” He
stated as those very glossy blue eyes focused on him.

“Levi!” He said happily and reached out. Erwin caught his hand and pulled him over to stand
close at his side. Even sitting down, Erwin was nearly taller than him. The Alpha wrapped his
arm around the smaller male’s waist and nuzzled against his chest. “My love, where have you
been?”

“Upstairs, in our room, waiting for you.” He said in a flat tone.

“Erwin’s in trouble with his misses.” One of the unknown men said and they all snickered.
Levi ignored them for now.

“I’m sorry. We were having drinks. Won’t you have one with me?” He asked, looking so
stupidly innocent.

“I can’t. Will you please come to bed with me?” He asked, trying to get through that drunken
haze that seemed to have taken over his mate. “I can’t sleep because I’m worried about you
being down here with these idiots.” He glanced to Mike. “No offense.” The other man just
shrugged, seeming totally unphased by Levi’s comment. I probably knew it didn’t apply to
him.

“Right right. Okay.” Erwin said and took out his money. He placed some on the table and
then stood up. Levi instantly reached out to steady the man when he swayed. “Oh my…”
Erwin said, and Mike was quickly up to help keep him upright.

“Are you really going to let that omega boss you around?” Nile asked and Levi shot him a
glare. “I never let Marie control what I do.”
“That’s probably why you’re out here with a hooker instead of at home in her bed. She’s tired
of dealing with your bullshit.” Levi said without any hesitation. He didn’t care who this man
was.

“What was that?” He growled and stood up, the girl making a surprised sound as she was
suddenly on her feet, rather than on his lap. “You little shit, you can’t talk to me that way!”

“He can talk to you however he wants.” Erwin said, smirking and holding Levi close to him.
“Because he’s every bit as much a Marleyan as you are and entitled to his opinion. That…
and he’s probably right.” The blond laughed. Nile looked like his head might pop right off his
body.

“That’s enough. Everyone is drunk, we’ve had enough fun.” Mike said and started ushering
them forward. Nile opened his mouth to speak again but apparently the much larger Alpha
gave him a warning look that shut him right up. Levi was sure he was going to like Mike.

“That guy is prick.” Levi muttered as the three of them made it to the lobby. Mike was now
supporting Erwin’s weight by one of his arms.

“Yeah, he is.” The larger man agreed. “You probably should just leave him be, though. He
can be troublesome.” He added and Levi only shrugged.

“I’m used to trouble.” Mike just grunted his response.

Getting Erwin up the stairs was a real struggle. He was sluggish, heavy, and seemed to think
that everything was funny. Mike had been drinking but not nearly as much, so his patience
appeared to be running thin. Levi’s was as well. By the time they got Erwin into the room, he
was ready to choke the man out for making them have to deal with his drunk ass. The blond
was left sitting on the bed as Mike made for the door. Levi thanked him and promised to
check in with him in the morning if they needed any help. Then he shut the door, finally
leaving them in the peace of their own space.

“What a night.” Erwin said as he stood and struggled to get out of his suit jacket. Levi was
instantly there, pulling it off of him. Then he moved to the front of the Alpha and started to
unbutton his shirt. “Did you have fun?” Erwin asked, staring down at him. Levi’s silver gaze
only flickered to the blue one before looking back down at his working fingers.

“It was fine.”

“We didn’t spend any time together.”

“You were busy.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Levi removed the Alpha’s shirt and laid it out on the back of a chair with his
jacket. “Kick your shoes off and I’ll get your pants off.”

“I should have been showing you off to everyone… but I knew you’d hate it.” He slurred.
The omega stayed quiet while undoing his belt. “Those people are all selfish. They all think
they know what I want or need but they have no idea.”

“And what do you want or need, Erwin?” Levi asked, just keeping him talking so he didn’t
pass out before he was finished undressing him.

“You.”

Levi’s fingers stopped and he glanced up. Erwin was staring at him, his gaze intense. What
exactly did that mean? Him? He’d thought that perhaps it was a physical thing. Erwin needed
him because of their mated bond. He needed to breed him or whatever. But as he looked back
into those blue eyes, he was realizing that there was more going on there than he’d realized.
The look was so intense that it was leaving him a little stunned, unable to move or react.

“I want to fall in love with you, Levi.” Erwin said and the omega’s mouth actually opened in
surprise.

“You want to fall in love with me?” He asked.

“I might love a good story but I’m not living in some fairytale world where you just love me
the moment we meet.” He chuckled. The sound was so warm and deep, it reminded him of
the first time he’d heard this man’s voice. “And of course, I didn’t fall in love with you
instantly, either. I knew we were connected but love is something that comes slowly and
builds. Or so I’ve been told.”

“I… don’t even know if I believe in love.” He admitted in a small voice. “My mom was
alone, my uncle was a prick that women couldn’t stand, and I’ve never been with anyone but
you…”

“That just means you haven’t seen love, not that it doesn’t exist.”

“Have you ever been in love before?” Levi asked and finished with Erwin’s pants. He pulled
them down and off, along with his underpants. The Alpha pushed himself back onto the bed
before stretching out on one side. Levi stood up with his pants and took just a second to
admire the perfect body of this large man. Even drunk, he was so damn attractive.

“No…” Erwin said, and Levi snapped back into himself. He hung the man’s pants up and
then pulled his own off, laying it all together before he joined him in bed. “Being interested
in men sort of left me out. It's not very common here, and really only accepted in situations
like ours, where one of us is an omega who can have children. Children are more important
than anything here, because of the low birth rates. People don’t care if you’re in love. Only if
you can reproduce. If I hadn’t found you, I was getting to the age where I would have had to
get married, just to do my duty to Marley.”

“You people are stupid.” Levi muttered and laid on his side, staring at the other man. “Sure,
having kids is important when so many can’t but… Just pushing out kids like a product line is
sad. A lot of those kids suffer.”

“I agree.” Erwin turned and faced him. Levi could see some of the streetlight glow reflecting
in his eyes. “But I can’t change everything. I can only do so much.”
“At least you’re trying to help people. And to do crazy things like fall in love.” He said, a
little smirk growing across his lips.

“You think it’s crazy?” Erwin asked, smiling back.

“It’s a little crazy. You want to fall in love with an Eldian rebel holdout who turned out to be
your omega mate, who fought you at every turn… You could have a much easier love story,
Erwin.”

“I don’t want another story. I want ours.”

The omega found himself blushing, even in the dark. Erwin was so damn smooth, even when
he was slurring every other word. As they stared at each other, Levi found himself wondering
just what was happening. Could they really fall in love with each other and have that
storybook life? Erwin was a military Commander and an underground freedom fighter. No
matter what, that was probably going to turn out poorly. Levi wanted to ignore that, though.
He sort of wanted to buy into all this and just something good happen for once. With such a
hard life, that was not easy to do.
Without warning, he closed the space between them and kissed Erwin’s soft lips. The Alpha
made a gentle moaning sound and kissed him back. Maybe he wasn’t good at all the
emotional, poetic talk, but he could show how he felt in this way. His body pressed in close to
the Alpha’s, and he could feel Erwin’s hand sliding down his back to his ass. The blond
tasted like whiskey and cigars. Levi was definitely going to but an end to any smoking his
mate was doing. But that was a worry for another time. Right now, he was more concerned
with rolling the large male onto his back so he could climb on top of him. They spent the rest
of their night in each other’s arms. Much was said between them without ever speaking a
word.

After returning home from the city, Levi and Erwin were closer. The conversation about
falling in love and all that seemed to have gone to both their heads. For Erwin, it came in the
form of lavishing Levi with affection at any given opportunity. And for Levi, it was to allow
Erwin to give him all that attention without snapping at the man. Though he was gone quite
often, the Alpha would spend his mornings and evenings with his mate. When Levi was in
the kitchen trying to cook before Moblit could beat him to it, the blond would sneak in and
cuddle him from behind. Sometimes he’d catch Levi dusting bookshelves and kiss him
passionately before going to his office. It was always something, even if it was small. Really,
Levi found that he did not hate it.
Feeling uplifted by how well that relationship was going, he felt inspired to get things done.
The first thing on that list was finding out more about this Mikasa Ackerman. The day they
came back, he’d put a bug in Hanji’s ear about the girl and the woman set to work on trying
to find out more. Apparently, they had a network of people that they got information through.
It was how they managed to help the omegas and Alphas that needed to escape. If there was a
girl that needed help, they’d be able to find her. At least, that’s what Hanji said.
It took almost a week for the first bit of information to come in. Levi was standing in the
foyer, adjusting his shirt and checking himself in one of the decorative mirrors. Erwin had
caught him on the stairs and proceeded to instigate a very intense kissing session before he
left for the city. The omega was just the slightest bit frustrated, but he would be fine. As he
was doing that, Hanji came strolling in from the kitchen. She held up a couple papers and
grinned widely at him, announcing she had found what he was looking for.

“Mikasa Ackerman. Female. Beta. thirteen years old.” The woman said. They now sat at the
dining room table. Moblit was pouring them some tea. “She apparently came from an Eastern
convoy that was traveling through. They unfortunately ran into some soldiers and… well she
was the only survivor. Odds are, they kept her as a prize.” She held out a black and white
photo. Levi took it and his eyes widened just a little. “Levi… I can’t help but notice the
similarities here. This kid…. Is she related to you?”

“I think so.” He said and stared at her features. She looked like his mother. “My mother’s last
name was Ackerman. I don’t use it because of my uncle. He’s… not well liked.” He admitted
and set the photo down. “I know that my mother had family, but I never knew where they
were. This girl looks like her. And my uncle has the same features we do so maybe we did
come from the East.” He shrugged.

“She currently belongs to the Nobleman that one of those soldiers was indebted to. A… Lord
Wallis…” She said, reading from her paper. “I think he’s looking to sell her because she’s a
handful. If you’re related, that’s no surprise.” She snickered and sipped her tea.

“Maybe I could convince Erwin to buy her…” he mumbled.

“He has the money.” She agreed. “It’s sort of out of character for him but maybe he’d do it.”

“I just have a feeling I’m supposed to help her.” Levi said and picked up the other papers that
detailed the girl’s information. “She’s a virgin.” He read and looked at Hanji. “If someone
buys her, they’re going to hurt her.”

“Yes, they will.” She said without hesitation. There was no point in denying it. “You should
bring this to Erwin and tell him about her. Maybe there’s something he can do, even it’s just
to buy her and bring her here.” She encouraged.

“Right.” He picked up his teacup and sipped it slowly. “I kept seeing people at the party…
omegas.” He commented and those brown eyes were focused on him. “It makes me sick how
they are all treated. I… feel bad that I was so lucky.”

“Don’t.” Hanji said in a voice more serious than he’d heard from her. “You’re not bad for
being with a good man. Sure, if Mike hadn’t found you, you might be in their situations. It’s
lucky that you didn’t end up like that. Even so, you’re not at fault for that.”

“I want to help them all.”

“So do I. So do all of us.” She said with a warm smile. “And we’re going to. It might not be
all at once and we can’t save them all before damage is done… but we’ll do our best.”

Sure, he wanted to jump up and help Mikasa and others right away, but he knew better. This
was a process. The first step was to present this information to Erwin and see what he had to
say. The Alpha had been doing this for quite some time and would know the best ways to get
started. Levi just hoped that the man didn’t tell him it was impossible or something like that.
He also hoped to help Jean at some point but that was lower on the list since the younger
male was an Alpha and seemed okay for the time being.

Levi waited patiently for Erwin to get home. He was eager to talk to him but kept himself in
check. Since the weather was warming up, he’d gone outside and ran some laps around the
house. The physical activity he got from Erwin was not quite enough and he really needed to
get some exercise. The air felt good on his face after being cramped up inside all the time. He
ran for an hour or two, pacing himself since it had been a while. Sometimes he would catch
Petra checking on him. And Erwin did have some private guards on the property that watched
him each time he passed. Hopefully they didn’t think he was planning to escape. For once, he
was content and not looking to run away.
That evening, he had dinner with Hanji, Moblit, and Petra. Erwin only joined them about the
half the time. Usually, he got home much later. When they were finished and cleaned up, the
omega headed up to Erwin’s room. He’d spent almost no time in his own bedroom. Each
night, he went to sleep with the Alpha, curled up to him. A couple of months ago, he’d have
rather died than spoon with that man. Now it was something that he looked forward to.
Changing into more comfortable night clothes, he sat on the bed and stared down at the
documents that Hanji gave him on Mikasa.
Their features really were very similar. She had narrow, angled eyes that seemed clear in the
photo. Probably blue or gray like his own. Her hair was straight and jet black and the rest of
her features were slight and soft. She reminded him a lot of his mother. Hopefully they could
help her before anything terrible happened. He’d hate to see her end up in a whore house or
used for her exotic features. That was something Levi now knew people wanted. It was part
of the reason Nobles had been so disappointed that he belonged to Erwin. A virgin male
omega with his appearance? Evidently that was something people wanted to get their hands
on and their dicks in.
Buying Mikasa would be the simpler option, but he had no idea how much that asshole might
charge for her. Like Levi had been when he came here, she was untouched. That would jack
the price up even more. Setting the papers on the bedside table, he groaned and rubbed his
face. He wanted to be able to know this girl and talk to her but if they had to smuggle her
out… he’d have a few minutes at best. Then she would be gone, off to a new life. That was
probably better, and he really should not be so selfish. But it was something that he couldn’t
help but to think about.

“Are you alright?” Levi glanced up and found Erwin coming into the room. The blond shut
the door behind himself and went to sit in the chair by the wardrobe.

“Yeah, I’m fine. How was your day?” He asked as he watched the man start removing his
boots and other outerwear.

“We had a rather busy day.” The man said and stood up, unbuttoning his shirt. “There was a
land dispute in Sina that ended up as a full-scale riot. I had to send my men out to deal with
it. Eldians never cease to amaze me. You all have so much vigor and spirit.”

“Yes we do.” Levi agreed and stood up. “Wanna take a bath?” When Erwin nodded, he went
into the bathroom and started the water before returning. “So… how much do you think a
Noble would want for a thirteen-year-old, virgin, Eastern girl? A Beta?” He asked casually.
Erwin looked at him, a brow raised.
“Levi… that is a very specific question.”

“There’s this girl…” He picked up the paper with the girl’s name and photo on it and carried
it over. Erwin took it and looked her over. “She’s part of my family. I didn’t know she
existed.”

“I see the resemblance. Someone is selling her?”

“Hanji got all the information for me. There’s a man named Wallis who currently owns her. I
guess he got her from someone who owed him money. I don’t want her to end up ruined by
this place and… if she’s related to me, I feel like I should try and help her.”

“And you want me to… purchase her?” He asked, frowning.

“That or get her out of here before they do anything…”

“I see.” Erwin stared at the photo for a while longer and then handed it back to him. “I know
Wallis. He’s a sleezy man. He only gained the title of Noble because he’s accumulated
enough wealth to live amongst them. This is the type of thing he often deals in. Had we not
found you, I have no doubt he’d have eventually gotten his hands on you to make himself a
profit. Anything unique, he takes for himself and sells for ridiculous prices. If he has this girl,
it’s not going to be easy to get her out.”

“You’re a military Commander. Couldn’t you just… take her?” Levi asked, walking back to
peek in on the water. He tossed the paper onto the rest on his way by.

“I can’t abuse my power that way. It would be found out eventually.” Erwin explained. “I will
reach out to some of my contacts and see what the situation is. If there are any openings,
we’ll find them.” He added and walked up behind Levi. The omega heard him coming but
said nothing as arms slipped around his middle. “If I can help her, I will.” He promised and
kissed along his shoulder.

“Thank you.” Levi said and closed his eyes.

“How are you feeling?”

“Fine. Why?”

“Just wondering…”

“Uh huh.” Levi knew what he was thinking. The way his hands spread out over his stomach
gave that away. “It’s only been a few weeks, Erwin.” He pointed out and the Alpha just
chuckled.

“I just want to know if we did it.” He said with amusement. Levi rolled his eyes and placed
his hands over the other’s. They were so much bigger than his own.

“I don’t feel any different. I have no idea what to expect or look for, actually…” he admitted.
He never felt sick, and he was eating the same. Those were things that were affected by
pregnancy, right?
“Perhaps we should call a physician to come and check you out?”

“I’d rather not.” He mumbled. “I don’t like doctors…”

“If nothing happens within the next month, will you please let me call someone to check you
out?” He asked and Levi sighed heavily, making sure to be dramatic about it.

“Fine. But I think it’s pointless.” He pulled away and went to shut off the water.

“I’ve had people asking me when we plan to have children or if you’re already pregnant. It’s
amazing how forward people get when you get married or have a mate.” The blond said with
a heavy sigh before taking his pants off. “Join me?” He said as he slipped into the hot water.

“Mmmm fine.” He’d already bathed earlier but being naked with Erwin in a tub of water
wasn’t exactly unappealing. He pulled off his clothes and slowly climbed in. The Alpha
pulled him back to lean against his chest, which was comfortable, so he didn’t complain.

“Nile complained a lot about how I never come out with them for drinks anymore.” He said
softly as he moved his lips along the shell of his ear. “He thinks I’m more interested in
fucking you than doing anything else…” He purred.

“Isn’t that true?” Levi asked, tilting his head so the man could have better access for
whatever it was that he was doing.

“Not just fucking you.” Erwin laughed lightly. He wrapped his arms around him. “I like it
when I get to taste you, spread you open, kiss you…”

“That’s all the same shit…” He muttered, feeling himself turning red. And not just from the
water.

“Oh so when I use my tongue on you, it’s the same as when I’m inside you?” He asked and
Levi instantly shivered.

“Well, no…” He hesitated. “Erwin… I want to try it.”

“Hm? Try what, darling?” He was busy leaving a heated trail over Levi’s skin with his lips.

“Using my mouth… on you.” He said softly, embarrassed at saying it. “You’ve done it to me.
I just wanted to try it.”

Erwin had much more experience than Levi. Of course, he came here with none at all.
Everything he knew, he’d learned from Erwin. The Alpha had started out slowly, just having
sex with him. But the more they were together, the more his world expanded. Sometimes the
Alpha would get on his knees and use his mouth to work him open, or he’d suck him until he
was on the verge of crying out from the pleasure. It had seriously grossed him out the first
time the man’s tongue went inside him but the pleasure he received quickly wiped any of that
away.
Levi was realizing that he wanted to be able to do these things for Erwin as well. Surely the
man got tired of the same old thing. Not that they didn’t change it up. The other night, he’d
been on top and edged his Alpha to the point that Erwin actually threatened to hold him down
and… so he had his things he could do. Of course, that didn’t mean he didn’t want to learn
more. The only problem was… he didn’t even know if that asshole’s giant cock would fit in
his mouth.

“Mmm damnit Levi.” He hummed and the omega knew exactly what he was cursing. He
could feel the Alpha getting hard against his back.

“I guess that means you’re okay with me trying it?” He asked. Now it was his turn to be
amused.

“I would love for you to try it. You can practice as much as you want.”

“I’ll bet I can.” He said with a short laugh. “Does the thought of me wrapping my lips around
your cock really turn you on that much?” He asked, grinning just a bit wider.

“Stop talking about it…” He groaned and Levi could feel him slowly rubbing against him.

“Stop talking about what? Oh, you mean about me getting down on my knees and running
my tongue up your whole length from base to head?”

“I could cum just from listening to you talk like this. What’s gotten into you?”

“I think you got into me. I was innocent before I met you.” He pointed out and the Alpha
laughed.

“True, very true.” He admitted.

“I wonder how well you could focus if I was sucking you off…”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, if I were to come visit you while you’re in your office at the base… and I slipped
under the desk… do you think you could focus enough to talk to your men?” He asked and
slowly turned himself around in the water. He straddled the other’s waist and wrapped his
arms around his neck. Their cocks rubbed together, and he shivered slightly.

“Don’t tease me like that.” Erwin said, holding his hips.

“What makes you think I’m teasing? I’ll just have the carriage take me to bring you a nice
lunch… and then, maybe I’ll give you a special dessert when you’re all done.” He purred and
then kissed him.

When their mouths met, Erwin kissed him much more forcefully. He’d clearly gotten the man
worked up. His fingers gripped his skin hard, and his lips threatened to smother the smaller
male. But he pushed back into all of it. His fingers tangled into al that blond hair as he started
to grind against him. They kept at it until the water was clearly becoming a problem. Erwin
drained it and they could barely keep their hands off each other long enough to get out of the
tub.
They didn’t even make it to the bed. Levi pushed Erwin’s wet body down into the first chair
outside the bathroom. Then he dropped down between his legs. The omega had never done
this before, but he knew how it worked and Erwin had done it to him. He slid his hands up
the man’s thighs, then grabbed his length. It was seeming bigger and bigger. He started with
his tongue, running it over him. Truth was, he was nervous. What if he couldn’t fit it into his
mouth? What if he was terrible at it? Would Erwin tell him the truth?
Levi finally moved up to the tip. He circled his tongue around the head and then dripped it
into the little slit. He could taste salt. Then, slowly, he wrapped his lips around him. As he
lower down, his lips were stretched out wider than they ever had been before. He closed his
eyes and just focused. Erwin did seem to be enjoying it. He was letting out breathy, deep
moans and his fingers were tangled into Levi’s damp hair. He wasn’t pushing or pulling, just
letting his mate set the lead, which Levi really appreciated. He didn’t want to be rushed into
it.

“Levi…” The man panted and the omega opened his eyes, looking up. He was slowly
moving his lips up and down, sucking softly as he got used to it. Erwin had his head tossed
back and looked absolutely wrecked. It was gorgeous. “…use your hand.” He instructed. Levi
quickly started moving his fingers up and down in time with his mouth. “Good boy…”

There was just something about being praised that rippled through him. Maybe it was the
Alpha omega dynamic, but Levi couldn’t help himself. He started moving faster in response.
The longer he went, the more his jaw started to hurt but he didn’t want to give up. He wanted
to give Erwin the maximum pleasure he could. Staring up, he watched as the man moaned
and rocked his hips just slightly. It really seemed like the man was holding back for him and
he appreciated it.

“I need…” Erwin started, and Levi slowed just a little as he listened. “…no no, don’t slow
down… I’m close…” He panted and the smaller man instantly picked up speed again. “I’ll
tell you when to pull off…” Erwin said and that was something he hadn’t thought about. He
didn’t think he wanted any of his mess in his mouth so he would probably pull off.

It took another minute or two before he knew Erwin was about to cum. The man was
practically shaking in his seat. His hand had tightened in the omega’s hair. Then he suddenly
pulled back, popping Levi’s mouth right off his length. Erwin was suddenly standing up in
front of him. Levi braced his hands against the man’s thighs. One hand was tight in his hair,
keeping him in place, the other was quickly fisting over his saliva covered cock. He watched
in light awe as Erwin jerked himself off for just a few seconds. Then he was cumming. His
seed shot out and the omega flinched. It shot out all over his neck and chest, some even
landing on his chin. He knew Alphas came a lot, but he hadn’t actually seen it firsthand. It
seemed like it just kept coming and coming.

“Just… a little more…” Erwin panted heavily. Levi leaned in and took him back into his
mouth when he was done. He sucked over him slowly, feeling the way the other shook from
the beginnings of overstimulation. “Mmm Levi… ah…” Erwin sounded so unraveled, and it
just turned him on more. Levi’s hand shot down between his own legs and he started jerking
himself off. The Alpha was completely coming undone, moaning and shaking. He didn’t
stop. He wanted Erwin to drag him off his cock. “Le… Levi…” He groaned and tried to pull
away, but the omega just leaned forward, following him. He swallowed around the head and
then he was cumming. He moaned over his length and stroked himself through the waves of
pleasure. Only when he couldn’t take it anymore, did he pull off. Erwin nearly collapsed. He
backed up into the chair and dropped into it.

“Shit…” Levi gasped, looking down at the mess that was all over himself and the carpet.

“I wasn’t sure… you’d let me go…” Erwin breathed out, seeming amused.

“Was it bad?”

“Oh god, no. It felt so good, it was actually starting to get painful, but I liked it.” Erwin
admitted.

“Good… cause my jaw is killing me.” He panted out, making the other man laugh. “It
seemed like you were enjoying the extra…”

“It was new, but I loved it. Feel free… to do that anytime.”

“Yeah yeah.” Levi said and smirked. He stood up, his legs a little wobbly.

“And you got off from sucking my cock. That’s even sexier.” The Alpha teased, making him
blush. Levi rolled his eyes and went back into the bathroom to clean up.

“Don’t say embarrassing shit like that.

“Coming from the brat who said he was going to hide under my desk to suck me off while
my officers are in the room.” He laughed.

“I’m allowed to say that stuff, you’re not.” He huffed, blushing more as he heard Erwin laugh
again.

“That hardly seems…” Before Erwin could finish, there was a sudden heavy knocking at the
door. Levi pulled his pants on and looked out of the bathroom. Erwin had pulled on a robe
and went to open the door. When he did, Hanji appeared there, looking wild eyed.

“Sorry to interrupt. I just got a message.” Hanji said in a rush. “Ymir has… fucked up.” The
woman said and sighed heavily.

“What now?” Erwin asked, his tone shifting into something more serious.

“She took Historia.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Levi saw Erwin actually tense up.

“What’s going on? Who’s Ymir? Or Historia?” he asked, walking over to look between them.

“Ymir is one of our Scouts but she’s… hot headed. She is very much in love with the Reiss
girl, Historia.” Levi thought back to the party, to the blonde girl that Rod was talking to. Was
that her? “We’ve told her she has to be patient. We need more time to get the girl out. Rod
has a firm grip on her.” Erwin explained.

“Well, she jumped the gun and she grabbed her.” Hanji mumbled, looking more stressed than
Levi had ever seen from her. “She sent a message ahead with one of our guys and… she
wants to come here.”

“Hell.” Erwin said and went to his wardrobe to get dressed.

“Can they track her?” Levi asked, following the man. “I’ve seen your soldiers track. They are
shit at it. Unless that guy has some way…”

“Rod relies heavily on the military and he’ll no doubt ask us for help.” Erwin said, sighing.
“Hopefully he believes the girl ran away on her own. She’s done it before. Long before I
knew about her, she tried to escape her father and ended up getting captured at the border.
The poor girl. I’ve heard stories of how badly she was beaten after that.”

“By her own father?”

“Historia is an omega. Her father has been trying to groom her to sell her off. She’s only
thirteen. Apparently, she presented late so she’s a bit older than most omega when they are
arranged for marriage.” Hanji said and grabbed Erwin’s boots for him, taking them over to
the chair by the wardrobe. “Ymir said Rod had finally found the perfect husband to deal with
for her and… I guess she couldn’t wait any longer.”

“We had a plan and she’s completely destroyed that.” Erwin growled and sat down once he
was dressed. He pulled his boots on. “Hanji go set up the safe room. Levi, get dressed. I need
you with me.”

With just a nod, Levi turned and darked out of the room. He rushed across the landing to his
own bedroom and grabbed some clean clothing. Once dressed, he was getting his own boots
on as Erwin walked by. Levi ran to catch up to him. He was giving orders. He sent Moblit to
give word to other Scouts that they had an emergency extraction. Petra was made to gather
warm clothes and something quick to eat, in case the girl needed it. Then they were passing
through the servants’ quarters to the back of the house. There was a set of French doors that
lead into the back garden. Levi had never been through these doors, but he’d seen them from
the outside while he was taking his run.
The backyard was almost pitch black. Levi caught sight of a guard patrolling with a lantern
When they approached, the man stood at attention. Erwin whispered with him for a moment
before seeing the guy nod and shut off the light. The lantern was set aside, and they started
walking. The guy seemed to know exactly how to navigate through the shrubs. They reached
a part of the high stone wall that surrounded the back garden that was lined with tall bushes.
The guard pushed through them and then he was revealing a small doorway that was painted
to match the stone. The omega watched in surprise as it opened up into more brush on the
other side. The two larger men passed through with some struggle. Levi just moved right
through.

“We’ll meet them at the red tree and return. Keep watch.” Erwin whispered and the guard
nodded. He remained crouched in the brush while the two of them kept going.

“Is everyone on your staff part of this Scout thing?” Levi asked in a hushed voice.

“Yes.” Erwin led him between the trees that surrounded his entire property. “I have worked
quite hard to gather trustworthy and reliable people to keep around me.” The Alpha said and
then stopped. There was a tree ahead that was indeed red. It was massive, larger than those
around it. The bark was covered in vines that wrapped up and around it. Red leaves grew off
the vines, making it seem like the whole thing was that color. Levi stared up at it in awe.
“This is one of our meeting places for emergencies.” Erwin said, noticing the other’s
reaction.

“It’s huge.”

“We needed something easy to locate without being manmade… this seemed like the best
option.” The man shrugged. “Scouts refer to it as the red door.”

“What’s your plan here, Erwin?” He finally asked, sitting down on one of the large roots
arching up out of the ground. “Are you going to hide them in your home?”

“I have to.” He said and kept looking off the other direction. “I’m not going to leave Ymir
out on her own. She might have messed up, but I can hardly blame her for what she’s done.
She was trying to save the person she loves.”

“You’re putting all of us at risk.” Levi said and the Alpha glanced back. Their eyes met in the
darkness.

“Would you leave them to survive on their own?”

“No. I just want to know that you’re aware of what you’re doing.”

“Of course, I know… Levi what point are you really trying to make?”

“Is this some shit you’re going to be doing if we have a kid?”

A brief silence fell between them. There were crickets and things moving around in the dark,
just living their lives as if there were not two humans waiting there, hoping not to get caught.
Levi could feel Erwin’s eyes on him and just barely make out the man’s features. What was
he thinking about in those few seconds? The omega needed an answer. This was one of the
things he was specifically afraid of when it came to going through with a pregnancy with
Erwin. Was there going to be this much risk all the time? Was that fair to him or their child?

“I will never let anything happen to our child.”

“That’s bullshit Erwin, and you know it. If you’re doing this scout shit, you’re putting them
at risk.”

“Would you have me stop?”

“I’d like a little more god damn thought when it comes to all this.” He hissed. “If we had a
baby at home right now... would you bring runaway fugitives to our house?”

“…yes.” Erwin said honestly and Levi let out a slow breath. “No one life is more valuable
than any other, Levi. If someone desperately needed our help… wouldn’t you help them? We
can assist while still being safe. I would never act recklessly. I know what I’m doing.”
“You’re a better man than me, then. I’d help people if I could. But if I have a baby, that kid
comes first. I won’t give a fuck about those people if it puts my child’s life at risk.” He said
and looked away. His heart was pounding.

“Levi…” The Alpha cut off and crouched down suddenly. Levi moved behind him, trying to
look out and find the source of the sound that had alerted his mate. “Straight ahead.” Erwin
whispered. A soft whistle reached them. It sounded like a bird, but Levi recognized it as a
signal. Erwin whistled back and then stood up. Though he hesitated, Levi did the same.

The first thing he saw was two shapes approaching. As they got close enough, he was able to
make out some details. Two women, one taller than him, the other just a bit shorter. He could
see Historia was the girl from the party. Her blonde hair was tied back into a loose ponytail,
and she wore a loose and tattered skirt. The other woman had darker features and wore what
appeared to be men’s clothing. They suited her, really. He couldn’t make out much more than
that.

“Were you followed?” Erwin asked.

“No. Rod doesn’t even know she’s gone yet, and I covered our trail like you showed me.”
The taller woman answered. That must be Ymir.

“Alright. Let’s get you both inside, then we’ll talk.” Erwin said and turned, taking the lead
back to the house. Levi let the two women walk ahead and took up the rear. They could talk
about all their bullshit later. Right now, he wanted to be safely back inside the house.

The short walk back to the house was silent. Historia stayed close to her partner. She seemed
afraid and Levi could not blame her. What they were doing was dangerous. They passed
through the little doorway and headed back through the French doors. Levi locked them
behind himself and followed as Erwin guided all of them into the laundry room. There was a
large cupboard that was used to store towels. With surprise, Levi watched as Erwin reached
into the very back. He could not tell exactly what the man did but suddenly the whole back of
the cupboard moved out, shelves and all just swinging forward to reveal a path down. Did he
seriously have a secret room? What the hell?
The stairs took them only one level down into an open space. There were cots set up in one
corner, lots of supplies, and some maps and things hung up on the wall. This place looked
like it was ready to handle a war. Did Erwin make this to help people or to hide in? He shook
that thought from his mind was he saw Hanji rushing over. She had a rather manic look on
her face but that wasn’t entirely strange for the woman. She greeted the other two women and
took a deep breath.

“We’ve got fresh clothes and there is a bath run for you already. You can clean up, dress, and
then eat.” She told them, offering a warm smile. Levi was reminded of how kind everyone
was to him when he first got here as well.

“Thank you.” Historia said in a soft voice. She looked at Ymir before following Hanji to
another portion of the secret area.

“How did you get her out?” Erwin asked, turning and facing the tall woman.
“Historia and her father got in a big fight. He was going to sell her to some old man who
already has like three damn omegas. Apparently, he has a high rate of Alpha male boys so…
he seemed like a good choice to that bastard.” She growled. “She begged him to stop the
deal, but he refused. He locked her up in her room and only let her come down to help make
dinner. She was cleaning up at the end of the night and the asshole had gone to bed. I grabbed
her right out the backdoor. No one saw a thing. I left the front door open slightly and left a
fake trail ahead of time.” She explained.

“What’s your plan now?” Levi asked and Erwin shot him a look.

“I’m getting her the hell out of this country.” Ymir said proudly.

“How?” Levi asked again, just staring at her.

“I… well…” She looked at Erwin. “I thought he…”

“You thought you could just call on someone else to clean up your mess.”

“Levi…” Erwin said but the omega ignored him.

“You want to be responsible for someone’s life? You need to think ahead. Always have a
plan. Don’t just show up and hope that someone is going to be there to save you.” He said,
his voice even. “His job is to help you, not to baby you. You dragged an omega out of a
Noble household with no plan at all of what you should do once you’ve got her. You’re
putting her life, your life, and all of our lives at risk because you couldn’t keep your shit
together.” He looked at Erwin.

“Train your people better.” He said and turned, walking up the stairs. Only silence followed
him.
 News
Chapter Summary

News about Historia going missing travels fast and Levi and Erwin must figure out how
to deal with their new houseguests while also balancing their personal lives.

Chapter Notes

Also, I want everyone to know that this is an AU, NON-CANON story. That means that
I don't have to stick to everything in AOT. I can write however I want and change things
however I want. If you have a problem with a characters behavior, ethnicity, or anything
like that... you don't have to read it. It's an AU. Relax.

News of Historia’s escape was front page news. Literally. Levi sat on one side of the dining
table. He was having breakfast and tea, just staring across at the newspaper in Erwin’s hands.
The Alpha sat across from him, reading through the articles. The one about the girl was on
the front, her face looking back at him from a black and white photo. In the article, he could
see that they were claiming she was mentally deficit and had wondered off, likely getting
lost. Of course, they would never admit that her living conditions were so poo that she
actually fled her home. That would make her father look bad and they couldn’t have that. It
was better for them to just claim the girl was stupid and lost.

“I swear.” Erwin said, breaking him from his thoughts. “The paper is just full of useless
babble. Parties, fashion for the season…” he muttered and flipped to another page.

“Historia is on the front.” Levi pointed out.

“And that’s also useless babble.” Erwin countered. “They want the whole of Marley to think
she’s so intellectually challenged that she can’t even find her way back home. Most people
who read this will be pitying the poor girl, hoping that she’s found and brought home. They
would never believe she was abused and treated badly. That couldn’t possibly be.” At least he
and Erwin were on the same page when it came to that.

It had been a week since Historia and Ymir had arrived. They were still hidden down in the
bunker Erwin had built under his home. They were well taken care of but for now, they were
stuck. Until the heat died down, moving them was far too dangerous. Levi had not been back
down to see them since he’d snapped at Erwin and Ymir. He could avoid the hot-headed girl,
but his mate had obviously followed him up a short time after he’d left. Thankfully, Erwin
had agreed with him on all of it. Ymir acted rashly and now put them all in danger. But that
part was over. There was no changing what had already happened, so they needed to focus on
what came next.
The plan was to keep them safe in the house for at least another two weeks. Erwin estimated
that most of the search parties will have given up by then and their movement would be less
restricted. His own soldiers had been searching the areas around the Reiss household but
there simply were no tracks to follow. Whatever Erwin had taught Ymir about covering her
trail, it was working. That and Levi had a feeling some of the soldiers that were searching
might also be in on the Commander’s little underground organization. He didn’t ask
questions that he didn’t need the answer to. Levi glanced over at the Alpha again, realizing
that those blue eyes were on him once more.

“What?” he asked and brough his tea up, having a sip. It was a new type that Erwin had
brought back from his last trip to the city. That was how he got Levi to stop being mad at him
about Ymir… tea leaves.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“You just seem… I don’t know…”

“I’m sitting here eating my toast and drinking tea. This is what I do almost every morning.”
Levi narrowed his eyes at the other man.

“Haven’t you been going for runs in the garden the last few mornings?”

“Yes.”

“But not today?”

“I didn’t feel like it.”

“Ah.”

“What is the fucking problem, Erwin?” He snapped, tired of this little back and forth that the
Alpha was dragging him into.

“I had just gotten used to you getting up before me and going for your run. Today, you were
still asleep. I had to wake you up. It was just a bit odd. That’s all.”

“I was tired. You kept me up late, remember?” He half growled; his eyes locked on the other
man in a glare. Erwin just smirked and he wanted to slap the grin off his face. “I was not
praising you.”

“You were last night.” He pointed out.

“For fuck…” Levi pushed his chair back to stand up. Erwin quickly reached over and placed
his hand over one of the omega’s.
“I’m sorry. I was only teasing. Please, stay and finish your meal.” The blond gave him a
pretty impressive puppy dog look, so he sighed and sat back down.

“I was just tired. That’s all. Don’t look too much into it.” Levi said and took an angry bite
from his remaining piece of toast.

“I can’t help myself, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be pushy.”

Levi knew exactly what it was that Erwin was looking for. He wanted to know if the omega
was pregnant. Any time Levi did anything different, he was there to ask about it. If he ate
something he didn’t normally eat, if he slept late, if he didn’t sleep, if he laid on the sofa…
Erwin was there to ask him how he was feeling and why he was doing something different. It
was getting on his nerves. He thought about those things as well, but it annoyed him to be
bothered by someone else about it. When he felt a little sluggish, he asked himself what the
cause was. If he craved something instead of just being hungry, he’d wonder if that was the
reason… but he had no idea.
Hanji gave him books on omega pregnancy, but they were literally all written for females. He
had no idea if there was a difference when it came to the signs or effects of being with child.
Obviously, the birth part was a bit different but what about the whole pregnancy? He’d read
through every single page, soaking it all in. The most common signs when one was in the
first trimester were fatigue, nausea, bloating, and for omegas specifically, varying reactions to
their Alpha partner if they had one. Some omega pushed the Alpha away and wanted nothing
to do with them during the entire pregnancy. It had something to do with safety and trust… if
they weren’t mated or didn’t feel safe, they would avoid the other parent. Then there was the
opposite effect.
It seemed that there were omegas who just wanted their mate around all the time. They were
clingy and only felt really comfortable or safe when the Alpha was nearby. He stared at
Erwin, who was smiling at him, seeming totally happy. It occurred to him that he was
definitely showing that particular sign. He wanted Erwin around all the time, even if didn’t
want to admit that. When the man went into the city, it left the other feeling restless and
needy. The second the Alpha came home, Levi had been greeting him, sitting with him as he
ate his meals, and then they spent the whole night together. There wasn’t always sex, but Levi
had been all over him, just wanting to cuddle or sleep actually on him. It was something he
hadn’t done before so it stood out. Had Erwin noticed that as well?

“Why are you just smiling at me?”

“Because I love looking at you.” He said and the omega rolled his eyes. “I mean it. You’re so
lovely and I can’t believe I found you.”

“Stop being so fucking sappy.” He muttered. The omega pushed himself up and out of his
chair. Erwin opened his mouth to protest but shut up when Levi came around the table. He
slipped right into the man’s lap, straddling his waist. Levi wrapped his arms around the man’s
neck while larger arms moved around his smaller body.

“What’s this about?” The Alpha asked.

“I don’t need a reason.”

“I suppose you don’t.” He said softly and leaned in, giving Levi a gentle kiss. The omega
leaned into him more, deepening it. There came a knock at the front door. “Mmm someone is
at the door.” Erwin mumbled against his lips.

“Moblit will get it…” He mumbled back and tangled his fingers through the man’s soft blond
locks. Erwin moaned into the kiss. Levi had discovered that he really enjoyed his hair played
with. The man’s large hands moved down, cupping his ass and pulling him more against him.
He could feel the Alpha getting hard under him.

“We should… do this somewhere else…” The Alpha panted out. Levi ignored him and
moved his mouth down to the other’s neck. He sucked over his pulse and then nipped the soft
space under his ear. Erwin groaned, tilting his head to give him more access. “Levi…”

“I like how you breath out my name like that…”

“We… ah…” He gasped when the omega sucked on his earlobe.

“Commander Smith, you have…” Moblit’s voice cut off and Levi wrapped his arms around
Erwin’s neck, burying his face between his neck and shoulder to hide. They were busted. “…
uh… a visitor.” Moblit finished and cleared his throat.

“Show them to sitting room and tell them I’ll be there in just a moment.” Erwin said and Levi
could feel the heat rising in the Alpha. Clearly, he was a bit embarrassed.

“Oh, don’t mind me.” Levi heard someone say and cringed. Apparently Moblit had shown
the guy right into the dining room. “You finish up your activities.” Someone laughed and
then he heard footsteps receding.

“Pixis.” Erwin said quietly, informing him of who had interrupted them. “I think… we should
probably continue this at a later time.”

“He said we could finish…” Levi teased and nipped at the other’s lip.

“What has gotten into you?” Erwin asked and pulled Levi back so he could look at him.

“You. You got into me. Now I’m ruined.”

“Well, damn me.” Erwin laughed. “But… I don’t think I should keep my guest waiting.” He
added and Levi huffed.

“Fine. I’ll just go upstairs.” He mumbled and slid back just a little until he was balanced on
Erwin’s knees, his hands on his thighs. “I’m going to take off all my clothes, climb into
bed…” He stared at the other, watching how intently Erwin was staring back at him. “…get
on my knees… and maybe try to see if I can get my fingers in as deep as you do… since I’ll
have to do it all by myself.” He purred and leaned in close. Then, he moved right off Erwin’s
lap and headed for the stairs. Before he could get there, the Alpha grabbed his wrist and
pulled him back. The man was now standing, and Levi had to look up at him.

“I’m going to make this very quick. If you cum before I get up there, I’m punishing you.” He
said in a tone that was so deep and commanding that the omega’s legs felt week. “Do you
understand?” He asked and Levi quickly nodded.

When Erwin released his wrist, he stared at him for just a second longer before going up the
stairs. He heard Erwin clear his throat and then the Alpha put on his best professional voice.
Levi smirked as he went into their now shared bedroom. He knew that the man was probably
still thinking about him but that was fine. Let him sit down there and suffer as he dealt with
the other Commander. It was amusing to know he was down there suffering and trying to act
like he was fine. As he shut the door behind himself, he let out a slow and even breath. The
omega was seriously turned on, but he had to contain himself. He had no idea what
punishment Erwin might mean but he didn’t want to find out.
Levi was alone for quite a while. He thought that Erwin would be down there for only a few
minutes, but he was gone nearly an hour. For the first twenty minutes, Levi didn’t actually do
much. He just laid in bed and casually jerked off. Then he rolled onto his hands and knees
and reached back to play with himself that way. This went on for a bit before he sighed and
rolled back to his back. He stared up at the canopy of the bed and waited… and waited.
Eventually, he gave up on doing anything at all and just rolled over onto his side to go to
sleep. Erwin wasn’t coming up any time soon and he wasn’t even in the mood anymore
because he was irritated. It was probably something important if they were taking this long,
so he tried not to be too angry. Really, it was just frustration.
Though he tired to sleep, that wasn’t happening either. After the hour mark, the sounds of
footsteps coming up the stairs finally reached his ears. The omega stayed put, though. He
kept his eyes shut and just waited. Seconds later, the door creaked open and then softly shut.
He caught Erwin’s scent, not that he didn’t already know it was him. Hearing him sit down in
a chair, he finally pushed himself up. So much for sex or a nap. The sun had been shining on
him, nice and warm. But something about the air in the room had shifted when his mate came
in, so he knew something much have happened down there.

“I’m sorry. Were you napping?” Erwin asked and Levi just shrugged.

“Just looking for something to do while you were busy.”

“I suppose the moment is gone, huh?” He asked, a soft smile on his face.

“Kind of.” Levi agreed. “So… what happened? Why did Pixis show up?”

“That.” Erwin stood up. He walked over and laid down in the bed next to Levi, flat on his
back. “He came to update me about the search for his partner and son. Obviously, he knows
that they aren’t coming home but he’s keeping up appearances. Really, we just walked about
Historia and what the plan is for her. Two omega girls going missing so close together, it’s
dangerous. Ymir acted out of love, but her actions shine too much light on missing omegas
and make it very difficult for the Scouts to make any forward movements. We’re stuck until
things calm down.” He said and rubbed his face.

“I told you that girl was acting too rashly.” Levi said and sighed. “So, what now? Do we just
keep them locked up in the basement?”

“I’m afraid that’s the only thing we can do.”

“We should let them come upstairs sometimes, to get some sun and stretch out.” He
suggested and Erwin looked over at him.

“It’s a bit risky.”

“We’ll have your guards clear the area first, let them come up for a bit and then send them
back down. Locking them in a basement for weeks isn’t healthy for them. A break here and
there would keep them in good spirits, which will help down the line.” He pointed out.

“See, this is why I wanted you involved. You don’t think like I do. You don’t think like a
soldier. You think like a normal person.” He sighed and rolled onto his side. He put his head
into Levi’s lap and the omega just smiled. He ran his fingers through the other man’s hair.

“You haven’t been trapped in a dark cellar for long periods of time, Erwin. That’s why you
don’t think they way I do. I know what it’s like to have to hide for weeks on end, not seeing
the sun. It’s not something they should have to go through.”

“I always forget the life you had to lead during the war.” He admitted. “This is why I help
omegas and Alphas to escape… well part of the reason. I’m the reason they already suffered
so much. I want to help them be free again.” He said softly.

“I know.” Levi said and kept gently stroking his hair.

Later that evening, Erwin called them all together, including Ymir and Historia. With the
curtains all drawn, they gathered in the dining room. The Alpha sat at the head of the table.
Levi sat to his right and Hanji to his left. The two young women sat to their sides. Moblit and
Petra at the end. He’d called them all there to discuss what Pixis had come to him about and
to address where they would go from there. Their conversation from that morning had
spurred Erwin into action, wanting to make sure that everything went smoothly during this
strenuous time.
The omega glanced around the faces at the table. Hanji looked normal. She had her hair
pulled up into a loose bun and wore her usual button up and slacks. She was just staring at
Erwin with her chin set into her palm. Ymir was a good fit next to her. They were quite
similar in their more masculine attire and behavior. The freckled woman wore a plain white
tunic and had her hair tucked back behind her ears. She was staring across the table at
Historia, who sat next to him. She was a slight little thing; smaller than even he was. Her
blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail that rested at the back of her neck. Her blue eyes
started expectantly at the Commander. Petra and Moblit were both still dressed in their
servant’s attire and seemed on edge more than the rest of them. That was no surprise. They
were the worriers of the family. Where Hanji seemed to be afraid of nothing and Levi was
always calm, they fret over things quite obviously.
Erwin had on his button up and uniform slacks, though the top few buttons of his shirt were
open. His hair was mostly slicked back but some of it was falling into his face. Levi found
himself just staring at the Alpha, admiring him, really. It was really starting to bother him that
he kept doing this. Going from hating this man to staring at him like a smitten young girl… it
was embarrassing. Damn this mark. He was fully blaming it for his behavior. No matter what
he did, his mind drifted back to this blond asshole and all he wanted was to curl up against
him all the time. Was he a fucking cat?
“With Commander Pixis losing his omega and son, things were already a bit tense. Now, with
Historia going missing as well, everything is on lockdown. The boarders have doubled their
patrols and search parties are still moving around the Reiss lands. Moving now is impossible.
So, for the time being, you ladies will be remaining here with us.”

“Can’t you just order soldiers out of our path?” Ymir asked. Levi fought the urge to roll his
eyes.

“I could, but then people would ask questions. I won’t jeopardize my entire operation just for
one person.” He said sternly. “I want to protect Historia as much as you do, but she’s not the
only person who I have to worry about.” Erwin said, keeping his tone serious. “The Scouts
have been helping Alphas and omegas for quite some time now. Your actions have put
everything at risk. Not just this household but all the people who help us. Because of that, we
now have to back off and wait for the heat to die down. It’s forced me to cancel operations all
over Marley.”

“I’ll go back home.” Historia said suddenly and they all looked at her. “If I go back, tell them
I got lost and was so scared… maybe things can go back to normal. They won’t think I ran
away or that someone took me. You all can go back to helping people.”

“Like hell!” Ymir snapped, standing up and slamming her hands down onto the table. “I’ll
never let you go back to that place!”

“I agree. We can’t let you go back.” Erwin chimed in. “If you go back, Reiss won’t kill you
because you’ll be too hot in the public, but you will be punished and locked down. Another
chance to escape won’t come.”

She looked so upset. Her blue eyes were wet with tears that were threatening to fall. Levi
could see that it wasn’t fear that inspired her tears. It was frustration. She wanted to help
people. She wanted to go home and accept her own fate so that others could be safe. For that,
he commended her. But he agreed with Erwin. They could not send this poor girl back to a
hellish fate just to help other people. There was no way he’d allow it, even if the others
wanted it. The desire to protect this girl was suddenly overwhelming. Maybe it was an omega
thing.

“It’s alright.” He said and she glanced over, meeting his gray eyes. “Things might have to sit
for a while, but eventually we can resume helping others. Right now, we’re helping you. Your
life is of no less value than theirs. It’s just your turn.” He told her and she smiled slightly
before nodding and looking back down.

“I’ve doubled the guards around the house. They are all my trusted allies. As far as anyone
else knows, I’m simply protecting my own omega from potential kidnappers.” Erwin began
to explain. “You two will be free to come upstairs but we still must be careful. If anyone
comes on the property, we’ll be warned, and you’ll have to return to the safe room. No one is
to leave the house without my permission. That goes for all of you.” He said, looking at his
staff as well. “No one goes in or out without my knowing about it first. Is that clear?” He
asked and they all nodded. “While I’m in the city working, Levi is in charge of what happens
in the house.” He then said and Levi’s head snapped forward, looking at the man in surprise.
“What?” He asked, lifting a brow.

“Levi, you’re my mate and this house is now yours as well. When I’m not here, that makes
you the master of the house. I trust you to make the right decisions for the people in it.”

“…right.” He said and sighed. He lifted his cup of tea and took a sip of it.

“While I’m out of the house, you will all listen to him. I trust his judgement and so should
you.”

“So, how long are we stuck here?” Ymir asked.

“Right now, I don’t know for sure.” Erwin said and sighed. “Unfortunately, people are very
passionate about things like omegas going missing. It’s front-page news and has been all
week. Those above me have us all running more patrols and the Military Police are really
working overtime to check in on suspicious places and people. Luckily, I’m not even on their
radar. It might take a few weeks. I’m sure something will happen to distract the Nobles.”

“Oh yeah.” Hanji said, grinning. “If a baby is born or someone gets married, it totally sucks
up all their attention. Hell, if a good party is thrown, they obsess over that and forget
everything else.” She pointed out.

“Spoiled brats.” Levi commented and Hanji snorted.

“You’re one of them now, sir.” She said and stuck her tongue out at him. He narrowed his
eyes but before he could say anything, Erwin cut in.

“Children. Let’s stay focused.” The man said but he smiled at them. “Ymir, Historia, you are
both welcome to use the house as you’d like. Just please, stay inside.” He said and they
nodded in unison.

“Thank you so much for your kindness, Commander Smith. I hope that someday, I can repay
you.” The little blonde said.

“You have no reason to do that. I’m just trying to help and to correct my own mistakes.
Besides, you shouldn’t thank me until you’re out of Marley.” He pointed out.

When the little meeting was over, everyone stood and parted ways. Everyone but Levi and
Erwin. Hanji led Historia to the bathroom so she could have a proper bath. Ymir went with
Moblit to get some food, and Petra headed to bed. Levi sipped his tea while he and Erwin
stared at one another. It felt like something was going unsaid, but he couldn’t place it. Erwin
was looking at him like there was something he wanted to address but was holding back.
Finally, he set his teacup down and gave the man a look, pressing him to speak.

“In another week or so, we should announce that you’re pregnant.” Erwin said and the omega
thought he was going to choke.

“What?”
“If the attention on this situation doesn’t die down in a few weeks, we’re going to need some
kind of distraction. Announcing that we’re having a baby would have people focusing on that
and not on Historia.” He explained.

“Yeah? And what happens if I’m not actually pregnant? Do we tell people we lost the baby or
something? I’ve heard stories about what happens to omegas who aren’t any good for
breeding.”

If he wasn’t pregnant, it was still bad, but Levi didn’t want to address that right now. Not
getting pregnant and losing a baby were two different things in Marley. The first only meant
that they had to keep trying. Losing a child meant the omega was broken in some way…
which was worse. If people believed that he lost Erwin’s child, it would be even worse.
People loved their Commander and if Levi couldn’t carry his children… he didn’t want to
think of how they’d react.

“Do you think you’re pregnant?” The blond asked and Levi just stared at him.

“I… don’t know. I can’t tell what’s going on with me. I don’t know what’s caused by the
mark and what might be a sign…”

“Is something going on that I should know about? Are you feeling anything?”

“I read all these damn books that Hanji gave me about pregnancy and some of the signs…
they could just be caused by you marking me.”

“Levi…”

“I’m fucking clingy!” He hissed. “I want to be on you all the fucking time, okay? One of the
signs of pregnancy is dependency on the Alpha. And I’m feeling that. I want you here with
me all the time. I want to crawl all over you and stay there.” He was embarrassed to be
admitting to any of this. “And I want to eat everything. I mean it. Everything. I have been
fighting myself not to empty that pantry. I’ve never been so hungry in my life, and I eat more
than enough. I want to eat shit that I’ve never even liked before.” He pressed his hands to his
face and rubbed to try and snap himself out of this manic moment.

“Hey…” Erwin said softly and moved from his chair. He was suddenly kneeling next to Levi,
gently turning him to face out. “Calm down. It’s alright.” He said and smiled. He pulled the
omega’s hands down and kissed them. “Is all this really a bad thing?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because having a kid just adds one more thing to your plate. You’re out here trying to save
all these people… and I’m just adding more stress to it all.”

“Stop.” He shook his head. “Levi don’t ever think like that. Is having a baby right now the
most convenient thing? Of course not. Does that mean it’s a bad thing? Absolutely not.” The
Alpha smiled. “I know you don’t need me to take care of you, but I will. I’ll take care of both
of you. I’m a man with broad shoulders and I can handle all this. And if there comes a day
when I can’t, then I have you to lean on, don’t I?”

“Yeah…”

“Then we have nothing to worry about. Be clingy, eat everything you want and then give
Moblit a list of whatever else you want, and we’ll make sure you get it. If you want to curl up
in my lap while I work in my office, so be it. I don’t care. Tell me what you need, and I’ll
give it to you. You’re my first priority. Always.”

“You didn’t even know I existed a year ago.”

“I always knew you were out there… I was just waiting to find you.”

“Fuckin’ smooth talker.”

“Only with you, my dear.”

Levi rolled his eyes and shook his head. Erwin was a charming man. He’d seen him working
his magic at that party. He wanted to call him out on it but truthfully, it felt different. The way
he smooth talked those Nobles didn’t feel the same as how he spoke to him. There was much
more feeling behind it. It was more genuine. He never got the feeling that Erwin was lying or
faking when he spoke to him like that. He was caught up in his thoughts, so much so that he
missed the Alpha gently laying a hand over his stomach. When he realized, he looked down.

“What are you doing?”

“You smell different. Did you know that?” Erwin said, not answering his question.

“What do I smell like?”

“I can’t describe it, exactly. I can tell that your scent has changed, though. It’s softer than it
was before. Something more floral but not like it is when you’re in heat. It… makes me want
to stay close to you. To protect you, I think.”

“I don’t want to disappoint you, Erwin…” he admitted, and those blue eyes moved up to
meet his gray ones. “You have so much going on. The Military, the Scouts… what if you sit
here and you get your hopes up and then… it doesn’t happen or…”

“Stop.” The Alpha said and Levi closed his mouth. “You are not going to disappoint me. I
think you are pregnant. I believe it. And I’m nervous but happy. If something happens and it
doesn’t carry through… I’ll be hurt, of course. But I wouldn’t blame you or be disappointed
in you. I would hurt for you and be here. I know how some people… how some Alphas are.
They would blame their omega for not being able to carry a full pregnancy. I will never do
that. I promise you.”

“Fuck. This is so sappy…” He mumbled but he placed his hand over Erwin’s. “Thank you,
Erwin.”
“You’re welcome.” He said and smiled. “Now, how about we go upstairs and get some rest.”
He suggested and stood up. He offered his hand and Levi took it. It felt like this had
happened before… like every time Erwin offered his hand, Levi was there to take it. He
shook the feeling off and followed his mate up to bed.
 A Full Plate
Chapter Summary

Erwin has a mountain of responsibilities on his shoulders. Can he let Levi pick some of
the burdens to help him?

“I don’t have any more soldiers to spare. We’ve had men searching the area around Rod’s
estate and expanding outwards. There isn’t even a footprint to be found. If that girl left the
house, she must have flown out the window.” Erwin said and stared across the long oak table
before him.

The oval table was massive, with an entire map of their continent carved into the it. There
were flags, figures, and markings on it, showing their territory and their military movements.
Around it, many of the other Commanders were gathered, along with Zackley at the head.
Today, it was just another meeting, but they were discussing the missing omegas. Pixis sat to
his right, looking miserable but calm. They were still looking for his family but as time
stretched on, hope of finding them had dwindled. Obviously both he and Erwin knew the
truth, but they still had parts to play.

“Are you suggesting something, Commander Smith?” Zackley asked and Erwin took a deep
breath.

“Is it possible that he has something to do with her disappearance?” Erwin asked and they all
looked at each other. “I hate to make a suggestion, but it would not be the first time that
someone has lost control and ended up doing harm to an omega.”

“That’s usually between mates, though. Not parent and child.” Nile pointed out.

“True.” The blond agreed. “However, Rod Reiss has been seen publicly abusing his daughter.
More than one person has witnessed him beating her… whereas we have absolutely no
witnesses to her fleeing or being taken. None of the surrounding houses, servants or even
Rod himself saw anything. There are no tracks, no signs, and no activity at the boarders. As
far as we’ve been able to tell… she never left that house.”

A series of whispers broke out among all the Commanders sitting at the table. Erwin looked
through them, taking in their reactions. They were falling right into the story he was
fabricating. The seeds were planted, now he just had to wait for them to grow. Blue eyes
shifted and he found Nile tapping his fingers on the table. The man looked deep in thought
and quite troubled. Accusing a Noble of something like that was no small thing. And if they
went after Rod, they had to be sure. Erwin believed that he’d made it clear that Rod harmed
his daughter. Obviously, the man hadn’t killed her, but he’d definitely hurt her many times
before. He deserved whatever he might get from this.
“Rod Reiss is directly related to the Royal family.” Zackley finally chimed in. All eyes turned
to him. “He holds quite a bit of influence… but he oversteps. Many of the Nobles in our
capitol city are quite fed up with his behavior. He’s also been odd when it comes to his
daughter. She is an omega and well into her breeding age, yet he hasn’t arranged to marry her
off yet. Something about that has never sat well with me and I know others have noticed it as
well.” He explained. They all nodded. It was odd. She should have been married off the first
time she went into heat. Yet two seasons had passed, and she was still at home with her
father. That was even more disturbing. Erwin hadn’t heard anything from Ymir about that
little part of Historia’s life. “I think that Commander Smith has drawn our attention to this
man at just the right time. We need to deal with him.” Zackley finished and leaned forward,
setting his chin onto his clasped fingers. “So, gentlemen. What shall we do?”

“What if we accuse him and can’t find evidence of foul play?” Pixis asked.

“At this point, it appears to me that he’s waisted resources and most definitely the time and
efforts of our military police.” Erwin pointed out and Nile was nodding along with him.

“I agree. I’ve had my men all over his property and the surrounding area for weeks. It’s not
their job to chase ghosts.” Nile growled. “He’s waiting our time and I think we need to follow
through. The guy is known to abuse the girl. He kept her from performing her duty to Marley
by never marrying her off. I think he kept her for himself and then offed her when she pissed
him off. I don’t need a body to know that.”

“I’ll have arrest orders drawn up. Dok, have your men ready to bring him in.” The Premier
said and then slapped his hand on the table. “That concludes our meeting, gentlemen. Carry
on.” He said and they all stood, gathering their things to leave. “Smith. Stay a moment.”
Erwin glanced up.

Premier Zackley was an odd man. He had strange tastes and a questionable sense of humor.
There was nothing overly wrong with him, but he did firmly believe in the duty of Alphas
and omegas to their country. The man had many children with several different omegas. He’d
been quite the breeding machine in his day, but those times were coming to an end. Now, he
spent his time making sure that younger Alphas continued in his place. That included Erwin.
Once the room was empty, the two men stared at one another.

“How is your mate?” He asked and the blond already knew what he was really asking.

“Levi is doing very well, sir. Thank you for asking.”

“You were finally able to mark him in the spring?”

“Yes. Everything went as it should…”

“And?”

“And… I believe we had a fruitful coupling.” He said and smiled. Zackley smiled back and
stood up, coming around the table.
“Good man. I knew you’d provide for your country eventually, son.” The man said and shook
his hand. “Congratulations, Smith. I’ve heard that male omega can be… a bit difficult to
breed with. Of course, I’ve never met one quite like yours. I thought he might give you some
trouble.” He laughed.

“Oh, he did at first. Levi was very difficult, but he’d just lost his home and come out of a war.
It took some time for him to adjust.”

“Of course. I completely understand. From refugee to a Commander’s mate. It must have
been hard on him to get used to this new life. Hopefully he’s health and gives you plenty of
strong children.”

That was all anyone in Marley cared about. Children. With the population suffering from few
healthy births, the pressure on Alphas and omegas was always high. He’d known the moment
he met Levi that they were going to have to have children if they stayed in Marley. If they
didn’t, it would eventually draw attention and then he’d have to take a lover. When omegas
or wives could not have children, the man of the house was expected to do whatever was
needed to ensure his line continued. Erwin didn’t care about any of that… but he had to play
their game.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want children. Of course, he did. Especially with Levi. But his first
priority was to the Scouts and helping to protect others from this life that Marley had built for
them all. Levi being pregnant… complicated things. But they had to carry on. To men like
Zackley, mates should be having offspring as often as physically possible. If it were up to
him, Levi would be pregnant again within a month of giving birth. That was not something
the blond planned to force on his mate. Once child was proof enough that they could do it.
Hopefully he could come up with a long-term plan before any more questions were asked.

“I certainly hope so. He’s an omega but very strong and smart. I think our children will be
very good soldiers, one day.” He said, wanting to please this man so he’d let this all go.

“If they are anything like you, Marley will never fail.” He smiled and stepped back. “Carry
on, Smith. There’s much to do.”

“Of course. I’ll give you an update on those border patrols at the end of the week.” He
collected his papers and tucked them under his arm before heading out.

Mike was standing outside the door, waiting on him. As his second in Command, the man
was nearly always around during times like this. Their eyes met before both men started
down the long hallway. The meeting had taken barely two hours, but it felt like it dragged on
much longer. That was fine, though. He’d gotten what he wanted. The military would go after
Rod Reiss, thinking he had done away with Historia. If the world thought she was dead, they
would not be looking for her. This gave them their chance to finally get her out and into a
safer place.

“Did they take the bait?” Mike asked.

“It was flawless. Nile played right into it, as I thought he would. They’ll be collecting Reiss,
taking him into custody as soon as the orders are finished.”
“And the girl?”

“I intend to keep her until the trial is over. Once her father is sentenced, we’ll move her to the
halfway point. If things remain calm, we’ll get her to the border.”

“Yes, sir.” Mike said and opened the doors to Erwin’s office, stepping aside to let him enter
first. “What about the other one? Ymir? She’s one of ours, isn’t she?”

“Indeed. She worked in the docks. It will be a shame to lose her but she’s going with
Historia. Even if I begged her to stay, there’s no way. She’s in love.” Erwin went to his desk
and sat down. He sighed and leaned back in the chair, looking up as Mike stood before him
on the other side of the desk. “See what you can do about getting someone down to the docks
to replace her. Perhaps that young Alpha that came in with Levi. His noble family put him
into the Cadets. A little guard duty at night on the docks seems the perfect job for a cadet.”

“How do you know he’ll cooperate?”

“Hmm. I think I’ll have Levi speak to him. I’ll bring him with me next time I go to inspect
the training sessions. Levi will know if we can trust him and if so, he can convince him to
join.”

“You’ve got a lot of confidence in him.”

“In Levi?” He asked and Mike nodded. “He wants to save other omegas from being trapped
here as he has been.”

“Is he still trying to get away from you?”

“No, no. He’s been fine but I’m sure he’d rather be back at his home in Eldia. It seems like he
cares for me now but… I can’t tell. I don’t think we love each other. That’s too much to ask
for this early. But he sleeps in my bed every night and he’s very affectionate. There’s no more
space between us. Levi is just hard to read.” Erwin rubbed his temple. “He’s difficult very
often but when it comes to this, I know he’ll help us.”

“If you say so.” The other Alpha nodded. “I’ll check into the boy. What was his name?”

“Jean. He’s with the Chevelle family.”

“Chevelle.” Mike said and Erwin lifted a brow.

“Something wrong?”

“No. Nicholas Chevelle… he’s very kind. To omegas and Alphas.”

“Someone I should speak to?”

“I believe so.”

“Alright. Set it up. I’d like to meet with him.” Mike nodded and out the door he went.
Left alone in the silence of his office, the Alpha took a deep breath. He’d been dealing with
so much since he woke up. There had barely been a single moment to just breath. The first
thing he’d heard when waking was Levi arguing with Petra about breakfast. The omega was
testy at the best of times but lately, he’d been quite a handful. The little redhead that worked
for him was so patient with him. It was rather funny to watch her slowly bring Levi back
down when he was all worked up. She was far better at it than he was, that was for sure.
When Erwin tried to calm him… it never went all that well.
That morning, Levi had gotten up very early and started cleaning. He’d been doing that more
and more lately. Apparently, according to what he gathered when he was woken up, the
omega had been at it for at least a few hours and hadn’t eaten or even taken his tea. Then he’d
gotten sick. Petra tried to tell him that he needed to keep something in his stomach if he was
going to do so much work. And that was when the argument started. He didn’t think he
needed to constantly be eating but they’d already had that conversation. Erwin had tried to
convince him to eat more and to eat what he wanted… but it seemed that still wasn’t sticking
in his head.
At this point, everyone in the house was convinced that the omega was pregnant. Everyone
except for Levi, himself. He denied it at every turn. Apparently, their conversation from
before just wasn’t enough. Petra argued that he was getting sick because of morning sickness.
Levi told her it was because no one in the house knew how to cook. So, he’d made his own
meals. And when those came back up, then it was the poor quality of the food. He was clingy,
needy, moody, and constantly hungry. Yet denied it all. The second Erwin arrived home, it
was like Levi appeared out of nowhere, needing attention from him. Of course, he was happy
to give it, but there were times when he had to get work done. During those times, Levi
would just sort of float around him. He’d clean in his office, arrange books, read, or nap on
one of the sofas in the office. Again, when confronted about this behavior, he just claimed it
was because he was board or blamed the mark that the Alpha had put on him. There was
always an excuse for everything. The blond was convinced that Levi would still have an
excuse even when he was giving birth. Maybe he was in denial.
It wasn’t exactly stressful, but it did make him worry more about his mate. While on base, he
wondered what the omega was up to, if he was okay, and other such things. This wasn’t
something he was ever forced to deal with before. Erwin had been quite careful his entire life
up to this point. Not even trips to the brothel with his soldiers and friends were taken lightly.
He’d never planned on having children and now, he had an omega at home that he was sure
was pregnant. It was very possible that he’d be a father before the end of the year. That would
just add more stress to his life. Not only that, but much joy. Erwin had to remind himself that
things would be okay and that they could handle all this. Even with his underground
activities.
That seemed to the thing that Levi was the most concerned about. It was probably why he
was denying everything. Maybe he didn’t want Erwin to be worrying about him when there
was much to be done elsewhere. They still had to get Historia and Ymir moved. Once things
calmed down, he’d be able to resume his work. He knew that his omega didn’t want to
disrupt that. It worried him that Levi was going to try and take things on by himself and end
up stressing even more than Erwin already was. It wasn’t good for him or healthy for their
baby… assuming there was one.

“Commander Smith.”
He opened his eyes and looked forward. At some point, he must have gotten so deep into his
thoughts that he missed the knock. The large oak doors were parted just slightly, and a small
head and arm were peaking through. It was his temporary cadet assistant. What was her
name? Molly? He couldn’t remember. It didn’t matter. She’d be reassigned soon. All the
cadets cycled through roles to learn how different parts of the military worked. Her big
brown eyes were wide, probably worried about disrupting him when he did not answer the
knock.

“Yes?”

“Captain Leonhart is here to see you, sir.” She said and he nodded, gesturing for her to show
the woman in. The door opened wider and in came the blonde Captain.

Annie Leonhart was a complicated, dangerous woman. She was young, one of the youngest
Captains they had, but she was more than capable. Her exact lineage wasn’t known, as she’d
been found in a refugee camp made up of many different peoples. Her father was a laborer
down at the docks. He’d adopted her. Seeing her potential, he enlisted her into the cadet core
and quickly, she’d made a name for herself. Now she led her own squads and had come to be
a lethal soldier in the field. She followed orders with ruthless precision, but he knew that he
couldn’t trust her. She was an Alpha with dreams that outweighed her moral compass.

“Captain Leonhart. To what do I owe the pleasure?” He asked, leaning forward to intertwin
his fingers under his chin, resting it there.

“Commander Smith, I came to ask why Captain Zacharias just took one of my more
promising cadets.” She said, her voice as cold as her icy blue stare.

“You must be referring to Jean.” He said and smiled. “I sent Mike to find him for me. He
lived in the same village as my mate, and I’ve been told he was very capable. I decided I
wanted to see for myself what he could do.”

“I hand picked him from the new class. I want him in my squads.” She said, not looking
away from him.

“I’m sure you did. And I apologize for poaching one of your picks. However, I’m not
changing my decision.”

“So, just because your mate says something, you jump?” She asked. Erwin narrowed his
eyes.

“Out of line, Captain.” He warned. “I trust my mate because he survived the entire length of
the Eldian war on his own. He has proven himself capable in ways that others have not. And
if he tells me that this boy, Jean, is worth my time to check out, then I’ll be taking the young
man and looking into him. If you don’t like it, then feel free to file a complaint against me.
But last time I checked. A Commander has the right to pull any squad choices for any
number of reasons.” He pointed out and waited. The woman looked calm, but he saw her
brow twitch.

“And if he doesn’t measure up?” She asked.

“Then by all means, take him back.” He said and smiled at her. Annie stared back at him
before nodding. The brought her arms up into a salute.

“Yes, Commander.” She said and when he dismissed her, she turned and marched out of the
room.

Jean must have made an impression on her for her to come question him like that. Something
about that young man had caught her attention. Now, Erwin was even more curious about this
Jean. Mike was collecting him, already. His second always worked quickly. It was a good
thing, as Erwin was normally too busy to take care of the little things. Not that this was a
little thing. Having Jean on their side would help. Especially with Ymir soon to be gone from
their services. Of course, he’d need to bring Levi here to talk to him. The boy was more
likely to assist if there was someone he knew already involved.

When Erwin arrived home that evening, his house was in complete chaos. The second he
walked through the doorway; he was assaulted by yelling. Levi was standing in the entryway
to the sitting room, his arms crossed over his chest. The Alpha walked up and stood behind
him, taking in the scene before him. Ymir was on one side of the room; Petra was on the
other. They were screaming at each other, and Historia was in the middle, apparently, trying
to calm them down.

“What is happening…?” Erwin asked, lifting a brow.

“Ymir came up, got into the food that Petra started this morning. It was supposed to slow
cook all day for dinner tonight. When she confronted her, Ymir denied it… then Historia
made her tell the truth. Now the food is ruined because she didn’t put the lid back on and
Petra lost it. It’s been little things for days and now it’s finally come to a head.” Levi
explained.

“I didn’t realize our guests were bothering her so much.”

“It’s just Ymir. She’s hardheaded and inconsiderate.” Levi said and Historia shot him a look
but said nothing.

“I see. Well, I have good news, then.” Erwin stepped around Levi and walked between the
two women. “Ladies, that’s enough. This is not how we behave.” He started and looked at
them. “First of all…” He turned towards Ymir. “You are a guess in my home. Petra works for
me. You will respect her and if you ever touch anything that is not yours again, I will make
you sleep outside.” He said firmly. Ymir looked angry but said nothing. “Petra. I realize you
are frustrated but this isn’t permanent. You need to remain calm and handle things as best you
are able. And if there is a problem…” He turned and faced Levi. “You take it to Levi. He’s in
charge when I’m not here.”

“I don’t want to get into their cat fights.” He said, making a face.

“Too bad.” He countered and returned his attention to Ymir. “There’s been a development.
With a little coaxing, the Military has turned on Rod Reiss. They believe he had something to
do with Historia’s disappearance. Once the orders are put into place, he’ll be arrested. Abuse
is one thing but to take the life of a capable omega… he won’t be getting out of that one.”
“My father… they’re going to arrest him for murder? But he didn’t…” Historia said, seeming
uncertain.

“Good!” Ymir cut in. “That asshole would have ended up killing you. He deserves it.”

“I don’t want him to go down for something he didn’t do. He’s still my father.”

“Yeah, a father who beat you, abused you, and kept you from every going out and starting a
life of your own. Consider this preventative action.” Ymir growled. “He would have
eventually done it, Historia. We both know it.” The woman walked over, taking the blonde’s
hands. “I don’t want to see you suffer anymore and what will I do when you die, huh? Who is
gonna keep me out of trouble?” Her voice became softer, and she cupped the smaller
woman’s face. It felt like such a tender moment, so he looked away, turning his gaze to
Levi… but the omega was gone.

“Levi…” He said and walked off, leaving the two women alone for now. He would discuss
things with them later. It seemed like they needed to room.

Walking out into the foyer, he found it empty as well. Erwin turned to walk up the stairs but
paused. A sound caught his attention and he looked around. Coming back down, he rounded
the railing and started down the hall towards the back of the house. The sound reached him
again. It was like a whimpering, retching sound. It only took him a moment to realize that the
sound was coming from his mate. He was in the downstairs bathroom. Erwin rushed in and
found Levi on the floor, gripping the toilet with white knuckled fingers.

“Stop…” Levi ordered in a raspy, strained voice. “Don’t come in…” he mumbled. “…you
don’t… need to see this…” he said and retched again. He was obviously embarrassed, but the
Alpha wasn’t going anywhere. There was no reason for him to be alone while going through
this.

“Don’t be absurd.” The blond said and came in. He shut the bathroom door and grabbed a
washcloth. After wetting it, he rolled his sleeves up and then got down onto the floor behind
the other. He set the cloth aside for the moment and focused on rubbing Levi’s back. He
could feel him shaking slightly. “You don’t have to deal with this alone, you know. We did
this together so…”

“I’m not… pregnant…” Levi gasped and lunged forward again, though nothing actually came
out. Had he neglected to eat again?

“How long are you going to live in denial?”

“It’s not…”

“Levi.” He said his name firmly, silencing his mate. “You can’t keep pretending this isn’t
happening. I don’t know what you’re feeling and it’s killing me. If you don’t want to have
this baby, just tell me. It’s still early… we can probably end it before it gets any further. I
won’t judge you or…”
“I’m not doing that.” It was Levi’s turn to cut him off. “I just… fuck.” He mumbled and
grabbed the cloth. Using it to wipe his mouth, he flushed the toilet and leaned back against
the larger man. “You’re doing so much… all the time. I don’t want you worrying about me.”

“So, pretending to not be pregnant is going to help with that?” He laughed lightly and
wrapped his arms around the other, holding him close. “When are you going to accept that
you’re not my servant or my burden. You’re my equal. We’ll deal with everything together.
Hiding things from me won’t help, Levi.”

Levi was a complicated person. Though it had been months since he arrived in Marley, the
Commander still felt like he barely knew a thing about him. Sure, they were a fated pair,
meant to be together… but the rules in Marley made them have to rush through this
relationship. He still didn’t know what Levi’s surname was, if he had any family, what his
dreams were… and now they were having a child together and living together. Sure, they had
a great physical relationship, but they didn’t talk as much as he’d like. He wanted to know
more about his mate. It was just a matter of getting the omega to let him in.

“I can’t keep anything down…” Levi said softly. “I’m hungry all the time but when I eat… I
just throw it back up…” He sounded tired and sad. Erwin frowned and placed a hand over the
other’s stomach. “If I can’t eat, how am I supposed to keep this baby?”

“We need to talk to someone who knows more than we do. Perhaps you should be eating
something else or… I don’t know. But we need help. We have no idea what we’re doing.” He
said and tried to be encouraging. “How about we take a trip into the city tomorrow and see a
doctor? I had something I wanted your help with anyway.”

“Dragging me into your bullshit?” Levi asked and pulled away. He stood up and moved to the
sink. Erwin remained on the floor and watched him as he washed his face.

“I have an idea.” Erwin said and got up. “You always eat with Petra or alone… Maybe it
would help if you ate with me.” He suggested and saw Levi give him a questioning look from
the mirror. “I don’t mean to be arrogant, but I am your Alpha.” He said and smiled back at
that sour look. “You sleep better when I’m around, you’re more relaxed… maybe you can
keep something down when you’re with me.” It was just an idea, but Levi didn’t immediately
shut it down so perhaps it wasn’t a bad one.

“Fine. Come on.” The omega turned to walk past him but swayed a little, his hand on his
stomach. Quickly, he moved to the smaller man’s side and gently grabbed his hips. “Sorry.
Empty stomach.” Levi mumbled and started walking again, not complaining about the hand
Erwin left against the small of his back.

This all worried him quite a bit. He knew that pregnancy was very hard on women. Easier on
omegas… but he only knew about females. Levi was a rarity and there wasn’t as much
common knowledge about male omega. Things might be very different for him. That was
why he wanted to get him to a doctor. The more they knew about all this, the better. The only
thing that mattered to him was that his mate was okay. Even though he was happy to be
having a baby… if he were to be asked, Erwin would admit that he hadn’t formed any sort of
attachment to it. At least, not yet. Levi didn’t even look pregnant. Perhaps it was just that it
didn’t feel real as of yet. For now, his only concern was for Levi, himself.
“So, what are you trying to drag me into?” Levi asked when they got to the kitchen. Erwin
helped him to sit down at the small bar section, on one of the stools.

“Ah right.” The Alpha started looking around, seeing what sorts of things they had that were
simple and wouldn’t be too hard on the omega’s stomach. “I wanted to see if you’d help me
recruit your friend Jean. With Ymir leaving us, I need someone down on the docks. I thought
perhaps he might be an option for us. But if you don’t think so…”

“Alright. What should I do? Talk to him?” He asked and Erwin was surprised that he agreed
so easily.

“We can’t just outright ask. There’s always a chance that he might already hold some type of
loyalty to the family that he’s been given to.”

“No.”

“No?”

“Jean will help. I know it. I just wanted to know how you wanted me to go about this.” Levi
rubbed his head, looking paler.

“I’ve already pulled him into Mike’s squad. We just need him to work the night shift at the
docks for a little while. I need reports on activity and movements of certain elements when
needed. He wouldn’t be doing anything dangerous. I won’t ask anything overbearing of him.
At least, not when he’s just starting out with us.” Erwin explained and pulled out some bread.
They could start with some bread and jam, just to see if Levi could handle it.

“Got it. Just tell me when and where. I’ll talk to him.” He agreed. That was so simple. It
hardly seemed like he had anything to worry about at all.

“Thank you, Levi. I really appreciate your help.” He said and smiled. Erwin layered some
strawberry jam onto a couple of pieces of bread before setting it in front of Levi. Then he
made some tea for them both. “So, if we go to the doctor… and they confirm things for you,
will you let me tell people?” He asked, trying to remain casual about it.

“I assume you’re dying to tell people?” Levi asked before taking a little bite from his toast.

“It’s not that. I mean, of course I want to tell my friends and all that but… I just want to make
sure that people know we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing. It takes a tremendous
amount of pressure off my shoulders.”

“Marley has stupid rules.”

“With the birth rate so low, these rules are in place for a reason.”

“Did you ever stop to think that maybe there are too many humans, and we could do with
less?” Levi asked and the two men looked at each other.

“I’m sure there are some we could live without. But for now, there are eyes on us, and this
will relax things.” He pointed out. “I agree that it shouldn’t be like this. If I had just sent you
away with the other omega, you wouldn’t be in this position.” He added, a pang of guilt
hitting him.

“Stop it.”

“What?”

“Blaming yourself. I see you sitting there and getting in your own head. You do this thing
with your eyes… all empty and distant.” Levi shrugged. “So… stop it.”

“Yes, dear.” He said and smiled. It warmed him to know that Levi was paying enough
attention to pick up on his traits and quirks. The omega shot him a look but didn’t say
anything about his use of the little pet name.

“If the doctor tells us for sure that I’m having your little blonde spawn, then you can tell the
whole world.” Levi relented and Erwin laughed.

“What makes you think it will be blonde?” He asked. “Darker colors are usually more
dominant.”

“I just know it.”

“Already picking what our children will look like?” He asked, smirking.

“Child.” Levi corrected. “And yeah, I guess I’ve thought about it. With any luck, it will look
just like you and be the perfect little Marleyan. Then all your people will be happy.”

“I don’t think it much matters what the child looks like…”

“Please.” Levi rolled his eyes. “Erwin, I’m a foreigner. Not only am I Eldian, but I’m clearly
not even the same ethnicity as literally everyone around here. They don’t want to see a little
narrow eyed, dark-haired kid following after you. They want to see a blue eyed, blonde little
Alpha boy. We both know it.” He said and went back to eating.

“Actually, you’re probably right. People are so very invested in appearances. I think that’s
why I’ve been so well liked by the population.”

“Broad, tall, blond, blue-eyed Alpha who is incredibly charming and intelligent. Yeah.”

“You think I’m charming?” He asked, smiling brightly. Levi just gave him a sideways look
and he laughed. “I realize you didn’t mean it as a compliment but I’m taking it as one.”

“Have you found anything out about Mikasa?” He asked, changing the subject. Erwin took
the boiling water off and walked over to fill their teacups.

“She’s handful for a Beta. Apparently, her current owner is quite eager to be rid of her. Seems
that every time he arranges for a buyer, she makes a huge scene, and they back out.” He
explained. “I know he wanted to get a lot of money out of her, but he’s been forced to ask for
less. I believe it should be rather easy for me to purchase her. I’ve had people keeping an eye
on the situation ever since you asked me to look into her.”
“When can we get her?” Levi asked, looked much more alert now.

“I’ll arrange to meet with Wallis as soon as possible. I’m sure he’ll be more than excited to
get his hands on my money.” Erwin leaned against the counter across from Levi.

“Are people going to question why you’re buying some teenage girl?”

“Hardly. I’ll tell them I want to train her as a bodyguard for you. I let you pick her out.” He
said, having already thought about these things.

“Right. I just hope she listens to me and doesn’t cause us trouble.”

“This is your little adventure. I’ll support you and help where I can, but I think she’ll respond
far better to you than to an Alpha Marleyan.”

“I don’t doubt that.”

Their home was quickly filling up. Luckily, Historia and Ymir would soon be on their way to
their new life. That would leave them and their staff. If this girl came to live with them, he
wondered what it would be like. Did Levi want to just adopt her or something? They were
only five or six years apart in age. This was all to be dealt with later. Erwin had a lot to deal
with right now. He had to get Jean recruited, get the two women safely out of the country, and
arrange for this girl to be purchased and brought home. That wasn’t even counting all his
military work that always needed his attention. And then… they’d be having a baby… which
required Levi to see the doctor. When did everything get so complicated?

“Erwin?”

“Hm?”

“I’ve been talking to you. Are you okay?” The omega asked.

“Yes, sorry. I was just going over my to-do list in my head.”

“Long list?” he asked, and Erwin nodded.

“And getting longer every day.”

“Tell me what I can do. You’re doing everything alone.”

“Levi, I can handle things.”

“You’re the one that keeps telling me that we’re equals. If that’s true, then let me have some
of your burdens to bare.” He frowned. “While I’m still in good enough shape to bare them.”
He added. Erwin smiled and leaned over, kissing the top of his mate’s head.

“There are things you can do. Convince Jean to join us. Help Historia and Ymir prepare for
their travels. Show Mikasa how to survive once she’s here… That’s what I need you to do.
And if anything else arises that you can help with, then I’ll put those tasks to you. I promise.”
He said and sighed. “I’m so used to doing everything myself that I’m not used to having
someone I can lean on.”

“You have the Scouts… Hanji…” Levi pointed out.

“True but those are people that I can count on for different things.”

“You’ve known them a lot longer than you’ve known me.”

“Again, true. The difference is, I know that I can trust you without question.”

“That’s stupid.” Levi huffed.

“You don’t feel that way?” He asked, lifting a brow.

“I want to argue but I can’t. Whatever this bond is… I just know that I can trust you with
anything. It’s weird. I can’t even explain the feeling.”

“You don’t have to, remember?” He asked and laughed lightly.

Levi stared at him for a moment before turning and eating another piece of toast. Erwin just
kept the smile in place and sipped his tea. It was true that he needed to start letting himself
rely on Levi more. The omega was his partner in life, and he should allow him to pick up
some of the weight that constantly beat down on him. More than that, Levi wanted to do it.
He was offering a hand and Erwin should take it. His instincts told him to protect his mate
and make his life as easy and happy as possible. But Levi was unlike other omegas or
spouses. Pampering him would only piss him off. The best way to make him happy was to let
him stand on his own and help.
For the first time in quite a while, Levi was able to keep his food down. He finished all the
toast and his tea. When they finished up, Historia and Ymir were through their little moment.
The two women were sitting on the sofa, discussing what they’d do once they were out of the
country. Erwin and Levi left them to it and headed upstairs. After finally being able to eat, the
omega wanted to lay down and requested his mate join him. How was he supposed to say no
to that? Being around him seemed to be helping Levi so he didn’t ask questions.
For a while, Erwin just laid in bed, staring up at the canopy. Levi was stretched out next to
him, his back pressed up against his side. He’d claimed one of his arms, laying his head over
his bicep. Sure, his hand was completely asleep, but he didn’t dare move. It was important
that the omega got as much rest as he could. Eventually, Erwin rolled onto his side and
wrapped his other arm around the smaller man. He nuzzled into his hair and rubbed his palm
over Levi’s stomach slowly. His thoughts from earlier about having no attachment came back
to him.
Would he feel differently once they confirmed the pregnancy? Maybe it would finally be real.
Right now, all he felt was Levi’s perfectly flat stomach. To imagine a life growing there… it
just felt like fantasy to him. He’d never seen a male omega pregnant. Would Levi get big and
round like the women he’d seen? Did male omega breast feed? He sighed against the back of
the other’s neck and moved his hand up to the other’s chest, just resting it there. Levi curled
around his arm but did not wake up.
This omega had him wrapped around his finger. Did he realize it? Probably not. He’d do
anything for him, if it were asked of him. He thought about their conversation at the hotel. It
was blurry but he remembered it. Levi hadn’t immediately shut him down about the idea of
falling in love, which did make him feel better but… would the omega ever actually love
him? It was so hard to read him. There was a wall around Levi’s heart that he was still
figuring out how to bring down. Did he love Levi? That was a complicated question to ask
himself. He was dedicated to him and would never leave him. He wanted to have a life and a
family with him… but was that all just his instincts or was it the budding feelings of love?
Erwin wished his feelings came with big bold labels. Whatever he was feeling, it was only
growing with each passing day. As the omega slept in his arms, growing their child… he
realized that what he was feeling had to be love. Or maybe it just didn’t need a name.
Erwin smiled and softly kissed over the mark on Levi’s neck that was shaped just like his
teeth. It was mostly healed now, only bumpy in a few little seconds. The scar would be there
for the rest of the young man’s life. That pleased the Alpha. This omega was all his. Levi
moved a little, making a low, irritated sound. Erwin stifled a laugh. Right, he should stop
kissing and nuzzling against him while he was sleeping. Levi waking up in a bad mood was
not something he wanted to deal with. For now, he’d just hold back his affection and then
lavish the other in it once he was awake and aware.
 Facts and Forward Motion
Chapter Summary

With things finally going their way, Levi and Erwin travel into the city to find out if
they'll be expecting. After their visit with the doctor, they finally try to recruit Jean.

Chapter Notes

NSFW warning for the veeery end of the chapter.

Rod Reiss was arrested three days after the meeting of the military leaders. The Military
Police invaded his home and took him out before giving a thorough search. Thanks to some
well-placed Scouts in Rod’s service, one of Historia’s dresses was found, covered in blood. It
was an extra step that perhaps he did not need to take, but Erwin wanted to ensure that the
girl was assumed dead. It would keep anyone from looking for her and allow her to escape
the country without further worry. There was always risk but at least this way, they
minimalized it as much as possible.
The arrest made the front page of every newspaper in Marley. A noble of the Royal Family
arrested for the unlawful imprisonment of his daughter and then her murder. That was how
they all read. There was an impressive picture of the man looking haggard and unkept as he
was marched into his trial just a week after the arrest. Historia sat at the kitchen table, reading
through the article while Moblit set places in front of all of them. She looked upset but hadn’t
said a word yet. Even though her father was cruel, he’d been the constant in her world, and it
was understandable that she was still a little worried about his fate. Ymir did not agree.
The two women had been fighting about it ever since news of his arrest reached the world.
They weren’t blow out arguments, just little snide comments and snaps. Levi had shut them
both up more than once, clearly having grown weary of their bickering. At one point, Erwin
had to stop himself from laughing when he heard his mate tell Moblit that he prayed for a boy
so that he didn’t have to deal with a girl. Apparently these two young women were leaving a
bit of a sour taste in his mouth. Erwin just found it all amusing.
With Rod taking the blame for the missing girl, the Commander could now focus on getting
her out of the country. The patrols were returned to normal, as there was no longer a fear of
her being kidnapped and taken away from her Marleyan home. For a few days, Hanji prepped
them. She explained the route that would be taken, the items they could bring, and what they
should do once across the borders. There were Scouts outside, ready to take them to a safe
haven where they could plan for their next steps. It would not be a glorious life at first, but
they’d be free to do whatever they wanted.
Ymir paid attention to each detail, taking it all very seriously. To her, getting Historia to
safety was the only thing that mattered. They were so young, but their bond was strong, and it
was something lovely to see. Erwin felt like in the end, all this struggle would be worth it.
While the others focused on getting ready, Erwin did his part by arranging their escape. When
he was not doing that, he was staying near Levi. It seemed that his idea to be around during
and after meals was helping. The omega was better able to keep food down when he ate. Now
that he was eating and feeling better, his energy and mood were lifted. Well, most of the time.
Sometimes he was downright mean but that normally followed cases where he had to deal
with the two young lovers. Ymir seemed to especially irritate him. He did try to hold back
but she was very good at making things worse and worse. It usually ended with Levi telling
her off and sending her away. Though he usually denied his role as one of the heads of the
household, he sometimes used that role to do away with her.
With things calming down, the Alpha was finally able to move forward with his other plans.
He arranged for a physician to see Levi in the city… and also for Levi to meet with Jean after
their appointment. It might have been better to do so before, but this was the only way to get
it done. The pair left the house quiet early in the morning. That was enough to set Levi into a
sour mood. He’d sleepily ate his breakfast and barely made it to the carriage. Within it, he
slept against Erwin’s side, trying to catch as much rest as he could before they arrived. The
physician’s office was just off the main street and center of the city. It had taken Erwin a
couple of tries to locate a doctor who actually knew about male omegas. Most only dealt with
females. The man seemed perfectly happy to see Levi and assured the Commander that he
had dealt with males before.
They arrived at mid-morning. Erwin helped a sleepy Levi from the carriage and walked with
him to the doors. It was quiet and very sterile looking inside. The walls were pale in color
and the curtains on the windows were of a similar color. A sweet little receptionist showed
them back to one of the rooms down the hall. This space was just as whitewashed but the
sunrays pouring in were warm and that seemed to make his mate happy. When the woman
told Levi to remove his clothes and put on the little gown… he was very unhappy. He glared
at Erwin the entire time, practically throwing clothes at him as he removed them.
His body was still just as lean as it had always been. There was no indication that anything
different was going on with his body. The blond found that he kept hoping to see
something… some weight put on or a little bump at his belly. He wanted some indication that
his mate was really pregnant but so far… he saw nothing at all. Even when he felt him, he
felt nothing different, and it bothered him. But then again, he had no idea when physical
changes might start to show up. Levi had morning sickness and the clinginess that came with
some omega pregnancies. Was that enough to really prove that he was with child? They’d
soon find out.

“Good morning!” The doctor entered with a very pleasant smile. The man looked perpetually
tired. His shaggy brown hair was showing signs of gray, and his glasses sat low on his nose.
“I’m Doctor Yeager.” He introduced himself. The man shook Erwin’s hand, but Levi just
stared at the wall, not even giving the man a greeting of his own. “Mmm well, someone is
certainly acting like they are having a baby.” He tried to joke but Levi did not seem to find it
funny. Erwin chuckled but a glare from his mate shut him up. “So, Levi… uh no last name?”
He asked and looked at Erwin.

“We’re not married. Just mated.” The Commander filled in. “Levi was a refugee from Eldia
and does not have a surname.” He explained.
“Alright, that’s fine. Let’s see… eighteen years old… and this is your first pregnancy… ah
right.” He said and placed the clipboard down. Yeager walked over and only when Levi
allowed it, he started to examine him. “Everyone has heard about you. The amazing virgin
omega from Eldia. Well, not so much anymore.” He said, another dry joke.

“Yeah well, can’t deny a bond, right?” Levi said, his voice completely flat. Erwin frowned
but said nothing.

“That is true. A fated pair is an incredible thing. It’s almost like a myth, really. Many people
envy you. Some don’t even believe it.” The doctor said as he gently made Levi lay back onto
the examination bed that he was seated on. He hands moved over Levi’s throat, down to his
stomach. “They saw a fated pair are biologically destined to be together. That their children
will be the perfect combination of all their strongest traits and things like that.”

“Do you believe it?” Erwin asked, just watching from the other side of the room.

“I do.” Yeager said and glanced back at them. “You see, I was married to a beautiful woman.
I fell deeply in love with her, and we even had a handsome baby boy. I thought that our lives
were perfect… but our son was frail as a child. Weak in many ways, though his mind was
strong. I knew we were not a fated pair, but I still loved her so much. Then… one day, I came
across a woman who worked for a clinic in Eldia. The very instant I laid eyes on her… I
knew that she was the other half to my soul. She was my mate. And though she tried to fight
it because I was Marleyan… she knew it as well.” A sad look came over the man’s face. He
placed his palm over Levi’s stomach and moved it slowly around. “The love I felt for my
wife was gone in an instant. I still cared for her as the mother of my child and as someone I
had spent many years with… but my heart belonged to that Eldian girl. I could not deny it. I
ended my marriage and paired with her… and we had a son.” He smiled. “My second boy…
Eren… he’s perfect. He’s strong and smart, though a bit too bold for his own good. He’d
never so much as had a cold or cough in his entire life. He’s the product of a fated pair.”

“I had no idea you had a bond, Doctor Yeager. Usually that is much bigger news.” Erwin
said, his brow coming together.

“We didn’t tell anyone. My ex-wife doesn’t even know. I doubt it would have made her feel
any better to know the truth.” He admitted and then walked over to the counter, where he
pulled open a drawer. “I did not want that attention and neither did Carla. Our son is an Alpha
and if people knew the truth of his parentage, it would put much more strain on his life. It’s
better this way.”

“Wish I had that option.” Levi muttered. “I’m not someone who does good in the spotlight…
but he is.” He said and glanced over towards Erwin. The blond sighed. This was something
he already knew well about his mate. Levi did not like to be the center of attention.

“Commander Smith is beloved by the people. They worry for him when he’s in battle, they
praise him when he’s victorious, and they all celebrated with him when he found you.” The
man said and grabbed some gloves to pull on. “You might want to consider embracing that
spotlight.” He pointed out and then turned around to face them again. “Levi, could you place
lay back and spread your legs for me?” He asked and the omega grumbled. “I know. No one
likes this part, male or female. But this is the fastest way to know what’s going on in there.”
“Fine…” The omega growled and positioned himself as the doctor asked. Erwin frowned. He
hated to see Levi so very uncomfortable, but this was all part of the process, and they knew it
was coming when they made this appointment. Levi was staring up at the ceiling, looking
completely miserable. He’d said he’d never done things like this before.

“Just relax… I know that’s hard to do but it does help.” He said and then he was taking a seat
on a little stool at the end of the bed. Erwin was having trouble just standing there. It
bothered him that another Alpha was touching his mate so intimately, but he logically knew
that it was a medical procedure and nothing more. “Here we go.” Yeager said and there was a
sound like a bottle capping… then Levi tensed, and his eyes went wide.

“Levi?” The Alpha moved close to the table and offered his mate his hand. Levi took it and
held on tight. “Are you alright?”

“I have… a man’s hand… up my ass… and you want to ask me that?” He growled. The
blond fought back a laugh… knowing it would really piss the omega off.

Doctor Yeager examined Levi for a few minutes, or maybe longer. It was honestly quite hard
to tell. It felt like it dragged on and on. Erwin stayed right next to Levi, holding and petting
his hand to try and sooth him. This whole process was terrible. They’d both known the man
was going to examine him but actually going through it was much worse than either of them
realized at that time. The doctor didn’t say anything. He just kept looking and feeling around.
It was sort of like torture, not doing what was doing on. With Levi’s legs spread and the gown
spread out between them, they couldn’t even see his face to know what expressions he might
be making.

“All done!” He said and moved back. Levi let out an audible sigh of relief. The man removed
his gloves and tossed them into a bin. “Well Commander, the people will have another thing
to celebrate with you.” He said with a tired smile. “Congratulations. Levi, you’re expecting.”
He said and the Alpha felt his eyes go wide.

“Really?” He asked and the man just chuckled.

“Are you surprised?” He asked.

“Well, no. I was almost entirely certain that he was pregnant but it’s very different to hear
you confirm it…” The man admitted.

“I know the whole of Marley will be ecstatic to hear their favorite Commanding Officer is
having a child.” He looked over at Levi, who was slowly sitting up. “Having your first child
can be difficult and scary. But you should know, you’re very healthy and everything looks
just perfect in there. I don’t think you’re going to have much difficultly carrying this
pregnancy.”

“That’s good to know. Isn’t it?” He asked and looked down at Levi. The omega was just
staring down at his lap, not saying anything.

“Ah… this might be a little difficult for him to process…” Yeager walked over and placed a
hand gently on Levi’s shoulder, across from Erwin. “Levi, if you need anything, we’re here to
help. I realize most omegas have already had a few children by this age and that this is your
first. Processing all this can be hard and scary. You’re not alone though.” He assured him.
“I’m going to get a package of information and medication together for you. Just some
writings on male omega pregnancy, what to expect, and some medication to help support
your system and help with your nausea.” He then stepped away and left them alone for a
moment to get things ready for Levi.

“Darling.” Erwin said and gently touched his mate’s face. He tilted his head up and looked
down into those glossy silver eyes. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah.” Levi said but he didn’t sound at all sure about that. “I knew I was… but I guess some
part of me just thought it couldn’t be true. I… worked so hard to keep myself from this ever
happening and… now it is.” He said and Erwin felt his heart drop into his stomach.

“I’m sorry. I’m the one who did this to you….”

“Erwin, it’s not you. It’s this country… this world that thinks I’m only good for having
children.” Levi said, staring up at him. “I won’t hide that I never wanted this… but it’s
happening and… I’m glad it’s happening with you.” He said softly. “I was going to be sold
off to some asshole who would have just raped me and forced this on me over and over.
You’d never do that to me… you actually give a damn about how I feel. I’m lucky.” He
brought his hand up and placed it on Erwin’s arm. “I just… need time to process all this. I’m
gonna have a fucking baby… A real little life that we made and have to take care of. I’m shit
with kids…”

“The only children I’ve ever dealt with were kids who approached me on the street.” He said
and sighed. “I’ve never actually even held a baby. Nile always tried to get me to hold his, but
I wasn’t really inclined to.” He admitted. “So, I suppose we’ll both be learning all this
together.”

“Guess so.” Levi slid off the bed and winced. Erwin instantly moved closer. “I’m fine… it’s
really different having someone touch me that way… not at all like when you do it.” He
mumbled and turned a little red. Erwin chuckled.

“I’m sure it is. Would you like help getting dressed?” The omega waved him off and went to
pull his pants back on.

Erwin stepped back to give him room and just watched. He wasn’t really watching Levi, so
much as just staring in his direction. His mind was already rushing through things. He was
going to be a father. Levi was pregnant and they were going to have a baby together. And
now that it was confirmed, he could tell everyone about it. Was it the best timing? No, not
with the Scouts doing all they were. But if they had waited any longer, questions would have
started to arise and that was just attention that they did not need to have on them. Breeding
was expected of them as an Alpha omega pairing. If they didn’t, people would begin to
assume things about Levi. At least now, they were safer than they would have been
otherwise.

After collecting everything the doctor had put together for Levi, Erwin walked with the
omega from the office. They had another appointment in a month, which Levi was not at all
pleased about. The Alpha carried the bag they gave them, staring down into the papers and
bottles of medication that were put inside. There was a lot. He wanted to read all of it. Levi
was far less enthused about the whole thing. He didn’t say much as they got into the carriage.
There was still the meeting with Jean but that was taking place at the Military base, so they’d
head there next.
Setting the bag down, Erwin just watched his mate. Levi sat on the other side of the small
space, his chin in his hand as he watched the scenes passing by outside his window. Levi did
not look happy at all. He looked lost. Not miserable or sad, just lost in his thoughts. Erwin
watched him, wishing there was something he could do to make this a better thing for his
mate. Having a baby should be a good thing. At least, he thought so. A tiny little life that they
could grow and teach and nurture together. It seemed like a dream… but Levi’s expression
made him wonder just how his mate felt about all this. Why had Levi worked so hard to
avoid having children? He’d always heard that having children was something that omegas
wanted… with people they chose, of course, but the point was the same. Levi was the only
one he'd met that didn’t want kids at all. Or didn’t seem to, anyway.

“I’m sorry.” Erwin found himself saying. Levi looked over at him.

“For what?”

“For doing this to you.” The blond held up his hand to silence the other when he started to
speak. “I’m sorry for putting you in this position, Levi. Being with me… a public figure as I
am, you had no choice in the matter. If I were anyone else… we could have probably gotten
away with not having a child for a very long time… if ever. But because of who I am and the
position I hold, it was necessary for us to have a child as soon as possible. It’s unfair and I
wish things could have gone differently.”

“…You’re right.” Levi said and sighed. “We have to rush everything because that’s what
expected of us. You’re an Alpha with an omega partner. Your whole image would be ruined if
you couldn’t knock me up. And if I didn’t get pregnant, then I’m useless and you’d have to
get someone else who can give you children… I think it would be worse for me to watch you
doing this with someone else.” He admitted and Erwin saw him tense up a little. “I would
rather this all be happening with me than some tramp that you bring in to pop out babies for
you…” He mumbled. “Am I happy? No… not yet. I mean, I don’t hate the thing or
whatever…” he mumbled and placed a hand on his stomach. “It’s not the kid’s fault that
things are so fucked up out here. They didn’t do anything wrong. I just… I feel like I’m
bringing some poor innocent child into a shitty world, that’s all.”

“The world isn’t ideal, but we can make it better for them.”

“I don’t think the Scouts will have changed the world in the next six months, Erwin.”

“True.” He admitted with a smile. Erwin moved over to sit next to Levi. “We can make our
little world better for our child, though. I’m going to do everything I can to make sure you’re
both safe and happy. It might not always be perfect, but we’ll do our best.” He said and
kissed Levi’s temple. “The truth is… I’m not sure what I feel about this. Even hearing that
doctor say it… it doesn’t feel like it’s real to me, yet. I can’t imagine there being a baby
there…” He placed his hand over Levi’s on his stomach. “I don’t… feel anything yet.” He
said sadly. “I want to be excited and announce it to the world with zeal but… it feels like
someone is going to pull a rug out from under me at any moment and none of this will be
real. I want to have a baby with you, Levi. I want to have a family and a life that’s not ruled
by Marley’s laws. I’ll make do with what we have.” He kissed into his hair this time. “But
this just doesn’t feel real yet. I can’t wrap my mind around you being pregnant.”

“That’s kind of how I feel.” The omega said and leaned against him. “I know I can tell that
something is different. The doctor said it’s really happening… but it’s like a big picture
hanging in front of me, blocking out the real view.” He said and sighed. “I want to be excited
about having a baby but I’m just… not. And that makes me feel guilty.” He admitted in a
tone that broke Erwin’s heart.

“You don’t have to feel guilty, Levi. Look at everything you’ve been through. Being excited
about a child at this point… it’s all still too much to process for you. For both of us. Maybe…
when we start to actually see you show or… feel the baby move, then it will be more real for
us.”

“The idea of something moving around inside me is a little weird.” He said and made the
most adorable little scrunchy face. Erwin laughed lightly.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to laugh. It’s just… you’re so cute.” He said, earning him yet
another look from his mate that definitely was not entirely happy. “Don’t be mad.” He said
and hugged the omega to his side. Levi seemed to be tolerating him, which made him happy.

“You’re being a brat. Get off me.” He muttered but made no actual attempt to escape the
Alpha’s grasp. Erwin snuggled against him, nuzzling his face into the other’s hair. Levi just
sighed loudly before hugging him back. “Come on… that’s enough. Tell me what I’m
supposed to be doing with Jean.”

“Ah right.” Erwin said and kissed the top of his head before finally relenting and leaving the
smaller male alone. Of course, he did stay close to him. “We’re going to head back to the
base office. The place where you and I met.” He started. Mike is bringing Jean to my office
so that we can speak to him in private. I’ve already arranged for him to be transferred into my
unit. We have just to feel him out and see if he’s someone that we can trust and bring into the
fold.”

“And that’s my job.”

“Yes. He knows you and likely would trust you much more so than he would me. If you think
he might not be right for the Scouts, I’ll leave him be. However, if he might be able to help us
and would be willing, then we could very much use him.”

“Got it. I’ll talk to him and see what happens. Jean’s a good kid but he’s still young and
dumb. All you Alphas are dumb when you’re younger.” Levi said and rolled his eyes.

“I’m fairly certain that’s all young men. Maybe not you omegas…” he teased. “But certainly,
all Betas and Alphas.”

“That’s a good point. Guys are dumb in general.” Levi agreed and Erwin laughed.
When they arrived at the base, Erwin helped Levi out of the carriage, and they headed up to
his office. Many people saluted him on the way up and while it was normal for Erwin, Levi
seemed to just shuffle along behind him. He always forgot that his mate wasn’t used to all
this. They rarely came out together. That was something he should change. The more he
brought Levi out, the more comfortable he would be with all this. That would make him fit in
better and perhaps better his quality of life while living under Marleyan law.
The office was empty, and Mike was not yet waiting outside, but that was fine. They’d
arrived earlier than expected. He told Levi to make himself comfortable and then went to his
desk. There were a few things that he could get done while they were here. No point in
wasting time. The Alpha took off his jacket and hung it up before taking his seat behind his
desk. It seemed some more documents had piled up while he was home. No surprise there.
That was often the case. It seemed endless. He sighed and pulled the first one out, looking it
over. Most of them were just reports from all the extra patrols that had taken place before
Reiss was arrested.
Glancing up, he watched as Levi wondered around the room. The omega had not been in this
office since the first time they met. Their focus had been a little distracted at that time. That
felt like so long ago, but it was just a short time. Mike had walked Levi in, and his entire
world completely stopped, quickly shifting to revolve around him. A smile had spread across
his face. Erwin just watched Levi, totally content to sit there and observe him. His fingers
trailed along the spines of the books on the shelf and at first it was very cute… but then Levi
rounded on him with an irritated look and the spell was broken, dragging Erwin back into
reality.

“Do you have any idea how much dust is on these shelves?” He asked and marched over,
placing his hands on the desk in front of the blond. “Seriously. Who cleans this office?”

“Uh… no one?”

“What?”

“No one is allowed to come in here and clean. I have sensitive documents and things like that
stored in here. I can’t have someone coming in and rooting around.”

“Erwin… it’s disgusting in here.”

“I’ll clean it.”

“Like hell, you will.” He huffed and turned to look at the door. “I’m going to have your little
secretary girl get me some cleaning supplies. I’ll do it.”

“Levi, we’re not here to clean. We’re here to get something done.”

“It’s going to drive me crazy.”

“…if you want, you can clean after we’re done with Jean… but you don’t have to.” The
omega just gave him a flat look and he sighed. “Fine. As soon as we’re done, I’ll have
supplies brought up and you can clean as much as you’d like while I get caught up on a few
things.”
“Good.” Levi then walked over and dropped down onto the sofa. “At least this isn’t dusty.”
He muttered and Erwin just shook his head.

It wasn’t long after that when a knock came on the door. Erwin called them in, already
knowing it was Mike. The captain walked in and behind him, the smaller man joined them.
Jean looked very nervous as his eyes scanned the door. When he saw Levi, he did seem to
relax a little. That was a good sign. Once the door was shut, Erwin stood up and walked over.
Jean instantly saluted and the man smiled. He saluted back and then relaxed, the younger
Alpha following along.

“Good afternoon, Soldier.”

“Sir.” Jean nodded and maintained perfect eye contact. He didn’t cower like most younger
soldiers and Erwin found that he liked that.

“How did you find working under Captain Leonhart?” He asked and turned, walking back
towards his desk. His pace was slow and measured.

“She was strict. I felt like I was learning a lot from her, though.” He answered honestly,
remaining at attention next to Mike.

“And Captain Zacharias?”

“He’s been teaching me a lot, sir.”

“Good.” Erwin glanced down at Levi as he walked past him. Their eyes met.

“Jean, what’s your opinion of how Alphas and omegas from Eldia have been treated?” Levi
asked, cutting right to a hard question. Erwin turned and watched Jean’s face pale just
slightly.

“I… I think we’ve been treated fairly and…”

“Bullshit.” Levi snapped. The other male jumped, looking shocked. “Please. We both know
it’s a joke. Breed breed breed.” Levi rolled his eyes. “That’s what they really want from you,
isn’t it?”

“Well… that’s… I mean…” After a second, Jean took a deep breath and stood up a little
straighter. “That is what the family wants from me. They want me to breed with their
daughters and… I don’t want to.” He added, looking nervous about his confession.

“Do you think the others from our country want to breed or be bred?” Levi pressed.

“No.”

“Do you wish you could do something to help them.”

“…yes.” He answered and Erwin saw the young man’s eyes dart to him for just a second
before looking away again.
“And you’re saying that in front of your Marleyan Captain and Commander?” Erwin asked,
lifting a brow.

“I’m answering truthfully, sir. Even if I’m now part of Marley, if I could have helped my
people to avoid this fate, I would have done it. I believe most Eldians would feel the same
way after being completely overtaken by another country.” Jean said, his honesty refreshing.
“I’m not being asked to betray you, sir. Just how I feel.”

“And if someone asked you to act on those feelings?” Levi asked him.

“How do you want me to answer that.” Jean sounded strained now. Erwin could just imagine
the confusion and pressure he was feeling.

“I want you to be honest.” Erwin said and turned to face him. He leaned backwards, resting
his backside and hands on his desk. “If someone were to ask you to help Eldian Alphas and
omegas to escape the country to save them from this fate, would you be willing to help
them?”

The room was tense. The four of them were now silent. Mike remained standing at Jean’s
side, his arms now crossed over his chest. Levi was lounging on the sofa, looking
comfortable. The only one among them who seemed on edge was Jean, and with good
reason. The Alpha was being asked a question that, from the outside, looked like an
accusation. If he were to answer wrong, it could be his very life on the line. But, inside those
light eyes, there was curiosity. It was bubbling just below the surface. Erwin could see the
sparks of something more. This young man, ripped from his home and his family… he
wanted to do more. That much was very clear. The question was, would he be willing to take
the risk and answer them with truth or with what he thought they wanted to hear?

“If I were given the chance to save people. I would do it, sir.” Jean said, standing firm. “I’ve
watched my people be abused, raped, and suffer since the moment I got here. The only reason
I’ve avoided it is because I’ve played along. But… I don’t want to see my people harmed. If I
could stand up for them and make a difference, I would. Given my situation, it’s just not
something I can do.” His voice was filled with a confidence that wavered only slightly. As he
spoke, he looked right at Erwin, never turning away. This was the voice of a man who knew
what he wanted to do but felt helpless to do it. The Alpha found himself smiling.

“Very good.” He said and looked down at Levi.

“Let’s say there were people who could give you that chance… even if it risked your life and
safety here… would you help?” The omega asked.

“…I guess if this is a test, I’m failing, huh?” Jean asked and sighed.

“I’m asking you a question.” Levi said, his sharp silver eyes on the other. “Would you help?”

“Yes.” Jean said, no hesitation this time.

“Even if there was a chance you’d be executed if caught?” Mike asked, drawing those light-
colored eyes up to him.
“Yes, sir.”

“Such loyalty.” Erwin said, the smile still on his face.

“Why?” Levi asked, surprising him. Erwin glanced over to his mate, watching the smaller
male closely. “Why be loyal to your people? No one is trying to save you. Why save them?”

“Because they’re afraid.” His answer came so naturally that it seemed to stun them all. “I see
it every day when I’m on patrol. Our people are terrified, Levi. They are trapped here, being
used like livestock. None of them even know how to help. Some of them have kids to think
about or are already pregnant with those asshole’s children. Someone has to be strong for
them, right? If I could be that person, I want to be.”

“You can help them.” Erwin cut in. “Not all of us are assholes.” He chuckled and walked
around his desk to sit back down. “Jean, there are people in this country who do not agree
with the treatment of Alphas and omegas. People who want to help them escape their fates
here. But they risk a lot to do that.” He interlocked his fingers under his chin and just stared
at the younger Alpha. “If I were to offer you the chance to begin helping your people, it
would be quite a risk. Every time an omega or an Alpha escapes Marley, we’re all at risk of
getting caught. Each time, the risk grows.”

“Are you… telling me that you’re the one getting them out?” He asked, his eyes widening
some.

“Not just him.” Levi pointed out.

“I want in! Uh… sir.” He said and cleared his throat. “I want to help.”

“And what if this was all to test your loyalty?” Mike asked.

“Then I guess I failed. Too late to take it all back, now.” Jean answered quickly, glancing at
the much taller man. Mike leaned closer and sniffed before leaning back up.

“I pulled you from Captain Leonhart’s squad because I needed someone to work the docks
for me and Levi was confident that you would be willing to join us. I trust his judgement. I
don’t want to be let down.”

“The docks? What do I need to do?”

“We run a lot of refugees through there and we need eyes on the ships. There are some that
can be used… others that would turn us in. If you’re there working each day, you might be
able to build relationships with the sailors… see where they stand on all this. Do you
understand?” He asked. Jean was already nodding.

“I can do that, sir.”

“Good. Glad to hear it. You understand, of course, that this is not something that you can ever
discuss with anyone. Not without my permission, first.” He added and the young man nodded
once more.
“Yes, sir. I’ll do whatever you say, just let me help.”

“You’ll be able to help, don’t worry.”

Things with Jean went better than he could have hoped. The young man was bold and
forward about his feelings. When offered a single opportunity just to speak for himself, he
opened right up. His dedication to helping his people was admirable. He would be an asset;
Erwin was sure of it. The soldier was sent back with Mike to carry on his current duties. They
wouldn’t put him on the docks immediately. First, Mike would work with him on how things
went in the Scouts. He needed a lot more understanding before he could be trusted with
anything important. There was time for that. Getting him involved was the first step and
they’d taken it. Now, all they had to do was get him ready for the parts that would come next.
After they left, Erwin relented to Levi cleaning his office. He went through all the reports,
checking them each over. As he did so, Levi bustled around the room. He opened the
windows and dusted every nook and cranny. At one point, Erwin looked up and found his
mate pulling the books off the shelf. He was wiping them all down before gently placing
them back into their spots. The omega looked so perfect content with this job that he looked
rather cute. He’d pulled his hair back into a pale colored bandana and had one over his nose
as well to keep the dust out. Little by little, he was cleaning his way across the room.
When he got to the desk, he made Erwin move to the armchair area that he’d already cleaned.
The Alpha gathered up his current papers and moved without argument. Levi was in his
cleaning mode, and nothing was going to knock him out of it. Erwin just let himself get
shifted about the room while his mate cleaned around him. Hours passed that way, seeming to
flow by without slowing. When he was returned to his desk, he was deep into the full report
about Rod Reiss. Levi moved around him, arranging all the messy piles on his desk. He
stacked them up and got them looking much neater and more orderly. After a moment, he
realized that all movement had stopped. Erwin glanced over and found Levi standing next to
him, those silver eyes on him. For a moment, he thought that he’d been asked something and
scrambled to try and think. No, surely, he would have heard him if he spoke…

“What did I miss?” Erwin finally asked, giving up trying to figure it out on his own. Instead
of answering right away, Levi placed his palms on the Alpha’s thighs and leaned in. Suddenly
their mouths met, and he was receiving a very needy kiss from his mate. “Mmmm what’s that
for?” He purred and tried to grab at the bandana on the other’s head. Levi stopped him and
pulled his hand back.

“There’s just one thing I have to clean up before I’m done.” He said and his fingers moved
down, working open Erwin’s belt.

“Levi…” He said and caught his hands, stopping him. “What are you doing? It’s the middle
of the day and we’re in my office. Where is this coming from?”

“Do I really need a reason?” He asked, staring at him with eyes that were burning into him.

“It’s just… this came out of nowhere…”

“Are you asking me to stop?”

“…No.”
“Then hush.” Levi pulled his hands free and went back to his work. Erwin swallowed hard
and glanced towards the door.

Sure, Levi had said something about this before, but he assumed it was just in the heat of the
moment. He never imagined his mate actually wanting to fool around in public like this. And
where was this coming from, all of a sudden? Surely, he was tired from all that cleaning…
The omega kissed him again before dropping down onto his knees right there in front of his
chair. Before he knew it, his cock was out, and those delicate fingers were sliding up and
down over his length. The Alpha let out a breathy sound of need and dropped his head back
against his chair. He gripped the armrests and just let his mate do as he pleased. And Levi
certainly did just that.
Butterflies filled his stomach as he felt the heat of Levi’s tongue on his shaft. It moved slowly
up to the tip and them circled around him. This continued all over, up and down over him.
Levi was using that petite tongue to cover every inch of him. It was becoming more and more
frustrating with each passing second. Just as he was about to say something, it finally came.
Those lips closed around the head and down they went. He groaned in relief, not even
bothering to hold it back. One small hand was wrapped around the rest of his length while the
other smoothed against his thigh. Whatever had gotten into Levi, he was not going to
question it any further.

“Levi… baby… this slow pace…” He practically whined out the words. The omega was
moving impossibly slow, giving him just enough to work him up but not enough to get
anywhere. It was torture.

The omega only hummed, which caused sweet vibrations to rumble against his flesh. Erwin
groaned again and placed a hand at the back of his mate’s head. When he gave an
experimental push, Levi did not fight back. Intrigued, he brought both hands up. Tugging the
cloth from his hair, he then replaced it with his hands. Little by little, he started moving
Levi’s head, making him take more in and move faster. And the omega allowed it. There was
something very sexy about being in control like this. He loved that he could hold the other’s
head and start to thrust against his willing mouth.
Only once did Levi gag. Erwin then knew where the line was and did not cross it again. He
thrust into his mouth, panting heavily with each pass of those soft lips. It felt like heaven. Of
course, he’d much rather be pounding into his lover, shooting himself deep inside him. The
Alpha growled and then he was pulling Levi right off his cock. Before the other could ask
any questions, he was pulling him up and shoving him front down over the desk. Levi said
nothing as the man jerked his pants down around his knees.
When he touched him, he found his mate totally soaked with slick. It sent a shiver through
his entire body. Levi was breathing hard and spreading his legs as much as he could with his
pants in the way. Not nothing with anything more, Erwin rubbed the head of his cock against
the other. Then, he pushed his hips forward. His cock slid in with little resistance. Apparently,
Levi was much more worked up than he’d realized. His body opened right up for the Alpha,
letting him in deep with just one thrust.

“God… you feel amazing.” He growled and placed his hands on the desk to either side of the
other. Levi was squirming under him within seconds.
“Shut up and… move…” He whined. Every time he heard his mate so desperate, it just
turned him on more.

Not waiting even a second longer, Erwin started moving. He pulled his hips back before
snapping them forward. Levi’s fingers were digging into the desk and eventually, he reached
up and grabbed the edge. With his new leverage, they really started moving. Erwin began
slamming into him, pounding the omega right into the wood. Levi whined and moaned,
though seemed to be holding back his sounds. Considering where they were, Erwin did not
complain. He just kept moving, kept chasing that incredible feeling of being sucked in by a
hot, willing body.
Something about this was just so incredibly attractive to him. They were on base, in his
office. Anyone could come knocking at any time. There was so much risk and he found
himself loving it. What would they do if Mike or someone came strolling in? Erwin thought
about it, and he was even more aroused. He wanted to just keep fucking Levi, to show
anyone and everyone that this was his omega, that this man belonged to him. Only he could
touch him, fuck him, breed him. With all these thoughts circling in his head, he didn’t realize
just how much he was working himself up.
His cock was swelling more and more with each thrust, but Erwin didn’t care. He only cared
about the pleasure that he was chasing. Levi was moaning out his name, loud enough that
surely at least his secretary could hear it. But neither of them attempted to slow and silence
themselves. When he was closed, he breathed out a heated warning to Levi that he was about
to cum. The omega begged him for it, wanting to be filled. And that was all it took. He was
pushed right over the edge and suddenly he was knotting inside the other, locking them
together and pouring his seed out. It didn’t matter that Levi was already pregnant, all his wild
thoughts had driven him right into a breeding frenzy and his body reacted to it.
Levi cried out in something mixed between pain and pleasure. He couldn’t tell and there
wasn’t much he could do about it at that point. His knot was shoved all the way inside,
locked in by Levi’s body reacting to it. They were entirely locked in place, unable to pull
apart. Breathing hard, he leaned over the other and panted against his neck. The omega was
shivering and breathing just as heavily beneath him. For a long time, they just stayed like
that, totally caught up in their pleasure. Eventually, Erwin lifted himself enough to look down
at the other.

“Did you… cum?” he asked, swallowing hard. After a few seconds, Levi shook his head and
the Alpha’s eyes went wide. “Shit…” he felt guilty. He’d bee so caught up in his own orgasm
that he hadn’t even thought to touch Levi or move to let him touch himself. “Let’s take care
of that…” he said and wrapped his arms around his mate. He pulled him back and then sat
into the chair, Levi planted on his lap. It wasn’t like he had any choice. Feeling the omega
press down over him, driving him just a little deeper, it felt amazing, and he had to take a
second just to grind them together. That seemed to be something the other liked because Levi
pressed his hands on to the armrests and started to move his hips. “You like that?” He asked
and smirked. The omega just nodded.

Reaching around him, Erwin wrapped his fingers around his mate’s leaking cock and started
to stroke him. The second he did, Levi moaned louder and spread his legs more. His hips
rocked, grinding hard over his lap. Each time they moved, more of his release spilled out
inside the other. He could feel some of it starting to leak out and drip over his thighs and
down into his chair. He’d deal with that later. Right now, he just wanted Levi to cum for him.
So, he stroked faster. His thumb teased the head every now and then, rubbing into that clear
fluid. Levi was squirming and rocking against him, unable to hold still even if he wanted to,
it seemed.
The omega laid back against his chest, his head dropping backwards onto his shoulder. Erwin
moved his free hand up the other’s chest, teasing his nipples through the shirt. Levi’s fingers
reached back to lace through his hand, his other hand following Erwin’s over his chest. This
was the most erotic thing he’d ever been part of with his mate. If someone walked in right
then, they’d have a full-frontal view of him buried into the omega while he came apart on his
lap.
It didn’t take long before Levi was crying out and releasing as well. The omega rocked in his
lap, his length shooting out thin ropes of his own mess. It covered Erwin’s fingers and the
omegas shirt but neither of them seemed worried about that. Erwin kept stroking the other
until Levi’s hand came to stop him. His mate was shaking and panting heavily, his body a
total mess now. They were both covered in sweat and their own fluids, moaning and
breathing hard together.

“You… knotted me…” Levi said in a heated tone.

“Sorry about that.” Erwin chuckled softly.

“I’m already… pregnant, you know…” At his words, Erwin lowered his hand to gently rest it
over his mate’s stomach.

“Mmm, I know.” He purred and started kissing over his neck slowly.

“We’re going to end up with so many kids…”

“Can’t control yourself around me?” He asked.

“…it’s you that… can’t control yourself around me…” Levi countered.

“You’re right. I won’t deny it.” He whispered and nibbled at the other’s ear. “You turn me on
so much, Levi. You make me want to fill you over and over until you can’t take another
drop.” He growled, feeling just slightly possessive. “I want everyone to see you dripping with
my seed…so they know you’re mine…”

“Fuck, Erwin… you’re going to… get us going again.” He whined. The Alpha casually
started stroking his soft cock again.

“Then we’ll go again. And again. And again.” He said and smirked as his mate squirmed
more in his lap. “Would you complain?”

“Never…”
 A Thought Truth
Chapter Summary

Levi and Hanji discuss Levi's feelings and Erwin.

Chapter Notes

This chapter is waaaay shorter than my other ones but I decided to start putting out
smaller ones. Writing longer chapters takes me a long time and it kinda makes me feel
tense about getting it done. So, I'm gonna go back to the quicker, shorter ones!

“He said what?” Levi had been on the sofa, reading one of the books the doctor had
recommended on omega pregnancy. It was not a thrilling read but it was informative. His
little reading session had been interrupted by Erwin walking in, Hanji close behind.

“He said that the MPs are running patrol drills in most of the neighborhoods. I guess all this
stuff with Rod made people paranoid and they want to feel safe.” She said, waving her hands
dramatically. “It was in the paper this morning and guy on the inside confirmed it.”

“This could complicate our future movements.” Erwin muttered and sat down in an armchair
across from where the omega had been laying. He sat up and placed his book on the table,
watching them both. “Nile will do what he has to in order to appease the Nobles. He knows
as well as I do that pissing them off can be dangerous for a regiment.”

“Is there anyway to get around them?” She asked, frowning and sitting down next to Levi.

“We’ll have to watch them and see if they move in patterns. Drills implies that he’ll be
working on formations and routes. That could make them alter their movements every so
often, thus making it quite hard for us to track.” The man sighed and rubbed his bridge.

“You’re not currently in any kind of war now that Eldia has fallen. Why not offer to have
your soldiers pick up some of the areas that you need?” Levi suggested and the other two
looked over at him. “There are a lot of Noble areas, right? You could just suggest that your
soldiers do some patrols as well, to keep them sharp or whatever.”

“It’s not a bad idea, Erwin.” Hanji quickly agreed.

“True…” The Alpha took a breath and stared off for a moment. “Nile isn’t a fan of accepting
help when it comes to things like this… but Zackley would appreciate my offering to help
and even more so, my desire to keep my soldiers active between campaigns…”

Levi didn’t really have a mind for military tactics, but he was slowly picking things up from
Erwin, the more time he spent around the man. There were often discussions going on in the
house about not only the activities of his official soldiers but also the Scouts that he
controlled under the surface. Levi was gathering more and more about how it all worked. Or
at least, about how it all worked with Erwin in charge. This one seemed a bit obvious to him.
The Alpha was always finding ways to get his people into other parties that he needed to
keep an eye on. This could be no different. He needed some areas clear to move through…
why not be the one in charge of the patrols in those areas?

“I’ll speak to the premier in the morning when we have our meeting.” Erwin smiled warmly
at the omega and then stood up. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of his
head. “Thank you, Levi. I need to go and finish arranging for the girls to head out. It’s best
we get that out of the way before the actual patrols start.” He started to walk away but Levi
quickly stood up.

“Did you talk to that man about Mikasa?”

“Ah yes.” He turned around and faced him once more. “I did manage to speak to him after
our little private meeting in my office.” He said, smirking. Levi rolled his eyes. He’d ended
up cleaning the Commander’s desk and chair thoroughly while he attended to other things.
Apparently, that had been one of them. “As I expected, he’s quite ready to be rid of her. Of
course, he still wants what he considers a fair amount for her…”

“Too much?”

“Not at all. Mike and I have collected funds over the years that we use for things like this.
Unfortunately, not all of our targets can be removed by stealth or deception. Sometimes we
just have to outright buy them and free them that way.”

“Doesn’t that draw attention to you when those people disappear?” He asked, crossing his
arms over his chest.

“Normally, we don’t make the purchases ourselves. We have people who aren’t from Marley
do it. Travelers, merchants, and so on. They come though, acting as though they are looking
for a breeder, a servant, so on. They make the buy for us, then we make sure they are safe and
prepared to travel. The trader walks them right out of the country.” Erwin explained.

“And with Mikasa?”

“I had to handle her situation myself… so she’ll have to stay here with us until I can figure
out a way to get her out. Since she already has a reputation of being trouble and she’s a beta,
it won’t be hard. I’ll just say I sold her off to a merchant because I couldn’t deal with her.” He
shrugged. “Then we send her off to freedom.”

“She’s just a kid…”

“Levi…” Erwin smiled and stared at him for a moment. “I told you before, this is your
movement. You wanted her and I’m going to get her. What happens after that, you and she
may decide. If she wants to stay with you because you are family, then she is more than
welcome here in our home. If you’d like her to stay until she’s older, that’s also fine. I will let
you both decide what is best.”

“So, when can we get her? I don’t want her to end up getting killed. Sounds like she’s too
much like me.” He said, shaking his head. He’d also made an impression when he first
arrived here.

“I told him that I would be having someone bring the money to him. He’ll be transporting her
here as soon as it arrives. Perhaps… a couple of days at most.”

“Okay.” He said and let out a breath. “Good. I don’t want the brat getting herself killed
because of a quick tongue or something.” He mumbled.

“She certainly comes from your blood line. Just hearing him talk about her, it was just like
you when you first came here. A snarky, mean little thing.”

“Only when I first came here?”

“Oh god, you’re still like that.” Hanji butted in, throwing her arm around his shoulders. He’d
almost forgotten that she’d been in the room. “If we’re going to have two of you Ackermans
here, we might be in trouble.” She teased.

“Three.” Erwin pointed out and smiled.

“Right! Levi is so skinny; I keep forgetting there’s a little bun in his oven!” She laughed and
went to rub his stomach, but he caught her hand and only released it when she whined
enough about how much it hurt. “Sorry sorry!” She pouted and held her hand.

“We’re not talking about my body. Got it?” He said and she nodded quickly. Hanji was oddly
interested in his body. She asked a lot of questions at random times. Usually, he ignored her
or gave her vague answers.

“Behave, you two. I have work to do.” Erwin said, clearly amused. “I’m going to get to it.
Let Historia and Ymir know that I’ll likely be moving them out by the end of the week. I’m
sure they are more than ready to be out of here.”

Erwin turned away and they watched as he ascended the stairs. Then Hanji was bouncing past
him, heading for the kitchen. Levi, with nothing more to do, decided to follow after her. She
was getting down some tea but when he saw which leaves she selected, he sighed and
snatched the tin right out of her hands. Normally, Moblit did this part, and he was very well
versed in different kinds of tea and when they should be made. Hanji, clearly, was not.

“You don’t make that kind during this time of the day.” He said calmly and placed them back
on the shelf. Luckily, they’d been on a lower one.
“Huh? Why?” She asked, confused but not arguing with him as he grabbed a different kind
and handed it to her.

“There are some that are for mornings, some for afternoons, and some for evening. There are
also some for different events, seasons, and all that. Moblit knows.” Hanji stared down at the
tin while he spoke and then looked back at him.

“I knew you liked tea, but I never knew you were so well versed in it.”

“Where I come from, it was much easier to get tea leaves than coffee beans. Most people
grew them at home. Of course, the fancy kind only ever came through by traveling merchant.
I bought them every time I could afford to.”

“Who taught you about all this tea stuff?”

“When I was growing up, this merchant would come through each spring. He always brought
his son. The boy was around my age and knew more than you can imagine about tea because
that was his father’s primary product. It was all he could talk about, and I was the only kid
who wanted to listen to him when he started going on about it.”

“Aw, was he your friend?” She teased, poking at him after the water was put on.

“I guess so…” he mumbled and looked away. “They came to the village for years. I always
looked forward to it.”

“Oooooh, I see! Baby Levi had a crush on the tea merchant’s son!” She said, that wide grin
appearing on her face. He blushed, wanting to smack the look right off.

“It wasn’t like that.”

“Levi, you know it’s okay to feel stuff, right? I mean, having a crush is a totally normal thing!
And given how much you love your tea; it really makes a lot of sense.”

“I didn’t like him like that. I’ve never liked anyone like that.” He huffed, folding his arms
over his chest.

“Come on, that’s not true. You like Erwin like that, don’t you?”

“I…” Levi took a deep breath, feeling even more heat in his cheeks. “That’s none of your
business.”

“Psh, you’re all over him all the time now. You can’t hide it.”

“Physical affection and needs is not the same thing as feeling something for someone.” He
growled back.

“So you just want to be physical with Erwin?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“It was kind of implied by your words…”

“I don’t just want to hang all over Erwin.”

“Then you care about him?”

“I didn’t say that either.”

“So, you don’t?”

“I do!”

“Was that so hard?” She asked with a laugh and went to check the water. Levi just stood
there, confused about what just happened.

“Wait… did you just…”

“Get you to admit that you feel something more for Erwin than mate-driven lust? Yes.” She
said in a perky, pleased-with-herself voice.

“…Don’t say shit to him about any of this.”

“Why? You don’t want him to know that you actually like him?”

“I mean it, Hanji. Nothing about the tea boy, nothing about feelings, none of it.” He said,
pointing at her. She looked over at him, grinning like a devious little kitten.

“Fine fine fine. I won’t say anything to Erwin about your childhood crush or your totally
obvious feelings.”

“They are not totally obvious.”

“You’re blind, Levi. You don’t see it but everyone else in this house does. You’re not even
close to the same as you were when you came here. You kept him at more than arm’s length.
You were mean and withdrawn… you’re none of those things now. You guys think we don’t
see you kissing in the hallways or how Erwin strokes your hand on the table during meals…
and hell, you guys gravitate towards each other like magnets. It’s nothing to be ashamed of,
you know. You’re a true pair. It’s okay to love each other.”

The omega watched as she got down their cups and other things. Her words were circling in
his mind. It was okay to love each other. They had talked about some of this stuff, but Levi
was still holding himself back. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about Erwin… it was that he still
had a bit of a block that formed when those things came up. Erwin was his captor, there was
no question about that. And Levi felt like he was betraying everyone when he let his feelings
for the Commander start to drift anywhere more serious. It was foolish and he knew that…
but he could not make himself stop feeling that way. It felt like he’d lose himself if he ever
really let himself be in love with his mate.
He was already marked. There was no going back for him. Erwin could abandon him, take a
lover, even have another mate if he wanted. But Levi could never be with anyone else by
choice ever again. He was marked for one man for the rest of his life. He’d heard some
people say that an omega could move on if the Alpha died… but even if Erwin abandoned
him, he’d be stuck as he was. It was a terrible and terrifying thought. But when he thought
about the man, himself… a warmth spread through him. The vibrant, perfect smile and those
sky-blue eyes appeared in his mind’s eye. Erwin did not inspire any worry or negativity in his
mind any longer. He didn’t see him as the Commander who took his country over. He saw
him as his mate… his partner… someone that treated him like an equal and someone worthy
of love. Maybe that was even more terrifying.

“Hello?” Levi snapped back into reality as Hanji stood in front of him with a tray of tea all
made up. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. Sorry, I was thinking about something.” He said and moved to go sit at the dining table.

“About Eeeerwin!?”

“I really want to just hit you sometimes.”

“Please don’t.” She huffed. “I just wish you’d lighten up about him. He’s the most loving
person in the world when he has something he actually cares about. He’d give you everything
he possibly could if you asked for it, you know.” She said, setting their cups out. “Seriously.
You and that baby will never want for anything.”

“I don’t want him to take care of us or give us anything.”

“Then what do you want?”

“…well…” Levi hesitated. Any other omega in his position would be perfectly happy. A
powerful, attractive Alpha who loved them and wanted to take care of them? That was the
dream. Erwin had looks, he had status, he had control of Marley’s army, he had the money to
do what he wanted… he really was a catch. But Levi didn’t give a damn about all that shit. “I
just… I wish I could go home and live my life as I was… with him.” He admitted. “I mean, I
was happy in my small village with the people I grew up with. I wish I could show all that to
my kid. But it’s all gone. I don’t want to run away from him or anything. When I picture my
future, he’s always in it. But like, I never saw myself being a stay-at-home parent in some big
fancy house.”

“Maybe someday, you two can move somewhere else?” She suggested. “You know, like…
Erwin could retire or something and you could have a farm again.”

“Erwin isn’t going to retire.” He found himself saying, a slight hurt to his voice. “Even if he
stops working within the military. We both know that he’s not the type of man to give up on
the Scouts.”

“He could pass the reigns down to someone else…” She suggested.

“But would he?” Levi rubbed at his eyes. “This was my fear, Hanji. That I… or the kid and
I… would get in his way. That he’d feel pressured to stop doing things because of us
eventually. I don’t want him to change who he is just to make me happy.”
“What if he wants that?”

They looked at each other from across the table. What if he wanted that? Levi thought about
it for a moment. If one day, Erwin actually wanted to stop all his work and settle, would that
be okay? Levi just couldn’t imagine him every doing that. It was hard to see Erwin as anyone
but the charismatic Commander that had his control over everything. He was made for this
role that he had settled into. A Commander in the military, a cunning underground leader…
that was just who he was. And to imagine him changing himself to be something softer? No,
it was just not adding up in his head. Erwin would probably be a good father and of course, a
good mate, but Levi could not see him giving up everything else for those titles.

“I don’t think he’ll ever really want that. It’s not who he is.”

Instead of pushing more, Hanji just stared at him for a moment. Her expression was a sad
one. She looked down into her cup of tea and then sipped it, saying nothing. That was
certainly new. There was almost nothing that made her speechless. Yet here they were, sitting
in silence. Maybe she understood what all that meant for Levi. He’d never have a normal
family, he’d probably do a lot of parenting alone, and there was a good chance that
someday… he’d be doing it entirely on his own. Those words didn’t need to be spoken. It
was just a truth that they both recognized.

Erwin Smith could not change who he was and Levi would not attempt to do it for him.
 Baby Bird
Chapter Summary

Mikasa finally arrives and adjusts to life in the Smith household.

This started to get a little hectic in the house. Ymir and Historia were packed up and anxious
about their upcoming travels. It seemed like they’d been impatient before, but now that the
time was finally arriving, they were afraid. Levi couldn’t blame them. He knew what it was
like to sneak under the radar of soldiers and to try and escape capture. He hadn’t had a group
like the Scouts or a man like Erwin to look over him. They would be fine; he was sure of.
Besides, he had other things to worry about. Erwin was bringing Mikasa home.
Moblit and Petra had taken the bedroom that had been Levi’s and converted it to a slightly
more feminine environment. It was more teenage girl friendly. They’d asked him about it
first, of course. Since he was always with Erwin, he really didn’t care. It only took one trip to
move his clothes into the master bedroom. Once that was finished up, they set about making
a nice big lunch for everyone to welcome her into the house. Of course, Hanji was thrilled to
have someone who might be like Levi coming into the house. She still asked him a lot of
strange questions.
It was a decently warm day, with nothing but crisp sunshine outside. Petra had opened the
windows to finally let some air into the place. Levi sat on the stairs, impatiently waiting. It
wasn’t that he was really looking forward to having her there. It was more that he was
nervous something would go wrong for her or for Erwin. His elbows rested on his knees and
his eyes were glued on the door. The other people in the house had walked by a few times,
but apparently the look on his face was just enough to keep them from stopping to talk to
him. That was fine by him.
When he heard the sounds of horses outside, Levi stood up and stepped down to the floor. A
few moments later, the door opened, and Erwin stepped inside. He immediately stepped just
to the side then a very thin girl walked into the house. She was shorter than Levi, but her
features were stunningly similar. Jet black hair hung around her pale face. Her eyes were just
a little grayer than his own, but the shape was close to the same. She had the start of angular
features that would come out more as she grew up. Around her neck, she wore a red scarf. It
was far too large for her, but the way she clung to it told him that it wasn’t about the warmth
it provided.

“Here we are.” Erwin said, smiling. The girl just looked around. “Ah.” Erwin shut the door
and then walked over, placing a hand on Levi’s back. “Mikasa Ackerman… I’d like you to
meet Levi Ackerman.” At the mention of his name, her eyes shot to him, and she perked up
just slightly.

“Hey.” He said simply and she gave a little nod.

“Ackerman?” She asked in a small, but confident voice.

“Yeah. My mother and uncle were Ackerman. But I don’t actually know jack about the
family.”

“My dad…” She said back and he nodded. “Why bring me here? Because we’re family?”

“Yeah, I guess. I saw a scared kid who I had a shot at saving.” He shrugged. “So, I tried to.”

“What do you all want me for? I’m not an omega, you know…” She glanced nervous at
Erwin. Clearly, she knew the sorts of things that went on in this country.

“We didn’t bring you here for that, dear.” Erwin said, sighing. “I tried to tell her all this in the
carriage, but I don’t think she was listening.”

“I was listening. I just don’t trust Alphas. Or military men.” There was a bite to her tone this
time.

“I didn’t either. It took them a long damn time to catch me. But I got lucky.” Levi pulled
away from Erwin and walked over to the girl. “This Alpha military man is a good one. He
helps people like me and like you. When I saw you and found out we were family, I went to
him and told him I needed to help you. He didn’t hesitate. He made it happen. Now you’re
here, with us. You’re safe.” Levi explained.

“Am I… a servant?” She asked, relaxing just slightly. The tension seemed to release in her
little shoulders. Levi took that as forward progress.

“No. As far as anyone is concerned. You’re my kid. I’m adopting you. I told blondie that if
anyone asks, I just became fond of you because you look like my mom. Which, isn’t untrue.”
He added and took a deep breath. “You’re out of danger, kid. You can have a life here with
us. You can go to school, learn new things, stop being treated like you’re less than everyone
else just because you’re different.” He knew what it was like. His features got him lots of
unwanted attention. “We’ve got a bedroom upstairs for you, complete with its own
bathroom.”

“We’ve already got clothing and some other things up there for you. However, if you want
anything more, just ask. I’m afraid we only have a maid who could help us buy things for a
young girl. She seemed adamant that you’d like what we have up there.” Erwin added on. “A
meal is being prepared but if you’d like to bathe and change, you’re welcome to. It’s been a
rather rough ride for you.”

“Okay…” She said and Levi turned, gesturing up the stairs. She walked ahead of him as he
turned to follow her. When Erwin did as well, Levi stopped him.

“Maybe just wait down here for a bit.” He suggested and the Alpha gave a knowing nod.

Levi walked Mikasa up to her room. When he opened the door and let her in, he watched as
her gray eyes went very wide. She took a moment to just look over all of it. It was a feeling
he recognized. When he was finally out of his heat and able to think straight, he’d taken a
moment to really draw the whole room in. It was unlike anything he’d ever lived in before.
So spacious and clean. It looks nearly the same as it had before. There were slight
differences. Petra had put some stuffed animals on the bed, a vase of flowers on the bedside
table. He could see she’d left one of the wardrobe doors open to show the clean dresses and
other clothing inside. There were fresh notebooks and other hobby items set on the desk and
shelves. It looked really nice.

“This is mine?” She asked, slowly walking into the space to look around.

“Yep.” He answered and watched her. “I’m guessing you feel as overwhelmed as I did when I
came here for the first time.”

“Did he save you too?” She asked, running her fingers over the bedding.

“Sort of. I raised a little hell with his soldiers. I ended up getting dragged to his office and
when we met…” he shrugged. “We instantly connected. Apparently, we’re a true pair. I’m his
and he’s mine.”

“I didn’t think true pairs were real.”

“Me either. But here we are.”

“Am I really safe here?” She asked, turning to look back at him. “I mean… that last man…
he told me that with my features, men would want me.” The girl took a breath. “I fought so
hard to make them all turn away from me but that man…”

“Erwin.” He filled in.

“Erwin… he didn’t hesitate. He never flinched even when I tried to bite him and hit him. He
just smiled and told me it was going to be okay.”

“Yeah, he’s like that.” Levi said and sighed. He walked over to the bathroom door and
opened it, letting her see that next. “Erwin is the Commander of Marley’s military and a big
perfect Alpha, but he’s a lot more than that. It took me a while to figure it out. There’s no
rush for you to trust him or me. Talking from experience, I think you should give it a try,
though. He helps people, he protects people. I wanted to save you and he only asked the
questions he needed to know in order to get to you. He’s a good man. You’ll see that
eventually. Probably faster than I did.”

“You love him?”

“I…” Levi hesitated. “I do.” He admitted. No harm in saying it to this kid, right?

“It must be easier for you. On the ride over, he told me that you’re his mate, and an omega.
It’s so easy for Alphas and omegas.”

“You love someone.” He gathered and was confirmed when she blushed.

“He’s an Alpha and I’m a beta.”

“So?”
“I don’t want to keep him from his true mate.”

“Kid, listen.” He leaned against the door frame. “A true mate is a one in a million shot. It
doesn’t happen very often. I still can’t really believe it happened to me.” He admitted. “But if
you love someone, you should go for it. If you want, we can talk about all this after lunch. If
we’re supposed to make this parent child relationship work, might as well get started with
boy talk, huh?” He suggested. The smallest hint of a smile appeared on her face, and he
returned it. “Have a bath, check out your new clothes. I’ll be right downstairs if you need
anything at all.”

The girl nodded and Levi left her to it. He shut the bedroom door and made his way back
downstairs. It has seemed like it went too well but Levi sometimes forgot what the presence
of an omega did to people. His scent was naturally calming. And according to the book he’d
been reading, pregnant omegas were even more calming, especially to children. She probably
felt much more relaxed around him. It would take some time for her to get used to
everything, but he hoped that he could at least make it a little easier for her. Trusting Erwin
would take a bit longer. Much like him, Mikasa had been pulled from her former life and
thrust into the dangerous and demanding place that was Marley. Men in uniforms had taken
so much from her… it would be hard to trust one now.

“How is she?” Erwin asked, drawing Levi from his thoughts. He was waiting in the foyer.
His jacket was hung up and his sleeves were rolled up his forearms. He looked really good,
but Levi had to ignore that for now.

“She’s alright. I think she’s still trying to accept that she might really be safe. I know that
feeling all too well.”

“Do you think she’ll adjust? It took me a while to calm her enough to get her into the
carriage. That scumbag gave me some of my money back because she was biting and
scratching so much.” He said and sighed.

“Sounds like she’s got some fire in her.” Levi said and strolled past his mate, heading for the
table, where Moblit was setting out tea for them all. “But yeah, I think she’ll be alright. You
should have seen her eyes when she went into that room. Erwin, I don’t think she’s had the
chance to just be a little girl in a very long time. I mean, I know she’s becoming a teenager
but, she still has all that innocence.” Sitting down, he shrugged. “She does already have a
crush on a boy.”

“We’ve had a teenage daughter for less than an hour and we’re already dealing with boys? I
was not prepared for this.” Erwin laughed, sitting down across from him.

“Maybe you’ll get a preview of what it will be like if we have a girl.”

“My house is currently very full of young women. I think I’ve got quite enough previews,
thank you.” He pointed out, lifting his cup to gently blow across the surface of his tea.

“Thank you for letting me bring her in as our child and not our servant.”
“I really wasn’t sure we’d be able to do that, but I did a little digging. It worked out.” The
blond smiled at him. “Apparently adopting a poor refugee girl is quite a humanitarian move,
according to the Nobles.”

“Oh, so they’re praising you for that, now?” Levi asked, lifting a brow. Erwin chuckled.

“Appears so. I’m not going to complain. If it means they’ll accept Mikasa, then that’s all we
need.”

“True.”

People loved Erwin so much, they were willing to jump on board with everything he did.
Mate and breed with a skinny little Eastern Eldian male? So sweet. Adopt a skinny little
Eastern Eldian girl? How kind. If he shit in their yards, they’d probably praise him for
helping the grass grow. It was funny how all that worked. Levi wasn’t complaining. As long
as the public stayed on Erwin’s side, it kept him that much safer. No one would question him
or believe rumors about him. That would keep him safe when it came to the Scouts. Levi just
had to work on being a better mate when in public. Erwin’s public image was flawless. Levi’s
left something to be desired.

“Where is she!?” Hanji asked, coming out of the back. She was looking all over, her eyes
wide behind her glasses. “I want to meet our new little girl!”

“Hanji, relax. She’s already traumatized enough.” Erwin warned. Levi shook his head as the
woman pouted and dropped down into the seat next to him. “We’re going to have a nice
lunch. You will not bombard her with questions. We want her to feel welcome, not like
another of your experiments.”

“You didn’t stop her from asking me a bunch of dumb shit.” Levi said, narrowing his eyes.

“That’s because I knew you could handle her, dear. Mikasa is just a child.”

“Fair point…”

“Don’t worry.” She batted a hand through the air. “I’ll behave. You’re right. Poor kid has
been through enough.”

“We mean it. Don’t mess with her.” Levi added, his tone more stern.

“Okay okay, mama bear! I’ll leave your cub alone!” She laughed. “That omega mommy side
is showing.”

“Hanji.” Erwin warned, but it was clear he was trying not to laugh as well.

“Screw both of you.” Levi huffed, looking away. There was a slight tint of pink to his cheeks.

Mikasa had just a little trouble adjusting. It wasn’t because she was wild or unruly as her
previous ‘master’ had claimed. It was because the poor thing just didn’t seem to know how to
be in a normal family environment. When they tried to engage her about her past, she didn’t
want to talk about it. Levi suspected that she’d lost her parents earlier than they’d thought,
and maybe she really had no idea what this was all like. Sure, she was tough, but he could see
her flinch when Erwin came into the room or when anyone moved to fast. Once, he even
caught her hand shooting down to her hip. He knew that move well. She’d once carried a
blade there. A kid so young should not have to have reflexes like that. That was just,
unfortunately, the world they lived in.
They all tried to be patient and understanding with her, of course. Levi spent some time
showing her how to make the perfect cup of tea. Petra and Moblit taught her to cook. And
Hanji… well Hanji was over the top, but she did help the girl with her reading and writing.
Erwin had been arranging for her to start attending school. She seemed nervous but excited.
Any time she would start to smile, she would quickly hide it behind a frown or just by pulling
her scarf up over the lower part of her face. It seemed to him that she was scared of letting
herself be content or happy. She likely thought that if she did, someone would come along
and sweep the rug out from under her. It was fair way to feel. He knew so because he had
also felt. Sometimes, he still did.
During the two days before the girls were due to depart, Historia struck up a little friendship
with the dark-haired girl. It worried Levi because they all knew that soon, she’d be gone. He
didn’t want Mikasa to hurt from losing a friend. They read together, talked about things they
liked, and just spent time together. Ymir didn’t seem too fond of it but she’d said nothing.
That was a good thing. Levi was fully prepared to shut her up if she tried. Maybe she could
see that the newcomer did need someone to talk to. Somewhere behind that thick head, he
was sure she had a decent heart.

“I want to learn to fight.” Levi looked up from the laundry he was busy folding while sitting
in the middle of the sitting room floor. He liked doing it, even though Petra always told him
he didn’t have to.

“What?” He asked.

“I want to learn to fight.” Mikasa repeated as she stood close to the entryway. “I… asked
Hanji about you. She said you were an Eldian who survived on your own for years during the
war. She said you were a fighter.”

“Ah…” he said and sighed. “Yeah, I can fight. I had to in order to keep Alphas and soldiers
off my back. Why do you want to be able to fight?” He looked down and continued folding
the towel that had been in his hands.

“To defend myself.”

The answer was simple and maybe anyone else would have questioned her more, but Levi
understood exactly what she was feeling. Maybe she hadn’t been through a war, but she’d
been taken from her family and forced to be someone’s pet. She was sold like a product. The
desire to be able to defend and take care of herself was a natural one. More than anything, it
showed him that she was strong. Most young women would have shut down and given up.
He’d seen it more than once. But this teenager wanted to be able to handle threats instead of
run from him. It was something that made him appreciate her that much more. Maybe it was
an Ackerman thing.

“Alright. I’ll teach you how to fight.” It was that simple. She wanted to learn, and he would
teach her. “I’ll show you how to fight off regular people and soldiers.” Mikasa walked over
and sat down across from him. She started folding things just as he was, mimicking his
patterns.

“Is there a difference?”

“A regular thug off the street is more likely to rush you without a tactic. They think about
power over position. Usually, they go for a punch or a tackle.” He started to explain. “A
soldier is trained in combat. They normally have weapons or some type of thicker attire to
protect themselves. You have to learn how to dodge and remove the weapons and where to
strike to do the most damage without being stopped by their uniform or armor.”

“Can you block a knife?” Asking such a serious question in such an innocent voice, it was
strange to hear.

“You can’t block one with your limbs or body, but you can redirect it. Instead of hitting the
blade, you hit their arm or wrist. Use their momentum against them.”

Mikasa seemed to hang onto every word that he spoke. She asked questions and listened
intently to the answers. This girl had been through more than he’d realized. The story was
never told but her questions gave away a lot. She’d seen fights and watched people die.
Maybe her parents, maybe others. She wanted to know more about hand-to-hand combat than
anything else. Levi had used plenty of guns over the years, but he was best in close quarters.
If she wanted to know more about guns, he’d probably have Erwin help her with that… if
she’d allow it. She was still very nervous around the Alpha and always seemed to slip away
when he arrived home, even leaving her food untouched a few times.

“Can I ask you something?” Levi asked after they’d finished the laundry and were carrying it
all upstairs to put away. The girl looked at him, waiting for the question to come. “You’re a
beta, right? Usually, betas aren’t that scared of Alphas, but you seem to be. Did something
happen?”

“…” She parted her lips but didn’t actually say anything at first. They reached his bedroom
and walked in to set the clothes on the bed. “Not to me.” She finally said. Levi let her take
her time. He picked things up and started hanging them or putting them away in the
wardrobe. “When they came to our house… the soldiers… I came inside and my father was
on the floor, and they were… my mother…” He could hear her voice crack.

“It’s alright. I know what you’re saying.” Levi walked over and very gently, he pulled her
into a loose hug, in case she wanted to pull away. But she didn’t. Mikasa wrapped her arms
around him and pressed her face into his chest. She shook and he knew that tears must have
been falling. His hand pressed into her hair, smoothing it down slowly in an attempt to give
her some comfort. “War is a gritty, horrible thing. Kids and mothers shouldn’t have to go
through it. I’m sorry about your parents.” He whispered. “You’re not alone, though. You
don’t have to be afraid while you’re with us. We’ll never let anything happen to you. I’m not
just talking about me. I mean Erwin too. I know he’s an Alpha and after what you saw…
you’re afraid of people like him, but I hope someday you’ll be able to give him a chance.”

He'd never force her or rush her to accept Erwin. Seeing Alpha soldiers hurting her mother
was something that would be burned into her mind forever. Trusting a man who, on the
outside, looked just like those men… it might never happen. Teaching her to fight might help.
If she felt that she could protect herself, she might be more likely to open up a little bit. Levi
wanted her to like Erwin. Not just because they were supposed to be a family, but because he
knew that Erwin really wanted it. The Alpha was quite used to being liked. It wasn’t that,
though. Erwin cared. About everyone, but this girl was now in their house, and he wanted to
help her in any way he could. Right now, all he could do was give her a safe home and care
for her needs. It would have to be enough until she opened up. That was, if she ever even did
open up.

“I know he’s… good… but he’s… those were his soldiers…” She said, her voice muffled by
his shirt. She was so much like him. It showed through more and more. Levi had made the
same point before, as well.

“You’re right. They were his soldiers… but you know he’s helping Historia and Ymir, right?
Erwin has to play a role. He has to be the harsh Commander so that he can help more people.
If the world thinks he’s Marley’s loyal soldier, then he can work to get people like you and I
out of this shitty place.” Levi tried to explain.

“Why are you still here?” She asked, pulling back just a little to look up at him.

“Because… this is where I belong.” He admitted. “Erwin is my true bond. I need to be with
him, and he needs to be with me. It all sounds like stupid fairytale stuff, but I know it’s real.
And maybe by staying here, I can help him to save more people.”

“Can I help?”

He hesitated to answer that particular question. Mikasa was just a child, really. She was just
entering her adolescence. Letting her know about their activities was dangerous on its own.
But to allow her to actually be part of it? That was something the omega wasn’t sure he was
okay with. At least, not yet. Maybe in a few years, if they were all still here together. Once
she was older, she might be able to help them. For now, he’d have to find ways for her to
assist them without putting her in danger. Giving her a way to help would probably make her
feel better, as well. Purpose could do a lot for a person.

“I’ll talk to Erwin and see what you could help with. It’s his operation.” He said, giving her
an answer, just not a direct one. “If there’s ever anything you want to talk about, you can talk
to me. Okay?” Levi gently brushed some hair away from her face, staring down into those
wet gray eyes that were just so much like his mother’s. Mikasa nodded and then hugged him
again. He never thought of himself as being a parent… and now he was responsible for this
little girl, and he was going to have his own baby. Things were changing more every day.
 Problem Solving
Chapter Summary

Levi and Erwin have a fight over decisions made because of his current condition. They
find ways to deal with their disagreements.

Chapter Notes

NSFW warning. Levi and Erwin are terrible at problem solving, lol.

Bringing Mikasa home seemed to have had a drastic effect on Levi. Erwin noticed it almost
immediately. Levi was more relaxed, seemed more open and approachable. He spent a lot of
time with the girl. She clung to his side as if he really were her parent. It was getting a
preview of what his mate would be like once their own little one arrived. Of course, he just
hoped that the baby wouldn’t flee from him or hide when he came into the room.
Historia and Ymir had left for the border just a few hours ago and they’d finally arrived home
again. Erwin had asked Levi to stay home with Mikasa and the fight had been a fairly bad
one. As they walked back in, he found the house entirely silent and wondered just where the
two Ackerman were. It was very late at this point, and it was possible they’d just gone to bed.
He looked up the stairs and felt Hanji pat him on the back. She gave him a warm, but very
sleep smile and then headed for her quarters. He bid her and Moblit goodnight before heading
up the stairs.
Even though things had gone off without any trouble, Erwin’s mind was plagued by the fight
he and Levi had before he left. The Alpha had everyone meet in the dining room to go over
the plan. When Levi came in, dressed in dark clothes like the rest of them, it had reminded
the blond of his worries about Levi being part of this. In his current state… well it was
selfish, but Erwin didn’t want to risk their child’s life if something were to go wrong. Levi
did not entirely agree. He felt he was more than competent enough to keep himself safe but
since this was just a routine movement, it seemed like they weren’t going to need him
anyway. The omega had the calmest melt down he’d ever seen.
Those silver eyes went cold almost instantly and even after he’d pleaded his case, the
Commander had denied him the option of joining them. Levi had stared at him in a way that
made his heart freeze in his chest. At the time, he’d told himself that there would be time to
apologize and better explain himself later. Now that he was home, he was feeling a little
nervous about that. It had taken a while to earn Levi’s trust and affection. He hoped that
shutting him into the house had not undone any of that work. It wasn’t that he wanted to lock
Levi up, he just wanted to keep him safe.
The bedroom doors were all shut. Mikasa must have been asleep already. He wondered if
Levi was as well. Going to their shared room, he opened the door and stepped inside. There
was a light on by the bed. It illuminated enough of the room for him to come in and see well
enough. Levi was in bed, sitting up against the headboard. He had a book laid out on his
covered lap. He didn’t so much as glance over. Clearly, he was still mad.

“I’m surprised you’re not asleep.” Erwin said as he walked over to sit in the chair by the
wardrobe. Unlacing his boots gave him something to ground himself with.

“How was I supposed to sleep? I had to sit here and hope everything went well without
actually knowing it.” Levi said in a cold, very unhappy voice.

“I told you that it would be fine. Did you not trust me?”

“Why should I?” You clearly don’t trust me.”

“Levi… are we really going to do this?”

“I’m not a child. And I’m not far enough along in this pregnancy to be useless yet. Why can’t
you let me help you while I’m still able to do so?” He snapped, finally turning that icy gaze
on him. Erwin just stared back at him, not flinching.

“You do help. You’ve been helping Historia and Ymir prepare for their journey, you helped
us pack….”

“You know that’s not what I mean, Erwin.” He shut his book and laid on the bedside table.
“You’re sheltering me because you’re worried about the baby. I’m not even showing yet. I
can still do things just the same as I was before.”

“But you don’t have to. I can operate without your assistance.”

“So, I’ll just stay here every time you do this dangerous shit and wait to find out if you’ve
been caught or killed. That sounds very not stressful.” He said in a flat tone. “I’d be more
content if I was out there with you, watching your back.” Levi hissed.

“I won’t put you both in danger.”

“What the hell do you think happens to me… to us… if you get nailed out there? Do you
think your fellows are going to just let us keep living out our lives without consequence? No,
they will raid this house, drag me, Mikasa and everyone else out. We’ll be interrogated,
stripped of everything we have and then you know what? I’ll be sold off to the highest bidder.
Our kid will be taken away from me, Mikasa will be taken away from me. We will all be
alone and abused just like every other woman and omega in this country. At least if I’m out
there with you, I might be able to help in some way to keep us all safe. Sitting at home on my
ass is never going to be my first choice, Erwin.”

He stared at his mate, his mouth hanging slightly open. Levi was right. Of course he was.
Should it come to be known that Commander Smith was behind this underground
organization, Levi and their children would not be safe. It would likely play out exactly as the
omega stated it. They’d be separated and depending on their gender and usefulness, sold off
as servants. It was where Levi would have ended up if they hadn’t found each other. But if he
was out in the field and something went wrong… an accident, anything… Erwin wasn’t sure
he could live with himself.

“I’m sorry, Levi. I’m not changing my mind. We’ve managed to make it this far without you.
Not having you there now isn’t going to change things. You’re safer here.” He finally said,
going back to removing his boots.

“You said I’m your equal, right? That means I can go if I want to.”

“No.” Erwin looked back up, blue eyes locking with Silver. “Damnit, Levi. Why can’t you
make this easy for us both? I do not want you to join us. I want you to stay here. Take care of
Mikasa, take care of yourself and our baby. That’s what I want you to do.” He growled. He
hadn’t meant it to sound like it did… but it was too late to take it back. “…I don’t mean…”

“Stop.” Levi held up his hand, silencing the Alpha. “I get it. I get it. You’re the Alpha, I’m
the omega. My whole job is to let you fuck me, have your babies, and raise them. Rinse and
repeat, right?” His voice was so cold, but Erwin could detect a little hurt in there as well. He
felt so terrible. That wasn’t at all what he was trying to imply but that’s certainly how it came
out.

“That’s not all you are.”

“I’m done talking about this. You were raised in this shitty country, that’s how you all think.
Omegas are only good for one thing. That’s what I’ve heard my whole life. But at least
people in Eldia didn’t force me into it.” He turned and laid on his side, facing away.

“I did not force you into this.” Erwin said, hurt now lacing into his tone. “Levi, I gave you a
choice.”

“No, you didn’t!” He sat back up halfway, leaning on his arm. It was just enough that he
could look over his shoulder to the other man. “You didn’t give me a choice. You’re a public
figure, Erwin. The second the whole world found out about me; the decision was made. I had
no choice but to give you a child. If I didn’t, questions would be asked, and things would be
more complicated for you. I had to get pregnant, whether I wanted to or not!”

“We could have found a way to make it work!” Erwin pulled his shirt off and angrily tossed it
to the ground. “I would have found a way to explain it if anyone asked anything. That’s why I
gave you the option to keep or end the pregnancy. This is not my fault.”

“Oh, so it’s mine? It’s my fault for keeping this baby because I didn’t want you to get in
trouble with your government?”

“Is that the only reason you kept it?” The Alpha snapped and turned to face him. “Did you
just keep this baby because you thought you had to?”

“No, you idiot!” Levi snapped right back. “I kept this baby because it’s part of us and even if
this fucking place is horrible, it deserves the chance to live!” He growled. “I couldn’t kiss
something we made!”
“That’s the exact reason I won’t let you come with us!” Erwin walked over. He stood at the
end of the bed. “I can’t possibly allow the love of my life and my child to be put at risk! Levi,
you know exactly how I feel. You just described it! That child deserves the chance to live,
and I won’t take that from them just because you’re mad that you have to sit out for a few
months!”

They stared at each other, anger and hurt pouring off them both. There was a very thick
tension to the air, and it was so much so, he actually felt like it was harder to breath. Levi
looked furious. There was a fire in those eyes that made him look more like a predator than a
pregnant omega. Erwin had to stop himself from thinking that way. Levi was more than that.
Look at all he’d done… he was more than his gender. Of course, right now, he had other
things to focus on.

“…Fuck you, Erwin.”

“You’re a damn selfish asshole.” He growled back.

Only a few tense seconds passed and then Levi was throwing the blanket off himself. As
Erwin quickly climbed onto the bed, the other was shoving his pajama pants off. The second
they were out of the way, he shoved Levi over, pinning him down against the bed. The Alpha
was on top of him, grinding himself down against his bare ass. The smaller man cursed and
shoved himself back, pushing up against the movements. Erwin squeezed a hand between
them, finding his mate already wet. Apparently, they’d been gotten charged from the heat of
the argument. As wet as Levi was, Erwin was just as hard.
He shoved one finger and then two into the other, finding his body opening up nicely. But
apparently, he was taking too long because Levi was making very irritated, impatient sounds.
This wasn’t some slow, romantic moment. This was emotional and more than anything, it
was a way to deal with everything they were feeling. Was it healthy? He had no idea, and, in
that moment, he did not care. Erwin shoved Levi’s legs apart and worked his pants open.
Without even taking them off, he lined up and without holding back, he shoved himself
inside. Levi cried out and then clamped his hand over his mouth to quickly silence himself.
Erwin gave him only a few seconds before he started to move. He kept Levi pressed down
into the bed as he started to thrust hard and fast into him. Levi whimpered under him, but
never attempted to stop him. One elbow supported him over the other while his free hand
held Levi’s hip. The omega moved and squirmed under him, his body both pushing and
pulling into the thrusts. It was mess, heated, and hard to control for either of them. Erwin
could not hold back, and Levi wasn’t trying to make him.
The whole thing only lasted a few short moments. The Alpha kept pounding into his mate
until he felt those walls closing in on him tighter and tighter. He groaned and shoved his lips
into Levi’s hair. He kissed his head, his ear, the mark on his neck… anywhere that his mouth
could get to. They were panting together, moaning and groaning. His hips slamming into the
smaller body over and over until the tension broke and was cumming inside. He twitched,
falling out of rhythm as he unloaded his entire release deep inside the smaller male. Levi was
breathing hard under him, making soft little sounds that he could not get enough of.
Once he finished, he rolled off him and laid on the bed next to him. The room was silent once
more, aside from their joint heavy breathing. Erwin faced the ceiling, feeling overheated but
at least somewhat relieved. Levi was still facing down, his head turned to the side towards
Erwin. He had his eyes closed and his hands balled into fists, gripping the sheets hard. Erwin
frowned, just watching him for a moment. Before he could say anything, the other pushed
himself up slowly. He moved carefully, almost like he was afraid to do so.

“I’m going to go clean up.” He said and walked around the bed. Erwin followed him the
whole way, not sure what was happening.

“Levi… are you okay?” he asked, still somewhat catching his breath. Glancing over, he
looked down at the bed. There was a very obvious wet spot… so at least Levi had gotten off
with him. But still, why did he fell like he’d done something wrong?

“I’m fine. Just don’t want to sleep with my ass full of your cum.” He mumbled and went into
the bathroom.

“You wanted that, right?” He asked and got up. Erwin followed him into the bathroom. He
took off his pants entirely and tossed them into the hamper. The omega was standing by the
vanity, running water over a cloth. Erwin could see the mess starting to drip down his legs.

“If I didn’t want it, would I have pulled my pants off like that and moaned out your fucking
name?” He hissed. Was Levi still angry? Of course, he was… sex wasn’t going to fix that. It
had just been them losing control of themselves for a moment. That’s all…

“Stop.” Erwin walked up behind him. He wrapped his arms around the other and Levi tried to
shove him back, but he would not let go. “Please, stop.” He said softly. “I’m sorry that my
decision upset you, Levi. I just want to keep you safe. I meant what I said, earlier. You are the
love of my life. You are everything to me. If I lost you, I don’t know what I’d do.” He
admitted, pressing his face in against the other’s shoulder. “I don’t know what I feel for our
baby yet… because I can’t even believe it’s there… but I want to protect you both with
everything I have. Inviting you into a dangerous situation… it just goes against all my
instincts. Please understand. I don’t want to fight with you anymore. If you want help… we’ll
find other ways for you to help.”

“I don’t want to be treated differently, Erwin.” Levi whispered the blond was just relieved
that at least he was saying something back. “That’s always been what I feared… being treated
differently because people know what I am… because I can have a fucking baby… I’m the
same person. No matter what.”

“I’m sorry. I never meant to treat you differently, but obviously I failed at that.”

“Yeah, you did. I’ve never felt so much like an inferior, servant omega in my life, Erwin. You
made me feel like shit.” He said honestly.

“That’s exactly how it sounded but I promise you, that’s not at all what I intended. I was just
trying to get you to stay home with our kids.”

“Our kids?”

“You said you were adopting Mikasa. That makes her our daughter.” He said and ran one
hand down Levi’s body, coming to rest on his stomach. “And this little one.” He added softly
and gently rubbed his hand over that spot. “I really am sorry, Levi. I care so much about you;
it makes me act foolishly.”

“That’s an understatement.” He huffed. “I forgive you… but I’m still pretty mad. And I’m
dripping all over the floor.” He added.

“Here.” He reached past him, taking the damp rag from the sink. Erwin unwrapped himself
from around Levi and then moved just enough that he could bring the cloth down. He gently
rubbed it on the outside of Levi’s entrance, stimulating him and encouraging the mess to keep
coming out. Levi let out a little sound that definitely sounded good. “Are you alright?”

“Yes.” He said a little too quickly. “It just feels strange.” He said and rested his arms on the
vanity. He arched a little, pushing his ass against the Alpha’s hand. “Look… I won’t give you
shit about going on missions again… not until this baby is born.” He said and Erwin watched
him in the mirror. He could see the omega hanging his head, breathing a little harder again.
“But you have to have more faith in me. I can take care of myself.”

“Darling, I know you can take care of yourself. It’s one of the things I adore about you.” He
said and pushed the towel a little hard against him, opening him up. Levi spread his legs
wider. He was trying very hard not to get aroused again.

“So, don’t… shelter me…”

“I didn’t mean to. But you’re right. I was.” He replied. Moving the cloth down, he rubbed it
slowly over Levi’s balls and then up further. He could see that the other was hard, his cock
standing at attention between his spread legs. “Really?” he asked, perking up a brow and
looking into the mirror. Levi looked up and their eyes met.

“Fuck you. You were doing it all slow and shit… you weren’t cleaning me up. You were
trying to finger me.” He mumbled. The Alpha laughed. “Will you… use your mouth?”

The request actually caught him off guard. He wasn’t used to Levi directly asking for things.
Erwin turned him around and kissed him hard before he lifted the smaller male right up onto
the counter. With his height, he was able to get down onto his knees and be at the perfect
height to face Levi’s erection. He lifted the other’s legs up onto his shoulders and leaned in.
Levi gasped beautifully and tangled his fingers into his hair when his lips wrapped around the
head.
Erwin started slow, sliding his lips down the shaft and back up at a lazy pace. Of course, after
a few minutes, Levi was panting and whining. He leaned back, his shoulders and head hitting
the mirror behind him. It seemed like he was unable to hold still. Erwin just kept his eyes
open, staring up at his mate to watch every little reaction that moved over his body. Arching,
panting, lips parted… Levi was gorgeous from this angle. It also occurred to him that every
time they started getting serious in their little talk, they ended up like this. What had gotten
into them?

“Please… faster…” He panted and the Alpha gave him what he wanted. Erwin started to bob
his head more, moving quicker over the whole of his length. Those smooth thighs closed in
more around his head, but he didn’t mind. It wasn’t too tight. Besides, he sort of liked it, if he
were being hones with himself. Levi’s thighs smothering him wasn’t entirely a bad way to go
out. “Oh Erwin…” He gasped and the Alpha shivered. The way he breathed out his name like
that…

Erwin’s hand shot down between his own legs. He grabbed his length and started stroking
fast, matching the timing of his moving lips. Levi was squirming and desperate above but
seeing him in this state was more than enough to encourage the blond to catch up. He moaned
around his mate’s cock, sucking harder. Fingers were tangled roughly in his hair, pulling his
mouth closer each time he came back down. It was clear that Levi was getting closer and
closer. His moans were becoming louder, his movements were erratic… he was begging for
release.
Levi came first. The salty taste of his seed hit Erwin’s tongue before spraying out at the back
of his throat. He moaned and sucked it all up, swallowing thickly around the head of Levi’s
length. The omega was a gasping mess, clawing at Erwin’s head to try and ground himself as
waves of pleasure hit. He kept going until it seemed like Levi might rip his head right off.
Then he was scrambling to his feet. He shoved the other’s legs open wider and kept jerking
himself until he was cumming as well. One hand pressed to the mirror, bracing himself as he
spilled out over Levi’s thigh. He shuttered with the pleasure of it and panted heavily. Levi
was kissing his chest and neck, those fingers ghosting over his chest. When he finally
stopped stroking, he just dropped his hands onto the counter and took a moment to try and
catch his breath yet again.

“Are you okay?” Levi whispered and Erwin nodded.

“You?”

“Mhmm.”

“I’m… truly sorry, Levi.” Erwin breathed out and wrapped his arms around the other,
hugging him close. “I don’t know what I’m doing when it comes to you. It’s all new to me.”
He continued. He felt the other’s smaller arms come up to hug him back.

“It’s okay. I’ll be here to… remind you when you’re… being an asshole.” Levi panted, still so
breathless. “Then we can have make up sex.” He added, earning them both a little laughter.

“I think I’ll let you clean yourself up this time. I can’t be trusted.”

“No, you cannot.” Levi agreed.

Erwin helped the smaller male off the counter and kissed his forehead before turning on the
sink. He washed his face and brushed his teeth before yielding the bathroom to his mate. Levi
ushered him out and shut the door so he could actually get something done without being
distracted. Not feeling like changing the sheets, Erwin laid a towel down over Levi’s wet spot
and then took that side of the bed. He stretched out and stared up at the canopy overhead. His
body was humming with the afterglow of pleasure and the relief of them having made up
after their fight. Sex wasn’t going to solve everything, but it certainly made them both feel
better. Perhaps that was part of being true mates… they needed to maintain that connection. It
was a thought for later, though. His exhausted mind wasn’t ready to get any deeper than that,
at the moment.
When Levi came out, the omega crawled into the bed and instantly curled up against him.
Erwin wrapped his arm around the smaller man and then shut off the lamp on the bedside
table. They were cast into a comfortable darkness. Erwin listened to the soft sound of Levi
breathing. Eventually, it became deeper and more even. The other had fallen asleep. He
smiled and held him a little closer before letting his own eyes shut and his mind drift off.
There was still more to talk about on that sore subject, but they could do that another time.
Right now, he just wanted to be content with the person he loved. One thing at a time.
 Interlocking Paths
Chapter Summary

Erwin deals with one problem after the next, trying to solve them all.

“Thank God you’re awake. I swear to all things holy in this world, if you do not get that
asshole out of this house, so help me, I will burn it down!”

Erwin stood on the steps, his eyes wide. Levi was standing in the foyer, looking up at him.
Those silver eyes looked like boiling mercury, filled with a fury he’d not seen since they first
met. The omega spun on his heel and marched into the dining room, leaving the blond
standing there in utter confusion. Levi’s scent hit him, and it was a dangerous combination of
threat and fear. Taking the last few steps down, he looked into the sitting room and found the
cause of his mate’s anger.

“Christ, Erwin. You need to do something with that thing.” Nile snapped and approached
him.

“How good to see you first thing in the morning. In my house.” Erwin said in a flat tone. He
finished adjusting his tie and then turned, walking towards the dining room. Nile followed.
“To what do we owe this disruptive visit?”

“One of my soldiers intercepted this.” He said and waved a letter in the air. Erwin entered the
kitchen to get himself some coffee, thankful that Levi seemed to have vanished into the
servant’s wing.

“And what exactly is that?”

“A letter sent by your runt!” Nile spat and Erwin gave him a confused look. Surely, he was
not referring to Levi… “That girl you bought. She sent this letter to a Noble household.” He
continued and when Erwin just stared at him, he growled. “She sent it to an Alpha boy that is
spoken for!”

“Ah see, you should have said that from the start.” Erwin plucked the letter from Nile’s hand
and took it with him to the dining table. Setting his coffee down, he took a seat and opened it.
“Let’s see…” he looked it over and then rolled his eyes. “Dearest Eren, it’s been strange not
seeing you every day. My new home isn’t scary like I thought it would be. I wasn’t bought to
be used like you said. They wanted to adopt me. My caretaker is an omega named Levi. He’s
wonderful. I still don’t know about the Commander, though. I’m hoping to start my schooling
soon. Maybe we’ll see each other there. I hope you’re doing well and that you’re having fun
in your new house as well. Talk soon, Mikasa Ackerman.” He looked at Nile. “And what am
I supposed to be upset about? He’s, her friend.”
“He is an Alpha, assigned to a Noble house. He has no business speaking to some low
class…”

“Ah, careful.” The Alpha warned. The other man glared at him.

“He has been given that post in order to help that family with breeding. That is his job, as we
both know. If he starts writing letters back and forth with some girl, it’s going to piss off his
family. Is that what you want?”

“Of course not. But they are merely friends. I’ll have a talk with Mikasa about it and if need
be, I will speak to the family. Mikasa is a beta. It’s hardly like anything is going to happen.”

“Alphas and betas pair up all the time, in case you’ve forgotten in your omega tainted haze.”
Nile growled.

“I am not tainted by my omega. I am strengthened by him. And I know that Alphas and betas
have paired, obviously.” He said and placed the letter on the table. Niles was married to one,
after all. “But Eren has been blessed with the posting of breeding with that house’s omega
daughters. No Alpha is going to choose a beta over an omega. They have nothing to fear.”

“You should tell her to nip this in the bud.” Nile sat down across from him. “You’ve got that
Eldian omega in your head. He’s making you act differently. Now you’re adopting strays?
Why? Can’t have a child of your own?”

“Levi’s pregnant.” He stated and Nile looked at him with wide eyes.

“Since when?”

“Since I took that time off for his heat, I would imagine.”

“Why haven’t you announced it?”

“We wanted to have it confirmed first. Speaking of which… what did you do to upset him so
badly? It’s not good for the baby to have him so stressed.”

“Shit…” He could tell Nile was nervous now. Doing any harm to a pregnancy was punishable
by death in extreme cases. “I might have made a comment to him about you having a
preference for… eastern whores.”

“Oh?” He tensed, anger pooling up in his gut. How dare Nile speak to his mate that way…
and to insinuate that he only bought that poor girl because he wanted to sleep with her? It was
disgusting. “Nile… we’ve known each other since we were children. I stood with you at your
wedding. At exactly what point did you start to see me as the type of monster that purchases
children for sex?”

“I wasn’t really saying…”

“Oh but you were. You looked at my bonded mate and implied to him that I only wanted him
and our new daughter because I was attracted to their features… and that obviously, I wanted
to fuck them both.” He said, his voice dropping to a lower, more threatening tone. Nile was
tense as they stared at one another.

They were both Alphas of the same age but there was no doubt about who would win in a
fight between them. Nile was good with a rifle but when it came to his physical strength, he
lacked in comparison to Erwin. The blond would rip hi to shreds in a bare fisted fight. Surely
Nile knew that he needed to watch his tongue in this situation. It was better that the man told
him on his own. If he’d fought out this from Levi later, he’d be paying him a visit in his
home.

“I was out of line.” Nile finally said, backing down. He looked away, submitting to the
stronger Alpha. Erwin didn’t hide his smirk.

“You were out of line. And next time you see Levi, you’ll apologize to him for your foul
language and gross accusations. I would bring him out now, but I’m sure he’d try to cut your
throat if I did.” He said honestly and Nile looked up, seeming stunned that he’d said such a
thing. “As for this letter, I will handle it and I appreciate you bringing it directly to me. As I
said, I’ll talk to her and to the family. There is no reason they cannot continue to be friends.”

“Right.” Nile stood up, clearly displeased but he said nothing. “I have a carriage out front;
would you like to join me?”

“I think I’ll take my own, thank you. I need to make sure Levi doesn’t burn my house down.”
He said in an amused tone. Nile nodded and stalked off. Tension gave away all his anger, but
Erwin simply did not care. He waited until he heard the sounds of horses leading the carriage
away before he looked over to the hall leading to the servant’s wing. Levi was standing there,
his arms crossed over his chest. “I handled it.”

“Should have punched him.”

“Yes, he deserved that, but it’s not how things work.” Erwin said and turned himself in his
chair to face the other. Levi walked closer, still fuming.

“He’s a sick bastard.”

“Yes, he is. To imply such a thing was uncalled for and incredibly disrespectful.”

“It was kind of nice to see him buckle to you like that, though. No one told me that seeing my
Alpha bitch out another one would be so… attractive…”

“Like that, did you?” He asked, smirking. Levi walked over and Erwin tugged him close. He
kissed him when Levi leaned in closer.

“I did…” He the other purred and then made a face. “Ugh… his smell is killing me.” He
mumbled, paling a little.

“Ah right… that’s probably a side effect of your condition. The scents of other Alphas…”

“Right. Of course.” Levi mumbled and stood up straight again. He waved his hand in front of
his face and then glanced over. Erwin followed his gaze, seeing Mikasa peeking in.
“Come here, little one. We need to have a talk.” Erwin said and Levi went to sit down on the
other side of the table. After a moment, Mikasa walked over and sat down next to the omega.
“Did you write this?” Erwin asked, sliding the letter across the table to her.

“Yes sir.” She answered in a small voice.

“I helped her send it. Why, is something wrong?” Levi asked.

“We just have to be careful about things like this. Her friend now lives with a Noble family.
Much like Jean, he’s been placed there in order to breed…. Receiving letters from a girl
could look bad. I convinced Nile that I was nothing to worry about. Mikasa being a beta
helps the case but…”

“Am I not allowed to see Eren?” The child asked. The Alpha frowned.

“That’s not what I’m saying. We just have to be careful about how you interact with him.
This letter is perfectly fine in my opinion, but I need to talk to Eren’s family before I allowed
you to keep writing to him. It’s ultimately up to them as to whether he can talk to or see you.”

“That’s not fair.”

“No, it’s not. But we in Marley have to follow certain rules. This is one of them… even if it
isn’t fair.” He explained. Mikasa looked up at Levi.

“He’s right.” Levi agreed and that only slightly surprised Erwin a little. He assumed Levi
would be more upset about this. “We have to follow the rules so that no one tries to split us
all up. You don’t want that, right?” He asked.

“No… I want to stay here.” She said in a voice that was so small and so scared, it broke his
heart.

“Mikasa, I’m not letting anything happen to this family.” He said and both sets of gray eyes
turned to him. “I will talk to his family and see what can be done. Until then, can you please
be patient?”

“…Okay…” She said and looked down at her letter. “If you see Eren… will you tell him that
I’m okay?” The Alpha smiled warmly at her.

“Yes, I’ll be sure to let him know. I think they’ll be okay with that much.”

“Go upstairs and put your hair up. I’ll meet you in the garden in a few minutes.” Levi said
and the girl hopped up, rushing off. Erwin gave him a questioning look.

“She asked me to teach her self-defense.”

“Is that the best idea in your condition?”

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to be fighting her. I just want to show her some things. She…”
He looked up, checking to see if Mikasa was there. “She witnessed Alphas attacking her
mother. And after that, plus everything she’s been through, she wants to have some control
over her life and her body. I know that feeling. So, I agreed to teach her how to fight, at least
enough to make it harder for anyone to get their hands on her.”

“I see.” He frowned. “I’m sorry to hear that she went through something so terrible.”

“It was soldiers.” Erwin looked up at him, surprised. “It was Marley soldiers that did it.”

“…our men attacked her family?” He asked, staring at Levi with wide eyes.

“Yes. That’s why she’s keeping her distance from you. You look like the men who did all
that.” Levi explained. Erwin felt his chest tighten.

“I wish there was something I could do. Marching her through the barracks and asking her to
point them out would be more harmful than good, I’m afraid. I can’t be everywhere,
watching every man in this military…”

“It’s not your fault, Erwin. I know I used to blame you for everything Marley did but… it’s
not your fault. Some men are monsters. That won’t ever change.” Levi stood and walked
over. He pressed a soft kiss into his hair and Erwin smiled. “I’m going to go get ready. Don’t
you have an army to parade around or something?” He asked, a slight teasing edge to his
words.

“I do. But I’d rather be here.” He sighed and looked at the other. “I’m going to finish my
coffee and then go finish getting ready. I was ambushed this morning and got off track.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. He really got under my skin with his shit.” Levi grumbled.

“It’s fine. He was wrong to ever say something like that to you. To think it is one thing, but
that was just disrespectful.”

“He needs smacked.”

“If he says something like that again, he will be.”

“Good. I just wish I could be the one doing it.”

“I’ll do it extra hard for you.” Erwin promised and Levi just smirked at him.

“Alright. Fine, I can live with that.” He said and moved to step away. Erwin caught his wrist
and pulled him close for one more kiss, then let him go. The omega only looked a little
flustered as he headed back for the stairs.

With Levi no longer a lovely distraction, Erwin focused on his coffee. He definitely felt like
he needed it after dealing with Nile first thing in the morning. The blond looked down at the
letter Mikasa had written. He knew that she probably had a thing for this boy, but the world
wasn’t a fair place. Whatever chance they might have had went out the window the moment
that boy was given to a Noble family. He doubted he’d be able to convince them to let the
two children write one another. Mikasa would more than likely just be seen as a threat to their
family. They would not see the friendship part, only the threat of a female distracting their
Alpha. They may have paid quite a bit of money for him… he sighed and stood up, taking his
cup to the kitchen to rinse out.
By the time he got the rest of his attire together and headed out to the carriage, Mikasa and
Levi were in the side garden together. He stopped on his way out and watched them for a
moment. The older Ackerman was teaching her to stand properly, how to raise her fists… he
was good at this. The way he adjusted her arms, pushed her feet apart with one of his own, it
was so natural. Maybe he was a soldier in a past life. Whatever it was, Erwin just smiled. It
did make him feel better, knowing that his mate could take care of himself. Of course, he’d
always known that. It was the entire reason they’d met in the first place. Now he was
teaching Mikasa that, and he could only imagine that one day, he’d be teaching their actual
child that as well.

Once he was back on the base, in his office, Erwin put himself back into his Commander
headspace. He couldn’t let his softer side show so much here. There was an image that he had
to maintain. Unfortunately, that didn’t go entirely to his planning. It appeared that upon
arriving back to the city, Nile had decided to let it slip that Levi was pregnant. The moment
he stepped on base, Erwin was congratulated over and over by every person he passed. Of
course, he pleasantly thanked them all. Inside, he was furious all over again. Why would Nile
go and tell everyone this? It should have been him sharing that news. Growling under his
breath, he tried to avoid everyone he could until he’d finally shut himself away.
If the whole base knew, that meant that soon, it was going to get to the public. This sort of
thing would end up in the papers, no doubt. That was not going to make Levi happy. As
private as he wanted to be, seeing his name and condition printed out for the whole of Marley
to see would probably upset him. Another thing to pile onto the list. Just as he was trying to
settle his mind from those worries, there came a knock to the door. If one more person came
in to tell him…

“Erwin?” He looked up and found Mike standing there, half in the doorway.

“Come in.” He said and sighed, leaning back against his chair. “I was just trying to keep
myself from killing Nile.” He admitted.

“Yeah, he’s been telling everyone about how he just found out you two are expecting. I
thought it was odd that he was the one doing it.”

“Well, if you hear him doing it again, knock him on his ass.” Erwin muttered.

“Will do.” Mike stepped all the way inside and shut the door behind himself. Walking over,
he sat down in one of the chairs in front of Erwin’s desk. “I’ve got a report.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Just heard about some young Alpha causing trouble.” Mike started and pulled at his
collar a bit, loosening it. “Apparently, he’s not interested in doing what he was placed there to
do. They really laid into the kid. I saw him outside the place. Black eye, busted lip.”

“How old is he?”

“Maybe Thirteen or fourteen. I guess he presented a few weeks ago and immediately got
requested by some high up family. Apparently, the mother loves his eyes. I don’t know. I’ve
been looking into it. But when he refused to start breeding when their first daughter was
fertile, they knocked him around pretty good.”

This was a fairly common occurrence in their country. Parents of Alphas and omegas knew
that it was entirely possible their child would be ‘called on’ to serve their country. They were
expected to breed for Noble families. Even Nobles were not safe from this rule. It was the
reason Pixis had sent his family away. His son has presented as omega. That meant that one
day, he would end up being taken to another family to help them breed. Often, it was more
than one family. It was a terrible fate and the reason that the Scouts did what they did.
Most of the time, they moved omegas. Alphas were harder to get out. Not because they were
any more difficult, but more because they usually wanted to stay. Of course, there were some
like Jean or this boy that Mike was talking about, that knew this was wrong and wanted
nothing to do with it. Those were the ones they fought harder to help. Alphas and omegas
who fought back and refused to just lay down and take their fate were abused terribly.
Harming them critically was not permitted but reminding them of their place was overlooked.
It was punishment, not abuse, according to their questionable laws.

“What’s his name and placement?” Erwin asked, looking through his pile of documents that
needed to be dealt with.

“Eren Yeager. He’s with the Finger family.”

“Did you say Eren?” Erwin asked, looking up. Wasn’t that the name of the boy Mikasa was
writing to? An Alpha boy named Eren, thirteen or fourteen… was it possible that this was
lining up so perfectly?

“Yeah. He’s the son of that doctor you like.”

“He’s the reason Nile came to my house this morning.”

“What? Why?” They both knew Nile didn’t give a damn about a kid getting beat up.

“Mikasa, the girl I adopted. She wrote Eren a letter and apparently Nile’s men intercepted it
or whatever he claims. It was an innocent letter, but you know how it goes.”

“Weird.”

“Unfortunate.” Erwin corrected. “It’s going to be a little more difficult to get that boy out
with my daughter writing him letters. It’s a frail line but still, one that could lead back to me.”
He said with a sigh.

“Maybe, but we might have help on the inside.” Mike said. The Commander gave him a
questioning look. “The oldest daughter, Pieck. She’s a beta but sort of sickly. Something to
do with her muscles being weak or something. Anyway, I heard that she jumped in to Eren’s
defense when the old man started beating him. The house guards told me that she threw
herself over the kid and yelled back at her father, telling him that forcing the boy to breed
was wrong and all this other stuff.”

“A potential asset?”
“I think so. Having a Noble girl on the books might not hurt. She could probably help with
information running.”

“I was thinking the same thing.” Erwin agreed and rubbed his chin. “See what you can find
out. I was going to try and talk to the family about Mikasa writing Eren but if he’s causing
trouble for them, that’s not going to happen. And it’s best to cut off contact between the two
kids now. That will be hard on Mikasa but make it easier for us to possibly save Eren in the
future. I’ll just have to explain things to her and Levi…”

“If she cares about the kid, she’ll understand.”

“I believe so. She seems bright. Either way, it has to be done. See what you can find out
about this Pieck girl and the family. We don’t have anyone else on our radar as of right now
so we can work at a little more reasonable pace. I hate to make that boy stay there any longer
but moving him now is far too risky. He’ll have to hold out a bit longer.”

“Got it.” Mike stood up, fixing his uniform. “I’ll report back when I have something.”

With that, Mike was on his way, back out the door. Erwin stared at where he’d left for a
moment before he looked back down at his documents. Today, he’d just dedicate himself to
getting caught up on his military duties. From there, he could focus on other things. Keeping
up the act was the most important thing if he wanted to continue getting people like Eren out
of Marley. There was also the matter of dealing with Nile, but he would address that later. It
was too early in the day to be having not one but two fights with that arrogant man.
When he got home, he’d have to take Levi aside first and update him on everything going on.
From there, they could decide how to deal with Mikasa. Her having any contact with Eren
was out of the question now. Not if they wanted to free him from the home he was trapped in.
Surely, she would be able to understand that. He did not expect her to be happy about it, of
course. It would probably make her quite sad, in fact. But some things had to be done that
way. In order to save Eren Yeager, she was going to have to forget about him.
 Out, About, andFuture
Chapter Summary

Levi heads out into the City to meet with Grisha, only to learn more than he bargained
for from a familiar face.

Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

Levi was laid out on the exam table, his flat gaze on the wooden ceiling overhead. Next to
him, Grisha was taking his blood. He’d already been made to pee into a cup and been asked a
bunch of questions. Today, he was alone. Erwin had brought him in for his appointment but
had a scheduled meeting that he had to attend. They were supposed to meet back up later for
lunch. This was the last thing he wanted to be doing with his day. He’d been made to come
by his overly concerned mate.
The Alpha had noticed Levi bleeding early in the morning and wouldn’t let it go. Levi tried
to tell it was from the particularly aggressive sex they’d had after an argument about Nile that
Levi definitely started for no reason. It seemed like he was more angry than usual and
provoked Erwin without meaning to. He always realized he was being an asshole afterwards.
Apologizing often involved coming on to Erwin and instigating make up sex. Or he’d just
mumble about being pregnant and wait for the blond man to gather him up into his arms.
Either way, the bleeding was from that, he was sure of it. It had stopped by the time they
were leaving but Erwin was not taking no for an answer.

“How is Mikasa adjusting?” The doctor asked and it took Levi a moment to remember that
this was Eren’s father. Of course, he would know the girl. At least, somewhat.

“She’s doing really well. She’s catching up on missed studies so she can start going to school.
And I’m teaching her self-defense.” He said casually. When he felt the man’s eyes on him, he
sighed. “I’m being careful. We don’t fight. I just show her stances and moves. Things like
that.”

“You can sit up.” He said and gave Levi a little cotton ball to hold to his arm after the needle
had been withdrawn. “I’m glad to hear she’s doing well.”

“How did she and Eren meet? I mean, wasn’t she… owned.” He said, not really sure how
else to phrase it.

“That man left her and his other… the others… outside a lot. Eren passed by his property on
his way to and from school. They developed a friendship that way.” He explained and labeled
the vials of Levi’s blood. “Truth be told, I discouraged their interactions. I knew Eren would
be presenting soon, and that the girl would likely be sold off somewhere. I didn’t want them
to get hurt.” And that was exactly what happened. He couldn’t blame the man for trying to
curb that relationship.

“Mikasa tried to write to him, but it got intercepted. Erwin says it’s best if they don’t
communicate.” He said, only half lying about it.

“The family wouldn’t approve. They’re… rather strict. My wife is not happy about his
placement, but there isn’t much to be done. You know how things work here.” He said with a
heavy sigh. Levi could sense his sadness. Doctor Yeager was not a noble. When his same
came out as an Alpha, just as he was, the boy had no choice but to be placed somewhere that
he could ‘better benefit Marley’. It all made Levi sick. “I just wish he’d cooperate and get it
over with. If he does as he’s told with that family, he can come home for a time before his
next placement.”

It was disgusting how things worked in this country. A little boy, only what? Fourteen? He
had to have children, get ripped away from ever being in their lives, and just keep going from
house to house? Why did they think this was okay? He was so thankful that Mikasa was a
beta. She’d be allowed to live a normal life. And as Erwin’s adoptive daughter, that put her
into the Noble category. She was safe from so much now. All they had to worry about now
was their unborn child. With Erwin as an Alpha and Levi an omega… that baby’s odds
weren’t as good. If it was an Alpha, it would be safe as Erwin’s child. If it was an omega…
not so much. Omegas didn’t get all the freedoms, even in omega families. The second they
reached sexual maturity; they would be expected to start trying to breed. The thought of some
Alpha being brought into his home to fuck his child made him want to tear things apart. That
was a long way off but of course it was already on his mind.

“Levi?” The omega looked up. Grisha was staring at him.

“I’m sorry, I started getting into my head about the kids.” He admitted, not even hiding it.

“I know the feeling.” The doctor said and pushed his glasses up his nose a bit. “It’s going to
be alright. There’s a lovely young woman looking after him in that house. She lets me know
how he’s doing.”

“That’s good. Is she the one he’s supposed to…” he didn’t finish the sentence but clearly, the
older man understood what he meant.

“Oh, no. This girl is… she’s not able to have children. She’s the elder sister of the ones he’s
meant to breed with. She has a muscular condition, and her parents bring her to me to help
with her pain.” He didn’t go into more detail, but Levi totally understood that he couldn’t.
Only what was already known publicly.

“It’s good that Eren has someone looking after him in that house. At least he’s not alone.”

“Yes, Pieck is a wonderful young woman. She’s so kindhearted and she just wants to help.
She’s not…” he hesitated and glanced towards the door. “She’s not very agreeable to the way
things are done. Much like yourself.” He pointed out in a hushed voice. Levi narrowed his
eyes and nodded.
“I see.” He said and pulled the cotton ball away from his arm when it was clearly no longer
bleeding.

“Ah back to this.” He said and held up the vials. “I don’t believe you have anything to worry
about. Your exam told me nothing bad was happening, at least outwardly. Your stomach is
firming up nicely and the bleeding was clearly from a small tear.” He stood up and tucked his
clipboard under his arm. “We’ll run these through, just to be safe, of course. I’ll inform
Commander Smith when the results return. Just take it easy from now on. I understand the
Alpha omega dynamics better than anyone, but while you’re trying to grow that little one,
perhaps it’s time to slow down a bit.” He suggested with an amused smile. Levi just scoffed
and looked away, only slightly embarrassed.

“Right. I’ll make sure to tell the Commander that.” Levi said and got up off the bed. He
placed a hand on his stomach and paused. Grisha gave him a concerned look.

“Everything alright?”

“Yeah, I was just wondering… when is gonna start being…”

“Real?” The man offered and Levi nodded.

“You’re a rather petite male omega. You may not ever get very big during this pregnancy.
Omegas are known to carry smaller. Your term will only be about six months.”

“How does that… I mean… will the baby be okay being born at only six months.”

“Omegas and Betas are very different. Honestly, we’re still trying to figure out all the reasons
and differences. I guess medical science just isn’t far enough along yet. A female Beta carries
a pregnancy for nine months and gives birth to a fully developed infant. An omega can carry
a pregnancy for only six months, sometimes more, but still give birth to a child the at the
same level of development… and that child will still grow at the same rate as the other.
It’s…” He shook his head. “Hopefully someday, we will figure all this out.”

“Right.” He rubbed his stomach for a moment.

“Like I said, you’re firming up. That means that things are moving right along. You’ll be
showing soon but don’t expect to balloon out like women do. You’ll likely have a smaller
baby but it’s nothing to worry about. I think you should just enjoy being small. I’m sure your
body will appreciate it.” The man said and then smiled, leaving Levi alone in the room.

“Well… at least I know you’ll be alright.” Levi whispered and poked at him stomach. It was
definitely harder than it had been before. He’d had a flat, relatively muscular stomach, but
this was a different feeling. Shrugging all that off, he straightened himself out and then left
the room. He nodded the receptionist as he made his escape.

Levi wondered around the marketplace for a while, waiting until it was time to meet up with
Erwin. A woman walked by with a little tiny bundle held against her chest. He could make
out the little puffy cheeks of an infant and it made him feel a little weird. He thought about
his conversation with Grisha. Did he want to be showing? Did he want people to know he
was pregnant? Apparently, some people did because before he knew it, a couple of women
were rushing up to him, looking way too happy to see him and it put him off.

“Oh, you’re Levi, right? Commander Smith’s mate?” One asked and he’d barely confirmed it
before the next one was talking.

“We’re so excited that the Commander is finally going to have a child. Oh, he deserves it!
He’s done so much for this country!”

“The baby is going to be so cute! I bet it has those gorgeous blue eyes. I am so jealous.”

“You’re so small, how far along are you?”

“Does it feel like a boy. My mother said she just knew it when she was pregnant with my
brothers.”

“What about names? You must have names picked out!”

Levi stood there, his mouth hanging slightly open. He wasn’t big on women in any aspect,
but this was terrible. They were like a gaggle of hens, all fussing over him. Questions
bombarded him and it was taking all he had not to snap and sent them running. The thing
was, he knew that he needed to behave. Levi didn’t give a shit about his appearance, but he
knew that keeping himself in line for Erwin was important. If he started making a scene, it
would just come back on his mate. Part of him wanted to let loose just to punish Erwin for
making him deal with this shit, but he knew better.
So, he behaved. He let the women talk to him and about him. He let them suggest names,
schools, and other shit that he wasn’t worried about right now. He never smiled, but he made
sure to be as polite as he possibly could be. One woman asked to touch his stomach and he
was quick to tell her that he was a bit tender. She seemed to accept that, telling him to try a
heated water bottle when he lays down. That actually wasn’t a bad idea. It was one he stored
away at the back of his mind for now. They also made some fairly helpful suggestions about
how to fight his upset stomach when Erwin was not around for him to cling to.
By the time it was over, they’d all convinced him to invite him to a baby shower he had no
idea he was supposed to have. They were all Nobles, so he figured he was going to be stuck
with them for some time. It would be in his best interest to get along with them. It might also
come in handy for the Scouts one day. The more connections, the better. Even if they were
just goofy, baby hungry women who definitely wanted to fuck his mate. They had been far
less subtle than they thought they were being. Little comments about his eyes, hair,
muscles… about how potent he must be to get Levi pregnant so quickly… it was getting on
his nerves.

“A baby is expected?” Levi turned and found a familiar face looking up at him. It was the
older woman from his first trip to the marketplace. “I see my little treat worked for you.” She
said with a strange smile. It took him a moment to remember that she’d given some kind of
fertility concoction… that he did not use. It was still somewhere among his belongings that
he’d stashed in Erwin’s room.

“Yeah… thanks for that.” He said, trying his hardest not to be sarcastic at all. There was no
way he would have taken it. The last thing he wanted was a baby. The universe had other
plans.

“May I?” She asked and held her hand out. Clearly, she wanted to touch him. The other
women had all put a little distance between them, but he tried to remember that this woman
seemed to be friendly with Erwin and provided needed medicine for Petra. So, he nodded.

“Mmm what sort of little one do we have in here…” She said, seeming to speak more to
herself than to Levi. Her hand touched his stomach and he tensed, just letting it happen. She
moved her hand around, stopping just under his navel. “There he is…”

“You can tell where the thing is?” He asked, lifting a brow.

“Not a thing, a him. You’re going to have a little boy.”

“…how do you know that?”

“I can just tell. I have six children, Mr. Smith.” She laughed. “I have predicted each of their
sexes and those of all their children. Never been wrong, yet.”

“Do you know… what his sub gender is?” He asked in a quieter voice, not wanting those
women to hear the concern in his voice. This was probably all bullshit, anyway.

“Worried he’ll be like you?” She asked and looked up at him. “Will it change anything to
know?”

“An omega might not be as lucky as I’ve been.”

“Very true. You came to this land as a prisoner and have risen to a prince.” She said, pulling
her hand back. “Others have not been so fortunate.” The woman took a deep breath and
stared down at his stomach for a moment longer before looking back up at him. “Your son
has a strong heartbeat, a powerful lifeforce. I believe he’ll stand as a strong Alpha, much like
his father.”

When he left the marketplace, Levi was feeling a strange combination of relieve and stress.
An Alpha was better than an omega in a place like this… but still… He thought about how
sad Grisha looked when they spoke about his son. This baby would be a Commander’s child.
Assuming nothing went wrong, they wouldn’t have to go through what that boy, Eren was
going through. Still… Alphas were expected to breed… and he hated that already, his kid
would be saddled with that task. But a little boy… could she really be able to tell all that just
from putting her hand on his stomach?
Levi could remember early days, before his mother died, she loved babies. Any time a
woman in the village became pregnant, his mother was the first to help. Even though she had
a somewhat questionable past, she was a loving and wonderful woman. She helped with
births, both human and animal, she guided women on how to deal with the strains of
pregnancy, and so much more. But she’d only ever had one child, herself. She would have
been a wonderful mother to many children if she’d had the chance. But Levi was all she’d
gotten. He wished she was around to see his son and to help raise him. She’d be a hell of a lot
better at it than he would.
Sitting on a bench by the road, Levi had a hand on his stomach, absently brushing his thumb
there. He couldn’t stop thinking about all this baby bullshit. A little boy… an Alpha son, just
like Erwin. Already, he was picturing some cherubic little baby boy with golden hair and
vibrant blue eyes. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted it. He was having this
kid whether he liked it or not, so why not at least enjoy a little of it? Surely that wouldn’t be
so bad. He’d been in a strange headspace for a while, thinking that he could not enjoy this
because it was a Marleyan baby. It was the child of the man who took his entire country…
but Erwin wasn’t the monster he’d thought. He was a good person, a caring person… put into
an impossible situation. Maybe… it was okay to be a little happy. He had an adoptive
daughter now, who deserved happiness. He had a child on the way who was innocent of all
his parent’s crimes… there was no reason to keep holding on to negativity.

“Levi, are you alright?” Hearing Erwin’s voice, he looked up. The Commander was standing
there, his hands in the pockets of his uniform jacket.

“Yeah…” he said, dropping his hand away. He quickly stood up. “I was just thinking.” He
added and looked around. There was no sign of a carriage, so they must have been about to
take a walk.

“You looked so tranquil.” Erwin said, smiling. “May I ask what was on your mind?”

“I met that… uh, Matilda? Was that her name?”

“Oh right, yes. I’m sure she asked how her potion worked.” He laughed.

“She did and I told her it definitely worked.” He said and rolled his eyes. “She did tell me
some stuff. I’m sure it’s all made up gypsy shit but…”

“Hm, I wouldn’t be so sure. She’s got quite a reputation. What did she say?”

“She said… we’re having a boy. And he’s gonna be an Alpha.”

A momentary silence fell over them. Erwin was staring at him, those blue eyes wider now.
He seemed stunned. Levi hesitated and then glanced around. Was Erwin mad? Was he maybe
disappointed that they weren’t having a little girl or maybe a beta? Before he could open his
mouth to ask, the blond was stepping closer. Erwin knelt down in front of him and wrapped
his arms around him. Levi placed his hands on the other’s shoulders and let himself get
hugged around the middle. When Erwin pulled back, he left one hand around Levi’s waist,
the other gently touched his stomach.

“A boy…” He said softly. “I admit… I was really hoping for a boy.” He said and glanced up.
“What Alpha male doesn’t want a boy, right?” He laughed and kept gently brushing his
fingers over Levi’s clothed stomach. “I’m so happy, Levi. Thank you.” He said and then he
was standing up, gathering the omega into his arms to hug him close.

“You’re thanking me?” He asked, confused.

“I am.” Erwin pulled back just a bit and kissed his forehead. “I did not want children. I knew
the burden I would put on them… but having one…” He shook his head. “I’m having a child
 with my mate. A little boy that only you could give me.” He said softly. “It makes me happy.
I couldn’t have this without you, Levi. That’s why I’m thanking you.”

“Oh…” he felt his face go hot from those words. This asshole was always so poetic when he
spoke.

“I know you didn’t want a baby. I’m sorry that it ended up this way but…”

“Stop.” Levi said, bringing a hand up to press his finger against Erwin’s lips. “I didn’t want a
kid, either. Just like you. I was afraid to bring them into this bullshit.” He was not poetic. “…
but it’s not gonna make me love this kid any less. And if I had to have a kid… I’m glad that
it’s with you.” He mumbled, glancing away and dropping his hand. Erwin was just smiling at
him.

“Thank you for saying that.” He said softly and leaned down. Levi pushed up on his toes and
met the man for a gentle kiss. He felt those fingers slip through his hair and it felt so soft and
amazing. It was almost easy to forget they were standing on the street.

“Congrats, Commander!” Someone shouted as they went by. Erwin just smirked against his
lips and raised a hand to acknowledge the praise.

“Guess we should move along, huh?” Levi asked, giving him one more peck.

“Let’s get you something to eat before we do anything else. We’ve got a growing boy in
there…” he said and slid his hand down to gently grasp Levi’s.

“An Alpha boy. He’s going to eat us out of house and home.”

“I think we’ll manage.”

Chapter End Notes

!
 A Letter From The East
Chapter Summary

Erwin receives a concerning letter after photos of Mikasa and Levi circulate in more
than just the local newspapers.

Every time it seemed like things were going to calm down, something else came up. Levi was
starting to feel like he was in some shitty novel written by an asshole who had no idea how to
give the characters a break. He’d settle, start to relax, and boom, something else would come
about that would totally throw things into hell again. He’d been home relaxing, helping
Mikasa to train her new kitten, when Mike had shown up with wonderful news.

“Erwin!” The captain came in, having been let into the house by Moblit. Levi and Mikasa
were sitting on the floor, playing with the cat. Erwin was sitting on the sofa, reading the
paper. It was the most domestic moment they’d ever had. “We’ve got movement on the
eastern border.” He said, looking only slightly concerned. Mike was good at hiding emotions.

“I thought the Azumabito had backed off…” The blond said and put his paper down.

“Apparently not for long. They are saying something about us keeping prisoners of war and
all this…. I have no idea. You got a letter from their leader.” He said and held out the sealed
envelope. “I haven’t opened it, only heard what the soldiers were saying.” Mike explained.

“Shit.” Erwin took the letter and immediately opened it.

The Azumabito? Levi glanced over, trying not to seem overly curious but not doing it very
well. The truth was, he knew very little of the world outside of Eldia and Marley. He’d
learned that apparently both he and Mikasa had Eastern features… whatever the hell that
really meant. According to Erwin, it was because of their hair and eyes more than anything
else. They were definitely coming from the same place, back in their family history. Mikasa
could easily pass for Levi’s child if they weren’t so close in age. She was only about five
years younger than him. Mike has said Eastern border…

“Damnit.” Erwin cursed again.

“What is it?” Mike asked before Levi could even get the words out.

“This.” He said and set the letter down.

He then grabbed the paper he’d been reading before. Flipping to a new page, he held it up.
Levi’s eyes widened as he stared at the photos there. One was of himself and Erwin at that
damn celebration. He could vaguely remember pictures being taken at some point. The
second photo was one that the Commander had insisted they take as a family, not long after
Mikasa had joined their family. It was a photo of the three of them. They looked like quite the
little family unit. The article in the paper was about the Commander more than anything.
Levi was used to the public fawning over his mate and always doing things like writing
stories about him in the papers and reporting on their lives. But what did that have to do with
some other country?

“Apparently these photos made their way to Hizuru.” Erwin said and sighed. “And when the
Azumabito saw them, they took Marley’s reputation for holding omegas and Alphas and our
recent war… coming to the conclusion that we’re unjustly holding some of their people
against their will.”

“Their people… being myself and Mikasa…” Levi said, his face falling into a flat expression.

“Indeed.” He said and sighed. “They are demanding to meet the two of you immediately.” He
said and looked back down at the letter. “They want to determine whether or not you’re
actually my mate and Mikasa is actually our adoptive daughter and not some sort of breeding
slave…”

“And I assume they are going to keep a close eye out for more of their people while they are
here?” Mike filled in and Erwin was already nodding.

“I wouldn’t doubt it. This letter is from Kiyomi… the current head of the Azumabito clan.”

“What’s that?

“The Azumabito are the family that leads their country. They are the ones in charge.” Mike
chimed in.

“Kiyomi is politely threatening us with war if we don’t allow them to come here and meet
with our family…” Erwin stood up and walked over to where Mike was. “We’re heading to
the base. I need to call a meeting with Zackley.” Levi was on his feet before he could stop
himself.

“What the hell is going to happen?” He asked, approaching the two Alphas.

“I have to bring this to those above me. More than likely, we’ll allow Kiyomi to come here
and meet with you… if that’s what’s decided, then we’ll discuss it further. Until then, don’t
worry. I’ll take care of this.” Erwin told him. The Alpha offered him a smile, but Levi could
tell it was strained at best.

“Erwin…” He said and frowned. Behind him, Mikasa was sitting with her kitten held to her
chest. “These people aren’t going to come in here and take us away, right?” He asked in a
more hushed voice.

“I am not going to allow that to happen.” He said seriously, taking Levi’s hand. “They aren’t
taking you away, nor Mikasa. We’re a family, right?” The omega looked up at him and
nodded. “Nothing is breaking up our family.” He promised him and leaned down, kissing
Levi’s forehead. “I’ll be home soon.” He said and had Mike follow him up to his office.
“Levi…” He turned around and looked at Mikasa. “He’s telling the truth, right? He’s not
going to let someone come in here and take us away, right?” She asked. Levi sighed and
walked over to her, sitting back down on the floor with the girl.

“Listen. I know you’re still not sure about Erwin and I don’t blame you. I didn’t trust him
when we first met, either. But I’ve learned that he’s a good, dependable man. I know that if
things go wrong, he’s going to do everything in his power to keep us safe. We have to trust
him.”

“Are we from that place? Hizuru? I thought I heard someone say something like that about
my mom.”

“Maybe.” He said with a shrug. “Our families might have come from there a long time ago.
But that’s not where we belong now. We belong here, together.” He wasn’t referring to
Marley. Just to their home with each other.

“Alright.” She nodded and looked down at her kitten. “I hate being inspected by people…”
She mumbled.

“All you have to do is be yourself. They are coming here to see if we’re safe and happy. Are
you happy?” He asked. “Do you feel safe, now?”

“Yeah.” Her gray eyes moved back up to his. “This is the first time I’ve felt safe since before
my parents died. And I’m happy. I have a family and a cat, and no one is trying to hurt me.”

“That’s what they want to see. So, all we have to do is live our lives. If they ask us questions,
we can answer them, tell them things about ourselves and our lives… but you know that we
can’t talk about what Erwin does, right?” He asked, realizing that might need to be addressed.

“I know.” She said, quickly. Levi wasn’t sure exactly how much she really knew but it was
best not to bring that up at any point. Not unless Erwin did first.

“Good. So, just relax. Nothing bad is going to happen.” He assured her and pet the kitten.

Was he totally sure? No. But he wasn’t going to say anything to make the little girl worry
more. Right now, he had to have faith in Erwin to handle this situation. If anyone could get
them through it, it was his mate. Those Azumabito people were only worried about them
being abused or held against their will, right? That was definitely not the case. Sure, it started
out that way for him, but he no longer felt trapped here. Not really. He wanted to be with
Erwin, and he was building a family. Someone coming in to pull him away from all this… it
wasn’t happening.

After Erwin and Mike left the house, Levi tried to get things back to normal. He and Petra
cooked dinner for everyone. Hanji and Moblit showed Mikasa how to properly set the table.
It was a fairly calm, domestic time for them. Levi had filled Hanji in on what happened and
much like him, she was confident that Erwin would find some way to deal with this. They
had to keep brave faces on when around Mikasa. She was still worried about it, he could tell.
Dinner was normal. Moblit and Hanji argued over how to arrange the books in the library.
Petra and Mikasa talked about whether or not kittens could learn tricks, and Levi just sat back
and listened to it all take place around him. It wasn’t unusual for him to just observe the
others. He wasn’t much of a talker, and he liked to listen. This made him feel grounded. Back
home, this was how he did things at the pub. They’d play cards, drink, and talk. Levi was
always the quiet one, listening in on the conversation and throwing in his two cents when he
felt like it. This reminded him of old times.

“Levi…” The omega had looked away, placing a hand over his mouth. A sudden nauseous
feeling washed over him. Hanji was facing him now, her eyes on him. “Are you going to be
alright?” She asked.

“I… excuse me.” He said and pushed himself away from the table. Silence fell behind him,
but Levi had no time to worry about that as he rushed to the bathroom.

Within seconds of shutting the door, he was emptying his stomach into the toilet. Everything
he’d eaten for dinner came right back up. He kept throwing up until he could do nothing but
wretch. Usually, Erwin was home to have dinner with him and for whatever damn reason, the
Alpha being around actually did help him to keep his morning sickness under control. When
he was finally done, he wiped his mouth and flushed, dropping himself backwards against the
wall. His body was tense and sore from the process of throwing up. Taking some deep
breaths, he just tried to calm himself.

“Yeah yeah, your dad isn’t here… I know.” He mumbled, rubbing his stomach. “Can’t even
let me have one meal without him here…”

“Are you talking to your fetus?” He heard Hanji ask from outside the door. The omega let out
a short laugh.

“I guess I am.” He replied and looked down at himself. “I’ve been doing that more and
more.” He slapped the door and a moment later, Hanji opened it. She came inside and then
sank down to sit with her back against the counter so they could look at each other.

“Sick again?”

“Mhmm.” He nodded.

“Maybe you should try keeping something with Erwin’s scent close by when he’s not around.
Like… wear his shirt to dinner or something.” She suggested. It wasn’t a bad idea.

“I’m convinced this little brat knows when Erwin’s is gone. He always acts up the second
he’s gone.”

“He?”

“Yeah… this woman from town that Erwin knows… she told me it’s going to be a boy.
Apparently, she’s got a pretty good record for calling genders.” He explained. Hanji grinned.

“Matilda. Yeah, we all know her. She’s never been wrong about stuff like that. Guess it really
is a boy.” She pointed out and looked down at where Levi’s hand was resting over his
stomach. “If you’re talking to him, I guess that means you’re finally fully accepting all this,
huh?”

“It’s happening. Might as well accept it. Plus… I’ve got Mikasa now. That’s making me a
feel a little better. I feel like I might be a decent parent. And if I’m going to be living here, I
might as well make a real life of it.”

“True. Very true.” She nodded.

“I hope I didn’t ruin everyone’s meal.”

“Nah…” She batted a hand through the air. “We’re all used to your baby issues.” Levi rolled
his eyes. “Hey, we’re happy. We’ve all been with Erwin long enough to know that this is
something he really deserves. A mate. A baby. A family. And what about you? You were
alone, living by yourself on a farm. You have a mate who is crazy about you, a daughter who
is basically your little clone, and a baby boy on the way!” Hanji said happily. “We’re happy
to know you’re pregnant.”

“That’s just so weird.” He mumbled and dropped his head back against the wall behind him.
“What are we going to do about these Azumabito people?”

“They just want to know that you’re not a slave here.” She said. He could feel her eyes on
him.

“Do you think I’ll tell them that I was a captive, about to be sold off as a breeder just so I can
escape Marley?”

“No. I think you’re in love with Erwin and want to stay.”

“Tch, yeah.” He said, rolling his eyes.

“Do you think Mikasa would do that?”

“No.” Levi answered, just as sure of his answer as Hanji seemed about hers. “She was afraid
when the guys were talking about it. She was afraid of them taking us away from this house.”

“I hope that when they see you both want to stay here, they’ll let this go. Hizuru has a very
impressive military force. We’d be in trouble if they decided to start a war with us over this.”
Hanji didn’t seem overly concerned, but he could see a little strain in her eyes.

“They wouldn’t really go to war over two people, would they?”

“I don’t know. I hope not.”

 Preparations In Order
Chapter Summary

Levi and Hanji go out to finally shop for the baby.

Chapter Notes

I just felt like we needed a soft chapter. <3

Entirely against his will, Levi was dragged into town yet again. With the worries of the
Azumabito weighing on him, Hanji had decided she’d had enough. For almost four hours,
from the moment he came downstairs, until well after Erwin left, she had bugged him. They
never went out together, had been her first argument. Then she’d claimed she was sick and
needed to see a doctor. Finally, she told him the truth. She wanted him to get out and think
about something more positive. Such as, his baby. The woman wanted to go baby shopping.

Erwin had a room set aside for a nursery. He’d been previously using it as storage space for
more of his books that hadn’t made it to the shelves. With Levi’s help, all the novels and
textbooks had found homes in other parts of the house. Now, the room was just empty.
Sometimes Levi would catch Erwin standing in the hall, staring into it. It wasn’t as big as the
other rooms in the house, but it was still bigger than anything Levi ever had. The walls were
half paneled in wood, the upper half painted in a soft shade of eggshell blue. There were
bookshelves built into the walls, two large windows that overlooked the garden, and hard
wooden floors. While empty, it was really sad.

Hanji demanded that Levi start thinking about the baby and the things he was going to need.
She was right, but he didn’t entirely want to admit to that. The truth was… he was still
struggling to accept everything that was happening. He was apparently having a son. One that
would end up an Alpha like Erwin. Everyone around him believed the old woman, but Levi
still wasn’t sure. On the outside, he was almost the same as he was. His stomach was
definitely firmer and there was just the slightest hint of a little bump there. With clothes on, it
was impossible to see. He only knew it was showing at all because Erwin had happily told
him that he could see that morning while they were changing clothes. It was strange.

Going out and buying baby things felt like such a big step and he’d wanted to deny that they
needed to do it… but he couldn’t anymore. According to Hanji, Erwin had told her to buy
whatever they wanted for the room and anything else the baby might need. He’d wanted to
come along but preparations for the arrival of their guests were definitely taking priority. He
could only take so much time off to deal with his mate and family. That left Hanji to escort
Levi into town for their little shopping trip.

Levi didn’t have much idea what babies really needed. Of course, he knew they would have
to get a crib, diapers, bottles probably… but what else did infants really need? Apparently, a
lot. Hanji dragged him into a shop that was entirely dedicated to nursery furniture and baby
supplies. It was overwhelming. He had no idea what half the stuff in the store actually was.
The moment the woman running the place noticed them, she made a squeal of excitement and
ran over. It was unsurprising that she knew exactly who he was. Everyone seemed to.

“I was wondering when I’d finally see you in here, Mr. Smith!” She said happily. He looked
at Hanji and then gave her a half smile.

“It’s been really hectic…”

“I bet! First timers…” She sighed happily. “Don’t worry, I’m going to help you pick
everything out! What do you need? Do you have a crib?” She asked. Her body was
practically vibrating with excitement. Bright blond curls bounced around her face and black-
lined eyes stood out blue against her pale skin.

“We… don’t actually have anything.” He admitted.

“Commander Smith has been so busy; we didn’t get a chance to shop.” Hanji pointed out.
“So, I brought Levi out here to finally get some stuff done.”

“That’s okay. You have to start somewhere.” She said and gestured over to where a white crib
sat against the wall. There were a few, each in different colors. Before she could start trying
to sell the white one, Levi was running his fingers over one that was made of cherry wood. It
had ornate designs and looked hand carved.

“This one.” He said, and moved on to look at a changing table that matched.

“You… don’t want to look at all the options?” The woman asked.

“No,” he said and pointed at the matching table. “This one too. And the rocking chair in the
corner.” He was walking along, just picking things as he went. The woman followed along,
grabbing the tags to keep track of his order.

“Levi, it’s not fun if you don’t take your time!” Hanji whined.

“Yes, you should be enjoying this.” The woman agreed.

“I am having fun.” He said and stopped in front of a display filled with tiny articles of
clothing. They were so small. He picked up a little blue and white hat. It was so small, it fit
over his fist. “Hey, we get a discount, right?” He asked, looking over his shoulder at the
shopkeeper. “You know, Commander Smith being a war hero and all that.”

“Of course!” She probably thought that meant he was going to spend even more money, if he
thought he was getting a deal.
“I don’t know what other stuff I need aside from the basics. Can you just… load us up?
Bottles, diapers, toys, washcloths… all that stuff?” He asked and the woman was all smiles as
she nodded. Cha-ching, right?

While the woman worked on putting together a list of things to add to their order, Levi kept
looking at the clothes. Hanji wondered around close to him and he could feel her eyes on
him. She was probably wondering what was going through his mind. Hell, he was doing that
too. This was weird. It was easy to buy the other stuff. It was the clothes that were hanging
him up. The omega was trying to picture the little shirts and pants actually being on a baby.
Some tiny little blond, blue-eyed, squirming thing… that was going to come out of him. The
last thought sort of made him feel queasy.

“Are you okay?” Hanji asked, instantly at his side. “You got a little pale, there.”

“I’m alright. It happens all the time.” He said and stared down at some socks that were so
small, there was no way they’d fit on real feet. “Hanji, what if I can’t do this?”

“What do you mean?” She asked, frowning.

“What if I can’t give birth or… what if I bring this kid into the world and I’m shit at being a
parent? I know omegas are supposed to be good at it…”

“This is natural, you know? It’s a good thing that you’re worried. It means you care. You’re
worried about giving the kid a good life and taking care of him. That’s a good thing, Levi.”
She said and patted his shoulder.

“I’ve only got a couple of months to figure this out.”

“No, you’ve got a whole lifetime. Do you think everyone who has a baby just knows what
they are doing the second that infant is handed to them? Psh. No way.” She laughed. “You’ll
figure out your way of being a parent.” It was strange how insightful she could be at times.

“And if I’m terrible at it?”

“You have me, Moblit, Petra… but most importantly, you have Erwin.” She pointed out.
“The two of you are going to be awesome parents. You’ve already shown that you can do this
with Mikasa. You gave her a home and a real life. She’s happy because of the two of you.
You really think you can’t do that with a baby too?”

“Are you sure you’re actually Hanji?” He asked and she laughed more.

“I’ve been helping the Commander for a long time. I know him well. And when he brought
you home, I knew immediately that you two were going to be together forever. You’re meant
to be. Bond or no bond. And you’re going to have a sweet, wonderful baby boy. Maybe more.
Just accept it and be happy, Levi!”

“Probably not more.” He countered. Even so, his cheeks felt warm from her words. It was
kind of her to say those things and it did make him feel a lot better. “Thanks, Hanji.” He
added and she smiled brightly.
After that, the two of them picked out lots of baby clothes. It wasn’t terrible. He found
himself enjoying it more than he’d realized. By the time they were done, the bill was pretty
steep, but Hanji assured him over and over that it was okay. She had been told what would be
too much and, apparently, they hadn’t reached that. Levi, who wasn’t used to having money
at all, still felt overwhelmed by the cost of things. He even tried to put things back and cancel
out parts of the order. Hanji told the woman not to change anything and proceeded to drag
him out of the shop.

The fresh air helped him to calm down. He sort of drifted behind Hanji, letting her guide him
down the street. People were all over, out enjoying the good weather. Some of them greeted
him and he did his best to answer them all. Eventually, they stopped, and he looked up. Hanji
was standing in front of some kind of street vendor. The scent of something delicious hit his
nose. Almost instantly, his mouth began to water. This smell was incredible. Hanji must have
noticed his reaction because she laughed and gestured to the vendor.

“Have you ever had a grilled sausage before?” She asked and he shook his head, eyes wide.

The man had a whole set up. There was a grill set into some kind of cart, buns, condiments…
His stomach was growling now, and he realized that it was probably near to lunch time now.
That smell was overwhelming but in the best possible way. He wanted to try whatever this
grilled sausage was. He’d had sausages before but always in stews and things like that. And it
had certainly never smelled anything like this.

“We’ll take two, please.” Hanji said, and Levi watched as the man pulled two large sausages
off the grip. They were shoved into the buns and then placed into a napkin. The man handed
them over and gestured to the condiments after she paid. “Do you want anything on it?”
Hanji asked, but Levi was already biting into his as soon as it was handed to him. “Careful!”
She laughed.

“Shit.” He mumbled with a full mouth. This… this was heaven. Levi closed his eyes and just
enjoyed the juicy, smoky flavor. The fact that Erwin had never introduced him to this made
him want to smack the other man. Hanji was still fixing her meal by the time he was halfway
through his. “I’m gonna need another one.” He commented.

“Yes, sir.” She laughed and placed another order. “I’ve never seen you eat like this. Usually,
you just pick at stuff or get this… like… bleh look on your face while you eat.”

“I was pretty into that cake that we brought home.”

“Yeah, that is true. You growled at me at one point.”

“Baby loves cake.” He said and smirked. Hanji just laughed.

“And apparently sausage.”

The shopkeeper was an efficient woman, that was for sure. Levi and Hanji headed home that
day and barely three hours later, their order was being delivered. Levi stood in the nursery,
watching as delivery men brought in everything. They offered to stay and help put the
furniture together, but he shooed them off, wanting to handle it himself. Having had such a
good day, Levi was feeling up to putting the room together on his own.

Moblit came in at one point to help him hold up the parts of the crib while they were put
together. The other man also opened boxes for him and helped to fold the baby clothes for the
dresser they’d gotten to go with the set. Levi found that he really liked Moblit’s presence. He
was quiet, calm, and didn’t get in the way. He was exactly the opposite of Hanji… but
somehow, they worked together. It was cute but strange.

Eventually, the beta left to go start dinner and Levi was left alone in the room. By that point,
he’d managed to get all the baby clothes put away, the furniture was put together and placed
where he wanted, and the toys were all shelved neatly. Levi was busy putting a sheet on the
little mattress when he heard the floor creak behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, he
found Erwin in the doorway, his hands in the pockets of his slacks. He already had his bolo
and jacket off, so he must have been home for at least a little while.

“Something wrong?” Levi asked and smoothed out the baby blue sheet. He stepped back and
looked down at it before turning to face his mate.

“Not at all.” Erwin said and smiled warmly at him. “You have been quite busy.” He pointed
out and walked into the room, looking around. “I never thought I’d have a real use for this
room.”

“And then along came Levi.” The omega said, folding his arms over his chest. “What do you
think?”

“I think it’s perfect,” he said, and walked over to one of the windows. The crib was centered
between them, soft blue curtains hanging over them. “I certainly hope it really is a boy. You
bought a lot of blue.”

“Blue is… my favorite color. And what does it matter if it’s blue? A girl can like blue.”

“Fair point.” He laughed and ran his fingers over the crib’s railing. “This is all wonderful,
Levi. You did a very good job. I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help you.”

“I had Hanji. She was surprisingly helpful.”

“I knew I could trust her to help you. She was very excited about it.” The Alpha walked
around the crib and approached him. He leaned down and gently kissed Levi’s lips. “Time is
moving so quickly. It’s hard to believe we’ll have him here with us in just a few months.”
The man’s hand gently pressed over his stomach and Levi rested his own on it.

“I’m terrified of this whole thing.” He admitted.

“I know… Hanji told me about your fears at the shop. I hope you know that it’s okay to be
afraid and… I am too.”

“Really?” He raised a brow, surprised by that. Erwin was so damn confident all the time.
“Of course. I’m used to ordering around grown men, soldiers… I have no experience with
children at all. I’m still trying to connect with Mikasa. And… Alphas aren’t known to be the
best parents. I don’t want to be distant and aloof with our kids. I want to be part of their lives
and do so much… I’m just afraid I won’t be able to.” He admitted.

“Psh, please.” Levi said, reaching up to smooth out Erwin’s shirt. “You’re amazing. Better
than any Alpha I’ve ever met. You’re going to be a great father. I bet I’ll have to fight you to
spend time with him.”

“That might be true. I may never want to let him go.” The blond laughed.

“I think… together, we can probably do this.” Levi said softly, staring at the man’s chest.
“So, please make sure we stay together as a family. Don’t let anyone split us up.” His voice
was soft and uncertain. Erwin touched his chin, making him look up. Those blue eyes bore
into him and sent a shiver through his entire body.

“From the moment you stepped into my office, I promised myself that I would never ever let
anything come between us, that no one would ever take you away from me. I’m making that
same promise to you, Levi. We are going to be together, no matter what. Not just you and I,
but our children as well. No one is going to separate us. We’ll deal with our foreign guests,
show them that we’re a real family, and everything will be fine. Do you trust me?”

“Yes.” There was no question, not anymore.

“Good.” He smiled and leaned down, capturing his lips in a soft kiss. “Now, how about we go
downstairs, have dinner, and you can tell me all about your shopping trip.” He suggested,
clearly wanting to put them on a better, more lighthearted path. Levi smiled and nodded.
 A Foreign Visit
Chapter Summary

Levi and Erwin struggle through preparations for the Azumabito's visit. When Kiyomi
arrives, it's not all it seems and a new tension comes over them. In the midst of it all,
Erwin and Levi receive a special moment to break down all the anger between them.

Chapter Notes

This on is a longer chapter! I was going to keep writing but I think 15 pages was
probably enough!

The weeks leading up to the arrival of the Azumabito were tense and more hectic with each
passing day. They were supposed to arrive much sooner, but the political leaders of Marley
had managed to push the date back on the grounds of international etiquette. They should be
allowed time to prepare for important guests and things of that nature. To Levi, it was just
more time to stress about the visit. He wasn’t looking forward to this, no matter how many
times Erwin assured him that everything would be fine. Why was it that they couldn’t be
allowed to just live their lives like normal people? He knew. It was because he’d been fated
to be with someone like Erwin Smith. The Alpha attracted attention like bees to fresh
flowers.

There were people in the house all the time now. Mikasa and Levi had to dress nicely and
behave themselves. Moblit was a huge help in this aspect. He stayed close to them… and to
Hanji, who was even worse than they were. He kept them on their toes when it came to
manners and other types of respectable behavior. The two Ackermans adjusted, but it was
clear they were not happy about it. Sometimes Erwin would swing through to praise their
efforts, then he’d be dragged off again by other Commanders, ambassadors, or whatever
other kinds of people needed his attention.

This wasn’t just about Mikasa and Levi’s futures. It was about how Marley looked to a very
powerful country like Hizuru. There were few places that could really challenge their
country. Apparently, the forces that the Azumabito controlled were impressive and if they
were to declare war on Marley, it wouldn’t be like the other wars… it would be a world-
changing clash. Because of this, the Royal family had stepped in, wanting this to be a
flawless meeting. They sent people to teach them how to sit, how to hold forks, how to
address diplomats, how to do this and that and this and that. By the end of the second week,
Levi wanted to scream.
It did not help that he only saw Erwin for brief passing moments. The man was always so
busy that, usually, he was gone before Levi woke up in the mornings and came to bed late
after he was already asleep. They would catch moments here and there sometimes, but only
for Erwin to update him on what was happening, then he was gone again. Little by little, it
was souring the omega’s mood to the point that he didn’t want to do this anymore. When the
Azumabito arrived, he could just tell that he used to be happy, before they decided to show up
and fuck everything up.

It was two days before they were due to arrive that Levi stopped coming out of his room. He
woke up that morning and decided that he was miserable, lonely, and tired. From the day the
letter arrived, to where he was now, almost a month had passed. With only a six-month
pregnancy expected, Levi was coming close to being halfway through. His body was sore and
tired all the time, his stomach was finally pushed out enough to show if he wasn’t hiding
under larger clothes, and his mood was foul at the best of times. In his mind, he was shutting
down this whole thing, staying in his room, and not coming out. No matter what.

First, Petra came up to wake him up. When he did not come down, she checked on him, only
to find him still in bed. Then she recruited Moblit to assist. He offered to help Levi dress,
which did not go over well. The two moved on to get Mikasa up and dressed, leaving him
alone for a while. Erwin had returned in the late morning, having some of his soldiers and a
few of the Royal Family staff with him. Levi heard them all come in, since they didn’t know
how to shut up. He laid on his bed, staring off at the window. He listened to the sounds of
voices below, unable to actually hear what was being said.

It was nearly noon when he heard someone coming up the stairs. There was a knock and then
Petra entered yet again. This time, she was carrying a tray of tea and lunch. The young
woman set it all on Erwin’s side of the bed and then left him alone. For that, he was thankful.
No part of him felt like chatting or explaining why he was hiding up here. Maybe she just
understood that he was overwhelmed by all the bullshit that was being shoved down his
throat in his own home. Either way, the omega said a silent thank you and sat up. He was just
sipping his tea when the door opened again. This time, it was his mate. Those blue eyes were
on him, looking concerned and stressed.

“Are you okay?” he asked, remaining in the doorway.

“I’m fine.” Levi stated in a flat tone.

“It doesn’t look like you’re fine. Moblit said you haven’t left this room at all today. You
didn’t even come down for breakfast.”

“Sir?” Someone asked from behind Erwin, in the hall.

“Go ahead. Go deal with all your important shit.” The omega said, looking away towards the
window again. Erwin was busy. He was always busy. For three and a half weeks, he’d been
busy.

“Levi…” he sighed and turned around. “I’ll be down shortly.”

“But Commander, we…” Before the person could finish their sentence, Erwin was shutting
the door right in their face. He then walked over around to Levi’s side. The Alpha took a seat
on the bed and looked at him.

“How are you feeling?” He asked, his tone serious but soft.

“I’m fine.” Levi insisted.

“You’re not fine, obviously. “You’re in bed. It’s midday. You haven’t eaten today. Tea does
not count.”

“Don’t you have a million other things you could be doing?” He asked, looking at his mate
with narrowed eyes.

“I’m sorry I’ve been so busy, lately. This isn’t something I had planned, and I can’t just make
it stop. These people want to see you and Mikasa. They have to see that you’re both okay.”

“Then you have nothing to worry about because I’m fine.” Levi growled, already getting fed
up with this conversation. He knew how important it was. Everyone was beating that into his
head.

“It will be over soon and then everything can go back to normal. I promise.” The blond said,
trying to smile at him. Levi was not having it. “I miss you… it’s been a long time since we
were able to just be alone together.”

“That’s by your choice, not mine. Everything has to be so damn perfect. Did you ever stop to
think that these people don’t give a damn about how fancy the house is or how I hold a god
damn fork?” He snapped, finally losing his patience. “Erwin, they think that I’m a prisoner of
war, who is being held against my will to pump out little Marley babies for you. They think
you’re grooming Mikasa to do the same thing! When they get here, it’s not going to matter if
we know the proper manners or if you guys follow all the rules of having some foreign
country walking in. That stuff doesn’t matter! They want to see that we’re safe and healthy,
that we’re happy and able to leave whenever we want. I guess that last part is probably
fucked but the rest… I’ll just tell them the truth!”

“I don’t have a choice, Levi. This isn’t all happening because I want it to. The king wants this
all done, and I have to answer to him. We all do.”

“I fucking don’t.” He growled. “I don’t answer to a King or an Emperor, or anything else!”

“Well I do, and you answer to me!” The man shouted back. Levi froze, his eyes going wide.
“I am your Alpha, and you need to cooperate with me. It’s for your own good!”

Levi stared at him, in total shock. That was the first time since he arrived in Marley, that
Erwin had used his Alpha status to enforce something against him. The man was going to
order him… The tone of his words sent a chill down the omega’s spine. He knew that
because of his mark, if Erwin wanted to give him orders, real orders, he’d have to comply.
But he’d never thought that Erwin would dare to do something like that to him. All his
preaching about them being equal would mean nothing if he were to do something like that.
“I don’t understand why you’ve chosen now to be so damn difficult,” Erwin said and stood
up. He walked around the bed, pacing slightly. “Why now, of all times… do you have to do
this? There’s two days until Kiyomi and her Azumabito arrive here. We are out of time. I
need you and Mikasa to do what you’re supposed to do, look happy, and just behave!”

“We’re not your god damn show dogs, Erwin. You can’t just dress us up and parade us
around, telling everyone how perfect our family is.”

“It’s just while they are here. Then everything can go back to normal.”

“Not if you’re going to choose perfection over us.”

“What?” The Alpha turned to look at him.

“I’m sick. I’m miserable. I’m trying to hold it together for Mikasa and our son. You haven’t
asked me how I am, how I’m feeling. Not once until today. For almost a month, you’ve only
spoken to me to remind me how important this is. You correct what we’re doing, you remind
us to do this, do that, talk this way, don’t say that…” Levi looked down at his hands. Erwin
just remained silent. He could feel his eyes on him. “I’m exhausted because I’ve been busting
my ass to do everything just how you want it. I want to impress these people for you. I know
they’ll see that we’re okay here. But that’s not what matters, is it? This house and our family
are going to be on display for the world. You’re afraid we’ll look bad. You want us to be
perfect so that you look good, Erwin. And don’t deny it. If this was only about them seeing us
happy, you’d let us just be ourselves.”

“I told you, I have to…” He started but Levi threw up a hand to stop him.

“Everything else is more important than us. I’m not an idiot. You think I haven’t seen that
from the first day. The Scouts, the military, your image. It’s all important to you. More so
than I am or our child. He’s not even here yet and I already know that your other focuses will
take priority. But I’m going to behave, smile at these people, and pretend like everything is
perfect. You know why? Because that’s what you want me to do. Until they get here, I want
you to stay away from me.”

“Levi…”

“I don’t want you in here at night. I don’t want you to speak to me unless it has to do with the
Azumabito. That should be easy considering it’s exactly how it’s been for weeks.” He kept
his eyes down. “We can play the happy family while people here are here, but once it’s over,
just stay away from me.”

“Once they are gone, things will be normal again, I promise.”

“Erwin, I’ve seen exactly what matters most to you these last few weeks. You haven’t even
asked about the baby. Your mind and efforts belong to those people down there. So, go back
to them.”

Erwin just stared at him. Levi looked up and met those blue eyes. They looked so sad. It did
sort of hurt and he wanted to hug the man, but he kept himself still. This was a mess of his
own making and Erwin was going to have to deal with it on his own. Levi knew this meeting
was important, but he really felt like the Alpha had neglected all other parts of his life. That
included his mate and daughter. Sure, Mikasa wasn’t their blood blood-related child, but
they’d made a commitment to her and right now, Levi was the only one holding up their end
of that. The Alpha turned and walked to the door. As soon as he opened it, there was a person
standing there.

“Oh good. Sir, we’ve got…”

“Out.” Erwin said in such a low and dangerous tone that Levi actually looked over at him.
“Everyone out, now.”

“Commander?” The man asked, clearly confused.

“I said, I want everyone out of this house now.” He repeated. This time, the guy seemed to
get the message.

Levi watched as Erwin walked out, slamming the door behind himself. The omega stared at
the door as he listened to his mate go downstairs, shouting at everyone he came across.
Growling in frustration, he pushed himself out of bed and marched to the door. Levi didn’t
give a damn that he was still dressed in pajama bottoms and one of Erwin’s shirts. He was
pissed off and appearances were the last things on his mind. Erwin could be pissed off all he
wanted, but he was not going to take it out on other people.

“Erwin Smith!” He shouted over the railing of the stairs.

“Go back to bed, Levi!” He shouted back from somewhere below. Taking the stairs two at a
time, he rushed down them and found people all running around. They were trying to gather
up their things to escape the house and avoid the Alpha’s obvious wrath. “Out! I don’t give a
damn about your plans or what the king told you! Everyone out!”

“Cut it the hell out!” Levi said as he walked into the den. Erwin was picking up piles of
paperwork and literally throwing it towards the foyer. Levi would have tried to dodge it, but
it was only paper, and as such… It all just exploded into the air, falling down around him.
“Why are you acting like this?”

“Because you said this is all I care about!” Erwin turned to face him. Those blue eyes were
blazing. “I’m doing this for you, Levi! I did all of this for you! I am doing everything in my
power to make sure that a war doesn’t break out over you and Mikasa being here! And you
turn it around on me as if this is how I would rather be spending my time!”

“You don’t have to be an asshole to everyone here just because you’re mad at me!”

“I don’t have to, but I feel like it. I feel like tossing all these papers!” He took a fist full of
documents right out of some poor girl’s hands, who’d just been trying to escape the room.
Erwin threw them all up into the air and the girl squeaked in fear. “I feel like yelling and
throwing all these people out of our house. I don’t want them here! I don’t want anyone in
here disrupting our lives! I want things to go back to normal, but that’s not going to happen if
we can’t impress these Hizuru visitors!”
“Why do we have to impress them? Why do we have to be perfect!?” He balled his hands
into fists so tight that he could feel his nails cutting into his palms. “They want to know that
we’re safe and happy here, Erwin. Not that we’re some perfect family that Marley can parade
around! That looks worse!”

“The entire country is on the line over this. It’s not just the two of you. If they decide we’ve
kidnapped you and forced you to stay there, they may declare war, they may cut off trade
with us. And if they do that, other countries will follow!” The man pressed his hands against
his eyes.

“Erwin, you’re over thinking this! If they see us as we are, as we live normally, they will see
the truth. The harder you try to make us look so perfect, the more they aren’t going to believe
it! No one wants to live the way that Marley thinks we all should. I don’t want to learn all this
bullshit etiquette! I don’t want to be your perfect little house omega! Mikasa is a young girl,
not a doll. She shouldn’t have to be this stressed out over which side of her plate a god damn
fork goes on! Let them see us for what we are!” He asked, taking a deep breath, trying not to
snap and just smack the Alpha.

When the last of the people had fled the house, they were left in silence. Levi knew that
Moblit and Petra were probably just out of sight, waiting to see if their help would be needed.
As far as he knew, Hanji was out on an errand. That was probably a good thing. She’d been a
real issue in a situation like this. The omega stared at his mate. Neither of them moved, only
watched one another. He could feel the tension rolling off the other man in heavy waves. His
instincts told him to avoid an Alpha who was worked up like this, but he wasn’t going
anywhere. He was staying right where he was.

“What are you going to do now?” Levi asked, glancing towards the door. “You just kicked
everyone out of the house.”

“I’m going to have a drink and try to figure out how the hell I’m going to fix all this in two
god damn days.” He said and turned, walking over to the wooden cabinet that he kept his
alcohol and good glasses in. “Go back to bed.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

“You’re acting like a child.”

“Oh? Oh, am I the one who’s being childish? You threw papers all over the place and had a
total meltdown!” Levi growled.

“This is exactly how you’re going to end up going home with the Azumabito!” Erwin
snapped.

“No, this is how you end up with my foot up your ass!”

The two men glared at one another, fire raging in both sets of eyes. Levi wanted to hit him so
badly, just to get him out of this damn hateful state. Yeah, he knew that what he said upstairs
was mean, but he was so tired of all this, he couldn’t help himself. Erwin wasn’t there for
him, and he needed his mate. That was the point of being mates, wasn’t it? To be there for
one another? It didn’t seem fair that, all of a sudden, they were pitted against each other, all
because some foreign leaders were showing up. If this had been the past, Levi would have
jumped at the chance to escape. He’d have been ready to go the second they arrived.

Things weren’t like that now. Over time, he’d come to see this house as his home. Not
Marley. Levi still thoroughly hated Marley, but he liked being here with Erwin and the people
that had become his friends. If he was smart, he’d ask them to take himself and Mikasa, and
take them away to freedom. But it seemed his heart was in the way of his head. That was a
new feeling. Now he didn’t know what to do to fix all this.

“Just… make sure that Mikasa is ready when they come.” Erwin said, his voice sounding
entirely defeated. The man just looked exhausted. More guilt filled the smaller male.

“You don’t have to sleep down here.” Levi said, wrapping his arms around himself.

“You told me to stay away from you.”

“Yeah well… just don’t try to touch me or whatever.” Levi said and turned, heading back
towards the stairs. “I’m going back upstairs.” He said over his shoulder. It was still only the
afternoon, but he didn’t feel like being down around people.

Once back up in the bedroom, Levi set his tray of cold food aside and curled up into his bed.
He wasn’t tired, but he didn’t feel like doing anything else. He and Erwin had never had a
blow out quite that big before and, because they were mates, it was really affecting him. He
felt like he wanted to cry, which was pissing him off. All his instincts wanted him to run back
down to Erwin and to curl up in his arms. That would make everything better. But of course,
being the stubborn person that he was, the omega did not move an inch.

He'd just closed his eyes when the sound of the door opening woke him back up. Feeling
disorientated, he realized that he must have fallen asleep rather than just drifted off. Levi sat
up and rubbed his face. His pale eyes moved all over, looking for a threat that just wasn’t
there. What he found was Petra carrying a fresh tray of food and tea. She set it down on the
bed and then collected the old, basically untouched tray.

“Erwin said you didn’t eat lunch, so I brought you something.” She said, sounding a bit
nervous. She’d probably heard their big fight.

“Oh, thanks.” He said and forced himself to sit up and shake awake. He picked up a piece of
apple that she’d cut up and nibbled on it. “How upset is he?” he asked, staring down.

“He’s… sitting in the den. That’s where he’s been since you came up here.” She answered in
a quiet voice. “We came to check on the mess and he was just sitting there, staring at the
wall. He told Moblit to clean up the papers and asked me to make you something to eat.”

“Where are Hanji and Mikasa?”

“She took her out to get a new dress for when our guests arrive. I think things were getting to
be a bit too stressful around here.” Petra pointed out, and Levi let out a short, sarcastic laugh.
“Yeah, no kidding.” He said and sighed. The omega rubbed his temple. “Thanks, Petra. I’m
going to eat and rest some more. Please make sure my stupid asshole mate eats something.
And if he argues, tell him that I said he has to eat.” He added. She smiled and nodded before
taking the old tray and leaving the room.

Levi did not leave his room the rest of the day or the next. He stayed curled up in bed, either
sleeping or reading. Mikasa came in to show off her new outfit. She looked lovely with her
hair braided to one side and her pale pink dress. Hanji didn’t try to bridge the gap between
the mates, which came as a surprise to him. She’d come in, told him about the shopping trip
and then, when they were done, out she went. Maybe Erwin had said something to her, or
perhaps she realized that now was not the time for her aggressive way of helping. Whatever it
was, he was thankful for the peace.

The day before the Azumabito were to arrive, Levi remained in his room as well. He did lay
out his clothes for the meeting and took a long bath, but other than that, he stayed in bed. For
a while, he laid on his back and stared at the bump that was now his stomach. It wasn’t very
big. It would be easy to miss if he kept walking around in Erwin’s clothes. But once he put on
his properly fitting shirt tomorrow, it wouldn’t be something he could hide. Not that he
wanted to. Well, maybe he did want to when surrounded by strangers who were judging him.
They were no doubt going to ask about it. After all, they were coming to see if Levi and
Mikasa needed saving. That would apply to an unborn child as well, as soon as they knew
about it.

Erwin only came up one time. Even though Levi had told him he could sleep in their room,
the Alpha did not do so. He came up the evening before the meeting to shower, shave and to
grab his clothes. Levi just watched him, not saying a word as of yet. He wasn’t sure what was
going on and the Alpha was so tense, it seemed better to just leave him alone for now. That
went against everything his instincts and body were telling him, but they were both stubborn
and the stalemate was carrying on.

Hanji woke him up early on meeting day. He brought him breakfast, which he wasn’t feeling,
then she assisted him in getting dressed. If he hadn’t been so groggy, he would have told her
to fuck off. The King’s lackies had wanted him to wear some traditional omega thing that
looked way more like a dress than he liked, so he’d told them to fuck off instead of her. Levi
wore a black suit. The slacks, the jacket, and the vest all matched. Sadly, the vest didn’t make
it into the outfit. Due to his stomach now sticking out some, the bottom buttons weren’t
cooperating. It frustrated the omega, but Hanji had assured him over and over that it looked
better this way. Sure, it did.

Erwin and Mikasa were already downstairs at the breakfast table when Hanji finally managed
to drag him down. The Alpha was dressed in a pale gray suit, complete with vest and a lovely
silver tie that was tucked into it. His hair was perfect. It nearly took away from the tired look
in his eyes. Mikasa had on her new dress and her hair was pulled back into a half up, half
down do that looked cute on her. She smiled when the omega entered, and he made himself
return it.

“Good morning!” Hanji said happily and went to grab Levi some tea.
“Good morning, Hanji. Levi.” Erwin said, and glanced up. Their eyes met and Levi felt a
pang of guilt and longing strike him. He missed his mate. They had barely spent any time
together during the whole of the preparations, then they’d fought. Things were not exactly
screaming the perfect family at the moment.

“You look nice, Levi.” Mikasa said after a bite of toast.

“I look like shit. You can say it.” He pointed out and she let out a short laugh, quickly trying
to hide it and failing. He smiled at her.

“We should go over the questions they’ll likely be asking you.” Erwin cut in and both
Ackermans looked over at him. “She’s going to want to know how you both arrived in
Marley and in this family.”

“We’re refugees. Easy.” He said and Mikasa nodded. “We found each other when I had a ptsd
outburst and knew we were mates. I saw Mikasa and was so reminded of my mother that I
wanted to adopt her.”

“And I lived in an orphanage until you came along and brought me home.” The girl chimed
in. Erwin just looked between them both.

“And what happened to your parents?”

“They were attacked by rogue soldiers.” She said, which was pretty much true. Erwin was
still trying to track those men down to bring them to justice.

“Levi, how do you like Marley? Do you miss your home country?” He asked, bringing his
cup of coffee to his lips.

“I hated Marley when I first got here, only because I missed my home. But I’ve learned more
about the place and it’s not so bad,” he said in a rough manner. Erwin narrowed his eyes but
didn’t correct him. At this point, he probably knew better. “I miss my country sometimes, but
this is my home.” About that, he was not lying. Anywhere Erwin and Mikasa were, it was
home.

“Mikasa, what’s it like living here?”

“I love it here.” She said and looked over at Levi. “Levi teaches me to defend myself and
how to deal with fancy people. Petra and Hanji have helped me with my reading and writing.
And Erwin is helping me to get into a good school so I can do what I want when I grow up.”

“Within Marley guidelines.” Levi said under his breath. Erwin shot him a look, but he
avoided the man’s eye. “Just teasing.” He added with a smirk. Erwin was clearly not as
amused as he was.

“And what would you like to do when you’re grown?” The Alpha continued.

“I think…” The girl frowned, seeming deep in thought. “I want to be a soldier.” Both the
adults looked at her in surprise.
“Why?” Levi asked, setting his cup of tea down.

“Because soldiers are the ones that hurt my family. If I become a soldier and move up the
ranks, I can try to make sure that bad men like that don’t get the chance to do those horrible
things. If there are good soldiers, they can catch the bad ones, right? That’s what Erwin does.
He watches out for bad men.”

“I… yeah.” Levi said, very shocked by how deep her answer was. “That’s a really great plan.
Wow.” He looked over at Erwin.

“That’s a lovely answer, Mikasa. I’m glad you put real thought into your future.” He said and
smiled.

They went over a few more questions and things like that, before it seemed the time had
come. Levi and Mikasa stood in the foyer, both looking fairly flat-faced. Erwin helped Levi
smooth back his hair and straightened out Mikasa’s dress. It was obvious that he was nervous
and overcompensating at every turn. Neither of them said anything, though. They just let the
Alpha do whatever it was that made him feel better until that knock came to the door. Taking
a deep breath, Erwin opened the door himself to let their guests in.

The woman at the head of the group was probably the most elegant person he’d ever seen.
She had jet black hair, just like they did. It was smooth against her head and wrapped up into
a perfect and neat bun at the back of her head. Her eyes were narrower than either of theirs
and the color was a dark charcoal. On the whole, they shared many features. Behind her, she
had two young women, a man with a notebook and paper, and then what appeared to be four
very lethal looking guards.

“Lady Kiyomi,” Erwin said and smiled. She shook his hand, rather than letting him kiss her
fingers. Levi liked her already. “Welcome to our home. I hope your stay in the city has been
comfortable.”

“It has been, thank you. Your people certainly know how to build a hotel.” She said, a hint of
humor in her voice.

“Allow me to introduce my mate, Levi. And this is our adopted daughter Mikasa.” He said
and stepped aside. The woman approached them, a gentle smile on her face.

“You’re the lovely pair from the photos.” She said, and Levi could see her eyes moving over
them. Was she looking for some bruise or sign of abuse?

“Welcome.” Mikasa said and smiled, but Levi just stared back at the woman. He could feel
Erwin’s eyes burning into him.

“I’m not a fan of photos.” Levi said in a blunt voice. The woman let out a short chuckle.

“I would imagine even less so now that a photo has brought you so much attention.”

“Exactly.”
“Shall we have a seat in the den?” Erwin asked. “Mikasa, would you run along and ask Petra
to bring us some tea?” He asked. The girl nodded and off she went. Erwin placed his hand
against the small of the omega’s back, which sent a chill through his entire body. “Come
along.” He guided them into the sitting room and allowed Kiyomi and the other two women
to sit first before they took their seats across from them.

“I’m glad for the pleasantries but we both know why the Azumabito have come to Marley.”
She said, cutting right to the point. Levi wanted to sigh in relief.

“Yes, of course. And we’ve welcomed you without hesitation, as we have nothing to be
concerned about.” Erwin said and placed his hand on Levi’s thigh. He shot the man a look.

“You don’t seem pleased to have us here.” The woman said, and Levi realized she was
speaking to him.

“I’m not.” He said, feeling heat rolling off his mate. Erwin was barely holding his frustration
in. “I’m trying to live my life. I have a new daughter that I’m trying to learn about and raise. I
have a baby on the way and my mate is the Commander in charge of Marley’s armed forces.
We’re busy. We have a lot going on. Having to stop everything to entertain an entourage from
another country is low on my list of priorities. I’m only doing this because he says it’s
important. Since I love him, I sometimes listen. Not always.”

Erwin’s eyes were immediately on him. Levi glanced over and realized the man looked
totally shocked. It took him a moment to think about what he’d said. Then he realized it.
He’d just said that he loved Erwin… for the first time out loud… in front of total strangers.
The omega blushed a dark red and quickly looked away. He hadn’t meant to do that. It just
came out so easily. All eyes were on him, and he was so deep in his thoughts, he’d almost
missed the woman speaking.

“So, you’re fated mates?” Levi glanced up.

“Yeah.” He answered quickly. “I felt it as soon as I heard his voice the first time.”

“And you’re pregnant? That must be like a dream come true. You found your mate and
you’re having his child.”

“Our child,” Levi corrected. “It was a nightmare at first. I didn’t want to be bound to anyone
and I sure as hell didn’t want to have a baby with the guy that just took over my country.” He
looked up at the Alpha. Erwin was still watching him, though he looked far softer now than
he had for days. “War sucks no matter which side you’re on. I wanted to hate it here and I
really wanted to hate Erwin… but I don’t.” He admitted. “I like being here with him and with
Mikasa.”

“You really do make quite a charming couple.” She said, but he wasn’t really listening. He
was just staring lovingly at his mate. Fucking hormones.

“Commander Smith, how did you get your fellows to accept a foreign mate? I always thought
Marley was rather… serious about their heritage and purity of blood.” Erwin finally tore his
eyes away from Levi but kept his hand gently on his leg.
“It is true that people of this country hold their culture and bloodlines sacred, but the bond
between fated mates is absolute. To us, there is nothing higher, not even marriage. When
mates find one another and it is seen that they are truly bonded, nothing else matters. People
saw Levi as my partner, not for his features or the country he was born in.” He explained. “To
Marleyans, the bond is above all else. People see him as my equal now.”

“That’s fascinating,” Kiyomi said, looking back and forth between them. A moment later,
Mikasa returned. Levi gestured for her to come sit next to him. “Ah, she returns.” She said
and smiled brighter. “Miss Mikasa, that is a lovely name. Did you get it from your mother?”

“Yes,” The girl answered. “My mother looked a lot like you. She said it was her
grandmother’s name, back home.”

“Have you ever lived in Hizuru?”

“No. We traveled. My father was a merchant, so we got to see lots of places. But I don’t think
we ever went to your country.”

“I see. And where are your parents now? If you don’t mind my asking.”

“They died. We were attacked by bad soldiers, and they killed them.” Kiyomi looked at
Erwin, who sighed.

“Unfortunately, we have had cases of men who went rogue and did harm to civilians. It’s
taking a while, but we’re slowly apprehending them. I’ve told Mikasa that while we’re in the
city, if she sees any of them, to immediately point them out.”

“This is a sadness, but not uncommon.” The woman agreed. “We’ve had such cases in our
military as well. I hold nothing against Alpha males, but in the heat of battle… they
sometimes lose themselves to their baser instincts. I’m very sorry about your parents.” She
said, giving Mikasa a nod.

“Thanks…” She mumbled back. “I have Levi and Erwin now, though. I’m not alone.”

“I can see that.” The woman glanced over the three of them. “Commander, you’ve jumped
into this family role rather easily, it seems. You’re still very young, yourself. And now you
have a mate, a daughter, and a child on the way. Is it common for such young men to start full
families? I’ve been told your mate is the opposite. An eighteen-year-old omega with no
children until now? An odd pairing you’ve made.” She chuckled.

“We are rather unique, aren’t we?” The Alpha laughed. “It is common in Marley for Alphas
to begin breeding as soon as they are of age. With birthrates around the world so low, we
believe that it is the duty of Alphas and omegas to have as many children as they are able to
produce. Because I chose to go into the military very early, I was not asked to commit myself
to reproduction. It’s actually quite odd for an Alpha to reach my age with no offspring.” He
paused to allow Petra to set down a full tray on the table between them all. “When I met Levi
and realized that he was just as odd as I was, it seemed even more like fate.”
“But you wasted no time in impregnating him.” She picked up a cup and stirred in just a little
sugar. “Don’t you think he might have needed some recovery time after taking part in your
war?”

“When Levi first found me, he immediately went into heat, as often happens when an omega
finds their Alpha.” Erwin started and Levi got the impression he was a little irritated. “I
brought him home, put him in his own bedroom, and then I left the house entirely.” This
wasn’t a story he told anyone, usually. Levi was surprised. “I was not going to mate with him
after just meeting, especially when he’d just come from a refugee facility. Once he got
through his heat, I returned, and we took some time to get to know one another. It was
months before we properly sealed our bond. And even though it goes against Marley's
policies, I gave Levi a choice. I let him know that if he was not ready to have a child, we
didn’t have to.”

“I thought wasting a heat was against the rules, here.” She pointed out, raising a brow.

“It is. When an omega goes into heat, an Alpha must breed them. That’s how things work
here.” Erwin agreed.

“And yet, you just admitted to me that not only did you avoid one heat with your mate, but
you also gave him the option for it to happen a second time?”

“Yes.”

“Why tell me that?”

“Because you have an image in your head of how all the people in Marley are. I want you to
know that some of us are different.”

“And you.” She looked at Levi. “You chose to have this baby?”

“Yeah,” He answered. “I held back from Alphas for years. It was because I was waiting for
him. Is it ideal to have a baby with the man that wrecked your country? No, probably not. But
he’s a good person in a shit situation. At least, in my opinion.”

“I see.” She said and glanced over to one of the young women that sat beside her. They
started speaking in their native tongue. Levi didn’t understand a word of it. He thought about
saying something, but then he froze.

“Levi?” Erwin asked quietly. The omega looked down at his stomach and placed a hand
there. After a moment, his face went red, and he looked at the Alpha.

“He’s moving.”

“What?”

“The baby, he’s moving.” Levi said quickly, almost like he was panicking. “I just felt it!
Here.” He took Erwin’s hand and placed it against his stomach. “Wait for it… there!” He
watched as the other man’s eyes grew larger.
“Oh my god…” Erwin said and moved closer, adjusting his palm. The little tickle, pressure
sensation happened again and again. “He’s right there!” The Alpha said in a voice that was so
pure and happy, it made Levi’s heart swell.

“That’s never happened before! It’s so strange feeling!” He said and just stared down at the
Alpha’s hand on his stomach.

“I want to feel!” Mikasa said, and Erwin took her hand. He gently placed it against Levi’s
stomach in the same spot. A moment later, she jerked her hand back. “Weird!” She said,
holding her hand. “How is it doing that?”

“It’s a person.” Erwin laughed. “He’s in there, kicking. He’d probably hungry since Levi
skipped breakfast.”

“I guess he’s making himself known.” Levi said with a shrug as Erwin went back to feeling
around his stomach, following the little kicks. It was barely strong enough to feel, but it was
still there.

The three of them had clearly forgotten that they had a room full of guests. All Levi cared
about was that, for the first time, it really felt like this baby was real. It wasn’t just something
growing inside him, it was a little person with little feet to kick with. Of course, he was
growing quickly… they were running out of time before he’d arrive. The omega was actually
really happy at that moment. He loved the look of absolute adoration in Erwin’s eyes as he
looked down at his hand over his stomach. The Alpha looked so happy and so proud. They
might have kept this up for ever if it wasn’t for Kiyomi clearing her throat. They looked over
at her, almost as if surprised that she was still there.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it? The first time you feel that little life moving around.” She said and
smiled. “I remember the very first time I felt each of my girls kicking. It was so light, it felt
like butterfly wings against my stomach.”

“It’s creepy.” Mikasa said, and the woman laughed.

“Only until it’s your baby. Then it’s a gift.” She pointed out.

“I apologize,” Erwin said and straightened himself up. “I didn’t mean to ignore you while we
were doing that. It was just such a shock.”

“No need to apologize at all.” She said, waving a hand in front of herself. “It was a beautiful
moment. I have to admit… when I came here, I expected these two to act like little dolls put
on display. I thought they were using their voices to say your words, like puppets meant to
show the perfect family.” She smiled. “But when we arrived, it was clear that he was not
happy with you.” She gestured from Levi to Erwin. “Real couples have fights. They aren’t
flawless all the time. Levi hasn’t held back who he is from me. I could see you were afraid of
him acting out… but the fact that he was unafraid to be himself says more than you know. I
always believed that Marley was filled with omegas and women who were property rather
than partners.”
“There are still parts of this place that are like that,” Levi admitted, and Erwin tensed a little
beside him. “But there are good men like Erwin, who try to break that trend.”

“It only takes a few good men to make a change.” She pointed out. “You’re a lovely family. I
can see that clear as day. That moment… I saw nothing but love. This is not a family that’s
only been made to pump out children. This is a real, lovely relationship and you’ve taken a
little girl into your house simply because you cared.” Kiyomi shook her head. “I wish all of
Marley could be like this household.”

“We do as well.” Erwin said, finally breaking that Marley mask he’d been wearing. “There
are families that aren’t like us…” He shook his head.

“Too bad there isn’t anyone to help those that are being forced or oppressed.” The woman
said, sipping her tea.

“Yes… too bad.” Erwin said, and Levi watched the two of them.

There was something there. Some kind of connection. Did Kiyomi know what Erwin did
underground? Surely not. He kept his hand over his stomach and felt the little kicks. If she
were to know what they were up to… what would it mean? Right now, he did not want to
have to think about the Scouts. As far as he was concerned, they’d just dodged one bullet.
Inviting another in did not seem like a very smart idea…. But knowing Erwin, something
more was already brewing.
 A New Plan
Chapter Summary

Levi inspires Erwin to a new plan.

“Awww why won’t he do it when I’m here!?” Hanji whined as she knelt by the sofa.

The woman had his shirt shoved up and was moving her hand all over his stomach. Levi was
just ignoring her, for the most part. He’d been lying down, reading, when she came in,
demanding to feel the baby. Apparently, Mikasa had let it slip that the little one had started
moving the other day. Now Hanji was obsessed with feeling him. She’d been trying for hours
to catch the baby kicking. It seemed that each time she showed up, he either wasn’t moving
around or would suddenly stop. Erwin found it incredibly amusing and had already been
caught laughing more than once.

“Hanji, he doesn’t move all the time.” Levi said in a flat voice, turning the page of his book.
“Usually, he kicks first thing in the morning and then a little in the evening. Not much. He’s
still tiny, remember?”

“I know.” She pouted and poked at his stomach. “It’s not fair, though. What if he doesn’t like
me?” Levi lowered the book and looked at her. “What? He might not!”

“He doesn’t even know how to like or dislike. He’s not even born yet.” He shook his head
and went back to his book.

“Next time he moves, you yell for me. I don’t care what I’m doing or where we are!”
Shoving herself up, she huffed and walked out of the room. “Shut it, Smith.” He peaked over
his book to see Erwin walking in as she walked out. He was snickering.

“I see Hanji is still desperate for attention from our little man. I wonder how she’ll be when
he’s actually here.” Erwin said, clearly amused. Instead of walking around to sit, he climbed
right over the arm of the sofa, moving over top of the omega. Levi smiled and moved the
book out of the way so they could share a soft kiss. “The Azumabito are finally on their way
back home.” He said quietly.

“How did that go?” He asked, setting his book on the floor. He laced his fingers through the
man’s hair before kissing him again.

“Kiyomi is going to be leaving a couple of her people here, to assist with the refugee
programs…”

“We have refugee programs?”

“Apparently.” Erwin chuckled softly and moved his lips over Levi’s jaw, down to his neck.
“How are you feeling?”

“Like I have a giant man on top of me.” He teased. Erwin was keeping his weight off him,
but it felt like the right thing to say. “I’m fine, Erwin.” He added in a softer voice.

“You like it when I’m on top of you.” The Alpha pointed out, mouthing lazily at his neck.
Levi let out a soft breath, closing his eyes. “I could always get up,” he said and started to
move. Levi quickly wrapped his arms around his neck, stopping him from being able to
leave. “That’s what I thought.”

“Shut up.”

“Have you eaten?”

“What the hell kind of question is that while you’re laying on top of me, kissing at my neck
like that?” Levi asked, frowning.

“Mm, I apologize. I’m always thinking about taking care of you.” He admitted. “I guess it’s
kicked up a bit now that he’s moving and… real.”

“Yeah, I know,” Levi replied with a sigh. “I know the feeling. It was kind of easy to ignore
before. Now it’s like… shit, he’s a person…”

“I can’t wait to see him.” Erwin pulled up and kissed his lips again. “I want to see the child
we made together.” He said softly and kept kissing him, peppering his lips with little pecks.

“He’s going to look just like you. I know it.”

“And how do you know?”

“Because if there is a god, he’s not gonna make some poor kid an Alpha that looks like me.”
He said and Erwin laughed, dropping his head against Levi’s chest.

“I think you’d be a wonderful Alpha. You’re so full of fire.” He pointed out and slid himself
down. Levi watched as the blond moved down to his stomach. Erwin laid gentle kisses there
as well. “It doesn’t matter which one of us he looks like.” He whispered. “I just want him to
be as strong as you are, as resilient. Life here is never easy. His life may be difficult as he
grows.” Levi could hear the sadness in the man’s voice.

“Erwin… he’s gonna be fine. He has us to guide him, right? You can teach him all the Marley
bullshit and I’ll teach him how to resist all that bullshit.” He said and smiled, hoping to joke
and pull Erwin from that mood.

“I always wanted to help all the Alphas and omegas because it didn’t seem fair that they were
going through all this. But I didn’t mind us living amongst it all. Now… all I can think about
is our son being forced to do the things I’m saving others from. What if he’s taken away from
us like that boy, Eren?” He asked and pressed his forehead against Levi’s stomach. “I can’t let
anything happen to either of you.”
“Nothing is going to happen to us… what are you talking about?” He felt a little uneasy now.
Erwin was being very strange.

“I’m just realizing how much I hate it here.” The Alpha said, surprising him. “Levi… if you
give birth to a healthy Alpha boy, it puts a spotlight on us both. We’ll be expected to keep
having children, to strengthen Marley.”

“Yeah, I know. That’s not exactly news to me, Erwin.”

“Omegas have died from giving birth to Alphas.” He said and sighed, kissing his stomach
again. “I’m excited to have an Alpha son, but I’m worried for you. I won’t cause your death
because this country wants us to keep breeding until we can’t any longer.

“Fuck, Erwin. What the hell is going on with you? Where is all this coming from? I thought
things were okay and now you’re acting like I’m gonna die tomorrow or some shit. I’m not
so weak that I can’t give birth to your super baby.” He said, grabbing the man’s shoulders.
Erwin looked up at him, his eyes so damn sad.

“I feel like I’ve cursed you and any children we have.” He admitted. Levi pulled himself
from under the other and sat up. Erwin remained at the other end. “Because of who I am,
you’re constantly in the spotlight. Everyone watches everything we do. Even other countries.
Our son is going to be put in the same position. A fated pair, having a strong, healthy Alpha
boy… it’s like stamping reproduce on our heads and sending us into a factory. And the same
will be expected of him.” He said and rubbed his face. “The second he’s of age, he’ll be
expected to start breeding as well.”

“I thought you said that Nobles didn’t have to do that. Doesn’t he get to skip that shit because
of you being a Commander?” Levi asked, his hand dropping protectively over his stomach, as
if someone was coming for his baby already.

“It means he won’t get forced into some other family. But… it’s likely that he’ll be requested,
and we can’t turn them all down.” Erwin explained. “Unless my popularity diminishes, Noble
families will be dying to have our bloodline added to theirs.”

“Fuck, I hate this place.” He mumbled. “Every asshole here just wants you to breed me to
death, and then to use my kids for the same thing.” He shook his head.

“I want you to leave.”

“What?”

“I want to get you out of the country.”

“Erwin, where the hell… no!” He snapped. “You already told me that if you do that, you’ll
end up in trouble. No damn way. If we go, we go together.”

“I can’t leave, Levi. The manhunt that would follow… it wouldn’t be safe for you. And there
are still so many people here that need my help.”
“Fuck them!” The omega growled. “I don’t give a damn about them. You’re not sending me
away and then thinking you can stay here. Bullshit.”

“Levi, please don’t be difficult.”

“I am not going! We will figure this shit out together!”

“There’s nothing to figure out.”

“Nothing is going to change!” He shouted and Erwin’s eyes went wider. “Just getting omegas
and Alphas out of the country forever is not going to change anything, you idiot! You’ll be
old and withered, still doing the same shit! If you want to help people, you have to think
bigger. You have to take the whole goddamn system down! Otherwise, it just keeps repeating
forever and ever!”

They stared at each other. Levi was furious and Erwin just looked shocked. There was a
heavy tension in the air that he hated more than anything else. They’d managed to make up
after their big fight, now they were right back at it, though for different reasons. Meeting with
the Azumabito had gone well and the two of them had been able to talk things out in better
spirits. Right now, Levi wanted to slap his mate. Didn’t he see that he was stuck in a cycle
that was never going to end with how things were going now?

“Erwin… Marley is going to keep capturing omegas and Alphas. They are going to keep
breeding us, stealing our kids, and using us up. That’s what this place does. Helping a couple
escape every year… do you honestly think that’s enough?” He asked, calming just slightly.

“So… what should I do?” Erwin asked sadly.

“Use that big brain and come up with something better.”

“I… I’m not sure if I can.”

“Don’t be stupid. I know you can.” Levi said, and moved to his mate. He knelt before him on
the sofa and gently touched his face. “You’re a genius, Erwin. If anyone can fix this mess, it’s
you. And you’re not alone. You have me… Hanji, Mike, and all the rest of our friends. If we
put our heads together, I’m sure we can come up with a way to break the cycle.” The Alpha
smiled at him and pulled him close.

“You call me a genius, but you’re the one who’s just opened my eyes.” He said softly and
nuzzled him. Levi hugged him back, taking a deep breath of his mate’s scent. It always
calmed him.

“Just please… don’t send me away.” He mumbled against the man’s shoulder.

“I’ll come up with something, some way to keep you safe without us being apart.” He said,
and Levi took it as a promise.

“You better. Because I’m not going anywhere.”

The following day, Erwin was back to his usual self. He was bustling around the house,
always with documents in his hands. The day after, he started going back to work regularly.
The house was back to normal soon enough. Levi resumed his obsessive cleaning regiment
with Petra, Mikasa finally started to attend school, and Hanji was busy down in the basement
all the time. It felt like it had before the Azumabito had shaken things up, but Levi knew
never to assume that everything was fine. In Marley, nothing was ever perfectly okay.
For almost a week, they lived totally normally. Then, Erwin returned home just as they were
sitting down to dinner. The man had a letter in his hand and was so busy reading it, Petra had
rushed over to help him out of his jacket. She stripped it off him, hanging it up. They all
stared at him, confused. Finally, he glanced up, seeing the household watching him. It almost
looked like he didn’t know where he was for a moment. Then realization hit.

“My apologies.” He said and took the letter, folding it and stuffing it into his pocket. Erwin
walked over and took a seat next to Levi, moving back as Moblit set a plate in front of him
and filled his wine glass.

“Everything okay, boss?” Hanji asked.

“Of course. We can discuss it later.” He said with a smile. That meant it was something not to
be said in front of Mikasa. Hanji nodded and focused on her food. “So, how was everyone’s
day?” Erwin asked, continuing on his normal routine.

“I think Levi’s keeping the baby from me.” Hanji said, glaring at the omega.

“You’re the one that keeps ambushing me all over the house, trying to feel me up!”

“I am not trying to feel you up! I want to feel the baby!”

“Well, he doesn’t want to kick when you’re around because you’re weird!”

“Kids love me, I’ll have you know!”

“This one is half me, and I don’t like getting grabbed all the time!”

“You let Erwin do it!”

“He’s the father!”

“Enough!” Erwin said, laughter in his voice. “Can the two of you cut it out?” He asked,
smirking. “Hanji stop trying to touch Levi. He will let you know when you can touch him
and feel the baby. Levi… be patient with her. She’s excited.” The two of them glared at one
another before nodding and looking away. “There, all better.” The Alpha said, smiling
brightly.

The rest of dinner went fairly well. Erwin told them about a circus that was supposed to be
coming into town in the next few weeks. Of course, he promised Mikasa and Hanji that they
could all go. Levi hated clowns and all things circus related. He really did not want to go…
but he would for Mikasa. She had never been and seemed excited about it. The girl told them
about school, about how she was making friends with other teenagers and what lessons she
liked. It all felt so very domestic. They were just sitting around the dinner table, talking about
their days. All the fighting from days before had faded into the background. For a moment,
Levi almost thought that Erwin had let it all go.
Of course, he’d been wrong. When it came to Erwin, nothing ever got let go that easily.
When dinner was finished, Levi helped Petra and Moblit clear the table. No matter how many
times they told him that he didn’t need to help, it never took. He just wasn’t the type to be
catered to, even with his Commander mate having his own house staff. The moment things
were cleaned and Mikasa was put to bed, Erwin asked them all to join him in the basement.
Levi felt a sense of dread coming over him. Hopefully, the Alpha would not bring up him
leaving again. He wasn’t sure he could handle it.

“I received this letter today. It’s from Kiyomi of the Azumabito.” He said, and sat down at the
one briefing table that sat in his little operations center. “It was hand delivered to me by one
of her operatives that remained here in Marley.”

Levi stood by the door; arms folded over his chest. Petra and Hanji had both chosen to sit at
the table with Erwin. Moblit remained neutral in the middle of the room. No matter where
they were, their eyes were on Erwin. Everyone was waiting for what might come next. The
woman had left the country, seemingly pleased with what she’d seen of their family. Had
something changed? Was she planning to come and take the two Ackermans away? He
prayed she wasn’t that stupid.

“I spoke with her briefly before her departure… some things that Levi said to me the other
night really wormed their way into my mind and I was unable to think of much else.
Somehow, this resulted in me discussing the Scouts with Kiyomi.”

“Erwin… what the hell?” Hanji asked, her brown eyes totally wide as she stared at him in
disbelief. “You trusted her with that information?”

“I did. And the reason being… she’s a woman of two passions. Family and money. She wants
to keep her people safe, and she wants to increase her holdings. Marley is a major trade force
on his continent. It’s only because of their illegal trade in Alphas and Omegas, along with
servants and things of that nature. If, by some miracle, Marley were to… fall. Or to lose that
particular product trade, Hizuru would take over as the trade capital of the world.”

“The bigger picture.” Levi said, recalling their conversation. “You want to use the Azumabito
to bring down Marley.”

“I don’t really want to end this country, only to take away the power that it has. We can stop
Marley’s abuse of our genders. Hizuru has a powerful military force but not great enough to
completely win. I thought they did but… Kiyomi isn’t so sure. After some talks, we agreed
that a more covert assault would be better.”

“This is insane. Are you telling us that the Scouts are going from a rescue operation to a
military one?” Moblit asked. He looked nervous all the time, but right now, it was about a
hundred times worse.

“The Scouts will continue to operate in the shadows for now. We’re not a force large enough
to even consider military action. But now, at least, we won’t be alone. This letter,” Erwin held
it up. “Is a list of operatives from the Azumabito. They will be inside Marley both officially
and unofficially. Some are clearly from Hizuru, others are ethnically similar to us and will
blend more easily.” He set the letter down, allowing Hanji to take it and look it over.

“So, what exactly is our plan, then?” Levi asked, seeing nods from the others in the room.

“I’m going to start gathering our people, filling them in on the new developments. From
there, we’re going to start monitoring trade routes, in and outgoing ships, carts, trains… Once
we have their schedules down, we will pass it on to Kiyomi’s people. Once those shipments
leave Marley, they’ll be seized, robbed, what have you. Eventually, Marley will be forced to
send armed forces out with all their supplies and trade. The more military forces out of the
city…”

“The less there are to provide support inside,” Hanji said and looked at Erwin. “This could
take months.”

“It’s just a start,” The Alpha pointed out. “The aim is to slowly destabilize. Going too fast,
we’ll get caught. Going too slow, it will make no difference.”

“What do you plan to do once the city is less defended?” She pressed.

“This city is Marley’s capital. All our military leaders and Noble households are here. We
strangle them from within. The more people we can pull into our cause the better. Omegas
and servants that live in those houses, Alphas in the military… we need them.”

“Erwin, this is insane.” Petra said, rubbing her temples.

“Levi made a very valid point to me. Taking out a handful of omegas and Alphas every year
only saves them. It does not help those that are left before, those that are born here each
year… We’re just slowing down the inevitable.” He sighed and looked over towards his
mate. “Unless we take down the entire system, nothing is going to change.” He said and Levi
felt a chill run down his spine.

“We had better get started then.”

 Elterntag
Chapter Summary

Mikasa and Erwin surprise Levi.

Chapter Notes

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms and people who take up that heavy role in
someone's life.
I wanted to post a quick little chapter about this holiday, or as the Eldian's call it
'Elterntag'.

It's a super short chapter but that's the point. Enjoy!

“Surprise!”

Levi jumped, his eyes wide. Usually, he was aware of everyone moving around the house.
Lately, though… he’d been a little less aware. Hanji said something about pregnancy causing
something called ‘baby brain’? He had no idea if that was something he was actually dealing
with, but apparently it could make a person spacy, half aware, things like that. Levi was
blaming the baby brain for him allowing both Erwin and Mikasa to sneak up on him. He was
sitting on the floor in the living room, stretching out. Gaining weight was not his favorite
thing about this.

“Happy Elterntag!” Mikasa said and smiled brightly at him, a tray of food in her hands. “I
made you lunch! Erwin helped. But he’s really bad at cooking….” She said, glancing at the
Alpha who was standing behind her.

“Uh… thank you.” He said and stood up. Mikasa set the tray on the coffee table and then
returned to Erwin. He was holding a deep blue glass vase filled with white roses. The girl
took them and happily gave them to the omega. “I know Erwin doesn’t know what Elterntag
is, so this must all be your idea.” He said with a smile, taking the vase. He smelled the
flowers and pulled the girl into a side hug.

Elterntag was an Eldian Holiday that, technically meant to celebrate parents, but traditionally,
it was the celebration of the birthing parent, be it a mother or an omega father. It was not a
holiday recognized by Marley. Mikasa and Levi were both Eldian, so he had to assume that
she’d told the Alpha about this day. Truthfully, Levi hadn’t expected anything at all. He never
forgot this day because it made him think of his mom, but considering he hadn’t given birth,
it totally went over his head. And he wouldn’t have expected Mikasa to do anything for
him… but she was so sweet and considerate, she’d been way ahead of him.

“She told me about this holiday last week and asked for some help in getting you something.”
Erwin said, smiling. “You should really tell me more about your homeland.” He said and
approached. The Alpha kissed the top of his head. “You would have let this day slip by
without me ever knowing.”

“I don’t like attention.” Levi pointed out, and took the flowers over to the window so they
could get some sun.

“I always went out and picked my mom flowers on this day. Erwin took me to look at flowers
after school yesterday.” The girl said, and then she ran out of the room.

“I wondered what you two were doing for so long.” He said and folded his arms over his
chest. “I didn’t tell you because… well it seemed kind of selfish to bring up a holiday that
benefits me… and we don’t have a baby yet… I also didn’t want to bring it up because I
thought it might be hard on her.” He said, gesturing towards the direction Mikasa had run off
to.

“She lost her mother, but she has you, Levi. You’ve been wonderful for her, and she
appreciates you.”

“It’s just weird for me.”

“Okay last thing!” The girl was back, and, in her arms, she had a little box that was neatly
wrapped in silver paper. She held it up to the omega. He glanced at Erwin before taking it
from her. The Alpha only shrugged, not seeming to know what it was.

Sitting down on the sofa by his tray of food, Levi placed the box on his lap and opened it up.
The paper came apart easily and inside was a wooden box. There was an engraving on the top
of two crossed swords. It looked incredibly old. He flipped the little latch and opened it up.
Inside, there was a leather cuff. It looked weathered, like it was many years old. Perhaps
generations. The same crossing swords was branded onto it, and it had brassy-colored snaps
that seemed newer than the leather.
Levi stared at it for a moment before realization dawned on him. He knew this symbol. It was
one he’d seen many times before, back home. His uncle had a big silver ring that had the
same symbol on it. The Alpha had never taken it off. He said he’d gotten it from his
grandfather. Some kind of family heirloom that was passed down from male to male in the
family… but he refused to give it to Levi because he didn’t think an omega counted as a real
man. Mikasa was an Ackerman, which means this must have belonged to her father.

“I… I can’t take this, Mikasa.” He said and looked up at her. She was standing by Erwin. The
girl smiled.

“It was my dad’s. He got it from his dad. It was supposed to go to a boy, but my parents never
had any other children. I took it when they died and hid it.”

“You should keep this. It belonged to your dad.”

“Well, now you’re my dad. And you’re an Ackerman. Tradition says that a man should have
it.” She shifted a little. “Maybe someday you can give it to the baby or if I have a boy
someday.” She explained. Levi found himself smiling. A necklace to represent his connection
to Erwin and a cuff to represent his Ackerman family.

“Thank you. I’m going to save it and if you have a family someday, I’ll pass it back to you.”
He said and stood up. He hugged the girl tightly before having Erwin help him snap it into
place.

While he had lunch, Mikasa spent some time telling him about her parents and what they’d
been like. He told her about his mother and uncle, what little he knew about his part of their
connected family. Erwin joined in, sharing some things about his parents, making Levi
realize that he really didn’t know anything about the man or where he came from. It was a
nice time for the three of them. Really, they’d not spent much time together like this, just
connecting as a family. It was long overdue.
When he left Eldia, Levi never expected that good things like this would happen to him. He
thought he’d either die fighting off the Marleyans or he’d end up strapped down and turned
into a breeding machine. Instead, he was sitting in a lovely house, having lunch with his
adopted daughter and his fated mate, all while pregnant with their first biological child. There
was a lot to worry about, of course. They still had the treat that was Marley, the revolution
that they were now planning… and other smaller things that came and went. In comparison to
what could be happening, he should be thankful.
To be able to celebrate Elterntag with a real family… it was just crazy to imagine this was
happening. When he was a child, Levi would try to make his mom breakfast. He would do
what he could to take on her part of their chores, and he’d always run out into the fields and
pick her flowers. They were usually just wildflowers that died within the first couple of
hours. No matter what, though, she would smile happily and wrap him up in big hugs. It was
the best feeling in the world. He wished that he could go back to those days. They were gone,
though. Now he had a family of his own to celebrate the holidays with. It was sad to think
about his mother but happy to think about the future.
Mikasa went off to practice her fighting moves in the garden. As she did, the two adults took
the dishes to the kitchen to clean up. Levi was washing the dishes and the cookware used to
make lunch. Erwin was drying things as they were handed to him. For a while, the two of
them were just quiet. It wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable. In fact, it was really peaceful and
nice. With so much always going on, these moments didn’t come about very often.

“I’m in love with you.” Erwin said as he set aside a dried plate. Levi nearly dropped the one
he’d been holding.

“What?”

“I’m in love with you.” He repeated and looked over, their eyes meeting. “You said
something when Kiyomi was here, about loving me. Right?” He asked and the omega
blushed, looking back down at the water. “Was it true?”

“Yes.” He answered, seeing no point in hiding it. “I… I guess I’m in love with you too.” He
mumbled.
“You have no reason to be embarrassed about it.” The Alpha laughed softly. He turned off the
water and took Levi’s hands, drying them off. “We had a rough start.” He said and set the
cloth off to the side. Then they were just holding hands. “It was complicated, unpleasant, and
so confusing at times. But look where we are now. We have a daughter, a baby boy on the
way. We’re happy. Or at least… I am.” The Alpha gently wrapped one arm around his mate’s
waist, the other sliding out to take his hand. It was like they were dancing.

“I’m happy,” Levi quickly said and stared up into those damn hypnotizing blue eyes. “I didn’t
want to admit it. I wanted to hate it here… but here we are.” He said and then laid his head
against the other’s chest. “We have fights but… I really do love you. It happened so fast. All
of it.”

“Things are always rushed in this country. Rush to breed, rush to marry…” He shook his
head. The Alpha started to sway, and Levi just went with it. There was no music, but
apparently, they did not need any.

“I don’t want to have to rush forever. I want to take things slow when the baby is born… to
enjoy him growing up. To enjoy Mikasa getting older and becoming her own person. Those
things are going to happen fast enough as it is. I don’t want to miss anything.”

“It’s going fast already. You’re showing, he’s kicking… it seems like just days ago, we were
trying to decide what we were even going to about all this… now the clock is ticking down to
us having him in our arms.” Erwin chuckled again.

“You know omegas are really dangerous and protective for a while when they give birth. I’ve
seen it.” Levi pointed out. “I’ve seen women not even let their mates near their infants for
days after giving birth.”

“I’ve been thoroughly warned by people on the base. Hanji has also made me read a few
books about it. She said I should give you plenty of space.”

“I don’t even know how all this is going to work. Will I want you here?” He asked, frowning.
“Right now, I do. I want you there the whole time… but instincts are instincts. I’ll probably
chase you off.”

“Whatever you decide at the time, I’ll do. If you need me in the room, then I’ll be here with
you. If you want me to leave, then I’ll stay outside… but I would really like to be there for
the birth of our first child.” Erwin was rubbing his hand against the small of his back, which
felt nice. And the deep vibration of his voice as he spoke was nice.

“I’ll try to remember that when that little monster is ripping his way out of me.” He laughed
and the Alpha held him a little tighter.

“Don’t say things like that. I’m already worried.”

“Hey.” He pulled back and stared up at the other man. “I’m not some weak ass Marley bitch.”
He said, smirking. “I’m an Eldian Ackerman. I don’t care how big and strong your Alpha
genes are, I’m not going to die bringing your spawn into the world. We’ll be here next year,
celebrating Elterntag together. Both our kids, you, and me. God it?” He waited until the
Alpha nodded before he relented. “Alright, good.”

“I’m sorry for sounding like a broken record. I just can’t imagine you not being here with me.
Now that I have you, I can’t let you go. You’re the most important thing to me.”

“Erwin…” he cupped his face and stared right at him, getting more serious. “You never have
to let me go. And I’m not letting you go. Why do you think I fought so hard when you
brought up me leaving? It’s not happening.” He told him, his voice stern.

“Yes sir.” Erwin said and smiled. He leaned down and kissed the omega. Levi happily leaned
up into it. “We have each other.” He said softly against his lips. “Happy Elterntag, my love.”

“Thank you, Erwin.” He said and smiled before kissing him again.
 Control and Lack Of It
Chapter Summary

Erwin convinces Levi to agree to a plan, meanwhile, the Scouts movement becomes
more intense.

Erwin’s plan to strangle hold Marley’s capitol was a bold one, but it seemed that his many
followers were more than willing to jump on board with it. Little by little, Scouts all over the
country were filled in on the plan. He gave them all the option to back out if this new shift in
their mission was too much. Apparently, many of them had been waiting for something
bigger to happen. They all stayed with him, ready for their new orders. Sometimes Levi was
still impressed by the way Erwin could inspire people. He was a walking machine, pumping
out inspiration and loyalty.
With people now on his side, the Alpha began to focus on his current plan. At first, Levi
thought he was going to lose him again to another round of planning and work, but luckily, it
seemed that their fight over the Azumabito was not something that the man forgot. When
he’d go a few days being Erwin the underground Commander, he’d come back to reality and
pay attention to his family. Sometimes he’d sit outside and help Levi and Mikasa with their
fighting lessons. Other times, he’d find Levi, wherever he was, and just cuddle with him.
That was a new development.
If Levi was sitting on the floor doing laundry, Erwin would sit behind him, wrapping his arms
around his middle and just watch. If the omega was lying on the sofa reading, the Alpha
would lay with him or further down so he could watch the baby kick. It was a nice and simple
way for them to keep bonding without much effort. So, Levi started returning the gestures.
When Erwin would hold up in his office for hours, he’d slip in and keep him company. When
he was down in the basement trying to track shipping routes, Levi would stand there with
him, helping to pinpoint the best break points. Finally, it seemed like they had found
themselves a comfortable balance.
There was also, of course, a messy sex life to deal with. For whatever reason, they were both
a little more affectionate than usual. It wasn’t just that. Levi was finding himself more and
more needy for his mate’s attention. This had an effect on Erwin, who couldn’t seem to tell
him no. Any time they were alone or could get away with it, they were all over each other.
One day, Hanji and Moblit took Mikasa to the market with them, leaving the house empty.
Levi and Erwin hadn’t even made it up to their room before they were all over each other.
Levi actually had bruises on his knees from Erwin fucking him on the stairs. Of course,
neither of them complained.

“Close… fuck…” The omega gasped, his head dropping back against his shoulders. For the
third day in a row, he was straddling Erwin’s lap in his office. Each time he came in to try
and clean, he somehow ended up being dragged onto the man’s lap and one thing would lead
to another.
“Ah… I’m gonna…” Erwin made a dangerous, incredibly sexy sound when he came. Levi
could not get enough of it. He rolled his hips faster, driving himself down over the other’s
releasing length. It only took a few more thrusts and he was spilling out over them as well.
His mate kept pumping up into him for just a few more seconds before they both finally
stopped moving. Breathing hard, Levi looked down at them.

“We’re a fucking mess.” He panted and Erwin laughed.

“Yes, yes we are…” He agreed. The Alpha looked down as well, seeming to be watching
Levi’s chest as it quickly rose and fell with his rapid breathing. “How many times is that?”

“Today or this week?”

“I can’t even keep track anymore.” Erwin laughed and pulled the other close to kiss him.
“Seems like every free moment is spent inside you, now.”

“I hope that’s not a complaint.” The omega purred against his lips.

“Never.” Erwin smiled and kissed him again. “I do need to get some work done, though. Why
don’t you go take a bath?” He suggested.

It shouldn’t have surprised him that Erwin paid so much attention. The Alpha was learning
more and more about him, every day. He knew that Levi had been suffering a lot more from
this pregnancy and when to make him relax. Sometimes it was a nap, other times it was a
bath. It seemed like he could pinpoint exactly what Levi needed and when. That included
sessions of physical affection such as what they’d just shared. So, he let the man help him to
his feet with the intent of going to take a hot bath. They shared one more kiss that was
starting to drag on a little too long when Erwin finally broke it off and sent his mate out of
the office so he could clean up.
Not long later, Levi was sinking into the steaming water. It wasn’t too hot, but just enough to
help relax his body. Erwin had done a pretty good job of destressing him, but it seemed like
he was always sore these days. The omega sank down until he was completely under, then he
came back up and smoothed his hair back against his head. Now that he was coming down
from his orgasm-induced high, he was starting to think about all the things that were coming
up on them.
Erwin had Scouts positioned to make their first raid on a supply shipment this coming week.
It was going to be the very first act of this new plan. Erwin was acting fine, but Levi could
always tell when his mind was heavy. The shipments were only guarded by people hired by
whichever company the products belonged to. They would be easy to take out. At least,
according to his mate. He was putting some of his better fighters on it. The plan was to take
the shipments without any major casualties. They didn’t want bloodshed if they could avoid
it. At least, not this early. The shipment would be moved to a safe location before supplies
were distributed to their people.
For Levi, this all felt like the war coming back to life. He could still remember helping to
take down Marley's supply runs. Of course, they had not been peaceful about it. He’d slit
more throats than he cared to admit. Being around Erwin and his soldiers now, didn’t make
him regret any of it. At the time, he was doing what he had to in order to survive. There was
no regret about choosing life. And for choosing to help those around him. Now, he was inside
Marley… doing basically the same thing. Well, helping to arrange it. In his current condition,
he wasn’t going to be doing any of the actual fighting. That was one thing that upset him.
His entire life, he’d been a fighter. Levi had always been the first person to step up and act.
Now, he was stuck in the back, unable to do so much as lift a blade. Of course, he could still
do that and other things, but with another life now depending on him, he had to make the
choice not to. His fingers brushed over his stomach. He had to think about his child… which
was still a weird concept. As if to drive his point home, he felt the little kick under his palm.
The little one was awake again and always seemed to know when he needed to be reminded
of his presence there.

“I know, I know.” He mumbled and placed both hands on his stomach. “You’re in there and
you’re not going to be forgotten.” He said and laid his head back, eyes closed. “We don’t
have long, you know.” He was speaking softly, not wanting someone to walk through the
other room and think he was talking to them or himself. “You’re growing so damn fast.”

“Only two more months if we’re lucky.”

“Fuck, Erwin!” Levi snapped, jumping at the sudden sound of the man’s voice. The Alpha
had somehow snuck up on him, yet again. “You need to knock or something!” He growled
and tried to calm his now racing heart.

“You really aren’t as aware like this.” The man laughed as he walked over to lean against the
vanity counter. “Talking to him again?”

“I do it a lot. He wants to jump around in there all the time, I’m gonna talk to him.” Levi
said, sinking back more into the water.

“Dr. Yeager thinks you may not even make it the full six months.” Erwin said, looking at him
with that damn sappy expression he sometimes got. “He believes this baby really is an Alpha
and he’s growing fast.”

“I know.” The omega mumbled and sank down into the water until his lips and nose were
hidden.

“Levi, I know we have a lot going on right now, but we need to talk about you giving birth.”
This was a subject he really did not want to talk about. But Erwin had been bringing it up
more and more. Ever since Levi started getting sore and having some pain, the Alpha had
been on him about their birth plan. To him, it was stupid. “Grisha isn’t sure you can give birth
naturally.”

“Yes, I know.” He poked his head up enough to say before going back down.

“If he’s too big, you won’t be able to have him naturally. Grisha wants to discuss a planned
birth, to surgically remove him before you go into actual labor.”

“You know this is all your fault for being fucking giant, right?” Levi huffed, giving up on
hiding under the water. He rested his arms on the sides of the tub. “I’m tiny and you’re huge.
Of course, the brat would take after you.”

“You’re the one that wanted him to be like me.” Erwin said, smirking a little.
“I take it back.”

“A little late for that,” Erwin sighed. “Can we please discuss this, though? If you try to do
this naturally, it could kill you both. He started throwing out things like hemorrhaging and…”

“Erwin, I know.” Levi huffed. “I know how dangerous it is. He told me all the same stuff he
told you, remember? I’m blowing up like a god damn balloon, the kid weighs a ton already.
Or he feels like he does… I’m worried about it every day, Erwin. You don’t have to keep
telling me this stuff.”

In the weeks since they’d started changing things for the Scouts, Levi really had been
growing more and more. It felt like his stomach was stretching him out to the point that he
was going to rip apart. Even Mikasa asked him if he was okay because it seemed like he was
getting bigger so much faster. According to Grisha, it was all totally normal. Omegas had
shorter pregnancies than betas, and so, they got bigger at a faster pace. It was a first time for
everyone, so they were all a little paranoid. Levi was just convinced that Erwin had planted
some monster seed inside him and he was going to have a bouncing baby giant.

“We should let him pick a date and plan for this baby. There’s a lot going on now and… I
don’t want anything to go wrong.” The blond said, that sad look returning to his face. “We
need a plan.”

“You’ve always got a plan for everything.” Levi countered and shoved a hand through his
wet hair. “Listen, I want this to go smoothly just as much as you do. I’d rather not die.” He
pointed out. “So, ask the doctor when he thinks is best and… I’ll do it. Whatever.”

The truth was, he was afraid. Birth was scary, but so was having his child removed from his
body. The idea of someone knocking him out and cutting his baby out… it terrified him. It
wasn’t the pain; it was the fact that he’d be helpless to do anything. What if something went
wrong? Or someone tried to take the baby away? He wouldn’t be able to lift a finger to help.
That was the part that upset him the most. The omega had to remind himself that he wasn’t
alone, though. He had Erwin. He knew that Erwin would not let anything happen to their
son… but being unable to keep control was extremely uncomfortable for Levi. He hated it.

“Thank you, my love.” Erwin said and walked over. He knelt down and pressed a kiss on the
top of his mate’s head.

“Yeah yeah, go make plans to cut me up.” He said, huffing.

“This is for the best. Try not to be a brat about it.” Erwin said and laughed lightly. Clearly, he
was in a better mood now that Levi had finally given him the go ahead to plan for their son’s
arrival.

That night, Levi sat in the basement, cutting off slices of an apple as he listened to Erwin and
Hanji going over plans for the trade routes. He was stretched out on a beat-up old sofa in the
corner. The two of them were quite invested in what they were doing, paying him no
attention. That was fine. Levi liked to listen to them as they got deeper and deeper into their
plans and ideas. When it came to things like this, Hanji and Erwin were very much alike.
Their dedication to things they cared about was equal. He’d always thought that the woman
was the only one who could get that crazy look in her eyes. He was wrong. Erwin was pretty
damn wild eyed when he had a map in front of him.
They had already been at it for an hour. As soon as dinner had ended, they headed down here
to get started. Levi had spent some time with Mikasa and then joined them. If Erwin hadn’t
glanced over and smiled at him, he probably would have thought they didn’t even notice him
coming into the room. Since then, though, no one had even acknowledged his presence.
They’d just continued on about boarders, patrols, side roads and so on. It was only slightly
boring. Levi was more interested in his apple than half the shit they were saying.

“Levi,” Erwin addressed him. The omega looked up, pausing his cutting. “Do you have any
experience with this area? It’s former Eldian territory.” He said and pointed at a section of the
map.

Levi sighed and stood up, not at all happy about having to do so. After setting his knife and
apple on the table, he approached the map and looked it over. It took a moment for him to
recognize what he was looking at. There were few times he’d seen a map of his homeland
and most of those times, he was in a rush, trying to move fast to the next location. Once he
found the river, he was able to figure out where everything was.

“Yes. Why?” He asked, looking at his mate.

“The merchants guild is planning on opening up a road through here to start transporting
goods into the newer Marleyan settlements there. There will be a military base here.” He said
and pointed to a stop that Levi once knew to be a pretty large town. “We want to cut them off
before the building can get too far along.”

“You want to interfere with the building of a military base? Erwin that’s going to attract a lot
of attention. I didn’t think we were doing anything that big yet…” He said, concern evident
in every word he spoke.

“It’s going to be a bigger problem if we let them finish it.” The Alpha pointed out. “A new
base here is going to put some of our escape routes at risk. It extends their reach along this
whole side.”

“Shit.” He looked over the map, trying to picture the terrain in his head. “If they build this
road where you say they will, it’s going to cross over the river.” His finger traced the blue
line. “The river used to split, and it formed a huge lake right here. It’s all sealed up… if you
were to remove that seal…”

“It would flood that entire area!” Hanji filled in, her grin widening. “A lake of this size, it
would take out the road and expand the width of the river long enough to do serious damage.
It wouldn’t be stable enough to build a proper bridge for months, if not longer.” She said,
now rubbing her chin. Levi could see the gears turning in her mind. “That would give us time
to come up with a more long-term solution for dealing with the base.”

“True.” Erwin agreed. “What kind of dam are we talking about?”

“It was built by the royal family, so it’s pretty well constructed. All stone and concreted. It’s
pretty old though and hasn’t been maintained. I think with one good hit, you could knock it
loose enough that the water pressure would do the rest of the world for you.”

“Getting enough explosives to do that is going to be hard. It would attract attention…” The
three of them stood there, thinking about how to handle this.

“Erwin, isn’t there a mining operation going on down the coast?” Hanji asked. She pointed at
the docks in town, dragging her finger over the map a few miles before stopping at a location
that looked like a clearing off the beach.

“Yes… and they transport all their equipment via boats.” The Commander nodded. “Jean is
down there every night. He would know their schedule and docking habits. Brilliant, Hanji.”
He said and clapped her on the shoulder. “I have to meet with my men tomorrow. I’ll talk to
Jean, and we’ll start working on getting those explosives.”

“Shit. We’re full-on terrorists.” Levi said, shaking his head.

“It was all your idea, my love.” Erwin said and kissed into his hair. The omega just shook his
head.

Blowing up dams, stopping the construction of military bases, disrupting trade routes… this
was escalating much faster and more extreme than he’d anticipated. Putting that thought into
Erwin’s head had clearly sent the man off running. Now he had to sit back and watch, hoping
that nothing went wrong with all this chaos. All this because they’d gotten into a fight and
Levi blurted out the first thing that popped into his head when all he wanted was to stay with
Erwin. Great.
 Opening Act
Chapter Summary

Levi goes into omega mode as they near the end of his pregnancy. Erwin has to deal
with being pushed away when he wants to be with his mate the most.

Chapter Notes

I'm so sorry that you've all had to wait for updates!

Unfortunately, I lost my grandfather and the last two-three weeks have been really rough
on my family.
I've been working on this chapter on and off for a while but it was hard to get motivated.
I think I'm good
to get started again on my regular posts.
Thank you for your patience!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Nesting was not something Levi had ever done. Not even during his heats. Well, not like
other omegas did. He’d seen them build full blanket forts that resembled bird nests back in
his home village. To him, that just seemed like more of a mess to clean up later. When he was
in heat, he’d sometimes drag blankets up around himself but that was pretty much the extent
of it. He just wasn’t a nester. At least, not until now. Suddenly it was like those instincts
kicked into overdrive, along with several others that he couldn’t control.
One day, Levi woke up and just had to clean. Not like his usual compulsion. This was much
stronger. All his efforts were focused on the bedroom. He scrubbed the floors, the walls that
he could reach, the shelves, desk, and everything else. He sent the sheets down with Petra and
then gathered up all the blankets and pillows he could find. They were pulled from closets
both upstairs and down. Hanji and Moblit had just watched as he kept taking more and more
upstairs. They never said world, probably because he seemed to be irritated. That was
common these days.
On the large bed he shared with Erwin, Levi piled the bedding on. The omega fortified it with
the pillows and then collapsed into it all by noon. He was exhausted from all the cleaning and
all the work he’d put into this stupid instinct. It was nice but something was missing. Sitting
up, he looked around. Silver eyes moved all around the room and then came to stop on the
wardrobe on the other side of the space. That was it. It was the scent. This scent wasn’t
entirely right. Not yet. Standing up, he walked over and threw the doors open. With both
arms, he grabbed everything that was hanging up there and carried it all over to the bed.
Erwin’s scent. That was the missing element. His Alpha was not home, so he needed the next
best thing. His scent.
With all the clothing now layering the bed, Levi crawled back in. He closed his eyes and took
a deep breath. His body relaxed a little but there was still some sort of urgency that lingered
at the back of his mind. It was like he was supposed to be doing something but couldn’t quite
remember what that thing was. It was frustrating, but he was too damn tired to pursue it for
now. Taking in deep breaths of the clean air and his mate’s scent, he started to drift off.
Maybe a nap was exactly what he needed to get through this little fit he was having.

“Jean has already made contact with the ship runner that we need. Hopefully, they can get
started on the transport before the end of the month.” Erwin said as he walked into the house.
Mike was at his side. Both men stopped in the foyer and glanced at each other. There was a
scent in the air that immediately put them both on edge. Blue eyes connected with green. “Do
you smell that?” He asked and Mike nodded.

“Oh, Erwin!” Hanji rushed over. “Thank God you’re here. Levi is going into full nesting
mode. I’m not sure we have time to wait until the date he set with Dr. Yeager.” She said in a
rush. “He’s been dragging every blanket and pillow in the house up to your room and he’s
refusing to come out.”

“Shit.” The Alpha cursed and glanced at Mike. “It appears we won’t be having this meeting
after all.” He commented.

“Should I go into town and get the doctor?” Mike asked but Erwin shook his head.

“He’s not in labor yet. At least, I don’t think so.” He looked at Hanji and she shook her head.
“I’m going to try and convince him to go into town before it starts. Will you please inform
the base that I may not be in for a few days?”

“Of course. Good luck.” Mike let himself out while Erwin headed for the stairs.

“How long has he been like this?”

“Since this morning,” Hanji said, following him up. “He got up, refused to eat, and
immediately started power cleaning the entire bedroom. We could not get him to take a break,
eat, or anything. Then he pulled all your clothes out and into the bed before laying down.”
She explained.

“Nesting and losing appetite are signs of labor,” Erwin mumbled and walked to his bedroom
door. The scent was stronger here. “If he’s in labor, we will have to take him straight into
town, even if he fights us."

"I don’t think he’s that far yet. He’s still coherent and didn’t’ seem to be in any pain.”

Erwin turned the handle and pushed the door open. When he did, Levi’s scent was so
powerful, that it stunned him temporarily. It was a sweet, dangerous scent. It was a warning
to others to stay away because he was in a vulnerable state. The Alpha stepped inside and
looked around. The curtains were drawn, blocking out most of the dying daylight. Levi was
curled up in his pile of bedding, his back to them. Erwin could see his body moving with
quick breaths. It wasn’t the slow movements of someone who was sleeping. He was awake
and seemed distressed.

“Levi?” He asked and walked over. Hanji waited by the door. “My love, are you alright?”
Going to the side Levi was facing, he sat down on the edge of the bed and placed his hand on
his mate’s side.

“Erwin.” Levi’s hand came out and grabbed the fabric of his pants leg. He was sweating a bit
but didn’t seem too distressed. “Lay with me?”

“I would love to but… why don’t we go see the doctor first?” He suggested. Those silver
eyes immediately turned sharp with a glare. “I know you want to stay here in your nest, but
you’re looking a little…”

“I’m not going.” Levi stated in a flat tone.

“We talked about this. You can’t have this baby naturally.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Levi… please don’t be difficult. We discussed this before. Dr. Yeager is just as concerned
about your size and the baby being too large. This could be very dangerous for you both. Do
you want to endanger his life?” Erwin asked, trying to be calm, but he was becoming more
worried by the second.

“What kind of omega would I be if I can’t even give birth?” He asked, frowning. Erwin
sighed.

“You’re not less of an omega or a parent if you can’t do this naturally. It happens. That’s why
Dr. Yeager is around to help you. He’s going to make sure this is safe for you both…”

“No.” Levi said and pulled his hand back. He looked away, refusing to meet his Alpha’s eyes.

“I can’t sit here and let you put yourself and our child in danger, Levi. I want to take you into
town. At the very least, we should be at the hospital so they can look after you.”

“I don’t want anyone around. It’s safer if it’s just me.”

“You’re doing to do this entirely on your own?” He frowned.

“It’s what I’m supposed to do.”

“Levi, I know what your instincts are telling you. I have them too. My instincts want me to
protect you. From everything that threatens this birth… but I’m not an animal. I’m not
controlled by those things. I know that you’ll be safer with doctors, not alone.”

“Everyone in this fucking country wants to take my baby from me and it’s not happening. If I
go into town, they’ll see he’s an Alpha and they’ll take him away.” Levi snapped, trying to sit
up.
“No one is taking our child.” Erwin promised him.

“They take every Alpha and omega and do to them what they did to us.” Erwin could see the
tears forming in Levi’s eyes and found himself surprised. It had to be all the hormones going
wild but even so, he was stuck just staring at him for a moment. “I can’t let that happen.”

“Look at me.” He said and helped his mate sit up. Erwin gently touched Levi’s cheek.
“Nothing. And I mean nothing, is going to happen to our son. No one is taking him. No one
is going to do anything to him. But if something goes wrong and you can’t do this alone…
you’re putting his life at risk. He could die if you can’t give birth to him. Do you
understand?” He asked, keeping his voice soft and calm. Levi looked back at him.

“You won’t leave my side, right?” He asked, his tone very serious.

“Never.” Smiling, he leaned over and gently kissed the other. “Now, can we please go to the
hospital?”

“I’m taking the blankets.”

“You can take one.”

“And the pillows?”

“Let’s just do one blanket.”

“Fine.” Levi growled and looked away. Erwin just chuckled lightly and stood up.

“Would you like to pack a bag? I can do it for you.”

“No, I’ll do it. I’m not in labor yet.” He mumbled and stood up. Levi looked exhausted but
Erwin said nothing. He did stay close, of course.

Erwin remained close to Levi’s side as the omega moved around. He took one of Erwin’s
military bags and put some clothes in it. Then he went into the nursery and stared at baby
clothes for so long that the Alpha had to clear his throat. Back on track, he shoved a few
more things into the bag and then went into the hall. The Alpha was watching everything he
did closely, looking for any signs of distress. Unfortunately, he was starting to find them.
He’d taken the bag from his mate and when he did, the omega had placed a hand on the side
of his stomach, a pained expression on his face.

“Is everything alright?” He asked, offering Levi his hand as he reached the bottom of the
stairs and turned to see him trailing a little behind.

“He’s kicking and it hurts…”

“I think he’s running out of room.” He said with a smile. Levi did not return it. “Come on.
Let’s go. We can get him out so he can stretch his legs.

“Yeah yeah…” Levi mumbled, holding his hand and heading towards the door. Erwin helped
him with his shoes.
“Hanji, Moblit. Would you please get the carriage ready?” he called as he knelt to get Levi’s
shoes on.

“Oh yay! It’s happening!” Hanji cheered as she bounced over to the door with them. “I’m so
excited. I can’t wait to meet our little Smith baby!” She said happily.

“Come on.” Moblit grabbed her arm and pulled her out the door. Erwin could hear her still
going on about it as they walked to get the horse and carriage prepared for travel.

“Are you alright?” Erwin asked as he stood back up. Levi was looking a little pale.

“It’s just a lot.” He admitted and their eyes met. “I mean… I know what I need to do, I’m not
afraid of that part. It’s just… fuck, we’re going to have a baby. Right here.”

“Yes, we are.” The Alpha stepped closer and took his mate’s hands. He kissed Levi’s fingers
gently, one by one. “And we can do this. You have nothing to worry about. I’ve seen how
wonderful you are with Mikasa. I know that you can handle this.”

“Yeah, you sound way more confident than I feel.”

“It’s alright, my love.” He kissed the omega’s forehead and opened the front door for him.
“Come along. I’m sure our little one is quite tired of being cramped up in there.”

Levi became quiet as Erwin lead him outside. Once Moblit brought the carriage up, Hanji
opened the door and Erwin helped Levi to climb inside. Once they were settled across from
one another, they started moving. Erwin watched his mate as he sat on the other side,
wrapped up in his chosen blanket. He looked so small like that, so innocent. It was still so
easy to remember the first time they were in here together. Levi had been desperate, then. It
took all he had not to mount the omega right then and there. Now they were on the way to
town so Levi could have their child. It had all happened so fast. Erwin was smiling as he
thought about all this.

“What are you over there grinning about?” Levi asked and their eyes met.

“I’m thinking about how lucky I am to have found you. The odds are so stacked against fated
pairs… but we found each other.” He admitted.

“You’re getting mushy.”

“Can you blame me?” Leaning forward, he set his elbows on his legs, staring at his mate
adoringly. “We’re about to welcome our child into the world. I never thought this would be
happening to me. At least, not in a way that I would be so happy about.”

“You thought you’d be forced into this.” Levi filled in and Erwin nodded.

“Yes. I assumed that I’d eventually have to settle with some woman… to breed for my
country. Then you came along and… for the first time in my life, I actually want to have a
family. I want to have this baby with you and maybe more one day.”
“You’re a big sap,” Levi said and sighed. “But I know what you mean. Outside of my heats, I
never wanted kids, and now… I can’t wait to have this little brat in my arms. I want to see
him and know him… and maybe… just maybe, have like one more… maybe two.” The
omega admitted, his face tinting slightly pink.

“Little ones running around, it sounds lovely.” He said with a content sigh.

“Assuming this goes okay,” Levi said, and Erwin’s smile faded a little. “I mean, it could go
really bad.”

“Don’t think that way.”

“You’ve been thinking that way this whole time, Erwin.”

“No, I just want to make sure we’re careful. I don’t expect it to go badly, I just want to be
ready in case it does.” He corrected.

“Are you scared?” Levi asked and caught the man off guard. Was he scared? Erwin looked
down.

“I… am.” He admitted. “I’m afraid because my entire life hinges on this moment. If I lose
either of you, I don’t know what I’ll do.”

“If you have to choose…”

“Don’t ask that of me, please.” Their eyes met again. “Levi, I cannot think about that.

“You might have to.”

“Stop.” He sighed and moved over, sitting on the same side as his mate. Erwin gently
touched his face. “I do not want to ever think about that. And I won’t. Everything is going to
be fine.” He kissed his forehead.

“I trust you,” Levi said and curled up against his chest. “I know that you’re not going to let
anything happen to us.”

For a while, they traveled in silence. Levi stayed close to him, but as time passed, Erwin
could tell he was becoming more distressed. It wasn’t just his scent, but his breathing as well.
It was becoming faster, more labored. The Alpha frowned and glanced out the window. He
took in the sight of the trees passing by. They weren’t quite there yet. Looking down, he
found the omega’s fingers twisting into his shirt, pulling on it. When Levi started shifting
around, he pulled back a bit.

“Are you okay?” He asked, frowning as more concern filled him.

“No,” Levi mumbled and pulled away from him. He held his stomach and took a deep breath,
seeming to be struggling. “It hurts.”

“We’re nearly there, it’s… Levi!” He reached out and grabbed his mate as he started to
double over. “What’s wrong, tell me!”
~

To say he was in pain was a serious understatement. Levi was in agony; unlike anything he’d
ever felt before. It was worse than his first heat when Kenny locked him in a room with no
medication and no way to soothe his body. This was on a whole different level. The omega
knew exactly what it was. His body knew what was happening. It was a contraction. He was
going into labor. He’d thought it was just him preparing for the baby to come soon… not the
same god damn day. His insides were preparing for a birth he might not physically be able to
handle.
The pain came in waves, making him sick to his stomach. A few moments would pass, and
he’d catch his breath, but then it would come right back. Erwin was holding him, trying to
soothe him. He could hear the words, but they weren’t registering. It was like everything was
sort of muted and in the background. His ears were ringing, and his body shook with some
twisted mix of fear and anticipation. His omega side was trying to take over, to make him do
what he needed… but his rational side was screaming that he couldn’t do it.

“Not gonna make it…” he gasped and looked down as something soaked through his pants.
With the sun setting, it was too dark to tell if he was seeing fluid or blood. Either way, it was
terrifying.

“What do you mean?” Erwin asked and started pulling the blanket off of him.

“I mean we’re not going to fucking make it!” He growled and took several deep breaths.

“Levi, we have time. Labor doesn’t progress this fast.” The Alpha told him, and it just made
the omega want to smack him.

“Okay Alpha who never has or will give birth. You fucking tell me exactly what my body is
doing. You know best!”

“I’m sorry! I just… the books…”

“Fuck the books, Erwin! Pull this god damn carriage over!”

“We can’t stop, we have to get you to the hospital.”

“Let me… tell you what is going… to happen.” He said, grabbing the front of Erwin’s shirt.
The blond stared at him with wide, uncertain eyes. “I am not going to make it to town. It’s
too far. This baby is coming whether you like it or not. He’s not sticking to your god damn
plan!” He snapped. “I am not… doing this while this thing is moving. It’s too bumpy and…
ah!” He gasped and leaned against his mate while another wave of pain hit him. When it
ended, he continued. “…and it’s… not safe… pull over!”

Finally listening to him, Erwin smacked the top of the carriage a few times. Slowly, it came
to a stop. Letting him go, the Alpha stepped out. Levi assumed he was talking to Hanji and
Moblit outside. Acting more on instinct than anything else, he started pulling off his pants,
shoving them down. His fingers came back wet but thankfully, not bloody. Now he had to
decide what was best… outside the carriage or inside. Closing his eyes, he took a deep
breath, willing his body to tell him what it needed.
“Levi this is a really bad idea…” He heard Hanji speaking and glanced over. She was
standing in the little doorway to the carriage interior. “If he’s too big and gets stuck…”

“Then you have to get him out.” He said in a serious tone. Hanji just stared at him. “I don’t
care what Erwin says. Look at me…” Their eyes met. “Save my kid.”

“I’ll do whatever I have to.” She assured him and that put him at ease. He knew the risks, the
complications that could occur. Levi knew it all.

“Fuck!” He fell forward onto his knees, gripping the seat in front of him. This wave was
stronger than the last and in the back of his mind, his body was screaming at him to push. He
shook and swallowed down the pained cries that wanted to rip from between his lips.

“I’m going to help.” She said and he did not protest as she climbed into the carriage with
him. A beta female was no threat, and he knew it so he accepted her assistance. He’d
probably need it. “Stay on your knees, okay?” She said and Levi could only answer by
following her instruction. “It’s easier for male omegas to give birth like this. On your back
puts your birth canal too low and applies pressure, making it more difficult…. Sorry, talking
helps me to focus.”

“I don’t care. Just keep talking.” He panted.

“Levi?” Erwin started to climb into the carriage but the second he did, Levi snarled at him…
a real threatening sound for the first time. Those blue eyes went wide and before he could say
a word, Moblit was dragging him back and slamming the door shut.

“It’s okay!” Hanji said, calling out to both Levi and his mate. “This is normal! Just stay
outside, Erwin!” She spoke. Levi’s eyes were locked on the door.

Erwin was his mate, the man he loved… the father of this child… and he’d just growled at
him like some kind of wild animal. His instincts had gone totally wild at the sight of the
Alpha. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was thinking of Erwin as a threat. A danger to
his unborn child. Long ago, before humans were as civilized as they are now, Alphas were a
danger. Alphas had been known to kill off females and non-alpha pups, as they were called.
Years and years of omega knowledge burned in his mind, telling him to keep his baby safe
from the Alpha. Even though he knew Erwin would not hurt him…

“Levi, focus,” Hanji said and patted his hip. “I know this is tense and scary, but we’ve got a
baby who is ready to come out!” He nodded and took a deep breath. “When that pain starts
again, you have to push. I want you to push as hard as you can and then take some deep
breaths when it stops. Got me?” She asked and he nodded. “Do not stop breathing or you’ll
pass out. Then we’re really in trouble.”

“Okay…” he breathed and glanced over his shoulder towards the woman. “It’s coming.”
Before he’d even finished speaking, the pressure hit him, and Levi focused on pushing. It was
a strange sensation but came all too easily. This was exactly what his body wanted to do.

Hanji kept coaching him and praising him when he got through another contraction. There
was no way he could tell how long they were doing this. It just kept going and going. How
much time was passing? How long was too long. He half cried that he couldn’t do it, but she
was quick to tell him he was okay, that he was close. What did close even mean? When the
next wave came, Hanji’s voice became urgent. She told him to push harder, that the baby was
there. Levi shut his eyes and did exactly as she said. He pushed harder than he ever had
before. Some of the pressure was relieved but not enough. And again he was pushing….
Then… nothing.

“Shit…” He gasped and stared at the small droplets of sweat falling from his hair and nose.
There was no more pressure at all, just a strange, moving sensation. He was too dazed to
know what was happening. “Han… Hanji?” He asked, his arms growing weak. His legs were
shaking. “The pressure is gone… what… happened?” he asked, not even strong enough to
turn around.

“Hey… hey, come on…” He heard her saying in a hushed voice. A powerful feeling of dread
came over him and Levi closed his eyes. “There we go… there we go…” And then, a cry. It
was tiny at first but became stronger with each gasping breath. “You scared me, little boy!”
He heard her say before he dropped his head onto the seat.

“Hanji…”

“Hold on.” She said and he heard her messing around. Then she was gently touching his leg.
“Levi, are you okay?”

“I’m fine… what is going on?”

“I think the placenta detached right at the end. It came out right after he did. I was afraid he
was suffocating but he’s okay.” She assured him. “I wrapped him in my jacket. Here…” She
grabbed his shoulder and guided him to sit on the floor, leaning against the opposite bench.
“Take some deep breaths. Are you going to be alright?” Levi looked over at her and then
immediately past her. The little bundle was on the floor, still crying. It was making his chest
ache. “I’m going to put the blanket between your legs for now. Sorry…” Levi didn’t care. He
didn’t care about anything at all except for those little cries.

“Can I just…” He held his arms out and Hanji quickly moved to lift the baby. She was careful
as she turned and held the bundle out. Levi was nervous as he took his son and laid eyes on
him for the first time. The baby was fussing and crying, little fists balled up and squirming.
“Shh.” He hushed him, brushing his fingers over the baby’s forehead. He had fuzzy blond
hair that was barely visible in the darkness of the carriage. His cheeks were pink, and his little
mouth was open. “Hey hey… it’s okay.” He said, feeling himself tearing up a little as well. “I
know, I’m stressed out too.” He mumbled and smiled as the baby finally calmed just a little.

“Levi,” Hanji said, smiling a bit. “Can I invite Erwin in?” She asked and he felt himself tense
a little.

“I…. can I just have a little more time?” He asked, feeling very on edge. Why? Shouldn’t he
trust Erwin over anyone else? Just the thought of the Alpha coming in immediately put him
on the defensive.
“Hey, it’s your decision. Either way, we need to keep going. We have to get you both to the
hospital. I can do basic medical stuff but… if anything is wrong…”

“Right yeah, just… keep going…” He mumbled, never taking his eyes off his son. “Just,
would you please tell Erwin that I need a little time?”

“Of course.” The woman slipped past him. “If you need anything, just yell. And if you feel
dizzy or notice anything out of the ordinary…”

“Yell. Got it.”

“Okay…” Hanji gave him one last look before she opened the door and got out. He could
hear voices outside, but his attention was too focused on what was happening inside.

With some serious effort, the omega moved so that he could lay down on the floor of the
carriage. He laid the boy with him and cuddled him close. His body was sore, and he was
entirely exhausted. It felt like all the energy was sucked right out of him. The baby fussed a
little more and blinked his little dark eyes. In this low light, he had no idea what color they
were. Levi smiled, hoping he’d gotten Erwin’s eyes as well as his hair. All puffy and in the
dark, his features weren’t entirely clear. That didn’t matter though. As far as he was
concerned, this little boy was the most perfect thing he’d ever seen. Protecting him was
suddenly so much more important. Now he was here… Having his son in his arms, right
there in front of him, he was the center of his universe.
No one tried to entire the carriage after that, and a wave of guilt came over him. Levi knew
that it was probably killing Erwin to be stuck outside. He couldn’t be part of the birth like
he’d wanted. He still hadn’t seen their child. His rational mind told him that it was okay, and
he should let Erwin in… but Levi wasn’t able to push past his instincts. The very idea of an
Alpha being around his son was making him sweat to just think about. He held his son closer
and closed his eyes. The rumbling of the carriage starting to move was almost comforting.
Before he even realized it was happening, the omega was falling asleep. He was so tired…

Being trapped outside was complete agony. Erwin stayed right by the door, listening to
everything he could. He heard Levi’s pained sounds, Hanji speaking to him… but he couldn’t
see a damn thing. His mate was in there, in pain, struggling to give birth to their child and all
the Alpha could do was stand outside the door. Moblit was there with him, trying to calm him
down but nothing the other man said or did was doing a thing to help.
It felt like this went on forever. It was like time was dragging on and on. He could smell
distress and blood, hear Levi… Erwin cursed
and pressed his forehead against the door of the carriage. His hand was on the handle, but he
didn’t dare turn it. The books he’d been reading about omegas all said the same thing. During
birth, they shouldn’t be disturbed. They should be allowed to do things in their own way and
not be stressed any further. Apparently, he was a stressor for his mate right now. Yes, it did
hurt… but Erwin knew better than to hold it against Levi. He was still so young, and this was
his first time going through this. Whatever he needed or wanted, his mate would see to it.
Even if that meant he had to stay away.
“Erwin…” He paused and looked over. Moblit was now next to him. The carriage was silent.
No sound at all. Then he heard Hanji but could not make out what she was saying.

“What’s going on?” Erwin whispered and their eyes locked. Before either man could say
another word, a cry came from within. Then more and more… the cries of an infant. “Is
that…?”

“It is,” Moblit said, smiling warmly at him. Erwin pressed closer to the door and closed his
eyes. He listened to the sounds of his child crying. It sent a strangely powerful need to protect
through his entire body. He wanted to be in there, taking care of his mate and his son…
assuming it was a boy.

“I can’t believe he did it… all on his own.” The man said softly.

“I can.” Moblit cut in. “Levi isn’t like anyone I’ve ever met before. I’m not surprised at all
that he did this without doctors.”

“Fair point.” He chuckled and stepped back when he started hearing movement from inside.
A moment later, the door opened, and Hanji was stepping out. She did not leave the door
open for him, which made the Alpha frown. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s great. They are both fine.” She pressed her back to the door and looked at him.
“Levi just… wants some more time. I’m not sure he’s out of that birthing omega headspace
yet.” She said with a little sadness to her words. Erwin could tell she was worried about his
reaction.

“I see…”

“Don’t be upset. This is an omega thing. He’ll get over it.” She said, placing a hand on his
shoulder. “You’re the first Alpha he’s ever even been close to. It’s not surprising he’d be
hesitant to let anyone near the baby. Just give him time.”

“I know.” He said softly and swallowed hard. The carriage was quiet now. No more crying.
Erwin stared at the door for a while before he looked down. “We should get them to the
hospital. Just in case.” He turned away from them and moved to sit on the bench to lead the
horses. Moblit went to hang off the back and Hanji sat with the Alpha.

“Don’t hold this against him.” She said once they were moving again. “Levi is still young
and it’s his first baby. He’s in a country he never intended to be in, surrounded by threats
from that country. It’s not surprising that he’s a little more protective than we expected.”

“I know that omegas are threatened by Alphas, but me?” Erwin mumbled. “He told me that
I’m the only person he’s been able to trust here… but now I’m out here while he bonds with
our child. I have no part of it.”

“You will!” Hanji patted his back. “Levi just gave birth, Erwin. To like, a whole human! He’s
emotional, stressed, exhausted, and so much other shit that neither of us are ever going to
understand. I’d need space too, I think.” She half laughed. The Beta leaned her head on his
arm. “Just give him time, okay? Be patient. He’s going to let you in.”
They rode the rest of the way in silence. Erwin was trying to hold onto the other’s words. It
made sense. Levi was probably afraid of so many things. He had been terrified of bringing
their son into the world because of the things Marley might want from him. Erwin could not
blame him for that. Deep down, he was worried about that as well. Some threats came in all
forms. Now that the baby was here, those things could apply to him and both parents wanted
to protect him, desperately.
They arrived at the hospital within a half-hour. It was funny how close they’d been when
Levi stopped them. The carriage pulled up and Erwin jumped down to head to the door, but
then he stopped. Taking a deep breath, he stepped back and let Hanji be the one to open up
the door. When she did, the smell of blood hit him so strongly, that it sent a wave of fear
down his spine. That wasn’t normal, right? The woman was leaning into the carriage,
blocking his vision of what was happening within. Then she was leaning back, her eyes wide.

“Erwin, we have to get him inside now. He’s bleeding worse than I thought.” She said and
then she was climbing in a bit more. A second later, she was pulling back out with a little
bundle in her arms. Erwin didn’t have time to get a look at his child. All he could think about
right now was Levi. “Get him out, hurry.” She said and watched as Erwin gently pulled Levi
up into his arms. He held the omega bridal style against his chest.

Levi was pale, his eyes closed. Erwin had picked him up and he never even stirred. He was
entirely limp against his chest. The carriage smelled like blood, and he could feel it soaking
into his shirt, but Erwin ignored all that. The blanket was wrapped around his mate, but it was
stained red. Turning around, he quickly made his way to the doors. Moblit opened them for
him and Hanji to walk through, then he stayed to tend the horses.
Things seemed to suddenly be happening fast. Nurses rushed over to see what was going on.
Within moments, Levi was taken from him and placed on a gurney. Then a nurse was taking
the baby from Hanji and Erwin felt all his protective nature flaring up at once. The idea of
someone taking his child and mate away, out of his sight… it set him off. He was quick to
follow, a snarl building in his throat. Hanji jumped to his side and grabbed his arm.

“Erwin! It’s okay! Hey, focus!” She said, keeping him from following. “They are just doing
their job!”

“Commander Smith, please, trust us.” One young nurse said. She was holding his son gently
in her arms. “We have to keep the baby with the omega and check him out. You can see him
when we’ve stabilized your mate.” She assured him and gave a warm smile. Erwin sucked in
a breath and nodded.

It took all his willpower to hold himself back from chasing after them. Just as quickly as
she’d spoken, the woman was gone. He and Hanji were left standing in the lobby. He was
covered in blood, which was quickly cooling over his clothes and skin. It was a stark
reminder that Levi was gone. His purpose was gone and now all he could do was sit and wait
for news that the love of his life was safe and okay. Of all the wars he’d fought in, the
challenges he’d overcome, this was shaping up to be the most difficult of them all.

“Come on, let’s go sit down…” Hanji said, taking his arm. She led him away from the doors
and took him to sit down. All they could do now… was wait.

~
The next time Levi opened his eyes; he was no longer in the dark. There was a dim light in
the room, making it easier to adjust. He rubbed at his eyes and pushed himself into a sitting
position. His arms were heavy, and his body ached. There was also a distinct empty feeling.
At first, he had no idea what it was, but then memories flooded into his mind. The carriage,
the birth… his son. Instantly, he was on high alert, looking around. There was an IV in his
arm, attached to a fluid bag. His lower body hurt more each time he moved he but didn’t care.
He had to find his son.

“Whoa hold up!” He heard someone say and suddenly there was someone there, stopping
him from getting out of bed. “You need to slow down, okay?” Levi looked up and his gray
eyes met with bright blue eyes. For just a moment, he thought it was Erwin, but then he
realized this person was much smaller, much younger… and definitely not an Alpha.

“Where’s my son?” Levi asked, his voice hoarse.

“He’s in the nursery. Calm down and I’ll get him for you.” The person said as they helped
him to get back into bed. Looking him over, Levi determined that he was an omega or maybe
a beta. It was hard to tell right now.

“Get him. Or I’m going to get him.” Levi threatened, his eyes narrowed.

“Okay okay…” The blond said and stepped back. “Stay in bed. I’m going to get the baby and
the doctor. Do you want me to get your mate as well?” He asked.

“Uh…” Levi hesitated. He took a moment, trying to determine how he felt. “Yes.” He
finished and took a deep breath. He felt on edge, but he knew he wanted Erwin to be near.

Once he was alone, Levi looked around. His eyes scanned the room slowly. He was at the
hospital, obviously. The room was rather nice, better than he could have expected. That was
probably because of Erwin. The bed was much larger than he needed, seeming like it would
fit his Alpha mate more than it would fit himself. The lights were still dimmed, though it did
not hinder his ability to see. More than anything, he took the in the clean smell. It was
relaxing for him. There were no scents of other people, no medicine or blood… just clean.
Everything started to come back to him in a heavy, emotional wave. He’d been at home,
trying to nest as his instincts told him to do. Then Erwin was making him leave, the pain…
giving birth in a carriage. The omega took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. There was
heat building at the corners of his eyes and he was doing all he could to fight it off. Levi
couldn’t stand crying and being weak. It was not something he was going to let happen right
now.

“Here we go!” Looking up, he found the blond nurse coming back in. The young man had the
baby in his arms. Instead of Hanji’s jacket, he was now wrapped up in a clean, blue blanket.
“Someone has missed you very much.” He said and walked to the bed. Levi was watching
with wide eyes. He could remember those few minutes before he passed out, his son’s little
face and tiny cries. “The doctor is going to be right in and Commander Smith is on his way.
He was sleeping in the lobby.” Very gently, the nurse handed him the baby. “Watch his
head…” He said but Levi knew all that already. He carefully took the baby and held him
close to his chest.
“Sorry I passed out on you…” he said softly and smiled. “You did a number on me, little
one.”

The baby was so little, or at least, he felt little. His eyes were open, but Levi still could not
tell what color they were. His hair was fuzzy, sticking up on top of his head. They’d clearly
given him a bath, for which Levi was thankful. Even so, he could still smell his son’s
wonderful scent. Levi pressed his nose to the little one’s head and took a breath. It was unlike
anything he’d ever experienced. It sent him into a calm, more relaxed state. Only when the
door opened again, did his eyes shoot up and his body tensed. Erwin stood in the doorway,
the nurse still standing between them.

“Hold on, Commander.” He said and looked at Levi. “Is it okay?” He asked. Levi appreciated
the omega’s concern. He slowly nodded and watched Erwin closely. It wasn’t something he
could help. “Alright, come on.” He said and stepped aside.

When he approached, Erwin was cautious. He moved slowly, walking up to the bed. At first,
he just stayed near the food of it. The nurse moved to the door but stayed in the room. Levi
had to imagine that this was standard procedure when it came to Alphas and omegas
breeding. Someone needed to be around just in case things went wrong. Of course, he didn’t
feel nearly as threatened as he did earlier when things were still fresh. Now, he was calm,
they were safe… it was okay.

“Are you okay?” Erwin asked, almost like he was reading his mind. “I was so… I thought
something awful had happened when they took you away.”

“I’m fine. I don’t remember much after I laid down in the carriage.” He admitted, his eyes
drifting back down to the little one in his arms.

“They said there was a small tear. Nothing to worry about. It was just bleeding and gave us
all a scare.” Erwin explained. “This is the first time I’ve seen him…”

“They didn’t let you see him while I was out?” He asked, surprised. Erwin was a
Commander… didn’t he have the right to see his son whether Levi was present or not?

“It’s hospital policy to keep the omega parent present when an Alpha is around their child. At
least, until things are settled. I wanted to see him, but I was more worried about you.”

“Well… come meet him.” Levi said and cursed as he moved over a bit. The bed was large,
but he still wanted to make more room for Erwin. There was a small part of him that was still
nervous, but he shoved it down. This was his mate. He could trust him.

“If you’re sure…” The blond walked around the bed and after a second of hesitation, he sat
himself down and gently wrapped his arm around Levi’s tense shoulders. His other hand
rested on the omega’s leg, over the blankets. “He’s so small… I know infants are small but…
It’s very different up close.” He said softly, almost whispering.

“Yeah… I thought I was going to give birth to this monster baby.” He half laughed. “And
here he is, such a little thing.”
 “He is in the higher percentile for his size.” The nurse cut in, his voice quiet. “He’s a big
baby. It’s amazing someone your size was able to give birth to him naturally.”

“My mate is amazing.” Erwin said and kissed into Levi’s hair.

“I just knew I needed to do it… so I did.” Levi countered, not liking the attention. “We did it,
huh?” He said to his son and kissed his forehead. The little one tilted his head slightly,
seeking out the touch.

“He’s perfect. Thank you, Levi.”

“Huh?” He looked at Erwin. “What are you thanking me for?”

“I wasn’t sure I’d ever have all this in my life. I was so focused on my work… then you came
along and gave me love, purpose, and now this perfect little boy. You put your body through
so much just to bring him into the world. It’s something I couldn’t do, even if I had the parts,
I’m sure.” The Alpha laughed. “So, thank you. Thank you for giving me all this.” He hugged
the omega close, and Levi immediately leaned into it.

“Psh, you know I feel the same way, right? I was alone. I didn’t have shit… I’m not as good
at the talking part as you but… you gave me all that too, you know?” Levi looked up at him.
“Thank you, Erwin.” The Alpha smiled and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

“You’re welcome, my love.” He whispered and kissed him again.

Chapter End Notes

Yay, the baby is here!

The next chapter is going to get a little messy.

So, has anyone got suggestions for the name?

I've got one in mind but I'm not sure. Let me know your thoughts!
 Getting Sorted
Chapter Summary

With the baby finally here, Erwin and Levi try to focus on what comes next.
Unfortunately, nothing comes easily.

Chapter Notes

T_T A tree came apart during a storm and fell on my freaken house last night!
We're all fine but now I have giant branches just... laying on my house. Waiting
on people to come remove them. Until they do, I'm stuck inside! Lol

Anyway, here's the chapter where you find out little baby Eruri's name! <3

Everything seemed so very blissful. Levi had relaxed a bit, at least enough to let him be in the
room. Though, he was still very defensive when it came to letting Erwin actually hold the
baby. That was fine, as much as he wanted to have a moment with his son, the Alpha was not
pushing to have the baby away from his omega parent. It was probably safer just to give it
time. They’d been together for almost an hour and a half before the calm peace was
interrupted by the arrival of the doctor.
The man was an Alpha. Erwin could tell the moment the other walked in. It put Erwin on
edge. Normally, he had no problem dealing with others of his gender. He was almost always
the most dominant figure in the room. Now, it felt like he was more aggressive. Maybe it was
because of Levi and the baby. Whatever it was, he took a deep breath and tried to keep
himself from giving in to his baser instincts. The man was tall with swept-back brown hair.
He had his white coat on and a clipboard in hand. He smiled at them both before focusing on
Erwin.

“Alright, Commander Smith.” He said and glanced at Levi. “Your mate is in very good
health. It’s actually impressive. I’ve never seen an omega go through birth like that and come
out so well. Just some slight tearing from the placenta coming off early but it stopped
bleeding before we could even do anything about it. He heals… faster than anyone I’ve ever
seen.” The man said, shaking his head.

“He’s unique.” Erwin agreed and smiled at his mate. Levi was sitting in the bed, the baby
sleeping in his arms. The omega looked irritated. “So… uh… when can we go home?” He
asked, not sure what was setting Levi off, but he wanted to try and avoid his mate losing his
temper with anyone.
“Actually, I wanted to discuss some things with you first.”

“With just him?” Levi cut in.

“Oh, well… both of you. But we usually address…”

“The Alpha?” He said, narrowing his eyes. “I’m the one who just gave birth. Not him. Maybe
you didn’t notice.”

“Levi…” Erwin said and smiled at him. “Let’s just get through this so we can go home.” The
omega grumbled and looked away.

“Right, well…” The doctor cleared his throat. “Levi is one of the healthiest omegas I’ve
come across. His recovery rate is impressive. What I’d like to discuss is his fertile timeline
moving forward.”

“My what?” Levi said, looking concerned.

“What exactly does that mean?” Erwin said, trying to cover for Levi’s shock.

“Omegas can only conceive during their heats, as I’m sure you know. The path to their womb
is normally sealed in between those times. After giving birth, the path stays open for three to
four weeks.” He made quotation marks each time he said the word path. It was odd. “That
means that you have lots of time to conceive again. I would give it about a week and then you
can start working on that.” Erwin felt dread wash over him and he quickly looked over to the
omega. Levi looked like he was going to explode. Their eyes met and the Alpha shook his
head just slightly. “With an omega like Levi, you could have quite a large family.”

“Uh… yes. Of course. That would be wonderful. But this is our first child, so we were
thinking of taking a little break to get used to him first… then we could try for more.” Erwin
filled in, hoping that Levi would be okay with that.

“You know, the two of you have a duty to Marley. Commander, you’re a dominant Alpha and
he’s a well-constituted omega. You would be doing your country quite a service by having
more children.” The Doctor said and Erwin was doing all he could to keep the attention on
himself and not on Levi, who was becoming redder and redder by the second.

“You’re very right.” He said and stood up. Erwin shook the doctor’s hand. “You’re entirely
right. I doubt I could keep myself from him, anyway.” He said with a short laugh, one that the
other man shared in.

“Wonderful. Well, I think you’ll be alright to leave tomorrow morning, assuming mommy
and baby are still doing so well.”

“I’m not a mommy.” Levi snapped.

“Right, I apologize. Force of habit.” The man laughed. Erwin really just needed him out of
the room before Levi ended up killing him. “Okay, I’ll leave you to it. Let us know if you
need anything at all.” He said and then finally, he was out the door.
“God.” Erwin said and rubbed his face.

“It’s like I’m not even a fucking person.” Levi hissed and the Alpha groaned. This was what
he was dreading. “Are you my master? Do I not get to make decisions or speak?”

“Levi, you know how people think, here. This is not new.”

“I’m not having another baby.” He said and looked down at their son. “I mean, I want to do it
because he’s perfect and my body just… wants to. But I don’t want to. Fuck.” He closed his
eyes and dropped his head back.

“It’s alright, I understand. You don’t have to explain.” Erwin walked over and sat down on
the bed next to his lover. “Not everyone gets pregnant every time. We’ll just tell people that it
didn’t work, should they ask.” He said, hoping to calm his mate down. In his arms, the baby
was starting to squirm. Maybe he was put off by all the hostility in the room. “We’ll focus on
the family we have now. There’s no reason to have another baby yet.” Erwin assured him and
kissed into his hair.

Unfortunately, Levi was starting to smell very good. He’d noticed it before, but it was
definitely getting stronger. That might become an issue. Sighing, he pulled back and looked
down at the baby. Levi put some clothes on him that morning. He was wearing a little
military green outfit with a matching hat that covered all his thin blonde hair. He looked
adorable. They’d yet to name him, only because there had been so much going on. Neither of
them had actually sat down and discussed that. Perhaps that was just the distraction that Levi
needed.

“So… have you been considering any names?” He asked, perking up a brow.

“A few,” Levi said, which actually surprised him. He’d imagined his mate thinking about
nothing but going home. “Have you?”

“Oh… well maybe. I mean, I think I’ve been a bit distracted.”

“Don’t panic,” Levi said and looked at him. He seemed slightly calmer, though it wasn’t
exactly relaxed yet. “I’m not mat that you’ve been busy. We both have. But he could really
use a name.”

“Yes, he could.” Erwin said and smiled down at their son.

But what name could fit this perfect little person? Erwin stared at his son’s dark eyes. Right
now, they were a steel gray color. He’d read that all babies were born with such eyes but as
time passed, the color could change. Would he end up with vibrant blue eyes like his Alpha
parent, or those silvery blue ones like the omega? It was hard to tell this early. As he stared,
he imagined different names being associated with his child, and rolled them around to see
how they felt.

“I would like to give him an Eldian name.” Levi said and Erwin could hear the hesitation in
his voice. They both knew that an obviously Eldian name might not go over well with the
people of Marley… and everyone was going to know his name, considering who Erwin was.
“What did you have in mind?”

“Nevan.”

“Does that mean something?” Erwin asked, having never heard that name before. He knew
some things about Eldians, about as much as anyone. He knew that they took deeper meaning
to their names than those in Marley did.

“It means little holy one,” Levi said and brushed his finger against the boy’s cheek. He
immediately chased Levi’s finger, probably hungry again. “It’s my middle name. My mother
loved it, but she’d only ever use it when she was yelling at me.” He laughed.

“Nevan. I like it. It’s unique.” He agreed and smiled. “But if you get to claim his first name,
then we’re using my name for his middle.”

“Erwin?” Levi asked, looking over at him.

“No, Nevan Erwin sounds terrible.” He laughed. “My middle name.” He clarified. “My name
is Erwin Lucas Smith.”

“So that would make him Nevan Lucas Smith,” Levi said and smiled. “I like it.”

“Then it’s settled,” Erwin said softly. “Welcome to the world, Nevan.”

Levi had never been so happy to be home in all his life. The very instant the nurse suggested
they could leave; he was up and packing. Even though his lower body still hurt, he had
wasted no time. The Doctor was a persistent prick, having to stop in one more time before
they went. He brought up seeing Levi again in a few weeks to see if their mating had worked
out. Before Erwin could cut in with his calm overly polite bullshit, Levi was happy to inform
the doctor that he preferred Dr. Yeager and would be seeing him when the time came.
After that, his mate practically dragged them out of the hospital. He’d been afraid of the
omega going off, which was probably a good thing to be worried about. With all his
hormones still fucked up, Levi was on the edge pretty much all the time. Getting him home
was definitely the safest option for everyone involved. The carriage had been waiting and he
was grateful to escape that place.
While they were gone, Hanji had returned home to make sure everything was ready for them.
She’s also stepped in to take care of Mikasa. The girl had wanted to come to see them, but
Erwin and Levi agreed it would be better to keep her at home until they returned. The last
thing they needed was someone saying the wrong thing about their adoptive daughter. It
would be yet another trigger to send Levi into overload. Best to avoid all that, as Erwin had
said.
The house was calm and quiet when Erwin unlocked the door and held it open for Levi to
walk through. He was holding Nevan close to his chest while Erwin took care of the bags
they’d brought home. Lots of baby supplies that the hospital provided. The baby was sleeping
soundly, for now, curled up in his blankets. Letting Erwin go to put things away, Levi walked
into the sitting room and sat on the sofa. He kicked off his shoes and just stared down at his
son. He did that a lot as if the boy might just vanish if he looked away too long.
“Oh… hi…” He heard a small voice say. Levi glanced over, seeing Mikasa standing there.
She looked nervous, but he felt no compulsion to growl at her or anything. Maybe because
she was a female, a beta, or just because she was family. Levi smiled at her and gestured her
over. “Wow… he’s so little.” She said as she sat down next to him. “I can’t believe he’s real.”

“I know. I feel the same way. I felt him but I never… I guess I never actually imagined him
being here in my arms.” He said and smiled.

“What’s his name?” She asked, reaching out to very gently stroke his hair.

“Nevan.”

“That’s a nice name. At least you didn’t let Erwin talk you into some lame Marley name.
They are all so boring. Henry, Mike, Theodore.” She said, rolling her eyes. They laughed a
bit together.

“Marley has taken over my entire life. I had to get something from Eldia in there.” He
admitted and glanced up when Hanji walked in.

“Eeeeh!” She hissed quietly and walked over. “Oh, my goodness look at his little face!” She
said, excited but quiet, thank God. “Levi he’s gorgeous. You guys made such a pretty boy.”

“He’s perfect.” Levi agreed.

“How soon after you woke up did the doctor start pressuring you to pop out more?” The
woman asked, smirking. Levi rolled his eyes.

“The very first time I saw the doctor, that’s what he brought up.” He told her, shaking his
head. “Make babies for Marley.” Levi mocked.

“Yeah, they always do that. I was kind of waiting for Erwin to show up and say you got
arrested for ripping a doctor’s head off.” She laughed.

“You have no idea how close that actually was to happening.” He warned. “They were
pissing me off so bad. I gave birth on the side of the road… now do it again. Yeah right.” He
muttered.

“It’s just how things are here. I’m sorry.” Erwin said, coming in to join them. He sat down
next to Levi, stretching an arm out behind him on the sofa. “We’re going to put an end to that
someday. For now, we just have to get through it.”

“I know, I know…” He mumbled and leaned back, relaxing against Erwin’s side.

“Speaking of which,” Hanji started and sighed. “Jean got us our explosives.”

“Already?” Levi asked, his eyes wide.

“Yeah. It’s all set up. Evidently the mining operation has a manager who got ripped out of his
Eldian home as well… and Jean knew him. What are the odds?”
“And he trusts him?” Erwin asked.

“He does.” She confirmed. “It’s a lot of cargo. Right now, it’s being stored off the shore, on a
fishing boat. We can move it as soon as you give the word.”

While Hanji and Erwin kept talking about the explosives and how to move forward, Levi was
left feeling a little sick. He just had a baby… and now they were talking about moving
forward with their operation? This was dangerous, it was risky…. What if everything went
wrong and something happened to them? He looked down at the little boy sleeping in his
arms. Bringing down Marley’s oppressive ways was still important to him but… there was so
much more to protect now. What was he supposed to do?

“Levi?” The omega glanced up, seeing those blue eyes on him. “Are you alright?”

“I… Erwin, what happens if this comes back on us? They’ll take you to prison, they’ll take
Mikasa and Nevan away…”

“Calm down.” He said and offered the omega a warm smile. “We’ll do this carefully and
we’ll do it right.” He assured him. “I’m not going to just jump into this without being smart.
Hanji and I will continue planning before anything happens. I’ll make sure that you and both
of them are safe.”

“You can’t know everything that might happen.”

“No, I can’t. But I can prepare for as many scenarios as possible, can’t I?” They were all
quiet, waiting to see what Levi would say. He took a deep breath.

“I trust you, Erwin.” He said, staring into his eyes. “I’m trusting you with all our lives. Don’t
fuck it up.”

Home for twenty minutes and already, things were going wild again. This would have been
so much easier without a newborn, but that was where they found themselves. There was
nothing to do now but press forward. Levi did trust Erwin. He trusted him more than anyone
else in the world. If he was confident that they could do this, then the omega just had to
believe it. There was something else coming about in his mind and heart, though.
He'd told Erwin before that he would not leave him. That changed. If things went badly and it
seemed like they were in danger, he’d leave. Levi would pack up his son and Mikasa, and
he’d take them both out of this shitty country and get them to safety. For now, he’d keep that
information to himself. There was no need to make Erwin think he was doubting him. He
wasn’t. But during his years fighting to survive during the war, Levi had learned one thing
above all else. It never hurt to have a backup plan when going into battle.
 Despair and Hope
Chapter Summary

Levi is faced with a new threat, forcing him to use himself as bait to protect others.
Jean works on furthering Erwin's plans for the destruction of the dam.

Chapter Notes

So, I tend to get really into the Levi/Erwin dynamic and let myself forget to do other
stuff!
I'm going to start drifting into the stories of the other characters as well as the boys,
letting
us all see what's happening in the rest of Marley.

There was a very thin line that Erwin was walking since they came home. The Alpha was
very into his new son, but his mind was being tugged on by the movements of the Scouts. For
Levi, Nevan was the only thing that truly mattered. The boy was his core and his sole
purpose. This could not be said for his mate. Erwin would come to help him when he asked,
and he always wanted to know how they were both doing… but Levi could see it in his eyes.
Erwin would rather be down in the basement, working on plans for the Dam excursion.
At first, it was actually sort of nice, and maybe it was a bit his own fault. Levi was protective
of his child. He'd been that way from the moment he went into labor. He wanted to keep the
baby safe from everyone… and sometimes that included Erwin. Two weeks had passed, and
Levi had yet to let anyone else hold the baby. He kept him either in his arms or in a wrap that
held the boy to his chest so he could have his hands free. Erwin never asked, likely assuming
he would get turned down. He would sit with Levi and stroke the boy’s hair or hold his little
hand… but that was all the contact that he received with his child. Levi was realizing this
might be a mistake on his part.
There was a fear inside him that he could not shake. Even with Erwin being the wonderful
man that he was, the worry was deeply rooted. Alphas would leave. It was burned into his
mind. Alphas weren’t caretakers or parents. They knocked up women and omegas, then they
left and carried on with their lives as if nothing had changed. Erwin was still here, still
offering to help when Levi was in need… but he could not get himself to let go of those
thoughts. It was part of the reason he was keeping distance between his son and his father. He
was sickened by his thoughts but… he didn’t want Nevan to bond with a man who might just
leave them.
It was an exhausting, confusing conflict within him. Erwin was a good man. He was kind,
caring, and had never done Levi any harm. Nor had he given any indication that he would
ever leave them. Levi had no justifiable reason to feel like he did. It was just omega nature
and experience. Growing up, that’s just how things were. The only families that he knew of
were Betas. Beta men usually stayed with their families. They’d get married, have kids, raise
them… it was something Levi never got. His Alpha father had obviously not been part of his
life. The closest thing he’d had was Kenny. That was something he should be thankful for.
As the days passed, Levi could tell that his mistake was worsening. Erwin was spending
more and more time in the city, his office, or the basement. The omega had been sleeping in
the baby’s room, for the most part, leaving Erwin alone in their shared room. The idea of
leaving his little one alone was still quite hard for him. Their affection was dwindling
because there was only one thing on Levi’s mind. At first, he’d thought that Erwin was just
giving up or losing interest. However, he soon found out that his assumption had been quite
wrong.

Levi was standing in the kitchen, staring absently out the window as he waited for the water
to boil. Nevan was in a bassinet in the living room, having a nap. He’d only just fallen asleep.
Levi heard footsteps behind him, but he didn’t turn. It wasn’t until a strong scent hit his nose
that he reacted. It was musky, alluring, and very sharp. Taking a shallow breath, he glanced
over his shoulder and found Erwin entering the kitchen. He’d been up in his office, as usual.
The omega’s eyes moved along the man’s body. He was looking a little flushed.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, frowning. Erwin did not answer with words. He walked right up
to him and placed his hands on the counter to either side of the smaller male, caging him in
between his arms. “Erwin.” He said in warning. There was another reason Levi had been
avoiding sharing a bed with his mate.

“I miss you.”

“I… know.” He said and sighed. The Alpha pressed his nose in against his neck, taking in
deep breaths. It sent a small chill down his spine. “…but Erwin, we can’t…”

“Can’t what?” He asked. Even his voice sounded rough, husky, and low. “We’re mates. We
can do whatever we want.”

“Not right now, we can’t.” He sighed and closed his eyes.

Erwin was touching him. Those large hands were sliding over his body slowly. At first,
they’d been safely on the counter, but they’d moved to grab at his waist. Now they were
roaming, touching his ass, his thighs, and then up to his sides. It was really obvious where the
other man’s mind was. They hadn’t had sex in quite a long time, with Levi being pregnant,
then giving birth. He was sure his mate was pent up. But there was no way in hell he was
having sex with him right now.

“Not even if I promise to pull out?” Levi rolled his eyes at Erwin’s question.

“As if that would happen.” He grumbled and turned his head as the Alpha started to mouth at
his neck. He felt the warmth of his lips and the scratch of his teeth. It sent chills down Levi’s
spine. “You’ll get into it and end up knotting or something. I know it.
“Hmm, you’d like it, though.” Erwin purred, sliding a hand under Levi’s shirt and slowly
down the back of his pants.

There was no hiding that he was getting turned on. Erwin’s voice, his scent, his touch… it
was all having the desired effect. He wasn’t stupid. He knew exactly what both their bodies
wanted. Levi was in a very fertile state after having Nevan. His body was ready to breed
again. He felt it all the way down to this core. His body wanted Erwin, needed to be filled
again, to carry another baby. But he couldn’t handle it and he was not going to do it. The
Alpha could smell it on him, and it felt like the control his mate had shown during his heat
was nowhere to be found.
Erwin’s fingers slipped between his cheeks and started to rub gently at his hole. The omega
shivered. He was already getting wet, just from the smell. Now that touch was only making it
worse. He wanted to tell Erwin no, to push him away. That desire was slipping. Levi moaned
softly and then took in a deep breath, hoping to clear his head. That wasn’t doing much good.
He was entirely surrounded by Erwin’s thick scent. The Alpha’s arousal was pressing against
his stomach, obvious and heated.

“Levi…” he purred and kissed up to his jaw, then to his lips. “Let me have you.”

“I want to… but we can’t… we can’t…” He whined, arching himself to pull his mouth away.
“Erwin, I’m not ready… for another one…” He was having trouble speaking with the way his
mate was attacking his lips. He was like a man dying of thirst, struggling to drink from his
mate.

“I am,” Erwin said, stunning him. “I want to have another baby with you, Levi. I loved seeing
you swollen with my seed.” He purred and Levi pulled back enough to really look at him.

The Alpha didn’t look like himself. He was sweating, red-faced, and his pupils were so
blown out, that there was only black. The ring of blue was entirely gone. Every part of him
seemed bigger as if he were flexing constantly. His muscles strained; his breathing was fast…
a feeling of absolute dread rolled over him as if someone had dumped a bucket of icy water
over his entire body. During his heat, Erwin had stayed mostly in control, always giving him
what he wanted… always looking at him with so much love and affection. That look was
gone. All that remained here was a look of threatening desire. It was primal and dangerous.

“Erwin, we have to stop.” He said, swallowing hard. He placed his hands on the Alpha’s
chest and pushed, but there was no give. Erwin didn’t move even an inch. “You need to… go
upstairs.”

What the hell was he supposed to do? Hanji and Moblit were out of the house, getting some
shopping done. Mikasa was attending her classes, and Petra was outside hanging sheets out to
dry. It wasn’t like the girl could do anything to help him anyway. Not with the way Erwin
was. If he was right, there was likely no one that could do a damn thing. Levi could already
smell the hints of something much more bitter, much more dangerous. Erwin was going into
a rut. He’d been in what could be considered a rut during that time, but not like this.
The omega knew enough about ruts to know that he was in very big trouble if he stayed here
with his mate. Alphas could go into ruts in breeding seasons, when around heating omegas,
or… as he’d totally forgotten when enticed by their mate giving birth. Their instincts kicked
in when their offspring were born, and their mates were fertile again. Because Erwin hadn’t
gone into a full rut before, it had entirely slipped his mind that it was even possible. Now, he
was stuck here, staring into the eyes of a beast that he loved.

“I got everything…” He heard Petra’s voice and both he and Erwin turned to look at her. She
was holding an empty laundry basket. The moment she saw them, her eyes went wide. “Is…
everything okay?”

“Take Nevan and go upstairs.” He said quickly, already hearing the low rumble of a growl
forming in Erwin’s chest. “Lock yourself in the nursery.”

There was turmoil in those eyes. Petra wanted to help him. He could see that, but he shook
his head. It was a silent order. She could not do anything for him. Slowly, she placed the
basket down and moved. Erwin kept his eyes on her until she was dashing out of the kitchen
and into the other room. Then his gaze returned to the omega. They stared at each other for a
long few seconds before Erwin parted his lips. He hesitated before speaking.

“I… Levi.” He said and swallowed hard. The omega watched his Adam’s apple bounce.

“I know.”

“I can’t help myself.” He groaned and pressed his forehead against the omega’s shoulder.
Erwin was pushing himself against the smaller male, already half rutting against him. Levi
winced and tried to push at him. Being trapped between the larger body and the counter
wasn’t exactly the most comfortable he’d ever been.

“Yes, you can. Just focus.” He hissed and tensed as the Alpha slipped a hand up into his hair.
Erwin pulled his head to the side and started to kiss his neck. “Erwin, please…” Levi needed
to keep himself under control. He could not give in to the allure of his mate’s entire presence.
“We have... you have to lead the Scouts. You can’t lose yourself right now. They dam… think
about the dam.” He tried to use that to get through to the man. “Everyone is ready to get
started, they need you…”

“Are you telling me… blowing up that dam is more important… than breeding my perfect
omega?”

“Yes!”

“It’s not. It will never be more important.” Erwin growled, thrusting harder against Levi’s
stomach.

“Just… let me take care of you. You can use my mouth, my hand…”

“That’s not what I want. It’s not what you want.” He tried to counter. The Alpha reached
down, grabbing at his pants. Levi was quick to grab his wrists.

“Erwin, I don’t want this!” He snapped. “I can’t have another baby.”

“You’re my fate. My destiny, Levi.” He panted and forced him into a deep kiss. When their
lips parted, he kept talking. “Our children will all be perfect… because we’re a true pair,
meant to breed with only each other.”
“That shit is stupid, and you know I hate it. Shut up!” He finally worked up enough strength
to shove Erwin as hard as he could. This time, the Alpha actually stumbled back. His black
eyes were wide, shocked that his omega could move him. “I don’t want to mate with you,
asshole! I don’t want another baby!” Levi braced himself, ready to move the second Erwin
came towards him. “And you don’t either! It’s your bullshit Alpha biology that’s doing this!”

Erwin was growling, looking at him like he was prey, rather than his mate. Levi had dodged
more Alphas than he cared to count. He knew how to avoid them… but it was harder to do
when he was still recovering, and his body wanted Erwin so much. The scent alone was
making his head spin. The only thing keeping him sane was the knowledge that his son and
Petra were locked in a room upstairs, hiding from the violent actions of a fully rutting Alpha.
He had to get Erwin out of the main house, somewhere safe. Even if he ended up getting
attacked, he at least wanted it to be somewhere where Erwin would not be a danger to anyone
else.
While he was thinking, the blond made his move. He launched himself forward. Levi’s whole
body buzzed with pure survival. He shot to the side and slipped around behind the Alpha.
Erwin let out a snarl that sent a chill of real fear down his spine. This man was not some
stumbly pub drunk who wanted an easy lay. He wasn’t a bored soldier who abused his power.
Erwin Smith was a dominant Alpha. A commander in the military who had used his strength
and power of mind to reach his position. He looked like the poster boy for what an Alpha
should be. Tall, muscular, powerful… He could pin Levi down and do whatever he wanted to
him if he could catch him.

“Levi!” Erwin snapped and immediately, the omega could hear the man chasing after him.
Adrenaline coursed through him as he ran through the dining room, heading for the foyer.
“Get back here!”

“Fuck off!” Levi shot back at him as he rounded the corner and took to the stairs. He needed
to get Erwin to their bedroom, where he could lock the man in.

Rushing up the stairs, he could hear Erwin just steps behind him. Blood was rushing in his
ears, leaving him in a state of panic. Yet somehow, he managed to keep his thoughts mostly
straight. Reaching the second floor, he ran around and headed for the door to their shared
room. Running through the door, he instantly spun around and hid behind the open door.
Erwin chased him right in, moving so fast, that he nearly fell as he tried to stop and turn
around. The omega suddenly realized something that made his blood turn to ice.
The door locked from the inside. Even if he managed to get out and shut it, he’d have to try
and hold it shut from the outside. As strong as he could be, Erwin was going to overpower
him within moments, especially in the state he was in. There was no way in hell he could
hope to keep him in this room. Not unless he stayed with him. That was his only option to
keep everyone else in the house safe from the Alpha. So, he slammed the door shut and
locked it. Levi pressed his back against the wood and took in a deep breath as those eyes
turned and locked on him.

“Erwin…” he breathed out, reaching down to finish unbuttoning his pants, where the other
had been stopped. “You’re not allowed to leave this room. Do you understand?” He asked,
swallowing hard.
“Why would I ever leave…” The Alpha asked, his eyes moving down to follow those fingers
as they pushed the fabric from his hips. “…when I have everything I want right here.”

“Good,” Levi said and closed his eyes. “Then come get me.”

“Are you kidding me?” Jean snapped as he rubbed roughly at his bridge. “What the hell am I
going to tell The Commander?”

“Sorry, but there’s nothing I can do.” The Fisherman said.

They were standing on the docks in the morning sun, just the old man and the teenage soldier.
Jean had been told by the Commander that he needed to secure at least three boats. They
needed decoys just in case anything got out. So far, he’d managed to gain only one. The
fishermen were all on their side but some were afraid to risk their own safety and that of their
families. The Alpha couldn’t blame them for that, but still, it was making his life so much
damn harder. What was he going to do if he couldn’t find two more boats to use in their
operation?

“Don’t suppose you know anywhere else that I might find someone willing to go through
with this?” He asked and the older man scratched at his furry chin. Turning, he looked out at
the dock, brown eyes moving all the other boats that were within sight.

“There’s a young fool who might help ya out. His father is retiring and leaving the job to him.
He’s got no love for the men in charge.”

“I’ll talk to him.” He said, trying not to get his hopes up. “What’s his name?”

“They call him… what was it… ah, Connie.” He said and gestured to a beat-up old blue boat
at the far end of the wooden platform. Jean narrowed his eyes. He could see some skinny kid
with an intense buzz lifting netting up onto the deck.

“Thanks.” He said and started walking that way.

Technically, he was on patrol today. So, marching from one spot to the next wouldn’t look
too suspicious. He was also supposed to keep a close eye on the fisherman. Marley was pretty
lax these days. Well, really it was because of Commander Smith. Now that he was working
for him, no one bothered with him. Smith’s soldiers were considered elite, the most trusted,
and dependable. How funny was it that they were the ones pushing back against the
government, right under their noses? If the situation wasn’t so shitty, he’d laugh.
Connie was a little shorter than him, hair shaved down to the skin. His eyes were a vibrant
shade of amber and wider than he’d seen before. There was something wiry about him, but
Jean didn’t get any bad vibes from him. Just from his scent, it was clear he was a beta. He
was sweating far too much to hide it if he was something else. At the sound of his approach,
the boy glanced up, meeting his gaze. Instantly, a look of caution came over his features. He
was tense, probably already panicking under that mask. Most people did that when soldiers
approached.
“Good morning,” Jean said, looking the boat over. “Heading out?”

“About to. Can I help you… sir?” The word sounded as if it had burned his tongue to say it.

“Maybe.” He said and stepped closer. “These other fishermen, are you close with them?”

“I grew up around them.”

“So, you probably know that they’re supporters of Commander Smith.”

“… and? Is there something wrong with having pride in your military leaders?” Connie’s
wide eyes narrowed some.

“Not at all. I work for Commander Smith, actually.” With that said, he tapped the wing pin on
his lapel. Those amber eyes zeroed in on it and suddenly there was realization there.
“Understand?”

“Yes.” He said and glanced around. “What can I do for Commander Smith?” He asked. There
was an eagerness showing through now.

“We’re transporting some sensitive equipment soon. We need a couple of brave men to sail
with us, just to distract any prying eyes.”

“Just me or…” Connie gestured to the boat.

“I’ll need you and your boat. All you’ll have to do is sail in the same direction until we’re
past the midway point. Then you just cast your net, play it off as fishing and nothing more.”

“Just tell me when and where.”

“We’ll give you the information as soon as the operation is ready. I don’t suppose you know
anyone else who might be interested…”

“I’ll ask around.”

“Don’t give anything away unless you really trust them.”

“Hey, I’m not that stupid.” The boy laughed. “I’ll let you know. You patrol down here,
right?”

“Yeah, I’m here several times a week. We’ll catch each other.” He said and glanced around.
No one was paying them any mind. Even so, he needed to get moving. “Let’s meet again in
four days.” He said and Connie nodded.

They separated with Jean heading back towards the entrance to the harbor. He’d managed to
secure two boats and had someone looking for a third. Maybe this wasn’t a total loss after all.
In a few days, he’d hopefully be able to report something good to the Commander. Heading
up the stairs to the street, he started towards the base. His shift was nearly up. As he walked,
he glanced over towards the large brick building to his right. The school. Noble children and
teenagers attended classes there. There were people in the yard that were his age. They got to
study and do what they wanted with their lives while all he could do was work as a soldier
for Marley and attempt to breed the daughters of the Nobles that he lived with. The thought
made a heaviness settle in his gut.
Jean was just about to turn away from the yard when someone caught his eye. He froze, his
lips parting just slightly. A girl was leaning against the wall, a book in her hand. She had long
black hair, the color of ink. Her features were all slender and soft… except for her eyes. They
had a sharp look about them, almost like they were dangerous. He could just make out that
they were like silver, not blue or gray, but pure silver. She was the most beautiful girl he’d
ever seen. Just staring at her had his heart pounding hard against his chest.
The sound of a bell chiming broke the spell. The girl pushed away from the wall, closing the
book with a snap. She headed for the doors, going inside with the rest of the students. Jean
watched until the last strand of her dark hair vanished. Who was that? She looked so very
familiar, but he couldn’t quite place where he might have seen her before. No, he would
remember seeing her. She must be reminding him of someone else. Taking a deep breath, he
shoved all that away. It didn’t matter. She was a Nobles daughter, clearly. He didn’t get the
feeling that she was an omega, so there was no chance in hell for him, even if he somehow
ended up at a house she lived in.
Slinging his rifle up on his shoulder a bit more, the Alpha continued his walk towards the
base. Maybe Commander Smith would manage to break down the rules in Marley. It was a
hope that he had to hold onto. Jean wanted to be free to love and be with whoever he wanted.
He wished that his life could be different… so that he wouldn’t have more children he’d lose
or never see with women that he’d never loved or would love. Marley was a hellscape that
seemed so hopeless. There were little specks of light shining through and all he could do was
hope to help them grow.

Maybe in the world that Smith was building… he could meet that beautiful, dark-haired
girl…
 Imagine a Stranger
Chapter Summary

Sorry for the delay. If you read Taken and Tamed, then you may already know, but I lost
my grandfather recently and it's put a lot of stuff out there that had to be dealt with. It
knocked me back from writing for a little while but I'm back! This part just required a
little more attention than I could give it.

WARNING: Mike's POV is first, but when it ends, I will be switching to Levi's POV.
That part contains what is essentially rape and it's really emotional. So, just be careful
moving forward if you're unable to handle those themes. I will say, it's not overly
graphic at all. I'm more or less warning you about the emotional aspect of it.

When the carriage pulled up in front of the house, the first thing Mike saw when he stepped
out was Petra in the front garden. She was holding Nevan in her arms, looking more terrified
than he’d ever seen. The Alpha stepped out, followed by Hanji and Moblit. He’d returned
with them because he needed to speak with Erwin about their upcoming plans. A word could
not even be uttered yet as Hanji shoved past him and ran up to the girl.

“Why are you holding him? Where’s Levi?” She asked in a rush. Mike then recalled Erwin
telling him that Levi never let anyone touch the baby. Now he understood her panic.

“He’s upstairs… w-with Erwin,” Petra said, her small form shaking. Petra was a tough
cookie. She never looked or acted like this. What could have been so bad that it put her in
this state? “Hanji he went into a rut. A real one. I’ve never seen him act like that before.”

“And Levi’s in there?” Hanji asked, eyes blowing out wide behind her glasses. “Did… fuck,
what is going on?”

“I came into the kitchen and Erwin had Levi against the counter. I could tell something was
off immediately. Then Levi told me to take Nevan and lock myself into the nursery. I wanted
to help him because I knew… he was protecting us… but what could I do against Erwin?”
She asked, tears welling at the corners of her eyes.

Erwin was a very large, very dominant Alpha. If he was in an actual rut, there wasn’t
anything they were going to be able to do about it aside from trying to dose him. A heavy-
duty shot of rut meds might put him down, but it would be dangerous to get that close to him,
especially if he had Levi with him. They were a mated pair and breeding his omega was
going to be the only thing on his mind. Anyone who even came near would risk having their
throat ripped out. Literally. He cursed and looked up at the house, towards the windows he
knew to belong to the master bedroom.
“Levi doesn’t want more kids,” Hanji said and he looked back down, realizing she was now
speaking to him. “This can’t be consensual.”

“Hanji, he sent Petra away so that he could take care of Erwin,” Mike said, frowning. “He
made a choice. I’ve seen him fight. There’s a good chance he could have gotten out of the
house and escaped. But he stayed.”

“He stayed because his son was in there and because Petra is female. If he ran out, Erwin
would most likely chase him, but the risk was still there that he’d just turn on her.” She
countered.

“How long have they been up there?” He asked. Petra thought for only a second before
answering.

“Maybe… twenty minutes.”

“It’s not going to matter, then.” Mike sighed. He wanted to help his friends. Erwin was going
to hate himself after this and Levi… if he made it through this without injury, he’d be lucky.
If they came out of this without the omega hating his Alpha…

“I can’t just sit here while Levi is up there getting raped!” Hanji snapped and started for the
doors. Moblit was on her in seconds. He grabbed her and pulled her away from the door.

“It’s not safe!” He said as he wrestled her away.

“Moblit we can’t let this happen!”

“It’s too late! Erwin is too dangerous!”

“But he’s hurting him!”

There were tears in her voice. Whether they were hurt or frustration, he did not know, but it
didn’t matter. Mike rubbed his nose. He was starting to smell the scent of the Commander’s
rut. It was faint but it was seeping out of the house slowly. With Erwin’s dominant status, his
scent would be overpowering. If Levi was lucky, the scent would put him into heat, and he’d
be able to withstand the aggression of an Alpha in that state. There was no way of knowing
until it was all over…

“Are there emergency rut suppressants in the house?” He asked and Hanji looked over, her
eyes wild.

“Yes… he keeps them in his office.”

“Go up and get them. Grab enough for two if you can. Try not to make any sound and do not
go near the room they are in. My guess is, that Levi will have locked the door so that none of
us can get in. The kid is smart. He’s going to try to take all of this on alone to keep his son
and everyone else safe from Erwin.” He looked at them all. “The second he smells my scent;
he’s going to really go off. He’ll see me as a threat to Levi. Hanji, you get the meds first.
Once you have them, we move all at once. The three of us.” He said, adding Moblit into this
plan. “I’ll break the door down first.”
“Wait, we have a master set of keys in the servant’s quarters. I could unlock the door from the
outside. That way you’re not going in with a hurt shoulder or something.” Moblit said,
seeming shaken but willing to help.

“Okay perfect. Once we’re in, I’ll get his attention. When he comes at me, you’ve got to dose
him. The neck is the best place but anywhere will work. The closer to his glands, the faster
he’ll go down.” Mike continued to explain. “But listen…” He looked at each of them. “We
don’t know what we’re walking into. Levi might not be in the best state. Once Erwin drops,
Hanji I want you to go straight to Levi. Moblit… I want you to carry the second dose in case
you have to use it on me.”

“On you?” He asked.

“I’m walking into a mess of pheromones. If Levi’s in heat and Erwin is rutting at the same
time, I don’t know if I’ll be able to hold myself back.”

“I didn’t think mated omega pheromones affected other Alphas.” Petra said, giving him a
confused look.

“A bedroom that’s filled with breeding scents… that’s hard to resist for any Alpha.” He
glanced back to Moblit. “Just be ready. I want to be prepared for anything.”

“Understood.” The man said and nodded.

“What happens if we can’t dose him?” Hanji asked, bringing attention to the possible bad
outcome from this.

“Well…” Mike sighed. “If we can’t dose him, then you grab Levi, and you all run. Get in the
carriage and do not look back.” The finality of his tone seemed to keep them all from
protesting, even though he could see it in their eyes. “Ready?” He asked and they all nodded.

Hanji and Moblit went in together. Petra remained in the carriage with the baby, ready to
escape with the others if need be. Mike waited outside for as long as possible to keep his
scent away from the Alpha upstairs. His heart was already racing. He and Erwin had sparred
for training and exercise purposes, but obviously, they had never truly fought. There was a
tightness in his chest that he’d been trying to ignore. Erwin was his best friend. The thought
of him up there, forcing himself on the man he was so in love with… was breaking his heart
for them both. What would things be like when this was over? Would Levi be able to recover
from that kind of trauma?

He shook himself free of those thoughts when the front door cracked open. Hanji’s face
appeared there, and she quickly gestured him forward. It was time to move. The man took a
deep breath and pulled off his military jacket and his pistol. They were left on the front steps
as he went inside after the two Betas. The smell inside was so strong, that he covered his
nose. It was sort of making him feel sick and he felt the heat rising inside of himself. It was
nothing he could not handle. They made their way up the stairs until they finally reached the
landing and Hanji approached the bedroom door. The three of them locked eyes, confirming
they were ready. When he gave the nod, she pushed the key into the knob and shoved the
door open wide.
~

There was nothing passionate or loving about the way Erwin was. He was not the same man
that Levi had been with so many times before. The creature before him was driven by instinct
only and nothing more. His hands were rough, his teeth were sharp, and didn’t care if the
omega enjoyed any part of this. The only thing that he cared about was fucking him and
breeding him. That was all that circled the man’s mind and even if he wanted to, there was
nothing that he could do to break him out of that state. So, he just did what he could to
survive.

The only thing he’d managed to do was get to the bed. Then it was over. White knuckled
fingers twisted into the sweat-soaked sheets beneath him. His body jerked forward over and
over again from the force of the Alpha slamming into him. It hurt, but Levi did not make a
single sound. His eyes were closed, and he did his absolute best not to open them. As far as
he was concerned, this was not Erwin. If he didn’t look at him, he could pretend it was just
some stranger. It was not the Alpha that he was bonded to, not the father of his son, the
person he’d grown to love…

Sweat dripped down onto his neck and into his hair. Feral growls were vibrating the very air
above him. Levi could hear the wood of the headboard flexing from the Alpha’s powerful
grip on it. They’d been at this for how long? It felt like forever, but he was sure no more than
a half-hour had passed. How long could this last? Ruts weren’t as long as heats but still,
could take days to finish out. Would his body even last that long? Opening one eye, he could
see his arm pressing into the bed. Bruises were forming there already. There would be so
many more before this was over. Not just that, but scars. Erwin had bitten into his shoulders
and neck more than once. He could smell the blood mixed into the man’s bitter odor.

When he felt the other cum, knotting him, he closed his eye and clawed at the sheets more.
Erwin was panting heavily against the back of his neck, his body shaking from his release.
Then he pressed his forehead against the back of the omega’s head. His lips were hovering
over the bonding mark, and it sent a chill through him. He loved when his mate would kiss
him there while they were together… but this man was not Erwin. There was no love and
affection between them, not while this was happening. Levi had to keep reminding himself of
that as he waited for it all to start again. How many times had Erwin knotted in those thirty
minutes? Three times now. Apparently, rutting made the recovery time much faster. He could
remember that from his heat, but a real rut was much faster. There was no time to breathe in
between.

He wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, but after a short time, Erwin pulled out. Levi
shuddered at the feeling. Then he felt his hips getting roughly dragged up from where he’d
been laying flat on the bed. Pulled up onto his hands and knees, he tried to prepare himself
for more, but it never came. Glancing over his shoulder, he looked at the Alpha. He was on
alert, his eyes turned toward the door. Levi only had time to hear the click of the lock, then all
hell broke loose.

“Erwin!” He recognized Mike’s voice and fear shot through him. Was this man stupid? Why
the hell would he come in here!? “Here!” He snapped, getting the other Alpha’s attention.
That’s when he saw Hanji and Moblit rush in and immediately move to the side. “Look at
me, you big shithead!” Mike yelled, keeping those blue eyes on him.

Levi felt his heart hammering away as he moved to press himself against the headboard. He
grabbed the blankets and pulled them up around himself. It wasn’t about modesty or
embarrassment. Everyone here knew what had been happening to him. No, it was to reduce
the effect of his body on the Alphas. Mike could be sent into a rut as well. The less of the
omega’s body he saw, the better. Trying not to think about another Alpha attacking him, he
watched the scene unfolding in front of him.

Erwin growled out a sound that was so low and dangerous that it sent chills of fear through
his entire body. He’d never heard an Alpha do that, let alone his mate. Mike didn’t seem at all
affected. He bared his teeth and snarled right back at him. Then Erwin was moving. He
rushed at the other and their arms locked. Levi flinched when Mike used the force of the
other’s attack to spin them. He slammed his commanding officer into the wall, trying to pin
him there. Even though he knew this had to happen, his instincts were telling him to protect
his mate. Those feelings were swallowed down, especially when he felt the Alpha’s seed
leaking out of him. This man had to be stopped and he could not intervene.

“Now!” Mike shouted and Levi watched as Hanji shot herself towards the Alphas. His eyes
were wide in fear for her. It was insane to even get close to them.

Then he realized what was happening. She had something in her hand, and he didn’t need to
be told to know what it was. The needling slammed down into the blond’s neck. He watched
her push the plunger down, sending the suppressants into Erwin’s system. The man growled
and hit her. Hanji was knocked violently to the ground, but Moblit was there at her side in an
instant. He pulled her away from the two Alphas. The second she was able to get up, she was
running towards him.

“Levi!” She said and half knelt on the bed. “Are you okay? Can you walk?”

“I… I don’t know. I think so.” He said, not even looking at her. He was watching as Mike
was shoved away from Erwin. Were the meds working?

“Look at me.” She snapped and grabbed his jaw, turning his head. “We have to go. Now.”

“I can’t just leave him here…”

“Yes, you can. You’re not safe around him or Mike right now. Come on.” She took his hand
and he nodded. Hanji helped him to keep the sheet wrapped around himself as he got up off
the bed. His legs ached and shook but he was able to stand. The two betas shielded him as
they rushed to the door. “Mike are you good?” Hanji asked, shoving Levi out the door.

“I got it, just go!” The man shouted. She nodded and out they went.

The sounds that the Alphas made as they escaped were going to haunt him. He could still
hear Erwin’s feral growls even as they made their way down the stairs. Levi was feeling
weaker by the second. All the damage done to his body in that short time, it was catching up
to him. He gripped the sheet tighter and stumbled. Moblit was quick to catch him. Levi
gripped the taller man’s shoulder and allowed himself to be supported for a moment. When
his legs started to give out, Moblit scooped him up into his arms. It was humiliating but he
was too weak to care. They continued outside and right to the carriage.

“Put me down… on the step…” he panted and Moblit complied. He gently set the omega
onto the step of the carriage. The fresh was what he needed. “Fuck…” he gasped.

“Levi, we have to get you to the hospital.” Hanji knelt next to him and started looking over
the wounds that were exposed.

“No.”

“No?”

“We’re not going anywhere.”

“You’re bleeding and bruised all over. Who knows what he did to you in places we can’t
see.” She pointed out, but he only shook his head.

“I’m not going.”

“Why the hell not?”

“If we go into town and people see what he did to me… it will ruin his reputation.” Levi said,
swallowing hard.

“His… his reputation? Are you insane? Who cares about that!?”

“The people love… Erwin.” He said, struggling to even say his mate’s name. “We need to
keep it that way. For the Scouts.” At his words, Hanji and Moblit seemed shocked.

“Levi… the Scouts… is this worth your life?”

“He didn’t do this to me on purpose. He’s not Erwin right now. I can’t let everything he’s
worked so hard for… fall apart because of me. If I had never come along, he wouldn’t have
been put in this situation.”

“That’s stupid.” Hanji mumbled but she didn’t seem like she was going to fight him much
more on it. “I don’t have a lot of medical training for stuff like this.”

“Call on Doctor Yeager.” He said, feeling a little dizzy from all the activity and pain. “I trust
him.” Levi leaned back against the door of the carriage and closed his eyes.

“No sleeping. Not until we know you’re okay.” Moblit said and placed a hand on his
shoulder. “Let’s move you into the carriage with Nevan. At least that way, if Erwin comes out
here, we can move you to a safer place.”

“Not into town. Promise me.”

“We won’t take you anywhere that will expose Erwin. If we move, we’ll go to a safe house or
something.” Hanji promised and he nodded.

Levi let Moblit help him up and then into the carriage. Petra was there with the baby. All the
color drained from her face when she saw him. Apparently, it was worse than he thought it
was. Once he was settled into the seat across from her, he held his arms out wordlessly. Petra
slowly moved to hand him the bundle in her arms. He relaxed the very second he had his son
in his arms. Those grayish-blue eyes looked at him and the boy whined a little. Levi kissed
his forehead and held him close.

“Thank you.” He looked up, finding the girl looking at him. “For protecting us.”

“Thank you for taking care of him.” He countered and they smiled at each other.

“Are you okay?”

“Uh… no,” he said, letting out a bitter laugh. “But I will be. Eventually.” He added and
looked back down at his child. This baby looked exactly like Erwin. He felt tears well up in
his eyes, but he shook all that away. “That wasn’t my mate. That was not him.” He mumbled.
He could feel Petra’s eyes on him, but he didn’t look up. He couldn’t.
 Let It Out
Chapter Summary

Hey! Sorry for the delay. Things have been hectic. Like so hectic.
I'm going to be putting on and hosting a whole festival in my town!
It's a ton of work but I'm hoping it goes well. On top of that, I'm going
to be setting up a vendors booth at a Car Show so I'm trying to build
up a stock of my stuff to sell! It's my first time doing this so I'm both
nervous and excited. Either way, it hasn't allowed me a lot of writing
time.
This chapter is kind of rushed but I have something really big in mind
and I need to get us to that point. Things are going to get really crazy
for our little family soon. Hang in there with me!

Eventually, Mike came back out of the house. He looked a little roughed up but otherwise
fine. Levi was outside the carriage now, sitting with the sheet around himself, his son cuddled
up against his chest. Everyone looked over as the Alpha slowly walked out of the house. He
didn’t seem off as he approached but after what he’d just been through, Levi felt a little tense.
Petra stayed close by his side, probably realizing that he might be a tad cautious of Alphas at
the moment.

“The big asshole finally passed out.” He said and took a deep breath. “He was really in the
thick of it. The suppressants took a while to finally take effect.” He explained.

“So, what now?” Moblit asked.

“I’m going to drag his ass down into the bunker and leave him down there. With separation
from Levi and those meds in his system, he should come out of the rut sometime tomorrow.”

“Is it safe to go in?” He asked and they all looked at him as if surprised.

“Levi, we could take you to a hotel or something…” Hanji began to say but he only shook his
head.

“This is our home. And I’m not just going to leave Erwin here alone and hope for the best.
We’ll lock him down there with food and water and wait it out. I’ll just… go about my
normal day.”

“How on earth can you go about your day like nothing happened? Levi you were just…”

“No.” He held up his hand, stopping the woman from speaking. “I went with Erwin willingly.
It was my choice. He couldn’t control himself, but I consented.”
He could see in their expressions that no one was buying that story. It was complicated. Yes,
he had given himself to his mate… but maybe consensual was not the right word for it. Levi
didn’t want to have sex with Erwin. He was terrified of getting hurt and of getting pregnant
again. In fact, that was the last thing he’d wanted. But Erwin didn’t hold him down while he
screamed and begged for him to stop. It wasn’t anything like that. So, was it forced or not?
He had no way of knowing what it really was. Only that he wanted all this to be over so his
life could continue. Would it be normal? Probably not.

Hanji tried to argue more but Moblit eventually stopped her. The two of them and Mike went
back inside to try and move Erwin down into the basement. Levi was quiet as he waited.
When the Alpha was safely secured with anything he’d need when he woke up, Mike locked
the basement door and cleared them to bring Levi and the baby back inside. Mike offered to
stay but Levi sent him home. If he stayed, it would attract attention. They all agreed that it
would be best to tell a half-truth about why the Commander was missing. He and his mate
were breeding. No one needed to know the details and all of Marley would be totally fine
with him taking time off for that cause.

When Mikasa got home, she knew something was wrong. The air was thick with tension.
Petra was quick to step in and explain that Erwin was having a hard time and that he’d be
staying downstairs. Levi wanted to be there to help her understand but he couldn’t. All he
wanted was to be left alone so he could work through the litany of thoughts that would not
leave him alone. He was stressed about possibly being pregnant again, about how this would
affect his relationship with Erwin, and about how to trust that his Alpha was safe to be
around in the future. Right now, he could not answer his daughter’s questions.

He took Nevan and went into the master bedroom. It was still a complete disaster, but it was
ignored. Instead, he went straight through into the bathroom and ran a warm bath. Undressing
both himself and the baby, he got down into the water and relaxed. Nevan laid peacefully on
his chest, making soft little sounds. Right now, Levi was thankful that his son was so little.
He’d never remember any of the things that happened today. He would never have to know
what happened between his parents. All Levi wanted him to know was that his father was a
good man… nothing more.

The omega and his son stayed like that until the water started to cool. He stood up and
wrapped the baby up first, then himself. It was not easy to do with one hand, but it was
managed. When he walked back out into the bedroom, he looked around at the mess and
sighed. It had to be cleaned up. With much hesitation, the omega carried his son to the
nursery. He was fussy because he was hungry. Laying him down, he left the boy there and
called down to Petra, asking her to fix him a bottle.

Then… it was time to clean up. Levi didn’t want to touch anything. He could smell Erwin’s
rut pheromones wafting through the air. The scent seemed to cling to everything. The
curtains, the sheets, the walls… He pulled on fresh clothes and then started collecting all the
fabrics. He stripped the bed down to nothing, picked up all his and Erwin’s clothing off the
floor, and walked out with the bundle in his arms. It was almost too much to even carry.

“Oh, let me take that!” Petra said as she came rushing up with the bottle in hand.
“Actually… would you just go ahead and feed Nevan?” The woman stopped in her tracks. He
knew why. Until today, Levi had never let anyone do anything with his son. She probably
thought something must be wrong. “I know, I know.” Levi muttered. “You… I trust you,
okay?” With that, he slipped past her and carried the linins down the stairs. Petra didn’t ask
anything more and for that, he was grateful.

“Levi, what the hell are you doing?” Hanji snapped, up in an instant to follow him through
the house to the servant’s quarters where laundry was done. “You should be resting!”

“Why? Because I had sex?” He asked and rolled his eyes.

“Because you just went through a traumatic experience!”

“Hanji, if that’s the worse thing I ever have to go through, I’ll consider myself lucky.”

“You’re not taking this seriously.” She huffed as he dropped everything into a basket.

“What exactly should I be doing?” The omega turned and glared at her. “My mate, the man
I’m marked by and bonded to, just went into a rut. A perfectly natural occurrence for an
Alpha. I’m his omega. I did what I was supposed to do to help him and protect anyone else
from possibly getting caught up in it.”

“But you didn’t want it…”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“It does, Levi! Why are you acting like it’s perfectly okay for someone to touch you when
you don’t want it!?”

“I was protecting my family, damnit!” He snapped, finally losing his temper. “What the fuck
did you want me to do? If I ran off, Erwin would have chased after me. I’d have been putting
Nevan and myself in even more danger! And what about Petra? Or anyone else who might
distract him along the way? He’s an Alpha who wants to breed! I’m his first choice but he’d
not bound to me the way I am to him. Erwin can fuck anyone he wants and knock up as many
other people as he pleases! If I left, he could have turned on Petra and attacked her. Or you!
Or anyone!” He shouted and threw his arms up into the air. “I agreed to be his mate and I’ll
do what I have to in order to protect him, even if it means protecting him from himself. I let
him fuck me! I let him knot me! And if I’m pregnant, then it’s by my own choices!”

Hanji stared at him, her eyes wide behind her glasses. The loud thumping of blood was
pounding away in his ears and his chest was heaving with quick breaths. Right now, he felt
like he wanted to cry. The tears were firmly held back, though. Growling, he left all the
laundry undone and pushed past the woman. The last thing he wanted right now was to stay
and keep having this shitty conversation. No, he didn’t want to let Erwin have him. No, he
didn’t want to have another baby. But none of that mattered now. He made his choice and
couldn’t go back and change it now. This was just how it was going to be. It wasn’t Erwin’s
fault and he refused to sit around and be a victim, crying over being raped. In his mind, that
just wasn’t what happened!
Going upstairs, Levi walked to the hall closet and pulled out some blankets. He didn’t even
bother with sheets. Dragging two large blankets with him, he threw them onto the bed and
then sat on it, placing his head in his hands. Why did she have to go and push him like that?
Growling, he tugged at his own hair. This was bullshit. Surrounded by Erwin’s scent, he
actually wished the Alpha was there with him. It was probably stupid, but he really did. He
wanted the man to wrap him up in his arms and make him feel better. But that wasn’t going
to happen, probably not for a few days. And even then, what would he feel when the other
was really standing there in front of him? Would he want to be touched?

Levi slept with Nevan in his bed with him over the next three days. He rarely left the
bedroom. Petra brought his food up and all the clean bedding. She and the omega worked
together to move the crib into the bedroom, only because he couldn’t stand not having the
baby with him, but he knew that he needed his own space. On the fourth day, he was on a
cleaning spree in the room. The windows were open, and the baby was napping peacefully
while Levi wiped down and scrubbed every inch of the room. A soft knock drew him from
his efforts.

“Come in.” He called over his shoulder and put the last of Erwin’s books back on the shelf
after having dusted them all.

“Levi.” He turned and found Jean standing there, his face looking rather grim. “They told me
the Commander was unwell and that I should report to you since Captain Zacharius is out on
patrol.”

“Oh… uh okay.” He walked over, wiping his hands on a clean rag. “So what’s going on?”

“I found sailors and boats for the mission. They are all ready to move on our orders.”

“Shit, right.” He cursed and pushed his hair back. “I forgot about that god damn mission.
Erwin… he’ll be back to shape soon. Until he’s up and able, we can’t make a move. Keep
them on standby and the second Mike is available, update him on this. Keep an eye on
everything and let us know if there are any changes.”

“Yes, sir.” He said and saluted. Levi stared at him in surprise. He wasn’t a soldier or this
man’s superior. Shit, Jean was still a kid, really. He was like three or four years younger,
wasn’t he? Realizing Jean was still standing there awkwardly, Levi lifted a brow.

“What?”

“Uh… well…”

“Out with it, brat.”

“You know I was placed with a family here in Marley… and I completed what I was put there
to do…” Meaning he got someone pregnant, no doubt. “Because I did what I was told and
I’ve dedicated myself to the Military, I’ve been allowed to become an official citizen and I
can start living my life as I wish… though I might still be asked to help with the… populating
thing…” Levi stared at him, a flat look on his face. “I was wondering if… I might be able to
call on Mikasa… some time.”
“You want to date my daughter?” He asked, perking his brow up a bit higher.

“Only if she’s interested! I saw her in town at her school and she’s just… I’ve never seen
anyone so beautiful before! I really would like to get to know her.” He rushed, his face now a
very obvious shade of red. Levi smirked.

“Look. If she likes you, then whatever. But if she gets pregnant, I’m gonna pop your head
like a pimple, got it?” He warned.

“Yes sir! Of course!”

“She’s out back in the garden. You should go introduce yourself instead of stalking her at her
school like some sort of freak.”

“I will! Thank you!” He said and turned on his heel, rushing out the door. Levi sighed and
shook his head. Mikasa was only his adoptive daughter, and they were very close in age…
but he still cared a lot about her. Jean would be good for her. He and Jean had known each
other from the village, and he trusted the man to be good to her… if she liked him, that was.
She might send him packing. The girl was as sharp around the edges as Levi, himself. Part of
him really hoped that she’d at least give the young Alpha a chance. It was surprising that he
was interested in a beta, but Levi wasn’t going to question something positive in this shit
situation.

It was not until the fifth day that Erwin finally came out of his rut. Hanji had been talking to
him through the door, gauging his behavior. She asked Levi to come down at one point, but
he refused. The omega sat in the middle of the large bed in his room, playing with Nevan. He
was still too little to actually place but he could grab onto Levi’s fingers, and he was looking
around more. His eyes were still very gray. Maybe they’d end up that metal blue color just
like his omega parent. His hair was definitely going to take after Erwin, though. Spending
time with his son was the distraction that he really needed as he knew soon… his mate would
be coming back into the normal routine of the house.

“Heeyyy….” Hanji sang from the doorway, peeking in at him. He glanced over. “Erwin
showered and all that… is it okay if he comes in to get some clean clothes? I can grab them if
not.”

“It’s his house and his room.” Levi answered and looked back down at the baby. He gently
put a little pair of blue socks on his feet.

“Okay…” The woman said softly and left.

A moment later, Erwin walked in. Levi could feel his presence as much as he could see it
from the corner of his eye. The Alpha went to his wardrobe and started to look through it.
Levi hesitated and then finally, he looked up. Erwin was in a towel, his hair messy. His back
was to the omega but still, he could tell that he looked just slightly thinner. If he remembered
right, Alphas didn’t eat during their ruts, just like omegas in their heats. He was probably a
good few pounds lighter. Feeling eyes on him, the blond turned around and their eyes met.
For the moment, he did not say anything. Erwin just focused on getting dressed. He pulled on
a white shirt and some comfortable house pants.
“How are you feeling?” Levi asked, deciding to be the one to break the ice.

“I’m starving and my entire body hurts,” Erwin answered, walking over. Their eyes met
before he slowly sat down on the edge of the bed. “Hanji says you don’t want to talk about it,
but I do.”

“So, talk.”

“Thank you for staying with me as long as you did.”

“What?” Levi was totally caught off guard.

“You could have run away, kicked my ass, or who knows what else. Instead, you made it safe
for Petra and our son… I know it’s not what you wanted.”

“You’re right. I didn’t want it.” He could see the hurt in Erwin’s eyes. “But we’re mates. We
have to take care of each other because this world is fucking shit. I’m yours and it’s my job to
be there for you.”

“You’re not my property and you didn’t have to do that.” Erwin looked down at the baby. “I
know you don’t want more children. If you want to take that potion of Hanji’s, just to be sure,
I won’t be upset. Just like before.”

“My feelings haven’t changed. I don’t want another kid. But I’m not going to do anything to
stop it. If it happens, then it happens.”

Nevan was squirming, looking around until his eyes fell on his Alpha parent. The boy just
stared at him, almost like he was in awe. When Erwin spoke, the baby was totally engaged.
He seemed to like his voice. Levi smiled as he stared down at him. He was barely into this
world and already, he knew his parents. Maybe it was because of their scents. He sought them
out. Gently picking the baby up, Levi moved closer to Erwin and held him out.

“What are you doing?”

“Letting you hold your son, dummy.”

“I… why?” He asked, looking worried.

“Because he wants you,” Levi said. They two stared at one another for a moment before the
Alpha slowly took the baby. Levi helped him to properly cradle the boy and then let go, just
watching. “I don’t know how I feel about us right now.” Levi whispered.

“I know,” Erwin said back, his eyes locked on the boy in his arms. “I understand. I’ll sleep in
my office for the time being.”

“No.” Levi cut in, surprising his mate. “I want you here with me but… I’m not sure I want
anything to do with sex for a while.”

“I see…” He let out a breath that sounded relieved. “I’m glad you still want me around. I
can’t take back what I did… but I love you more than anything. Both of you.”
“It was a rut. It’s not like you got drunk and attacked me or something.” Levi pointed out. “I
went into heat and climbed all over you like some cheap whore when we first met.”

“But you didn’t force yourself on me.”

“Neither did you. As you said, I stayed with you.”

A silence fell between them, then. It was heavy but not uncomfortable. Levi knew that it
would be a while before either of them got fully back to normal. The last time they were
together, he was on his knees, face pressed into the sheets while his mate poured himself into
him. Now… now what? He gently played with the baby’s hair while Erwin held him. His
little eyelids fluttered and closed. Within another few seconds, he was drifting off to sleep.
There was a content smile on Erwin’s face. This was his mate. This was not the same man
he’d seen a week ago. Erwin Smith was a kind and loving person. The Eldian needed to keep
reminding himself of that as they moved forward.
 Soft Spoken Plans
Chapter Summary

Erwin deals with the upcoming mission and makes his plans.

Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

Thinking that it would all return to normal was foolish on his part, but Erwin did try. Maybe
it was because his instincts told him that what he did was totally natural. Maybe it was
because Levi welcomed him right back into their room and let him interact with their child.
Whatever it was that gave him his confidence, he had misread it. The first few days were
fine. Levi seemed normal. He cleaned up around the house as he always did, he lightened up
on other people being around Nevan. He even allowed Erwin a surprisingly deep kiss one day
before he returned to working in the city.

It was all just a show that his omega was putting on and somehow, he was too blissfully
dense to realize it.

After returning, Zackley welcomed him back with open arms. The man made a show of
congratulating him on a hopefully successful week of breeding with his mate. Of course, the
Commander thanked him and shared his hopes that his union with Levi would be fruitful.
Under the surface, he was praying that it didn’t work. Not because he did not want another
child, but because of the circumstances of the conception. Even if Levi swore it wasn’t
forced… he still felt as if he’d made him go along with it. Some sense of loyalty or whatever
it was… if Levi had a baby after being attacked during a rut… it wouldn’t be the same and he
knew it.

Mike updated him on all the things that happened while he was in his state. Levi had taken
over with helping the movement and handled things that needed to wait for the Alpha to get
back into his right mind. The boats were prepared, the explosives were secured, and their
team was ready. What was stopping them from moving forward… the battle going on inside
the Commander’s head. This was something he’d been planning for so long, now it was
finally here. It wasn’t that he was having second thoughts, just additional ideas.

When he went home one night, the dining room was already filled with his family. Moblit
and Hange were seated on one side, Petra and Levi on the other. Nevan was sleeping
peacefully in a bassinette just behind the omega. The table was set with plenty of good food
and his seat was made up, ready for when he came in. They were talking, laughing, and
acting as if they had no trouble in the world. He smiled as he watched them from the foyer.
He was taking a moment to absorb it all.
Levi still looked so young and sometimes, the Alpha forgot that his mate wasn’t even twenty
years old yet. His fair skin and sharp features stood out against his night sky hair. It was
getting longer now, some tucked behind his ear while the rest hung to the side of his face,
nearly reaching his jaw. Those silver eyes were alight as he seemed to be having an animated
discussion with Petra over how she’d made the biscuits in the middle of the table. He looked
like an angel to Erwin. He was young, pulled from his home, and forced into this life… but
he looked okay. He didn’t look as miserable as he did when Erwin first brought him here.

Seeming to realize he was being stared up, the younger man looked over. They locked eyes
and Erwin felt something cold grip his heart. Levi didn’t look at him with that longing that he
once had. There was no instant warmth. His angular eyes remained on the Alpha’s, never
looking away. It wasn’t an expression of hate or fear, but it wasn’t the same and that made his
heart race with guilt. Erwin knew that he’d broken something sacred between them. They had
built up a trust that was now fractured in a way that he was unsure how to mend.

Eventually, Hange called him over and he buried his worries down deep. The Alpha hung up
his jacket and other items before he walked over and joined them at the table. It looked casual
and normal on the surface, but he felt like it was just a show. No one noticed it but himself
and Levi. Erwin reached out and gently placed his hand over his mate’s on the table. Levi
looked down at it before looking back up at him. He turned his hand until they were able to
lace their fingers together. Even with all he’d done to him and done to his life, Levi still
cared. Maybe it was more distant than before… but at least it was there.

Later that evening, when Nevan was now moved into his crib, Erwin and Levi settled in.
They didn’t speak as they changed, brushed, and did normal even routine things. Where he
might normally feel the need to touch his mate, Erwin only felt tired. He felt exhausted
emotionally. It was like his mind simply could not stop going. He was stuck on the mission,
the people they had to help, about Levi and Nevan, and what might happen in six months. His
heart was aching in his chest and apparently, his attempts at seeming normal were failing
miserably. When he dropped into the bed and closed his eyes, he felt a hand gently touch his
bare chest.

“You good?” Levi asked and he sighed.

“Not even remotely. You?”

“Been better.”

“It’s been a week.” Erwin said and he felt the hesitance in the darkness.

“I don’t feel anything.”

“I see.”

“Doesn’t mean…”

“I know.”
“If it happens, it’s not a big deal.” He heard Levi shift a little closer and he looked over.
There was no light, but he felt like he could see those sharp eyes on him.

“You seem so sure of it.” He whispered.

“Why would I not be? Erwin, we are stuck in a shitty situation. Both of us. Not just me.” He
said and there was a pause that he almost broke before Levi started to speak again. “I love our
son. More than anything. I never thought I could feel that way about anyone, not even you.”
He admitted. “I don’t give a damn what happened before. If we have another kid, I’m going
to feel the exact same way.”

“I’m glad,” Erwin said softly and rolled onto his side, facing the other. Now that his eyes
were adjusted, he could make out the shape of Levi’s face and the blur of his features. “This
isn’t how I wanted it to happen, but I wanted a family with you. Big or small.”

“I never wanted to let some shitty Alpha come in and knock me up over and over but you
know… could be worse.” The omega said, letting Erwin hear the smirk on his lips.

“Am I a shitty Alpha?”

“No.”

They stayed quiet for a while, neither saying anything. He almost thought that Levi might
have slipped off to slip but his breathing was still quicker than the deep slow breaths of
slumber. Then he felt movement and a gentle touch upon his cheek. The omega brushed his
thumbs over the man’s face for a while. It was soothing and Erwin found himself leaning into
it. He wanted to speak but didn’t know what to say.

“Stop holding back because you’re worried about me. The Scouts need you.” Levi said in a
whisper that was so light, that he almost missed it. “This country is ruining lives, enslaving
people… you can stop that from happening.”

“It’s not just me. We’re all in this together.” Erwin countered and could almost hear Levi’s
eyes rolling at his words.

“Yeah, but you’re the man making it happen. Get back on the horse, Erwin.”

“Alright.” He chuckled and moved closer until he could wrap his arm around his mate. Their
bodies were flush together but there was no intimate charge like there was before. It was
more of a comfortable feeling, and he was perfectly okay with that. Levi wouldn’t feel that
way about him for a while, he was sure. Erwin didn’t mind. He wasn’t exactly feeling the
need to touch him like that, anyway. “I love you.” He said softly when he heard the omega
finally fall asleep. There was no reply, but he knew there would not be as the smaller man
snuggled up under his chin.

There was very little time for his mind to wander over the next two weeks. Erwin was almost
constantly busy. He was out of the house or down in the basement for the majority of his
waking hours. The only times he saw Levi was when the omega would come down to join
him after Nevan was asleep for the night. He’d help with planning or just bring down some
tea and keep him company. The smaller man would curl up in a chair with a teacup in one
hand, and maps or plan documents in another. It was comforting and it gave them at least
some time together.

In the mornings, Erwin would help with the baby before going to work. It was really the only
time he had to spend with his son. He’d carry him around the kitchen while a groggy and
irritated-looking Levi could get them some coffee. Still so small, the boy couldn’t really do
much other than stare at his Alpha parent, but that was totally fine by him. He spoke to him,
showed him the nice weather outside the window, or just hummed and teased Levi for losing
his interest in being a perky morning person. The hour or so that he spent with his child
always lifted his mood. Before leaving, the Alpha would kiss his son’s head and his mate’s
lips. Then out the door, he’d go.

The problem with having a child was that it made him much more aware of the work the
Scouts needed to do. He watched young boys and girls being ordered around solely based on
how good they’d be for breeding. His thoughts drifted back to the boy that Mikasa wanted
them to help… Eren. With so much having happened, that little plan had sort of fallen to the
sidelines. However, it was not forgotten. That was precisely why he was having a nice lunch
with the contact he’d made in Eren’s household.

Pieck was a fine girl, though her medical condition made it impossible for her to expect a
family of her own. In her own words, that was a damn good thing. She did not want to be
bred like her sisters or the poor Alpha boys that were dragged in to do so. She wanted to find
freedom, but more than that, she wanted to see the younger children escape. Her heart was in
the right place and Erwin knew that with her help, he could get at least a few more out.

The girl was already seated at the little café where they’d chosen to meet at. She sat with
another woman, one that she assured Erwin could be trusted. At the table behind her, Mike
was sitting, reading a newspaper. This was their setup. Just four people out for lunch with no
connection at all. The Commander took his head across from his Captain, his back and
Pieck’s just a foot or so apart. No one else was in the place, making this far easier.

“I wasn’t sure when I’d heard from you.” She said and the woman in front of her answered,
but they all knew who she was really speaking to. It was all part of the act.

“Things have been so hectic. I rarely get a moment such as this.” He said with a smile, he and
Mike looking at one another. Much like the mystery woman, Mike answered him with a
casual but pointless conversation that he was only half-listening to. “I trust things have been
going well at home?”

“Did you know that my sister has been to the doctor six times now, a loss at each visit?” She
said, speaking the hushed gossipy tone that women so often used. “That Eldian boy… I’m
not sure how long it will be before father sends him packing.” The other woman hummed out
a sympathetic response.

“I suppose we’ll need to move our assets soon. It’s never safe to keep them in one place too
long.” Erwin said and smiled up at a waitress who took his coffee order. “Perhaps we should
consider doing it at the end of the week.”

“Father is planning a family trip to the orchards. I think it will be quite fun. It will give us a
break from that little Alpha and his failings.” She laughed, the other woman joining in.
“Maybe a few days alone in the house with just our maids will do him some good.”

“I’m thinking perhaps at dusk. I think you and I could handle moving a few crates, couldn’t
we?” He asked, speaking to Mike but not.

“I think we’ll be leaving around midday.” Pieck answered when the other woman knowing
asked when they’d be departing on their trip.

“Sounds good.” Mike said and sipped his coffee.

Pieck’s family would be leaving over the weekend. They’d be gone by midday and would
only be leaving maids and Eren behind. That would be their chance to grab the boy and get
him. Then they could put him on one of the boats during the operation. When it was over,
he’d be safely on the other side, free to escape through Eldia’s wilds, further across to the
border. Erwin took a drink from his cup when it was brought to him. He already knew the
maids were in on their activities. Pieck had informed him of that before. With this
confirmation, they would likely be made aware of the Scouts coming for Eren and have him
ready.

“Did you see the maps of the Eldian Territory on the other side of the river?” Mike asked,
drawing Erwin’s attention. He could feel Pieck’s attention on the conversation as well.

“I received them, but I haven’t had the chance to look them over yet.”

“It’s a big damn mess out there. I know the higher-ups want us to colonize and use the
expansive forest for logging but… we’d need a pretty big force to even thoroughly make a
plan. Our guys will get lost out there, Commander.”

Erwin got the message loud and clear. They hadn’t considered the ‘after’ of getting Eren and
others out through Eldia’s forests. It was basically untouched territory. The maps that they got
during the war did little to shed insight into the terrain that could be out there. Sending Eren
and other escapees into it with just a compass was not going to cut it. Someone was going to
have to go with them, so they didn’t end up eaten by animals or in a ditch. He sighed and
rubbed his bridge.

“It’s always something, isn’t it?” He half laughed. “I’m sure we’ll work something out.” He
said and tilted his head. “Let me see about getting a survey team together. We don’t want
construction passing through in dangerous territory.”

“You know, this was a lovely lunch, but I think I should be getting back.” He heard Pieck say.
There was a metallic sound as her arm crutches were lifted and put to use. Erwin kept his
eyes forward. “I’m really looking forward to our trip. Hopefully, it goes without trouble.” She
said and then they were walking off. Only when the door swung shut behind them, did he
refocus.
“How are your younger recruits doing?” He asked, now only speaking to his Captain.

“Well. They are restless. I guess some of them thought they’d be seeing some action before
now.” Code for the Scouts being ready to move.

“Of course.” He chuckled and set his cup down. “I’m sure we’ll be able to find them
something to do. Quite soon, in fact.”

For two days, Erwin tried to think of what could be done to make sure their rescues were safe
on the other side of the river. So far, they had about eight kids that needed transport. Their
households had confirmed their readiness to move… but Eren was the oldest of them at only
thirteen years old. He briefly considered sending Jean as well, as he was from the region but
even so, he was what… sixteen? It was hard to remember with so many other numbers
running about in his head. He must have seemed as stressed as he felt because Levi picked up
on it.

“Calm down.” The omega said and set a steaming cup of tea onto the desk in front of him in
his office. Slipping around him, he then felt those lovely hands on his shoulders, pressing in
to work out the tension. “The more you stress, the harder it will be to focus.”

“I know, but I can’t seem to help it.” He half groaned as those fingers worked magic on his
body. “Levi, do you know anything of the forests across the river?”

“I do. We used that area during the war. You assholes aren’t good in the trees.” He said,
amusement hanging in his words.

“Is there any chance you could make me an accurate map of how to navigate the woods to the
far border?” Levi’s hands stopped moving. He moved around to the other side of the desk.

“Why?”

“We’re going to get some kids out before we blow the dam.”

“You want to send a bunch of kids into the woods to survive on their own?” He asked, silver
eyes going a little wider.

“It’s… a work in progress. I had thought that it would be an easy trek for them once Marley
could not cross the river. But Mike has informed me that it may be more difficult than a
simple walk through the woods.”

“That’s an understatement, Erwin.” Levi sighed and dropped onto one of the sofas in the
room. He leaned against the arm and tapped his fingers into the hair on top of his head. “The
forests are thick with brush and trees. The ground is uneven and there are a lot of dangerous
drop-offs. It’s why we were so easily able to hide from your soldiers. No one wanted to
follow us. But we weren’t a group of little kids.”

“I hadn’t realized that when I started to arrange to get them out. Now I’m scrambling.” He
admitted.
“I might be able to make a map but… it won’t do them much good for other things like
dealing with bears and wolves out there. And if they pack food, it will attract those dangers.
Fuck.” Erwin could see the frustration on his face. “Are there any adults to go with them?”

“I’m working on that. I considered sending Jean as he’s from the area like you are. But he’s a
young man as well.”

“It’s a good idea. He’s a survivor…. It’s gonna upset Mikasa to see him go.”

“Mikasa?”

“Yeah, while you were down in the basement jerking off, Jean asked if he could start…
seeing her. They’d been out a few times.”

“How on earth did I miss that?” He asked but the flat look Levi gave him said enough. He
wasn’t around much during the day. “Right. Well….” He took a breath. “Let’s send her.”

“Excuse me?”

“Let’s send Mikasa with them. She and Jean can go together. I realize she’s young but she’s
so much like you. I have no doubt she could handle it. That helps the kids, Jean, and it will
save her from this place as well.”

“I thought you said we couldn’t send her out because of the attention and all that shit?” Levi
asked, looking both worried and hopeful.

“This is going to be a very big movement, Levi. Blowing that dam, getting a rather large
group of kids out… it’s going to be considered a full terrorist movement. Mikasa will simply
be one more kidnapped child. Yes, it will look bad on me but at the same time, sympathy for
the families will be through the roof, so to speak. All we have to do is look as distraught and
lost as the rest of the families and we’ll be looked right over.”

“…and Nevan?”

The Alpha froze and looked up. Their eyes met. What was Levi implying? Did he want them
to send their newborn out there with Mikasa? The youngest child in the group was around
five years old. It would be much more difficult to try this already impressively hard feat with
a baby. Levi was staring at him with such a hurt and emptiness in his eyes that the Alpha took
a breath just to remind himself this moment was real. Standing up, he walked over and sat
down next to his mate.

“It’s too dangerous.” He said softly. “I want him to be safe just as much as you do. I want him
to grow up without having to know he’s forced to breed and fight for a country that doesn’t
give a damn about him. I never want him to do to his mate what I have been forced to do to
you.” Shifting, he turned so he could gently touch Levi’s face. “But this journey is going to
be difficult enough for those kids and anyone we send with them. Trying to manage the care
of an infant… I can’t do that.”
 “I know.” Levi agreed and leaned into his touch. “I just had a moment where I thought I
could save him.”

“We will.” Erwin leaned in and kissed his forehead. “I’m going to find a way to save both of
you. When the opportunity presents itself, I will take it. I promise.”

“Not without bringing yourself with us.” Levi tacked on and the Alpha smiled.

“Of course. We’ll go together as a family. It’s my job to keep you safe, no matter what.”

Wrapping his arm around the omega, he hugged him close to his side. Levi didn’t hesitate to
return the gesture. His arms wrapped around the blond and he buried himself into his chest.
His warmth was a welcome change from the cold Erwin had been feeling as he dealt with all
this. Soon, everything was going to change. They had to all be prepared for it. Pressing his
nose into his mate’s hair, he took a deep breath of his scent. The idea of sending Jean and
Mikasa was forming new plans in his head. This was going to work. He knew it would.

Chapter End Notes

In case it was confusing during the café scene, here's basically how it worked.
Pieck and Erwin were talking to one another, but pretending to speak to Mike and the
other woman.
The two extras just played along. It was them communicating in public without actually
being seen
speaking to one another. I thought it was pretty clever! Hope it wasn't too confusing!
 Letting It Pass
Chapter Summary

Erwin and Levi spent the night in the City for a special party.
While there, they are forced to deal with some issues that may
bring them closer...

Chapter Notes

This is a long chapter compared to my other ones!

This part doesn't really further that Scout story but it is VERY Eruri heavy.
The boys get away from the house and end up dealing with a lot of crap.
It's messy, emotional, and hot ;D

Enjoy!

Levi knew that he was going to hate this for sure. There was no doubt in his mind. All he
could think about was the first time they did this. The way Erwin smelled when he came
back… fuck that. His anger was boiling over as he stood in the master bathroom, eyes on his
own reflection. Was he really doing this? Did the Alpha expect him to play along and be the
good little omega? Of course, he did. A low growl escaped from his throat when the tall
blond walked in and stood behind him, all smiles.

“You’re going to enjoy it.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Levi, it will be good for you.”

“Tch.”

Erwin was dragging to a fucking party. The last time they did this shit, Erwin got drunk, and
Levi ended up in the hotel alone while waiting for him. Now, they were off to do that shit
again. For Levi, it wasn’t so much that he absolutely loathed being out around all these
Marley assholes, it was more that it was the first time he’d be leaving Nevan alone without
himself somewhere in the house. Petra had assured him a hundred times over that it was
going to be fine. Even so, his chest was tight each time he thought about it.
“You look amazing.” Erwin purred against his ear and the omega shivered, trying to hold
himself together.

They’d gone into town and gotten him fitted for a new suit. It was sleek, black, and fit him
perfectly. Over his time in Marley, Levi had changed. He wasn’t quite as scrawny as he’d
been when he arrived. A good diet, the chance to exercise… and giving birth… had put a
little weight on him. Luckily, it wasn’t bad weight. His lithe muscles were more defined, but
his hips had also flared a bit more. He’d prefer a much more masculine body, but that was
never going to happen. At least the suit made him look more like a man than a little omega
bitch. That was probably what everyone was expecting of him.

The suit he’d picked looked nice, and Levi was happy with it. He took his cravat and tied it
into place at his neck while trying to ignore the look his mate was giving him. It was hungry,
wanting, and more. Since the rut, they had barely done more than giving each other pecks on
the lips. Levi could admit that beyond his mental block about it, he did miss the Alpha’s
touch. Erwin was fine at first but slowly, his desires were surfacing again. Even so, he’d kept
himself totally respectful of Levi’s new boundaries and never tried anything. A little teasing
here and there was harmless and didn’t bother him.

“Yeah yeah.” He muttered in reply and smoothed his hair back again, making sure it was
staying slicked back as he’d styled it. “I look like a different person.”

“You do not.” Erwin chuckled. “But you do look good. I imagine you’ll have many eyes on
you tonight.”

“That’s exactly what I want.” He said, not bothering to hide his sarcasm.

“I don’t like the idea of Alphas looking at you… but it is oddly pleasing to know how
envious they’ll be that you’re on my arm.” He placed a hand on Levi’s shoulder before
stepping away to go grab his things from the bedside table.

“I have to deal with people eye-fucking you literally every time we go anywhere. You can
deal with it too, now.” Levi turned and followed the man out. He crossed his arms over his
chest and watched his mate as he tucked his wallet into his inner breast pocket and looked
back at him.

“And what are you going to do if someone asks you to dance?”

“Tell them to fuck off?”

“No…” He laughed and walked over. He made Levi unfold his arms and then took his hand.
“You be polite and decline if that’s what you want.” He kissed Levi’s hand and smiled.

“Do you want me dancing with anyone else?”

“Oh, absolutely not.” He said and smirked. “But I wouldn’t stop you. Would you stop me?”
Levi stared at him and then pulled his hand away.
Would he stop Erwin from dancing with someone else? There would no doubt be women
who wanted his attention. There always were. They were bonded but people here would only
claim to respect it. He wasn’t stupid. It wouldn’t be fair to tell him not to entertain others
but… Levi thought about how he’d been denying his mate and it made a tiny little bit of
worry pool low in his gut. Alphas could fuck whoever they wanted. If he couldn’t get it from
Levi, would he… no. He shook his head and looked up, realizing Erwin was giving him a
confused look.

“I don’t care what you do.” He mumbled and slipped around him. “Let’s go.”

The ride to the party was made mostly up of Erwin explaining the event to the omega. It was
some celebration for the King’s daughter. Evidently, she’d gotten engaged, and they were
throwing this big party for her and her new fiancé. He was some Prince from a country that
Levi hadn’t even heard of before. There was no way he’d remember their names, even though
Erwin must have said them like ten times. All the military leaders were expected to be there
with their wives, or in their case, mates. As much as he wanted to protest because of Nevan…
he’d agreed to go.

Before they’d left, he cuddled his son and had trouble letting him go. Levi had never left the
boy before. Even going outside to train with Mikasa had been hard. Now, he was leaving the
house and going all the way into the city. Worry and fear were gripping him. It was making it
hard for the man to focus on what the blond across from him was saying. Erwin was going on
and on about the schedule for the party, what was expected of them, and all that other shit.
Levi just stared out the window, drifting in and out of it all.

“Darling, you’re not listening.”

“Hm?” He glanced over and then sighed. “Sorry. This is not my thing…”

“I know.” He could hear the smile in the man’s calm voice. “But we must do it.”

“You must do it. I just want to get drunk.”

“Levi is that a good idea?”

His words seemed simple enough, but Levi could hear the meaning behind them. It had been
a couple of weeks now since the rut and neither of them were really talking about it. Levi still
felt just fine. He wasn’t getting sick or anything, but it could still be too early to be showing
any signs. Even so, he knew that Erwin was worried about him drinking if there was a
chance, he could be pregnant. The omega didn’t feel like he was, but that meant fuck all. If
he was getting dragged out to this damn party for some spoiled princess, he wanted to drink.
It was as simple as that.

“It’s fine. I’m not worried about it.”

“If you say so.” Erwin looked at him sadly but then turned his attention out his own window.

The rest of the ride was taken in silence. It was heavy and Levi hated it. Why the hell
couldn’t things go back to normal? It seemed like each time they made even a little progress,
something happened, and they ended up back in this damn terrible silence. His heart ached in
his chest, but he said nothing to try and make it better out of fear that he’d only make it worse
instead. When they arrived, it was much like it was when he and Erwin came here as a couple
for the first time. This time, there were large banners hung all over the square with the Royal
Insignia on them. Carriages pulled up to the steps one at a time until it was their turn.

Erwin stepped out first and offered Levi his hand to help him out. At first, he thought about
swatting it away, but in the end, he just took it and stepped out carefully. People were fucking
everywhere around them. There were men in suits, women decked out in ball gowns and
other fancy dresses. He could smell nothing but Alphas and their over-the-top egotistical
scents. Sometimes he’d catch an omega but not often. Of course, when he started walking in
with Erwin, people were turning towards them. The whispers were already starting, and he
was sure he knew what they were saying. Erwin and his prize omega, the Eldian brat who
gave birth to a healthy baby boy all on his own in a carriage, blah blah blah. That would be
all anyone spoke to him about; he knew it already.

“Shall we get a drink first?” The Alpha suggested and Levi was quick to agree. Because he
refused to hang on Erwin’s arm like a woman, the Alpha instead placed a hand against the
small of his back and Levi let it rest there. “I’d like a Whiskey Sour, please.” Erwin ordered
and looked down at him.

“Same.” He said, not really feeling like thinking of anything else.

“I’m curious what this will be like.” Erwin said and the omega glanced up at him.

“What?”

“You being drunk.” He said and laid out some cash when their drinks were brought over.
“You’re always so reserved and in charge of things. You took care of me when I was
drinking.”

“Your friends took care of you.”

“You know what I mean.” He pointed out and handed Levi his glass. Accepting it, he took a
sip and shrugged.

“I’m not a fan of being drunk. I just want to be, right now.”

“Any particular reason?” Erwin asked, receiving only another shrug as an answer.

Truthfully, Levi wanted to get drunk because he was hoping it would help him relax. He was
away from his baby and still feeling weird around his mate. Maybe a couple of drinks would
help with that. It was likely a terrible plan, but Levi found he was caring less and less about
the consequences. The more he stared out at these snotty assholes, the more he wanted to tip
the glass back and order anything. It was probably safer to pace himself, though.

“Erwin! So lovely to see you here!”

Levi glanced over and watched as a woman walked over. She had bright red hair that was
done up into a neat bun on top of her head. A silver dress was draped around her flawless
body with matching gloves and heels. It was form-fitting as hell, showing off every single
curve she had. Levi looked her up and down before he went back to his drink. There was a
soft scent of flowers coming off her… an omega.

“Marie. It’s been too long. How are the kids?” Erwin asked and they did some weird little
hug and kiss thing.

“They are just wonderful, thank you for asking. And what about your little bundle? I’m dying
to see him. Nile said you’ve been a little sour about bringing him out into the world.”

“Ah yes.” He laughed and Levi felt the Alpha glance over at him. “Nevan is wonderful. It’s
our first so it still makes Levi a bit nervous to take him anywhere.”

“I completely understand.” She said, giggling in a way that made his skin crawl. “I was the
same way when our daughter was born. I didn’t want to let anyone touch her. Even Nile
couldn’t get close for a while.” She admitted. At least that much, they had in common. “It’s
an omega thing.” She whispered in a not-so-quiet voice, and they laughed.

“Levi,” Erwin said, drawing his attention. “This is my good friend Marie. She’s Nile’s wife.”
He said and the omega forced himself to place a pleasant smile on his features.

“Hello.” He said and took her hand. They shook a little awkwardly as he watched her green
eyes move over him before meeting his gaze. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“And you. I have to say, people are so curious about Erwin’s mate. No one seems to know
anything about you.” She said, clearly one of the curious ones.

“I don’t like to be the center of attention.” He said and she laughed.

“Of course, that must be hard with a man like Erwin…” She said, her tone teasing. He hated
it.

“Yeah, he attracts a lot of attention.”

“Now now, out of the three of us, I hardly think I stand out. Not with two such lovely people
by me.” Fucking charming asshole. Marie ate it up, laughing more. She even brushed her
fingers over his arm and Levi felt heat roll through him.

“You were always so sweet. It’s one of the things that I loved about you.” She gave Erwin the
most adoring look and Levi glanced back and forth between them.

“That’s kind of you to say. So tell me, where is Nile? Has he been sucked into the circle of
old Commanders?”

“I think he’s off talking to Zackley, as usual.” The woman said, rolling her eyes. “You
military men.” She added with a laugh. Levi wanted to strangle this woman.
“Right.” Erwin laughed and took a sip of his drink. Levi went to do the same, only to realize
he’d drank it all without realizing it.

“I’m getting another drink.” He mumbled and left Erwin and the redhead to their little giggle
fest.

Approaching the bar, he set his glass down and ordered another. He was only a few feet away
from his mate and the woman, but he could still hear her stupid laughter. She was probably
doing that little flirty look that he saw women use all the time when talking to a man they
were attracted to. Levi was finding himself wondering just how damn well those two really
knew each other. She was so familiar with him, and it couldn’t just be because she was Nile’s
wife. There was more to the story. Sitting there alone, he was nearly done with his second
drink before the Alpha finally came over to him.

“You didn’t come back,” Erwin said as he placed his empty glass down and requested
another. “Everything okay?”

“I thought you said you’d never been with an omega. When did you fuck her?” Levi asked,
not looking up. He could still tell Erwin was staring at him with a shocked expression.

“I’ve never slept with Marie.” He said and the omega wanted to scoff, but he just kept silent.
“Levi, I have never had sex with her. I didn’t lie to you. We did date briefly…”

“Ah, there it is.” Levi half laughed.

“Are you telling me that you never dated…” One look from the omega and he nodded.
“Right. You actually haven’t been with anyone but me…”

“Whatever. It doesn’t matter. In the past right?”

“If it’s bothering you, we should talk about it.”

“You know she was all over you, right? Like I don’t care if she’s married. That woman wants
in your pants. I could smell it rolling off her.”

“Is that surprising?” Levi looked at him, lifting a brow. “I’m an Alpha. We just had a baby.
I’m clearly a more dominant Alpha than her husband. Are you surprised that she’d want
me?” He wasn’t bragging. It was a logical answer to Levi’s own words.

“It’s not surprising. I just don’t like it because you have history.” He said honestly and Erwin
smiled that damn disarming smile of his. The Alpha leaned in closer, an arm wrapping
around his shoulders.

“You don’t have to like it. But you also don’t have to worry. There is no one in this world that
I’ll ever want more than you.” He purred and then innocently kissed the omega’s temple.

“Fuck.” He grumbled and rubbed at the spot where the man’s lips touched.

“Let’s refill our drinks and go mingle. You can stay here alone… or you can come to give all
these women that death stare of yours to keep them away from me.”
“Fine. Only because you permitted me to glare at them.” He mumbled.

Once they got their drinks, they left the bar, and the whirlwind of charming Erwin Smith
began. People seemed to always be swarming around. They all wanted to talk to Erwin, to
congratulate him on the birth of their son if they hadn’t already. Some wanted to talk politics,
others wanted to know when they’d be having another baby. It was a bunch of bullshit and
Levi was just along for the ride. He was polite when spoken to, did a fair amount of glaring
any time a woman got too close to his mate and kept drinking.

They took their seats at a table and listened to speeches for a while. At one point, Levi even
got to see the princess and her groom-to-be. She was a perfectly normal-looking girl, which
was surprising. Her black hair was braided to one side with little jewels tied in here and there.
She had eyes that were so blue, they were almost violet. The dress she wore probably cost
more than everything he owned. It was silver and purple with little scarves and all that to go
with her. The groom was handsome but nothing to get overwhelmed about. He wore a plain
blue suit and had his dark brown hair slicked to the side. Levi thought he looked like a stuck-
up asshole. That was probably true. He was a prince, after all.

Levi was well ahead of Erwin by the time the couple made it to the floor to start chatting with
their guests. Erwin had slowed way down, likely to deal with him. That was fine. It just
meant that the omega could keep drinking. His tolerance had always been pretty high, so he’d
gotten quite a few drinks into his system before it started to take any real effect. He felt a
heavy warmth settle over his whole body and it was the buzz that he’d wanted.

Erwin kept a hand on him almost the entire time. Whether it was some possessive Alpha shit
or his way of keeping his inebriated mate under control, he was not sure. It wasn’t like Levi
was being bad. He still kept his mouth shut but occasionally, he’d scoff and let out a sharp
laugh when someone would say something he considered stupid. The Alpha was always
quick to cover and then he’d steer them away from the conversation.

“Are you feeling alright?” Erwin asked and Levi stared into his empty cup longingly.

“I’m wonderful. Why?”

“You’re getting a bit…”

“Blatant?”

“That’s part of it, yes.” The Alpha was looking at him, seeming to teeter between worried and
upset. “Maybe you should get a glass of water.”

“I do not want a glass of water.” Levi said and stared up at him, not breaking the stare.

“Well, I think you should get one.”

“Is that an order, Alpha?”

“Does it need to be?”

They glared at each other. This was a dangerous game. Levi hated when Erwin started to use
his Alpha influence on him, and the blond knew it. Would he make that move right here? In
front of all these people? They’d probably fucking love it. The thought pissed him off more,
but he didn’t bring any of that up. Instead, he shoved his glass into Erwin’s chest, making the
man take it.

“Whatever.”

“Levi…” Erwin sighed and set the glass onto the tray of a passing waiter. “I don’t want to
ruin your fun. I just don’t want you to get into trouble.”

“No, you just don’t want me to embarrass you in front of all your fancy Marleyan friends.”

“That is not at all true.”

“Tch, don’t try and bullshit me.” He laughed and crossed his arms over his chest. “That’s why
you dragged me out here. You want to parade around your pretty, fruitful omega. That’s what
they all want to see, anyway. Erwin’s mate. His little Eldian prize for winning the war against
Eldia. The one he used to get his perfect Alpha son.” He growled. Erwin was just staring at
him, looking hurt. It made Levi flinch slightly. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

“I don’t care what these people think.” The Alpha said quietly. People were moving around
them. Levi didn’t care if they were listening. “You know I don’t think that way about what
we are.”

“Then why make me come to this stupid party?”

“Because I want to spend time with you, Levi.” He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“I thought… fuck. Let’s go up to the hotel room.”

“What?”

“I said let’s go.” He hissed in a low, commanding tone. Levi’s eyes went wide. “Now.”

“Fuck you.” He growled and took a step back.

“I want to talk about this. Just not here.” Erwin explained, glancing around. “Levi, please.”

“First you command me like I’m your bitch. Then you want to say please?” he asked,
laughing bitterly.

“I don’t want to fight with you. Especially not here. Do you really want all these people to
see you acting like this? What happened to not wanting to be the center of attention?”

Levi glared at the Alpha, so much boiling over inside his hazy mind. The Alcohol was not as
much fun as he was hoping it would be. Instead of enjoying himself, he was letting his head
flood with all the anger he’d been feeling since arriving in this damn country. Was he angry at
Erwin? Shit, he didn’t even know. Maybe a little. It was hard to tell what was making the
blood burn in his veins as he stared at the man who he loved. Erwin was glaring right back at
him. It was obvious the man was doing everything in his power to stay calm and collected
while being faced with his partner acting as he was.

“I want another drink.”

“No.”

“You can’t tell me no!” He snapped, making a few people glance their way. Erwin cursed and
grabbed Levi’s arm, turning to guide him towards the bar. The hold looked loving, but it was
firm enough that without serious force, the smaller male was not going to escape it.

“We’ll each have a glass of red wine,” Erwin told the bartender and Levi rolled his eyes. “I
am going to sit you down at this bar and I would like for you to wait here while I go say
goodnight to a few people. I have to at least do that. Then we can go upstairs and fight if you
want.” Erwin hissed against his ear. When the omega made no move to argue back or leave
the bar, the blond moved away.

The absence of his body felt strange. It was like a cold draft was hitting him right where
Erwin had been standing. Taking a deep breath, he pulled one of the two glasses to himself.
Levi sipped it slowly, just staring out at the array of bottles behind the bar. There were some
kinds he recognized but others, he couldn’t even pronounce. Kenny would have gotten a
simple bottom-shelf whiskey. That was what he always drank. Levi had never liked the stuff.
It was way too bitter with nothing else mixed into it.

Glancing over his shoulder, Levi watched Erwin charming more people. He was smiling,
touching shoulders, and shaking hands. This asshole was meant to be in a place like this, not
arguing with his low-class omega. Was Erwin still as happy to have found his bond, now that
he saw the type of person Levi was? Was he hoping for some beautiful woman like Marie
who would gush and giggle like all the others? Did he want that cookie-cutter life?

“Guess the baby-making thing didn’t work out.” Someone said and he turned, glancing over.
A man was standing next to him, leaning back against the bar so he could look out over the
open sea of faces. His hair was wavey and blond, falling around his face like a nice frame. He
wore glasses and a gray suit that fit him entirely too well. When he looked over, Levi was
met with a tired blue gaze. “Everyone heard the Commander was taking time off to try for
another.” He said and then laughed. “Excuse me. My name is Zeke Ksaver.” He said and
smiled, extending his hand.

“Levi… Smith.” He said and shook with the man. “I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”

“Oh no, you wouldn’t have. I only just got back. I was traveling. I’m an Ambassador for
Marley in other countries.” He explained and Levi nodded. Whatever the fuck that meant. “I
only just arrived back in town, and they are dragging me to parties.” He said with a short
laugh.

“I got dragged out here too.”

“I’m sorry if I crossed a line with my comment,” Zeke said, looking back out at the crowd. “I
just assumed, with the drinking…”
“Right. Well, can’t get lucky every time.” The omega muttered, taking another sip of his
wine. “I guess we’ll just try again in the spring or whatever.” He knew how serious
Marleyans were about that shit.

“Most people would be thrilled with just one… but it is expected of you both, I guess.”

“Yep.”

They fell silent for a moment before he felt the eyes of his mate. Looking over, Levi saw
Erwin watching him from the corner of his eyes. He was listening to some women talking but
it was obvious that he was watching the situation at the bar. Levi narrowed his eyes and
glanced over at Zeke. Was the Alpha worried about this guy? His scent was clean and kind of
reminded him of apples. It was definitely an Alpha scent, though. It was a little sour at the
back of his throat, probably because he was bonded to Erwin. Mike did the same thing to
him.

“What’s it like being an…” Levi started but Zeke cut him off.

“Do you dance?” He asked as the band started up a new song somewhere in the background.

“I’m sorry?”

“I apologize.” He laughed. “Would you like to dance with me?”

“Uh… I don’t dance. Even if I did…” He raised his glass towards Erwin, who was back to
talking to people.

“I’m not asking you out on a date.” The blond pressed and Levi only gave him a flat look.
“Just one dance?”

“Look, you’re nice and all that…” Levi got up off the bar stool. He wavered a little, the
liquor hitting him. Zeke was fast to his side. The man placed a hand on his hip to steady him.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m good.” He said and started to move away when another presence quickly made
itself known.

“Everything okay over here?” Erwin asked, his voice all pleasant but there was something
under it… like waiting venom.

“Commander Smith.” Zeke said and gestured to Levi. “Seems your lovely mate has had a
little too much to drink. I was just making sure he was going to be alright standing up.”

“How kind. I appreciate you looking out for him.”

“I’m perfectly capable of standing on my own, okay? Fuck.” He snapped and both men
looked down at him.

“I’ve said my goodbyes, so we can head up if you’d like.”

“He seems like he’s having a good time.” Zeke interjected. Levi had a comment poised on his
tongue, but before he could get a single thing out, Erwin was already speaking.

“And he can continue to have a good time upstairs. With me.” The Alpha said in a sharp,
though still eerily calm voice. “Again, thank you. I believe I have it covered now. Levi, shall
we?”

There was something about the way Erwin was talking. His voice was sickeningly sweet and
calm. Under that, Levi could smell his scent becoming more potent. This was a power move
against the newcomer. That was something he was well used to from Alphas. What he was
not used to, was how turned on it was making him. Erwin jumped in to fend off someone
who seemed like they were interested in him. The way he smelled and the sound of his strong
voice. Levi was leaning into him before he even realized he was doing it. His fingers ran over
the fabric of the man’s suit, slipping under to touch his shirt. The Alpha casually and gently
took his hands. There was a warm smile on his face.

“Is that a yes?” He asked with a grin. Levi nodded, half in a dreamy state. “It was nice to see
you again, Zeke, but I think I need to be getting this one up to bed.” He spoke. Levi didn’t
hear what the other Alpha said. He was only focused on his at the moment. “Come along.”
Erwin was touching his back, keeping him close to his side.

He put up no fight at all as he was led out of the ballroom. Outside the doors, the roaring of
voices and the loud music became nothing more than soft background noise. Levi was a little
wobbly, definitely feeling his liquor now. Erwin had taken a few steps away from the
entrance to the ballroom when the omega stopped walking. Blue eyes turned back towards
him, looking confused. Erwin was probably ready for another fight.

“I’m sorry,” Levi said, staring at the floor. “For picking a fight with you.”

“It’s alright.” Erwin stepped closer.

“I have a lot of shit going on in my head and… you’re so good at all this shit and I feel out of
place.” He admitted, swaying a little. The Alpha gently took both his hands, likely to make
sure he did not fall over. “I know you don’t think I’m just your breeding tool or your trophy
or whatever… but that’s what they see when they look at me.”

“Levi that’s not…”

“Yes, it is.” He leaned forward, resting his cheek against the other’s broad chest. “They see
me as only an omega. Nothing more. I’m just here to make babies for you. That’s it. That’s
all anyone cares about.”

“It’s not what I care about.” Erwin stepped back and placed a hand under Levi’s chin, making
him look up. It was a stupid angle, almost like looking straight up. “I love you.” He said and
smiled. “I want you by my side always, even at these ridiculous social events. I want
everyone to see how lovely you are and how perfect we are together. I want the women to
back off and the men to be envious. Because you are perfect, Levi. You’re perfect for me.”
He leaned down and gently kissed his lips. “It’s okay if you hate it here. I’m not a fan of
these types of parties either. I won’t make you come next time.”
“I’ll come to your stupid fancy parties,” Levi said and sighed softly. “I’m not gonna be
thrilled about it. But… I’d rather be there if some skank comes on to you or at least to make
sure you make it back to the room okay.”

“I’m glad.”

“Can we go upstairs now? I hate to ruin the moment, but you really turned me on back there.”
Levi admitted and the Alpha laughed lightly, taking his head so they could walk to their
room.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. You stepping in on that Zeke guy, shutting him down. It was really attractive.”

“I thought you’d be angry with me, actually.” Levi leaned against the man’s arm as they
walked. “I thought you’d be mad that I was defending you instead of letting you handle it
yourself.”

“That guy gave me the creeps. And I’m drunk. I probably would have been irritated but I
don’t know… it just made me want you. I didn’t even care about the other guy anymore.”

“That’s good to hear. Though you’ll probably have to wait and behave for now.” He said,
approaching a door and letting their hands part so he could get out the key.

“What? Why?” The omega asked in surprise.

“Because you’re drunk, Levi.”

When the door was pushed open, Erwin walked in ahead and flipped on the light by the bed.
The room was nice, not quite as fancy as the last time. It had large windows at the back, a
huge bed off to one side, and just a desk and a sofa on the other. It was plenty big enough and
looked so clean and comfortable. Levi followed the man in and shut the door. He was already
shrugging off his jacket as he approached his mate.

“What the hell does that matter?”

“It matters.” Erwin said and basically ignored him. Levi frowned and watched as he removed
his suit jacket and folded it neatly over the chair at the desk.

“What’s going on?” He asked, tossing his jacket onto the sofa. He stared at the Alpha, seeing
the tension in his still shoulders. “You were teasing and shit before. Now that I want to do
something, you’re saying no? We’re mate, I’m telling you I want it. What’s it matter if I’m
drunk.”

“Can we please talk about this in the morning?” Erwin asked, turning to face him while he
unbuttoned his shirt. Levi glared at the man.

“I don’t want to talk about it in the morning.” He snapped and started over, only for his
balance to shift. The omega placed a hand on the bed to keep from falling. Erwin was quickly
there in front of him, a hand on his shoulder.
“You can’t even walk.”

“Don’t need to walk, to do anything of the things I want to do with you.”

“Levi…”

“Seriously.” He growled and pulled away so he could properly look up at the man. “I’m
started to get offended.”

“It’s not that I don’t want you. Believe me, I do.” He said and Levi could feel those blue eyes
moving over his body. “You have no idea how badly I want to touch you.”

“Then touch me!”

“I can’t!”

“Why the fuck not?”

“Because I forced you to consent once. I will never do it again!”

They stared at each other, his silver eyes going wide. Erwin looked so ashamed and so upset.
It was making his chest ache. In his hazy state, Levi needed to process his words. Forced to
consent? What the fuck did that even mean? He had to be talking about the rut. Levi wasn’t
forced… but he had been in a situation where it felt like the only option. That had to be what
the man was referring to. Frowning, he looked down. And if he was drunk… could he really
consent?

“You haven’t let me touch you since it happened, Levi. You barely let me kiss you. Alcohol is
making you forget all that. When you make up sober, you’re going to regret doing anything
with me. I know it.”

“Shut up.” He said and started unbuttoning his shirt to undress. “Okay so maybe I’ve been a
little frigid with you lately. It’s not like I could help it. I was feeling like shit about what
happened.” Levi admitted and tossed his shirt. Erwin was just staring at him, not moving or
saying anything. “I came here with you because I wanted to try and repair whatever is broken
between us. I thought if we had fun… if we both drank and relaxed… it could all go back to
normal.”

“Can it?”

“Yes.” Levi pulled off his belt and then started working his pants open. “We were fated to be
together right? And we love each other. So, it’s going to work.” When his clothes were off, he
shoved Erwin down onto the bed. The Alpha opened his mouth to protest, but Levi was
already climbing up onto his lap. He pushed his mate down and leaned over him, kissing his
lips gently. “I want this.” He said softly. “But if you really don’t… then I’ll stop. I mean it.”

“I don’t want you to stop.” Erwin breathed out, staring up at him. He looked nervous but his
pulse was fast. Levi could feel the man’s heart pounding under his palms on his chest.
“Please don’t do anything you don’t want, Levi. Sex doesn’t fix things.”
“I know that.” He said and moved back so he could get Erwin’s pants open. “I’m not stupid. I
know that fucking isn’t going to magically make it all better. But I miss you.” He admitted. “I
miss being close to you.”

“I miss you too.”

Erwin’s words turned into a soft groan as Levi freed his length from his pants and started to
stroke him. He wasn’t hard at first but that was slowly changing. The omega kept moving his
hand, feeling the other growing firm beneath his touch. Silver eyes stayed locked on his
mate’s face, wanting to take in every reaction from him. Erwin was panting shallow breaths,
his eyes closed and his head back. At one point, he even said his name, which sounded so
erotic in that low, needy voice.

There was a small part of him that was nervous. Of course, there was. The last time he’d been
any kind of intimate with this man, he’d been shoved down onto his hands and knees and
taken with no regard for his pain or pleasure. It had only been Erwin’s scent that even made
him wet enough to keep it from hurting when the Alpha had forced his way in. He thought
about the way he’d gripped the sheets, holding on and waiting for each knot to end. It had
been a few weeks since he gave birth but his omega body had been ready to go again…

“Shit.” He said and Erwin looked at him, confused. “If I didn’t get pregnant during your
rut…”

“You… you’re worried about it now?” He asked, clearly dazed but listening.

“Maybe… I mean…” his hand slowed down but he did not stop stroking him. “We might
have dodged a bullet, you know?”

“Shit.” He said, repeating after the omega.

“So…”

“Just tell me what you want, Levi.” He said softly, dropping his head back down to stare at
the ceiling.

“Can you just… pull out?”

“I guess we could do that…”

“Only if you think…”

“Levi, all I want right now is for you to ride me. Do you think we can stop in time?” He
asked and the omega felt himself getting wet just hearing him talk about it.

“Yes.”

“Then please… do something.”

Not needing to be told twice, he stroked him a little faster for another moment. Then he
moved back up until he was lifted on his knees over the other. Reaching behind himself, he
held the man’s cock steady and lowered down. The pressure was a little intense but slowly, he
managed to get himself down. His body was tense but the alcohol helped him to relax as he
slid down. Erwin, to his credit, was being so very patient. He held onto Levi’s thighs and just
watched, staring at the point where their bodies connected. He didn’t thrust up or try to hurry
things along.

“Slowly…” The Alpha whispered and Levi only nodded. Inch by inch, he slid his way down
until finally, he was settled down onto the blond’s lap. It was a good feeling, making him feel
hot and full. However, a slight fear was rippling somewhere inside. It must have been
obvious. “We can stop if you need to…”

“No.” He said, shaking his head. “… I just… let me have a second.”

A rut was a natural thing that an Alpha could not control. It was exactly the same as being in
heat. Levi knew exactly what that felt like. To be out of control of his own body, to only want
to breed as if nothing else in the world mattered. That was what Erwin went through. He was
a slave in his own body, a servant to his biological functions. Those thoughts helped him to
put the rut behind them. This man loved him, this man wanted him, not because they could
breed, but because he was genuinely attracted to him and wanted to share this with him.
Sucking in a deep breath, he looked down at the blond. Those blue eyes were staring at him,
concern evident in the look.

“I’m good.” He whispered and pressed his palms more firmly against the Alpha’s chest.
Then, he started to move. His hips rolled slowly, mostly grinding for now. Erwin watched
him for a few seconds before he relaxed down against the bed. Reaching out, the man
grabbed a pillow and tucked it under his head.

“You feel amazing.”

“Mmm hmm…” He hummed, not even having words. His drunk mind and his touch-starved
body were making it hard to think. So, he just didn’t.

Levi shut off his mind and let his body do what it wanted. He started to move faster, his
whole body moving in a slow, almost fluid motion. His head dropped back against his
shoulders, eyes closed. Beneath his fingers, Levi could feel the tension in his Alpha’s body.
His abs were tight and shook with how hard he was trying not to move. Maybe he liked Levi
being in control or perhaps it was fear of doing something to upset him. For the moment, he
didn’t care. He liked having all the power over their pace.

Panting more and more, he started to quicken his movements. His body rolled faster, finally
starting to rise and lower as he ground against the man below him. Eventually, he registered
that Erwin was moaning. It was the sexiest sound in the world. The sound was nothing like
his growls and grunts when he was in the rut. This was something much more intimate and
sensual. There was real desire there and he drank it up. It made things like they used to be
between them and that only pressed the omega to keep going.

“Levi…” The sound of his voice spoken again made him look down. He could see Erwin
staring up at him under heavy half lids. “I want… to switch…” He said was quickly
answered with a nod.
A heartbeat later, the world spun, and then he was on his back. Erwin was above him, kissing
along his jaw, neck, and shoulder. The man’s body covered him in a hot, perfect pressure.
Moaning loud, he closed his eyes and just let the other take over. Maybe Erwin had noticed,
but Levi was getting tired. It was probably the alcohol. He was right on the edge of his
orgasm but probably would have ended up asking Erwin to finish them, anyway.

The Alpha pushed one of his thighs out, spreading his legs even wider. The man was sliding
into him hard but slow. Each time he pressed all the way in, the smaller male would moan
and whine, arching himself up to deepen it as much as he could. For a moment, he was so
completely unaware of anything but the pleasure. Slowly though, he realized that the other
was speaking. It took all the focus he had just to figure out what was going on.

“…You’re falling asleep on me?” Erwin asked with amusement in his voice. “Am I that
bad?”

“Mmmm no…” he hummed, feeling so heavy. “Feels good… don’t stop…”

“I’ll make it quick.” He purred. Levi’s body tensed when the other wrapped his large hand
around his cock, stroking him with each thrust. “Tell me when you’re close…”

Torn halfway between consciousness and sleep, Levi felt like he was dreaming the whole
thing. His body was tense with pleasure but so heavy from drinking, that it made it hard to
tell what was real and what wasn’t. He could hear Erwin groaning and breathing hard. The
man was whispering things to him but he had no idea what was actually being said. His hands
came up, wrapping around the other and tugging that soft, sweaty hair. It felt so good, so
overwhelming. The pressure built and built until he suddenly gasped.

“Coming!” He cried out, but it wasn’t so much a warning as a statement as he was already
releasing all over the other man’s hand and his own stomach.

“Fuck…” He heard the other say and the slamming of his hips suddenly grew erratic. “Levi
I’m not…”

“Mmm Erwin…” He purred, trying to stay away. The waves of pleasure were intense, and he
was so tired, but he knew his mate hadn’t gotten off yet. Levi kissed at the other’s open
mouth. “Fill me…”

“I can’t…”

“Please…”

“Shit, Levi…”

The last thing he heard was Erwin cursing loud and letting out a long, drawn-out groan.
There was an emptiness and then the splattering of liquid heat across his thigh and dick.
Somewhere above him, out of his reach now, Erwin was breathing hard and making soft
sounds of pleasure. It half registered in his drunken mind that the Alpha had pulled out and
jerked himself off. At least, he hoped that’s what happened. Before he could confirm
anything… the world went black.
~

The room was still dark when he next woke. Slowly, the Eldian reached out, but only found
an empty bed. He frowned and opened one eye. The space next to him was barren, with no
Alpha in sight. Rolling over, he could see that there was light filtering in through the heavy
curtains, which had been drawn shut. He was sure they’d been open the night before. Erwin
must have closed them to keep the sun out so he could sleep longer. Sighing, Levi pressed his
palms to his eyes and tried to focus.

He felt a dull throbbing both in his head and in his lower body. Thankfully, he was able to
remember the previous night’s events. The party, their fight… Zeke… then coming up to the
room. Their talk, fucking… it was all still there, though hazy. Lifting the blanket, he felt
around his stomach and thighs. There was no stickiness or anything. Erwin must have taken
the time to clean him up after he passed out. But where was the man, now?

It took another ten minutes before he was able to drag himself out of the bed. Grabbing his
pants, which had been folded onto the sofa along with all his other clothes, he pulled them on
and went to open the curtains. The sun stung for a moment but that quickly passed. Once his
eyes adjusted, Levi looked around. Erwin’s jacket was still hanging where it had been left,
but his other clothes were gone. Then, he noticed some new additions to the bedside table.
There was a glass of water and a note. The omega sat on the edge of the bed and sipped the
water while reading Erwin’s perfect handwriting.

‘Levi,
I thought you could use the rest, so I’ve left you to it. I decided to go down and have some
breakfast with Nile and Marie. If I’m not back by the time you read this, please feel free to
join us in the dining hall downstairs. If not, I’ll be back shortly.

-Erwin’

Sighing heavily, the omega thought about just crawling back into bed and burying himself in
the blankets that now smelled of their intermingled scents. Instead, he went to the bathroom
to relieve himself and clean up. A quick shower would do him some good. It took a short
time since he didn’t have any of the soaps he liked, then he was out, dressing in his suit.
Unlike Erwin, he dressed in all his clothes, jacket and all. Then he gathered up his mate’s
jacket and left the room. If he brought it all with him, they could go straight home once
breakfast was over… assuming that was the plan.

The hotel was busy. People were coming and going, most of which were party goers from the
night before. They all looked about as groggy as he felt. People shuffled by, either heading to
breakfast or making their way out. Levi navigated his way to the dining hall, instantly glad
that he did. It smelled like fresh brewed coffee and maple. Erwin and his friends were sitting
by one of the windows. They were laughing and looking entirely too jolly for this damn
hour… actually he wasn’t sure what time it was.

“Levi!” Erwin said when he spotted him approaching. The Alpha quickly stood and pulled
his chair out for him. “I’m so glad you’re awake. I thought you might want to sleep a while
longer, though.”
“I woke up and you were gone so…”

“I’m sorry. I would have woken you, but it seemed like you were sleeping so peacefully.” He
took his seat next to him and the omega decided not to tell him that he’d have slept more if he
hadn’t left. “Are you hungry?”

“I’m okay. I just want some coffee or tea.”

“Hungover?” The redhead asked. He glanced at her.

“Just a headache. Everything else is okay.”

“That’s good to hear. You’re stronger than me.” She laughed. “My stomach is all twisted up.”

“Marie had as much fun as you did, it seems.” Erwin pointed out with a grin.

“Omega lightweights, right?” He commented and she giggled, agreeing.

While the other three kept up whatever conversation they were having about the princess and
her fiancé, Levi flagged down a waitress and asked for his drink and some toast. She left and
he was forced to turn his attention back to them. Erwin had laid his arm casually across the
back of Levi’s chair, but he didn’t mind it. The Alpha’s scent was helping to fight off his
headache. That was probably some strange byproduct of the mark and their bond. He always
felt better when he was around.

“So, this means Freida will be going to live with him?” Marie was saying.

“More than likely. Though she’s the king’s oldest child, his throne will go to his young son.”
Nile answered. “The boy may have to grow up quick. The old man isn’t looking the best.”

“I’ve heard they started pushing his lessons in anticipation of something happening.” Erwin
chimed in.

Levi just stared off across the dining room, letting his mind wander. If the king was in bad
health, that was a good thing for the Scouts. His weakness or death would create instability.
Was Erwin thinking the same thing? Of course, he was. The man was always two steps ahead
when it came to this kind of thing. He was likely already thinking of ways to capitalize on the
whole thing. Glancing over, he watched how the other’s eyes were alight as he spoke to them.
Such a charismatic man… he was the same way at the party. Everyone wanted to speak to
him, everyone loved him. Erwin could be king of this country if wanted. There was no doubt
that people would stand by him. Was that what would happen? Would the Scouts overthrow
the Marleyan government and put Erwin in charge?

“I wonder if the kid will be any better,” Nile said, and Marie cast him a look. “I mean, he’s
young. That’s all I meant.”

“I’m sure you’re not the only person thinking such things. The changing of power from a
king to a prince is a rather scary thing for both the military and the common people.” Erwin
pointed out.
When his tea was brought, Levi brought it to his lips and let it burn his tongue a bit while
listening to them. Marie thought the boy deserved a chance, and that it was a shame someone
so young had so much pressure on them. Nile thought that someone should take over until the
kid was old enough to really rule, and Erwin was under the impression that the king barely
had anything to do with the actual ruling part. They just went on and on. It was the most
boring conversation he’d ever had to listen to. Apparently, his annoyance did not go
unnoticed.

“We’ll have to be going soon. I’m sure Levi is eager to get back home to Nevan.” Erwin said
and smiled at him. The omega nibbled on his toast and nodded. “Our first night away. I don’t
want to keep him out too long.”

“Oh, it’s so hard! But eventually, you’ll be dying for those days.” Marie laughed and turned a
loving gaze to Nile. The man just nodded. He wasn’t the lovey-dovey type, obviously.

“I don’t know about that.” Was all Levi said back as he ate his toast a bit faster now that he
knew they could go when he was done.

“You just think that now because it’s your first and it’s all still new. Trust me. You’ll be
running from the little brat in no time.” Nile grumbled. Levi narrowed his eyes and Erwin
quickly stepped in.

“Everyone is different, of course.” He pointed out. The other man only grunted in response.

“I’m ready.” Levi said and downed his tea, leaving his throat burning. He stood up without a
word.

“Right. Well, it was lovely seeing you, Marie. Nile, I’ll see you at the meeting.”

“Yep. Have a safe right home.”

Levi did not wait for the other. He turned and started walking. He didn’t like Nile and he
wasn’t overly fond of Marie, though she wasn’t terrible. Right now, he wanted to get home
where he could change into comfortable clothes and cuddle with his son. The kid never spent
any real time away from him. It made him wonder if Nevan had given Petra a lot of trouble
when it came to napping and going to bed last night. Thinking about it was only stressing him
out. He clung to Erwin’s jacket and stopped only when he felt the man’s hand on his
shoulder.

“Is everything alright?”

“I just want to get home.”

“Of course, dear.” The man kissed the top of his head. “I understand. Go wait outside. I’ll
return our key and check out.”

The Alpha left him to go to the front desk, so Levi turned and went to the doors. A guy in a
uniform opened the door for him and he muttered a quiet thank you. The air outside was nice
and the sun was warm on his face. The carriage that brought them was sitting just down the
sidewalk. The driver was leaning against it, having a smoke. Deciding to stay away from that
smell, Levi just stood by the doors, letting himself soak up the sun.

Erwin came out a short time later and they both went to the carriage. For a while, things
remained quiet inside. Levi pushed the window open and took in the fresh air. Erwin was just
staring at him. It was easy to ignore at first as long as he kept his eyes closed. Slowly, it was
becoming more and more obvious. Why the hell was he looking at him this whole time? Was
there something wrong? Did he look shitty? Probably…

“What?” he finally asked, trying not to snap.

“Do you remember last night?”

“Yeah, why?”

“You don’t… regret it?”

“What? Of course not.”

“I just… I felt a bit guilty for sleeping with you while you were drunk. I shouldn’t have.”

“Oh, you definitely should have. It was good. And I did actually want it. I mean, I’ve wanted
you, it’s just been complicated.”

“I understand. I was worried you’d wake up and be angry with me… or with yourself.”

“I knew what I was saying, drunk or not. I meant every word. Uh… I’m sorry for passing out
like that.” He mumbled and Erwin laughed lightly.

“I could tell you were fading even while you were still on top. It seemed best that I take
over.”

“Thanks for that. There was no way I was going to get either of us off. Speaking of which…
did you…”

“I didn’t finish inside.” The man confirmed and Levi nodded. “Though you did ask me to.
What was it you said? Oh yes, you wanted me to fill you.” He teased. “You were so polite,
you even said please.”

“Shut up.” He mumbled, blushing. “I… like it better when you do it inside.”

“As do I… but as you said, if we did manage to dodge a pregnancy, we shouldn’t tempt fate.”

“Pretty much. Thanks for not listening to that part.”

“One of us had to think straight.”

“I’m not sure either of us has ever done that.”

“Fair point.” The man laughed and smiled wider at him.

“Quite fucking staring at me. It’s weird.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t help it. I’m so in love with you.”

His words made Levi’s entire body grow hot. But it wasn’t anything sexual this time. No, it
was just overwhelming to hear him say it like that. Sure, they’d told each other that they
loved one another. That was nothing new. It was the way he’d said it that was so different. It
was like a longing… almost sad. Levi stared at him for a moment before he moved across the
space to sit next to the Alpha. He curled up against his side and huffed.

“Don’t say it like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re saying goodbye or something.”

“I’m sorry.” He said and wrapped his arm around the smaller male.

“I love you too.” Levi muttered, not liking that Erwin didn’t deny the way it was said.
 The Other Side
Chapter Summary

The day has finally come.

Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

“Here is how it’s going to go,” Erwin said and stood in front of them all. He gestured to the
drawing of the house floor plan he’d hung up on his board. Levi, Mike, Hange, Moblit, and
Jean sat in the basement, all staring at the man and his little map. “The Finger family will be
out around midday. The staff inside the house are already aware that we’re coming. They’ll
have Eren ready to move as soon as we arrive. The family should be gone over the weekend,
which gives us until Sunday evening to make sure this all works out.”

“Who is snatching the brat?” Levi asked.

“We’ll be meeting with the staff at the back garden gate, here…” He pointed to the large
outline that was meant to be the fence. It surrounded the whole property, much like their own,
only smaller. “A maid will let us in. We’ll enter through the back door and collect Eren in the
kitchen. He doesn’t know we’re coming.”

“Why not?” Mike interjected, asking exactly what Levi was thinking.

“Because he’s got a big mouth.” Hange cut in. “Mikasa says he lets his temper get the better
of him and sometimes he runs his gob without thinking.”

“Great.” Levi and Mike muttered in unison.

“The staff is going to pack a few things for him and only when we arrive, will they be telling
him the plan.”

“What if he doesn’t want to go?” Mike asked.

“I was thinking… we could bring Mikasa with us.”

“Bullshit.” Levi snapped. “You’re not going to put her at risk by dragging her along.”

“She’s not much younger than Jean.” Erwin pointed out. The omega narrowed his eyes.

“Yeah, well Jean is an Alpha and isn’t my kid.”

“We’ll keep her safe, Levi. You have my word.”

“And who is ‘we’, exactly?”

“I’m going to send Mike and Hange.”

“So, we’re not even going, but you want to send our daughter?” He growled, feeling very
protective.

“I have other matters that I need to attend to, and I need you to help Moblit prepare the packs
for the other children that we’re moving out.”

“This kind of sounds like… you’re doing the whole mission this weekend,” Jean said,
looking at the others. “I thought we still had more time?”

“Unfortunately… we do not.” Erwin sighed and Levi felt his chest tightening. “The Premier
is intending to move military units across the river in as early as two weeks. If we’re going to
blow the dam, it needs to be now.”

“Wait just a damn minute… when the hell were you planning on telling me this shit?” Levi
asked, recalling Erwin telling him that he wanted to send Mikasa and Jean with the kids on
the Eldian side of the water.

“I only just found out today. That’s why I called this meeting.”

“Shit…” Jean said and rubbed at his head.

“So, we’re going to grab Eren, get him and like eight other kids over to the safe house, pack
their shit, move all of them to the boats, get them and the bombs where they need to be… in
less than two fucking days? Erwin, we weren’t ready for this!” He said, standing up. The
Alpha frowned, looking at him almost sadly.

“That’s the plan.”

“Levi, we can handle this,” Hange said, standing up and placing a hand on his shoulder. “This
is war. This is about saving those kids and dealing a heavy blow to Marley. We have to take
the chance.”

“We don’t do shit that endangers those kids.” He said, turning his gave from Hange to Erwin.
“If I think they are in real danger out there, I’m pulling the plug.”

“I can agree to that.” The blond said and pulled the map down. Now, there was a diagram of
all their jobs and positions. “When this goes down, it’s going to cause massive ripples in the
government and military. We need to be ready for that. Jean and Mikasa will be gone along
with all the other kids. Levi has created a map and guide for you.” His attention was on Jean.
They hadn’t even talked to Mikasa about all this yet. Levi wanted to scream. “You take them
to the checkpoint that he’s marked on the map. Get them out.” He ordered and Jean nodded,
looking determined and confident. That, at least, made Levi feel a bit better.

“Your kid going missing and one of our soldiers is going to cast eyes on us.” Mike pointed
out.
“Yes, Levi and I discussed that. With so many children going missing at once, it shouldn’t be
too dangerous for us. A few of the kids are also from military families… including Nile’s.”

“What?” Levi asked, surprised. Erwin smiled.

“Marie wants her daughters out of his country. She doesn’t know that I’m the one leading the
Scouts, only that she found one of our agents and asked for help.”

“What if she’s only doing that to trap you?” He growled. Trusting that woman was a damn
dangerous move on Erwin’s part.

“I know her. I know that she wants to protect her children from this place just as much as you
do, Levi.” When his mate said nothing more, Erwin continued. “The loss will be spread out
over families both in the military and outside it. If we’re all hurt by this, it makes it harder to
cast blame on anyone.” He pointed out and Mike seemed mostly satisfied with that. “Jean is
an Eldian captive. It won’t be hard for them to believe he acted on his own, wanting to escape
the country that ended his own.”

The man went on to continue outlining their plan. Eren would be collected first, on Friday
night. The other kids would all be taken at the very last minute, late Saturday. They were
more likely to be noticed when absent. As soon as they had them all, it was like a clock
would be ticking down over their heads. They all had to be transported to the boats. One
would have the kids, one would have the explosives, and the last would be the decoy to lure
any onlookers away from what they were really doing.

Then… Mikasa, Jean, and a gaggle of little brats would be safe on the other side… where
they would have to cut through dangerous Eldian forests and wilderness, trying to make it to
the far side. At the border, it was basically a gamble that anyone would help them. Levi was
not happy with this at all… but it had to be better than being used to breed for the rest of their
lives. That was what he told himself while the Alpha was going over the finer details of the
plan.

The meeting took the better part of three hours. It was just talking and directing and questions
and mind-numbing bullshit. Levi knew they were doing a good thing, but he was struggling
to fully accept it. Maybe it was just because something felt off. It was as if, through the whole
thing, Erwin wasn’t really looking at him. The man answered his questions, glanced over, but
mostly focused on his directions to the other Scouts. That same feeling came over him from
before… that Erwin was more focused on his work than on anything else.

When the whole thing was over and everyone either left or retired to their rooms, Levi felt
tense. He sat on the bed after his shower, staring at the wall. He was replaying it all in his
head. Erwin had so much on his plate, he was digging into this terrorist stuff, and it worried
the omega more and more that something was going to go wrong. He couldn’t shake the
feeling. Even when his mate came out of the bathroom and got dressed, he barely glanced
over. When the Alpha was sitting down next to him, touching his shoulder, he finally looked
over.

“Everything alright?”
“Yeah. Just… all this stuff.” Levi waved his hand.

“I know what you mean. This is our biggest move… we’ve never done anything like this and
it’s a bit scary. I’m not sure I would have been able to make this bold move without your
pressing, Levi. If this works, it will be because of you.”

“What? No.”

“I mean it. You opened my eyes.” Erwin said and smiled. “You were the voice I needed to
hear to get the Scouts moving in a more productive direction. Saving one or two kids at a
time… it’s nothing compared to what will happen after this.”

“What if it goes wrong?”

“Then we’ll deal with it.”

“Erwin I’m serious. What if someone gets hurt or… we get caught. What the hell are we
doing to do?” He asked, staring into those damn confident blue eyes.

“Listen to me.” The man said and leaned in, kissing his shoulder. “We have put so much time
and planning into this. It’s going to be okay. You trust me, don’t you?” He asked and Levi
narrowed his eyes.

“You know I do.”

“Then trust me to make sure that we get through this.”

“You’re a smug asshole.” He huffed and then leaned in to press a gentle kiss to his lips.
Erwin smiled and kissed him back.

“But you love me.”

“Shut up.” He warned and shoved the Alpha down, climbing over him. “Promise me that this
is going to go exactly to your perfect plan.” He said as he stared down at him. “That no one is
going to be hurt or caught or anything bad.”

“I promise.” He said, staring up at him. “Everything is going to go exactly how I want it.
We’re all going to come out the other side safe.” There was something in his eyes that Levi
didn’t like… but he still trusted him. So, he nodded.

“Good.”

“I can handle it.”

Levi and Erwin sat in the living room, Mikasa on the sofa across from them. Her silver eyes
moved from one to the other. They’d sat down and finally talked about the whole plan. Part
of him thought that she’d protest or… anything. Instead, the girl just stared right back at
them, a real look of determination on her soft features. It was making his stomach churn.
Why was she so calm? Why wasn’t she afraid or feeling the pressure of the lives that were
being put into her hands? Didn’t she want to fight against this or cry or something? Nevan
squirmed in his arms and Levi looked down at him. The baby was fussy, probably feeling the
tension that had been rolling off his parents for the last few days.

“This is a very big thing to ask of someone so young,” Erwin said, frowning. “I want you to
know that you can decline. We won’t be angry or press you to do something you don’t wish
to.”

“Levi was my age when the war started, wasn’t he?” She asked and he looked up in surprise.
“He took care of those Eldian kids and fought against Marley. I can do it.”

“He was fighting for his life…”

“And that’s exactly what we’re all doing now.” She said, cutting him off. Levi saw the
Alpha’s brows raise in surprise. “If I don’t do this, I know what happens. Those kids are all
going to be pimped out just like all the rest of the Alphas and omegas. And I may be a Beta,
but I’m a female. I’ll be expected to have a bunch of Marleyan babies too.” Her lips pressed
together tightly for a moment. “Jean, Eren, and I can handle this.”

“I shouldn’t be surprised.” Erwin laughed lightly. “Ackermans.” He shook his head and
looked over at Levi and their son.

“We’ll make sure that you all have everything you need to get through this. And if you follow
the guide and map that I made, you shouldn’t have any problems. Remember all the things I
taught you.” He said seriously and the girl nodded. That self-defense stuff was going to be
important soon enough.

“I want you to take these…” The blond pushed the map and other things towards her. “Study
them. Memorize them all if possible. This all is going to happen, starting on Friday. That only
gives us a few days to get prepared.” Mikasa gathered up the maps and nodded, pushing
herself up.

“I’ll be ready.” She said and off she went. Levi watched her and took a deep breath.

“She’s as strong as you are. I know she’ll be okay.” Erwin said and gently brushed his fingers
through Nevan’s soft hair. “We need to have faith that they all can do this.”

“We’re sending children into the woods, expecting them to survive.”

“You did it.” Levi glared at him. “Mikasa was right. You were younger when the war started.
You told me yourself that you fought to keep kids and other omegas safe, all while trying to
push back against the attacking forces. There are barely any military units where we are
sending them. And those will likely be more worried about the dam than anything else. No
one is going to even realize the kids made it over there.”

“You’re so confident.” Levi said and leaned back, letting the baby lay on his chest. “I’m still
going to worry. She’s my kid. Adoption or not.” He mumbled while teasing Nevan’s little
bare feet. The baby kicked slightly, and he smiled.
“She’s our daughter. No matter what.” Erwin agreed and watched them. “In the long run,
we’re saving her by doing this, Levi. You know that.”

“I do…” He glanced over. “Doesn’t make it any easier. Erwin… this could go so wrong. I
trust you and I’m going to follow you into this… but I still have to keep in mind all the
possible mistakes… the things I’ll have to do if it goes wrong…”

“Such as?”

“If we get caught… I told Petra to take Nevan and run.”

“…. Were you going to tell me about this?”

“Yes. That’s why I’m telling you now. I told her to have a bag packed and ready to go. If
we’re even a minute late, she’s leaving and heading for the border where the Scouts usually
take people.”

“I see.” Erwin nodded and took a breath. “Alright.”

“You’re not angry?”

“Not at all. If something happens to us, he’s in immediate danger. They’ll place him in some
other home… and we know what will happen to him when he’s older. Getting him out of the
country is the safest option. It was good of you to set up that backup plan.” They locked eyes
and Levi reached out with one hand. Their fingers laced together.

“It’s going to work out, though.” He said softly.

“Yes, it is.” Erwin leaned over and kissed his lips before kissing the baby’s head. Nevan
made a little huffing sound and turned his little head so he could see where the touch came
from.

Things were tense in the house over the next few days. The date was fast approaching.
Mikasa was busy memorizing all the things Erwin gave her, along with practicing the skills
Levi taught her. During the night hours, Levi spent his time teaching both Jean and Mikasa
more basic survival skills. Jean knew many of them but eagerly stayed to learn more. He
wanted them to be able to make fires, find water, make shelter, and identify safe plants and
their uses. During the day, he’d spend as much time with his son as he possibly could. Erwin
was gone, as usual, continuing to act the part of the perfectly innocent Commander. When he
came home, he’d spend time with Levi and the kids.

Truthfully, it felt like they all knew that this was goodbye in some way or another. Mikasa
was going to be leaving for sure, but Levi could not shake the feeling that this was going to
be goodbye for them all. On Thursday evening, he sat on the sofa, sharpening his boot knife.
On the opposite sofa, Erwin was holding Nevan, smiling and talking to him. He was telling
him some story about when he was a kid. He and Mike had built a tree house back in the
garden of his childhood home. The baby was staring at him with wide eyes, seeming to be
totally enthralled with the Alpha’s story. Levi knew it was probably just his voice, but still…
it was sweet.
His chest felt tight as he watched them. This was supposed to be the life he had with his
family. The Alpha being a good father, them spending an evening together in peace… but
that wasn’t what was really happening. They were balancing on the edge of a blade.
Tomorrow, it would all begin. They’d pick up Eren and bring him back to the house. From
there… the setup to collect all the other kids would begin. The clock would start, and time
would begin ticking down to the moment when it all came to a peak. There was a chance
they’d get hurt or caught… and he’d never see this scene again. What would happen if Nevan
had to grow up without them?

“…I think we will definitely have to build you a tree house when you’re older.” Erwin was
saying, letting the baby hold one of his fingers. “Then you can have somewhere to play with
your friends. Maybe your siblings.” He teased and glanced up at Levi. The Alpha winked and
he rolled his eyes before looking back down at his knife. “I think your papa isn’t too pleased
with that idea.” He added. “But you never know what could happen.”

“Do you think that talking about having more kids is a great idea right now?”

“I like to think we’ll have a lovely future with lots of little ones who are happy and safe.”

“Psh, right.” Levi shook his head and held the knife up to have a better look at it in the light
from the fireplace.

“I hope for that. For us and him.” Erwin said softly. The boy stuck his little tongue out and
the Alpha smiled before doing it back. It was the cutest thing Levi had ever seen. “I still can’t
believe we made this amazing little person.”

“I think that a lot too.” He admitted. “Thank god he looks like you.”

“Oh please.” He laughed and looked over. “Levi, this child has my hair but I think he’s going
to have more of you in there than you think. Look at his eyes. They were more like mine
when he was first born but… they are becoming more slender… and the color… they are
going to look just like yours. I’m glad. I wanted him to have your beautiful features.”

“He’s an Alpha…”

“Does that really matter?”

“He should look like his Alpha parent.”

“He should look like both of us. You carried him. It would be a crime to deprive him of how
perfect you are.” Erwin said as he stared down at the baby. “Levi… have I told you thank you
for this? This life that I couldn’t have had without you?”

“Cut that shit out…”

“What?”

“Talking to me like we’re not going to get through this together.” He hissed. “You’re acting
like you have to tell me this crap because you won’t get another chance.”
“It doesn’t have to be because of something like that. I just want you to know that I’m so
grateful for all you had to go through for us to have him. I barely had to do a thing. You gave
yourself over to carrying our son and giving birth to him. You’re amazing. A miracle in my
life.” Erwin was looking at him now, smiling. He looked like he was tearing up.

“Shit…” He grumbled and set the blade down. Levi walked over and curled up right against
the man’s side. Erwin wrapped his arm around the omega, the other one still holding the little
boy. “I didn’t do it alone.” He said softly and closed his eyes. “You gave him to me… and
you’ve been there for us. Most Alphas are happy to bail after they know up their partner…
but you’re here. So, it’s not all about me.”

“This is a pretty lovely… sappy moment isn’t it” The blond laughed and Levi groaned.

“Yes. Can we please move on?” He asked and Erwin laughed more.

“I love you, Levi. So very much.”

“I love you too, sappy shit.”

Tilting his head back, the omega leaned up to kiss his mate. His fingers brushed over his jaw
when their lips met. He felt Erwin’s arm tighten around him while the kiss deepened a little.
Their moment was lovely until there came a loud banging on the door. Levi jumped, one
hand moving over Erwin’s arm that was wrapped around their son. When the banging
continued, Erwin quickly handed the boy off to his mate and stood up. Moblit and Erwin
reached the door at the same moment, both looking cautious. When they opened the door, it
was Mike there.

“Erwin…” The other Alpha breathed and stepped inside. He spun around and shut the door
quickly. He was not alone. There was a boy with him. A scruffy-looking teenager with
vibrant green eyes. They both looked panicked and covered in sweat and dirt.

“What the hell is going on? Why is he here?” Erwin demanded, gesturing to the boy. Before
anyone could answer, there was the sound of someone running down the stairs.

“Eren!” Mikasa cried and threw her arms around the boy. He hugged her back.

“He ran away,” Mike explained and kept looking outside. “I guess the old man started beating
him and he…”

“I hit him with a broom over and over until he couldn’t do it anymore!” Eren said, his face
full of fear and intensity. “He’s never gonna hit me or the girls again!”

“It’s okay, kid,” Mike said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Pieck got him out and they found
me at the base. Luckily, at this hour, no one was around. Pieck went to the MPs to report the
incident but she’s taking her time doing it. I took the woods to get him here.”

“They are going to be hunting him.” Erwin cursed and looked at the teenagers. “We have to
move. Now.”

“Wait, we don’t have the other kids. How are we supposed to do that?” Moblit asked.
“We follow the plan as we would have before. Mike, you get Jean and tell him what is going
on. Hit any of the houses you think you can safely reach out to. Moblit, you and Hange get to
the docks and prepare the sailors and the boats. We’re not going to be able to get all the kids
out this time, but we’ll take as many as we can.” Erwin looked at Levi. “Go and let Petra
know what is going on, then get dressed. You and I will be collecting the explosives.”

After that, everything was a blur. Mikasa took Eren and they started to gather the packs from
the basement. Mike, Hange, and Moblit left the house to carry out their tasks. Once he gave
Nevan over to Petra, Levi was quick to follow Erwin. The two of them got dressed. While
Levi collected his knife and a gun that Erwin had given him the day before, the Alpha
vanished downstairs.

“You know the plan?” He heard as he came down after him. Petra was nodding, holding
Nevan close. “Good. Thank you.” Erwin looked up at him. “Once we get the explosives on
the boats, Mikasa, Eren, and the others will be loaded onto the other. We have to go.”

“Okay…” he breathed out and walked over. Levi kissed the baby’s forehead, whispered
goodbye, and then pulled away. Erwin did the same… then they left the house.

It was tearing him apart to leave his son, not knowing for sure if he’d be returning to him.
There was so much that could go wrong. The trust he had in Erwin was one thing. Being
realistic was another. They took horses from the carriage stable and took off through the
woods. The explosives were in storage, not far from the docks. They’d have to attach the
horses to the cart that carried it all. So long as they moved quietly and quickly, it shouldn’t be
a problem.

Levi’s heart was pounding so hard, that he could feel it in his throat and ears. This was it… it
was finally happening. They were going to blow the dam and cut off Marley’s hold on his
homeland. At least… for a little while. It would hurt their trade routes and cut them off from
the territory they had stolen, giving the Eldian’s a chance to fight back if they wanted. This
could change things on a grander scale than anything the Scouts had done before. Hopefully,
Eren’s actions hadn’t messed everything up.

“Just ahead.” Erwin said over the sounds of the horses pounding hooves. Levi could see the
shed already.

The storage yard was more of a junkyard. An old man stood watch over it at night, but he
was on their side. A lantern lifted in the darkness and Erwin guided them right towards it.
Levi could see the silver beard of the man as he took them in. There was a rifle in his other
hand, but at the sight of Erwin, he left it down. They dismounted and Levi held the reigns of
both animals while the Commander spook up.

“Change of plans. We need everything tonight.” He said and the other only nodded. There
was a heavy jangling of keys before the gates to the storage yard swung open. “Wait here.”
He told Levi and the two of them went inside.

A few moments later, Erwin and the other man were dragging out a heavy cart that was filled
with crates. They were labeled as fishing equipment. Nets and things like that. Levi moved
the horses, turning them around so that they could be attached to the cart. Erwin was
whispering things to the man, letting him know what had happened, what they would be
doing now, how to handle anyone asking questions, and so on. The omega just focused on
keeping the horses calm while they were hooked up. It was a brief moment to breathe before
they moved on to the next step of this insane plan.

The moment the horses were ready, they took off yet again. Erwin had a grim look on his
face and said nothing at all. Levi watched him from the corner of his eye as they sat at the
head of the cart. Both of them were tense, hoping that they wouldn’t run into anyone on the
trek to the docks. Just in case, they had hoods on, hiding their faces from anyone who might
look out into the night from a window. Erwin would be easily recognizable, otherwise.

The night was warm, thankfully, but he still felt like a cold sweat had broken out over his
body. The city was silent and dark as they finally reached the streets leading to the docks.
Levi could smell the odor of the river. It was like fish, oil, and something salty. He wrinkled
his nose and glanced around. There was no movement, not even guards. This area was lightly
patrolled, anyway. The weekends were usually Jean’s route, but it was Thursday… someone
else could be down on the docks. Had Mike and Jean already taken care of it?

“There’s the first boat.” Erwin said and the omega turned, following the man’s gaze. There
were many boats docked but the one he was looking at was set near the end. It was dark in
color and already covered in various-sized crates.

“Where will the kids be?”

“The one with the netting… there.” Erwin pointed as they got closer. Levi took a breath. He
like to know where everyone would be when this finally started. “Help me load everything
onto the boat.” He said as he stopped the horses by the boat and jumped down.

Levi followed his actions and moved to start lifting crates. He tensed when someone came
out of the inside of the vessel, but Erwin quickly assured him that it was the captain. The man
started to get the boat ready to sail while the two of them kept moving the crates up onto the
deck. It was eerily quiet aside from the churning waters and the groan of the wood under their
boots. Levi could hear Erwin breathing harder while he worked, and it was oddly comforting.
At least he had his mate here with him during this fucking shitshow.

“Smell that.” He said and lifted his nose… it was the scent of an Alpha. The omega dropped
down and out of sight just as a soldier started walking up. He wasn’t one that he recognized.

“Excuse me, what’s going on here? It’s a little late in the evening to be doing any fishing,
isn’t it?” The man asked. Suspicion was rolling off him in heavy waves. Erwin was facing
away from the man. Their eyes met and already, he knew what he needed to do.

The omega slipped around behind the cart. While the soldier demanded Erwin turn around,
he crept up behind him. His knife came easily from his boot and in another second, he was
rising up. One hand clamped around the other’s head, closing tight over his mouth. His other
hand shot up and with one quick slice, he brought the blade across the soldier’s throat. He
grasped at Levi’s arms for a few seconds, then weakness overtook him. Erwin spun around
and helped Levi to lower the body quietly to the ground. Wiping the blade off on the man’s
uniform, he then tucked it back into his boot.
“You didn’t have to kill him…”

“Yes, I did.”

“… lower him over the dock.” Erwin said, not arguing further. Together, they slipped the
body right down into the water. The current immediately pulled him away, down and away
from the city.

He wasn’t sure if Erwin was really upset or not, but they did not have time to talk about it.
There was usually only one guard down here, but they needed to move quickly, just in case
that was different tonight. Halfway through unloading the cart, they heard movement and
turned around. Luckily, it was only Mike and Jean. They had about five kids with them, all
looking terrified. They nodded to each other and kept moving.

The kids were put up onto the boat and taken down to the lower decks for now. Hange and
Moblit showed up just moments later. All of them quickly spoke in hushed voices. So far, so
good. All three boats were ready. The explosives vessel would go first. It would approach the
dam and Hange would get started on the bombs. Once Mikasa and Eren arrived, the second
boat would take off and head straight across to the other side. The final boat would linger
closer to the Marleyan side, serving as a distraction to anyone who might be checking out the
river. It all sounded good.

“Levi, I want you on the kid’s boat,” Erwin said and the omega gave him a questioning look.
“I need you to make sure that the teenagers are fully prepared, keep them all calm. Things
like that. When they get to the other side, see to it that nothing is forgotten and no one is left
behind on the boat.” He instructed and the smaller male nodded. The sound of water moving
made him turn. A boat was heading across the water… not one of the three.

“What the hell is that?” He asked.

“That’s one of ours. He’s in a smaller boat so he can get over and back quickly. He’ll be
checking to make sure the other side is clear before we drop off the kids.” Erwin explained.

“What didn’t you mention that before?” He asked in an irritated hiss. Changing the plan last
minute was not a smart idea.

“It just came to me when I was speaking to Mike. We realized we had no way of knowing
what was waiting over there. Better to be safe.” There was a strain to his words that Levi did
not like. It was as if the man was hiding something or holding it back. “It’s going to be fine. I
just want to keep those kids safe.” The Alpha said and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“You’re still trusting me, right?”

“Always…” Levi took a short breath and looked over as Eren ran up to them.

“Mikasa said we’re ready to go.” He said and saluted. Erwin grinned and patted the boy’s
shoulder.

“Good. Head over.” He said and off the kid went. “Levi…” The Alpha pulled him close,
hugging him to his chest. “This is going to work.” He whispered. Levi brought his arms up
and hugged him back. “When this is over… I hope that you know I’ve done all of this for not
just the country’s future, but ours as well. Making the world better for Nevan and Mikasa…
and for you. That’s all I really want.” He said and pulled back, smiling at him.

“I know. And I’m here to help you.”

“I know. Thank you, Levi.” He said with a smile that was so sad, it made his heart ache.
Something was not right, here.

“We need to get moving.” The Alpha said and walked him over to the second boat. “Take
care of them and make sure they get to safety.”

“I will.” He promised and pulled the Alpha down into a kiss. When their lips broke apart, the
omega turned and climbed up onto the boat. Mikasa and standing there waiting so he
wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a soft hug. She turned it. “It’s going to
be over soon.” He said and they turned, looking back.

Erwin watched them for a moment before he walked over to the first boat. Once the
Commander was on board, it was untied from the dock… and off they went. Levi watched
the boat slowly vanish into the darkness. A short time later, they were moving out as well. He
stayed by the edge of the boat, staring off in the direction that his mate had disappeared into.
The dam was out there. Hange would be setting up the explosives. It would be so bright in all
this darkness… most of the city would be able to see the blast when it finally went off.

As Erwin asked, Levi went and checked on all the kids. He made sure they were all okay,
dressed well, and had the packs that they’d spent so much time putting together for them all.
They had some food rations, weapons, and camping gear. The trek to the border would be a
long one. He was nervous for these kids but knew that they could do this. Between the three
teenagers, it would be okay. That’s what he kept telling himself as the boat rocked and carried
them closer to the shores of his homeland.

It was strange to think that Eldia was just on the other side of the river. It was so close… but
it didn’t feel like home anymore. It felt like some wasteland to him, now. In the perfect
darkness of the night, he could not see a thing. The captain seemed to know exactly what he
was doing, though. As they neared the shore, he turned the boat and pulled it up to a wooden
dock that stuck out far into the waves. Levi hadn’t even known it was there. The second they
stopped and tied off; everyone was in motion again. What happened to the boat that went
ahead to check for them? Did they find something?

“It’s clear.” The captain called and put the ramp down so the kids could start filing off. Levi
stared into the night, his heart racing but his body poised and calm. He didn’t feel like there
were any threats, but he was still feeling off.

“Come on…” He looked down and found a young man looking up at him. It must have been
someone who worked with the other sailor. His short hair and golden eyes were unknown to
Levi, but his scent was confident and kind.

“Eren, make sure nothing is left behind.” He called over his shoulder and got off the boat so
he could walk the kids to the end of the dock. Mikasa was already there, checking each child
and their packs. “Are we good?” he asked and then a sound reached his ears that made him
freeze.

It was crying. The wails of a baby. Levi’s head shot up and he looked around. His body was
frozen. It wasn’t just a baby… that was his baby. That was the sound of Nevan’s cries.
Tearing away from the kids, he started running down along the edge of the water. The scent
hit him like a slap in the face. It was his son… what the fuck was going on? Levi ran until he
found the smaller boat running up onto the ground. And there, outside it… stood Petra.

“What the hell are you doing here?” He asked as he rushed to her and took his son right out
of her arms. He held the boy close, the little one calming when his omega parent finally had
him. “Petra what is going on?” He demanded.

“I’m sorry, Levi.” She said, sounding like she was crying. “Erwin made me promise I
wouldn’t tell you…” She said, wiping at her face. “He said it had to be this way…”

Realization washed over him, sending ice through his veins. Levi handed the boy back to
Petra and then ran. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him. The kids and the teenagers
were all there, watching as he hit the dock. The wood groaned beneath his feet as he rushed
to the end. But it was too late. The boat was already gone, pulling away and back into the
open waters. Erwin had sent him here with no intention of letting him come back. He’d sent
them all away… Nevan, Mikasa… he planned this.

“I’m sorry.” Mikasa said. He turned and found her standing behind him with Jean.

“Commander Smith said that you’d never leave without him…” Jean said, looking down.

“He told us about all this at the last moment… I didn’t want to hide things from you, but I
wanted you and Nevan to be safe too.” The girl leaned against Jean. He wrapped his arm
around her shoulders.

Levi felt the mark on the back of his neck heating up. His cheat was tight as he stared into the
darkness. Erwin had made a plan behind his back to get him and Nevan over the river… It
was his bullshit way of trying to protect them. Behind him, back on the land, his son was now
crying once again. Levi just stared out over the water, everything starting to feel numb. His
mate… was out there, about to commit an act of terrorism on his home country. There was a
good chance he’d get caught. What if they killed him? What if they tortured him? What if
they never saw each other again?

“Levi… we need to go,” Jean said, grabbing his arm lightly. “Staying out here isn’t safe.”

“I’m not leaving.” Levi growled, never pulling his gaze away. No one said anything but he
knew they were still standing there.

Moments dragged on and on. There was no sound other than the baby crying and the water
moving under their feet. He waited, knowing that it would be soon. Then… it happened.
There was a bright flash and then a series of deafening booms in the distance. The whole
river and sky lit up as the bombs started to go off. The omega kept watching, not even
flinching when the wave of heat blew past them. It was far enough away that it was not too
 bad. He watched the flames, and the clouds of smoke and then felt the dock shift as water
started to surge in that direction.

“Levi! We have to move!” Jean called and this time, he let the young Alpha pull him back.
The omega stumbled and twisted to keep his eyes on the destroyed dam.

Erwin had succeeded in blowing the thing apart, separating Marley and Eldia once more.
He’d also separated himself from his family… from his mate and kids. This was going to
deal a major blow to the power Marley held over this territory. What would happen next?
Would Erwin get caught? Would they immediately try to reach back out to the Eldian lands?
Would other countries see this moment of weakness and act on it?

With the raging river between himself and his mate, Levi was forced to accept that he needed
to move forward. He had people looking at him now, waiting for him to tell them what to do.
Three teenagers, a bunch of kids, an infant, and Petra… all their wide and scared eyes were
on him. Sucking in a deep breath, he took his son back into his arms and then looked out over
them. The only thing he could do now… was guide them. Erwin put him here and he had to
at least complete the mission. The dam was blown but they were still here, ready to be caught
by any soldiers that might be on this side. Sitting around in misery was not an option. Not for
him.

“Take a moment to check your gear and get yourselves together. In five minutes, we move.”
He called out. While they all scrambled, Levi turned and looked back out over the water. The
flames were dying out as the water took everything over. “You better know what you’re
doing.” He whispered, knowing that Erwin was somewhere in the distance, probably doing
the same thing he was. The baby whined and he looked down at him. He had to get his shit
together for his son and all these kids. He might have lost Erwin… but his family just got a
hell of a lot damn bigger.

Chapter End Notes

And that's it.

That's the end of the first part in The Eldian Wars Series.

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