It was harder than anything he'd ever done to pull his hand from those raven locks. Eren stared at Levi for long moments as he slept, only leaving the room when his instincts began to surge up powerfully inside him. He wanted to crawl into his bed with the little Omega, hold him close, smell his skin, but he knew he could not. Eren did not have the restraint necessary to pull back from such a thing, not right then. So he dragged himself from the room, unable to force his feet any further that just outside the closed door no matter how hard he tried. Eren leaned against it, sinking down into the floor with the wood at his back.

Omega.

There was an Omega tucked into his blankets, Eren's scent on his throat, on his wrists, in his nose. The Alpha shuddered at the thought, and if it would have done him any good, Eren would've taken himself in hand to relieve some of the ache. During a rut, it was useless to even try. The only way a rutting Alpha could finish was inside an Omega, at least the first time anyway. Still he was palming himself through his jeans without thinking, pressing at the vicious heat there. His mind was reeling, and he needed a distraction, something to get his thoughts off that lithe, muscled body curled up between his sheets. Mumbling at Eren, sleepy and adorable, telling him 'Goodnight' in the middle of the day. Fuck, it shouldn't be cute, but it was and Eren wanted to pound his face into the wall. The Alpha took out his phone like it was a lifeline, tapping the screen to life and calling his job. Mike answered, thank God, because he did not have the patience to deal with Jean's bullshit right then.

"Hey Mike, it's Eren."

"Hey. How's life? Miserable, I presume. Right now, anyway."

"Shut up, you ass. I called to tell you it's going to be more than a week before I'm back." Mike was grumbling before he even finished talking.

"I've never heard of a rut lasting longer than a week, Jaeger. I thought you were going to find an Omega, anyway, be back in a few days unless you failed miserably. I don't have an instructor for your Thursday jiu-jitsu class, and one of the Alphas in your boxing group can't stand Jean. There's gonna be blood."

"If I come down there in rut, there's gonna be even more."

"So no go on the Omega?" There was no way Eren was heading into work until this whole thing was resolved, but Mike deserved to know why, so he would leave him alone if nothing else.

"Ah... I need you to keep this between us, boss." Eren couldn't see Mike's face, but he could picture that suspicious look in his mind clear as day.

"Spill it, Jaeger." The Alpha sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"There's an Omega here at my place." His boss whistled low and long.

"And Jaeger finally scores!"

"An Omega in their red heat. Who doesn't want to mate." Mike took in a harsh breath, and Eren knew the other Alpha's instincts were rising as surely as his own at the thought.

"Well, fuck. What is she doing at your house, then, and not at the refuge? Why would you even bring her there?"

"He. And I'm using my mark to ease his heat. Trying to change his mind." There was a long silence, and after awhile Eren wondered if he had lost the connection. Finally Mike spoke up again.

"Shit, Jaeger. That's fucked up. Also, he, not she, eh?" Eren bristled, pheromones riling in his blood, ready to fight an enemy that wasn't even there. He had never dated, never expressed an interest in doing so, and he couldn't really blame Mike for not knowing. Alphas who went into rut on their own were only ever attracted to Omegas, and since Eren had not mated, it wouldn't automatically be obvious to the man that his interests ran that way.

"You got a fucking problem with it, Zacharius? Because we can discuss it next time I come down there." Mike laughed then, knowing exactly how Jaeger wanted to

discuss

it.

"I don't give a shit who you want to fuck, Eren." The man's tone grew serious then, voice lower, full of concern. "You really got yourself into it now though, boy. You think you can deal with this? If your Omega doesn't change his mind, you gonna be able to take a step back and objectively observe as he bleeds to death out of his eyes and mouth? I couldn't. I don't know any Alpha that could. There's a reason they go to those shelters when their Alphas die, son." For a moment Eren couldn't respond, could only replay his boss's voice in his mind, saying

your Omega.

Thinking of Levi's face as he said it, nothing had ever sounded so right. Levi wasn't his, and Eren knew it, but

fuck,

he wanted him to be.

"He never had an Alpha." Silence again. Complete and all encompassing.

"Why the fuck not?" Eren sighed, not wanting to get into all this with Mike. It wasn't any of his damned business, anyway, nor was it Eren's place to say anymore. He'd given away too much already.

"Listen, I'm not going to go there with you, okay? I just wanted to tell you what was going on so you'd be aware. Send someone to get my keys, okay? No Alphas."

"No shit, you moron. Your buddy Armin's here picking up something for Mika-"

"No. Not Armin. No Omegas either." Levi had been drowning in the scent of Omegas for weeks, and Eren didn't want to subject him to it again. "Send..." Who? Who would he not want to rip into pieces? "Is Sasha there today?"

"Ah, yeah, but she doesn't leave until five." Five was three hours away, but Eren had a feeling that Levi would still be asleep well past then.

"That's fine. Tell her to buy me some black tea on the way here, a few different kinds, and I'll pay her back." Mike snorted, and Eren didn't have to wonder why.

"Since when do you drink tea, Jaeger?"

"I don't. My Omega does." Another loaded silence. Eren didn't know it was possible for him to want to hit someone so much for not talking.

"Fuck, son. You're done for." The Alpha smiled, rubbing rough fingers over his neck and bringing them up to his nose, breathing in the fierce Omegan scent that still lingered there.

"I know."

"I'll send Sasha for your keys."

"Don't forget about the tea!"

"Jesus. I won't forget your Omega's goddamned tea."

Mike hung up without another word, and Eren just stared at his phone for awhile, wondering if he should call Armin and specifically tell him to stay away. He knew that Eren was in rut, and that his pills weren't working, but the Alpha had been suppressing for so long that it might slip Armin's mind. Mikasa would probably remind him, but Eren decided to text him anyway.

Eren: Hey blondie, don't cry, but don't come over here until I let you know the coast is clear, alright?

He responded almost immediately, as he always did. Armin's phone was like an extension of his hand, permanently attached.

Armin: Riding it out, huh? My sexy ass too tempting to resist?

Little bastard.

Eren: Something like that. I'll let you know.

Armin: K. Don't die. I might need you to protect me from your sister at some point.

Eren: Duly noted.

The Alpha shoved his phone back into his pocket and closed his eyes. He could feel the Omega in his room, invisible chains pulling at Eren, instincts screaming for him to climb into that bed and just

take

him. Eren wrenched his eyes shut even tighter, fisting his hands as they began to shake. It would be physically impossible for him to go anywhere right then, and even if it wasn't he couldn't leave Levi alone. But neither could he sit right outside his room with that fucking delicious scent surrounding him, a sleeping Omega just a few feet away. The Alpha let out a shuddering breath, popping his jaw and glancing around. Levi said his place was dirty, and Eren had cleaned up the bedroom before he brought the Omega there, but had not had a chance to clean the rest of the house.

When Levi woke up, it would be fucking spotless.

...............................................................

Eren had finished cleaning long ago, and was in his kitchen with various pots and pans simmering on his stove. The Alpha did not know what Levi liked to eat, but he did remember Armin talking about being in heat, and how he couldn't have just anything. Something about his stomach being sensitive, not being able to tolerate heavy foods, too much meat, a lot of spices. So Eren made some rice, white without any seasonings as well as some flavored with tomatoes, onion, and chicken broth. He'd started preparing chicken noodle soup, only realizing halfway through that yes, chicken soup had meat in it.

Fucking moron.

Eren wasn't a chef, and he couldn't cook an endless number of things, but he pulled out another pot and started some french onion soup just in case.

What if he doesn't like soup, or rice?

Somehow he'd ended up with a kitchen full of food, two different dishes full of rice, two covered pots with soup simmering on low heat, two different kinds of pasta. Some fairly basic spaghetti with marinara, along with alfredo. He was wracking his brain, trying to think of anything else to make that would please the Omega. Oatmeal would be easy on anyone's stomach, or maybe sandwiches, but that could be ready in a few minutes. Eren had already looked up how to prepare black tea and written down the instructions. The Alpha wasn't sure if Sasha would show up with tea leaves or tea bags, but either way he wanted to be ready. Eren was digging in his cabinets for a cups and a tea kettle, which Armin had given him an eternity ago and he had never used even once, when there was a knock on his door. He was growling before he'd even taken a step towards it, Alpha instincts rising up, wanting to keep everyone and everything away from his Omega. It was a few moments before he could quiet his throaty sounds, reign his scent in, bring his eyes back to green. After a lot of deep breathing, rolling his head around on his neck, shaking his arms out, he finally felt in control enough to answer. Eren was expecting Sasha, so when he opened it to find Marco standing on the other side with a bag in his hand and a clipboard under one arm, he was more than a little surprised. The Beta had his eyes on the ground, head tilted, leaning forward just slightly to put himself below Eren's line of sight. A fucking pro at dealing with dumb ass Alphas, to be sure, but it didn't help much. Eren had been ready for Sasha, not the male before him who had already challenged him once today. The deep sounds of aggression bubbled out against his will, lip curling in a snarl, fists clenching on their own.

Threat.

Marco wasn't one, but Eren's instincts didn't know that. They wanted him gone, far away from Levi, and right fucking then. The Beta knew he was on thin ice, and while Eren tried to calm himself all over again Marco stayed still, quiet, submissive. After ages of silence, glaring, hostile body language, Eren finally felt himself easing back.

Fuck.

It had never been this hard for Eren to control himself before. This little Omega had him tied up in knots. Marco seemed to recognize that the Alpha was a little more himself again, and he sighed in relief.

"You're doing impressively well with that, all things considered. Ah.... There's a rather nervous girl standing at the end of your driveway? Sasha, I believe? She told me these were for you, and that if I could get your work keys and give them to her she would be eternally grateful." Eren leaned out his doorway, taking in Sasha at the end of his drive, shifting nervously. She waved, but did not budge from her spot. Eren felt himself walking forward, ready to go down the driveway, throw her to the ground and hiss in her face. Sasha may not have been moving, but staying so far away from the Alpha, scent full of fear, she was still

running.

The Beta had surely not meant to, but she'd made herself into prey in his eyes, and he wanted to chase down his victim and force her to submit, bare her throat, put herself at his mercy. Eren didn't want to mate her, he wanted to

defeat

her, wanted her cowed and helpless under his gaze. Marco reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, stilling him, and Eren was both furious and appreciative.

Deep breaths. Calm down.

He stepped deliberately back inside, reentering his territory and trying to relax.

"She said 'eternally grateful'?" It did not sound like her. At all.

"Actually she said she would 'dance at my wedding or have my babies or anything I wanted' if it meant she did not have to come talk to you right now." Eren laughed, snatching his keys off the metal rack by the door and handing them to Marco, who took a few steps down the drive and tossed them to Sasha. She snatched them out of the air and literally ran in the other direction without another word. He had to close his eyes as she fled, had to dig his nails into his palms so hard that they were probably bleeding to keep from running after her and tackling her into the concrete. Fuck, someone needed to talk to her about prey drives again because she obviously needed a refresher, especially working with Eren and Jean at the dojo surrounded by so many stupid Alphas. Eren felt himself growing irritated at the two Betas.

"Damn, is it that bad? I mean, clearly I'm losing my shit but you can't know that just from the smell." Marco smirked, standing up to his full height now and holding out the plastic sack for Eren to take. Eventually he did, eying the selection within for a moment, frowning until he saw one of the packages had tea bags.

Oh, thank fuck.

"It took me a few minutes before I could come up here. It's fairly overpowering, and I smell Alphas in rut every day. I sort of want to piss myself." The Alpha scratched his head idly. He still wanted to growl at Marco, shove him out of the doorway, force him away from his house. This Beta wasn't doing anything wrong, wasn't aggressive or hostile, but the beast inside him didn't care.

"So why are you here, then?" Marco held up the clipboard that was under his arm, an apologetic smile on his face.

"I need you to sign these papers, fill out a few things. Disclosures, consent forms, medical releases. Levi, too. You were supposed to do it before you left, you damned savage." Eren just shrugged.

"Sorry about that." He was not sorry, but that wasn't the point.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't about to stop you right then. I kind of like my limbs, fairly attached to them. But I still need to get these signed. I filled everything out that I could, as far as your and Levi's information, but there's a few things I couldn't answer, and then I need your signatures. Plus it's policy for an employee to check on an Omega in this situation. I'll have to come by again in a week, and a week after that, until..." He trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence.

Until Levi is mated, or until he is dead.

"Okay. Come in, I guess. Let me get this tea started, and then I'll fill those out." Marco filed into the house, Eren closing the door behind him, clicking the locks back in place. The Beta followed him into the kitchen without thought. Marco had been in Eren's house a few times before, drinking and hanging out with Armin and Mikasa and their friends. They usually gathered at Armin's house, since Alphas were territorial by nature, but sometimes it was more convenient to do it at Eren's. He had more space than anyone else, after all.

"I'm guessing the tea is for Levi? He kept trying to get us to let him have some, but it's against policy. Dehydrates you."

"They say that's a myth, actually. He wants tea, he can have tea. Omega in his red heat just wants a fucking caffeinated drink, and you guys won't let him have it. You're a bunch of nitpicking assholes." There was no real venom in the words. Eren started some water boiling, and when Marco glanced around his eyes went wide.

"What the hell, Eren?" The Alpha was not sure what he meant for a moment, glancing around, but then he realized that Marco was talking about the food.

"Oh. Uh, I didn't know what he liked to eat. He fell asleep pretty fast after he got here and I didn't have a chance to ask him. I left some fruit and stuff in there, but I figure he'll need real food when he wakes up, probably? I'm stocked up pretty well right now, since I thought I might be stuck here for a week or so. I guess it worked out okay." The Beta was smiling then, an impossibly fond look on his face. He was looking at Eren like he had just hung the moon in the sky.

"I feel a lot better about this now. I've been worried all day long." Eren felt himself riling, standing taller, gaze like a blade on Marco.

"What, because I'm a

savage

? You should know me better than that."

"I'm sorry! But, you're an Alpha in rut. Some crazy, psychotic rut, at that. I didn't know if he would be entirely safe here. It's my job to worry." Eren was pressing in close to the Beta, flashing eyes narrowed, teeth bared.

"It's my job to keep him safe, not yours. Levi's

mine.

" Eren hissed out the words without thought, but then he realized what he was doing and pulled back, running a hand over his face. "I'm sorry. I'm... fuck, I'm not going to hurt him, but I'm having a hard time here. Give me those papers. Let's go sit down."

They both headed into the living room wordlessly, Eren taking the couch while Marco seated himself as far away as possible. It was not due to any real fear of Eren, but out of habit after dealing with so many different Alphas for so long. There was not much for him to fill out, Marco having answered most of the questions himself. It was all very standard, agreeing to provide adequate care, notifying the refuge of worsening condition or injury, allowing the Omega to return at any time they desired, and of course stressing the importance of an Omega's consent, as if he needed to be reminded. Too many Alphas viewed Omegas as property, as objects instead of people. Eren had said Levi was his, not five minutes ago, but it was different from the way some of his brethren looked at it. He wanted Levi to be his to care for, provide for, watch over. Not to control, or own. Eren added in the few missing details, signing his name and handing the forms back over with a sigh.

"Now I need Levi to fill these out." Eren didn't want to let Marco wake up his Omega, wanted to posture and hiss at him for trying to intrude on Levi's rest. The Alpha fought down his urges, eyes closed, head tilted to the side as though listening to a sound that was too quiet to hear. He stood up, leading the Beta into his room where Levi was, coiled in the center of the bed. The Omega was not twisted up in the bedding as he had been at the shelter, but totally still and relaxed, wrists tucked tight into his nose. Levi was smiling in his sleep, and even Marco's breath caught at the sight.

"Whoa. I haven't seen him sleep in five days. I'm surprised he can, this far into things." Then Marco felt Eren grab his arm, tugging him away from the bed.

"Shit! The tea's not ready, you can't wake him up yet." The Beta's brows furrowed in confusion.

"It'll only take a minute, he can go ba-" Eren growled at him again, and Marco felt the vibrations rumbling through his arm and into his chest. He backed up, pulling free from the Alpha's grip, putting space between them without turning his back.

"No! He said he wanted tea when he woke up, just go sit down and give me twenty minutes."

Marco fought a smirk off his face at Eren's words, and realized that even asleep this Omega had him in the palm of his hand. The Beta was glancing around, noting the bounty of food and drinks and books on the bedside table, now unable to suppress a grin. He looked over at Eren, planning to tease him, only to go quiet at the sight. The Alpha's eyes were not just gold, but throwing off light into the room in their brightness. He bit his lip, one of his hands clutching at his chest desperately. Marco felt his worries drain away into nothingness. This Omega had nothing to fear here, nor would he be succumbing to his red heat. The Alpha before him would do what he was born to do.

He would protect.