Walking back to Eren's chambers was uneventful. Levi spotted a few servants in the hallway but all of them avoided him. The raven think it was for the better, his thoughts were still running after the talk with the Queen. Even though Carla said that he had done more than enough, Levi's not sure if he did, more or less what was his next step.
He had no idea when Eren's wedding with Historia. He's not even sure if the Emerald Prince was going to get wed from someone from another clan this month.
Levi paused and stared at the spider on the wall near the torch. He knew that in ancient Egypt, Pharaohs wed their siblings or cousin to keep the royal blood flowing and the prime dynamic. But since Eren's an only child.
He gasped and leaned his weight on the wall. Digging into his memory, he recalled that Eren was the only Alpha with a prime status. Being a thief in this lifetime, Levi traveled with his friends until they settled here in Paradise. And the rulers of other kingdoms didn't have a Pharaoh with a prime status like Eren's.
"Could it be," Levi whispered before bolting towards the study room, passing Eren's chambers. He knew the palace had a library or something or maybe if he could ask someone who knew-
Bursting through the two heavy doors, Levi scanned the room and sighed in relief to discover that it was indeed the library. Or something similar to a library.
Hieroglyphics were itched and painted on the walls from floor to ceiling, there were a few "books" but Levi started skimming the hieroglyphics. He needed to be sure that Eren was not the only Alpha with a prime status.
He froze when he smelt something sweet coming from the end of the room. It was dim on the far end but Levi could make out a figure curled up in the corner.
Slowly approaching the figure, Levi identify that it was an Omega cowering in fear at his presence.
"Hey," he softens his voice and mellows out his scent. " It's okay, I'm just here to read."
"You're Levi," the Omega squeaked as he pressed himself further on the corner.
"Yeah, that's right but I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just reading- Armin?!" Levi exclaimed when his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting and saw the Omega's blonde hair, soft blue eyes, and angelic face. He didn't say the word "Armin" correctly but he was able to translate the said modern name to Paradis's native tongue.
The Omega flitched but he held his gaze with Levi's. "You know me?"
"I..." Blue-stormy eyes landed on the collar around Omega's neck. It was the same as his, the blonde was also a slave. "I saw you in the palace, sometimes," Levi reasoned.
"Oh," Armin nodded.
Levi pressed his lips shut. He wanted to run to the Omega and hug him. He missed Armin and he missed his library. It's nice to see him again in this timeline, but at the same time not. How did Armin end up as a slave? Levi had no idea.
"What are you doing here?" The raven asked.
"I was reading..." Armin whispered.
Levi smiled, maybe the blonde could help. Even in this lifetime, his dear friend still adores books. The raven slowly approached the blonde Omega and was mindful of his Alpha scent. Now that he found someone he knew, he didn't want to scare them away because now he's an Alpha.
"Um, can you help me with something?"
Armin was silent for a few seconds before finally looking up at him. "Depends..."
"I just want some knowledge, the Emerald Prince is not the only prime Alpha, right?" Levi cringed at his own words.
"That's..." Armin's big blue eyes scanned around the vicinity, when he was sure that no one was around or passing by, he whispered. "That's not true."
Levi gaped. "Then why did the Pharaoh think that setting his son to another tribe would keep the prime status alive?"
"Um, you must not, I beg of you, not tell anyone that you hear this from me," the blonde Omega begged as he scooted away from the corner and bow down his head.
Levi knelt and encouraged the other to straighten. "I swear to death, please lift your head."
"Okay, um... the Alpha prime status... it's dying..." The blonde whispered.
"What?!"
"I overheard the Pharaoh and his mate, there's no saving it. The Pharoah's siblings and cousin were killed during the war five years ago and the Queen's inability to carry another offspring. That's why the Pharaoh resorted to marrying the Emerald Prince to another tribe to form an alliance. That could balance out the disadvantage of not carrying out the prime status," Armin explained in a hushed tone.
"There must be another way!" Levi exclaimed desperately. "The prime status can be carried out as long as Eren had an offspring right?"
Armin bit his bottom lip. "I was assisting the Queen when she read the stars..."
Levi held his breath.
"She said that there's no saving the prime status. Because Eren's not a 100% prime Alpha, to begin with..."
"What?" Levi gaped.
"The Queen's not a prime Omega, but the previous ruler made everyone think that she is. They wanted her to wed Grisha because she can read the stars and see the future. They think her ability can serve Grisha as Pharoah," Armin explained. "Dynamics with a prime status can use magic, that's why the people easily believed that Carla's a prime Omega."
"The prince can't produce an offspring with a prime Alpha status unless he married a prime Omega..." Levi whispered to himself.
"But isn't that for the better?" Armin offered him a patient smile. "The prime status is very cruel if it fell into the wrong hands. The Queen even said that it's for the best."
Levi pressed his lips in a thin line. Was it really for the best? He said his thanks and left the room with his head down.
Even though Carla said that Eren was looking for him, it didn't seem true. He returned to the brunette's room only to find it empty and space was clouded by heavy pheromones. Eren was not pleased.
Dragging his feet, Levi went to his makeshift bed in the storage room. He felt like he was at a dead-end despite what Carla had said. Did he even do something to change the future?
The Alpha prime status reached its end. But what was his goal anyway? If Eren did suck it up and married Historia or someone from another clan, then their offspring wouldn't be carrying the prime status. Wars will emerge and little by little throughout the years, the Alpha dynamic will be lost.
"Is it really for the best?" Levi whispered as he lay down on his bed.
Then he felt a tear fall from his cheek. Another wave of homesickness came to him. He's not only homesick about his apartment in the modern time, but also his current house in Paradise. He missed Isabelle, Farlan, and their home. Their home was never extravagant but Levi kept it clean and organized.
Levi's inner Alpha wailed in sadness at the thought that he couldn't protect his home and his family. While his Omegan mindset was whining for being away from his nest in the modern time.
The raven curled into himself, no longer stopping his cries. Another wave of sadness came rushing in when he felt his flat stomach. He almost forgot about his baby.
"Hey..."
Levi turned his face away from the now open door of the storage room as he continue to silently weep away his homesickness and longing to feel the life growing inside him.
Eren stood on the door fidgeting on his spot, not sure how to handle the weeping raven.
"Are you hungry?" Eren asked quietly.
Levi shook his head.
"Okay, um..."
Eren kept silent for the whole 15 minutes until Levi's cries toned down into sniffs. The raven didn't care anymore of what the brunette would think. He's not okay and he'll cry whenever he felt like it.
Another 10 minutes went by and Levi could feel the exhaustion pull him to sleep.
"Are you feeling... okay now?" Eren suddenly spoke, voice toned down in almost like a whisper.
Blinking the drowsiness away, Levi finally turned to look at the Alpha. He thought the brunette left him but no, Eren was cross sitting near the doorway, eyes gazing at him sadly. "No. But I can manage," he croaked weakly.
"That's good, good," Eren nodded. His green eyes locked into blue-stormy one. "Can you... um, tell me about it?"
"It's nothing," Levi turned away and made himself comfortable. "Just missed home."
When Eren didn't say anything, Levi decided to sleep the night away and hopefully dream of being back to his small apartment with his gentle Eren and his growing baby bum. He was already out of it when he felt Eren move, then feeling of comfort when the collar around his neck loosen, then removed.
He purred and buried further in his makeshift bed.
"You can go home," Eren's voice was soft and gentle. It sounds like Levi got his gentle and sweet Een back.
"Hmmm," Levi hummed. When the words were able to settle in his sleep foggy brain. The raven sat up abruptly, hands flew to hold on the collar on his neck only to discover that the leather band was no longer there. "What?!"
"You can go home..." Eren repeated, throwing the collar on the corner. "But... Can I come with you? I just want some time away from this place..."
Levi gulped when Eren looked at him. His big green eyes shone with unshed tears, he was not ordering but he was begging.
Levi smiled gently. "Of course."
"We're almost there," Levi said as he guided the Emerald Prince through the dark alleys hand and hand. It's hard to not hold Eren's hand, the brunette looked so down when the raven put a green cloak over him to hide his identity. Eren looked defeated, his green eyes were dull and his scent smelt like dead flowers. Taking him out for a breather would hopefully lift his spirits.
"Hmmm," Eren hummed as he pulled his hood to fully cover his face.
Seeking out of the castle was easy with Marco's help. He didn't question the prince of leaving and he never uttered a word about the absence of the collar around Levi's neck. That Beta guard deserved the gold for being considerate and respectful.
"We don't have much but we have tea," Levi filled in the silence.
"That would be great, thank you," Eren replied with no energy.
The raven frowned. He's not used to seeing the prince this way like all the life was drained out of him.
"Levi," Eren called out weakly.
"Yeah?" Levi stopped walking and gave the prince his undivided attention.
"I'm sorry..."
Levi blinked at and gapped at the prince. Eren was apologizing?!
"My dad, he's... Ugh," he groaned.
"It's okay," Levi whispered. What the Pharoah did never mattered and it was all done. After dining with the Queen, Levi was able to recover from the blow.
"Is it true?"
"What?"
"What you said while were in the entrance."
"Oh.." Levi glanced at the full moon that served as their light. "It's up to you if you want to believe it."
"You're an Alpha."
Levi sighed and looked down at his body. He had the physique of an Alpha alright, it must be pretty lame to act all soft and cute with an Alpha body. "Yeah."
He looked up to gaze into those emerald eyes. Even with only the moon's light, Levi could see how the gold specks on the brunette's eyes shine despite his mood. Eren was indeed handsome, an Alpha worthy of a prime status.
Levi shifted his gaze down at the brunette's lips. Wondering if he and Eren ever kissed. They didn't. He hardly recalled they even kissed or simply touch each other and feel each other's skin.
Thinking back, they seldom shared anything physical touches in the modern world. And now, Levi's craving for it. Eren's his mate and he's Eren's.
That's how the universe made it.
And he was pregnant in the modern world. Levi rest a hand on his stomach, gone was the still soft, flat belly. He missed his unborn child. Their child.
Levi looked up to Eren and found the brunette looking at his hand on his stomach. His emerald eyes widen and his jaw slacked.
"I..." Eren whispered. "I don't understand..."
"It's okay," Levi croaked, tears threatening to spill in his eyes again, another reminder of his unborn child in modern time. "Don't worry about it," Levi dismissed. Letting go of the brunette's hand he continued to walk to the alleyway.
"I'm so confused..." He heard the brunette say.
Eren was silent for a moment before a deep growl erupted in his throat. "Curse it!"
Levi flinched when the Eren shouted and marched towards him. His instincts told him to run away or defend himself from the Alpha who's coming towards him but the raven listened more to his Omegan instincts. And it told him to stay put.
Eren grasped his hand, forcing Levi to face him. Not giving the raven time to respond, he grabbed the back of his head and crashed his lips on Levi's.
Levi melted on the kiss. His body shivered on contact and his instincts finally settled one thing.
Finally, Mate is touching him.
Mate.
The thought clouded Levi's brain. When they pulled away from the kiss, the raven stared at him with eyes. And Eren was staring at him with an unreadable expression but Levi could see that the brunette recognized him as Mate.
"Mate..." Levi whispered. Of course, he knew first hand that he was Eren's mate but... He's an Alpha. Can both Alphas be fated mates?
Eren didn't answer and just sighed in defeat as he rest his forehead on Levi's shoulder.
"My father wanted me to marry Historia of the Resis Clan," Eren blurted out.
Levi pressed his lips in a thin line as they threatened to pull down into a frown. He shouldn't be sad about it, it's good news, he just needed Eren to go on with the marriage, keep him away from black magic, and a have child. Even if the child was not born with a prime status, at least, Eren won't get buried and cursed in the earth. Maybe Historia's a prime Omega? She could be since families with prime statues knew some magic, thus explaining why Historia's had intact memories when he and Eren met in the modern time.
Levi gritted his teeth, forcing himself not to cry. Maybe they were never meant to be in this lifetime.
"It's okay," Levi cleared his throat. "I promise, in an another of time, we'll be-"
"Why not now?" Eren straightened and stared at Levi's eyes. "I'm sick of being a royal, I don't even want to marry anyone, to begin with until..." he paused, his features softened. "Until I met you."
Levi gulped. They couldn't. Not in this life.
"When you finally step out of the shadows that day, I knew it was you but... I was not sure because you're an Alpha. Only Alpha and Omega pairs can be mates so it's impossible. I denied it and started being rude and mean to you... I was... so confused and lost..."
Levi felt his heart skip a beat. But no. Not in this life, he repeated in his head.
"But when my father hurt you, I... I cannot explain what I felt that time after I had some time to get everything wrapped in my head... it's almost felt like I failed as an Alpha. But I'm sure that I'll never let anyone hurt you again," Eren swore and Levi knew he was telling the truth.
"Eren..." Levi whispered.
"Now I'm sure. I want to be with you, I want to join you and your friends. Let's get out of here and live somewhere where nobody would give a fuck about us," Eren rambled.
"Eren..." Levi wanted to do all that. He's confident to live that life with his experience as a thief and the simple joy of finally being with Eren now that the brunette recognized him. But...
"We can ask Marco to get some gold in my room, that would help us in our travels and-"
"Eren," Levi stated firmly, stopping the brunette from continuing.
Eren shut his mouth and gazed at the raven.
"Eren," Levi croaked. "Not in this lifetime," he finally said with a heavy heart.
It didn't help when he witness Eren's heartbreaking as whose words left his lips. It hurts but he must do what he intended to do.
Eren's once bright eyes lost their shine as looked down at his feet with defeat. Shoulder slacked, head down, the brunette nodded. "Okay..."
It took Levi's all not to whine in deep sorrow. But he must stay strong, what other choice did he even have?
Shaking his head, the raven forced a smile and took Eren's hand on him. "Come on, I'll show you my home and have some tea."
Eren didn't say anything but he allowed the raven to drag him to the alleyway.
They were almost near Levi's house when the smell of smoke reached both of their noses. Not a moment longer, both of them could hear shouts and screams in the same direction.
Levi felt his heart stop. The smoke, it smelt like comes from-
"Levi?" Eren squeezed his hand on his.
"Isabelle... Farlan..." Levi whispered as he dashed towards the familiar alleys with Eren right behind him.
Earlier he was homesick, he's Alpha felt terrible for not being home and protecting it from other thieves. If he sneaked out instead of crying his homesickness out then-
Levi felt his world stop when he finally reached his home. Instead of the shabby yet clean place with Isabelle on the window waving at him and Farlan by the doorway, what greeted him was nothing but flames.