Off Limits

5. Painful Adjustments

Thanking the police officer, he drove off as I stood on the side of the street. Shivering from the cold morning air, I slowly walked up the paved walkway carrying the still sleeping boy in my arms.

Standing before the door I raised a hand and rang the doorbell. Knowing they are both most likely asleep, I kept ringing the buzzer over and over.

"WHAT THE FUCKING HELL!" His deep angry voice yelled out, followed by the harsh thumping of his footsteps running down the stairs. "I AM GOING TO KILL WHOEVER YOU ARE!"

His words hit me hard as I tensed up.

Watching the door fly opened, I looked up at Erwin as he stood there. The pissed off look on his face suddenly changed to one of worry. "Levi?"

"Erwin. I-I'm sorry. I h-had nowhere else to go. I couldn't go back there."

The tall male took in my shaking form and red puffy eyes, as his sharp blue eyes saw the sleeping boy in my arms. "What happened?" He stepped aside, as I entered only for him to look to the stairway. "Hanji, it's Levi."

Slowly Hanji stuck her head out of their bedroom. Erwin was very protective over her. As he made her stay upstairs, until he knew it was safe. She walked down and stared at the three of us.

"Levi, you look terrible, what's wrong?"

Erwin shot her a glare as she shrugged it off, guiding me into the living room. Sitting on the couch he placed a blanket over my shoulders, as I wrapped it around me and Eren.

"Ok, tell us what happened. Why is Eren here?"

I looked down to the sleeping brat in my arms, and I tightened them around him. "B-because I have full c-custody over him now." My words escaped my lips in a soft quiet whisper.

Both my friends looked at one another as I couldn't say more. I nodded towards the bag I carried in with me that held the documents; and Hanji reached for it and read through them. Erwin read over her shoulder as they both looked at me in shock.

"How?" Erwin asked.

I gazed at Eren's sleeping face, as I could only weakly whisper. "Alphas."

...

Eren slept in the spare bedroom they had, as he was covered in many blankets to keep warm. I sat in the kitchen with Erwin and Hanji. Hot tea before me, as were all the documents.

"I couldn't let child services take him away. I couldn't do it." I leaned my elbows on the table as I held the hot mug with both hands. The heat felt nice. "And I couldn't return home, what if he tried to run to find her."

Erwin sighed and rubbed his own forehead. "I am sorry about Carla, she was such a beautiful person." Hanji nodded in agreement.

"Now all I have left of her is her money, and her son." I mumbled, staring at my tea.

"Levi, is this something you can truly handle? I mean raising a child, it will be tough."

Nodding, I raised my tea and sipped it. "I know it will. I know it will change everything. But I have to, it was her wish. She knew Eren would be safe with me, or she never would have done it." I mumbled, staring at the documents. "Can I keep these here for a while? Until I find somewhere else to live."

Hanji nodded and collected the documents. "I will place them in the safe with mine and Erwin's." Nodding again I just felt so numb.

"You and Eren can stay here too, as long as you need." Erwin added. "The spare room is yours. Until you find a new place."

"Thanks."

"We will help get your things, and Eren's." He said again and this made me smile.

"You two truly are my best friends. Thank you." Finishing the tea I stood up slowly. "It's been a long night. Perhaps I will try and get some rest."

"Rest would be good." Hanji spoke.

About to leave the kitchen, I heard the crying start as I looked towards the hall. I ran to the spare room Just as the five year old brunette ran out of the room. "LEVI!" He cried and hugged my legs. "W-where is Mama. Where are we? Where is M-mama!"

I picked him up and held him tightly. His legs instantly wrapped around my waist as I soothed him the best I could.

"Eren, you remember my friends Hanji and Erwin right?" I whispered gently as I felt him nod his head. He sniffed quietly as he held onto my body tightly. "We are both going to stay here for a little bit, ok?"

"B-but, I want Mama."

How does one tell a five year old she isn't coming home? "Shh, I know Eren, I want her back too." I whispered as I slowly walked towards the kitchen with him. Sleep would have to wait till later. "Are you hungry?"

I looked at his sad face. Cheeks covered in tear stains as his eyes were red and puffy. "I want Mama to make me food."

"How about I can make you food? You like my cooking right?"

I saw the look on his face change, to think it over and he nodded his head slowly. "Levi can cook."

"Good morning Eren."

He clung onto me tighter and looked to see Hanji and Erwin smiling at him softly. He quickly pushed his face against my neck as he sniffled quietly. His beautiful turquoise eyes would glance at them slowly, as he shyly hid against my neck. I looked at them and I saw they looked sad at him, but at the same time he was being so shy and cute in my arms that they knew he would be ok with me. He was still wearing his onesie as he whispered out.

"Wevi." His voice sounded tired and sad as he pronounced my name wrong. "I have to pee pee."

Erwin stepped forward. "You take him Levi, let me do the cooking for a bit.

"Thanks Erwin. Ok Eren." I spoke to him as I carried him to the bathroom. In there I helped unzip his onesie, and I sat him on the toilet and held him there waiting for him to finish.

It wasn't until I was redressing him that he asked sadly. "Mama's not coming home, is she Wevi?"

Normally I would correct his words but I sighed. "Did she tell you something before Eren?" I glanced at him as he nodded his head. For a split second he no longer looked five years old, and you could see the strong Alpha within him.

"Mama told me one day she might not come home, even though she wants to. That bad Alphas might hurt her." I looked at him as I finished zipping up his onesie and helped him wash his hands.

"Yes Eren, Alphas harmed her. But not all Alphas are bad. Erwin is an Alpha, he would never harm anyone. And you Eren, you are an Alpha."

"Levi, Omega. Like mama right?"

I knew he probably didn't know what any of this meant. it was just what Carla had told him. "Yes, I am omega."

Eren looked at me and suddenly hugged me tightly as he nodded. "Levi, my omega?"

I was stunned. And for an alpha to say that he meant as his mate. But I knew Eren was too young to know anything about this and I smiled. "Yes Eren, I am your omega." I glanced at him and I froze. I saw this flash in his eyes as his face became angry.

"Alphas wont touch my omega. I will keep my omega safe!" His declaration was heartwarming and then his stomach growled loudly making me smile.

"Come my strong Alpha. Let's get you something to eat."

Picking him up he wrapped his arms and legs around my body once more and nodded his head. "Ok Wevi." He whispered sadly as he pushed his face once more against my neck, as I carried him back to the kitchen.

...