The Monster Within | Eren Jeager | Attack on Titan | Soulmate AU ✔

Chapter Ten

The hours turned into minutes. It went by fast and both Eren and Axel were not ready for it. Jean, Mikasa and Armin stood on the sidelines along with Captain Levi. Eren was with Axel away from everyone. Alongside the wall they were standing at, archers and men with ODM gear stood at the ready if anything were to happen. Axel stood beside Eren with her hand in his. They were both nearly breaking each other's hands. Axel looked at Eren, scared out of her mind. She didn't want to be a monster. She wouldn't be one of the 9 founding Titans. She would be one that has no memories. No recollection of anyone or anything. Just a desire to eat.

"I'm sorry Eren." Axel cried, "I am sorry for hating you."

Eren didn't say anything. He simply turned to her and cupped her cheek. Eren slowly leaned in closer to Axel. Before she could say anything or protest, Eren brushed his lips against hers. Being their first kiss, their soulmate marks burned on their wrists. It glowed brightly, indicating that the soulmates were now closer then before. Eren knew that kissing her would be a mistake, meaning if she died then he would be in physical and mental pain. He didn't care. He wanted her closer to him. He didn't want her to die. For once in his life he wanted to live. Then again, they both knew that Eren didn't have much time given that he is a founding Titan.

"I love you Axel." He whispered as he pulled away. He put his forehead against hers. Axel looked at his eyes and choked back the sobs. This was the last time she was going to see him. She was going to leave her brother behind. She was going to leave Jean behind. She never got to really know anyone inside the walls. Even her commands she barely knew.

"Please let Jean know it's not his fault. They wanted to save me but... its..." Axel couldn't finish her sentence. Eren gave her a kiss on the forehead, having it linger for a few moments. Axel looked up at the wall, blocking the glaring sun from her eyes. She saw her brother looking down at her, his blades ready. She kissed Eren one last time, letting the taste of his tears linger on her lips for a little longer. Eren and Axel both knew that even if she didn't turn into a Titan, the pain alone from him turning into one would break her body apart. Even if they did cut off her wrist, here was no stopping the magical bond of soulmates.

"I know." Eren whispered. He didn't want to let her go. She didn't want him to turn. Eren knew that he had to. It would be better now then later when they bond close enough to feel each other during battles and get wounds. Eren took a step back, Axel nearly falling. She tried to reach for Eren. With tears falling down his face, he brought his hand to his mouth. Axel can hear Jean screaming for them to stop. He was begging Eren not to follow through with it. Mikasa stood there with her chest held high, attempting not to cry. She knew that this was the best for Eren. Axel was a distraction and also the death of Eren Jaeger, the savior of the world.

Once Eren bit down on his hand, a bright amount of energy shot up into the sky.

Not one, but two.

Axel Ackerman had too turned into a Titan. She was a four meter titan, the same height as Eren's. She was weak, scared, and wanting to black out. Smoke filled the sky. Eren waited patiently for the smoke to clear. If Axel was a founding Titan, her Titan wouldn't form all the way. At least his didn't the first time around. If she did form and stayed, she would be like all the others. She would kill on site. Levi knew this standing on top of the wall. He shook as the smoke began to clear. He thought about his sister and his moments with her. She wasn't perfect and she had anger trapped inside of her but deep down she was a very caring person.

He could hear Jean screaming.

He could see the pain in Eren's eyes.

Two men loved her and now they were about to lose her.

"I'm sorry, Sis." Levi whispered to himself. Armin and Misaka used their ODM gear to get on Eren's shoulder. They were to get Eren out of his Titan form before Levi killed his sister. They didn't need a raging Titan within the walls. Eren had left his Titan form reluctantly. He wanted to help Axel with her Titan form. Maybe if she was different, Maybe she could come back. She can eat him and still live on. Eren knew she wouldn't want that.

"Eren! Eren it hurts!" Axels scream seemed to echo in Eren's mind.

"Please just hold in there, Axel!" Eren cried.

"Kill me! Kill me!" Axel screamed over and over again. Eren's heart raced as the smoke began to clear. He can hear the ODM gear from above. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion around him. He never realized his screams that echoed. He didn't notice Armin and Mikasa holding him back from him injuring himself again. He never noticed his commands on the ground crying for someone they didn't like. Jean was on his knees begging for it not to be true. Sasha had her head turned as tears rolled down her cheeks. Her roommate was going to die.

She wasn't just Axel Ackerman.

She was their family.

As the smoke cleared, Axel stood there as a Titan. She was well built, the same height as Eren's. The only difference is that she was one of the same. She couldn't control it. Her mind was slipping away. She was no longer human. She could no longer change. She was already trying to go after Eren and his Titan. Before she could take a step towards him, Captain Levi had gone for the back of her neck. He did it quickly and effectively. Axel didn't try to stop him. Instead, Axel fell to the ground, with Eren being her final thought.

Eren sobbed in his hands as he witnessed the death of his soulmate. His mark had stopped burning on his wrist but his heart wouldn't stop hurting. All he could do was cry and feel anger bubbling in his belly. He shrugged his friends away from him. Screaming at them to leave him alone. He knelt on top of his Titan feeling nothing. He wouldn't care if a Titan killed him right now. His soulmate is gone now. In a matter of days, Axel was able to make him feel what love was.

"You killed her!" Jean screamed, "you murdering psychopath!"

Jean left. Leaving everyone to stand there in their own sorrows.

Captain Levi stood at the Titans head looking down at his sister. Her features were still there, even the small scar by her eye was there. Her brown eyes stared back at him. Levi frowned, dropping his blades. He didn't blame Eren for what had happened to her. Soulmates are not something anyone could control. You are given that gift to be with someone for the rest of your life. To have a bond like that was both a blessing and a curse. For Axel, it was the worst curse of all. There was no way for anyone to stop a soulmate mark from triggering. It took Eren and Axel only three days to bond. Levi didn't know why it happened for them so quickly. Maybe it was because they were one of the same. Both had murdered at a young age. Both hated the world and Titans. They shared the same passions which made Levi think that they were the worst for each other.

No matter how anyone looks at it, Axel or Eren are and will die eventually. Levi turned to see Eren walking up to him. The kid looked like a mess. There were small marks around Eren's eyes. His face was red and blotchy. His eyes were dull. Levi could tell that anything Eren had left inside of him was dead.

"She knew everything." Eren whispered, "she knew she was going to die."

Levi stood there unable to say anything. Eren stood next to Levi looking down at his soulmate's dead Titan form. The mark on his arm burned faintly. Eren looked down at his wrist, seeing it glow slightly. He then looked at Axel and saw a faint blue glow on her wrist. Eren took a step forward, slowly bringing his hand to the top of her head. The smoke from her Titan body was already starting to kick in. She wasn't going to be around for much longer.

Eren froze when his mind filled with a memory from her. Their first and final kiss. When he had pulled away from her, she was smiling at him. She wasn't crying. She wasn't in pain.

"Remember me, Eren. It won't be long and we will be together again. I love you."

"Don't go..." Eren choked, "Axel... God don't take her..." He choked.

The memory faded from Eren's mind.

He fell to his knees and sobbed as the lingering pain on his wrist faded into nothing.

Eren counted down the days until he could see his soulmate once again.