the bartender's alpha || ereri/riren

monday

the small omega swept the bar floor. it was barely noon, but people were coming and going. it was nothing strange. it's the only bar in this small town.

a regular walked in, isabel. she's also an omega, but just as feisty as the short raven.

"hey, levi!" she greeted, smiling with cherry red lips that complimented her hair.

"hey, izzie." the shorter male nodded.

isabel pulled a stool out before plopping down on it.

"i thought farlan wouldn't let you come here without him?" levi said, tying an apron on, giving isabel his full attention.

isabel just groaned. "he's at work. i'm only here for a bit."

levi got to work on her drink. "why is he so protective anyways?" sure, alphas are protective, but most give their omegas the freedom to leave the safety of their home.

isabel watched levi intently. "you haven't heard?"

the raven shook his head. "heard what?"

isabel sighed, eyes widening. she beckoned him towards her with a flick of her finger. levi rolled his eyes, leaning towards the artificial redhead.

"there's an alpha that has been doing some.. questionable things." she whispered. "robbing stores, mugging citizens. it's crazy!"

levi pulled himself out of her grasp, handing her a moscow mule.

"those stories are probably exaggerated. and the brat hasn't done anything to get scared over."

isabel shot up from her seat. "who knows! he might start doing worse!"

levi jumped at her outbreak. an awkward silence enveloped them when levi's coworker, armin, passed by.

"sit down, isabel!" levi yelled when armin was out of earshot.

isabel sat down with a pout on her face. "it's scary, levi," she started. "he wears a mask, no one knows who he is!"

levi sighed, patting his friend on the head. "i'm sure it's fine. this town is big, but not that big. i doubt we'll be victims. i'm certain he'll be caught."

isabel looked up. shifting her gaze from gray-blue eyes to raven greasy hair. "just be careful."

levi flashed a toothy smile. "of course."

-*-*-

later in the evening, the bar was almost empty. it wasn't quite late enough, barely 10p.m. but it was strange. usually there'd be drunk betas partying with their omega friends. tonight, there were some omegas here and there, but no alphas or betas.

levi didn't linger long on that observation. his shift ended in half an hour. then, he could go up to his room and take a long bubble bath.

levi wiped down the counters, eyes shifting between the rag and the drunk familiar faces.

while levi focused his eyes on the rag, a tan hand tapped the counter. he was surprised he hadn't smelt the scent this person was giving off.

fresh pine.

blue eyes met turquoise ones. the unfamiliar face smiled.

"hello!" the strange alpha greeted. "i'd like a strawberry lemonade vodka please!"

"will that be all?"

the man just nodded.

levi nodded too, turning around swiftly to avoid the alpha's gaze. the drink wasn't a very hard one to make for levi, a trained bartender and drink mixer.

levi spun back around, handing the man his drink. "that'll be $8.49, please."

the man's eyes widened. "that much?" levi tilted his, confused, but nodded nonetheless.

the man sighed, pulling out a ten dollar bill.

"your change will be $1.51." levi said, typing the information into the cash register.

"keep the change." the man said, his voice monotoned.

"thank you.." levi started, but when he looked up, the man had disappeared. "..sir."

the raven sighed, ignoring the behavior of that alpha. levi wasn't really surrounded by alphas all his life. even the bar barely got them. he didn't know the exact behavior of an alpha, but he knew it shouldn't be that.

levi shrugged the topic off, checking the clock that hung against the wall. "10:27," he mumbled.

the omega removed his apron and hung it on the rack. he waited a minute before hange, the bar's owner, walked in ready for her shift.

they shared a quick greeting and farewell before levi dashed up the stairs in the backroom. he was too tired to stay for a drink.

but what levi didn't know is that a familiar brunette was watching him through the bar's window, smirking as he watched his behind run.

-*-*-
tuesday

levi woke up with a start. he took a long bath the night before and scrubbed all the dirt and sweat away. he was living above the bar, so there wasn't a chance that he'd be late, but he set an alarm either way (though he almost always woke up hours before the alarm went off).

it was only 7a.m. levi's shift started at 10:30a.m. he had plenty of time to spare. the short raven threw on a pair of sweat pants and a baggy graphic tee. he was just going grocery shopping, he didn't need to look all grand for the old cashiers.

levi slammed his door, making sure it stayed shut. he quickly locked it before heading out the back entrance.

-*-*-
throughout the trip to the grocery store, levi felt like he was constantly being watched. he saw and greeted some familiar faces, but this stare felt weird, yet familiar. it couldn't have been one of his friends, no. it's too early for them to be out.

levi shivered, nearing the entrance to a small grocery store minutes away from the bar. even in the store, he felt eyes on him. from all directions, he thought someone was there, watching only him.

suddenly, he got a whiff of a very familiar scent.

pine.

though the omega was in a public place, there weren't many people there at the moment. he looked around the walls of the isle he was in, grabbing and unboxing a pair of scissors.

levi followed the scent, which lead to the back of the store. before exiting the isle, he glanced around, spotting a screen and a camera. on the camera displayed a man in the next isle over. he was wearing a fedora and a trench coat.

he was tall, too tall for levi to take him out. but the scent was unforgettable, it had to be the strange alpha from the previous night.

levi was baffled. should he confront the man, or turn away.

before he could make a choice, golden eyes were staring at him through the screen. a mask was on his face. it was the same man, wasn't it?

the tall alpha lifted his mask to show a smirk, mouthing the words 'hi levi' before turning down the isle, laughing hysterically.

levi's heart was thumping in his chest. he gave off a scared scent, too strong to go unnoticed by the beta employees. they quickly rushed to his aid, bringing him into the backroom.

right before the door closed, the golden-eyed alpha stared at levi with furrowed eyebrows, scoffing at the attention the betas were giving to the helpless omega.

and like that, levi passed out.