Elias rode through the bright, lively city streets, the cool night's breeze tugging on his clothes. He had just finished all the cleaning and counting the money after closing his coffee shop for the day, and went for a little ride to relax before going to sleep, as he liked to do after a long day. It was a nice way to unwind, just moving ahead on his motorbike, dark, velvety skies above his head, the music and the laughter of the commercial streets, as well as the peace and tranquility of the residential areas… The city was pretty nice, or at least parts of it were. Elias had to admit he rather liked it, despite the reason why he ended up here.
He took a turn, leaving the bustling street in favor of a quieter area. He would go down a few more streets, then make his way back through Glenwood Avenue and…
All of a sudden, he flinched, as an all too familiar scent of sweet orange drifted to his nose. Without thinking, he pressed on the brakes before he lost control of his motorcycle, and pulled over.
…Just what the hell was that?
He gulped loudly, and looked back over his shoulder. There was a disheveled man stumbling down the street, looking as if he might fall and start crawling at any minute. Elias didn't pay much attention to him earlier - it wasn't uncommon to see drunk men with crumpled clothes in the city center at night, especially on weekends - but now that he actually spared him a glance…
How could he not recognize that golden hair, and that stupidly handsome face?
…What a ridiculous coincidence.
Well, was it really just a coincidence, though? Elias WAS driving through a fancy area, after all. All of his rides tended to pass through rich neighborhoods or streets full of high-class boutiques and restaurants, ever since he came to the city. Places where the Chandlers might be living or stop by, in other words.
All so that he might have a chance to catch a glimpse of his son.
It was uncomfortable, whenever he stopped to think about it, he felt like such a stalker. But what could he do? He wasn't allowed to just go see his son, and not because he was a bad parent and had his parental rights taken away from him, but rather because he followed his heart… And against his better judgment, he gave himself to a wrong person… From an even worse family.
He pressed his lips together, his hands curling up into fists. Although it's been a few years, he still wasn't over it. Not even the tiniest bit. And he doubted he'd ever be. All the things he had to go through because of that dumb Alpha…
The dumb Alpha that was currently stumbling down the street, clearly in his rut. Elias already suspected Axel's rut was coming ever since their little tie moment back in his shop - after all, while the suppressants he took helped him remain unaffected by Alphas' pheromones, he could still smell them just fine - but that still didn't explain what Axel was doing in such a state, alone, in the middle of a random residential street.
…Of course, that wasn't Elias' problem. What did it matter to him what happened to this dumb Alpha? He deserved to suffer for everything he had done to him…
However.
No matter how much Elias hated Axel, that didn't change the fact that he was still his son's father. And Ollie… was very much attached to him. Axel could (and should!) suffer, but Elias didn't want Ollie to be sad because of it.
Thus, leaving Axel alone was out of the question. Should he call for help, then? That would be the most reasonable solution. It could cause Axel some trouble if the news got out, but so what? No sensible Omega would ever approach an Alpha in a rut, on suppressants or not. He was about to pull out his phone…
But then, he paused.
Elias was currently posing as a Beta. Yes, he still had the physique of an Omega - no amount of suppressants and pheromone blockers could change who he truly was - but no one would find it odd or suspicious if he were to approach an Alpha. And Axel wasn't just some random Alpha - he was a regular customer of his coffee shop. They might not have been 'friends', but they were acquainted.
Would that be enough for Elias to bother taking a risk? No, usually not. But if he helped Axel out now, they might get closer… Axel would owe him one, and that could be beneficial for Elias later on, be it in spending more time with Ollie, or with his plans to get his son back…
Making up his mind, he pocketed his phone, and approached the swooning Alpha.
"Hey, are you alright?"
Axel lifted his head, taking a look at Elias… Or rather, in his direction. Because his eyes were so blurry, Elias wouldn't be surprised if he couldn't see him clearly.
Indeed, that seemed to be the case, because Axel stared at him blankly without a word. Then, he made a step in his direction…
And tripped.
He probably would have fallen flat on his annoyingly handsome face (and he should have), but Elias rushed forward, catching him just in time. It wasn't a conscious decision, but rather acting on instinct, something he immediately regretted…
But he couldn't exactly let him go now, now could he? He had to act properly, in case Axel were to remember it later.
So, he just pushed Axel's shoulders up, trying to steady the man. Which was far more difficult than he expected.
"Ugh… So heavy…" he couldn't help but complain under his nose. Although they were both men, he was just a frail Omega, while Axel was a full-grown Alpha. The difference between them couldn't be any clearer, especially when that idiot was practically slumped over him with his full body weight.
And Axel didn't make it any easier. Elias didn't know whether Axel mistook him for an Omega (well… That wouldn't really be a mistake), or what, but he had wrapped his arms around him, hugging him tightly. Elias struggled in his embrace, increasingly regretting his choices…
When all of a sudden, he froze, as Axel's mumbling reached his ears.
"Elias…"