The Beta Dominates Alphas

Chapter 53: Leaving Ren Behind

Ren asked Kestrel to stay here for a bit.

He took out a small spray can. There was just a dribble left in it. He spritzed that small amount onto his fingers and rubbed it around the spot where Kestrel was seated.

"It’s a mimicry spray," he explained. "It’s not very powerful, but it can give us a little extra time if we’re hidden behind a door."

The mimicry spray could mask the smells unique to humans, making it harder for mutants to spot any nearby people. Its effect didn’t last long, and there was a high chance of being discovered. Plus, it was very costly.

Apparently, Ren had just used this spray and a peculiar fish bone to sneak in undetected.

Once he was done, he cast a glance at Kestrel, opened the door, and quietly stepped out. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

In the hallway outside, the metal-head guards strolling by didn’t bother searching this storage room.

Kestrel let out a few yawns in the dim, tight space, and then Ren returned. He brought back several small packages, each about the thickness of two fingers, neatly wrapped in red paper for Kestrel.

Kestrel unwrapped one. Inside the red paper was a fine powdered food. The pale brown powder was compressed into neat little squares.

"It’s food from the Polluted Zone," Ren told her, "I’ve had it before. It’s okay to eat."

Kestrel tried a small bit.

The tiny grains of powder disintegrated the moment they hit her tongue, releasing a dense sweetness combined with a thick peanut flavor. This type of high-sugar, high-calorie food was perfect for restoring energy after a fight. Not to mention, Kestrel had a sweet tooth.

She devoured all the food wrapped in red paper with much pleasure, even tipping the leftover sugar dust on the paper into her mouth and licking her lips contentedly. She immediately felt refreshed, like a new person.

Kestrel remembered an episode from her past engagement—The young Tarian had given her a ring, claiming it was extremely precious. Kestrel accepted the ring, examined it, and slid it onto her finger.

"Something wrong? Don’t you like it?" Tarian asked her.

"I do," the younger Kestrel responded, doing her best to give feedbacks like other "normal" people.

"Kestrel," Tarian turned to her, sighing with resignation, "When you receive a gift you like, you should at least show a smile."

Tarian was an alpha, just like Ren. It seemed that alphas thought alike. freewebnøvel.com

And so, Kestrel smiled at Ren, thanking him for the food he had given her, which she absolutely loved. She also thanked him for braving the danger to fetch her food.

To Kestrel, having a full stomach was always a priority, no matter the circumstances.

Ren watched as Kestrel gobbled up all the treats he had gathered, not a single complaint from her. Her once tired eyes sparkled instantly, and she even licked her lips in satisfaction.

What surprised him most was when she turned to him and flashed a smile.

Ren looked away; he realized he couldn’t bear to meet her smile head-on.

He decided not to ask Kestrel why she was here by herself.

Ren was certain that Kestrel was more than capable of being here on her own. Despite their limited interactions, he knew her true strength better than anyone else. Beneath her seemingly delicate exterior, she possessed a remarkable power, an unwavering self-confidence, and the courage to make firm decisions. She was a lot like him.

Sometimes, he even felt that she was better equipped to handle difficult situations than he was.

And she had demonstrated it. A small white arm was stowed away in her backpack—Kestrel showed it to him after she had enjoyed the piece of candy.

Ren kept his mind focused, preventing it from wandering. He ducked his head to pull out a paper and pen, a small flashlight gripped between his teeth, as he laid out the escape plan to Kestrel in the compact storage room.

During his brief outing to find food, he had also taken note of the general spread of nearby enemies.

Holding a pen, he outlined the palace’s layout and surrounding scenario on the paper for Kestrel, offering his thoughts and strategies.

A very secretive route could help them flee the palace, according to those who had braved it before. Those who had come to retrieve keys during the "day" always used this path.

But the current situation was different—Monsters were alert, and alarm bells rang throughout the courtyard. Navigating through a thick crowd of monsters, avoiding their scrutiny, and reaching the escape route was a task that called for strength, luck, and a logical plan.

Kestrel reached out, her fingers dusted with sugar, to point out her suggestions on the paper. She felt they didn’t need to engage in combat or take detours in areas heavily populated with enemies. She was confident she could safeguard them both, slipping through undetected.

With Ren’s cooperation, they could swiftly move through these areas. Achieving wide-scale mental manipulation in such a brief period wasn’t difficult for her, and it was even easier than many of the challenges she had faced on her way here.

After considering her suggestions, Ren adjusted a few spots on the paper, with the flashlight still held in his mouth.

If he were alone, these were areas he would need to avoid at any cost, and an unavoidable bloody fight would certainly ensue. However, having Kestrel by his side altered the circumstances.

The exceedingly challenging escape now seemed entirely possible just because of Kestrel’s companion.

Ren squatted on the ground, mapping the route, his tactical suit rolled up to his elbow to reveal a beautifully muscular arm. His gloved hand grasped the pen, swiftly and accurately drawing lines on the paper, marking various tactical symbols. He then turned to Kestrel, waiting for her input.

Studying the route mapped out in black ink, Kestrel recognized the stark differences in terrain at several key points. These paths were simple, barely with any cross roads, but if it were just her, with her level of physical fitness, she wouldn’t be able to traverse them. She simply couldn’t address such high walls or jump such long gaps. But now, with an alpha beside her, even the most difficult tasks seemed effortless.

"Hmm," they both thought to themselves nearly at the same time, "It’s really great to have him/her by my side at this moment."

The storage room was very cramped. The only light source was the thin flashlight. The two of them were huddled close together, their fingers pointing at the paper map spread out on the floor.

Ren found his heart fluttering again. The first time was when he initially saw her, the second was when she mentioned another alpha as her mate, and the third time was when she smiled at him just now.

Ren realized that the small line of defense he thought he had within himself was shattered into countless fragments. He didn’t know he could be so exposed, because just not long ago, he had decided to stop being involved, to keep a distance from her. He used to be the type who, once a decision was made, wouldn’t easily change his mind.

Suddenly, he felt a bit frustrated at himself.

"What’s wrong?" Kestrel turned to ask him.

In the dim, confined space, a hint of light shone on her face, casting a dreamy moonlight glow.

Ren thought to himself, "The moon isn’t as beautiful as she is in the dark... She won’t know what I’m thinking, will she? If I can’t control my feelings, that’s okay, but I should at least not let her find out."

Ren averted his gaze, folded the paper, and tucked it into his chest pocket.

"Let’s go," he said, gripping the doorknob. "The fight will be tough."