The Beta Dominates Alphas

Chapter 76: Is It Sweet?

Cass Chow was a man who cared a lot about how he looked. Maybe because he came from a poor background, he demanded more from himself than any real noble. His hair was always neatly combed, his clothes perfectly ironed, and a polite smile always on his face. He had kept these habits for decades, never losing his cool in public.

Now, he sat at his fancy desk, his hands nervously rubbing his face. His hair was a mess, his face puffy, and his mood was down, a big change from his usual calm demeanor.

Stacked on his desk was a big pile of papers - the report on the assassination from the previous night. He had worked hard to gather and arrange the information, but it was all useless now.

Soon, these issues wouldn’t be his problem as he had been fired from his job and was about to be removed from the Empire’s center of power.

The murders of Malenia and James were not small issues that could be easily overlooked. Someone had to take the blame for these events.

Cass, coming from a poor background, had lost his supporters and was in the job as head of the Public Security Department, so he was the perfect person to blame.

As the head of the PSD, he didn’t maintain the security of the Imperial Nexus, leading to the murder of two important members of the Empire. Therefore, he had to accept an investigation and resign, taking the blame for it all - it all seemed perfectly fair.

Cass didn’t understand how he had ended up in this situation. Bad things kept happening, one after another. He had spent a lot of money and effort and given up almost everything to win over his supporters - James and Malenia - only for them to be killed one after another.

Cass’s career had finally hit a dead end.

Outside Cass’s office, footsteps could be heard going back and forth. At this moment, many of his trusted staff in the Public Security Department were being investigated. Apart from his office, the whole Department was filled with royal guards sent to take over and hold responsible those who were at fault.

"Ren, how did we end up like this?" Cass asked, rubbing his swollen eyes and looking up at Ren who stood before him.

Like Cass, Ren had been busy since the previous night, taking care of various matters without a moment’s rest. However, he stood there, legs spread, back straight, alert, showing no signs of fatigue.

"Young folks do have their perks," Cass thought, "Pulling an all-nighter and still so active. Not a trace of tiredness, still as handsome, calm, and energetic — no wonder the minister liked him at first sight."

This thought sparked something in Cass. He had thoroughly studied Malenia’s preferences and knew her secret likes. He knew she was drawn to strong and handsome alphas like Ren, so he had intentionally suggested Ren to Malenia.

Back then, Malenia, full of self-importance, had said, "He’s a good boy, he deserves a reward. You should bring him to visit me often."

So, the previous night, Cass had brought Ren to the Riker family’s dinner. Cass had given subtle hints before they left and Ren, showing no clear resistance, even made an effort to dress up.

Cass’s heart began to race. He started recalling the events that occurred since Ren’s return — one disaster after another. Each incident seemed unrelated to Ren, yet some odd details made Cass, Ren’s immediate boss, feel that something was off.

Cass looked up in surprise, studying Ren standing not far from him.

Ren had changed out of his party clothes and was back in his black alpha uniform, a silver badge from the PSD pinned on his shoulder. He looked aloof and stood tall. He was an alpha, a sharp knife, a ruthless weapon, always ready for battle, certainly not a ’flower’ to be picked at some party.

Cass had watched Ren’s growth, so he knew Ren better than anyone else.

"Would he really be a submissive, tame man, willing to be controlled by others?" Cass suddenly asked himself.

Cass knew what Ren had done the previous night — Ren’s name was included in the thick stack of reports on his desk. There were witness testimonies and the signatures of investigators, clearly documenting that Ren was not alone last night.

Compared to Ren, many other alphas could not provide evidence to prove their innocence, so it seemed that Ren was indeed the last person to be suspected.

However, the spark of doubt in Cass was already lit and it was hard to suppress.

"Ren..." Cass’s dry lips trembled a bit as he asked, somewhat unclearly, "Where were you last night?"

Ren looked at him, his attitude neither too humble nor too proud. "What would you like to know, sir?" Ren’s voice was calm. "I entered and left the dinner party with you. As for the time I was away... it’s all written in the report."

A buzzing sound filled Cass’s head at that moment — he was now sure that it was Ren.

Cass knew Ren well and he should have known how dangerous he was. Over the years, Ren had caused trouble for Cass multiple times, and no matter what, Cass couldn’t make Ren submit, which had often frustrated him.

But these days, Ren had suddenly become submissive, and Cass had let his guard down.

Ren’s words, though said lightly, hit Cass hard — he knew he couldn’t ask any further; even if Ren had done something, he could only pretend not to know and hope that it would never be discovered by others.

Ren was someone Cass had called personally from the North and introduced to the Earl, as well as to Malenia herself.

Thinking about the Earl’s mansion filled Cass with a sense of fear. He remembered the time when the Earl was killed, and Ren was nowhere to be found. It was Cass who had penned a statement, saying he was with Ren and Jax. If these incidents really had something to do with Ren, he knew he couldn’t absolve himself. Even Jax, the only person who could vouch for their whereabouts, was dead now.

Feeling a twinge of fear, Cass raised his head to look at Ren.

Ren stood tall, his gaze steady and peaceful, standing in front of the table, silently observing Cass sunk in his chair.

"What are you thinking? I am the student you trained," Ren said calmly. His voice was steady, with no signs of distress that he had been found out.

A chill ran down Cass’s spine. He was a clever man and sensed the hidden warning in Ren’s words.

Cass realized Ren wasn’t scared of him. If Ren were to be taken into custody, he merely had to claim he was following his superior’s, Cass’s, instructions. In that situation, Cass wouldn’t be able to prove his innocence.

No one would believe that an alpha, recently arrived from the North and unfamiliar with the Empire’s center of power, would carry out such horrible deeds without someone’s guidance.

A feeling of suffocation and fear enveloped Cass, as though someone was choking him. He understood that the best thing for his survival was to stop investigating or thinking.

"Would he dare?" Cass felt cold sweat trickling down his back as memories of Ren flooded back.

"Yes, he would," Cass thought, "He’s always been fearless."

In their school days, Ren, without any support, would still boldly defy Cass’s orders. No beating, punishment, or banishment could break Ren’s spirit.

Ren’s stubborn streak had never been defeated by reality.

Now, the once naive boy had grown taller, stronger, more composed, and skilled at disguising his real self. Beneath his submissive exterior, he held a stubborn will. He had returned here and made a surprising move, easily scaring Cass into his shadow, forcing him to give in, and stopping any defiance.

For the first time, Cass felt old, disheartened. Everything he had accomplished in his life felt like a dream that could shatter any second.

Finally, he lowered his head.

"You can go," Cass gestured from behind his desk, seeming to age a great deal in the last moment. "Also, there are some duties from the Royal Guard Chief, Luther. He asked specifically for you. You should go see him."

As Ren left, he looked back one last time. The once tall and upright figure of Cass seemed to have bent instantly behind the desk.

Ren thought back to when he first entered the alpha academy. He was a young kid, and Cass was just a teacher who cared more about the less fortunate students.

The young Ren had once been grateful to Cass and wanted to make his teacher and school proud with what he had learned. However, as time went by, Cass became the principal, then the head of the Public Security Department, leaving his early kindness behind on his journey to power.

"But am I any different?" Ren thought, a bitter smile crossing his face. "I’m not the same boy from the academy, am I?"

***

Chief Luther of the Royal Guard was someone Ren had met before at the Earl’s mansion, a commanding presence in the Empire’s military.

Luther had a notable scar at the corner of his left eye, which gave his stern face an even more serious look.

Considering the wealth of the nobles in the Tower, each had the means to remove any old injuries in a healing pod. But in a society where looks mattered so much, Luther chose to keep his scar.

His imposing appearance, including the scar, was almost like his personal symbol, only make him more impressive.

At the headquarter of the PSD, Luther didn’t seem too worried about the case of Malenia’s dead, or about the handover procedures of the Department.

He delegated all the tasks to his civilian staff, sitting and examining a map of the Polluted Zone with his deputy.

Seeing Ren come in, Luther turned and motioned him over, saying, "Perfect timing. I was about to send someone to get you."

Ren stood by the door, giving a proper military salute.

Luther sat down at his desk, picking up Ren’s file. As he skimmed through, he said, "I’ve looked at your file. 380 times in the Polluted Zone, impressive."

Luther sat there, flipping through the thick stack of records, saying, "The ancient energy stone from Polluted Zone Five, I heard you helped Cass find it. For someone like you to stay in the PSD, dealing with small crimes, is really a waste."

Ren stood tall with his hands behind his back, maintaining a military stance. He showed neither too much excitement nor a submissive nervousness.

Even when a chief several ranks above him, with the highest authority of the royal guard, seemed interested in recruiting him, Ren simply stood in silence, waiting for Luther’s next words.

Luther closed the file, and holding it up, pointed at Ren, his questioning look landing on his deputy. "Brandon, what do you think?"

Deputy Brandon adjusted his glasses, answering, "I think he’s good too. Very stable." fгeewebnovёl.com

Luther jumped off the desk, striding over to pat Ren’s shoulder and guide him back.

"We have a problem, our Special Operations Squad is short-staffed. We want you to join."

Ren’s eyes shifted slightly.

In the Empire’s capital, any department with ’special’ in the title is directly under the queen’s sway. These squads have special powers and secretive functions. For example, the Guard’s Special Operations Department, the Science Division’s Special Research Department, the Public Security’s Special Investigation Department, etc... are departments that ordinary people find difficult to join.

"What do you say? Be direct." Luther’s grip on his shoulder tightened, "We’ll take good care of you, but the risks will certainly not be small."

"Of course, it would be my honor," Ren responded.

Luther laughed, slapping his hand on the map on the desk, saying, "Good. I already like you."

Ren’s gaze followed Luther’s hand, resting on the map, a brief look of confusion crossing his face.

"The Erdtree?"

"Correct," Deputy Brandon replied, "Following Her Majesty’s orders, we’re preparing to explore the Erdtree’s Polluted Zone."

Ren furrowed his brow slightly, "Polluted Zone 77."

"Polluted Zone 77" was new, but incredibly dangerous.

Nearly all teams daring to venture into the Zone didn’t come back. The few fortunate ones who managed to escape, inevitably slip into confusion and madness.

Upon their return, the survivors repeated only one phrase over and over, "the Erdtree, the Erdtree, the Erdtree..."

"We’re targeting the Erdtree in Zone 77. We plan to claim it," Luther said, his fingers tapping on the blueprints and papers scattered across the table. "No one has yet succeeded against this Polluted Zone. It’s still expanding. We’re putting together a top-notch team, experts in navigating the Zone, to plot its capture."

Being people of action, they quickly began examining the blueprints and documents. As the discussion was intensifying, Ren’s opticomputer blinked subtly.

Ren took a quick glance; it was an avatar of someone he had added for a while, but she had never popped up once.

The avatar was one Ren had set privately, a small moon.

Caught up with a new map and a lot of data, Ren paused momentarily, moving his wrist to shield the screen.

"Go ahead and take care of that, it’s fine," Brandon gave him a quick look and said. "We still have a long road ahead. This is a good time for a break."

"It’s a beta, added after the party last night," Ren said, placing his wrist back on the table, his demeanor cool and collected, not avoiding Brandon’s look.

Seeing that unexpected avatar made his heart jump, but he quickly controlled his feelings. He wasn’t going to be taken by surprise like the last time when Jax caught him off guard and saw his weaknesses.

Ren even managed a small smile at the observant deputy, "She’s asking me a favor, I’ll respond to her."

He moved to the window, his handsome face relaxed, a small grin on his lips. He looked content, in a good mood.

The soldiers brought in tea, and Luther and Brandon raised their cups for a break.

Brandon signaled Luther with a nod, showing his approval.

He kept his thoughts to himself until he saw Ren chatting with the girl by the window, which finally put his mind at ease and led him to choose this man for the mission. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

Brandon didn’t trust those with many thoughts and perfect appearances—such individuals always seem to have hidden motives, making him feel uneasy.

Ren, who chatted openly with a girl in front of others, and a beta at that, made a more lasting impression than the aloof alpha of the rumors.

That reassured Brandon a bit.