AN: I'll be honest, this chapter went in a different direction than I first thought but I like it all the same.

*****

The next few days were spent with Li Suren, trying to make a dent in a bunch of paperwork. Paperwork about what, exactly? Sensitive faculty information that had to be reorganized due to all the sudden ‘retirements’.

It turned out that a lot of the information was acquired by Li Suren and added to the database for ease of access. How he got this information and why he felt the need to know this much was a question Jun Yibai wasn’t keen on asking.

Mostly because it was kind of scary how much he’d learned about his teachers from this database.

When the new principal found out about the database, he demanded the information be forwarded to him since he wanted to be more involved. Hence their combined effort to scrub the database of anything that could be traced back to Li Suren.

“Are you sure I should be helping with this?” Jun Yibai asked, going through the file of one of the janitors. He’d learned that this elderly man who often greeted him in the morning spent most of his paycheck on visiting maid cafes. “This feels… illegal.”

“Do you think I’d involve you in a crime, Sweetie?”

“Absolutely.” He replied without hesitation. “If it's you, I’d definitely get involved in something like that.”

Li Suren is the type to fearlessly move, as if he owned the world. As if nothing can touch him. It was the kind of confidence born from someone who rarely got in trouble for doing things. If Jun Yibai had to guess, it was more along the lines of Li Suren being smart enough not to get caught.

“I’m wounded! I really do need your help.” The omega insisted, clasping his hands together pleadingly. “This is a lot of work and as amazing as I am, I'm only human.”

“Why are you doing this alone?”

“The new principal doesn’t want too many eyes on the records.” He explained, reclining on his soft office chair. “Since I already saw everything, there's no need to hide it from me.”

“He trusts you that much?” Considering Li Suren was hiding how much information he had, he felt it was strange.

“Does he have a choice?” He chuckled, looking like a supervillain monologuing in his chair. “I know a lot. Besides, I’m one of his best students so it's not like he’d have a good excuse to cut me off. That guy is very straight-laced and by the book. As long as I don’t go overboard, we can live in harmony.”

Ah, so he's cornered the hero into keeping him around using his own morals. How… like him.

“Has anyone ever told you that you talk like a supervillain sometimes?”

“You’d be the first. Should I try for world domination?”

“When you can steal my clothes without being noticed, maybe you can strive for a little more than a school.”

Li Suren pouted, looking wronged at the accusation. Well, it would be fair to feel wronged by the accusation if it wasn’t true.

The first day they worked together, Jun Yibai had just come from PE so he went to take a shower before going to Li Suren’s office. When he noticed his gym clothes were missing, he couldn’t help but ask about them. After all, he only had two pairs so it’d be inconvenient if he lost one.

“They’re being washed by my butler.” Li Suren had replied, casually scrolling through his phone.

“Oh really?” Jun Yibai glanced over, noting a familiar-looking cloth sticking out of Li Suren’s bag. “And that thing that looks eerily like my shirt is what? A figment of my imagination?”

Li Suren had grimaced, looking away as if doing so would make Jun Yibai doubt his lying eyes. After a minute of staring the teen down, Li Suren relented, clutching his bag to his chest.

“Don’t you know familiar scents are comforting for an omega?”

“Don’t use that as an excuse to steal my clothes!”

“It's not stealing! I was going to get you another set.”

“That’s still stealing!”

After that conversation, Li Suren had either taken his words seriously or just became more discrete with his pilfering. Either way, he always got a clean set of clothes back when he worked with Li Suren. It did save on his trips to the laundromat, so he couldn’t complain.

Things were peaceful after all that trouble.

***

A body hit the ground with a thud. The gurgle that came forth was probably a groan or plea but it couldn’t be determined at that moment.

Those standing over him didn’t care what he had to say at that moment.

This young man had been milling about town, playing with the money he had earned for a simple job when he was dragged into a white van and restrained. He tried to fight but it was clear from the targeted hits that these guys knew how to get someone to stop moving.

Then the interrogation started.

They wanted to know about the job he’d done before. The one that put so much money in his pocket. Money that he knew was mostly hush money. So he kept his mouth shut.

If it was just a regular beat down, he could take it but it was so random that it was always a surprise when it started up again. Sometimes it was five minutes or even as long as an hour.

He couldn’t see a thing so he was never sure what would hit him. A fist? A weapon? Sometimes, it was just sounds. Heavy thuds and muffled shouts of pain. Like clenched fists hitting warm flesh.

Click- fsst

Then there was that sound. It was one he could place anywhere. It preceded all of his beatings, a subtle soundtrack to his interrogation.

A lighter.

Every time he thought that everything was just a dream, he’d hear that sound, and then it all started up again.

Yet today, there had been no beatings or questioning. In fact, the sound of the lighter was a bit more harried. Much more frequent than before when it matched the steady beat of a heart. Perhaps they were getting impatient?

That made sense. Even if they got the others, only he knew who had hired them so they were bound to have grown frustrated. They didn’t know who was the first source so it was a needle in a haystack.

Despite the pain, he smiled to himself. His smirk must have been noticed by his captors since they stepped forward, pressing down on his stomach.

“This little-”

He couldn’t see them due to the blindfold but he could feel the guy’s frustration as he seethed.

“Leave.” A new voice, deep and cold, said. The room went quiet.

“B-but-”

“Do I have to repeat myself?”

There was a moment of silence before the trio of footsteps retreated, ending with a slammed door. If not for the continued click-fsst, the teen would have assumed he’d been left alone.

“How long have I been here?” He demanded, receiving only a weary sigh in response.

“Oh, I guess you finally want to talk.” The click was loud in contrast to the silence in the room. “Yet you’re only asking pointless questions.”

“I might as well since you are going to let me go soon enough.”

“Really?” The man marveled, amusement echoing through his words. “That confident your ‘friends’ are coming for you?”

“Absolutely!”

They might be a loose-knit gang but they are still a gang. They came together for such a big job and risked a lot together. It was only right for them to help when one of them was in trouble.

“I can see how you’d think that.” He chuckled, a subtle change in the air setting the teen on edge. “My guys would come for me if I got caught but the difference between us and you is pretty obvious, isn’t it?”

A-ah, he sensed it now. The others were alphas but on the same levels as him. This guy, however, was a pure blood. Dominant in the most primal sense.

“You-” He swallowed his next words, feeling those dominant pheromones beating down on him. It was a threat, one that had him instinctively remain still lest be noticed by the predator in front of him.

“Moreover, you’ve gotten pretty arrogant, haven’t you?” The alpha continued, his tone light but firm. “Here I was, making things easy by being so gentle yet you demand answers from me? Ballsy, ain’t ya?”

G-gentle! He felt like he’d been run over by a truck a dozen times. The fact his teeth remained intact all this time was luck… wasn’t it?

His face must have shown a lot because the man chuckled.

“Oh, you finally noticed? You really are dumb.” He sighed, his footsteps closing in on the bound teen. “If I wanted, I could have crippled you a dozen times over but I didn’t want to make that much noise. Anyhow your screams bother my master, I’d have to cut your filthy tongue out.”

The teen tried to move away, true fear enveloping him. He couldn’t see a thing but his animal instinct told him that he was in real danger just then.

“Because of you, I’ve had to spend so much time here when I could be doing much more productive things.” He snapped, stomping on his leg. The teen cried out but stifled it as the alpha’s words continued. “Yet you dare act like I’m the problem? You wanna be a problem for me, then? Fine, I’ll treat you like a problem.”

A hand grabbed hold of his hair, lifting him off the ground, his knees dangling but unable to get his feet under him. He couldn’t do anything but tremble.

“I ain’t a planner. So I deal with problems the way gardeners do it. I'll get rid of it.” He said, dragging the teen away from the wall. “We pull at the roots and burn them so we can have a nice unobstructed view of our hard work. But you’ve got ‘friends’ right? Those who’ll pull you out of the fire?”

The teen was dumped onto a flat surface, cold and wet with something that smelled metallic.

“So I wonder what they’d do if you got dropped off at the hospital after being missing for so long?” He pondered out loud, restraining the frightened teen to the wet surface. Leather slid through metal like a wet tongue, setting his heart racing. “Would they pay your hospital bills or demand to know what you said while captive? I’m sure guys who paid all that money would love to ask you what you squealed about.”

The alpha leaned in close to whisper in his ear. “What they will do to make you disappear will tell me a lot more than you ever could.”

Before he could respond, something was pushed into his mouth, forcing it open. His words became unintelligible.

“Gross. I don’t want to see your tongue wiggling around.” His captor complained, circling him. “If you don’t want to lose that too, keep it still.”

L-lose it! Wasn’t this just a simple hospitalization?!

“Oh, you think I’m starting with the limbs? No way.” His captor informed, sounding amused. “Breaking bones hurt, you know. You’ll make a lot of noise if I start there. No, it's more efficient to start with the teeth. At least then, your screams won’t be too bothersome to Master.”

This… this guy was insane! Surely, he wouldn’t really-

Yet he felt something metallic tap on his front teeth, the contact sending shivers through his body. His brain was anticipating that first chip. The racing cold of air hitting exposed nerves.

Teeth were very sensitive, after all. He’d not only feel every impact but his every breath would let him know just how much he’d lost before the next strike.

Another tap and he felt his breath hitch in his throat.

“Now… which to start with?” His captor mused, lightly tapping randomly. “32 ways to begin. I’m kind of excited~”

The teen sobs, struggling to speak with his mouth agape.

“Huh? What was that? You want me to work my way forward?” The man mocked, his tone filled with mirth. “Your back teeth might be harder to break cleanly but if that's what you want.”

His sobs increase in volume and desperation, his body struggling to free itself from its bonds. Still, his captor played coy, letting his captive know just how time-consuming the task would be. Chipping away at teeth with a conscious person was, after all, very hard to do. They always thrashed about and if he missed? Well, what could be done? After all, he wasn’t a professional so who knows what he might hit?

After a minute of this, he said something wonderful.

“Or maybe… you found that you have something to tell me?”

The desperate nod that followed was met with a disdainful chuckle.

“Ah, then maybe you’ll get to leave here without needing a straw to eat.”

***

Chen Guiren left the room, slamming the door shut. He dumped the pair of rubber gloves in the trash, beelining for the sink. While his hands were technically clean, the fact his hands were near another person's mouth was grossing him out.

Luckily, his dad let him use their basement ‘room’ to collect information from their ‘guests’. It was suitably furnished for what he needed.

A quiet and secluded place to ask questions and remain unseen when entering or leaving.

For the last few days, he and his subordinates had been collecting and interrogating those involved in the school raid. Most only got the information secondhand but the one who dispersed the information had been hard to break.

Until now.

“Question him and get a name.” Chen Guiren ordered, removing his shirt and trashing it. “And clean him up. He made a mess.”

The trio of teens, otherwise known as the Ji brothers, blinked in surprise at their boss.

“Clean him?” One echoed, frowning. “You mean he’s talking? It's only been a few minutes!”

“Yeah, and you had days.” The alpha chastised, scowling. “Because of you, I had to waste time like this. You better get something worthwhile from this one or I’ll use your teeth like a xylophone.”

They involuntarily shuddered at the thought. It was a light punishment compared to having the shit beat out of them but it was definitely enough to get them moving.

When one bumped their tooth, the feeling reverberates through their skull, sending shivers. While it might not hurt, it's not a feeling anyone ever really forgets. It was why Chen Guiren chose this method as opposed to a punch to the balls.

That and it was a much cleaner way of ‘interrogation’ than beating the piss out of a guy.

Yet it left him feeling hollow despite finally finding the guy they were looking for. It was progress at long last yet he felt annoyed at all the wasted time. If it wasn’t for Li Suren warning him not to be reckless, he’d have gone through their suspects faster but probably lost this guy.

Ah, I hate when he’s right. He grumbled to himself, changing into some clean clothes.

“Boss, you leaving?” Zhou Jin asked, having been left behind by the other two.

“I’m bored.” He sighed, checking his phone. Seeing a single dot on the map made him smile. They were right where he left them.

Without another word, he left. Zhou Jin could only wonder what his boss was planning on doing to relieve his boredom. God, he hoped it wasn’t something he needed them to clean up.

Fifteen minutes later, Chen Guiren had arrived at school. The day had long since ended but he knew there was a pair of students still lingering in the library. Not that they were officially doing so but being student council president had some perks.

One being access to certain rooms after hours.

The alpha didn’t bother to use the door. He knew that omega had locked it. He always did, seeking to have as much alone time with their beta as possible.

As such, the only proper means of entering the library was the window. Sure, the library was on the third floor but when had such minor things ever stopped him? It was just a good way to burn off some energy he couldn’t before.

If it meant he could get close to his beloved master, he’d scale a skyscraper.

The window he reached was overlooking the library. He knew Jun Yibai would choose a secluded part of the library even if the doors were locked. Finding a good ledge, Chen Guiren sat down and searched the room for the pair.

He spotted Li Suren first, which was a given. The omega had hair that stuck out in any crowd, let alone an empty room. The setting sun made his hair shine like the surface of the water on the horizon.

Nearby, he spotted the familiar tuff of brown hair appearing before him, drawing a smile from his lips.

Ah, my cool master~ He sighed, watching him contently. He really did look cool right then. His expression was focused and serious, making him look stern like a model student. Seeing him with sweat on his brow and his fist clenched to swing a blow was cool but this was cool too.

He had planned on dropping in so he could spend some time with Master. It had been over a week since he saw the grumpy beta. Just the sight of him made all his stress flow out like a sigh. He felt content for a moment.

Then he thought about interrupting Li Suren and Master’s time together. It would be fun, to see that sly fox seethe with rage at being interrupted.

Yet he couldn’t bring himself to.

Not because he cared about the omega’s feelings. They were rivals for Master’s affection, after all. It was only right for him to intrude if he could.

Yet there was something… satisfying about watching them without being seen. Like a lion watching over his pride, he could look over them and make sure they were truly uninterrupted. Their sense of peace was dictated by him. It belonged to him.

They belonged to him.

He frowned at the strange thought but remained in place, leaning back as he kept watch.

***

This went on for months. Some days, he barged in and monopolized the beta’s time. Other times, he’d watch one or both of them as they did mundane things. All the while, he took over more and more of the area surrounding their school.

He refused to let what happened before occur again.

This day, he was tired from a dispute between some hooligans who thought they could take refuge in his area. The fight was ultimately easy but left him exhausted.

Li Suren and Jun Yibai were sitting in a secluded corner at a cafe, the table covered in textbooks. While the venue was a bit more public than usual, the cafe wasn’t popular with teens so it was a safe place to meet. That and Chen Guiren had his guys around to keep familiar faces away.

Chen Guiren was sitting on the second floor, overlooking the cafe and their booth. He had wanted to join them but the last time he came in with blood on his clothes and a manic look in his eye, someone tried to call the cops on him. He didn’t want to disturb the peace today.

Even after all this time, he couldn’t identify the rush of primal satisfaction he felt whenever he watched over them. Even his sore muscles felt a bit less tight as he saw Li Suren pout at something Jun Yibai said.

“Cute.” He muttered, smiling to himself.

“Boss?” The subordinate nearby frowned, glancing over at the first floor. He wasn’t sure what the alpha was looking at but something seemed to interest him. When he glanced back, he was met with a baleful glare.

“What are you looking at?” He growled, making the younger teen shudder.

“N-nothing, sir!”

He really hadn’t seen anything!

“Then finish your report.”

***

Jun Yibai sneezed, shivering as he glanced around the cafe. For some reason, he felt like he was being watched but he didn’t see anyone paying them any attention. Moreover, if there was anyone they’d stare at, it shouldn’t be him.

“Sweetie, have you figured out question 9 yet?” Li Suren asked from across the table, nibbling at the end of his pen. Such a thing shouldn’t be as attractive as it was but Li Suren made every mundane thing look like a cover of a magazine.

So really, it shouldn’t be him being stared at.

“Isn’t it 2?”

“I thought so too but you know how our math teacher likes being stingy.” He complained, frowning in frustration.

Jun Yibai nodded, recalling his annoyance at being told he got a question wrong because he didn’t put down the ‘right amount’ of significant values. It was arbitrary since the same teacher would grade a student wrong if they put too many.

“Asshole.”

Li Suren snickered, covering his mouth to keep from laughing out loud and drawing attention. The omega had chosen to cover his unique hair color with a hat to keep the other patrons from noticing him. He was still handsome, however, so the waitresses looked to be fighting amongst each other to get their table.

They'd already been offered 3 refills by different waitresses in the last hour.

If not for the killer hot chocolate served here, Jun Yibai would have suggested another place to study.

“You think we’ll actually get some studying done today.” He asked, glancing over at the register. The waitresses were peeking over, seeking any indication that the omega sitting across from him had any interest in them.

Said omega, however, never looked away from Jun Yibai.

“Don't worry, sweetie!” He assured, grinning in such a way that Jun Yibai could swear he heard squealing from across the cafe. “I made sure this place is out of that reckless guy’s reach.”

Though Li Suren was a bit annoyed with that dumb dog. His reach was expanding by the day and it was getting harder to slip away. It was commendable that he had taken over so much territory in only a few months but it was annoying that he wasn’t as dumb as the omega assumed.

Jun Yibai, having not even considered that, nodded. While he enjoyed Chen Guiren’s company, they could never study with him there. That guy wasn’t the type to sit still for long. In fact, Jun Yibai was pretty confident that the alpha was incapable of staying still.

He thought this as the object of his criticism watched from above, having not moved since arriving.

“By the way,” Li Suren interrupted his thoughts, resting his chin on his knuckles. “Have you thought about what you’ll do after graduation?”

Jun Yibai flinched, clenching his fist. He recalled the talk he and his dad had had before.

“Isn’t it a given?” He replied, hiding his nerves by sipping his hot chocolate. “I should start working.”

Li Suren frowned at the use of ‘should’ but didn’t respond directly to it, instead pressing softly.

“No college?”

“The places I want to go to are expensive.”

“Sweetie is super smart, second only to me.” The omega proclaimed, pride radiating from his words. “How can any college refuse a chance at taking you?”

“I suppose.” Jun Yibai stared at the table, the chocolate that had made him feel so content before was tasting a bit bitter now. “Then there are the expenses I have to worry about. I can barely afford a good hotel, let alone a dorm.”

“You could stay with me.” Li Suren offered with a wink.

“Absolutely not.”

Who knew if this guy would try something with him in the dead of night?

“Meanie~” The omega said with a pout. It just barely dragged a smile from the sullen teen. Just that little bit gave Li Suren the courage to continue. “Still, I think you should go if that's what you want. My sweetie is smart and capable so I know you can make it work if you try.”

“…You think so?”

“Absolutely! You’re my rival so it's only fitting you to strive for the top. I expect nothing less.”

“I see.”

Jun Yibai still looked sullen and unsure but Li Suren could tell he’d at least planted the idea in his friend’s head. If nothing else, that was enough.

Just then, Jun Yibai’s phone chimed, letting him know he got a text. It was from his dad.

“I’ve got to go.” He packed up his things, his mind already leaving the peaceful space he’d shared with Li Suren. Reality was returning to the forefront.

“Already?” The disappointment in the omega’s voice was clear.

“It's been an hour.” And the waitresses were getting a bit annoying! He was pretty sure they were contemplating spiking his drink just to get rid of him.

“If we lived together, I wouldn’t mind nearly as much.”

“I would.” He grumbled at the thought, though he smiled a bit. “Get home safe.”

Li Suren waved him off, grinning happily as he did so.

Jun Yibai left, taking in a breath as thoughts of the future bubbled up within him. His parents wanted him to start working, to earn money so he could live comfortably. It wasn’t a bad plan but it meant he’d have to stay with his parents to work with his dad.

It was the safe option.

Despite the encroachment, Beta’s still had a few choices that most people didn’t want to do. Lucrative but unrefined jobs that could support a family.

But Jun Yibai wanted, despite everything he’d been taught, just a bit more than that. He knew he couldn’t be a CEO or a politician but he wanted to be just a little more than what his father was.

Was that too much to ask for a mere mob character?

It's not like scholarships weren’t available for his top choices. It had occurred to him to try but every time he thought about his parents' reaction, he felt scared.

His father wasn’t a good man but he was a good father. He supported them despite all the setbacks and tried to make his son understand how cruel the world was to betas. To those below what one might consider the baseline.

He knew that whatever field he chose, he could easily be outclassed by any passing Alpha. He might match Li Suren but who was to say he could do the same against anyone else?

All these worries filled his head, the voice of his father echoing in his ears like the tolling of the bell.

It was terrifying but…

He still wanted just a little more.

*****

AN: I've decided that when I'm done with this story, I'm going to add some bonus chapters. Probably nothing 'extra' but just stuff I couldn't fit in the story for whatever reason. I end up with a lot of unused dialogue and scenes cause the story takes a different turn.