Treein

Kestrel was a beta, and an aggressive one that most folks didn't like much. The Empire had picked a future husband for her. This guy was pretty much perfect: born into a high-class family, good-looking, rich, nice, and the envy of everyone around.
People were quick to start whispering.
"Why did such a great guy end up with her? She can't even make tea right and she barely passed her cooking class."
"He won't be able to put up with her for long."
"Right, their love story is a train wreck waiting to happen."
Hearing this stuff over and over, Kestrel started to think that she and her guy, Tarian, were doomed from the start. So, when Tarian showed up with a sweet and pretty girl, Kestrel pulled off her engagement ring and tossed it into the gutter.
From that moment, Kestrel lived free and happy, like a bird soaring in the sky, a fish swimming in the wide ocean.
But a few years into her easy-going life, at a royal shindig, Tarian cornered her. His eyes were all red, and he confessed that he was sorry for everything and that he couldn't stop thinking about her. But Kestrel, wild as ever, wasn't interested in going back to her old life.
Tarian turned white, gritted his teeth and said, "I don't care what you're like, and I can handle your shortcomings. You won't find a more understanding alpha than me."
"Well, I already have a new alpha." To totally shake him off, Kestrel made up a name on the spot. She quickly thought of all the alphas she'd met on the battlefield over the years, and chose the name of a buddy she was tight with, guessing he wouldn't mind.
"He's a good listener, and we're a perfect fit. Plus, he really likes me and doesn't care about my mistakes."
Right after a bummed-out Tarian took off, Kestrel turned around and smacked right into the guy she'd just made up. This guy, a real war hero who'd taken down tons of enemies, turned a bit pink, looked away, and muttered, "You... when did you figure out that I have a crush on you?"

The Beta Dominates Alphas

"No wonder. When I watched the two of you battling earlier, I had this strange gut feeling." Kaworu mentioned, "Even though you're both such skilled alpha and beta, it looked like you were fighting like two solo players on the same team. The vibe was... kind of out of sync."

Kestrel jumped in to explain, "Actually, Ren and I are one of the few beta and alpha duos that can truly co-work well in battle. In this day and age, it's rare to see betas and alphas teaming up."

Kaworu stood still for a moment, letting the rain soak him. He took a deep breath, his sigh getting lost in the rain's sound.

He walked side by side with Kestrel. They reached the entrance and placed their dripping umbrellas down, brushing off the raindrops that clung to them.

"If you're thinking about heading into the Polluted Zone again, I'd advise picking a reliable partner. Maybe an alpha you really click with and can move in sync with."

Special Training