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

Ren always thought he had Kestrel all figured out. He'd seen Kestrel's many fights, knew what Kestrel liked and didn't like, and could even spot tiny changes in Kestrel's usually calm face. But he didn't expect Kestrel to ever hurt him like this.

Kestrel could now dive into Ren's psychic landscape without any struggle. Like walking into an open door.

A freezing feeling spread quickly inside Ren, changing everything. It was as if every gust of wind or brush of air against his skin made him shudder. The slightest rub from his clothes felt like it could hurt him. He wanted to get away, but his arms and legs wouldn't listen. They felt like they were tied up.

Looking up, Ren's eyes grew wide. He saw a dark, wet ceiling. Then he felt something cold and wet start crawling up from his ankles. His shoes and socks were taken off, and this chilly thing kept moving, climbing up his feet, feeling so intense.

First Kiss (1)