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

When Kestrel blinked her eyes open, she realized she was cozily nestled in a dry corner, draped with Ren's jacket.

During the brief time that she'd been unconscious, Ren appeared to have pulled off a string of accomplishments. He had navigated them deeper into the underground maze, skillfully dodging the array of monsters wandering just outside their den. Here, in this shadowy passageway, he had brought an old campfire back to life.

Right now, he sat by the comforting flames, his shirt removed, deeply engrossed in piecing together an intricate metallic gadget. The fire cast dancing lights on his face. With his gaze concentrated and eyelashes lowered, he seemed utterly lost in his task. Slender metal threads and an assortment of tiny parts were being meticulously put together by his agile fingers.

Next to him, he'd fashioned a makeshift iron stand over the fire. He'd taken a tubular metal item, filled it up with water, and now had it simmering above the fire.

How Mutants Reproduced (1)