Lǎo bǎn:

She’s putting on a brave façade. I can see the quick movements of her chest as she fights her nerves. Her soft brow remains relaxed as she spits feisty words. She is fighting her submissive personality in order to appear stronger. I must respect that, although she’s only doing it in order to integrate herself into my camp. I’m going to enjoy breaking her. I can already see the war raging behind her soft blue eyes when she looks at me. She’s attracted, though she hates herself for it. Fear and arousal spiraling down into her very core. That will be her downfall.

Qīn’ài de, you have no idea what you have gotten yourself into.

“Lǎo bǎn,” one of my men interrupts. What was his name again? “Those who went on the supply run have returned, but they report back there is considerably less product than before. I’m not sure it’s enough to last us.”

Do they think they can short us and there will be no retaliation? “Distribute like usual. I will deal with our supplier.”

Soon I will have no choice but to put them in their place. They give me no choice, though it doesn’t affect me. It’s simply annoying.

“Yes, Lǎo bǎn. Also, Henry called. He needs to speak with you as soon as possible.”

Of course he does. Henry has nothing better to do than call and complain about the shortage of supplies being sent to them. What does he expect? We’re running low out here as well. The rebellion is growing and because of that, there are too many mouths to feed.

Maybe I should kill off a few of the weaker ones. Make room for the ones who are actually worth it to survive.

“I’ll deal with him.”

“Yes, Lǎo bǎn.” The boy bows and all but bolts away.

Vanessa is now sitting, but her eyes have not left me. What is it about her that’s so intriguing? Her crystal-like scrutiny burns with a determination that many of the Class Fours lack. To the rest of the compound, she is a fledgling Alpha yet to harness her abilities, but I can see her for what she is. A novice spy in far over her head.

Her hands quiver against her plate, even as she tries to keep eye contact with me. Her willpower is commendable, though I wonder how long it will take her to crack.

The very thought of Vanessa’s mind snapping, her very core of beliefs and morality shifting, the sweetness of her corruption, has my lips yanking into a snarl-like grin. I yearn to taste the tainted energy of her Alphan Magik the moment she realizes she is going to die. That terror, mixed with the ice-cold dread of what is to come, will be a delicacy only savored once in a lifetime. Well, her lifetime, anyway.

The tingle of need curls through the tendrils of my muscles and rakes up the sides of my arms into the base of my neck. I could easily snag a few wisps of Vanessa’s Magik right now. She would never know. Never feel the tug of her life force leaving her body. I wouldn’t take that much, just a taste. A miniscule amount.

So, why don’t I?

As the phone vibrates in my hand, a new sensation swarms through my body.

What the fuck could it be now?

Turning away, I swipe my finger across the screen of the device and growl out a response.

“Lǎo bǎn, I’m sorry for the interruption.” Henry’s voice grates through the phone’s speaker, scratching against my nerves. “You need to know what the Alphan Society is planning.”

Is he an idiot? “I already know what they’re plan is.”

They will wait until our supplies are low, and then they’ll use their dedicated military to wipe us out. What they don’t know, though, is I have encampments all over the country, teaming with Omegas willing to fight, and die, for me. Our numbers are triple what the Alphas believe them to be.

“No, Lǎo bǎn, that’s just it. They’ve already started to move.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve already lost ten Rangers in the last week. The Alphas are hunting them down while they’re on the job. Sometimes they don’t want to get their hands dirty so they spread lies through the organizations that hire us. The Betas have killed a handful of bodyguards because they were told our Omegas were spies, rats to the cops.”

Henry continues on, rambling about the deaths of my Rangers, but the only thought running through my mind is the loss of more soldiers. If Wendy and those damn Alphas plan to kill us off one-by-one, then I need to double my count.

“Make sure you’re recruiting as quickly as possible. Don’t leave a single Omega on their own. If the Alphas want to kill us off, we will build our forces until there are too many of us for them to destroy.”

Henry stumbles over his words. “But, Lǎo bǎn, what about protecting the ones we already have?”

“They knew the consequences of our rebellion. They died for the cause.” My voice lowers, threatening to slice out at my subordinate.

“Some are having, uh, doubts about whether or not you care for their well-being.” Henry clears his throat.

He has some backbone, saying that to me. “Well, you can tell them that I don’t care if they live or die. As long as they get us one step closer to overthrowing the Alphan Society.”

Silence rings on the other side of the line, and I allow my smirk to coat my features. Henry knows who I am, but living in Montana, distanced from me, he seems to have lost his edge. I do not care what happens to these soldiers. They are a means to an end.

“Get your Omegas in line, Henry,” I snap before ending the call.

Pivoting back toward the mess hall, I catch sight of Vanessa still watching me. I force my grin wider. My men may be nothing, a way to fulfill my goals, but Vanessa, she is different. Her future is now entwined with mine, and I will enjoy every minute of destroying her.