The Bejing Power Grid
Friday morning at St. Jude’s didn’t just start; it fucking detonated.
The heavy glass doors of the main entrance hissed open, and the hallway fell into a silence so thick you could have choked on it. Usually, the students parted for Shen and Liang like they were dodging a moving train, but today was different.
Shen and Liang walked in sync, their shoulders nearly brushing. Shen looked like an ice-cold prince in his tailored uniform, his iridescent violet eyes scanning the crowd with a bored, lethal detachment. Beside him, Liang was a wall of muscle and swagger, his silver-gold eyes bright with a fuck you energy that made every Alpha in the hall look at the shitty floor.
And then there were the twins. Min-ho and Min-ji walked a half-step behind them, looking like high-fashion assassins. The New Neighbors weren't just visitors anymore; they were part of the pack.
The gasps were audible. The whispers followed them like a swarm of bees, but the four of them didn't give a single flying fuck. They moved through the sea of terrified students like they owned the square footage, heading straight for the lockers.
As they reached the bank of lockers, Liang slammed his shut, the metallic bang making a group of freshmen jump. He turned to the twins, his brow furrowed in that classic fucking idiot expression.
"Alright, I’ve been thinking about this since the pizza last night," Liang barked, his voice echoing off the lockers. "So you guys are Korean, right? So why the fuck are you guys in China? Why Beijing? And why the whole goddamn deal with our dads' companies? The fuck is up with all that? Is there like... a secret Kimchi shortage or some shit?"
The hallway went dead silent. A few students actually gasped at the sheer, unfiltered bluntness of the question.
Shen didn't even hesitate. He reached out and smacked Liang across the back of the head—hard.
"For fuck's sake, Liang!" Shen hissed, his eyes narrowed. "You can't just ask that like that, you dumbass! Have some goddamn tact for once in your life."
Liang rubbed the back of his head, pouting. "What? It’s a valid question! We’re sharing a floor and a bloodbath, I wanna know the lore!"
To everyone’s shock, Min-ho and Min-ji didn't look offended. They burst out laughing. Min-ho leaned against a locker, wiping a tear of mirth from his eye.
"It’s fine, Shen," Min-ho chuckled. "Tact isn't really in the Alpha job description, is it?"
"Our dad wanted to expand the shipping routes into the Northern territories," Min-ji explained, her voice cool and professional despite the laughter. "The Lis were blocking the ports, and your dads—specifically the Enigma King Hua Yong—already had the keys to the city. Moving to Beijing was the only way to ensure the logistics didn't get accidentally blown up. We’re the bridge, Liang. Our families combined are basically the new Great Wall.
"See?" Liang grinned at Shen, ignoring the stinging on the back of his head. "I told you it was important. Now I know we're a goddamn Wall. I like being a Wall."
"Enough history," Liang announced, grabbing his gear bag. "I got practice before first period. You guys coming to watch the Wall in action, or are you gonna go hide in the library like nerds?"
"I'd rather watch grass grow, but since we're your shadows, lead the way, meathead," Min-ji teased.
They headed out to the football field, the morning dew still clinging to the turf. While the rest of the school was scrambling to get to homeroom, the four of them sat in the stands—well, three sat, and one dominated.
Liang fucking exploded onto the field. Even without a full team practice, he was a force of nature. He ran drills with a feral intensity, his silver-gold eyes glowing as he tore through tackling dummies like they were made of wet shitty paper.
Shen sat between the twins, his gaze never leaving Liang. He watched the way Liang’s muscles flexed, the raw, unbridled Alpha power in every sprint. He felt that familiar ache in his chest—the one Hua Yong and Wenlang had warned him about.
"He’s incredible," Min-ho murmured, watching Liang vault over a bench. "I’ve seen Alphas, but he’s... he’s something else."
"He's mine," Shen said, the words slipping out with a quiet, possessive gravity.
Min-ji looked at Shen, her eyes softening. She knew the clock was ticking on that "40% power" talk. But for now, under the pale Beijing sun, Liang was still the undisputed King of the field.
Liang finished a sprint and looked up at the stands, waving a sweaty hand at Shen with a huge, goofy grin. "HEY BABE! DID YOU SEE THAT? I FUCKING NAILED IT!"
Shen felt a small, genuine smile pull at his lips. "I saw it, Liang! Get back to work!"
"Fucking idiot," Shen whispered to himself, but his heart was beating in perfect sync with the Alpha on the field.
The football field was still steaming under the morning sun, but the heat radiating off Liang was something else entirely. Shen had watched him tear across the turf like a goddamn predator, his jersey clinging to every hard line of his chest, sweat slicking his neck. It was too much. It was a physical ache in Shen’s gut that demanded to be settled.
The twins had already headed to first period, leaving the locker room a silent, echoing cavern of tile and shadows.
The second the heavy metal door clicked shut, Shen didn't wait. He didn't say a fucking word. He grabbed the back of Liang’s damp jersey and slammed him against the row of lockers. The clang of metal was fucking loud, but Liang’s sharp gasp was louder.
"Shen—what the fuck—?" Liang started, his silver-gold eyes blown wide.
"Shut up, Liang," Shen hissed, his iridescent violet eyes dark with a possessive, feral hunger.
He crashed his lips against Liang’s, tasting salt, adrenaline, and pure Alpha. It wasn’t a gentle kiss; it was a goddamn conquest. Shen’s hands were everywhere—tangling in Liang’s messy hair, gripping his waist, pulling him so close there wasn't a molecular gap between them.
He dragged Liang into the showers, the spray hitting them at scalding temperatures, soaking through their clothes instantly. Shen backed him against the wet tiles, his teeth grazing the sensitive cord of Liang’s neck. He found the spot—the junction where an Alpha’s scent was strongest—and he didn't just kiss it. He sucked, hard, leaving a dark, bruised brand on the golden skin.
In the heat and the steam, Shen’s Enigma instincts flared. Without even thinking, he nipped the skin with his canines—not a permanent mating bite, but a temporary, territorial mark that sent a massive jolt of Enigma pheromones straight into Liang’s system.
Liang’s knees buckled. A low, broken moan escaped his throat as his head thunked back against the wall. His eyes rolled back for a second, his brain short-circuiting under the sheer weight of Shen’s dominance. He was the King of the Field, but right now, he was a shaking, fucking disheveled mess in his boyfriend’s arms.
Ten minutes later, the water was off, but the damage was done.
Liang was struggling. His legs felt like they were made of overcooked noodles, and his head was spinning in a hazy, golden cloud of Shen, Shen, Shen. He was walking slow, his arm draped heavily over Shen’s shoulders for support, his uniform shirt rumpled and his hair a soaking wet disaster.
They rounded the corner toward the main administrative wing, and Shen froze.
Standing there, looking like a goddamn titan in a three-piece suit, was Hua Yong. He was here for a board meeting—since he practically owned the school—and he was currently looking at his son and son-in-law with an expression of pure, unadulterated judgment.
Right then, Liang’s legs finally gave out. He slid down the wall, his butt hitting the floor with a dull thud, his eyes glazed over.
"Whoops!" Shen said, his voice a mix of sheepishness and dark satisfaction. He knelt down immediately, hooking his arms under Liang’s armpits to haul the massive Alpha back up. "Hey, Dad! Didn't expect to see you here."
Hua Yong looked down at Liang, then at the dark, blooming mark on the side of Liang’s neck. His eyes narrowed, catching the scent of Shen’s pheromones thick in the air. He stepped forward, his presence as an Enigma nearly suffocating.
"Shen," Hua Yong rumbled, his voice like rolling thunder. "Do you even realize what you just did?"
Shen blinked, struggling to keep Liang from moving. "We just... we got carried away in the showers. He's just tired."
"He’s not tired, you idiot. You temporarily marked him," Hua Yong stated, his eyes flashing. "You didn't break the skin enough for a permanent bond, but you flooded his system with enough Enigma scent to knock out a horse. Look at him."
Liang leaned his head against Shen’s chest, let out a soft, hazy huff, and tried to close his eyes.
"Listen to me," Hua Yong said, leaning in closer so no passing students could hear. "Because it’s temporary, he’ll be back to his fucking idiot self in a few hours, when though i don't know. But for now? Keep a goddamn eye on him. He’s vulnerable. His instincts are scrambled, and he’ll do whatever you tell him to do. Don't let him wander off, and for the love of God, button his collar up. You're marking your territory in a public school, Shen. Have some class."
Shen looked down at Liang, a surge of protective heat blooming in his chest. "I didn't mean to... I just wanted him."
"I know," Hua Yong sighed, a small, rare smirk touching his lips. "It runs in the family. Just get him to class. And tell your teachers I’m the reason you’re late. They won't ask questions."
Hua Yong patted Shen’s shoulder and walked past them, his footsteps echoing with sheer fucking power, like usual.
Shen looked at Liang, who was currently trying to nuzzle into Shen’s neck. "Come on, Alpha King. Let's go to English. I'll carry your bag."
"Mmm... 'kay," Liang mumbled, his voice thick and sweet. "Love you, Shenny..."
Shen’s heart nearly stopped. "Don't call me that in public. Ever."
The English classroom was buzzing with the usual pre-bell chaos until the door swung open. The sound of the latch hitting the wall was like a fucking gunshot, and the room went dead fucking silent.
Shen walked in first, looking perfectly composed except for his slightly damp hair and a dark, predatory glint in his violet eyes. But it was the person clinging to his side that made the entire class—and the Kang twins—freeze mid-sentence.
Liang was a fucking complete wreck. His tie was lopsided, his top three buttons were undone, and his usually fierce silver-gold eyes were glazed over, staring at Shen with the kind of dopey, heart-eyed devotion you’d expect from a puppy, not a 200-pound Alpha King. He was leaning heavily on Shen, his steps uncoordinated and soft.
"Holy shit," Min-ho whispered from the back row, his jaw hitting his desk.
Min-ji stood up, her eyes darting from Shen’s smug expression to the darkening, bruised mark on the side of Liang’s neck. "Shen... what the hell did you do to him? He looks like he just got hit by a bus made of pheromones."
Shen didn't even blink. He steered Liang toward their shared desk in the center of the room. As he lowered him into the chair, Liang’s knees buckled slightly, and he let out a soft, embarrassing huff, immediately reaching out to grab the hem of Shen’s blazer.
"Don't go..." Liang mumbled, his voice thick and honey-sweet, completely oblivious to the thirty people fucking staring at him in sheer terror. "Stay here, Shenny."
"Shenny?!" Min-ho choked out, clutching his stomach as he tried not to howl with laughter. "Did the Wall of Beijing just call you Shenny? I’m going to die. I’m actually going to expire right here."
"Shut up, Min-ho," Shen drawled, his voice a low, warning vibration that made the Beta instantly sober up. He sat down next to Liang, primly opening his textbook while Liang immediately slumped over, resting his heavy head on Shen’s shoulder and inhaling deeply.
"He's... incapacitated," Shen explained to the twins, his iridescent eyes flicking toward the teacher, who was currently pretending to be very interested in a stack of grading rubrics to avoid eye contact with the Enigma. "A temporary biological glitch. My dad saw us in the hall; he said it’ll wear off in a few hour, don't know when tho. Until then, Liang is under my direct supervision."
"Direct supervision? He looks like he’s high on your pheromones, Shen," Min-ji noted, leaning over her desk to get a better look at the mark. "You actually marked him. Even if it’s temporary... that’s a power move. Half the Alphas in this room are currently vibrating with fucking fear."
It was true. The other Alphas in the class were huddled in the corners, their instincts screaming at them to stay away from the Enigma who had just successfully tamed the strongest predator in the school.
"Let them vibrate," Shen said, his hand moving to rest protectively on the back of Liang’s neck.
"Mmm... smells like home," Liang sighed, nuzzling into Shen’s blazer.
"Fucking hell," Min-ho snorted, finally losing the battle with his composure. "Wait until the football team hears about this. The Terrifying Alpha King is currently a human scarf for his boyfriend. Best. Friday. Ever."
"Min-ho," Shen said, his voice dropping an octave, "if a single word of this leaves this room, I’ll show you exactly how incapacitated I can make you."
Min-ho zipped his lips, but the smirk stayed.
The English teacher, a thin Beta named Mr. Huan who usually had the backbone of a fucking jellyfish, cleared his throat ten times before finally picking up a piece of chalk. He kept his eyes glued to the blackboard, avoiding the center of the room where the air was practically vibrating with Shen’s possessive scent.
"Alright, class... please open your textbooks to page 142. We’re discussing... uh, the themes of romanticism," Mr. Huan squeaked.
Shen flipped his page with one hand, his other arm draped firmly around the back of Liang’s chair. Liang, meanwhile, was drifting in a blissful, pheromone-induced fog. He wasn't just leaning on Shen; he was practically fucking merging with him.
"Shenny..." Liang’s voice cut through the quiet room, a low, gravelly mumble that made Min-ho start shaking with suppressed laughter again. "Your neck... it smells like... like fucking heaven. Lemme just..."
Before Shen could stop him, Liang leaned in and nuzzled right into the crook of Shen’s neck, his hot breath ghosting over Shen’s skin. He let out a deep, contented sigh that sounded suspiciously like a purr.
The entire class gasped. A girl in the front row actually dropped her pen.
"Liang, sit up," Shen commanded, his voice a low, warning vibration. He felt a flush creeping up his own neck—not from embarrassment, but from the raw, primitive satisfaction of having his Alpha so fucking completely undone by him.
"Don't wanna," Liang grumbled, his silver-gold eyes half-lidded and hazy. He reached up, his thick fingers clumsily tangling in Shen’s tie. "You’re so fucking pretty... did I tell you that today? You’re like... a violet-eyed god. My god."
Min-ji buried her face in her hands. "Oh my god, Liang. Stop. For the love of all that is holy, stop fucking talking."
"Let him talk," Shen drawled, his smirk returning as he looked at the fucking terrified Alphas in the back row. "He’s just being honest. Aren't you, Liang?"
"Fucking honest," Liang agreed, his head lolling onto Shen’s shoulder. He looked at Mr. Huan, who was currently frozen mid-sentence. "Hey, Teach! Why are you... why are there two of you? Stop spinning, you’re making me dizzy."
"I... I’m not spinning, Mr. Gao," Mr. Huan stammered, his face turning a bright shade of beet-red.
"Yes, you are," Liang insisted, his voice getting louder. "And your tie is ugly. Shenny’s tie is better. Everything about Shenny is better. He marked me. See? I’m his. Anyone got a problem with that?"
Liang tried to glare at the class, but because he was so drunk on Shen, it came off as a sleepy, adorable squint. He looked like a giant, dangerous cat that had just discovered catnip for the first time.
"No one has a problem, Liang," Min-ho wheezed, clutching his ribs. "Trust me, we are all very aware that you are his."
"Good," Liang huffed, his eyes closing as he settled back into Shen’s shoulder. "Then everyone shut the fuck up. I’m napping on my boyfriend."
Shen looked at the teacher, his iridescent eyes flashing a clear message: Don't say a word a fucking word.
"Please... continue the lesson, Mr. Huan," Shen said coolly.
The rest of the hour was the most silent English class in the history of St. Jude’s. The only sound was the scratching of pens and the occasional, deep sigh of contentment from the Alpha King as he snored softly against the Enigma’s chest.
The lunch bell rang like a death knell, and the sudden noise made Liang bolt upright. His silver-gold eyes snapped open, darting around the classroom in a frantic, wide-eyed panic. The haze hadn't fully evaporated, but the drunk part had—leaving behind a raw, jagged vulnerability that made him look like a wounded animal.
"Shen?" Liang rasped, his voice cracking. He lunged for Shen’s arm, his grip so tight his knuckles were white. "Shen, what happened? Why is everyone looking at me? Why does my neck feel like it’s on fire?"
"Easy, Alpha," Shen murmured, his voice low and grounding. He reached up, smoothing Liang’s messy hair, but the second his fingers touched Liang’s skin, the big Alpha flinched so fucking hard he nearly fell out of his chair.
"Don't—!" Liang gasped, then immediately collapsed back into Shen’s side, trembling. "Sorry. I... I feel weird. Everything is too loud. Everything is too bright. Fucking hell, my skin feels like it’s too tight for my body."
Min-ho and Min-ji walked over, their expressions shifting from amusement to genuine concern. Liang didn't even look at them; he buried his face in the crook of Shen’s neck, his breath coming in short, hitching gasps.
"He's crashing," Min-ji whispered. "The temporary mark is fading, but the hormonal drop is making him hyper-sensitive. He’s terrified, Shen."
They made it halfway to the cafeteria before the predators. smelled blood in the water. Wei, an arrogant Alpha from the varsity swim team who had been looking for a crack in Liang’s armor for months, stepped out from a hallway alcove, blocking their path.
"Well, well," Wei sneered, his eyes locking onto the dark bruise on Liang’s neck. "Look at the King. Is he crying? Did the Enigma break his little shitty pet?"
Liang shuddered, his entire body vibrating with fear. He tried to growl, but it came out as a pathetic, whimpering sound. He gripped the back of Shen’s blazer, hiding behind him like a child.
"Get lost, Wei," Shen said, his iridescent violet eyes glowing with a fucking cold, murderous light.
"Or what? You gonna kiss me too?" Wei laughed, stepping closer and reaching out to grab Liang’s chin. "Come here, Liang. Let’s see how Alpha you are when someone else touches you—"
He never finished the sentence.
Shen didn't even use a fist. He grabbed Wei’s wrist, twisted it until the bone groaned, and slammed his palm into the Alpha’s chest. The force sent Wei flying backward, his back hitting the lockers with a sickening crack before he crumpled to the floor, gasping for air.
"Touch him again," Shen hissed, his voice a fucking demonic vibration that made the nearby windows rattle, "and I will tear your soul out through your fucking throat. Get it asshole?"
Shen turned back to Liang, who was trembling so hard his teeth were literally chattering. The Alpha King was gone; in his place was a boy who looked like he was about to have a total fucking breakdown in the middle of the hallway.
"Fucking fuck this!" Shen barked, his patience snapping. He scooped Liang against his side, practically carrying him. "Min-ji! Call the driver! Now! We’re skipping the rest of this goddamn school day. We’re going back to the penthouse."
"On it," Min-ji said, already punching numbers into her phone.
"And you two are coming with us!" Shen commanded, looking at the twins. "I need both your help with something. I can't leave him like this, and I need eyes on the hall while I get him to the car. Move!"
They moved through the parking lot like a tactical unit, Shen shielding a shaking Liang from the prying eyes of the student body. By the time they hit the backseat of the black SUV, Liang had crawled into Shen’s lap, sobbing quietly into his chest, his fingers hooked into Shen’s shirt like a lifeline.
"It’s okay, baby," Shen whispered, his hand resting on the back of Liang’s neck, his own scent flaring to soothe the Alpha. "We’re going home. No one’s gonna touch you. I’ve got you."
At that Liang burried his face in Shen's neck.