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She paused and put her food down. She chewed and swallowed before she took the phone handed to her. She saw what she had been afraid of. She was holding Benjiro’s hands. He was kissing her, and Feng had his arm wrapped around her, his hand against her belly. It was obvious they were having sex, but nothing was visible. Sheets and arms obscured everything.
“Oh, great.” She handed the phone back, and Madame Fen looked at it.
She rang a bell, and a young woman came in with a smile. “Yes, Zumu?”
“Get one of those new smartphones designed for photography. If Taio is going to take them, they should be good.”
“I will be back in a few. Oh, did you just want the phone or a new SIM card?”
Taio said, “I will use the old card.”
“Very good.”
The young woman nodded and left the room.
Fen smiled. “Another one of my granddaughters. They are all lovely. All betas and alphas.”
“Oh.” Olly smiled. “Good for you.”
“But the only omega so far has been Delun’s new baby and daughter Hailey.” Fen smiled. “If you are the kind of beta that Nora is, I look forward to seeing what you throw.”
“Oh, nothing I enjoy more than being compared to livestock, Madame Fen.” She finished her food and set her implements aside.
“Well, dear, what else are you useful for? You have no education, have retired from a promising career, and have no real savings to support yourself. They are alphas, you are a beta, and you are a pet for them. Nothing else.” Madame Fen had a polite expression. “Do remember that.”
“Yup. Got it. Do excuse me.” She walked out of the dining room and found the ladies’ room. She threw up everything she had been holding down. It was a pity. The food had been good. Shaking, she wet a towel and washed her face. She breathed calmly, made sure her hair was clean, and left the ladies’ room.
Feng was waiting. “She didn’t mean that.”
“No, she absolutely did. Omegas state things like that for their families. They know what they want, and I am not it. I have no place around her unless I birth an omega. Even then, she might try to take it from me.” She smiled. “Unlike Minoru’s family, Fen has no desire for a freaky beta in their midst.”
“Minoru’s family?”
“Yeah, they have been sending Polly kimonos for months. She has an astonishing collection. They provided her with her dowry. Apparently, Minoru was a hard mate to match, so when he found one, they made sure she was welcome. I know you don’t have that problem, so Madame Fen will be waiting for someone who is her idea of a perfect match for you. Then, she will probably have me driven off to a farm with the rest of the beasts.”
Feng stroked her cheek. “I won’t let her.”
“You? Go against the head of your family? Yeah, right. I just need to have a word with Madame Fen before we go.”
“Taio has his new phone. I will say my goodbyes.”
When they left her in the room with Fen, Olly stepped toward her. She had the voice recording started, and she was polite but firm. Fen was crying when she left, crystal-perfect drops of tears.
Olly was quiet in the car, and Benjiro put his arm around her and rubbed her shoulder.
“Where are we going now? Someone going to flay my skin off?”
Feng spoke softly. “I hadn’t appreciated how hard this is for you.”
“I am a beta clinging to the great Feng Zhang and his apprentice Taio. I am either a whore or an opportunist. At least Benjiro was chosen for me by someone who knows me.” She sighed. “But she was right. I only have manual job skills. I didn’t finish high school, I have no secondary education. If I weren’t strong, I wouldn’t be able to work around animals the way I do, and another few months and I won’t be able to do that.”
Benjiro sighed. “Life has changed, and we can help you change your path. Our marks doomed you. It is only right that we help you find a new direction with us.”
“I would hardly call it doomed.”
He kissed her forehead. “That is kind.”
Feng frowned, and he started texting. He continued texting, and he got angry.
