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Betas were undesirable to most, seen more as placeholders with no real value to society than anything else. They couldn’t mate like alphas and omegas could, in fact, for most of them, mating with a beta could prove to be more dangerous than not. Pregnancies were far more difficult, pups were born weaker and sickly, some not even making it past infancy, and the death rates for mothers were statistically higher than anyone was comfortable with. As a beta himself, Xia Fei was resigned to being seen as a back up at least or another beta’s mate at most.
It wasn’t until Vein showed up that he actually felt seen, like he mattered to someone for something other than his face or body. In a lot of ways it felt like he was saved twice by the older man. He would’ve surely drowned if Vein hadn’t pulled him out, and he meant that both literally and metaphorically. Vein just couldn’t care less about how betas were viewed or how a relationship between an alpha like himself would be viewed with someone like Xia Fei, he was unconventional, both in his business…
And in his love.
Nights spent with Vein were passionate, a symphony of lust and desire that left Xia Fei feeling wanted in a way he never did, and he doubted anyone else could possibly make him feel the same, not in a million years. To say he was crushed when the news that the alpha had died reached him would be an understatement.
All he felt was numb as he watched the body of his lover boss be wheeled away. Gone forever. He didn’t cry, he wasn’t present. It felt like he was going through the motions, just as he had done before meeting the red haired man, only now the thought of returning to such a life felt like a death sentence, as if he would be betraying the memory of his Laoban, and he couldn’t do that. He just… couldn’t.
With a new resolve, he began his own investigation. The official statement from the police was that Vein died from a heart attack, but that just couldn’t be the case. Vein was young, healthy and fit, there had to be something else. Something everyone else was missing.
Whatever it was, Xia Fei was going to find it, no matter what. No matter who got in his way or what he had to do, it didn’t matter if he destroyed himself in search of something that might not even exist, he couldn’t live without the alpha, he refused to. He would tear the world apart for Vein.
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“Well, you guys have a safe flight.” The rain beat down on the three of them as they stood in front of the airport doors to say their goodbyes. “And let me know when you land, okay?” Xia Fei added. Cheng Xiaoshi hummed before responding, “Thanks for all your help, and for seeing us off. I’m sure it wasn’t easy-”
“No.” Interrupted Xia Fei. “I can’t be at the office now, too many higher ups freaking out over stuff.” A silence fell over them for a moment until the blonde spoke up once again. “Cheng Xiaoshi, what really happened to him?” Now was as good a time as any to begin his investigation, and who better to start with than the person who was there?
Alas, his hope was quickly stomped out when the younger man responded, glancing away, a look of sorrow gracing his face. “I’m sorry…it’s all a blank…” He confessed, his scent becoming slightly fainter as he looked down dejectedly, unable to meet Xia Fei’s gaze.
“Oh no, it’s fine!” How stupid could he be? Of course the guy would feel guilty about the whole thing! And Xia Fei probably made him feel even worse!. “I wasn’t trying to pressure you.” He reassured the alpha “It’s just hard to believe Laoban died in such a weird way, you know?” The beta confessed, pretending not to see the way Lu Guang held Cheng Xiaoshi’s hand in an act of comfort. Their relationship was so similar to how his and Vein’s was, an alpha and beta, that for a moment Xia Fei had to blink back a few tears. “The police didn’t find any signs of external injury or poisoning, they just chalked it up to an undiagnosed, preexisting condition and closed the case.” His words came out bitter and angry and he had to clench his fists to keep from screaming at the world and frightening the pair in front of him and the passersby surrounding them. “It’s all so messed up!”
“Xia Fei…” Cheng Xiaoshi’s voice was barely more than a whisper, trying to comfort but with no knowledge on how.
“Hey, Cheng Xiaoshi, do you believe in superpowers?” It was a random question, he knew, but… right now it felt like one of the only explanations he could find, and he desperately needed something to hold on to. “Stuff like telepathy, invisibility or time travel? I know it’s strange to talk like they’re real, but at least it would explain how he died! Or was killed…”
“Hey, come on, the police can’t assume that.”
“Yeah, that would be crazy, right? I just need it to make sense, and right now I don’t care if I’m grasping at straws, I can’t let this go. I’m going to find out what happened. If it was an accident then fine, if it wasn’t then someone’s gonna pay.” He vowed, his knuckles turning white with how hard he was clenching his fists. “Take care of yourselves. This feels like the tip of a very dangerous iceberg and if who you’re looking for is involved, then stop.” His voice bordered on pleading. He couldn’t take another death, not now, not ever. “I’m worried about what might happen if you don’t. The last thing I want to see is someone else important to me getting hurt.”
“Good news then,” the black haired alpha assured, a small, sad smile on his face, “I promised someone I’d stop looking. Don’t worry.” Before any more could be said, the intercom crackled to life, informing them that their flight was about to take off.
Xia Fei looked at the airport doors. “Time’s up.” He stated. “I won’t say goodbye, so I’ll see you around.” He held his fist for the others to bump it, a small gesture, but one he hoped convey that he didn’t blame them for what happened. “But just in case I don’t, I’ll never forget you guys.”
“Same here.” Cheng Xiaoshi seconded, connecting their fists in a light tap before their hands met again in a handshake. “Reach out if you ever need help. We’ve got your back, okay?”
“So I can visit if I’m ever in your neck of the woods?” Asked the oldest of the trio, to which Cheng Xiaoshi once again responded, enthusiastically. “Oh yeah! We’ll have a party, make it into a whole thing!”
The model huffed out a laugh. “Alright, I’m gonna have to hold you to that. So what’s your address?”
“It’s He-” He cut himself off, choosing to rephrase it a different way. “No, it’s Time Photo Studio.”
“Time Photo Studio…” Xia Fei repeated, nodding slightly. “Alright, I’ll definitely visit sometime.” He smiled at the two of them.
They said their goodbyes shortly after that and Xia Fei went back to his apartment, which somehow seemed colder and less welcoming now. He laid on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. What now? Cheng Xiaoshi was one of his only leads, and now he had nothing. Just what the police said. It was infuriating.
He wasn’t sure how long he stayed in that despairing state, drowning in his sorrow while simultaneously wracking his brain for anything else he or the cops might’ve missed, when his phone buzzed. At first, he ignored it. Probably some higher up asking (more like demanding) he come in. But curiosity gnawed at him, growing stronger and stronger until it was too much to ignore and he finally lifted the electronic up to see.
The first thing that caught his eye was the name; Liu Xiao. Groaning, he declined the call, but before he could move to put it back down it rang again. With a small, slightly annoyed sigh, he swiped to answer, putting the phone up to his ear. However, before he could ask what the other man wanted, Liu Xiao spoke, just two simple words, but ones that seemed to shatter Xia Fei’s entire world; “He’s alive.”
Xia Fei shot up like a bullet, asking a million questions. “What do you mean? How can you be sure? What’s happening? Where is he? Is he alright?” His questions were met with silence, then the other man hung up, making the beta stare at his phone in disbelief.
Alive? It didn’t seem possible. No, it wasn’t possible. Vein was dead, simple as that, he knew it, he knew anything that said otherwise was probably fake news. Still… if there was a chance, no matter how slim, he had to at least investigate. Perhaps it was foolish to hope, to dream that Vein was back, and even if he was there was no guarantee he cared for Xia Fei the same why Xia Fei cared for him, but it was something to hold onto in the ocean of sorrow and grief that he found himself in, something to keep him afloat, if only for a few more moments.
And if Vein was actually alive, then he swore he would do whatever it took to help him and protect him this time. No matter who or what stood in his way.