[BL] Alpha, You've Got the Wrong Mate!

Chapter 2: 2 — First Task

Ren nervously glanced up at the elderly woman seated across from him. Her gaze was stern, filled with curiosity and suspicion.

”Jian told me you wished to work here?”

Ren nodded, assuming Jian was the man who initially refused to let him enter the mansion.

”I do not care what you went through. I simply need some identity proof before letting you in.”

Ren looked down, his face slightly covered with his silver hair.

”I... I lost it.”

Hannah raised an eyebrow.

”How?”

”I was,” he paused before continuing. ”Robbed.”

”You could return home and—”

”I do not have a home,” his voice sharp, he interrupted her.

Hannah looked at him, scanning him closely. His responses were too quick, almost practiced. But she let out a soft chuckle at her thought. How could he practice a speech when he’d been unconscious for days?

And... He appeared no less than a weak young man. She didn’t sense by threat or scents—

He should not be a danger to anyone in the mansion.

She thought, nodding in agreement with herself.

”At least tell me what your second gender is?”

Second gender—a word Ren knew all too well. Everywhere he went, it followed him, haunting him like a hawk.

People would ask, their eyes gleaming with anticipation, hoping to hear Alpha, the most powerful and respected second gender in the world. Or perhaps Omega, the cherished symbol of motherhood, love, and devotion, yet treated terribly by Alphas.

But when he replied Beta, the light in their eyes would fade. All their anticipation turned to disappointment. However, he was fine with meeting such disappointment.

”B-Beta.”

”Alright,” Hannah clapped her hands slightly. ”Well, I have a task for you.”

Ren raised his head instantly although his eyes filled with confusion. Did he hear her wrong?

”Pardon?”

”If you succeed in the task, your job is permanent. I am not supposed to do this but...” she inhaled deeply before smiling softly. ”You remind me of my son.”

The room felt silent at her words that carried a deep weight of sadness.

”What is the task?” He hesitantly asked, breaking the silence.

”Follow me,” she limped towards the exit.

However, her sharp and commanding tone didn’t leave space for argument, and Ren followed before, silently.

They walked through the hallway. Portraits hung on the wall.

Of people.

Of men.

Of warriors.

They all stared at Ren as if he were standing at a royal court, and the king was about to give a verdict that could change him—his life.

He looked outside through the large windows. He could hear the thunder echo, while the rain kept pouring without any sign of stopping.

After a few turns, they stopped in front of a large room guarded by two muscular men. They were larger in size and taller in height than Ren. Before he could express his curiosity about these men, the door creaked open. It seemed to be an unused door—rather still new, because the smell of paint still lingered in the air.

Ren glanced at the headmaid, waiting for an explanation that never came. She gestured to him to enter, and he did.

Inside were magnificent white bookshelves. Each had at least fifteen layers, with a width of fifty inches. And at the center—a stack of books. They all had different names, shapes, and textures. A row of candles lit the room, and a dozen chandeliers hung on the ceiling. The walls were filled with artworks, and a few stairs led to a second floor. Identically, it had books on the ground and empty shelves.

”I want you to organize all these. The library was burnt down because a servant missed his aim and shot a fire spell towards the old library,” Hannah laughed as she spoke.

Ren did not find it funny though.

If it were...

He paused his thoughts.

”So, what do you want me to do?”

Hannah chuckled.

”I want you to organize them. There is a list somewhere in there,” she pointed towards the pile of books. ”They have the right order written on it.”

She smiled, turned her steps. Then, she paused, looking at him.

”Oh, by the way. If you need something, you can ask these guards.”

”O-Oh. Uhm... How long do I have to complete the task?” Ren hesitantly asked.

If it was within a day...

”Oh lord! I’m not that mean! You can take your time. No one likes books in this mansion! I assigned a few servants but they all called it quits! See? They only placed ten books properly. Everything else had to bog back here,” she, once again, pointed towards the floor filled with texts.

”O-Oh, alright.”

The headmaid turned her heels, stepping outside the library room.

Left all alone, Ren looked at the books, at the empty shelves, and sighed.

”Right, the list...” he mumbled, kneeling to the ground. He rummaged through the tower of books but couldn’t find anything that reassembled a list.

Then, he climbed the stairs to the second floor. He searched for another half an hour.

Nothing.

Just as he was about to give up, he noticed a long parchment paper near the window on the first floor. He rushed over to the window and examined the paper. It was the paper that contained the list of the books and their placement in the bookshelves.

[First bookshelf to the right, first row at the bottom, left to right:

”Anatomy of a Dragon,

[...]

Bonding & Bondbreakers

[...]

Celestial Corruption

Chronicles of Revhara: The founding of the Empire

[....]

Dragons and their descendants

[...]

Essence Theory: Understanding Energy Flow in Beasts and Men

[....]

Flames of Darkness: Demon & Souls Bonding

[...]

Geopolitical Maps: The World’s Map

[...]

History of Omega Reforms

[...]

Imperial Protocols & Etiquettes, Revised Edition

[...] ]

And the list continued.

Ren inhaled deeply, walking towards the pile of texts. He picked a book, searched its name, and placed it into a bundle of books, one above another in order depending on the list.

A few hours passed, the sun was almost setting, the once bright room turning peachy orange. He looked at the window. And he froze.

The door creaked open, and the same maid who brought Ren to meet the headmaid entered.

”You did an amazing job!” She exclaimed.

Ren turned, without responding.

”The headmaid asked me to bring you back to your room. She said you worked enough for today. Oh! And you should come with me and the other servants for dinner,” she grinned.

Her voice lowered, and she continued, ”We eat in the servants’ lounge, you see. Oh! But the food is great!”

Ren nodded, standing up.

”Let’s go,” he said politely, although he didn’t like her talkative approach.

Today was peaceful... Hopefully, things will keep going smoothly even in the future...