Pretending to Be an Alpha in an All-Alpha Boy Band - Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Scepter

On the computer screen, a pink‑haired teenager kicked a table clean over. The display cabinets rattled without stopping, and shards of glass cast gilt flecks across his pale pink hair. A middle‑aged Alpha was curled up in a corner in disgrace, a stark contrast to Yuan Shiyuan towering over him.

The sub‑ten‑second clip was going viral online.

[Top Comment 1]: Sihasihah Yuanbao is so hot. [heart eyes]

[Top Comment 2]: The royals are rebelling?! Is this video legit?

—Holy crap, this guy’s kind of badass. That’s Chen Yan, a veteran agent at Ximi Entertainment… I remember he’s an A‑rank Alpha, right?

—Huh? That’s what ysy looks like? You Yuan fans have been feasting behind my back??

—Even if it’s from a standard security‑cam angle, it flatters ysy way too much. I suspect the company’s deliberately stirring hype.

—Wasn’t ysy supposed to be a sub‑par Alpha? How did he beat an A‑rank cy till he looked like a drowned dog? And cy’s trembling, helpless expression—someone give him a blanket, I can’t. P.S. Yuan Shiyuan is way too good‑looking… Were the people who dragged his looks serious??

—There’s no way ysy is S‑rank. If he were S‑rank, they would’ve rushed to market that on day one—no way it’d stay hidden till now. He’s definitely a sub‑par Alpha, no doubt. Besides, who cares about his pheromone level at this point? He threw hands with his agent in the office and no one dared stop him. That backing is solid. Truly royalty. [thumbs up]

—As everyone knows, only an S‑rank alpha can totally suppress an A‑rank. (Or, fine, maybe a super high‑concentration A‑rank pheromone situation. —A passerby, not into idols, not anyone’s fan)

—Can you people pick one story and stick to it? What rank Alpha is ysy, exactly?

“S‑rank! Definitely S‑rank!”

Xiao Huang and Xiao Li burst out, “The cleaner we planted in Ximi Entertainment found Yuan Shiyuan’s physical exam. It clearly says S‑rank alpha! Later, his pheromone inhibitor patch accidentally loosened, and a lot of Alphas caught traces of what he left behind. Ximi has already locked down internal chatter, but we’re one hundred percent sure—”

“Yuan Shiyuan is an S‑rank alpha!”

An S‑rank alpha… with the face of a top‑tier Omega??

Another printed sheet slapped down on the table.

Pei Yanbing had been about to leave, but his gaze was suddenly caught by a one‑inch headshot.

Even Zhuang He, jaded by the entertainment industry’s parade of beauties, couldn’t help remarking, “What an exquisitely pretty boy.”

The boy in the headshot had delicate features and faced the camera with a smile. He must have been younger then—there was a touch of innocence—but his eyes were bright, lips red and teeth white, clean and refreshing, very easy on the eyes.

Zhuang He’s interest was piqued; in all his years in the business, it was his first time seeing an Alpha of this type.

He hurried to click open the next video.

It looked like a candid. Yuan Shiyuan danced in low‑rise pants, a slim, narrow waist flashing into view. In the half‑turns and hip rolls, plus a few high‑difficulty waves, you could see his core strength was excellent. Many of the clips were blurry, but it wasn’t hard to tell he had a solid foundation in dance.

His muscles were lean yet powerful. Several moves demanded real explosiveness—he nailed them, yet carried them off with striking lightness.

Pei Yanbing sat back down.

Zhuang He turned his head to ask, “Captain, what do you think?”

“Great core strength. Very watchable. Very beautiful,” Pei Yanbing paused, then added, “And very long legs.”

“Four ‘verys,’ and you still said that much—you’re clearly satisfied,” Zhuang He said. “I’m satisfied too.”

Zhuang He glanced at Pei Yanbing. Also an S‑rank alpha, Pei Yanbing had broader shoulders—the classic “double‑door fridge” build the internet loves to say—exuding a fierce, dominant aura. The other four members of Scepter were the same.

Yuan Shiyuan had a stunningly beautiful face—at first glance you might even mistake him for an Omega. He was tall, yet half a head shorter than the average S-rank alpha, and his frame was more slender…

Any member of Scepter would form an obvious height and build contrast with Yuan Shiyuan. Zhuang He had no doubt they could lift him with one arm.

Zhuang He: “Do you remember what our requirements were?”

Assistant Xiao Huang nodded. “Good-looking—ideally with the fine features of an Omega.”

That criterion had been exceeded.

“Comes with heat and a built-in fanbase.”

Perfect fit.

Judging by Yuan Shiyuan’s current buzz and traffic, if he signed with Starry Night Entertainment, the company probably wouldn’t even need to buy trending spots.

“As for his temper…”

In the video clip, Yuan Shiyuan beating up his agent didn’t exactly scream “good temper.” His actions were violent, full of the distinctive aggressiveness of a top-tier Alpha, yet his expression stayed simple and harmless, even a touch innocent.

So much so that most commenters were either drooling over his looks or panting that he was “so hot.”

Zhuang He slapped the table. “What’s his current situation with Ximi Entertainment? Hurry up and find out. And figure out a way to get in touch with him as soon as possible.”

Assistant Xiao Huang said, “We’ve tried. Can’t reach him. No idea why, and Ximi Entertainment doesn’t seem to have detailed files on him either…”

“After what happened at Ximi, do you think he’ll be wary and unwilling to sign with us?”

“The last company didn’t act like humans—of course he’d be cautious,” Zhuang He said. “But I believe as long as our benefits, opportunities, and signing bonus are in place—show him we’re sincere—he’ll reconsider.”

After all, the one thing Starry Night Entertainment wasn’t short on was money.

Yuan Shiyuan was short on money—very short.

He cut through a commercial district lined with high-rises and turned into a dim alley. The bustling city fell away behind him; puddles from a midday rinse reflected walls splashed with outrageous graffiti.

He stopped in front of a wall, pushed, and a wash of murky lights and booming sound rushed out.

Even with a mask on, everyone in the bar knew him—most of them were there for him.

A few Alphas whistled boldly at him, or deliberately let out conspicuous cheers.

Yuan Shiyuan didn’t spare them so much as a glance and went straight backstage at the WildFire Music Bar.

“Did you get the money?”

“Mm. It went smoothly enough.”

A Beta, bored out of his mind and strumming a guitar on a wicker chair, abruptly stopped. When he lifted his head, the half-line of a Latin tattoo showed beneath his collarbone.

“So smoothly?” Gu Liufeng laughed. “The internet’s in an uproar. What happened? You’re not usually that impulsive.”

“I don’t get it.”

“Hm?”

“Why are there always Alphas who want to screw me,” Yuan Shiyuan said, pulling down his mask as the pale pink hair arced softly in the air. “We’re both Alphas.”

As a Beta who couldn’t perceive pheromones, Gu Liufeng shouldn’t have been affected by an S-rank alpha. Yet watching this, he couldn’t help spacing out; his Adam’s apple bobbed without him realizing.

“You do look dangerously attractive,” he offered, fair and square.

WildFire was a music bar. Yuan Shiyuan often did live sets there; if the tips were good, he’d bartend too. Even when he worked with a half-face mask on, crowds still came just for him.

Because the hourly pay was high and tips were common—and the work didn’t cost much time or energy—Yuan Shiyuan often took part-time shifts at WildFire.

He had an account too, where he’d post a cappella clips or him playing guitar. He used to open fan DMs; later, he barely logged in at all.

Sick of being harassed by Alphas, he simply changed the first line of his bio to: Straight (orientation: O).

“This month’s salary will be paid to you in advance.” Gu Liufeng kept feeling that Yuan Shiyuan had gotten thinner lately. He asked, “You did the checkup the doctor told you to do, right? What did they say in the end?”

A and O both needed annual checkups, and on top of that, universities provided one free routine physical each year for Alphas and Omegas. The items were basic—standard physical exam and lab tests. When the results came back, the doctor said his gland data looked a bit abnormal this year and recommended he go to a hospital for a full workup.

The doctor gave him a list with all the tests he needed to do.

“I did them. The doctor said my gland development isn’t great, but it’s not a big problem. Most of the numbers are basically normal.”

“That’s good. You can’t be careless about glands. Have you heard? An Alpha had a gland issue and got lazy about doing a pheromone spectrum analysis—ended up undergoing a second differentiation into an Omega… The poor guy who got forced to A the person is crying every day.”

Yuan Shiyuan tore open a box of strawberry milk, lowered his head, and silently bit down on the straw. He’d lied.

He’d done most of the tests—only the pheromone spectrum analysis was left.

Because insurance didn’t cover it. It was expensive.

His phone buzzed. A transfer popped up on the screen.

—Yuan-bao, I hit my limit. Here’s 500 for living expenses first, I’ll send the rest in a couple of days.

…What limit.

“I’m gonna hit the restroom.”

Yuan Shiyuan slipped his phone into his pocket and, at the empty stairwell, immediately sent the money back.

The other party called right away.

Yuan Shiyuan kept his tone easy: “Dad, I’ve got enough money, really. Didn’t I tell you I have a part-time job? Yeah, the boss is great—he just advanced me my wages.”

“Your mom still needs money; you keep it. I don’t need it…”

“I really made money—and I saved quite a bit, too. You don’t believe me? I’ll transfer it to you.”

After hanging up, he transferred money to his adoptive father.

Yuan Shiyuan: [Transfer 9,826.74]

Now he was truly flat broke.

But he still had money on his transit card and campus card, so getting around and eating wouldn’t be a problem. He didn’t have other expenses anyway.

His adoptive mother was about to be hospitalized for surgery; his adoptive father had just been laid off; there was also a younger brother still in school.

He had to make money fast…

While Yuan Shiyuan was lost in thought, an employee came running over, drenched in sweat: “Finally found you! A customer placed an order through the mini-app, specified that you make the drink… tip is a hundred thousand!”

Yuan Shiyuan turned around. “How much?”

“One hundred thousand!”

“This Alpha’s really throwing money around—first time here and he’s dropping a hundred K…” Under the lights, a group of Alphas chattered away. “Tsk, and he’s wearing a mask? What’s he putting on airs for.”

“He’s an idiot. Tossing that much up front—won’t that just spoil Yuan? You’ll see, there’s no good end to simping for an A.”

“If it were me, I’d take it slow, spend with a plan…”

“Damn, why is Yuan dressed like that today?! Am I even allowed to see this…”

At the front bartending station, the young Alpha wore a simple shirt and jeans. Compared to his usual outfits, today he’d added a few accessories.

Fuzzy cat ears, a pure white lace mask, and matching white lace wrapped around his wrists, neck, and ankles, with tiny bells attached. They chimed brightly as he walked and mixed drinks.

When the Alpha lifted his hand to take a glass, a flash of that narrow, snow-white waist slipped into view.

The bar erupted in an instant—wolf whistles rising and falling, and Alpha pheromones spilling out, feral and unrestrained like stray dogs marking their turf.

In the crowd, Zhuang He instinctively covered his nose.

He’d gotten word that Yuan Shiyuan might be at this music bar and rushed over right away. He’d meant to ask a few Alphas some questions, but the more he overheard their chatter, the more off it sounded.

“First time here?” Someone noticed how green Zhuang He seemed and chuckled. “You picked a good night—your first time and you get a show. Yuan used to be so high and mighty. Hmph… I offered a hundred thousand to drink with me, and he still wouldn’t.”

Zhuang He: “You came here for him?”

“Which Alpha here didn’t come for him?” the Alpha said, voice turning cold. “How much money have I burned on him? I don’t even have him on my friends list.”

Unwilling to accept that, his gaze slid over again. “End of the month when I get paid, I’m drinking whatever he makes.”

Up front, the beauty wore fuzzy cat ears and a lace choker; the bells chimed as he mixed. The Alphas projected themselves into it. “That drink… must taste unbelievable.”

“As long as you’ve got the cash, you can drink what he makes?”

“As long as you’ve got the cash, he’ll do anything,” another Alpha said, eyes suggestive. “And he’s an Alpha.”

Ding, ding—

With Yuan Shiyuan’s movements, the bells at his wrists and ankles rang bright and clear. The Alpha sitting across from him, face hidden behind a black mask, frowned at the sound.

In a bar pulsing with bass and thick with alcohol, he still sat ramrod straight, stiff and severe by temperament.

“You haven’t been to training lately. You’ve been here?”

Yue Xiao’s brow furrowed tighter, but he kept his temper and continued, “What did you say to Nan Liujing? He’s been out of it and slacking in practice. We’re about to debut. That’s not how he should be.”

Fresh-cut ice dropped into the glass, chiming cleanly. Yuan Shiyuan tapped the rim with a fingertip, the bells at his wrist answering: “That’s an internal matter for your team. He slacks off and you come to me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, ge.” (Translation note: “ge” is a casual, slightly teasing “big brother.”)

“Don’t call me that.”

The stares from every direction, the omnipresent Alpha gaze, gave Yue Xiao the prickly unease of a territory being trespassed. He forced it into mere curiosity. “You talk to all of them like this?”

Yuan Shiyuan sidestepped: “What are you drinking?”

“Whatever.”

“Great, one ‘Whatever.’”

There actually was a drink by that name.

Yuan Shiyuan grabbed the vodka; the liquor traced a smooth arc through the air. His hands were sure and practiced, and he was long used to being watched.

Yue Xiao observed for a moment, then said primly, “You and the company may have had a misunderstanding. If you want to come back, we’ll talk to them.”

He spoke with earnest gravity. “But you can’t keep coming to places like this. It will tarnish our group’s reputation.”

“You shouldn’t be here either. And you shouldn’t be dressed this casually. You should take better care of your image.”

Yuan Shiyuan had always known what kind of person Yue Xiao was—dull, rigid, and a dyed-in-the-wool chauvinist. The first time they met, Yue Xiao mistook him for an Omega; after learning he was an Alpha, his attitude turned strange, tinged with faint disdain.

He knew exactly where that disdain came from. Some hardline macho Alphas despised pretty-faced As, saw them as unmanly—an embarrassment to their kind.

But Yue Xiao was really something. Calling his outfit casual—

“I’m dressed casually? Wasn’t that what you put in the notes when you placed the order?”

Yuan Shiyuan suddenly lifted his gaze to the straight-backed Alpha across from him, a lazy smile tugging at his lips. Bracing one hand on the bar, he bent down; his collar slid naturally, revealing a broad expanse of snow-white collarbone.

The bell at his throat jingled as he said, “You asked for lace, a choker, and cat ears. I followed every note, and now you’re turning around to blame me?”

Wolf whistles flared around them again, Alpha pheromones skittering in the air, restless like dogs in heat that couldn’t control themselves. Yue Xiao felt a wave of disgust—and then went still at what Yuan Shiyuan had just said.

“It wasn’t me. Su Luochen placed the order…” Yue Xiao explained immediately. “I don’t usually come to places like this.”

He didn’t understand the booking process, so another teammate had handled it.

“I didn’t know Su Luochen wrote those requests. Sorry,” he said.

Starry Night Entertainment didn’t have just one royal like Nan Liujing. Among the trainees, there were four preselected for debut. Since they’d grown up together and were all acquainted, people jokingly called them F4.

For Su Luochen to leave notes like that on an order—maybe he thought spending money to make another Alpha wear those clothes was a kind of humiliation, a celestial dragon’s nasty little hobby.

Does money make you special? Yes. It really does.

As long as the money’s there, what’s a pair of cat ears? That’s a hundred thousand.

Yuan Shiyuan focused on the motions of mixing, his fingers turning deftly. The bar lights swayed; shadow and glow skimmed his face like butterflies taking flight—starting from his beautiful eyes, flowing along the soft lace, slipping to the bridge of his nose and the curve of his lips.

Beneath the center of his right eye were two barely-there moles, that at a glance could pass for tears.

“Please enjoy, sir.”

He slid two exquisite cocktails across the bar—one garnished with a fire-red cherry, the other with a fresh sprig of mint.

“I only ordered one,” Yue Xiao said.

Yuan Shiyuan stepped back into the shadows. At the sound of Yue Xiao’s voice, he turned slightly and, in a spot only Yue Xiao could see, slipped his fingers under the ribbon behind his mask and untied it. Hooking the pure white lace mask on a fingertip, he flicked it lightly forward.

“This is a complimentary service.”

The Alpha looked at the now-empty mixing station, then lowered his eyes to the two drinks before him—and the gauzy lace mask. He wondered whether Yuan had meant the mask or the drink.

The F4 at Ximi Entertainment each had their own irritating traits, but at least today they’d been generous with their money—count that as one decent thing they’d done. Yuan Shiyuan had no time to dwell on their past nastiness. With a hundred-thousand tip hitting his account, he was in an excellent mood.

With that money, not only could he clock out early—his whole family could finally loosen up a bit.

He had a part-time shift the next morning, so he slipped out through the side door while it was still early. The summer night breeze was cool; his steps felt light. At last he could take off his mask, breathe freely, and lift his head to take in the city lights.

“Hello, please wait—”

Because of some unpleasant memories, Yuan Shiyuan instinctively assumed the person was one of those sicko Alphas who’d stalked him. The man’s wording was cautious and polite, but it wouldn’t be the first time he’d run into a wolf in gentleman’s clothing.

Yuan stood at the end of a narrow, dim alley. He turned his head slightly; the neon flashing from distant high-rises illuminated his wary face with biting clarity. Lace had left thin red marks at his neck, wrists, and ankles. Sweat had dampened the pink strands of his hair, but he didn’t look bedraggled—if anything, the sight was shockingly arresting.

This face had lethal power. In person, it hit far harder than any photo. Zhuang He’s pupils dilated; unable to rein in his excitement, he took a step forward.

“I’m Zhuang He, a manager from Starry Night Entertainment,” he said, pulling a business card from his pocket. “Are you interested in joining the Scepter boy group?”