THE MASK OF THE BETA

Chapter-31

**Chapter: Shadows at the Threshold**

The night outside pressed against the old house like a living thing. Moonlight struck the cracked windows in pale streaks, and the wind carried the faint scent of damp earth and rotting leaves. Inside, the air was thick with quiet vigilance.

Wenlang sat near the table, staring at the Joker card. His iris scent pulsed faintly with anxiety, flickering with each shallow breath. Gao Tu crouched nearby, muscles coiled but controlled, eyes sweeping the room in calculated arcs.

Shaoyou’s bitter orange wine layered the air, sharp and alert. Every nerve of his body was tuned to detect the faintest disturbance—the rustle of leaves, a shifting shadow, the almost imperceptible scent of someone approaching. Hua Yong’s orchid scent intertwined seamlessly, softening the tension, ensuring the team could act with precision without the raw edge of panic.

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## **The First Breach**

Outside, Shen Ming moved carefully, testing boundaries. His footsteps were deliberate but careless, and he did not yet realize the house was alive with protective instincts.

Gao Tu’s nostrils flared subtly, picking up faint traces of Shen Ming’s unique scent—a mix of smoke, dust, and something metallic. Wood sage spiraled around Wenlang, thickening almost like a shield of smoke, reacting to the detected intrusion before the intruder even reached the door.

Shaoyou adjusted the monitors, bitter orange wine vibrating sharply in the air around him. Each movement of Shen Ming outside was mirrored in his awareness. Hua Yong’s orchid scent remained calm, steady, anchoring their collective focus so that panic would never break the rhythm of their defense.

Wenlang shivered lightly. He did not know why. He only sensed warmth near his back, a strange calm in the room despite the rising tension outside.

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## **The Silent Defense**

Shen Ming reached the front door. A faint creak echoed through the empty hallway outside. Gao Tu’s hand hovered near Wenlang’s shoulder, brushing close enough to anchor him. Wood sage coiled tighter, creating a protective layer that Wenlang could not feel but that responded to every micro-movement of fear.

Shaoyou’s bitter orange wine pulsed like a warning bell, invisible but sharp. Hua Yong’s orchid scent flowed in tandem, smoothing the edges, preventing Wenlang from noticing the tension building around him.

In the monitoring room, Shaoyou’s hands moved instinctively, checking camera feeds, cross-referencing sound, and the faint vibrations through the floor. Hua Yong adjusted a lens slightly, orchid scent tempering the air, keeping clarity over alarm.

They had trained for this, anticipated this—but the execution was never mechanical. It was instinctive, alive, and synced. Every Alpha in the room moved as a single organism, with Wenlang at the center, utterly unaware.

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## **The Moment of Contact**

The door handle rattled. Shen Ming tested it again. Wood sage spiraled in response, a subtle wind of protection. Gao Tu’s hand moved a fraction closer to Wenlang, anchoring, shielding. Bitter orange wine sharpened like a blade. Orchid kept it steady.

Wenlang flinched as if sensing danger, iris scent spiking briefly, but he did not fully register the threat. Gao Tu leaned slightly forward, eyes narrowing, muscles ready to strike—but waiting. They would not alert Shen Ming until necessary. The shield would hold, the network would act as one.

A faint shadow appeared in the hallway. Shaoyou’s fingers tightened over the controls. Bitter orange wine surged in the air, tension sharpened. Hua Yong’s orchid flowed alongside it, smoothing, controlling, ready to counterbalance the intensity.