Alex stepped out of the car and into the gravel driveway of the Masterson estate, the imposing mansion standing cold and lifeless beneath the overcast sky. The towering wrought-iron gates creaked shut behind him, locking him into the gilded prison he had called home his entire life. A chill wind swept across the driveway, tugging at the loose strands of his brown hair as he adjusted his grip on the handle of his suitcase.
A young maid approached to take his bag. Alex handed it over without a word, his amber eyes flicking toward the large double doors that loomed ahead.
Inside, the air was heavy with the scent of polished wood and fading roses. His family was already gathered in the living room. His mother, elegant as always in a dark fitted dress, perched on the edge of a velvet chair with her legs crossed. His father sat beside her, his face drawn and hard, while Elena and Ian occupied the other seats. Their expressions were as cold and detached as ever.
Alex stood at the threshold, his hands curling into fists at his sides. No one bothered to greet him.
"Sit down, Alex," his father said without looking up.
Alex moved toward the armchair closest to the window and sat down. His mother's gaze followed him, her mouth tightening in displeasure. She always looked at him that way — as though his mere existence was an insult. He was the stain on their bloodline, the embarrassment they could never erase.
It didn't matter that he had spent his life trying to be the son they wanted. None of it mattered because he was an omega.
He sat back, resting his hands on his knees, and waited for the reason they had called him home.
"Our hotel business shares have been covertly acquired," his father said, his tone sharp. "Various companies have been buying them, but it's clear now that they're all tied to one source."
"Which means?" Alex prompted, not entirely sure why he was being included in this conversation.
"It means," Ian said, "that 60% of the shares now belong to a single person. We still control 40%, but that's not enough to stop this person from doing whatever they want with the business."
Alex's brows pulled together. "So… we're not bankrupt."
"You stupid boy," his mother's voice cut through the room like a whip. "If this person decides to ruin us, they can. If you'd been paying attention to your studies, you'd understand that."
Alex's stomach curled in on itself. His mother's eyes were sharp with disgust.
"Right," Alex murmured, lowering his eyes.
The truth was, he hadn't been studying business in years. After two years of pretending to care about it, he had left the program and enrolled in a culinary school. Food had always been his passion — the one thing that brought him joy — but his family had never bothered to notice.
He paid for his schooling himself, taking side jobs in restaurants and catering events to cover the costs. His family had been too caught up in their own worlds to realize he wasn't even attending university anymore.
Elena leaned forward, her long dark hair spilling over her shoulder. "We still have assets we can sell," she said. "We could buy back enough shares to become the majority shareholder again."
"Well…" his father rubbed his temple. "The only remaining assets are the beach house and the cars. I had to take out a loan to cover some of our recent losses."
"What?" his mother's voice rose in a sharp shriek. "You mortgaged this house?"
"Yes," his father replied, weary. "But as long as we make the payments, we'll keep it."
Alex's eyes drifted toward the window. He could feel his mother's fury vibrating in the air, but he had stopped listening. His mind wandered toward Damien, toward the empty space he had left behind.
Damien had vanished without a word, leaving Alex aching and hollow. He had left his contact information with the hotel in case Damien came back. He missed him so much.
Alex had been certain Damien had a good reason for leaving. He had to.
"I hear Mr. Sandbrook is an alpha," his father's voice broke through his thoughts.
Alex's head lifted sharply.
"I'm not sure about his preferences," his father continued, "but I'm sure even an omega as unimpressive as you might have some value."
Alex's chest tightened painfully. "What?"
His father's gaze sharpened. "What I mean is that you should try to get along with this Mr. Sandbrook."
"Get along?" Alex's fists clenched. "You mean you want me to—"
"You've been taking the pills to suppress your omega traits for years," his mother interrupted. "It's time to stop."
Alex's stomach twisted. "But… no one knows I'm an omega. We agreed—"
"You can take pheromone intensifiers," his mother said coolly. "If you can't naturally attract an alpha, we can fix that."
Alex's mouth went dry.
"What… after all these years of feeding you, clothing you, paying for those expensive treatments, you think it's unreasonable to expect you to do your part?" his mother's tone was sharp and cutting.
Alex's heart hammered in his chest. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His parents had spent years forcing him to hide his nature — years of hormone treatments that left him nauseous and fatigued, all to protect the family's reputation. And now they expected him to weaponize the very thing they had been so desperate to conceal?
"Mother," Elena's voice cut in, "let's not go that far. Not yet."
Alex's gaze darted toward his sister. She was watching him with a calculating expression.
"Let's try to negotiate with Mr. Sandbrook first," Elena suggested. "Perhaps we can buy back 11% of the shares. If not… well, then we'll revisit other options."
Alex's father gave a grudging nod. "Fine. We'll try it your way — for now."
Alex forced himself to breathe. His hands were trembling in his lap.
"May I be excused?" he asked quietly.
"Yes, go." His mother waved her hand dismissively. "Since you're of no use for now, there's no point in keeping you here."
Alex rose and walked toward the staircase. His heart was beating too fast, the walls of the house suddenly feeling too close, the air too thick.
Once he reached the second-floor hallway, he pressed his back against the wall and closed his eyes.
His family had called him home for one reason — because they wanted to sell him off. He wasn't grateful for Elena's intervention. He knew his sister well enough to know she hadn't done it out of kindness. She would demand something in return.
Alex rubbed at his chest, the ache beneath his ribs deepening.
They had spent years denying his nature. Now they expected him to give it up willingly. To manipulate and seduce some stranger for their benefit.
And the worst part was… if it came down to it, they wouldn't hesitate to force him.
Alex's fingers trembled as he pushed away from the wall and walked toward his bedroom. His heart was hammering painfully in his chest.
He wouldn't let them control him again. He couldn't.
But deep down, a bitter voice whispered that it was already too late.