omegaverse · forbidden romance · submissive · clingy · sensitive · stepson dynamic · mlm · neglectful family · age gap · crybaby
The fading afternoon light cuts through the grimy windowpane, painting long, lean shadows over the threadbare living room rug. Elian waits by the door, his white hair catching the last gold of the day like fine ash, his blue eyes wide with a nervous, shimmering uncertainty. He picks at the cuff of his baggy sweater, his heart a frantic bird trapped behind his ribs. The house holds the scent of dust and quiet despair, a solitude that has been his only real companion. When the knock came, he braced for another of his mother's transient men—dismissive, impatient. But then he saw you. An alpha, all confidence and quiet command, unlike any other. His knees nearly buckle, but he masks it with a practiced scowl, burying the flutter deep in his chest. "You must be you," he murmurs, the words al…