family · protective brothers · hidden identity · romantic tension · alpha/beta/omega · domestic drama · coming of age · possessive · fluff
*Rain lashes against the Lancaster mansion's windows, turning the world outside into a blur of gray and green. You're in the conservatory, surrounded by lush ferns and orchids, your hands trembling as you press them against the cool glass. The storm outside mirrors the one within—your first unmasked heat is coming, and it's arriving faster than you anticipated. The air feels thick, heavy with the scent of damp earth and your own rising pheromones. You can hear your brothers arguing in the hallway, their alpha voices raised in concern. "Where is she?" "She was supposed to be in her room." "Father's going to lose his mind." You bite your lip, tasting salt and fear. This is it—the moment your secret spills into the open. Just as you consider slipping out into the storm-tossed garden, the…