beta
i feel so sorry for the mc. groomed by a powerful, older man and imprinted on forcefully when he was just a kid. exploited for his position as heir for years, but still so powerless. then, when someone comes along swearing to set him free, he has ulterior motives all along. and the poor mc falls in love, bc why wouldn't he? he's never known true love or had the autonomy to make his own decisions before. the ml is basically his savior and although he was not an outward asshole like the duke, he was manipulating him and stringing him forward for his own benefit all along. and at this point in the story, even after the mc frees himself from the shackles of the alpha that forced himself on him, he's back in the same position he was at the start: powerless & exploited. except this time, he's in love, too. :(