CHAPTER HUNDRED-NINE: THE ULTIMATUM

Alexander’s POV

It was dawn and the light was just beginning to seep through the heavy curtains, I could feel the warmth of Catherine’s body pressed against mine, her steady breath a was comforting against the chaos that had been our lives recently. My arm was draped over her, and for the first time I was afraid. Afraid I may not be able to protect her from all the chaos.

My body still ached from the effects of the poisoning—a dull, constant reminder of how close I had come to death. But here, in this bed, with Catherine in my arms, that pain seemed distant, almost irrelevant. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to savor this rare moment of peace.

Then my phone buzzed on the nightstand.

The sound pulled me from the edge of sleep, and I reached for it cautiously, not wanting to disturb Catherine. A message had come through. My thumb hovered over the screen, a part of me already knowing who it was from. When I saw her name, I felt anger tighten in my chest.

**Meet me at the old apart