Chapter 101

Alexander's POV

The meeting crawled to an end, the Elders' words echoing in the vast hall long after they'd been spoken. I shook hands with Elder Cornelius, his grip firm yet weathered, and nodded to Elder David, who still wore a sceptical frown. The other Alphas filed out, their faces etched with a mix of determination and unease.

Victor clapped me on the back, breaking my reverie. "Let's get this over with," he murmured, steering us towards the exit where the other Alphas were mingling.

The hallway outside the meeting room was a blend of tradition and power, with tapestries that told the stories of our ancestors and their battles. The other Alphas—some familiar, others strangers—started to gather, and I could feel the tension coiling through the room like a living thing.

Alpha Derek, always the first to make an impression, strolled over, his eyes gleaming with a hunger I knew all too well. "Alexander, Victor," he greeted us with a tight smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Quite the su