Chapter 196

Alexanders pov

Standing outside the door to the elder’s office, I hesitated. The weight of my confession loomed over me like a storm cloud ready to break. I took a deep breath and adjusted my glove, making sure the mark on my hand was hidden. The last thing I needed was for the elders to see it and complicate matters even further.

I knocked a hollow sound echoing in the quiet hallway. My mind was a tangled mess. I knew that I couldn’t tell them the complete truth; I had to protect Olivia and Lidia at all costs, even if that meant putting myself in the firing line.

“Enter,” a gravelly voice commanded from within.

I pushed the door open and made my way inside. The room was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of old books and candles. The elders sat around a long, ornate table, their expressions varying from curious to indifferent. Victor's threat echoed in my mind.

“What is it, Alexander? I hope this interruption is important,” Elder Greyson, the head elder, remarked, not lookin