Chapter 56: Bold Spirit
(Charlotte's POV)
The ride back to Alexander’s den was quiet, but the air between us seemed thicker than usual. My fingers fidgeted over the container holding the wolfsbane whiskey, the glass smooth against my trembling hands. I couldn’t shake the weight of Victoria’s words at the tavern, nor the presence Alexander exuded the moment he had claimed me so publicly.
As we stepped inside, the familiar scent of pine and winter flooded my senses. I set the whiskey carefully on the counter, turning toward Alexander. He was shrugging off his coat, the sharp lines of his shoulders stiff with tension.
“Alexander,” I started softly, “I heard… that you’ve been investigating Crescent Valley’s territory claims.”
He froze mid-motion, his electric blue eyes narrowing as t
