Alaric's POV
I stood at the tall arched window of the guest chamber they had hastily prepared for me, my hands clasped behind my back as I gazed out over the crumbling courtyard of Grey’s pack estate. The moon hung low and heavy in the sky, casting a silver sheen across the worn stone paths and neglected gardens. This place reeked of decay—not just in its physical decay, but in the rot of desperation and betrayal that clung to every corner. I had ridden here expecting to collect on a long-overdue debt, but the stench of Grey’s scheming had grown thicker with every passing hour.
A soft knock sounded at the heavy oak door. I didn’t turn.
“Enter.”
My advisor, Elias, stepped inside, his robes whispering against the floor. He closed the door behind him with a quiet click that felt far too f
