#Chapter 103: Old Bonds

Lauren The mansion was quiet when I got home, but I knew Alexander was already here. I could feel it. The air carried his presence—that weight, that quiet storm just beneath the surface—long before I saw him. I found him standing by the window, half-lit by the streetlights outside, his shoulders tense as he looked out over the city. His shirt was dark, but I could still smell the blood and steel and something distinctly feral clinging to him. I dropped my bag onto the counter and exhaled, too tired to fight the weariness dragging at my limbs. For once, I was thankful Miles was watching the kids in the yard. We needed a moment. “Long day?” I asked, my voice coming out softer than I intended. He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he reached up, rolling the tension from his neck before finally turning to me. His eyes were sharp, unreadable—but there was something beneath it. A hesitation. “I need to talk to you,” he said. A cold knot twisted in my stomach. That wasn’t a good