Chapter181:Skin Deep

|| Alaric's POV || The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and rusted metal as I pulled up to the abandoned safehouse. My fingers tightened around the steering wheel, knuckles whitening. Elias. The name tasted like poison. He had dared to claim Lilac— my Lilac— as his mate. And now, he was going to tell me why. The moment I stepped out of the car, the wind howled through the trees like a warning. My wolf bristled beneath my skin, sensing deception in the air. The door creaked open before I could knock, revealing one of my men, his face grim. "Alpha," he greeted, bowing his head. Then my eyes met Endora. Why was she here? She bowed as well. I didn’t return the gesture. "What’s happening?" My voice was low, dangerous. Marcus swallowed. His face was pale. "We gave him the usual dose—wolfsbane and silver. Enough to weaken him, make him talk. But…" His gaze flickered toward the basement stairs. "But what?" I snapped. He didn’t answer. Instead, he led the way down, the scent of blood