Chapter 444
Douglas knocked on the door.
The sound was firm. Not loud. Not hesitant.
Alex noted that before he spoke.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Douglas stepped inside without waiting for a second invitation. He closed it behind him carefully, eyes already scanning the room in a quick, practiced sweep before settling on Alex.
He was tall for his age, shoulders a little too broad for someone who hadn't finished growing yet. His build hinted at raw strength rather than polish—muscle earned from work and rough living, not training halls. His clothes were worn but clean, patched in places that mattered, as if he'd learned early what was worth fixing and what wasn't.
His hair was a mess of dark strands that refused to stay down, no matter how often they were pushed back. There was a faint scar along his jaw, old and thin, the kind that came from a mistake made once and never repeated.
But it was his eyes that held Alex's attention.
Sharp. Alert. Restless.