Bab 19: New Player
"Doctor, how's Elise?"
Dietrich's voice was raw, barely above a whisper, yet heavy with the weight of his fear of losing her and the anger of not protecting her well enough.
Dietrich's heart was pounding in his chest, a relentless beat that echoed the turmoil in his mind. Elise lay unconscious on the hospital bed, her face pale against the white sheets. His hand trembled as he reached out to brush a strand of hair away from her face, his blood-stained fingers hesitating just inches away. He was afraid to touch her, afraid that his very presence might cause her more harm.
The doctor, a middle-aged man with sharp eyes and a stern demeanor, looked up from his notes. "She's stable for now," he said cautiously.
"But the stress, combined with the minor injuries and shock, caused her to lose consciousness. I think we should keep her under observation for at least the next 24 hours to ensure there are no complications."
Dietrich nodded, swallowing hard. "Will she wake up soon?"
The doctor hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "It's hard to say. Her body is in a state of shock, and her mind needs time to recover. But... she's strong. I believe she'll pull through."
A strangled breath escaped Dietrich, a mix of relief and frustration. He nodded again, more firmly this time. "Thank you, Doctor," he muttered, his eyes never leaving Elise's face. "Please leave us alone, now."
The doctor didn't argue, simply nodding as he gathered his things and stepped out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. Dietrich's breath came out in ragged gasps as he turned back to Elise, his heart squeezing in his chest.
Elise… She looked so fragile, like she might break if he touched her. He reached out a hand but stopped just short, his claws retracting back into his fingers as he fought to calm himself. Why didn't you just stay away? He could feel the sting of tears in his eyes, but he fought them back. Not now. Not in front of her.
She has to wake up. She has to be okay. I can't lose her… not now.
The door creaked open again, and Julian stepped in, his expression grim as he took in the sight of his Alpha King, broken and desperate. "President… the intruders escaped. We managed to capture two of them, but the rest got away. I'm sorry."
Dietrich turned to him, his eyes dark, the cold abyss was now yearning for blood.
"Julian," Dietrich began, his voice coming out as a low growl which seemed like a warning to not speak nonsense, "what did you find out from the bastards who attacked us today? Are they from GREED again?"
Julian hesitated for a moment, his expression grim. "No, President," he said carefully, choosing his words with caution for the love of his life. "The men who attacked tonight... they weren't from GREED like the previous ones. However, it seems they managed to sneak out some information from the guild."
Dietrich's eyes narrowed, his breath hitching. "What do you mean?" he questioned, his voice like ice.
Julian continued, his tone darkening as he swallowed the lump down his throat. "Our men found the bodies of those who fled the blood moon night. They were taken out near the outskirts of our territory. Whoever attacked us tonight got their hands on some information about Elise, but it wasn't from GREED directly. It seems they intercepted and eliminated the remaining assassins from GREED who escaped last time, extracting information before killing them."
A vicious snarl escaped Dietrich's throat, his fangs flashing. "So, someone is using GREED's intel as a cover… trying to make it look like a follow-up hit." He clenched his fists, his claws digging into his palms until blood dripped onto the floor. His eyes were blazing, a dangerous crimson hue.
Julian nodded. "Exactly. It's a well-thought-out move, to confuse us and lead us into thinking the same group is targeting Elise again. But this is a different player. They want us to get busy with GREED. So, they can kidnap Elise."
Dietrich's breathing grew ragged, his chest heaving with fury. "They dared to use GREED as a mask and come after Elise in my own home?" His voice was low and filled with a venomous rage. "They think they can toy with us, toy with her life… with my life?"
Julian's gaze hardened. "Whoever they are, they must have a powerful backer to take this risk. They're trying to provoke you, President."
Dietrich's head snapped toward Julian, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Then they'll get what they want," he hissed. "I'll find them. I'll burn their entire network to the ground. I don't care who they are, how many there are, or how high they stand. If they want to provoke me, they'll learn what it means to truly face a beast."
Julian watched the President with a solemn expression, knowing the depth of Dietrich's rage. He had seen him angry before, but this… this was different.
This was personal.
"Do you want me to mobilize our spies?" Julian asked, his voice steady but tense. "We can start digging into recent movements around the GREED guild and see who has been making deals in the shadows about Miss Elise."
Dietrich nodded, his eyes still fixed on Elise's unconscious form. "Do it, carefully. Assassin guilds keep their customer information private. Find someone from there who loves money a lot. Apart from that, I want every rat and snake that's been slithering in the dark corners of my territory hunted down. And when you find them… bring them to me. Alive. I want to see the fear in their eyes when they realize their mistake. The mistake of touching what's mine."
Julian nodded, turning to leave, but Dietrich called out to him again, his voice suddenly calmer but no less deadly.
"Julian… keep this quiet. I don't want word spreading that there's a new player in the game. Let them think we're still chasing GREED. We'll use their own strategy against them."
A slow, knowing smile spread across Julian's face. "Understood, President. I'll handle it."
As Julian left, Dietrich returned his attention to Elise, his expression softening as he gazed at her pale face.
Dietrich leaned in close, his voice barely a whisper, his breath trembling with both anger and something softer, more vulnerable.
"I swear, Sunflower, I will protect you… no matter what it takes," he murmured, a tear escaping down his cheek and landing on the back of Elise's hand. "I'll make them pay for every drop of blood they dared to spill tonight."
He knew he couldn't stay by her side all night, not when there were enemies lurking in the shadows, but for now, just for a moment, he allowed himself this small respite.
To be close to her, to promise silently that he would tear apart the world if it meant keeping her safe.
But as he stood there, a thought struck him—a gnawing suspicion that made his heart clench.
Why Elise? Why now? The attack felt too calculated. Whoever was behind it, they wanted something more than just her capture. But… what?
His mind raced, trying to piece together the fragments of this twisted puzzle.
Just as he was about to turn away, a soft sound escaped Elise's lips—a faint, almost inaudible whimper.
It made his heart twist painfully in his chest, just like the night in the woods when she fainted. He leaned down, his hand trembling as he gently squeezed hers.
"Elise… please, hang in there," he whispered. "I need you with me. I need you, please."
As the room fell silent again, Dietrich felt his resolve harden.
This game wasn't fun anymore.
It was about Elise. About his mate.
He sat down next to Elise, his heart aching with both love for her and rage for himself.
No. They won't get another chance to touch her. Not even a strand of her hair. Not as long as I'm breathing.
The moonlight seeped through the window, casting a ghostly glow over Elise's face.
This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
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