Chapter 29

Lauren's POV

A shiver ran down my spine as the sterile hospital air closed in around us. Alexander’s office felt smaller than usual, the harsh overhead lights casting a warm glow over the scene.

We stood in a tense circle around the older woman in a nurse’s uniform, her nervousness painted like a clear portrait. Sweat stains dotted her shirt, her dark hair was a mess, and her hands fidgeted as she avoided our gazes.

Alexander sat at his desk, his eyes burning with intensity as we confronted the woman who had locked me in the operating room.

Her gaze flicked between Liam, Alexander, and me, her hands trembling slightly. I couldn’t blame her. After everything that had happened, I wouldn’t want to look anyone in the eye either.

“Why did you lock me in there?” I asked, my voice hoarse but firm. I wanted to be gentle, but it felt impossible.

The nurse’s face went pale, her lips tight with anxiety. She opened her mouth, then closed it again, like she was trying to come up with something convincing.

“I don’t know. I was just told to shut the door,” the nurse stammered, her voice trembling. “That was all. It was part of my tasks for the day…close operating room doors at 6:15 pm.”

My blood ran cold. What an oddly specific time.

“That’s it?” Liam demanded, stepping closer. “Someone—or some list—told you to lock me in a room and you just did it? You didn’t think to question it? That’s not a normal request.”

She winced at his tone but didn’t flinch away. Her gaze stayed fixed on the floor, a bead of sweat rolling down her temple.

“I—I didn’t know! Why would I question an order from the day’s chore sheet? We get one every morning.”

Liam’s jaw clenched, and I could feel the anger radiating off him. His hand balled into a fist at his side, but he kept it in check, the restraint visible in his posture.

“You expect us to believe that?” Liam asked, his voice low but dripping with disdain. “Someone told you to lock a woman in an operating room, and you just followed orders like a mindless drone?”

The nurse’s face turned a shade paler. “I—look, I don’t know what’s going on here. I didn’t know anything. I swear. I was just doing my job!”

“Who gave you the morning task list?” Alexander’s voice cut through the tension like a knife, calm but firm. His dark eyes never left the nurse as he leaned forward slightly on the desk, hands clasped in front of him.

The nurse swallowed hard. She shook her head, her breath shallow. “I—I don’t know. It was just there like always when I clocked in! Please, I was just trying to do my job well, Alpha Alexander!”

I could feel the heat rising in my chest. I had no idea who could have orchestrated this. Who could have wanted me trapped in that room, alone, vulnerable, waiting for who knew what to happen?

But this woman… she didn’t seem like some villain.

Liam’s gaze flicked to Alexander, and I saw a flicker of something pass between them. There was a tension there, thick and undeniable. As much as I wanted to focus on the nurse, my attention kept getting pulled to the two men beside me.

“Let’s get something straight,” Alexander said, his voice cold and precise. “I don’t tolerate incompetence. Not in my team. Not in anyone I employ.”

The nurse’s eyes widened, and her face paled further as she realized the gravity of his words. She opened her mouth to protest, but Alexander raised a hand to silence her.

“You’re fired,” he said simply, his tone leaving no room for argument. “You’re done here.”

My heart twisted slightly. I wanted justice but this…

“Sir!” She scrambled forward, “Please! I have my sons to support! I—”

“You’re fired here, Ms. Gennings. Out of my hair,” Alexander continued coldly. “To be transferred to a nearby clinic. Same rate, and hours. Go.”

Her eyes widened in relief. “Ah! Thank you! Thank you, Alpha Alexander!” She quickly cupped his hand across the desk before grabbing her purse and scrambling out of the room, avoiding my gaze. Her hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway as she disappeared.

I couldn’t help but feel a strange twist inside me—relief, maybe? Happy she was gone but still had a job?

It was a fleeting feeling, though, like trying to hold onto smoke. The weight of everything snapped me back. The answers I needed, the ones I was desperate for, were still out there, hiding in the shadows.

Liam ran a hand through his hair, his jaw tight as he turned to face Alexander. “Really?”

Alexander met his glare, leaning forward with his hands clasped on the desk. “Really, what?”

“You’re just going to let her go work somewhere else? Cause trouble somewhere else?” Liam scoffed, his frustration bubbling over.

Alexander exhaled sharply, his tone calm but cutting. “There’s a reason you’re not in charge of people, despite being the Alpha’s son, Liam. You don’t get people.”

Liam’s eyes flashed, the tension between them rising. “And you need to be more careful about who you hire, Alexander. This could’ve gone a lot worse.”

I exhaled slowly, feeling the familiar weight of their argument. Here we go again.

Why couldn’t they focus on the real problem? We didn’t have any answers—no leads, just more questions.

Alexander’s lips curled into a tight, humorless smile. “Where were you, Liam? To save Lauren? You weren’t there when she needed you.”

Liam’s face darkened, his body rigid with anger. I could feel the tension thickening in the air, like it might snap at any moment. Liam’s gaze darkened, “You would know about that—”

I stepped between them, my voice loud, and firm. “Stop it. Both of you.” My hands shook as I held them out in front of me, a futile attempt to break the rising tension. “This isn’t the time or place for this. We’re still in the dark. Arguing won’t help.”

Liam and Alexander both turned their gaze on me, their eyes filled with frustration, but I held my ground.

Alexander’s jaw tightened again, but he gave a sharp nod. “You’re right,” he said, his voice clipped. “We don’t have the luxury of time to argue.”

Liam didn’t respond immediately. He stood there, his fists still clenched, eyes narrowed. I could tell he was still upset—about the nurse, about the whole situation.

“Then what do we do now?” Liam asked, his voice quieter now, but still laced with heat.

“We keep looking,” Alexander said, his voice calm. “I’ll track down who made the tasks for the day. We don’t stop until we find out who’s behind this.”

There was a pause, and the silence felt more like a guillotine between us, whispers of secrets behind all our backs.

I looked at both of them—at the men who had been by my side through different nightmares, in their own ways—and I felt the uncertainty settling deeper into my bones.

“And if something like this happens again, Alexander?” I asked my voice quieter now. “What then?”

I wasn’t sure what I was hoping for. Maybe I just needed something to hold onto. Some reassurance in my work place.

Alexander’s silence stretched on, his gaze never leaving mine.

I thought for a moment he wouldn’t answer. Finally, his voice was firm, low, but full of a quiet, protective power.

“If it happens again, I’ll handle it. No one will ever hurt you like that again, Lauren. Not while I’m around. I won’t let anyone touch you. I’ll make sure you’re safe, no matter what it takes.”

He paused, his eyes darkening with a fierceness I hadn’t expected. “You’re under my protection. And I don’t break my promises.”

He meant it.

At least that’s what I wanted to believe.

Liam stepped closer to me, his gaze locked on Alexander, unblinking. “You’d better be sure about that,” he said, his voice low and firm. “Because if you’re not…”

For a moment, I thought they would argue again, but Alexander just sighed, low and dismissive.

“Relax, our dear prince. Your fiancée is guaranteed safety at her job. Let the big dogs handle it, yeah?”

I took a deep, annoyed breath, knowing where this was going. Liam stiffened beside me.

I cut in before they could make any more of a scene. “Whatever you say, Alexander,” I muttered, turning away, my voice more clipped than I intended. “My safety is in your hands.”