The Protector (Complete)

Chapter 19

Greta woke up without pain. For the first time she could breathe without the constant pain that had riddled her body earlier. She opened her eyes and immediately recognized the men in the room but not the room itself. "What happened?"

"You had a collapsed lung," Alexander explained. "I assume it happened when your ribs were fractured." He let his fingers trail through the ends of Greta's hair without anyone in the room noticing his action. "It's fine now."

"Are you a doctor?" she asked, choosing to ignore the inevitable by not addressing either William or Edmund.

Alexander smiled and shrugged a shoulder. "Not exactly, but I can guarantee that you will be fine now."

"Where are the children?"

"Upstairs," Cenek replied, breaking into the private conversation between Greta and Alexander. "They have not been talked to per your order."

Greta visibly relaxed. "You're sure they're okay?" She smiled at her own question. "Never mind, I forgot that your kind can hear super well."

William and Edmund felt the hair on the back of their neck rise at the wording of Greta's statement. With suspended breath, they turned to Alexander, but the protector wasn't looking at them. He was watching Greta. "What did you say?"

Not as aware of how telling her statement was, Greta didn't focus on the second part, but rather on the first part. "I just wanted to make sure that the children were still okay, but I guess I don't need to worry about it."

"Because why?" Alexander asked, stressing the last word.

A pit started to grow in Greta's stomach. She struggled to sit up, but Alexander's two strong hands pushed her back gently, but firmly, down on the pillow.

"Why don't you need to worry about it?" Alexander asked again.

Greta ignored the question. She looked over Alexander's shoulder at Cenek. "Are the children okay?"

"You will cease ignoring me," ordered Alexander. He wrapped his hand around Greta's chin and forced her to look at him. "Tell me what you meant."

"Get your hand off me."

Cenek could see the stubbornness in both Greta and Alexander. Neither were willing to back down. He sighed. "Margaret, the children are safe. Now answer Alex's question."

"I don't need your help, Cenek," Alexander growled.

Cenek hid a smile. "Actually you do need it. Margaret isn't going to answer any questions if she thinks the children are in danger. I'm sure the clan that had Margaret and the children thought that intimidation and torture would work for them as well, but since all of the children are safe, we can assume that it didn't work for them. It won't work for you."

"Answer my question." It was still an order, but Alexander softened his usual tone. He knew what Cenek said was the truth. Greta was a stubborn woman, and if he wasn't in the current situation, he would have let a smile spring to his lips.

The medication that was taking away Greta's pain also muddled her brain a bit. "What was the question again?"

"What did you mean when you said that we could hear the children?"

Greta managed to shrug a shoulder even though she was lying down. "I didn't mean any offense by it."

Alexander forced himself to take a deep breath. "That is not the answer to my question. I didn't ask what you did not mean but rather what you did mean."