Alpha's Private Plaything (Elsa and Drake Stone) novel Chapter 194

Chapter 194

Drake

My nostrils flared as I stepped into the hallway, catching an

unfamiliar yet somehow recognizable scent. Faint, but distinct –

someone had passed through here recently. Someone who shouldn’t

be here.

Through the hotel’s security app, I accessed the camera outside Elsa’s

room. The feed showed a lean figure in dark clothing pping through

her door with practiced ease. I recognized his movements instantly.

I watched through my phone as Lucas Miller moved silently around Elsa’s room. She was asleep, unaware of his presence. He examined her hand, gently applying some kind of salve to minor cuts she must have gotten during the near–accident. His movements were precise, professional – he’d clearly done this before.

After adjusting her blanket and the room’s thermostat, Lucas slipped

out as quietly as he had entered.

I waited by the elevator, my back straight, shoulders squared. When the doors opened and Lucas stepped out, our eyes locked. His face betrayed nothing, but I could smell the adrenaline spike in his scent.

Chapter 194

“So it is you, Lucas,” I said, my voice carrying just enough edge to be a

warning.

He held my gaze for a long moment before stepping into the elevator

without a word.

As the doors closed between us, my jaw clenched tight enough to

ache.

Elsa

I jolted awake to harsh sunlight streaming through the gap in the curtains, as if deliberately disrupting my sleep. My phone chimed with a notification, and I grabbed it, squinting at the screen. The headache had subsided, but my entire body still felt like it had been

run over by a truck.

The message was from Allen: Ava has been called back to headquarters. Someone else will be replacing her.

“Thank god we’re rid of that bitch,” I muttered, my fingers tapping restlessly against the nightstand. Relief washed over me, only to be replaced by the unsettling memory of Drake caring for me last night. That complicated feeling made my stomach churn. I irritably threw off the covers, my feet landing heavily on the floor as I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

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I dragged my exhausted body to the desk, yanked the chair out, and

sat down with a thud, opening my laptop to continue researching

silver poisoning specialists for my mom. My fingers pounded the keyboard frantically as each potential treatment option was shattered by subsequent obstacles–six–month waiting lists, requirements for endorsements from senior pack members, astronomical fees…

“Fucking shit world!” I cursed, slamming my fist on the desk hard enough to make the laptop bounce. I grabbed my hair with both hands, pulling at it as if that could alleviate the frustration boiling

inside me.

Reality stung: Drake could contact the best specialists with just one damn phone call. His status as Alpha opened every locked door, while

I could only crawl like an ant outside the wall.

My fingers hovered over my phone, hesitating whether to contact Allen for help. “No, absolutely not,” I said to myself, pushing the

phone away until my knuckles turned white.

The alarm reminded me I needed to meet the engineering team in thirty minutes. I slammed my laptop shut with enough force to make me worry about cracking the screen. As I stood up, a wave of dizziness hit me, forcing me to grip the table for stability. “Damn it,

pull yourself together,” I hissed at my haggard reflection in the mirror before stumbling toward the bathroom.

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In the hotel lobby, I nearly collided with Drake. He stood with his back to the main entrance, his expression terrifyingly somber. Something in his eyes made my gut twist into a knot.

“Lucas has had people watching you for months,” he said without preamble. “Following you. Protecting you.”

I froze, my heart painfully skipping a beat. My fingers unconsciously tightened around my bag strap, nails digging into the leather. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“After all these years, he still cares for you.” Drake s tone was bitter, his eyes cold as an arctic winter. “Do you still care for him too, Elsa? Was there more between you than friendship?”

The implication in his voice was crystal clear. My cheeks burned with both anger and something else I refused to acknowledge. I instinctively took a step back, my throat tightening.

“You have no right to ask me that,” I struggled to keep my voice from trembling, and failed. “After all the shit you’ve done, you have no

fucking right.”

Drake’s jaw tightened, a muscle twitching beneath his skin. I could feel his wolf nature churning beneath the surface, dangerous and

threatening.

Chapter 195

dare,” I managed, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my

heart.

“Fine.” Susan’s smile widened. “I dare you to pick any man in this room and kiss him for three minutes straight. Tongue and all.”

“That’s enough!” Allen’s voice carried the edge of a dominant wolf’s

growl. “This game is over.”

Susan’s facade finally cracked. She slammed her glass down,

shattering it against the table. “Why are you defendi

er?” she

shrieked, pointing at me with a trembling finger. “Do you even know what she is? She doesn’t deserve respect!”

The room went deathly quiet.

“She’s fucking Drake!” Susan spat, her words like venom. “All while pretending to help me get closer to him. Making me look like a fool, playing both sides!”

I sat frozen, unable to defend myself because–what could I say? It was true. My chest felt like it was collapsing inward, each breath shorter than the last.

“She manipulated me,” Susan continued, her voice cracking with emotion. “Said she’d help me, gave me advice on how to approach

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Chapter 194

stubborn community that was hindering our project timeline. My fingers unconsciously tapped against the folder as I waited for his

explanation.

“They’ve lived there for generations,” Allen explained. “It’s not just about the land, it’s about heritage. They believe the mountain belongs to them, not to corporate interests.”

I nodded thoughtfully, feeling a twinge of sympathy. “I can understand their position,” I said softly, my fingers ceasing their

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