Chapter 76

Chapter 76: Chapter 76

The question wasn’t loud, yet it cut through the commotion with such cold force that several people turned immediately.

Jowe’s grandfather was the first to react. The moment his eyes landed on Lysander, a flicker of unmistakable shock crossed his face, and for a brief second, the old man’s carefully maintained composure cracked. His gaze traveled over Lysander’s silver horns, his unusual eyes, and the bandages that showed beneath his clothes. Recognition seemed to stir behind his expression, but he quickly suppressed it, replacing his surprise with the stern look of authority he had worn throughout the day.

"Who are you?" he demanded. "And what are you doing in a restricted examination room? You have no permission to enter this area!"

Lysander didn’t answer. He walked straight past the hunters standing in the doorway, forcing them to step aside as the pressure of his presence settled over them. One man tried to block his path, but a single glance from Lysander made him hesitate long enough for the Beastman to pass. His attention never left Ingrid, and he didn’t spare the damaged machines or the angry old man another look.

When he reached the platform, he finally stopped. "Ingrid."

Her name left his lips quietly, so different from the cold voice he had used moments earlier. He bent over her, carefully examining her pale face and the wires still attached to her head. Her breathing was shallow but present, and that small discovery kept the worst of his instincts from taking control. He reached for the restraints, and when he found the buckles, he removed them one by one with deliberate care.

The moment her wrists were free, Ingrid’s fingers twitched.

Lysander slipped one arm beneath her shoulders and the other beneath her knees before lifting her from the platform. He moved slowly, mindful of the wounds she already carried and the bandage around her neck. Her head fell against his chest, and he adjusted his hold until she rested securely against him, shielding her from the people surrounding them. She felt frighteningly light in his arms, and the faint tremors passing through her body made his jaw tighten.

Then she began to speak. "Don’t kill me," Ingrid whispered.

Lysander lowered his head. Her eyes remained closed, and she seemed unaware that he was holding her. Her brows drew together as she shivered against him, her fingers curling weakly into the front of his clothes. The words came again, barely audible, but clear enough to make something inside him turn cold.

"Don’t kill me... please, don’t kill me."

His arms tightened around her for a small moment before he forced himself to loosen his hold. He had no idea what she had experienced while trapped beneath those machines, but the terror in her voice was unmistakable. Ingrid was stubborn, sharp-tongued, and more likely to insult someone than beg them for mercy, yet she was trembling in his arms and pleading with people who weren’t even there.

Someone had made her afraid enough to believe she was about to die.

Lysander slowly raised his head. The change in his expression was subtle, but the effect on the room was immediate. His eyes moved from one person to the next, studying the technicians, the hunters, and the three older men who had permitted this procedure to happen. When his gaze finally settled on Jowe’s grandfather, it remained there.

The old man stiffened beneath the silent scrutiny, but he lifted his chin as though refusing to be intimidated. He had spent years commanding people and had no intention of allowing an unfamiliar Beastman to challenge his authority inside the Guild. Still, the sight of Lysander holding Ingrid so carefully, combined with the chilling pressure radiating from him, made it difficult to dismiss him as an ordinary injured Beastman.

"Put her down," Jowe’s grandfather ordered. "We haven’t finished dealing with this matter, and you have no right to remove her from this room without permission."

Lysander said nothing. He adjusted Ingrid against his chest, ensuring that her head was supported, then turned toward the doorway. He had no interest in discussing anything with these people while she remained unconscious. Whatever explanation they wanted to give him could wait until Ingrid had been examined and he knew the full extent of what they had done to her.

He took one step, then another. He had barely taken a third when Jowe’s grandfather’s voice rang through the room again.

"Where do you think you’re taking her?"

Lysander continued walking.

"Stop right there!" The command echoed off the walls, but it had no effect on him. His expression remained unchanged as he carried Ingrid toward the exit, moving carefully enough not to disturb her despite the anger building inside him. He could hear footsteps behind him, along with the hurried voices of hunters who were beginning to realize that the situation was slipping beyond their control.

Jowe who had heard the commotion had also ran towards the area. When he saw Lysander with Ingrid in his arms, he knew that something was wrong. However, he also saw his grandfather there so Ingrid and Lysander must have been the one who did wrong. He didn’t even stop to think, he stepped directly into Lysander’s path.

Jowe raised his Barrett M82, pointing the weapon straight at Lysander’s chest. His expression was serious, and his fingers remained steady as he positioned himself between the Beastman and the doorway. Several hunters behind him also raised their weapons, surrounding Lysander from different angles in preparation for any sudden movement.

"My grandfather told you to stop," Jowe said firmly. "Can’t you understand a simple order? Put the woman down and explain yourself before you make this situation worse."

Lysander finally looked at him. There was no emotion in his purple eyes, and certainly no sign that the weapon aimed at his chest had frightened him. He looked at Jowe as if the young hunter were an obstacle that had appeared in the wrong place at the wrong time. His hold on Ingrid remained steady, keeping her safely tucked against his side, while his expression grew colder with every passing second.

"Move."

It was a single word, spoken so quietly that Jowe almost wondered whether he had heard it correctly.

His pride flared. "You don’t seem to understand your position," Jowe replied, tightening his grip on the weapon. "You’re injured, you’re inside the Hunter’s Guild, and you’re carrying away someone who is part of an ongoing investigation. If you refuse to cooperate, we’ll have no choice but to treat you as a threat."

Lysander’s eyes narrowed. Jowe made a mistake long before he raised his weapon. He had assumed that Lysander’s silence meant submission, that his willingness to walk away meant he was afraid of a confrontation. He had mistaken restraint for weakness, and now he was standing between Lysander and the only person who mattered to him.

The next moment, Lysander disappeared, nobody saw him move. One instant, he was standing several steps away with Ingrid in his arms, and the next, he was directly in front of Jowe. The young hunter’s eyes widened as he realized that the barrel of his gun was no longer pointed at the man he had been watching. Before he could react, Lysander’s free hand closed around his throat and lifted him.𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦