(BL)Alpha Made-Chapter 456: Glad it was after therapy
Andrew and Maxwell had just come from a joint therapy session when they got a phone call. Andrew had noticed that his phone had rang in the session as well, but it was on silent.
It was a rather important meeting, after all.
It was the second session where Andrew’s therapist had involved Maxwell in his healing journey. It was important for Maxwell to be there because Andrew wanted to build a life with him and Andrew had a rather biased view of Maxwell. His therapist needed to get an actual view of who Maxwell was, and how he viewed Andrew as well.
The fact that Maxwell was invited back was a good sign, and that Andrew’s therapist hadn’t pulled Andrew aside and quietly recommended that Andrew break up with him. Andrew had read stories online of therapists doing that, and was relieved that he didn’t get that kind of conversation.
Maxwell also came away with some good insights into how Andrew was doing. Andrew told Maxwell about almost everything he learned in therapy, but again, Andrew had a bias so it was good for Maxwell to see it from the therapists perspective and for everyone in the room to be on the same page.
They had just left that kind of session, hand in hand, when Andrew got another phone call. He glanced at it, expecting it to be Luis or Amir, maybe even Leonardo, but his blood ran a little cold when he saw it was Noah.
He’d been in constant contact with both of the siblings that had reached out to him, but quietly. They had said that they needed to be secret about it, more for their safety and the safety of their loved ones than for their own personal safety.
They didn’t care about themselves.
So it was a bit alarming that Noah was calling him, and that he was calling him over and over.
Andrew answered the phone on the second ring, making Maxwell look at him quizzically since he hadn’t seen who was calling Andrew.
"Noah? What’s going on?" Andrew asked, knowing that pleasantries were not needed right now.
"It’s Nicole." Noah was speaking quickly, worriedly. "She was called to the main house. That was yesterday. She hasn’t come out. Andrew, I’m terrified. She’s two weeks out from her marriage. This is..." Noah trailed off, and it was clear he was panicking. There was something he wasn’t saying, and Andrew’s blood chilled more.
It was snowing outside, the world looking picturesque outside of the therapist office, and Andrew almost felt like it was crime with the terrible feeling in his veins.
"Okay. Have you tried to check up on her?" Andrew asked and Noah let out a frustrated sigh.
"I have, but they keep turning me away from the gates. Like they know I know something is up. Like they know what she was planning after the wedding." Noah spoke in a hushed voice, almost like he thought someone else was listening in on him. Andrew felt his grip tighten on the phone and Maxwell’s hand.
"Andy? What’s going on?" Maxwell asked softly and Andrew shook his head, a silent sign that he would tell Maxwell in a moment. The man gave him a concerned look, but squeezed his hand in support.
It was not lost on Andrew that only about a year ago they came to the Christmas party uninvited to try and put a claim on Andrew. He was the one who had to snip that in the bud. This felt personal, and cruel. Nicole was an innocent soul. If they pushed her too far she would break.
"Noah, what do you need from me?" Andrew asked. "Do you need me to request a meeting to storm the place? Or do you think that is what they want?" Noah let out a frustrated sound over the phone and then Andrew heard some shuffling of sheets in the background. It was a little jarring to think he was in bed, or he wasn’t alone on the other side of the phone.
"They are totally trying to bait either me or you to the mansion. I know it. They know, Andrew. They know that we’ve been meeting and texting. My fiancé was telling them everything." Noah choked on the words. He sounded emotional, pained, betrayed. He took a few deep breaths as Andrew felt his heart break for this younger brother of his.
"Noah, I’m so sorry." Andrew apologised and Noah’s brief moment of gathered bravado and Noah let out a hysterical laugh.
"It’s fine, Andrew. I knew wishing that I could have a relationship like yours was a pipe dream." Noah’s voice was sharp, pained, before he continued speaking. "Whatever it is, we’re going to have to walk into the trap. I have to. Nicole can’t be left in there. She came out barely talking the last time they held her longer than 24 hours, and her fiancé is beside himself. I barely got him to sleep 20 minutes ago." Noah sounded frustrated, anxious. Andrew couldn’t blame him.
Those mother fuckers.
"Alright. First things first, send me the address. We are going to this old school. I’m going to have Max call a welfare check on her on the location, send the police in or at least have a police presence. Where are you right now, Noah? I’ll call a few people and have them come and support you and Nicole’s fiancé." Andrew said into the phone and Maxwell’s expression darkened as the couple began to move towards the car.
Andrew hadn’t moved until now, absorbing all that Noah was saying to him into the phone.
"I-Are you sure?" Noah asked and Andrew let out a bitter laugh.
"You called me because you needed help, right? Let me help. Plus, it’s probably better that I send Jenny to you and the fiancé then ask her to come with me. Kim would have my head if we had to bail her out of jail twice." Andrew joked into the phone. Maxwell let out a soft chuckle beside him while Noah nearly choked on his laughter on the other side. He clearly didn’t expect Andrew to make a joke.
"O-Oh. Yeah. You’re probably right." Noah said as Andrew crawled into the driver’s seat, Maxwell already pulling out his phone and looking expectantly at Andrew, fingers ready.
"Noah." Andrew said quietly into the phone, closing the car door behind him. "Do you need me there right now?" Andrew asked. There was a long pause on the other side of the phone, Noah thinking it over. Andrew was ready to drive to wherever he was at the drop of a hat, and Maxwell was ready to accompany him.
They were almost at their holidays, and Maxwell had always made it clear. Family came first, and his company knew it. Ellis would fight off a mob if it meant that the company’s values were upheld.
"I-I can manage until you send someone here. I think it’s more important you get to the mansion. I’ll send everything to you. Should I also send it to Maxwell?" Noah asked carefully and Andrew sighed.
"I’d say no since he’s got access to my phone, but maybe just send it to our group chat. That way, we both have it." Andrew told the man. "Are you sure, Noah?" Andrew asked again and Noah let out a soft sound on the other side of the phone.
"I am. I can manage. Nicole is..." Noah trailed off, and Andrew understood what he was saying. Nicole’s situation was more important. Noah had to keep it together until Nicole was safe, probably until his Mom was safe before he could actually take a moment for himself.
Andrew would see what he could do about both of those.
He’d just come from therapy. This could work in his favour.
"Alright. I’m going to hang up so that Maxwell can work and I can drive, alright?" Andrew told the other true alpha and Noah sighed.
"Okay. Keep me updated?" Noah asked and it was Maxwell who responded this time, able to hear the whole conversation due to his superior hearing now that they were in the confines of the car.
"I’ll keep you up to date, Noah. You go have a stiff drink or something." Noah laughed on the other side of the phone.
"I don’t keep liquor in my house for that reason, but maybe I’ll order some." Noah said and Maxwell and Andrew shared a look. That was something neither of them knew until now. Maybe drinking their problems away was a genetic condition.
"I’ll make sure that Jenny comes with something then. Send me all the addresses, Noah." Maxwell said before Andrew hung up and stared at the steering wheel for a second. It was only a few seconds later that both Maxwell and Andrew’s phones lit up with the information.
Andrew had no doubt in his mind that Maxwell already knew where they were going and where Noah lived. Maxwell liked to research people, liked to know everything about someone before he welcomed them into his home. He’d done the same thing to Andrew and everyone else in their lives.
That was made clear by the fact that the address was already on the console of the car when Andrew turned it on.
"Who are we calling first?" Andrew asked, still staring at the steering wheel. There was a level of calm that was settling over him, but also a sense of anger.
"The police of course, and then my parents, Kim and Jenny, and Michael, in that order. Oh, and Mr. Dalton. He might be able to move a few things for us, make this more embarrassing for the Abraham family if they try to cover this up." Maxwell said casually, his fingers tapping away on the keyboard.
There was a moment where everything paused and Andrew felt Maxwell’s hand on his shoulder. He gave Andrew a squeeze.
"Are you okay, Baby?" Maxwell asked softly. "I was only able to pick up a bit of it, but it’s about Nicole, right? Your younger sister?" Maxwell hadn’t met her yet since Nicole was so careful about going out. She hadn’t wanted to jeopardise her wedding and all of the planning she had done.
Andrew’s throat closed slightly as he closed his eyes, his emotions making it hard for him to speak for a second.
"I’ll be okay. I have a feeling I know what is going on, and it terrifies me. I’m just...grateful that Noah called, you know?" Andrew finally looked at Maxwell and found the man’s gaze full of blazing love. For Andrew, and the people he loved. Andrew couldn’t help it. He leaned over and kissed the other man firmly on the mouth. "Thank you for not even hesitating to help." Andrew rasped and Maxwell’s expression clouded slightly.
"I hope you know that I would never leave your family stranded if they needed help. Now, if you’re okay to drive, you need to get moving. Mom and Dad live pretty close by to them, so it’s quite the drive from here." Maxwell said, but he seemed happy with Andrew’s show of affection.
"Yes sir." Andrew said softly, pulling on his seatbelt and beginning to back up. Maxwell was right, they needed to get moving if they wanted to get there when the police did, if not before.
