CHAPTER 462: FINALLY FREE

Andrew stoically marched Nicole to the ambulance that was waiting for her outside the front door. She had an entranced, blank look on her face, and Andrew thought that was for the best. It would do her no good to be able to see what was going on outside of the home she had grown up with, maybe even in.

Andrew met the grim gaze of the family members around him who had come with him, all of them lit from a fire within over what had happened, and what was going on. Andrew stood by, watching over Nicole as the others got her ready to take her to a safe place. It was obvious that the police and the first responders that were taking her away knew not to let anyone else from her family near.

Andrew had spoken briefly to the police officer who was in charge of everything about Noah, the other brother who had let him know what was going on, and how he was with Nicole’s fiancé to keep him calm. The Police officer took down Noah’s full name, let someone else know on his walkie talkie, and then Nicole was taken away.

Andrew finally took a moment to regroup. He hadn’t had a chance to do that because of everything that was going on with Nicole, but now?

All Andrew wanted to do was bury his face in Maxwell’s shoulder and cleanse his senses from the disgusting scents he’d smelt in that room. Speaking of, Andrew was a little surprised that Maxwell wasn’t with everyone. Kim was back with the group, looking just as pissed as everyone else was as they spoke to each other, their lawyers, and the police who were helping at the scene.

That was when Andrew realised that in the time that he had been inside of the mansion the whole outside of the building had completely transformed.

Where before the area inside of the gate was mostly empty, clear of snow and slush, that was not the case anymore. The circular area where cars were clearly meant to come in, drop people off and leave, was full of emergency vehicles, police cars, and flashing red and blue lights.

A soft, light snow had begun to fall, almost as if even the skies wanted to hide and purify the evil that was found within the building he had just come from.

Their car was still parked in the same spot and Andrew could make out a form inside. Andrew’s heart jerked in his chest and just as Thomas was coming over to speak to him, Andrew completely ignored him. Thomas, almost worried about what was going on considering how much time Andrew had spent in the room practically alone, watched where Andrew was going.

His expression relaxed slightly as he realised where he was going.

Andrew was barely aware of him fumbling with the car door until Maxwell opened it, holding his arms open for the other man. Maxwell’s face was calm, his big blue eyes steady as he stared at Andrew. All it took was that one look before Andrew felt his face crumple.

Andrew sank to his knees on the cold ground, wrapping his arms around Maxwell as he buried his face into the crook of his shoulder. His own shoulders shook from the force of his feelings and Maxwell was there, a strong, sturdy pillar holding him up.

"It’s okay Baby." Maxwell whispered softly. "It’s okay." Andrew wanted to tell him that it wasn’t. Nothing felt okay right now. He knew that everyone was working hard to make sure that everything did turn out alright, but Andrew was distraught.

How could they do that to another person? How could they do that to anyone? If that was what was going on at the Proctor mansion, Jenny should have had full legal rights to kill someone. Andrew wouldn’t have even batted an eye.

What kind of horror story was this? Andrew had never felt like this before in his life. Andrew felt ill all over again so he turned his face towards Maxwell’s neck and just inhaled. Maxwell’s base scent, tinged with a bit of sweat soothed Andrew.

He wasn’t even aware of when he’d taken his mask off, just that it wasn’t on his face anymore. His nose rubbed against the soft skin of Maxwell’s throat, rubbing against the hint of velvet from the collar he wore.

Maxwell just held him as Andrew felt his grief.

"It was so fucking bad, Maxy." Andrew croaked after a few minutes. He didn’t move from his position but he could tell that Maxwell heard him. It was from the way his arms tightened around him.

"Do you want to tell me?" Maxwell asked softly, sweetly, and Andrew let out a shuddering breath.

"After. I’ll tell you after. I’m afraid I’ll throw up on you if I do it now." Andrew told him and felt Maxwell stiffen.

"Don’t throw up on me." Maxwell warned, and that normal response from Maxwell shifted the situation for Andrew. He felt a little calmer, stable. Andrew let out a light laugh.

"I won’t. Thank you for listening to me." Andrew told the man, giving him a light squeeze. He turned, pressing a kiss against his throat. "Thank you for that. I am so glad you didn’t come in. Even your Dad told your Mom to wait outside as soon as the doors opened. Kim had to be sent downstairs at one point." Andrew told Maxwell and Maxwell made a soft, thoughtful noise in his throat.

"I knew some of that. Mom called me after Dad told her to stay out of it. I didn’t know that Kim had been sent downstairs, just that she was helping Ben clear the lower levels. They found something down there, Andy." Maxwell’s voice held a hint of concern, as if it was going to bother Andrew. Andrew let out a slow exhale.

"Yeah, I found something, er, someone upstairs." Andrew told Maxwell. Maxwell stiffened.

"Someone? Who? Was it someone we know?" Maxwell asked, and Andrew was glad that the others hadn’t told him about it, or they hadn’t seen who had come out of the house. Andrew shuddered.

"My ex. I found my ex in that room." Andrew blurted out. It took Maxwell all of two seconds to recall who that was.

"Is that why we haven’t been able to find her?" Maxwell asked, horrified. Despite what he thought of the girl, this was no way for anyone to be treated. Andrew had no idea that Maxwell had been looking for Tracey, though he supposed it made sense. He did tell Maxwell that he was free to get revenge, but Maxwell had never brought up the fact that they couldn’t locate her.

"How long have you been unable to find her?" Andrew asked carefully and Maxwell remained silent for a moment.

"Are you mad that I was looking for her?" He asked first. He sounded a little hesitant to even ask the question, and Andrew took a moment to think. He knew his answer rather quickly so he didn’t leave Maxwell hanging.

"No, I’m not upset. I’ve never really asked you about how you planned to get revenge on her. I think that’s partially on me." Andrew admitted. "I kind of just hoped that you would handle it and then tell me the results." Andrew told him and the smaller man let out a sigh of relief.

"I was hoping you would say that." Maxwell told him before he spoke again. "It’s been a few months. We had a trace on her for a long time, pretty much as soon as you escaped, but then we lost track of her a few months ago. We had no idea where she’d gone. It was like she’d disappeared off of the face of the earth. Now we know where she was for some of it." Maxwell muttered.

"Yeah." Andrew agreed, his heart breaking. He hadn’t wanted her to go through that. That was truly not something he could wish on another.

"There was also...something that they found in the base of the mansion Andrew, which honestly, would explain why she was here." Maxwell said carefully. Andrew had a feeling he knew what that meant.

"A lab of some sort?" Andrew suggested and Maxwell hugged him tightly.

"Dad wanted you to check it out. You know, make sure it wasn’t...where you were held." Andrew let out a heavy sigh.

Well, it wouldn’t be surprising if they were doing something evil like that here, but Andrew also didn’t think this was where he was held. For one, it was really, really far away from where Maxwell and Andrew had lived before. Secondly, there was the fact that Andrew should have had some kind of recollection here. Some strange sense of deja vu. While he did think that the home looked similar to the Proctor mansion, he didn’t get the same feeling that he got from the place that he was held.

Honestly, the basement levels of Maxwell’s company felt like a closer fit than a mansion out in the middle of nowhere.

Andrew blinked, surprised by how natural that felt, before he pulled back from Maxwell’s arms so that he could look at the man in his face.

"I don’t think it was here, but I’ll have a look." Andrew told him. Maxwell nodded, his expression tight, before a slight smile touched his lips.

"Are you still banning me from leaving the car?" Maxwell asked, clearly teasing Andrew. Despite that, Andrew seriously thought about the question. Sure, they hadn’t seen anyone so far, but that didn’t mean that the area was safe.

"You can’t get too close to the door. I don’t want you suffering." Andrew told him seriously and watched as Maxwell scanned his expression.

"Andy, you didn’t react to any of the omega pheromones, did you?" Maxwell asked softly, taking in Andrew’s glowing amber eyes and the horror reflected there, but there was no rut in his eyes.

"My body reacted in the beginning, but it all faded when I smelt Tr-her scent." Andrew told Maxwell. He caught himself before he said her name out loud, noticing how Maxwell’s gaze narrowed slightly.

"I’m proud of you." Maxwell told him. "You’ve come so far from nearly giving me a heart attack for going to a gym." Maxwell’s eyes swam with pride and Andrew let out a shaky breath. He hadn’t even considered how big of a deal it was that he’d gone in there. That he’d outlasted Kim.

He had only worried about getting to Nicole, getting her safe, and that was it. He hadn’t even considered that it was a monumental step for him.

"I...I did what was right." Andrew whispered and Maxwell pulled him in closer, his hands trembling slightly.

"It’s so hard to just sit back and watch you grow, but I’m so damn proud of you. You got Nicole out, she’s safe, and now we can focus on cleaning up." Maxwell murmured. Andrew shuddered, closing his eyes as Maxwell held him tightly again.

He needed this. His Maxwell, his omega’s scent washing over him like a cleanser. He just hoped that Nicole got the same thing soon.