CHAPTER 476: IS THIS A T.V. DRAMA?

Andrew made sure that the kids were set up with snacks and that all of their gifts were tucked away in a room that they wouldn’t look in before he went upstairs, kissed Maxwell on his forehead and headed out. He did try to wake the man up again, but Maxwell just wouldn’t have it.

Andrew made sure that he left a note beside the bed, right beside his phone. If Maxwell still woke up with fear and worry, he hoped that he would call him right away. That way, he would see the note, see what Andrew was up to, and know that he was safe.

He just...had something he had to do.

Andrew strapped into the car, opened the garage door and took a deep breath in and out before he began to reverse out. The car of the security team was at the end of the driveway, obvious but not something that Andrew gave a shit about. Andrew waved at the crew sitting inside, got a wave back before he turned, got onto the road, and called Kim.

"I’m on my way now. The kids are at the house, the security team knows that they are there." Andrew told her and Kim sniffed.

"Hello to you too." She said dryly in response and Andrew chuckled.

"Hello, Kim." Andrew said and she laughed.

"Alright. You know the way to the hospital? Your friend Michael is still there as well. He was sent home last night to get some rest but showed up in the morning to be of help to the other staff." Kim said. Andrew was a little surprised to hear that.

"To help Nicole or the omegas?" Andrew asked and Kim sighed over the phone.

"It sounds like all of them. Can you talk some sense into him? William called his Mother and told her that they couldn’t exactly kick out the man who was helping ’every damn alpha family in the city’ but that he was overstepping his bounds. His staff were getting annoyed. Luis said it was the first time he’d asked for help in years." Andrew was not surprised to hear that little fact about William, but he was surprised to hear what Michael was up to.

"I’ll try to speak to him when I get there. I’m probably only 20 minutes out from being there." Andrew said, rolling to a stop at a red light.

"Nothing...strange on the road?" Kim asked and Andrew furrowed his brows, his eyes tightening on the wheel.

"Why would there be something strange on the road?" Andrew asked and Kim sighed.

"Andy, you just came from raiding a true alpha home. A home of a family that we know is powerful, even if the Beckett’s as a whole have been putting their foot on their necks in the rich influence sphere. There was no one at the mansion when we raided it. They knew we were coming. Maybe not us in particular, but they did know someone was going to find out about what they were up to. It would be strange if they weren’t tailing you or me or anyone involved. I’m only saying this so that you keep your head on a swivel and protect yourself. Drive slow, drive safe, but also don’t drive anywhere dangerous or could be dangerous. Stay away from cliffsides, alright?" Kim sounded so serious. Andrew wasn’t exactly sure what to say in response.

Was she implying that they would try to kill him to get rid of him? To make the problem go away? That was...no, it wasn’t harsh. Andrew was just being soft.

"Are you sure they would do something so obvious?" Andrew asked Kim tentatively and Kim let out a harsh laugh.

"Obvious? It’s winter, Andrew. Anything goes when someone is driving. It might be suspicious, but not obvious." Andrew listened to the anger in Kim’s voice over something that hadn’t even happened to him yet. He sighed.

"Well, good news, there are no cliffs on the way to the hospital. At least not in the direction that I’m going." Andrew tried his best to not sound like he was mocking her. It was hard though.

"Good. Don’t go to the Beckett’s mansion for a while. That’s on a cliffside. I know that means cutting off access to the sweetest baby around right now, but I’m serious. Even Ben was saying you need to watch yourself. Amir is taking this seriously as well. They aren’t leaving the house without two armed vehicles." Kim said and Andrew tightened his grip on the wheel.

He hadn’t really had a chance to process what exactly had happened and who they were messing with thanks to his rut. Now? Now he had no other choice.

This was the family that his Mom had tried to her best to make sure that they didn’t have enough power to get to her. To get to Andrew. He was seeing what they were capable of and why she was so scared of them in real time. Kim was even warning him, which really told him that this was serious.

Then again, Andrew himself should have realised how serious it was when he found files in their basement and he had to recount his past. He let out a sigh.

"That truly is terrible. They should move to the condo. That has better security, more cameras, and no cliffs nearby." Andrew said and Kim tsked.

"But it has height, Andy. They need a house of some kind where if someone fell, it wouldn’t be fatal." Kim was so serious about this and Andrew frowned.

"Just buy something. They could do a one day purchase. I believe in them. I would offer up Max and I’s second house since we haven’t sold it yet, but they already know that location." Andrew said. Kim was silent for a moment.

"You know, I might suggest that to them, see what the group thinks. Amir is very worried about Mehar, but that house is only a two storey." Kim trailed off and Andrew let her think. He could hear her moving through wherever she was and speaking softly to someone else. Andrew couldn’t hear what the other person said, but he could tell the voice was familiar. Probably either Jenny or Luis from the pitch.

"Luis thinks that’s not a terrible idea. We’ll see if Ben and Amir think it’s good. Is Maxwell awake yet to speak to him about it?" Kim asked and Andrew chuckled.

"Dead to the world. He wouldn’t even wake when I tried. I left him a note next to his phone about where I was going. Hopefully he sees it first before he panics that I’m not at his side. Otherwise, I am going to get a very serious, panicked phone call." Andrew said. "But, if Ben and Amir like the idea, I think Max will be okay that I offered it up. He worries about them too, and honestly, he’s probably already considered this possibility. He’s smarter than me when it comes to things like this." Andrew told Kim. He pulled to the light right outside of the hospital and turned on his signal to turn. "I’m about to turn into the hospital parking lot. What section of the hospital is everyone in?" Andrew asked.

"You’re better off parking near general day admissions since they are on separate sides. That was what Thomas said." Kim told him and Andrew nodded.

"Got it. Going to be running from both sides of the hospital to see everyone. Understood. Okay. Anything else I need to know? Anything I need to say when I get inside?" Andrew asked and Kim was silent for a moment as he turned into the hospital proper.

"No. William is apparently going to meet you at the front desk if you go through the front entrance. He seems to want you to deal with Michael first." Kim said. She sighed. "Good luck, Andrew. I’m sure we’ll get a play by play, but please let us know how everything goes. We really want at least Elijah to go see her, but..." She trailed off and Andrew smiled. He knew what she meant. It had to be killing her that she was preventing the two from seeing each other.

"I’ll work on it. I’m sure Nicole will be all nice and ready by the afternoon. I’m on it, after all." Andrew said confidently and Kim laughed.

"Right. Stay safe." She said and hung up. Andrew put the car into park, checked everything around him before he grabbed his phone and keys and locked up the car. Then he turned and headed for the front doors. Here he went.

~

William wasn’t there when he first got there so Andrew waited. He was a busy man after all, and Andrew knew he was on his way. It was five minutes later that he showed up, looking a little flustered at first.

It had been a while since Andrew had seen William and Andrew would be the first to admit that he did not look well. He had bags under his eyes, he looked like he had lost some weight and the white doctors jacket that he was wearing over the nice grey sweater he was wearing looked fresh, but too fresh.

He looked frazzled, and when he spotted Andrew, his facial expression shifted. It wasn’t anger, or anything negative, but it was clear that William was uncertain about how to treat him. Andrew, feeling pity for the man, made it easier for him.

"Will. I’m sorry that these are the circumstances that we get to see each other under when the Christmas party is just around the corner." Andrew greeted, holding out his hand. William stared at the hand like it was going to bite him before he took it carefully and shook.

"I...I have to agree. This is not a good time. Come on, I’ll show you where everyone is and let the people in charge know you have permission to enter." William said, getting straight to business. Andrew didn’t mind. It only benefitted him if he got through this quickly. Maxwell was asleep in their bed. He really wanted to go back and slide in next to him and hold him when this was all over.

He felt his nostrils flare and his pheromones react to the image. He had to take a second to compose himself while he was following behind William. His rut was over, miraculously, but that did not mean it was completely over. He knew that better than most.

The only reason the kids were allowed into the house was because they were kids. Andrew was glad that Kim got it, even if Andrew was being on his best behaviour.

Andrew let out a soft sigh, shaking himself to pull himself together. No more thoughts of Maxwell for now. He needed to focus on the task at hand.