CHAPTER 478: A SIMMERING ANGER

The alpha wing was a little more stoic compared to the omega wing. Andrew didn’t realise that there would be a difference. While the layout was the same, the energy was completely different.

The omega wing was bright, airy. Meant to be calm and comforting while the alpha wing was done in a different colour that seemed to bring a...masculine vibe to the wing? Andrew wasn’t sure how else to put it. He didn’t dislike it, it was just fascinating to see that there was a difference between the two.

Andrew spoke to William about it, getting the insights behind the slight changes from him. It was something William seemed happy to answer. It was also a good distraction for Andrew from what he was about to face.

What state Nicole was in without all of the grime and dirt and blood.

William came to a stop outside of her room. He had to because of the police there, the security there and Andrew recognised a few faces. They recognised him too.

"Dr. Knox." One of the security team greeted him. Andrew nodded.

"I wasn’t aware that you would be here." Andrew said. Normally, they were part of his team watching Andrew’s house and the woman smiled warmly.

"We volunteered to help out. They needed more security to watch your sister’s room and we are well equipped to deal with true alphas. It’s only until she wakes up and is herself again." The member told him and Andrew was relieved to hear that people he knew, he trusted were looking after her. It was also nice to hear them refer to Nicole as his sister. No hesitation, no argument, and no weird intonation either.

She wasn’t an Abraham who everyone hated. She was his sister.

"Thank you for doing that. I really appreciate it. I’m sure when Nicole is herself again, she will too." Andrew told them and they all nodded. The team who knew Andrew were happy, smiling. Breaking their unsmiling gazes. The hospital security team didn’t do the same and Andrew didn’t hold it against them.

William wasn’t with Andrew as he was speaking to the security team as he was finding the Doctor in charge of Nicole so that they could speak to her. It was a woman, and she was a little flustered to be speaking to Andrew at first before Andrew demonstrated that he could understand most of what she was speaking about. They had this conversation not in the hallway, but at the nurses station. Andrew insisted that the Doctor sit down, along with William, while they spoke.

It was a simple kindness, but these people usually never knew how to take care of themselves. Andrew was speaking from personal experience. He had just sent a different Doctor home. He had to look after the ones looking after his own people too.

The Doctor pulled up Nicole’s file, handing it over to Andrew after confirming with William that it was the right thing to do. William gave a nod, confirming she could do that and Andrew was once again pleased that they were being very cautious with everything. He could have gotten upset that they were checking every little thing, but he couldn’t. It was admirable that they weren’t being pressured by outside forces. At least, not really.

The Doctor spoke while Andrew looked over the files, telling him in plain words what the files said. Nicole had been rather lucky. While she had gone through a lot, and her expression was grim as she said so, Nicole’s body was sturdy. Before she’d even been put in the room due to the state of the bruising, she had been beaten.

Her body had taken quite the beating, her hair had been cut, and drugs had been forced into her system. It was hard to hear that. Andrew felt the weight of the words like a punch to the gut. The Doctor, seeing Andrew’s fallen expression, reached out and squeezed the top of Andrew’s hand.

"We had one of our nurses who is...well versed in Nicole’s hair type come in and even out her hair. It won’t be the same, but it won’t be what they made it to be." She whispered and Andrew let out a shuddering breath. He closed his eyes, taking a moment as the kindness they had done washed over him.

Andrew wanted to beat up the people who had done this. How could they call themselves family after hurting her that way? Andrew knew he wasn’t well versed in black culture because he’d been raised by his Mom. That didn’t mean that the world cared about that. Andrew had experienced his fair share of terrible situations. Half of the times the cops had been called had been because he was a tall black man. He did his best not to dwell on that, but it was the damn truth.

Andrew knew that hair was important to his people. He was the odd one out because he had his Mom’s hair. A strange genetic probability, he somehow ended up with blonde hair on a black body. Natural blonde hair. If someone had gripped his hair and chopped it as roughly as they had done to Nicole?

They had better begun counting their days.

Andrew composed himself, eventually nodding that the Doctor could continue her report. She looked sympathetic to Andrew’s emotions. Even William looked emotional when recounting all that had happened to her. Nicole after everything that had happened to her prior to being shoved into the hell room had been weakened. Her body hadn’t been able to fight for itself, and that was done intentionally. These people who had wanted to hurt her on every level. Break her.

They had made it so that her body would not be able to resist the omega pheromones in the room with her, but Nicole proved how strong she truly was by resisting for as long as she could. By the time that Andrew had found her, she had basically gone into pheromone shock at the most severe level. That was why she was still conscious, but only barely. The Doctor explained that it was basically a protective maneuver by the body and why she was so bitey with him specifically.

The body recognised that Andrew had been a threat, another true alpha, while Nicole had also recognised Andrew as someone safe. Probably. That was why the bites weren’t severe. There were some people, like Maxwell, who would consider the bitemarks as severe, but Andrew understood what the Doctor wasn’t saying.

If Nicole had thought that Andrew actually was a threat, she would have gone for the throat. There would be nothing stopping her from doing so besides Andrew’s own strength. Nicole had known that Andrew wasn’t going to hurt her somewhere deep inside of her. The bites had been warnings to not get too close.

With all of that being said, Nicole was slowly coming out of her pheromone shock, her wounds were tended to and she had no broken bones. She had severe deep tissue bruising, but no broken bones. Those fuckers had known exactly where to hurt her without breaking anything.

That grim fact made every medical professional listening pissed. They were monsters. True monsters.

"Fuck. Every day I get closer and closer to thinking that maybe I shouldn’t swear not to hurt anyone." Andrew muttered and William snorted, covered his mouth, and snorted again. Andrew glanced at him, concerned, as William’s shoulders began to shake.

"Sorry. I was just surprised that you swore and sounded so sincere. Andrew, we help all kinds of people. There are some people who hurt people professionally. Plus, I’m sure if we paid enough money, there are other people closer to us who would be happy to make them disappear." William said pointedly and Andrew blinked.

Then he sighed.

"Yeah, but I also don’t want to be like them." Andrew muttered, annoyed. He stood up. "Is it safe for me to see her? Her fiancé wants to see her, and so does my other brother. I don’t want to bring them if you think it would be a bad thing." Andrew spoke directly to the Doctor in charge. She glanced at William before sighing and meeting Andrew’s gaze.

"Honestly, I’m happy that you came. You’re kind of the person that we need to test to see if she’s okay. I read the report about how you had to sedate her to get her out. I think if we wake her and she sees you, that might help her realise that she’s not in there anymore. It’s clear that she views you as someone safe. I’m worried if anyone else is there she might think it was a dream and panic. We really want to avoid that since most of the team here are not capable of handling true alpha pheromones. It would also be a great help if she does react negatively that you help subduing her. I read that you did that as well." The doctor said and Andrew nodded, giving her a thumbs up.

"Understood. I don’t mind being the guinea pig if it means that it helps her. It’s not the first time I’ve helped out in the medical field." Andrew said with a grin and William chuckled.

"How often are they taking your blood at Max’s company?" He asked, catching on to what he was implying. Andrew chuckled.

"Well, not every time I’m there. Not now since Richard has a few more to play off of. He got some willing volunteers after last year’s Christmas party so I’m not the only true alpha he can play with." Andrew told him before clarifying. "Richard is Dr. Gates, my brother by bond and the head of the alpha research and development team at Maxwell’s company." The Doctor nodded slowly.

"I see." She said and Andrew grinned.

"Alright. I’m ready. Let’s get this show on the road if everyone else is ready. Is there anything you need me to do to prepare?" Andrew asked the team and she shook her head.

"Nothing beyond patience and understanding. We are going to have to wake her up with medication so there is a chance she has a negative reaction. I will ask that you flood the room with your pheromones. Not aggressively, but more of a calming pheromone. Most of the rest of my team will wear a mask of some sort." She said and Andrew chuckled.

"I hope they like pancakes." Andrew joked and William’s lips twitched while she looked slightly confused.

"Pancakes?" She asked and William clarified.

"He smells like breakfast food." He told her and Andrew watched as she stared at him, taking in all of Andrew, before a slight smile touched her lips.

"Oh. I’ll give them the heads up."