CHAPTER 35: THIS CAN’T BE!

Naomi has settled well back into her house without any problems.

However, Alpha Maxwell was greeted with shocking news the moment he arrived home.

Grandma Franchia places her hands on her favorite grandson’s shoulder, trying to calm his turbulent emotions. "My boy, calm down. The world does not end today," she said calmly, patting his sagging shoulder gently.

"Grandma, I didn’t know Deborah was pregnant during my disappearance! She didn’t tell me!" Alpha Maxwell argued.

"She was not able to tell you because you suddenly disappeared without a trace and we can’t find you anywhere. We thought you met with an accident," Grandma Franchia said. "Deborah only told us about her pregnancy one week after your disappearance," she added.

"Where are they now?" He asked. He was shocked after learning that he had got Deborah pregnant. He did not expect that he would have a child waiting for him after regaining his freedom. Now, his family would never allow him to abandon his fiancée and their child. They will insist on him marrying Deborah for their child’s sake. A big problem he has to face.

"Debora took your son to her family. They have been there for one week already. But they will be back on Sunday. Your parents are attending a pack conference along with your two brothers. They will be back tomorrow. As for your sister Becca she will arrive anytime soon. I already sent a message to everyone informing them that you are home alive and safe." Grandma Franchia explained everyone’s whereabouts.

"Grams, I don’t want to marry Deborah anymore," he voiced his objection.

"But why? What made you change your mind? You already had a son with Deborah. The baby is already five months old, going to be six next month. Why are you hesitating to marry Deborah? What’s your excuse?" Grandma Franchia asked curiously.

Alpha Maxwell groaned. "Frankly speaking, I don’t have feelings for her anymore," he said.

Grandma Franchia’s eyebrows waggled. "Oh, why is that? Did you meet someone new during your disappearance?"

Alpha Maxwell sighed deeply. "I don’t have feelings for Deborah anymore. I’m telling you the truth."

"You are not ready yet to tell me everything that happened to you after you disappeared for more than a year?" Grandpa Franchia asked.

Alpha Maxwell originally wanted to tell his family the truth after everyone came home. But his grandma will never stop questioning him.

Now that his son with Naomi was left behind in the facility, he has to create another credible alibi for everyone to believe.

"Max, tell me what happened to you during your disappearance. Tell me everything, don’t keep me waiting!" Grandma Franchia said impatiently.

Time for Plan B. Alpha Maxwell sighed heavily. "Grandma, I was kidnapped by a human trafficker and brought to this underground facility where hundreds of kidnapped men were being housed. We are brought to a tunnel and ordered to dig for some kind of valuable mineral which is expensive. I heard from old prisoner that the owner doesn’t want to pay people’s salaries so they tap into human trafficking syndicates to supply them with kidnapped men to work in the underground mining facility," he lied, hoping he sounded believable.

Grandma Franchia raised a brow, examining his skin. "Really? You don’t look like you are doing so much hard work in the mining industry," she observed.

Alpha Maxwell sighed. His grandma is really observant. "I wasn’t assigned long to dig those minerals. I was assigned to assist the lift operator to bring the mineral out of the tunnel. Outside, the tunnel was guarded by men carrying weapons. They will kill anyone who escapes the tunnel," he lied again.

"Ah, okay. So how did you escape the tunnel safely?" Grandma Franchia asked, urging him to continue.

"In the last two months, there was a breakout of a deadly flu virus inside the tunnel, killing many workers. Thankfully I was not affected by the virus. But I soon realized that I could use the virus epidemic to escape. So I pretend I got the virus and play dead. The soldier came and brought the dead bodies out of the tunnel and dumped the bodies at this mass grave site somewhere in the forest. That is the moment I was able to escape after they got busy digging the earth and nobody paid attention to the dead bodies inside the delivery truck," Alpha Maxwell elaborated further.

Grandma Franchia was terrified of her grandson’s ordeal. "I’m glad they didn’t notice your escape, son."

"It was night time and the delivery truck was parked in a dark area. They had no idea I’m still alive so I took the chance to run and escape to freedom. That’s why I’m here now, safe and alive," Alpha Maxwell explained.

"OK, I believe you now, son. But you are now holding your phone in your hands. Good thing you didn’t lose it and I wonder why those bad people didn’t confiscate your phone?" Grandma Franchia asked with a raised brow.

Alpha Maxwell groaned. Damn! His grandma didn’t miss a single detail. "Grams, I’m tired, that’s all," he said, wanting to retire to his room for a much-needed rest. "I hope you believe my story and stop asking me about it. My kidnapping was traumatic for me," he pleaded.

"Max, I don’t care whether your story is true or not. What matters most to me is that you are back home safe and sound. That’s all that really matters to me," Grandma Franchia smiled, patting his arms affectionately.

"Thank you for your unconditional love and understanding, Grams," Alpha Maxwell said gratefully. "I’m going to my room to rest."

He rose to his feet and was about to leave the living room when his grandma’s phone started ringing.

Grandma Franchia talked to the caller. "Yes, Maxwell is already home, safe and sound," she replied to the caller. "Do you want to video chat with him?"

Grandma Franchia looked at her grandson. "Your father and mother want to have a video chat with you," she said, handing him her phone.

Alpha Maxwell holds the phone in front of him. The video shows his father, mother and two brothers looking at him with happiness shimmering in their eyes. "Hello, guys, I’m back home safe and sound," he begins cheerily.

"Son, where have you been?" his mother asked, teary-eyed.

"It’s a long story, Mom. Don’t worry, I will tell you everything once you all arrive home tomorrow," he assured her.

"Are you okay, son? You are not hurt?" his mother continued asking. She’s already crying.

"I’m really fine, Mom. No injury whatsoever," he said reassuringly, taking a full video of his body to assure them that he was perfectly fine.

"I’m fully convinced now, son. Talk to your father," his mother said, handing over the phone to his father.

"Son, where have you been? I don’t understand why you suddenly disappeared without a trace. Did you do it on purpose or were you kidnapped?" his father asked, direct to the point.

Alpha Maxwell took a deep breath before answering his father’s question. "For the record, Dad, I didn’t disappear on my own. I was kidnapped by some human trafficking group and became a slave worker in a tunnel mining minerals. We were kept in the tunnel along with other kidnapped victims. This group wore black masks on their faces to hide their identities." He paused for a second to catch his breath.

Then he continued, "But I’m lucky because I was able to escape, but the rest died in the tunnel. I will explain everything after you come home tomorrow. Rest assured I’m fine, I’m not injured. As you can see in the video, my whole body is intact. So please don’t worry, I’m back home safe and sound," he assured his father.

"I’m happy to hear you are back, son. Don’t leave the house until we get home. Do you understand?" his father said.

He replied, "Yes, I understand, Dad. I’m not going anywhere. See you all tomorrow. I can’t wait to see you guys. I miss you all. Bye."

Alpha Maxwell’s conversation with his family ended well. They were grateful that he had returned home safely after her long disappearance. He handed the phone back to his grandma.

"Thank you, Grams. Can I go now to my room to rest?" He asked her permission politely.

"OK. Go ahead." Grandma Franchia nodded her head.

Alpha Maxwell climbed the staircase leading to the second floor. He proceeded to the location of his room and once inside, he noticed that nothing had changed in his room. It remains the same. They made sure it was always clean and dust free.

He closed the door, opened the desk drawer and removed the charger of his phone and plugged it into the socket, excited to contact his sweetie pie Naomi.

He lay down on the bed and closed his eyes to rest, patiently waiting for his phone to reach 100% before he could contact his sweetie pie.

He fell asleep while waiting for his phone to be fully charged.

After one hour, he finally woke up and quickly checked his phone. It was already 100% charged.

Time to contact Naomi!

He was about to add Noami’s number to his contacts when his sister Becca barged into the room.

"Brother, I’m so happy you’re finally home! We are so worried about you. I refuse to think that something bad has happened to you. I didn’t lose hope. I knew you would come back one day and I was right! You are alive," Becca exclaimed joyously. Tears of happiness glistened in her eyes.

"Sis, please don’t cry. I’m home now. I will not disappear again," he assured her.

"You better not! Or else we will die of worry again!" Becca said, plopping down on the bed. "Now can you tell me where you have been all this time?" she inquired.

"Tomorrow, after our parents comes home, you will know everything," he said.

Becca pouted. "Why not tell me now?" she protested.

"It’s better that I narrate my ordeal only once, and then after I’m done, let’s all move on and forget about this dark moment in my life. I don’t want to keep remembering it," he said despondently.

"OK, fine. Tomorrow then?" Becca finally said. "By the way, have you seen your son with Deborah? Here let me show you baby Zed’s pic." She quickly unlocks her phone to find the baby’s photo saved in her phone’s gallery.