After Mr. Dalton had heard everything, including how Andrew beca a true alpha, he was silent. Aster was shaking slightly while Andrew had finished his scotch in one large gulp. He would normally never treat scotch in such a way, but he needed to burn of it going down his throat to remain grounded.
He was telling himself it was not in a bad way, but there was a part of him that was also telling him to avoid drinking any more alcohol after this. He was probably going to listen to that part of him too.
The sigh that left Mr. Dalton’s lips made Andrew flinch. He sounded so disappointed that Andrew wasn’t sure what to make of it. Mr. Dalton leaned forward, reaching out to put his full glass of scotch on the table in front of them, took Andrew’s empty glass from his hand and did the sa. He then turned to Andrew and pulled the man close, squeezing him tightly.
"Your Mother is going to kill when I die." He muttered and Andrew flinched.
"She wouldn’t." Andrew protested. Mr. Dalton let out a dry laugh as he hugged Andrew.
"She absolutely would. She wanted to cripple the Abraham family. Make it so that they had less power. I had no idea why she was so worried about them. I thought that they were just doing normal stupid true alpha family shit. If they were doing what I think we are all afraid to say out loud...fuck. She was right." Mr. Dalton squeezed him. "No wonder Max is so damn possessive of you. I would be too if I was in his shoes." Mr. Dalton muttered and Andrew just hugged the man back.
When Mr. Dalton let him go, Andrew turned to Aster without hesitation and the other man wrapped his thinner arms around him and squeezed.
"I’m so sorry Andy. I’m so sorry you had to go through sothing so horrible." Aster told him, his voice tight as he tried to fight tears. Andrew trembled, his heart shaking as they showed such genuine fear, anger, and pain for him.
"It’s okay now. Maxy has really helped get through it. I’m also in therapy. I’m just...pissed and sad to find out that I’m not the only one they did this to." Andrew told them quietly. Mr. Dalton groaned, rubbing a hand over his face.
"Fucking monsters." He muttered, shaking his head. "I was giving the police a little bit of help, but now I’m going to put my whole weight behind it. I had no idea it was this severe. I’m sorry, Andy. I feel bad for not-" Andrew reached out, placing his hand on Mr. Dalton’s shoulder.
"I didn’t expect this kind of help at all." Andrew told him, and ant it. While he had called Mr. Dalton when everything started going sideways and Nicole was missing, it was more to see if he had any extra resources to spare, not to give them the whole al package. He was not expecting sothing like him giving the police help to find the Abrahams.
Mr. Dalton looked a little surprised at hearing his words. He also looked a little confused as well.
"But...you called . Or, had Max call ." Andrew nodded.
"Yeah, because I think it’s important for you to know what’s going on with my life. I was expecting, at most, maybe so extra bodies to help search the mansion. I wasn’t expecting you funding the whole search." Andrew told him and watched as the gears turned in Mr. Dalton’s mind before he let out a soft chuckle. He looked ill, had looked ill since he’d hugged Andrew, but now he looked...relieved in so way.
"I forgot for a mont that you weren’t like the others who approach us. Forgive . Around Christmas, things get a little muddled with all the charities and others reaching out for donations." Mr. Dalton said, before looking a little panicked. "Not that I would consider you-" Andrew let out a laugh. He patted Mr. Dalton’s shoulder, actually happy to see the man who was normally so composed a little flustered.
"It’s alright, Mr. Dalton. Really. I can’t lie and say that there wasn’t a point in my life that helping would be a charity case." Andrew said with a little smile and Mr. Dalton let out a light laugh.
"Well, there was a point. That’s not the case anymore." Mr. Dalton said, before he sighed, released Andrew properly and leaned back against the couch. He put both of his hands on his face and let out a heavy sigh. Aster got up, moving behind the couch to place his arms around Mr. Dalton’s chest from behind, resting his head on his shoulder while his hands were on his face.
"It’s okay." Aster whispered softly and Mr. Dalton just shook his head slightly.
"I can’t fucking believe how evil the world is. I thought I knew, and then..." He trailed off and Aster patted his chest with his hands. His face was full of sadness and anger.
"I know, darling. I know. I can’t believe it either." Aster spoke softly. Andrew almost felt strange witnessing this mont. Should he leave?
"Do you want to leave you two?" Andrew asked carefully and both n jolted before turning to him as a unit.
"No." They said in unison and Andrew flinched, before he let out a little laugh.
"Understood. I’ll stay then." Andrew said, watching them speak to each other softly for a mont before coming back to a ’normal’ state. Mr. Dalton looked a little ruffled, Aster’s eyes looked a little too watery, but they were mostly better. Aster didn’t co sit next to Andrew again, instead sitting his his husband’s lap and Mr. Dalton put a possessive hand on his thigh.
It was clear that they were shaken by what they had heard from Andrew. Andrew was just glad that they took what he said at face value without any hesitation. They didn’t doubt him in the slightest.
Part of that could be because Mr. Dalton knew what had been found in the Abraham mansion, but Andrew was also hoping that part of it was also because they trusted him to tell them the truth.
Andrew stayed with them a little longer before his desire to go check on the others, observe the others got too strong and he had to leave. He told Mr. Dalton and Aster that he had to go, and at first, they protested until Mr. Dalton saw sothing in Andrew’s eyes.
Then, a goofy, almost funny smile crossed his face.
"You have truly taken to being a true alpha like a fish to water." He said. Andrew felt his heart stop at hearing those words.
"What?" He said, feeling horror creep through his veins but Mr. Dalton laughed.
"Don’t look so horrified. Not all true alphas are monsters, Andrew. I’m speaking about what an actual alpha is supposed to be. Soone who looks out for their family, cares for them. Worries about them. You’ve found your family, and you’re anxious that you are away from them now." He said warmly and Andrew froze.
"Is that...a bad thing? I’ve always been like this." Andrew protested weakly. He really didn’t want to think it was a true alpha trait. Mr. Dalton scanned Andrew from head to toe, taking in his matching outfit with Maxwell with a soft smile.
"It’s never a bad thing as long as everyone else is okay with your attention. I don’t think you’re too obvious about it either. They might not even realise you are taking care of them. They might know, given how many connections you have in this world without being aware of it." Mr. Dalton teased, and Andrew felt his cheeks warm. He shifted nervously, now worried that he was bothering others with his attention while at the sa ti needing to check on the others. Mr. Dalton laughed at him, his eyes warming as he stared at the other true alpha.
His gaze was amber as he scanned over Andrew, his wife in his lap, his arms.
"I’m sure they just feel loved, Andy. It’s okay. Go and tend to them. We’ll be out shortly." Mr. Dalton said, before smirking. "And thank you for including us in your family." Andrew felt embarrassed at being called out, but he nodded before leaving the space.
Andrew towered over the rest of the guests so it didn’t take long for him to find Maxwell. Maxwell, when he spotted that Andrew was out of his eting, made his way over to him imdiately. He wrapped his arms around Andrew, giving him a tight hug.
"You look a little pale. Everything alright?" He was asking how Andrew was doing, but Andrew could also sense the hint of a threat in his voice. He was ready to fight whoever made Andrew feel poorly. Andrew squeezed him tightly, pressing his nose against his hair and inhaling his comforting scent.
"I’m alright. Just told Mr. Dalton everything. He has so friends in the police force." Andrew told him and Maxwell squeezed him.
"I see. You okay?" He asked carefully and Andrew let out a sigh.
"I think so. I was more worried about everyone else once I was done speaking. Are they doing okay? Is Ellis still ill?" Andrew asked and Maxwell chuckled.
"He is. He is also still avoiding us." He said and Andrew was glad to know that he and Maxwell were on the sa page. "You should go check on him. You helped Amir feel better last ti. Maybe you’ll have the sa effect on Ellis? If he isn’t nervous that you are going to try and force him to speak to his parents again." Maxwell was teasing him, Andrew could tell.
"Yeah right. I only helped Amir because..." Andrew trailed off. How was he able to help Amir? Maxwell took advantage of his confusion.
"Well, there is no better way to test it than now, right? He’s probably in the bathroom with Richard. Go and pester them, see if you can help. I need a secretary still until he’s put on bedrest. I would like to avoid that for a few more months, if possible." He was speaking as Ellis’ boss, but Andrew knew that wasn’t the truth.
He was just worried about the other oga.
Andrew, inhaling Maxwell’s scent again, grumbled.
"Can I get a kiss for good luck?" He asked and Maxwell didn’t even hesitate. In front of all the people who were slyly glancing at them, he lifted his head and pulled Andrew down to his lips. The kiss was sweet and short, but still made Andrew malfunction. He didn’t think that Maxwell would actually do it. From the way that Maxwell was grinning, he knew that Andrew thought that too.
"I gave you your paynt, now go make sure everyone is alright. I expect a full report." He said with warm, curled eyes. Andrew gulped and released Maxwell, only to have him smack him on the ass as he was leaving. He gave Maxwell a look as Maxwell leaned on his hip, smiling and waving as Andrew followed the scent of roses.
The man was going to be the death of him.
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