CHAPTER SIX

Once Andrew's window was firmly shut, Nicole plonked down on Andrew's bed with a satisfactory grin on her face. She grabbed one of his pillows and inhaled his scent.

With the pillow tucked in her arms she ambled around the room humming her favorite tune, touching and carefully arranging his things.

Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks. All color drained from her face, as she clutched the pillow to her chest.

"What are you doing?" Nicole whispered tightly. Inhaling and exhaling deeply, she put on her heels and gingerly returned the pillow to its position.

She walked to his vanity, and straightened herself, arranging her hair and bodice. When she was done, she hurried out of his room.

She was almost out of Andrew's house when she heard raised voices. She held her breath and tiptoed towards its source. As she got closer, she hid behind a bookshelf and peeped at the owners of the voice. From her vantage position, Laura and Caleb were having a heated conversation.

Caleb was gesturing animatedly, puffing and ruffling his cropped sandy blonde hair, while Laura tried to calm him down. She held his burly arms and tried to pacify him. Nicole moved closer.

"... stop behaving recklessly Caleb." Laura pleaded massaging his arm. "The way you went after him was completely unnecessary and rash…"

Perfect. Nicole thought. She cleared her throat and strutted towards them. Their heads immediately snapped in her direction.

"Hey Caleb, I see you're back" she said sourly.

Caleb grunted someone inaudible in response.

"Nicole? You're still here?" Laura asked, with her brows raised.

Nodding, Nicole sniffled and hugged herself.

"Yeah, I had to take some time to compose myself after all that. It didn't go well and I couldn't hold it" She replied slowly.

"Oh come here girl." Laura gushed, enfolding her in a hug. "It's going to be alright, darling."

Caleb who hitherto been watching their exchange with his eyes squinted and brows scrunched, grunted, then narrowed his eyes.

"Andrew's back right?" He voiced, his eyes widening.

"What?" They gasped.

He swiftly shoved them out of the way and darted to Andrew's room.

"Nooo!" Nicole and Laura called out, running after him. He was faster, his footsteps pounded as he flew up the flight of stairs to Andrew's room.

He barged into the room with Nicole and Larry at his heels. He paused, stunned to see Larry standing alone, inside the room.

"Where's he!" Caleb bellowed, charging at Larry.

Larry shrugged,

"I have no idea." He muttered, looking at Laura.

"His scent is still fresh, so don't you dare lie to me." Caleb said harshly, spinning around to face Laura. "He was here!"

Laura shrugged and stepped in, with Nicole beside her

"Andrew." Caleb hollered, "come out you son of a bitch!"

Nicole rolled her eyes.

"Keep it down, Caleb. Don't refer to my mate, your Alpha, as something like that,” she reprimanded, picking her nails. "Besides I don't see him anywhere and if he was back, Laura would have told me."

Caleb laughed dryly,

"Do you really trust them?" He asked, gesturing towards Laura and Larry.

Nicole raised her brows questioningly.

"How do you think Andrew escaped and ruined your engagement?"

Nicole rolled her eyes.

"Caleb?" Laura called out testily.

"Where's Andrew?" He barked, checking the closet.

"He's got to be in here somewhere! I can still smell him." Caleb argued, checking the bathroom.

"This is his room, Caleb. His scent is always prominent here." Larry retorted.

"Oh, isn't that nice Andrew's guard dog and Beta." Caleb sneered as he checked under the bed.

"If he isn't or hasn't been here, what are these chains for?" He asked picking the end of one of the chains and tossing it to Laura, who easily caught them and put them down.

"We had this installed last night and are testing out its strength." Larry responded firmly.

Caleb folded his arms, scanning the surrounding room. He caught Laura's eyes and looked pointedly at the ruffled bed.

Nicole sighed dramatically.

"You are supposed to be the smart one Caleb, how'd you expect him to be back here when you chased him down yesterday? We all thought you captured him yourself. So it is us who should be asking." She said, folding her arms and tapping one of her well-manicured fingers on her cheeks.

Caleb's shoulders slumped. His memories of the day before we're still hazy.

"I caught him." He stated vehemently, "then he escaped, but I.."

"Shouldn't you be out there searching for him? What would the old alpha think if he found out that you failed again?" Laura interrupted.

Caleb gulped.

"Who failed again?" A crisp voice asked.

"Alpha." They said simultaneously, bowing their heads.

"Who failed again?" The voice repeated, gruffly.

A towering man in his sixties, strolled into the room, with his arms folded behind his back.

"Laura, who failed?" He asked, testily. The man looked like the older version Caleb, having the same facial features, fair skin and hair color. His own sandy blonde hair was slicked backwards and his brows seemed to be permanently furrowed. His angry stance that made him look taller, his height and eye color were the only resemblance he bore with Andrew.

"Caleb failed to capture Andrew, Douglas ." Laura responded in a strained voice

He growled, making them whimper. The power radiating from made the weak. Each of them quivered and gasped for breath.

"Caleb," He said slowly, "Get out before I lose it."

Caleb dashed out of the room immediately.

Alpha Douglas sighed and shut the door. Each of them visibly relaxed and were able to raise their heads up.

"So where's he now?" Alpha Douglas asked calmly.

"Nicole?" Laura asked, "thanks for pretending, but where's Andrew, we left you with him."

Nicole heaved her and held her hands to stop them from trembling.

"We.. he barked angry words at me and I couldn't take it, so I left." She murmured, sniveling. "I met Larry on my way towards the guest room. I had to stay here for a while to compose myself."

Alpha Douglas chuckled darkly, then turned to Larry who was trembling.

"Where's he?" He asked, through gritted teeth.

Larry gulped, then stared pleadingly at Laura, who looked stupefied. She raised her brows and looked from him to Nicole, who was sobbing silently.

Alpha Douglas sniggered.

"These chains aren't broken, meaning that someone released him. Or wasn't he chained?" He asked Laura.

"He was chained." Laura mumbled.

"Aha!" He said cheekily. "We also know that my son has never and will never try to escape this room, because it's the exact replica of his mother's. He can't even bring himself to open the windows."

He strolled towards Larry. "Meaning that, he only left this room because someone asked and helped him to."

He stopped and glared at Larry.

"Where's Andrew?" He asked menacingly.

"I…" Larry started.

Alpha Douglas grabbed his neck, throttling him.

"Alpha!" Nicole cried.

"Shut it girl." Douglas bellowed, tossing Larry towards the chains.

A slow smirk spread through his face. He picked up one of the chains and unclasped it from the wall.

"Laura do something!" Nicole screamed.

Laura stood rigidly, her arms clasped behind her back. Her eyes twitched and she ground her teeth, but she didn't utter a word.

"I didn't do anything!" Larry wailed. "He wasn't here when I returned."

Douglas tested the strength of the silver chains, then raised his arms and whipped Larry with them. Larry's screams ricocheted through the walls.

Nicole screamed and grabbed his arms restricting Douglas's movement. He growled, tossed her to the side and whipped Larry again.

"Have Mercy Alpha. He's Andrew's beta." Nicole cried, using her body to cover Larry's body.

Douglas heaved.

"I'm punishing him, because he's Andrew's Beta. He has to learn to keep Andrew in check, if he wants to rule this pack." He said gruffly, trying to catch his breath. "Now get out of my way!"

Nicole remained where she was.

"Laura, get this girl out of my way!" Douglas instructed.

"Yes Alpha."

Laura moved automatically and proceeded to drag Nicole out of the room.

"Stop." Douglas commanded, "Let her watch what happens to those who dare defy me."

Laura dropped Nicole unceremoniously.

"And Nicole, don't get in my way again. I won't hesitate to whip you next time." He advised, resuming his whipping.

Larry writhed in pain as the silver chains sliced and singed his back and arms. Blood gushed out from the deep cuts it made.

Nicole covered her face with her hand, hiding her smile as she pretended to cry. She had gotten Larry, Laura was next. She was going to isolate Andrew by turning the people he cared about to his enemies, so he could finally understand that she was the only one meant for him.

"Nicole, get a grip of yourself." Laura whispered, tugging her. Her voice was drowned out by Larry's wails and Douglas's heavy breaths.

"You're only aggravating him," she said, trying to lift Nicole up. "Behaving like a wimp will only make him doubt your capability as the Luna."

"Get up and put on a poker face. Do it for Andrew." She instructed.

Nicole sniffled, allowing Laura to lift her up.

"Enough, Douglas!" Laura thundered after watching him go at it for sometime.

Douglas snapped his head in her direction, growling.

"Or do you want your son to rule without a……"

Laura was cut off by the sounds of alarms whirling. A young man busted into the room,

"Alpha, Warrior Laura, we're under attack, witches have infiltrated …"

Explosions rocked the foundation of the building sending them flying to the ground.