Chapter 32

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Evy sat in the police station petrified.

Alex had been handcuffed and taken down with her in tow to the police station and since then she had been sitting on a bench in the waiting area and Alex confined to a room, probably waiting for someone to process him. She had been free to go and she had given the police her statement of what transpired but Alex had not yet been released.

Her attacker and his friends were also locked up in some room, she had seen them being led in.

All her high had instantaneously vanished and now a headache was threatening to blow her head apart with the feeling of absolute dread...dread to face Max.

She could only imagine how he would react, she had been having such a good day...and now it was going to be the worst day of her life...she could feel it. This was going to be terrible and the worst part was she had nobody to blame but herself.

Wheels were running in her head to figure out a way out. Alex was confined somewhere in this maize of a police station and her trying to talk to anyone had not yielded goodness.

It was time to take the plunge. She pulled out her cellphone with shaking hands and opened the address book and dialed the number and prayed to god he picked up.

***

Max, Adrian & Sebastian were seated in Sebastian's office, looking at plans for Colorado, which would serve as their base of operations for their targeted attack to get Charles.

"Where are we on the stealth team that we want to deploy in Montana?" Max asked.

Roma had signed off on a plan to send in a team of trackers in to Montana to try and locate Charles, it would be a risky operation as if caught it might lead to an all-out war but they were not making any progress, the security company they hired had come up with nothing and anyone who got close to the Montana wolves location encountered a wild animal attack.

"The team landed in Colorado" Sebastian said "They will need a week's time to get the lay of the land and acquire necessary supplies."

"Do we know where we want to look?" Max asked. You could not comb an entire state with ten folks, you need to look precisely.

"Patrick Lockbourne's pack" Sebastian stated and further added "If Gordon Lockbourne would trust anyone it would be his first cousin and biggest supporter, so he would want to hide his secret safe in Patrick Lockbourne's territory" He would not trust anyone else.

"How do we plan to infiltrate?" Max asked.

"The borders will be well protected by road or through wilderness, that is how they will expect us, so we fly our people in on commercial airlines in to different cities and then converge on their area of search"

Max nodded satisfied and asked "And extraction?" He wanted to make sure they had a way to get their men out if need be.

"We are having safe houses created in all major cities of Montana, the security team we engaged will arrange transport and drivers on standby. All our men have to do is reach a pre-arranged location and with a phone call they will be moved to a city and from there we can have a chopper pick them up." Sebastian explained. Safest way for them to travel would be air.

"Ok" Max said satisfied with the plan, they were taking all needed precautions.

"How about we..." Adrian started but was interrupted by Sebastian's phone ringing.

The phone had been lying carelessly on the table while they sat around discussing. Everyone's attention went to the phone by default.

Sebastian looked at it surprised looking at the name on the display.

It was Evelyn.

***

Alex sat in the room worried, not about himself but about Evelyn, she was alone outside in the police station.

He could imagine what she was going through.

He got up and banged at the door furiously and someone yanked open barking at him "What?!"

"Listen" Alex stated "Can I talk to someone in charge?" he asked.

As the cop looked at him incredulously he calmly explained "My name is Alexander Knowles, I am a commander in the Roma air force and you can check my pocket for my Identity card" he said indicating to his back pocket, his hands was still in cuffs.

The cop hesitated for a moment and reluctantly withdrew Alex's purse from the pocket and opened it on encouragement from Alex, he looked at the identity card and took a close look at Alex after satisfying himself on the authenticity of Alex's claim he said "I will let the Inspector in charge know" the cop told him and walked out locking the door promptly behind him. Alex collapsed in to the chair and waited.

***

Max had considerably cooled down...for now.

Sebastian sighed as he looked at the carnage that Maxwell unleashed, Sebastian couldn't completely blame him though.

What wolf would react well when they learnt that their mate was in a police station of all places on the earth and when she was not supposed to leave the palace?

Alex was in a shit load of trouble and he thought he better stayed away from Max for a while, Max would have tolerated Alex being Alex but putting his mate in danger...not so much.

Max was also hurt...he had covered it well but Sebastian saw it in his eyes...Hurt that Evelyn has chosen to contact him and not Max. Shit! Mates were complicated stuff and one thing he knew... never get in between them, eventually they would sort their shit out.

When the phone had rang earlier everyone was lost as to why she was calling him, so he received the call but put it on speaker and her story came tumbling out and as she hung up Max turned berserk. It has taken them a while to calm his down and Adrian dragged him out barking at Sebastian to handle the mess.

Sebastian had made a call to the police commissioner's office and asked him to sort this out discreetly and then arranged someone to have them picked up. He now sat in his chair looking across his destroyed office furniture. Pity he had like it.

***

Alex got up as the door to his room flew open. The inspector walked in and promptly un-cuffed him and before Alex could open his mouth he calmly said "There is a car in the basement waiting for you and your friend out there, my man here will escort you there"

Alex was confused but simply nodded and started to step out when the Inspector said "Your friend out there has some connections"

Alex gave a tight smile and walked out with a cop trailing him to show him out.

Evy rushed over to Alex "My god, I am so relieved!" she gushed.

"This way please" the cop politely nudged them.

"Who did you call?" Alex asked.

"Sebastian" She confessed.

"Oh Boy!" Alex groaned.

The cop led them to the basement where the car was waiting. Alex and Evy quickly got in to the back seat and the car started its journey back, both occupants at the back dreading the reception awaiting them at the destination road in complete silence.

***

Adrian greeted them with a grim face in the parking.

"You are an idiot, brother!" Adrian admonished his brother without preamble.

Alex just kept quiet.

"Of all things, you had to put her in danger, recklessly taking her out in to the city...."

"It wasn't against my will you know...I wanted to go too" Evelyn meekly defended, it wasn't totally Alex's fault and she was to blame as well.

Adrian gave her a piercing look and said with a tone devoid of any emotion "If I were you, I would save my breath for my mate."

Evelyn balked and Alex's face grew grim. He mucked it up he wasn't going to have Evy face the brunt.

"Let's go" Adrian barked at them and turned around and they meekly followed him as if they were being lead to a guillotine.

They eventually headed back to the residence and to Max's office. Adrian halted and looked at Evelyn "he is inside" that was all he told her. She needed to deal with this shit and he turned to Alex "it's best if you didn't show your face around for a while" he advised and left.

Evelyn took a deep breath and quickly opened the door before her courage left her, as she stepped in and closed the door behind the door she quickly scanned the room to find him slouched in his chair...with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Had fun?" he asked his voice devoid of all emotion.

She opened her mouth but her voice failed her and her heart was hammering away in her chest.

"Max...I.." she fumbled with her words and stepped towards him.

"Do you have any idea of the danger you placed yourself in...what could have happened" His voice trembled.

"Nothing did happen Max I am safe and sorry...I am sorry Max" She told him her eyes tearing up.

"It's not her fault, its mine" A voice broke through behind her and she turned to see Alex at the door, she had not heard him walk in.

Max's eyes turned black as he slowly got up from the chair he was sitting on and walked over to Alex and Evy was frozen in her spot.

"You should have known better" Max whispered absolutely furious, his emotions no longer in check.

Alex didn't flinch, kept looking at Max "I know" was all he said.

Max didn't respond for a second and then he said "not good enough" and punched Alex in the face hard that he flew back and crashed in to the door.

Evelyn gasped in horror and covered her mouth with her hand in absolute shock.

"Alex" She whispered his name in shock and started towards him.

Max turned to her in fury and barked "Stay! I am not done with him!"

"Get up, you bastard!" Max barked at Alex.

She paused at his anger and he promptly turned his attention back to Alex who was getting himself up, his nose bloody.

Evelyn felt extremely guilty and miserable, all this was because of her. She should have simply said no!

She saw Max hand form a fist ready to punch Alex again.

"No, stop!" She screamed and flew in-between them.

Max's eyes grew wide in horror as Evelyn jumped in-between them as his hand landed on her face.

"Fuck!" Max screamed as Evelyn collapsed on the floor groaning.

Stars exploded in Evelyn's head as she took the brunt of Max's punch followed by searing pain, she lost her balance and collapsed clutching her face and groaning.

"God damn it Evy! Can you listen to what I say for once in your life?" Max said panicked as he approached her trying to pull her up along with Alex. His earlier anger has vanished.

Evy gave out a laugh that made both men pause.

"It hurts like a bitch!" She said laughing as the men stared at each other concerned at her uncharacteristic behavior.

She swatted their hands away when they tried to steady her up. Her left cheek and eye which bore the brunt was turning purple and swelling up.

Both men grimaced at the sight. Max looked at Alex pointedly who got the hint and exited the room quietly.

"Evy" Max whispered concerned, all traces of anger disappearing from his voice.

"Stop!" She moaned in pain "Just stop it!" She said groping at the wall to support her.

"You all treat me like I am a child! Like I am incapable of making any decisions, it was my decision too! I decided to go out with Alex...I readily agreed, he did not have a knife at my throat" She spat bitterly "You can't blame it entirely on him...I am at fault too..."

She gently touched her swollen face and hissed in pain "I guess...it's only fair for me and Alex to share the consequences equally."

Max looked at her miserably.

"Evy, nobody is saying it's your fault" Max pleaded trying to reach her with his hand only to be swatted away by her.

"Why?" she asked "Why not?"

"You weren't aware of the risks, baby but Alex was and that is why I was angry at him" Max tried to explain.

"Are you saying, I can never step out of the palace because I am at risk Max?" She asked, her eye was swollen now.

"No...That's not what I mean" he said running his hands through his hair frustrated, his instincts were driving to comfort his hurt mate...a mate who was not letting him near her.

"Are you saying...that I can't go out with anyone but you?" She further demand.

"No...When did I say that? Stop putting words in my mouth?" He told her.

"So is Alex not trustworthy?" She demanded.

"That's not the point Evy" Max said and added "Listen it does not matter, let's take care of that" he said indicating to her face.

"It matters to me" She told him, stepping away from him as he tried to get closer.

"The point is you ended up in a fucking police station under his watch!" Maxwell barked out in frustration.

"Why?" She asked him "Why did I end up in a police station?"

"Because Alex started a fight in a fucking bar! God Evy what is this about?" Max asked her.

"Why did Alex start a fight?" she asked him completely ignoring his question.

"Because some asshole misbehaved with you!" He barked. He had heard this when she explained the entire story over phone to Sebastian.

"Exactly...how was that in Alex's control?" She asked "How can you guarantee that nobody will ever behave that way with me?" She demanded.

"With fucking bodyguards!" he yelled getting tired of this argument and failing to see her point.

"So every time I step out I need to have bodyguards? The only way I can shop is to have the store closed for everyone else?" she demanded. The one time she had gone out shopping in Roma with Max, he had the store closed.

"Evy" Max started patiently "The Roma family has enemies, if it means a few guards to keep us safe it's a small price to pay."

"And Alex is not good enough to keep me safe?" She asked "I can't go out with someone I know? Someone we both trust? That too in your own country? Do I need a convoy every time I step out...Id don't want to live my life in a gilded cage Max" She badgered.

"I am sorry you feel that way Evy" Max said tersely "But your safety is my priority, I am not stopping you from going out however there need to be precautions." He insisted.

"I never signed up for this Max" She said bitterly.

"Yes you did" He insisted "The day you accepted me as my mate, you accepted everything that comes with it"

"May be I didn't realize what I was getting in to...and not that I had a lot of choice" She said, mentioning his forced mating.

His eyes went dark in fury, he was barely controlling his rage and this argument was going from bad to worst "Well I am giving you a choice now...decide what you want...make up your mind about what is it that you want...and kindly let me know."

And with that he stormed out of the room.