Bryce Evans

by Big Bad Alpha [Ashland Pack 2]

“Oh yeah, by the way the job starts day after tomorrow,” Damen smirked.

  Chapter Seven

  Lexy hugged Jacob before he left her cottage. “I will see you in the morning at Adrianna’s house. Oh yeah, don’t eat because Adrianna always makes a big breakfast for all the Protectors and me and you now.” Lexy smiled at Jacob as he walked to his truck. She waited until Jacob got into the vehicle before she closed the door and locked it. She was dead tired and only wanted to crawl into that big comfy bed and sleep, so she stripped her clothes off then went into her small bathroom and took a quick shower.

  Lexy couldn’t stop thinking about the brooding Alpha. He never really spoke to her except when he grunted or snuck up on her and scared the ever-living shit out of her. But she couldn’t stop the feelings that crept up into her heart. Nobody said you couldn’t look, Lex. He is good looking and way out of your league, but he is so yummy. He must have any woman he wants. Just remember, you don’t want to be a notch on his bedpost like all the others and there are others. Somebody who looks like that isn’t a saint.

  Lexy couldn’t stop herself because as soon as she thought about Mace, her body started warming up. As she rubbed the soap up and down her body, she closed her eyes, dreaming it was Mace touching her, before she knew it, her fingers were inside her, moving in and out in a frenzy of lust. Lexy could feel the orgasm rushing forward. She grabbed the shower bar and held on as waves of pure heaven ravished her body as she thought about Mace touching her in all the forbidden places. She couldn’t control the scream that came from her mouth as she rode the tremors screeching through her body.

  ***

  Mace was watching Damen and Declan back out of his driveway when he heard the small scream coming from the cottage where Lexy was staying. He took off running toward the cottage, praying nothing was wrong with her. When Mace arrived at the back door, he opened it carefully, scanning the living room area. She left the back door unlocked. The lights were turned off as Mace stopped to listen for any sounds or foreign smells, but all he could hear was a shower running in the bathroom. Mace crept into the bedroom as the door to the bathroom opened with Lexy standing with a towel in her hand. Both Mace and Lexy’s eyes met as she realized she was standing naked in front of Mace.

  “Wh-what the fuck are you doing here?” Lexy screamed as she dropped the towel when she fumbled with it trying to cover her body.

  Mace watched as Lexy finally succeeded in wrapping the towel around her, covering up most of her body. Mace couldn’t answer Lexy. His cock had gotten hard as a rock and was trying to push its way through his blue jeans.

  “You are the sexiest woman I have ever seen,” he blurted. He watched as Lexy blushed and then looked down at the floor. “You should never...” Mace couldn’t get what he wanted to say out as he stared at the woman. He took two steps toward her, grabbed her around the waist, and pulled her into him, then kissed her lips as she moaned into his mouth. I have to have her. Just a taste. That’s all and it will make my wolf happy. Damn. Her skin on the back of her neck felt warm and Mace knew that he had to have her. He licked her lips, gaining entrance into the sweetest mouth he ever tasted in his life, tasting like strawberries and caramel. Lexy grabbed onto his chest as the towel that covered her fell to the ground. Mace’s hands reached down further until they landed on her ass. He squeezed her ass cheeks then lifted her up until she wrapped her legs around his waist.

  The kiss then turned into the most passionate kiss she ever had. Before Lexy knew it, Mace had her laid out on the bed, kissing down her neck, leaving little nips with his teeth as he went.

  The heavy breathing filled the air in the small bedroom. Moisture flooded between her legs as she rubbed against Mace’s jeans.

  Mace growled, smelling her sweet arousal in the air.

  Lexy couldn’t think straight as Mace continued to kiss his way down to her breasts, latching onto one, sucking it into his mouth. Lexy groaned then pushed her chest higher into the air trying to get Mace to keep the feeling going through her body and mind.

  Mace was about to push one finger inside of Lexy’s heated passage when a cell phone started ringing beside Lexy’s bed. The ring startled Lexy, causing her to pull away from Mace.

  “What’s wrong?” Mace asked as Lexy pushed him away from her. Lexy got up and grabbed the towel she had dropped on the floor, wrapping it around her.

  Lexy couldn’t believe she did that. He must think I’m a whore now. I just let him have his way with me. Then I rubbed myself on him like a dog in heat. Oh God, what have I done? They will kick us out of the pack now. Poor Peter will never forgive me for this. Lexy’s mind was running a mile a minute. She couldn’t think straight.

  Lexy couldn’t even look up at Mace she was so embarrassed and afraid that she had messed up her mom’s and Peter’s chances of a real life now. The ringing stopped and Lexy jumped back.

  “What’s going through your head, Lexy?” Mace asked as he slid across the bed toward her.

  “Please forgive me, Mace?” Lexy held her hand out halting any further movement from him. “Please don’t kick out my mom and dad for this. I will leave and you will never have to see me again. Don’t punish them for my stupidity.” Lexy couldn’t finish before the tears were running down her face and the sob rushed out of her. She ran to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She leaned against the door crying so hard she couldn’t catch her breath. Lexy felt weak again. Years of self-doubt came crashing down on Lexy. She couldn’t stop being weak-minded in everything. Stop this, Lexy, now. You are acting weak. No more, no more. No More. Lexy chastised herself.

  Mace stood staring at the closed door unknowing what to do or say. He was stunned on why Lexy reacted this way. Walking to the door, he leaned his head against the door listening to Lexy crying. He thought even as an Alpha, he still had no idea why a woman cries about everything.

  “Lexy, please stop crying, baby. You didn’t do anything wrong. This was my fault and mine only. I would never kick out your parents. You never have to worry about that, Lexy. Please open the door and talk to me. I want to make sure you are okay.” Mace listened and Lexy had stopped sobbing, but she was still sniffling, just not as loud. He could tell she was on the floor now in front of the door. He pictured Lexy curled up in a ball, lying on the floor, shivering from the cold.

  “Lexy, I’m sorry, baby, really I am. I won’t kiss you again, I promise, I won’t ever touch you again. This is my fault and I never should have done that to you. You are so beautiful and when I saw you, I just couldn’t stop myself from touching you. So don’t you worry about your parents or you having any problems from me. I’m leaving now, Lexy, so you can come out of the bathroom and get into your warm bed. Lexy, I’m so sorry, baby,” he said, distraught at upsetting her.

  "Please, leave." said Lexy.

  Mace walked out of the back door making sure that he locked the door behind him and beating himself up as he walked toward his house. Mace couldn’t believe that he broke into her house and just about had sex with her. What are you doing, Mace? Shit, man, come on, she wasn’t in pain or scared when she screamed. You knew the difference. You just wanted an excuse. Now look at the girl crying on the bathroom floor begging you not to get rid of her parents because of what she did, and she didn’t do anything either. It was you, Mace, just you. Stop letting your wolf tell you what to do.

  Mace walked into his house slamming the door, stripping his clothes as he walked toward the shower. He had her smell all over him. Her smell was intoxicating enough, but now he could taste her on his lips. Mace growled and punched a hole in his bathroom wall. The drywall fell to the ground leaving a hole straight through to the other side of the wall. Mace looked down at the mess on the floor.

  ‘Fuck, Fuck, Fuck, you stupid son of a bitch. Why can’t you leave her alone?’ Mace asked his wolf.

  ‘That is impossible,’ said his wolf.

  Mace turned the shower on cold, jumping in, not feeling the cold water rushing over his heated flesh. Ma
ce took in deep breaths trying to calm him and his wolf down. He could still feel her soft body as he stroked up and down her stomach and breasts. “Fuck! Stop thinking about her and calm your mind,” Mace yelled aloud. He was still hard for her. "Fuck!"

  ***

  Yes, yes, Lex, it was his fault. He said it was his fault. You never asked him to come into your house. Well it’s his house, but it is yours right now. Suck it up. Lexy lay on the floor looking up at the ceiling. She knew she had screwed up and needed to get off the floor, but she couldn’t bring herself to get up. Come on, Lexy, get off the damn floor, and get yourself together. Lexy got up from the floor, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. She grasped the edge of the sink then looked up at herself in the mirror. Lexy shook her head trying to get herself together. You can do this, Lex. Just forget it ever happened, just as Mace said. Stop being a pussy and start taking up for yourself. If you want to have sex with him because he obviously wants to have sex with you, then just do it. But I was saving myself for my mate. Nobody does that anymore, Lex, nobody. Lex glared at herself in the mirror trying to give herself a pep talk. Lexy, you have survived Cain and you are a strong witch because of it. You have a new home and a new job. You have a friend who actually likes you. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and pick your fat ass up and go to bed and this is the last time you will discuss this. You did nothing wrong. He came in here. Yeah, he did hear me scream, but it was in ecstasy. “Stop talking to yourself, Lex,” she hissed aloud at herself in the mirror. She walked over to her bed then crawled under the sheets, willing herself to go to sleep without thinking about Mace and what he felt like kissing her all over her body.

  Needing a distraction to look at, she pointed to the ceiling and chanted a spell then threw up her hands as she watched a galaxy of stars appear. It was an easy spell that they taught first year witches on how to put yourself to sleep. Instead of counting sheep, she would count the stars. Lexy started from the left side. “One, two, three, four, five. As Lexy got to twenty stars, the exhaustion of the day came and her eyes fluttered closed.

  Chapter Eight

  Lexy drove down the long driveway the next morning leading to Adrianna’s home. The closer she got to the house the view became more and more beautiful. The trees seemed to be greener and the flowers seemed to have darker vibrant colors. When she drove around the corner, she stared in awe as the log cabin house came into view. The cabin was something one would see the rich and famous living in. It was simply gorgeous with lots of wild flowers growing everywhere around the house. Lexy could see Jacob’s truck sitting to the side of the house. She didn’t know where to park her car so she pulled beside Jacob’s truck until they told her different. She got out of her car and walked toward the front door when the door opened and Jacob came outside to meet her.

  “Hey, Little Brown Riding Hood.”

  Lexy smiled at Jacob’s nickname for her.

  Jacob made her feel safe and finally like a real person, not someone who was running from her past. “What’s up, hot stuff?”

  Adrianna walked out the door laughing at Lexy’s nickname for Jacob. “She has you pegged already, Jacob. Hey, Lexy, how are you?” Adrianna asked.

  “Hey, Adrianna. I’m great, and thanks again for this opportunity to work for you,” Lexy answered quietly. She couldn’t let Adrianna see how tired she was from tossing and turning, thinking about Mace. Plus you can’t just come out and tell Adrianna that you almost had sex with her brother last night. No, just act normal, Lexy. Your whole life depends on making this work for you and your family. Pull up your big girl panties and get it together.

  Adrianna walked down the stairs and hugged Lexy. “Welcome to my home. So let’s give you the grand tour.”

  Lexy loved how loving Adrianna was. She didn’t expect her to be so nice. Lexy never had friends or a long-term job so she really didn’t know what to expect from everyone. Lexy walked behind Adrianna into the house and gasped as she looked around at the beautiful living room. It had a huge fireplace made of stones. Pictures of her family were placed over the mantel, including Jacob.

  Jacob walked closer and saw that Lexy was looking at his picture. “I’m part of their family, Lexy, just like you are. Adrianna and this pack are different. We are considered family, too. Wait until you see the wall of fame,” Jacob informed Lexy.

  “What’s the wall of fame?” Lexy asked. Jacob smiled and grabbed Lexy’s hand, dragging her into a room to the right. When Lexy walked in, she couldn’t take her eyes off the board on the wall.

  Jacob walked over and pulled the board out so Lexy could see it. At the top of the board was a title: THE ASHLAND PACK. Then under it was a picture of Mace and under his name was his title, Mace McDonald, Alpha. Then under his name was Damen McDonald and then under his name where other pictures and names and people’s names split off from each other. Jacob turned the pages on the board until he turned to the last page and on the last page was a picture of Lexy and her parents.

  “You see, Lexy, you are part of our family now and we’re not letting you go. Adrianna had this made so we could keep up with everyone moving into town and which pack or clan they are in. Or maybe they are in the Twisters Council like you. You are part of the Ward Clan and the Twisters Council. So you see, you are part of a lot of families,” Jacob explained as Adrianna walked over and put her hand on Lexy’s shoulder.

  “Welcome to the family, Lexy.” Lexy looked at Adrianna with tears in her eyes.

  “Thank you, Adrianna. You don’t know how much that means to me.”

  Adrianna turned around, walked over to a desk, and sat on the edge of the desk watching Lexy. She noticed that Lexy had flipped the chart back to the first page.

  Lexy, not knowing that Adrianna was watching, stroked her fingers over Mace’s picture.

  “Here is your desk, Lexy. We moved it in yesterday for you. This is Jacob’s desk. It will be the two of you in here. The kitchen is for everyone so don’t forget to use it. We eat together and we snack together, too, so feel free to get what you want out of the fridge.” Adrianna grinned as she showed her the desk.

  “Oh, Adrianna, I wouldn’t expect you to pay for my food. I brought my lunch. So—” Lexy didn’t have time to finish her sentence.

  “You brought your lunch? Well that just won’t do. Jacob, I think you need to talk to Lexy and explain to her how things are around here and how we expect them,” Adrianna argued.

  Lexy looked down worried that she had already offended Adrianna and Jacob. Adrianna winked at Jacob when she was finished.

  “Well, Little Brown, this is how it is here. We eat together here so you will be expected to eat with us and you are not to bring your own lunch. We cook here, girl. Adrianna gets a budget from all the packs, clans, and the Twisters Council and part of that money is for feeding the staff, so you see, Little Brown, no more bringing lunches. We all chip in and cook and today you are getting broken in right, girl. It is you, me, and Damen who are cooking lunch today,” Jacob instructed Lexy on how the job worked.

  Lexy laughed. These people had to be part of a dream because people were never this nice and good to her.

  “So do you think you can handle that?” Adrianna asked Lexy as she smiled and winked at her.

  “Yes, ma’am. I think I can handle that.” Adrianna watched as Lexy smiled.

  Adrianna knew that Lexy had had a hard life and she was going to do everything she could to make her life happier. Now, she had an Alpha to invite for lunch and start her plan at getting Mace and Lexy together. She knew now that Mace was waiting for Lexy, but she could already tell they both would fight it, so she would work a little bit of the love magic.

  “Adrianna, where are you, my mate?” Lexy smiled when Samson walked into the room.

  “Well there you are, angel.” Samson hugged Adrianna, then looked over and saw Lexy smiling at him.

  “Well look who is finally here.” Samson reached over and hugged Lexy. “We have been waiting for you. Welcome to our home.”r />
  “Thanks, Samson. I appreciate everything you, the Alpha, and Adrianna have done for me,” Lexy replied.

  “Hey, what about me.” Jacob stuck his lip out and acted as if he was pouting.

  “Well of course. Thank you, too, hot stuff.” Samson started laughing at the nickname Lexy called Jacob.

  “Shit, what in the hell did she just call you?” Samson asked laughing hard.

  “Hey, she knows a hot man when she sees one.” Jacob chuckled along with Samson.

  “You two men. Come on, Lexy, I will finish showing you around while these two clowns go get breakfast on the table.” Adrianna grabbed Lexy’s hand, pulling her toward the door. “See ya later, hot stuff.” Adrianna yelled over her shoulder as she and Lexy laughed while walking out of the door.

  “Okay, Lexy, here is my office. I share it with Samson and Cade. There is the bathroom over there, now let’s go see the kitchen because I’m starving. Cade is cooking breakfast today with Declan and they sure can cook some bacon and eggs.”

  Lexy giggled as they walked toward the kitchen.

  “Oh, one more thing,” said Adrianna.

  Adrianna stopped and held Lexy’s hands out, looking at her clothes. Lexy bit her lip wondering if she was dressed appropriate. She knew she needed new clothes, but she would have to wait until her first paycheck before going to the thrift stores. Lexy didn’t have a lot of money saved so she would try out the thrift stores first.

  “I have just cleaned out my closets and we look about the same size, that is before I started growing, and the boys have promised me a whole new wardrobe so I have a lot of clothes to give away and since you look about my size, you can have them if you want. I can have the guys put them in your car. Hell, it may take a truck, too. Yeah, I’m a clothes whore,” Adrianna said.

  Lexy couldn’t believe it, a whole bunch of new clothes.

  “So can I tell them to put them in your car?” Adrianna asked.