The Loneliest Alpha (The MacKellen Alphas)

by T. A. Grey

  Nothing could be better except if he was inside her. His cock throbbed at the idea and she made another one of those deliriously erotic sounds.

  “Sweetheart, you gotta stop now if you don’t want me making a mess all over you.”

  She laughed sounding thrilled. What the hell had he gotten into? “Maybe that’s exactly what I want.”

  He had no idea she’d be such a hot minx when she got turned on. No man could be as lucky as he was.

  He couldn’t say anything else as breathing became difficult. Her little fist squeezed tight and jacked him as those teasing lips kissed across his neck, biting and licking like a little devil.

  Pressure grew in his balls. It was coming and nothing he could do could stop it now. His mouth slammed down on hers and she sensed his urgency, jerking faster, working him so perfectly. And when the wet pulses came, streaking across her stomach in hot, creamy spurts, she groaned right along with him, that little fist milking him.

  They stayed that way for a long minute, their lips tangled in a breathy touch. He pulled away first and grabbed the soap. Without a word, he preceded to soap every inch of her body from head to toe. Only after he set her back under the water for her to do her hair did he scrub himself.

  They were like lovers. Eyes dazed and warm, lingering on each other in that happy way. When they were both completely clean, he kissed her again trying to show her everything he felt with that kiss.

  “Thank you.”

  She flushed. “For what?”

  “For being you and being here.”

  * * * * *

  Gavin felt like he was living in someone else’s world. They dressed and he found himself offering to take her to the construction site. He had no idea where the offer came from but when she said yes, he didn’t regret it for one second. He guessed a part of him just wanted to share everything with her, to show her where he worked and what he did when he wasn’t Alpha Gavin MacKellen, but just Gavin.

  So they headed up to the site. Alex and the rest of the team were already hard at work.

  He helped Alicia down from the truck and she gave him a funny smile that said he was being silly. That smile twisted his gut into pieces. Each time he had to look her in the face and see her staring back, he had to fight not to flinch. He’d never wished that night after the challenge had never happened so much until he met her. She’d changed everything.

  The men stopped work the moment they saw him with her. He couldn’t say he was surprised; the whole pack knew that he’d been hiding his face from her. To see them out together with his busted face clear as day must be a shock.

  Alex was the only one who didn’t seem fazed. He came forward with hand extended while wearing a small grin. “Alex Thompson,” he said.

  Alicia shook his outstretched hand. “Alicia Clarkson.”

  “Good to meet you. I’ve heard some stories about you.”

  A blush came over her but she wore it with a grin. “I hope they weren’t too embarrassing for me.”

  “Only that you sing like shit.”

  Her jaw dropped for one long moment and then she burst out laughing. “How did you know that?”

  Alex shrugged. “Heard it from Jo who heard it from Gav. You know how it goes.”

  She nodded and eyed Gavin with a faux-stern glare. Damn, but he loved her. Really fucking loved her. She made his heart feel like it was going to burst. All he wanted to do was make lover to her while spilling his guts to her about everything.

  Luckily, he was smart and knew that’d get him the boot as soon as he opened his mouth. She was too wary, with a big ole’ shield erected around her heart. Made him wonder what put that there, what had happened. Everyone had a story and it looked like his little sweetheart had one too.

  The recognizable rumble of Hart’s Jeep pulled up the drive. Damn. A visit from Hart didn’t spell good news lately.

  Hart cut the engine and jumped out of the Jeep. “Got some news,” he said. “Do you want the good or the bad first?”

  Gavin looked down at the soft hand he held. Reluctantly, he pulled away. “Mind giving’ us a minute?”

  Her eyes widened and for a moment and he thought he saw hurt flash across them. But then she nodded and walked away to give them some space. He turned back to Hart.

  “You get the meat tested?”

  “That’s the bad news. I had the lab run a test on the meat early this morning. They found it laced with potassium chloride and tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride.”

  “What the hell is that?”

  “It’s the tetradydro—however you say it that’s the real problem. It’s eye drops.”

  “Someone put eye drops in the steak,” Gavin said slowly

  Hart’s grin snapped for a moment before it disappeared. “That’s it. You’re lucky it only made you vomit. Had you both eaten the whole steak, it could have been far worse. The lab assistant said other effects from drinking eye drops are seizures, blurred vision, difficulty breathing, and blood pressure problems. She mentioned some other stuff about comas but…” he shrugged. “You’re lucky some of the drops got cooked off the steak, brother. Or that whoever did it didn’t use enough.”

  Gavin felt a chill all the way down to his bones. He knew that feeling, recognized it. He was scared. Not for his own life but for that woman who’s come to mean too much for him to lose.

  “I’m done with this.”

  Hart raised a brow. “Done how?”

  “Done fuckin’ around with Marcus. What evidence do we have?”

  Hart smiled, a big ‘you’re gonna like this’ smile. “Good news, Gav. Elizabeth and I interviewed the gas station attendant working the day the SUV was left there and we also interviewed all the staff at the restaurant where Michael Givens lost his wallet. Guess who matched the description?”

  “Marcus?”

  Hart’s smile faded. “No, not him, but someone just as good.”

  Gavin’s jaw twitched. “I want Marcus.”

  “So do I, but we got Harry Graham. The middle brother.” Hart whipped out a small spiral notebook from his back pocket. “According to witnesses, they saw a lean man with dark blond hair and a big nose at both locations around the time of the accident. Sounds like Harry Graham to me. Not only that, but you know where Harry works.”

  “At the butcher’s,” Gavin supplied.

  “Bingo, brother. We got him.”

  Gavin shook his head. “We don’t got him. We got Harry, not Marcus. Harry would never do any of this on his own for nothin’. No, he’s doing it for Marcus.”

  Hart sighed. “You sure about that?”

  Gavin reached for his cheek, rubbed the distorted flesh. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

  “You ready to admit that Marcus did that to your face?”

  Gavin peered over at Alicia. She was strolling by the construction site studying every hammer, nail, and tool like it fascinated her. His lips twitched. He hadn’t been ready to talk about it before. But now? With her in his life—everything had changed. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

  Hart’s brows pulled low as he got into ‘detective mode’.

  “Tell me everything that happened from the time the alpha challenge ended until the next morning.” He whipped his pencil out, the graphite tip poised over his little notebook.

  The hairs on the back of Gavin’s neck crawled and he scrubbed a hand over it. “I got drunk with the family. Everyone was there except Will, who’s been avoiding me like the plague.”

  “Don’t get on his ass now. He took it hard when you stepped in on the challenge.”

  “Marcus would have killed him.”

  “And you did the right thing by stepping in. We all know what kind of alpha Marcus would make anyway. Now, continue your story.”

  “It happened after I got home. I remember feeling I was shit-faced…” His thoughts deterred as he was taken back to that night.

  He’d stumbled inside and thrown the front door shut. A cold, silent house greeted him and even through his drunken stup
or he’d felt it—the aching loneliness. It never left him, always followed him around making his heart heavy and his steps slow. That night it’d been worse. He’d scorned his youngest brother’s trust in order to save his life and wounded his brother’s pride irreparably. He had no idea how to make it up to Will. He remembered collapsing onto the sofa downstairs and hearing a noise just before solitary sleep took him.

  A footstep. The creaking of a board depressing as someone stepped near. He’d jerked to look but something had knocked the lights clear out of him. When he’d woken up the next morning…well…everyone knew the story. His face had been branded, permanently scarred. There’d been a dusting of salt over the chair and on his face to ensure the damage stayed. His lykaen blood could heal normal wounds faster than humans, but it couldn’t heal a brand like that.

  Someone had branded him and he knew who did it the moment he saw him the next day. Marcus Graham. Marcus had looked over his face and for a long moment his eyes had flashed with pride and satisfaction. Gavin had known it in that moment. Besides, no else had hated him enough to hurt him like that. Except maybe Will, but Will was family.

  Gavin relayed his story, everything starting from the moment he’d heard the footstep. Hart didn’t need to hear about the other shit, the shit he didn’t tell anyone. About the quietness of the house, about the morose moods he got into and struggled to shake off when he was alone. His brother didn’t need to hear any of that shit.

  When he finished, Hart closed his notebook. He rocked on his big feet for a moment before he pulled Gavin into a hard embrace. Gavin stood there stunned for a long moment before he wrapped his arms around his brother and hugged him back.

  “God dammit, I should have been there. I should have seen you home. Fuckin’ hell, Gav.”

  Gavin didn’t know what to say. So he just let his brother hold him and took his comfort and love before pulling away feeling a lump in his throat.

  Hart cleared his throat, shaking his head. “Fuck. God dammit. This is all my fault. I should have been smarter. I should have known he’d try something. The man never could let a slight go.”

  “It’s never been your fault. It’s no one’s fault, Hart. Listen to me now. Here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to sit on Harry today and push him.”

  Hart scowled. “What makes you think he’ll spill anything about what he’s done?”

  “He won’t, but Marcus will.”

  Realization dawned in Hart’s eyes. “Marcus loves his brothers. He sees us squeezing Harry and gets pissed, suddenly wants to talk.”

  “Exactly. At least, that’s what I’m hoping for.”

  Hart nodded. “We get any admissions and I’m arresting Harry for attempted murder and taking him to the Justicars. Unless you want pack justice?”

  Pack justice meant they took care of their own. Depending on the severity of the crime, they could beat the individual or kill him. Whoever murdered little Emma and Anthony would face the fiercest of pack justice—death. To send someone to the Justicars would be to send them to the lykaen and vampire equivalent of court.

  “Hell no. We take care of the Graham’s on our own. If we push Harry hard enough, Marcus will flip, I’m sure of it. If not, I think Harry will admit to anything to save Marcus. Either way, we get rid of at least one of the Graham brothers.”

  “Right,” Hart agreed.

  “Let me get Alicia home then we’ll pick up Harry. Sound good?”

  Hart nodded and headed back to his vehicle. Opening the door, he turned around. “Oh yeah, another thing. You seen Will lately?”

  Just the mention of his youngest brother made him flinch. “No, why is something up?”

  “That’s the thing. He’s been around, but I don’t think he’s been acting too normal, you know? You should try to talk to him.”

  “I did that. He wouldn’t listen to a word I said. He’s nineteen and thinks he knows everything. No amount of muscles he has could have made him win that alpha challenge. He hasn’t even grown into his body yet.”

  Hart nodded. “I know, but he’s young and has a helluva lot of hurt pride riding his shoulders. You took over the challenge he wanted in front of the whole pack. Just imagine if your roles were reversed.”

  He nodded. Hart was right but he still had no idea how to go about fixing the problem. He’d just figured time healed all wounds.

  He found Alicia chatting with Alex behind a stack of lumber. A feral and possessive sensation suddenly clutched him by the balls at the sight. A half-dozen thoughts flew through his mind.

  Get away from her.

  She’s mine.

  What the hell are you doing with him?

  Why are you standing so close together?

  Get the fuck away from my woman!

  That son of a bitch is gonna taste blood.

  He was marching toward them as the vicious thoughts caroused in his mind like poison. As he neared them, Alex’s head kicked up and caught the look in his eyes. The man was smart because a second later he had his palms up in the air and took several steps back.

  “Whoa, man, whoa. We’re just talking. Ain’t nothing goin’ on here at all, brother. At all.”

  The words barely penetrated. Instincts had taken over and consumed him. Primal demands that screamed at him to kill this man for standing so close to his woman. Fear gripped him because he hadn’t claimed her yet. He needed to claim her, then this other male would smell his scent all over her.

  Something soft wrapped around his belly trying to halt his determined steps. His gaze flickered down to find Alicia hugging him about the waist, concern in her eyes. “Stop this. It’s okay. I don’t even know him.”

  His jaw twitched with the need to say his thoughts, but somewhere deep inside him where logic still reined, he knew it was stupid. But he was standing too close to you. And I haven’t taken you yet.

  Soft eyes beseeched him to calm down. “Honey, why don’t you give me a kiss?”

  Sweet words from an even sweeter-smelling woman. His nostril’s flared. “What?”

  Alex was stepping back, the bastard escaping. Gavin took another step after him, pushing Alicia backward. Her arms squeezed around his waist in response. “I said I want a kiss.”

  His chest pumped like a runners as his eyes narrowed on her mouth. Pretty little lips with that small bow in the middle of her top lip. He knew those lips better now. They were soft as silk and warm with life. They also liked to kiss him back with a passion that rocked him.

  “You don’t know what you’re asking for.”

  Sexy eyes glowed up at him. As if she was trying to poke the beast inside him, she gripped his back and arched into him, thrusting her hot little tits against his chest as she rose up on her toes. “I don’t?”

  The scent of her arousal mixed with his saturated the air with a luscious fragrance. She turned her cheek and nuzzled over his heart.

  He fisted her hair. “You need to get away from me now. You have no idea what I want right now.” My cock plowing into you, your tit in my mouth, your arms holding me tight as you scream into my ear.

  Arousal flashed in her eyes. “Maybe I do.” She arched subtly against him, squeezing his back muscles while rubbing her cheek against him with those pretty little tits pressed flush to him.

  Images flashed through his mind of all the things he wanted to do to her, with her. After tasting her last night and feeling her hand on his cock this morning, his senses were on overload.

  That’s it.

  Using her hair, he pulled her face up to his and buried his lips in her neck. He whispered for only her to hear, “Give me a yes and we’ll finish this.”

  Excited breaths puffed against his cheek. “Yes.”

  No hesitation. She said it in a soft and fluttery voice. A nervous but excited voice.

  Hell if he cared. Nervous or not he crashed his lips down on hers, breathing in her gentle moan and slipping inside to taste her. He broke off the kiss as soon as it started.

  Searchin
g out her eyes, he made sure she saw him. Standing here with the sun beating at his back and his fucked up face in full view, he made sure she saw what she was getting. And then he told her, “You know there’s no going back from this.”

  She kneaded his back with greedy fistfuls. “I know.”

  And finally, as if it had been waiting for an excruciatingly long time, the beast inside him came out to play.

  CHAPTER 18

  This was a real thing that was going to happen, Alicia realized as Gavin helped her into his truck. Ducking in the driver’s side, he started the vehicle and they flew off down the road without even a single goodbye to his crew. This was real. They were really going to do this. And all she could think was—finally.

  She breathed in pants and his ragged breaths weren’t much better. She gazed over at him and his eyes met hers. Eyes that held knowledge that he’d soon be touching her, be moving inside her.

  Squirming in her seat, she couldn’t sit still and wait for it. She had to get her hands on him and feel his warm skin and firm muscles.

  With that thought in mind, she scooted across the seat.

  He tensed but his eyes devoured her. “Sweetheart, what’re you doin’?”

  She loved it when his raspy voice went all country on her. When his words got shortened and drawn out.

  “Touching you,” she answered.

  Her hands flew over his flannel, unbuttoning it and spreading it open. Thank god her hands didn’t shake with excitement. She’d seen his body in all its stunning, muscle-packed glory that morning had even felt his shaft throbbing in her hand but that hadn’t been enough.

  Not after seeing his reaction.

  She’d seen alphas react similarly before and it’d always made her smile. But now it’d happened to her. Something that went far beyond excitement blossomed inside her at the thought because when an alpha acted so, it was always toward his mate.

  Was this what it was like to be with a mate? This wild, incredible connection as if they were joined by an invisible tether in some invisible dimension. That’s what it felt like. Like no matter where either of them was on the whole planet they would know where the other one was.