Bad Boy Alphas

by Alexis Davie

  Slowly, Missy turned to head back the way she had come, and she jumped at the sight of her brother lounging against the wall.

  “So, how does it feel, sis?” he asked leeringly. “To know you’re one of us?”

  It feels awful! Missy wanted to scream, but she dared not. No wonder Dev took off so fast. He could probably sense I’m a weirdo.

  * * *

  The final trip to Gendry’s Lumber proved to be fruitful, and Louis helped the siblings fill up the bed of the truck before waving them off.

  “I’m hungry,” Andrew informed Missy as they drove away. “I’m stopping at McDonald’s.”

  She stared at him balefully, and when Andrew raised his eyebrows, expecting a reply from her, Missy just muttered, “Whatever.”

  It was the worst birthday she had ever had. What difference did whatever they did now make? Her desire to go anywhere was crushed, her faith in humanity doubly so.

  It was all Missy could do to keep from hailing a cab to the airport and making her way back to Boulder and the sanctuary of her room at the sorority house.

  To add insult to injury, Andrew wanted to eat at the restaurant instead of ordering to-go.

  This just gets better and better, Missy thought bitterly, but she still said nothing. She was far too upset to engage in conversation.

  Her mind was racing, coming back to the same thought, over and over again.

  I am a werewolf. My family has withheld this from me for who knows how long, and I made out with the most handsome stranger I’ve ever met, only for him to throw me away without any explanation.

  In some way, she was irritated that what had happened with Dev still weighed on her mind. But it was her birthday, and she could cry if she wanted.

  “You want something?” Andrew asked, and she shook her head sullenly.

  “Suit yourself.”

  A few minutes later, her brother was digging into his burger with gusto, and as Missy watched him devour the food, she realized she was starving.

  I don’t care. I just want to go home and throw the covers over my head and stay there for the rest of summer break.

  She tried not to watch as Andrew inhaled his fries before sitting back with a satisfied smirk on his face.

  “Ah,” he sighed. “Good stuff.”

  “Can we go?” Missy snapped, and he shrugged nonchalantly.

  “I just have to use the bathroom,” he told her, and Missy was sure she was going to scream. Grinding her teeth, she stormed out into the parking lot to wait for her brother, beginning to pace around in annoyance.

  After fifteen minutes, Andrew finally emerged. Missy gave him a furious look.

  “Sorry,” he chuckled, though his voice told her he was not sorry in the least. “Number one became—”

  “I got it!” Missy snapped, holding up her hand to stop his sentence. “Can we just go now?”

  They returned to his truck, and Missy hoped she never had to ride in it ever again. She had seen the vehicle enough for a lifetime.

  Another silent ride ensued, and as they approached the farmhouse, Missy suddenly felt a lump of self-pity form in her throat. She gulped it down, unwilling to cry in front of her brother, but she could not remember a time when she had felt as low as she did today.

  Had her twenty-first birthday seriously been one of the worst days of her life?

  Andrew parked the truck. Missy slipped around the back to help him unload.

  “Nah, don’t worry,” he said before she could start. “I can do that when Dad gets home. You look really pissed off. Just go inside.”

  Missy eyed him, slightly surprised by the sentiment. It was probably the nicest thing Andrew had ever done for her, and she seriously appreciated it.

  “Thanks,” she muttered. She went to the front door of her house and thew it open.

  “SURPRISE!”

  Missy screamed in shock, her purse falling to the floor as she saw the entire foyer filled with her friends and family from all over the States. Several of her own sorority sisters had made the trip as well, and even Grampy was there, grinning his toothless grin.

  This was all a ploy for my birthday? Missy thought, gazing around in disbelief. She whirled to stare at Andrew just as he was walking through the front door, and he laughed aloud, genuinely beaming from ear to ear.

  “You really thought we had screwed you over today, didn’t you?” he asked, and Missy was too stunned to respond.

  He was in on this?

  She didn’t have time to consider his part in the surprise party, because she was soon embraced by dozens of party-goers kissing her cheek and wishing her well.

  After a few minutes, Missy became painfully aware of how underdressed she was for the occasion. If this was going to be a birthday celebration, she needed a more appropriate outfit.

  “Let me run upstairs and get changed!” she squealed, untangling herself from the others and dashing for the stairs before anyone could stop her.

  She threw open the door to her room and jumped again.

  Dev stood inside, peering out her window. He appeared lost in thought, but his head automatically turned when she entered.

  “Wh-what are you doing here?” she choked out, unsure if she was happy or angry to see him. Perhaps it was a combination of both. All she knew was that he didn’t want him to leave again.

  “I came to finish what we started,” Dev replied, covering the distance between them in two easy strides.

  Missy expected him now, opening her arms to accept him as he snatched her by the waist and tossed her down onto the bed.

  In seconds, Dev had peeled off her tank top, his lips tracing the taut skin of her nipples with his tongue. Heat filled Miss to her core, and she undid her pants as Dev teased at her breasts.

  All afternoon, she had been playing out the scenario in her head, wondering how she could have let him slip by her.

  This time, he’s not going anywhere, she decided, yanking her jeans off her ankles and locking her legs around him. She sighed as his engorged member brushed against her through his khaki shorts, but when he lowered his head to taste her center, she shook her head.

  “No,” Missy said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I want you to take me. Now.”

  Dev gazed into her eyes and seemed to read her desire. He did not argue as he wrangled off his own shorts, pausing to slide his index and middle fingers into her waiting entrance between her legs.

  Missy drew him down again, and he plunged inside her with one fluid thrust. She allowed a scream to rip its way out of her throat, not caring about who might hear her, and Dev seemed to take the encouragement with gusto.

  He pushed into her, hard and deep, each movement more frenzied than the last. Missy could see that he had wanted her as much as she had wanted him.

  Dev sat back to angle himself better, and Missy wrapped her calves at his ears, arching her back upward.

  “Harder,” she commanded in a short gasp, and he groaned as he leaned down to capture her mouth, his thrusts becoming stronger and quicker.

  The spasm started in her thighs and infused through her core, exploding at Dev’s shaft as he joined her in the orgasm.

  Dev cried out, shaking as he released into her, his sensational blue eyes locked onto hers.

  A shiver of gratification slithered through Missy as Dev smiled at her, guileless and content.

  “Why did you leave so abruptly at the mall?” she asked as he slipped out of her and laid at her side, gently brushing aside her chestnut hair.

  “I had a party to prepare for,” he told her lightly, but Missy could tell he wasn’t telling her the truth.

  “That’s not why,” she said, sitting up. “Tell me.”

  Dev took a deep breath. “I, um…” He cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable. “I knew your parents were going to tell you about yourself today.”

  The revelation shocked Missy, and she didn’t know what to say. If anything, that just made her have a lot more questions.

  �
�You—you know about me?” she breathed, curling her legs against her naked body to hide herself. Had he been stalking her? Did her parents know about him? “How? Who told you? How long have you known?”

  Dev sighed and grabbed her hand, sweetly cupping her face.

  “You silly girl,” he said tenderly. “I am a Lycan, too. How do you think I knew your name?”

  She stared at him uncomprehendingly. “I… I don’t know. How?”

  “Because we used to play together as children, but when we were about six or seven, they kept us apart. Since you hadn’t shifted, our parents decided they didn’t want us together until you knew you were a Lycan.”

  Memories of Dev came flooding back, and Missy remembered his bright, welcoming eyes and the games they used to play. “Why would they keep us apart? That doesn’t make any sense…” Missy said, not understanding.

  “Because you’re my mate, Missy,” Dev murmured. “And they wanted the timing to be right.”

  The intense feelings she experienced made sense, and the thought of Dev being her mate created a rush of adrenaline that flowed to every cell in her body. Missy bit down on her lip, excited by the thought of spending passion-filled nights with the man who continued to gaze at her.

  She bit down on her lower lip, and was shocked by a painful stabbing sensation. She immediately touched her teeth, searching for the sharp object that punctured her lip. Her canines were unexpectedly elongated and sharp.

  “What’s happening?” asked Missy as she looked at her finger and saw a small pool of blood form on the tip of her finger in the exact spot she had just touched her teeth.

  A knowing smirk formed on Dev’s perfect lips. “You’re starting to shift,” he said excitedly. You won’t actually shift until the next full moon since it’s your first time, but the elongated teeth are a sure sign that you’ll finally be one of us.

  As their eyes locked, a clash of chocolate and azure, Missy could not think of a better birthday she had ever had.

  * * *

  THE END

  10

  Summer Holiday

  It was smoldering hot, only enhancing Sarah’s already foul mood. She parked the car and scowled at the sea of green assaulting her eyes.

  This is ridiculous. It’s July. It’s offensive, she silently grumbled, but she willed herself to get out of the vehicle. She also stifled the urge to fly out of the parking lot and run for the hills. This should be illegal until after Thanksgiving

  “Sarah!” Justine cried, and Sarah cringed internally. She had not even made it inside the building without being recognized.

  Why did I agree to this? she wondered, even though she knew the answer; beggars could not be choosers. She needed the job, and in the town of Cashmere, the pickings were slim.

  Sarah plastered a smile on her serenely pretty face and waved at the manager, who seemed unreasonably pleased to see her.

  “You’re early!” Justine called, closing the short space between them.

  “Better early than late,” Sarah chirped, trying not to show her utter disdain for the situation. After all, it wasn’t Justine’s fault.

  “Come on inside! I’ll introduce you to Ever and Lexa. They’re going to be relieved you’re here.”

  Sarah nodded, taking a deep breath as Justine turned to lead the way into the brightly-lit cottage that served as the shop. Everywhere she looked, her eyes were met with reds and greens, elves and Santa in various stages of work or play. The Christmas store was dream come true for anyone who loved the holiday. The store consisted of eight different rooms—each decorated with a specific Christmas theme. After Thanksgiving, Justine had told her that is was the go-to place for everyone within a hundred miles to get their Christmas trees.

  Sarah had always despised garish Christmas decorations. In her mind, it was not a religious holiday, but rather a commercial event filled with forced cheer and insane people.

  And here I am, Sarah thought, working at a Christmas tree farm in the middle of the summer. I am an enabler.

  She walked inside the wooden cottage, the scent of cedar and pine wafting up to meet her nostrils, and for a fleeting second, Sarah did not feel so grumpy. It was almost impossible to be in a bad mood with the fresh aroma of coniferous trees in the air.

  I’ll find a way, she vowed to herself.

  “Ever! Lex! Sarah’s here!” Justine called, her voice reaching a nasal pitch, which sent Sarah back into her dark place.

  Sarah removed her mirrored sunglasses and looked around the small store, wondering how such a business survived in the summer.

  Not only is it sustaining itself, she thought incredulously. It’s actually in need of extra employees. Unbelievable.

  Sarah didn’t have time to ponder on the strangeness of a Christmas business thriving during the summer—she was distracted by a handsome man who wandered out from the shop’s back room, a slightly sardonic smile on his face.

  Someone who exuded that aura of arrogance—someone with such a cocky profile—would usually repel Sarah, but she was surprisingly transfixed by his swarthy complexion and glimmering black eyes.

  “Ah! Another glutton for punishment,” he declared, sauntering toward her. “Let me guess, you’re one of those impossibly happy people who thinks working on a Christmas tree farm will put you on the good list and off the naughty?”

  Sarah blushed under his scrutiny and shook her blonde curls, lowering her blue eyes.

  “No,” she mumbled. “I just need the job.”

  The man whooped and glanced at Justine. “At least she’s honest,” he said. “I guess you didn’t tell her who I am.”

  Sarah wondered what that had to do with anything. She looked up at the manager, who shook her head ruefully.

  “No, I did not,” Justine admitted. “Sarah, Ever is the heir to this place. His father is the owner.”

  Oh, you have got to be kidding me, Sarah thought, her eyes widening in panic.

  “I-I mean, of course I like Christmas!” she stuttered, and Ever chortled.

  “Don’t worry. No one likes Christmas so much that they want it in their face 365 days a year,” he quipped. “We’re known around the world for the unique holiday décor we carry. We stay busy in the summer months because it’s when professional tree decorators and interior designers who specialize in Christmas place their orders for their busy season.”

  “Professional tree decorators? Who would want to do that?” Sarah inwardly chastised herself again for talking down the holiday.

  Ever laughed again. “You’d be surprised. It’s a big business for hotels, corporate buildings, and people with mansions who can’t be bothered with the arduous task of decorating.”

  “Interesting,” was all Sarah said, wanting to keep her response short so she didn’t risk saying anything else she’d regret.

  Sarah hoped he would not relay her words to his father. Otherwise, she might lose her job before it even began

  The front door opened, and Sarah whirled, grateful for the distraction.

  A stunningly beautiful brunette walked inside, work gloves covering her hands. She was wearing khaki shorts, and her legs seemed to be impossibly long beneath them.

  “I need help,” the girl announced, bushing her hands against her sultry hips. Her eyebrows rose when she noticed the other three occupants of the room all staring at her. Her eyes rested on Sarah for a moment; then she turned to Ever and Justine. “What are you both doing in here?”

  “Lexa, this is Sarah,” Justine offered. “She’s starting today.”

  Lexa glanced at Sarah and grinned disarmingly, a brilliant display of ivory teeth.

  “Hey! That’s great!” she declared, ripping off a glove to extend her hand. “We could definitely do with some help!”

  Sarah quickly accepted the outstretched palm before pulling back, sure that her own hand was slick wet with sweat. She was suddenly feeling self-conscious.

  “Come on, Sarah,” Justine instructed. “I’ll give you the layout and put you t
o work. Will one of you mind the front while we’re gone?”

  It was more of an order than a request, since Justine didn’t bother to wait for a reply, gesturing for Sarah to follow her.

  “Is he going to tell his dad what I said?” Sarah asked worriedly when they were out of earshot.

  Justine chuckled loudly. “I wouldn’t worry about that. I like Carlos more than Ever does,” she replied, and Sarah caught the sly note in her voice.

  She couldn’t suppress a groan from escaping her lips, but to her relief, Justine only laughed. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. Anyway, you might find this place growing on you. It has all the magic of Christmas, you know.”

  Sarah clamped down on her lip to keep from responding.

  If that isn’t a terrible foreshadow, nothing is. I should run while I have the chance.

  But of course, that wasn’t an option. She had started looking for a summer job even before she left school, sending out resumes online to every job she had the ability to do. Every year, Sarah tried to get a job for the summer, and every year, she faced the exact same problem: the job market in Cashmere simply didn’t seem to need someone like her.

  After months of futile searching and job-hunting, her father had finally managed to get her this job, and so Sarah tried to reassure herself that she could do it.

  It was only a couple of months before she left the beauty of Washington and traded it in for Colorado. Even so, she was already dreading what lay ahead.

  Justine chirped away in her ear, explaining her job, and Sarah did her best to listen. The more the manager spoke to her, though, the tauter Sarah’s nerves became.

  She found her mind drifting toward Ever, and she wondered if he had a girlfriend.

  As if you would have a chance with Lexa around, she thought wryly. Hell, maybe Lexa’s already his girlfriend.

  Still, she couldn’t stop her thoughts from traveling toward his smirking mouth. There was something about him she could not help being drawn toward, but try as she might, Sarah couldn’t pinpoint was it was exactly.