Playing For Keeps

Chapter 2: Coming Home

The House looked empty as I pulled into my driveway. Guess Ally had done as I asked after all and did not wait up for me. As I placed the key in the lock, I felt that strange sensation again before I dropped to the ground in front of the door, clenching my side. I had no idea what was going on or how long I lay there for. Perhaps I should have listened to the Alpha and gone to the pack hospital to get checked out. Twice in one day was the most I had ever experienced. I lay there until the feeling passed, then I stood up and entered the house.

No one appeared to be home. I couldn't sense Ally in the house. Perhaps she met someone at the club and stayed away. It would not be the first time. Usually, if she went out without me, she wouldn't return until the next morning. On rare occasions, it could be a day or two. For an older sister, she was so irresponsible. I walked upstairs into my room, flopping down on my bed, thinking of everything from the day.

Ally and I have lived in this house since we moved to this pack, but we were two very opposite people. I thought about what her room would look like right now, with her clothes spread all over the floor, whereas everything in my room had a particular place. My thoughts drifted me off to sleep.

Around 4:00 in the morning, there was a huge commotion downstairs. A loud crash made me bolt upright. Someone was inside and I hoped it was Ally. I got up cautiously and walked down the stairs. From the landing, I could see Ally, Mason, and Morgan stumbling around. A table that used to be by the front door now lay in four pieces on the floor. They were a mess. Morgan's shirt was obviously missing buttons. Mason's was on inside out, and Allie looked like she had been up to her old tricks in a bathroom stall. I tried to contain my anger.

"Guys, be quiet!" Allie whispered, but it was more like a yell.

I bit back my laughter as I watched them from the stairwell and heard Morgan yell at Mason. "Mason you broke... You stupid idiot... the table ...you idiot...Lexxxxi gonna kill you," he slurred and stumbled over his words.

"Who do you call an i***t?" he looked around, seeing the table, "Oh, the table. I'll buy a new one," he replied.

"Would you two be quiet, you're going to wake Lexi up," Ally put her finger to her mouth to shush them, but I had seen enough.

At that moment, I poked my head through the stairwell, "There's not a going to, you already have woken me up." I stated plainly as I took in the sight of the three of them more clearly. "From the very first moment you entered the door and broke the table. Your lucky I did not call the police on you."

"I'm sorry, baby," Morgan ran to me, "forgive me," he tried to kiss me, but I turned my head. "You're wasted," I replied. "Why don't you go upstairs and take a shower?" I suggested calmly, trying to ignore the state of dress he was in and the unmistakable lipstick mark on his collar.

"Why don't you join me?" Mason winked at me, "We could have our own fun."

Morgan swung around to attack his brother, but I grabbed him by the collar, pulling him back, "No, you don't. You two are not fighting in my living room." I kissed him even though the taste made me want to vomit to relax him, and he roughly wrapped me in his arms, trying to deepen the kiss, but I pushed him off, "Not now, Morgan. You need to shower, and Mason, you need to sleep it off."

"Yeah, you two have fun with that," Morgan replied before flopping down on the couch, "I don't think I can make it another step."

"How much exactly did you guys have to drink tonight?" I asked, looking at all three, but they were all slow to answer.

Finally, Morgan spoke up, "Well, somewhere between too much and I can't remember," he laughed, "but it's okay, we brought a des-ig-nated driver, slurring and overpronouncing the words.

"Oh, Morgan, your designated driver is also drunk; that doesn't count. You could have been killed on the way home, or killed someone else. Did you think about that?" I rebuked him.

"Oh, Mom, we made it home safe," he laughed, "We even took a cab."

"Don't call me mom just cause you're in trouble," I replied bitterly.

"Sorry, babe," he whispered.

"Come on, let's get you upstairs and cleaned up," I replied.

"Well, I like the sounds of where that is going," Morgan replied.

I shook my head, laughing at his antics. "Really, you like the sounds of a cold shower," I joked.

"Oh, come on, baby, even you wouldn't be that mean to me," he laughed. "I'm you're mate after all. You love me."

I did not respond to that. "Perhaps not, Allie, can you make it upstairs yourself?" I asked as politely as possible, though I was completely disgusted by her careless behavior. Only she would deem it acceptable to get wasted with my mate and his twin brother, then bring them all here for me to take care of. She was not fooling anybody. She did not want to show up at the pack house with two wasted sons of the Alpha.

"I can hold myself better than they can. I have no problem reaching my room," she replied confidently before stumbling up the stairs to our room. I shook my head as I heard her door slam shut.

"Okay, come on, big guy, let's go." With that, I wrapped my arms around his midsection and tried to help him move. "Mason, can you give me a little help here?" I yelled. "Mason." I looked over to the couch where I had received no reply, and I discovered he was passed out. Just great. How did I get so lucky?

"I guess you have me all to yourself," Morgan laughed, standing up taller. "I can make it," he boasted. After many attempts, due to his swaying, we finally made it up the stairs to my bedroom. I pushed Morgan towards the bathroom.

"This isn't gonna work," Morgan slurred and swayed, grabbing the curtain and ripping off at least five rings.

"Morgan, come on," I yelled as he looked up at me sheepishly. "I'm sure it's not," I huffed. Reluctantly, I removed his clothes and turned the water on in the shower, pushing his head under the hot water.

"Come on, Lexie, get in here with me. I'm gonna fall over, I hurt myself. Do you wanna explain to the Alpha how his son died in your bathroom?"

"Do you wanna explain to the Alpha how you were so wasted when you showed up here?" I was angry. "I could have turned the water cold. You should be thankful that I gave you a warm shower." I spat out ruthlessly.

"I'd be happier if my mate would get in here and help me," he complained.

I sighed. This is going to be a long night. "I'll help you all right," fully clothed, I jumped into the shower.

"Really, baby, that's not what I meant," I winked at me as he tried to grab for my shirt, but I pushed his hands away.

" This is all you are going to get tonight while you're in this state," I shot back.

"How could you resist me so easily?" he questioned. I stared at him and wondered the same thing to myself, but didn't comment. I helped wash his hair and handed him the soap.

"Are you too afraid to touch me?" he laughed. "I'm yours, remember."

"When I touch you, I want you to remember it," I said sincerely.

"Oh, babe, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get so carried away. I was just so bored waiting for you to finish working. I wanted you so bad. I flew back early just to have extra time. Stupid Allie and Mason just kept giving me drinks."

"I'm sure they did," I replied in a whisper.

He leaned into me and I felt his hot breath on my neck. It sent shivers down my spine. My face heated at the contact. His body touching me almost drove me wild as his hands started to roam again. He kissed my neck, and my knees felt like they would buckle. As his hand came up my shirt, inching closer to my breast, I momentarily regained my senses. Pulling his arm back down and grabbing his face with both hands to bring him down to me. Kissing him gently on the lips before letting him go. "Let's get you to bed, and by bed, that I mean to sleep," I said in the sweetest voice I could muster.

"Can't we," he began to plead.

I cut him off quickly, "We are not choosing tonight of all nights to mate just because you came home wasted, besides, we still have two more days."

"I suppose you're right," he conceded, and I helped him out of the shower and put them to bed. He was out almost instantly, and I watched his sleeping form, debating whether I really wanted to share the bed with him tonight. I walked back to the bathroom, picking up his clothes and throwing them into the washer before returning to bed. In the end, I climbed in and cuddled up next to him, sensing me, he threw his arm over my body and hugged me close to his chest before I drifted off back to sleep.