Lexi's Savage Mates

CHAPTER 4 Your Baby

　　Lexi sat in the back seat with the baby next to her, pointedly ignoring the two glowering expressions of her sullen mates in front of her.

　　The wide innocent eyes of the endless poop machine stared up at her adoringly and it gurgled happily as they bounced along the road.

　　It was the only sound for the entirety of the journey, the baby's gurgling, and Lexi's cooing, accompanied by the stifling silence of Allen and Grayson's sour mood.

　　As soon as the car pulled to a stop in front of the Crystal Pack's gatehouse, the baby began to fuss, and no matter what Lexi did, she couldn't soothe it.

　　"Maybe it's hungry?" Allen offered.

　　"Maybe it needs a diaper change?" Grayson said quickly as they turned and scowled at each other.

　　Lexi rolled her eyes as the car began moving forward slowly and she reached forward, unbuckling the car seat as she lifted the baby into her arms.

　　By the time the car had driven up the long driveway and stopped in front of the well-lit manor house that was the Packhouse of the Crystal Pack, the baby had settled happily and was cooing up at Lexi, wrapping its tiny fingers around her curls as she held it close to her chest.

　　The driver ran around and opened the door for them, Lexi exiting carefully first, and Greyson and Allen following behind.

　　She glanced towards the grand entrance and saw only a solitary figure standing there, one that was not Brad. The woman seemed to glide down the steps as she smiled warmly at the trio and bowed her head slightly.

　　"You'll have to forgive my son for his lack of presence here. He fully intended to be here but we were caught unawares by an unannounced delegation dropping by for a visit." She said softly, her voice as rich as honey as she spoke.

　　"You must be Lexi," she continued as beamed down at the baby in Lexi's arms, "Brad has spoken a lot about you over the years…I hope you can forgive him for his brashness and poor attitude."

　　Before Lexi could reply, Allen had stepped forward and spoken up in her place.

　　"It's the Alpha Queen's Beta, Lexi, actually. Although she accepts Bet as her title."

　　The woman's smile seemed to be free in place as she bowed her head again respectfully.

　　"My apologies, my manners seem to have escaped me. I do hope you'll forgive me, I was just so eager to see the grandchild that we never thought we would see."

　　Lexi glared at Allen before turning back to the woman in front of her.

　　"No offense taken, Luna...?" She left the question hanging in the air as the woman seemed to realize her lack of courtesy and a look of dismay flashed across her face.

　　"My, I'm not making a good impression here tonight am I?" she chuckled nervously, "I am no longer the acting Luna, my husband and I stepped down and allowed Brad to take the reins to try and get his mind off… well, you know the story." she shrugged uncomfortably she took a deep breath and plastered a smile on her face again.

　　"I'm simply known as Lady Eleanor now," she said with a smile, "Please, let's go inside and get you settled. Hopefully, he won't be in this meeting too long, although we will have additional guests for the next few days but that shouldn't impact you too much."

　　"No problem." Lexi said as they followed her towards the house, "We weren't intending on staying for too long anyway. We just wanted to make sure the baby got here safely and…"

　　"Nonsense. At least let us repay you with our hospitality. It's the least we can do after you rescued our precious grandchild and brought them home." Eleanor admonished lightly, "Honestly if you've spent a lot of time with the baby, it will probably be a good idea to let it get used to Brad before you leave it here. I'd hate for the poor mite to be crying its little lungs out for a familiar face, only to be saddled with that lump of a son of mine."

　　Lexi snorted despite herself and Eleanor threw a small smile over her shoulder at her.

　　"Don't you worry, I know exactly what an entitled little brat my son was back then, and he knows how thoroughly ashamed we are of his conduct. But, I promise you, it will be different with his child."

　　"I have no doubt." Lexi smiled warmly, even though the faintest thread of doubt nagged at her mind as they swept through the entrance and into the ornately decorated hallway beyond.

　　Eleanor noticed Lexi looking around her with what she took to be an awe-filled gaze and she beamed proudly.

　　"Beautiful isn't it?" She preened happily, "The decor hasn't changed much since my great grandparent's. I wanted to keep it authentic to our pack's history."

　　"I can tell," Lexi said before she could stop herself, realizing that the only thing protecting her from the hasty nude in her ribs that she would usually have received was the fact that she was holding a baby.

　　She could feel the disapproving stare from Allen, and the semi-amused one from Greyson, and she swore inwardly. Luckily, it seemed that Eleanor was completely oblivious to the little slip-up.

　　"I'm pleased you like it." She beamed, "Let me show you to your rooms and you can…ah! Well, would you look at that. Speak of the devil and he shall appear! Here he is now!"

　　Lexi glanced over Eleanor's shoulder to see Brad sauntering down the hall laughing with some of the men beside him. When he locked eyes with Lexi he froze momentarily as his gaze dropped to the tiny bundle she held in her arms.

　　Brad rushed forward, without another word to the men he was with, and came to a stop just in front of her, looking from Lexi to the tiny baby that she held in her arms.

　　"Is... is that..." He stuttered breathlessly.

　　"Your baby? Yeah genius, it's yours." Lexi snapped, suddenly feeling a little unwilling to hand this baby over to the douche canoe in front of her.

　　"Can I hold it?" He asked tentatively as he looked for Lexi's approval.

　　"First of all can we stop calling the baby 'it'? Just because he hasn't got a name doesn't mean that we have to refer to him as 'it'." Lexi snapped as she allowed her eyes to drag disdainfully over Brad's figure.

　　He looked a lot better than the last time she had seen him, disheveled and shaken as he helped Ann from the dungeon and out of her stepmother's clutches. Once he had realized that there really was no way to win her back now that she had Adam, he had returned quietly to his pack to focus on his duties here.

　　"Second of all… don't drop him, okay? The little critter has been through enough." She said finally as she guided Brad's hands to wrap around his son protectively and stepped back with mixed feelings in her heart.

　　He cradled the little boy like he was the most precious thing in the world and it showed in his wolf's golden irises as they flashed proudly in his eyes.

　　He looked up and stared directly at Lexi and for a second she thought she saw something almost like regret in his eyes.

　　"Thank you." He said gruffly as his jaw clenched and unclenched, whilst he tried to get a handle on his emotions, "I don't deserve this kindness, but what you did… I appreciate it more than you'll ever know."

　　Lexi blinked in surprise, suddenly unsure what to say. She had a reply for everything that Brad the d**k would have thrown at her, but this Brad? It was almost like he had grown a conscience.

　　"Um… no worries." She answered as she rubbed her neck sheepishly.

　　"Please, stay for a while, I'd like to hear from you how you rescued my son." He said genuinely, as the men he had been walking with finally caught up.

　　"Ah fuck." Greyson muttered under his breath as Lexi turned with a curious look.

　　"Greyson?" One of the men said in disbelief, "Is that you?"