My Brutal Alpha (Alpha Outlaws Club #4)

Chapter 1 - Ezra

The old bar's ambiance surrounded our group, and as usual, when we gathered there, it always felt reminiscent of the first time.

Several years have passed since that first night, but those outings didn’t seem all that long ago. Half of us were taken and raising kids, saddled with a whole new set of responsibilities, and we were reduced to just a group of friends every time we got together.

Nothing else mattered outside of our sometimes rowdy conversations, the drinks we continued to order, and the sense of normalcy that came with it.

It was no secret that I wasn’t as outright about my enthusiasm, and I tended to fade into the background at times, but that didn’t detract from how much I looked forward to those times.

“These wings really are awful,” Ethan said to himself as he dropped the bones onto a spare plate and wiped his mouth before reaching for another.

“Then why do you keep eating them?” Jacob questioned, watching as he tore into another, getting sauce on his fingers and mouth.

The blonde sucked another one clean with a sigh, tossing the bones again. “I can’t stop.”

We snickered as that fact seemed more than true. Despite thinking they weren't very good, he ate those wings as if they were his last meal. Out of all of us, he would eat almost anything.

“That applies to most things here,” I mumbled, glancing at the drink in my hand. “The beer is weak, the food is shit, but we come back anyway.”

“And yet, it’s still good at the same time. It makes no sense,” Sebastian chirped as he took a hearty drink of his beer. “Wonder what they put in the air to make us keep coming back.”

“Asbestos is my guess,” Levi snickered.

Ethan grimaced at the thought, seeming disinterested in his food for a moment as he looked at him. “Come on, man, not while I’m eating.”

“What, can’t handle some harmful minerals in your food?” Sebastian chided, amused by Ethan’s disdain, who dropped his wing back into the basket with a sigh.

I chuckled and took some joy in his reluctance. Despite my complaints about the place, I knew I would never change any of it deep down. In some strange way, the bar, with all its faults and less-than-ideal qualities, was just fine the way it was.

More so than anything else, it wasn’t the place that mattered. Just the purpose it served and how it acted almost like a beacon for us. At that point, it was part of us.

Regardless of how I didn’t seem thrilled to be there, I couldn’t deny how important those nights were to me. It was difficult for me to show it, but I relied on that time—the chance to let go of the past week and decompress with like-minded friends who didn’t judge me despite my past or refusal to share much about myself.

In a sense, I relied on all of them, even if I didn’t show it much.

“I’m sure that wouldn’t be the worst thing you’ve eaten before,” I added, smirking faintly as I leaned back in my seat.

“I don’t think I even want to know what would be the worst thing,” Sebastian added.

Ethan scoffed and stood from his place, waving us off dismissively. “I’m getting something stronger to drink before these wings make a reappearance.”

The group of us laughed amongst ourselves as he disappeared from the table.

The night went on as usual, with us drinking, watching the game, and falling into our typical patterns. Eventually, when the most recent game switched to an old recording, and we had our fill of nonsense for the night, we petered out.

“All I’m saying is, the team would be less shit if they switched up the offense,” Sebastian said, hands raised in defense of his opinion as we walked out of the bar, reaching the chilly night air once again.

I snickered as I fished out my keys and approached my motorcycle, reaching for my helmet. “Or maybe they’re too fried at this point to make any significant difference. They need a total change up to save the season.”

“And some miracles.”

“Exactly.”

Sebastian reached for his keys and nodded, chuckling to himself. “Anyways, I should be heading out before it’s too late.”

Understanding that he had more responsibilities at home, I nodded despite a small part of me wishing the night could continue a bit longer.

He gave me a clap on the shoulder before heading to his vehicle. “Have a good night, Pierce.”

With a nod, I pulled my helmet on and swung a leg over my bike, getting ready to head out. “You too.”

I didn’t know when it started or why, but I found myself getting closer to Sebastian. At least I was less guarded around him and leaned into that friendship a bit more. After seeing everyone starting to build more in their lives, it was growing more apparent that I was doing less of the same.

While I didn’t entirely mind and was mostly satisfied with the life I had managed to create for myself, it was hard to deny how lonely it often became.

At the very least, Sebastian seemed to be accepting of the slow unraveling of my defenses, and the additional camaraderie was a welcome change.

Although, being around him did feel like a double-edged sword. He didn’t know what I knew…how I had messed around with his younger sister and broke her heart at the same time. How I ruined everything between us, and even risked our friendship at the same time.

Zoe was everything I ever wanted in a woman, even if I had a funny way of showing it—even if we only bickered around each other ever since we gave in to that mutual attraction and hooked up.

I was an idiot, and I let us discover the mate bond between us that should’ve stayed hidden. If I was smart, I never would’ve let it happen. But I couldn’t resist her. She had been so perfect...so willing to overlook my prickly, reserved side to get to know me more.

Regardless, I rejected her. The bond. I had to, even if it nearly killed me to do it.

Ever since, I did everything I could to hide it from Sebastian and the others. I didn’t want him to think I deceived him by seeing his sister behind his back. By breaking her heart at the same time.

Leaving the bar behind, I took the usual drive back to my pack grounds, feeling refreshed again from the night out. Of course, the drinks never took long to filter out of my system and reduced down to be as strong as water, so I wasn’t left feeling groggy or affected by any means.

The ride was good and clear, and I took the time to appreciate the small town I built for my pack. It wasn’t much in terms of size, but it had everything we needed. From necessities like businesses, infrastructure, and a small neighborhood for everyone to live in, to a few parks, a community center, and even a public garden.

The town was so rundown when I got around to buying it, but with time, effort, and a decent chunk of cash, me and the pack got it up to snuff once again. I was proud of the small town, and as far as I could tell, everyone seemed more than happy to be there too.

Driving through the main strip, I spotted my beta Nick, along with a few others. The moment they noticed me, they grinned and waved as I went past them. I nodded my acknowledgment and threw them a wave in return, pleased to see they were in good spirits.

Eventually, I pulled up to my place, brows furrowing when I noticed a vehicle parked out front. It wasn’t familiar at first, but as I parked outside the garage and glanced over, I spotted them standing by the front porch.

Even with my helmet on, I could still smell them. Those familiar scents made my stomach twist, and I immediately reminded myself to keep it together.

Pulling my helmet off and standing to my full height again, I looked at them both, taking in the subtle ways they had both changed.

I hadn’t seen my parents in years—and that was intentional.

Even looking at them made my heart lodge in my throat. I could feel that instinctual switch in my head, the need to revert to how I used to be, back to my childhood and every complicated feeling that came with it.

Being born an alpha’s son meant I had my fair share of expectations held over my head. They wanted me to go above and beyond in every aspect. Rather than being their son or a young man trying to figure things out for himself, I was a sort of trophy—a prodigy they wanted to be nothing but the best always.

It didn’t matter how hard they pushed me or how hard I tried to live up to those expectations. It was never enough. They pushed more and more until I got to the point of breaking—aware that regardless of what I did, I would never be the son they wanted.

Even if I worked my ass off or followed their orders down to the very word, I’d get a verbal lashing. My dad wasn’t opposed to getting physical if it meant carving me into the shifter and man he expected me to be.

I resented them because of it, even if it turned me into a people-pleaser at the time. That constant bombardment made me weak. It made me retreat within myself, no matter how I tried to stand up for myself, I always caved.

That was until I finally left. The day I decided to run and make it on my own was not only the last day I saw them but the last time I allowed them to berate and degrade me.

Seeing them for the first time in years, all while recalling what their abuse had done to me, helped shove that instinct back down. Instead, I approached them as a man, an alpha, and an individual who would never be controlled like that again.

Instead, that anger rolled from beneath my skin. Despite claiming I had an important role in their lives and the pack once, they treated me like I would never be anything more than a broken tool. They treated me like I would never amount to anything.

Yet, they were standing outside my house—the one I built all on my own as if I owed them something.

“What are you doing here?”

They glanced between themselves before looking back at me. Mom crossed her arms over her chest, shoulders somewhat narrowed, while Dad looked at me head-on. They both wore indifferent expressions, veiled with at least a bite of irritation.

“You ran away, Ezra,” Dad began, stating the obvious. “Do you know the trouble we’ve had to go through just to find you after all these years?”

I bristled, not caring about any hardships they may have faced since then.

Mom sighed. “We spent a long time tracking you down…we thought we’d never find you.”

“That was the goal.”

Dad scoffed, bordering on losing his cool before he reigned himself in. “We didn’t go through all this effort for no reason…you have a responsibility to take care of, and we expect you to see to it.”

My brows narrowed slightly at that, confused about what he could be talking about. “What responsibility?”

As much as I wanted to know, something about it made my stomach sink. Those old instincts started to bubble up again, but I kept them down.

Dad looked at me and forced out a breath. “When you were younger, I made a promise to Kody Arron, the alpha of our neighboring pack.”

“I remember him,” I muttered, keeping that look of skepticism. “What was this promise?”

A brief moment of hesitation hung between us before he continued. “I promised that when his daughter, Nora, turned eighteen, you would claim her as your mate.”

Everything around me halted at once as his words sank in, and my breath caught in my throat. The thought alone seemed so ridiculous that I couldn’t even wrap my head around it. “What?”

He sighed, eyes not wavering from their serious gleam. “You heard me. She recently became of age, and Kody expects this arrangement to be completed soon.”

Regardless of how long I let the idea simmer in my mind, there was no escaping the shock, disgust, and raw anger that consumed me all at once. My brows pinched together as I looked at him.

I took a moment before I spoke, allowing those emotions to coat my words. “How could you agree to this without asking me first?”

Dad, looking anything but remorseful, shook his head and put a hand up as if to ease how damning the revelation was. “The deal was made years ago to fortify our peace, but there’s nothing we can do about it now…if you don’t comply, we will pay for it.”

Mom’s face cracked enough to show genuine fear. “If you don’t do this, your dad could have his alpha status contested…we could lose everything.”

While that younger version of myself wavered slightly at hearing that claim, I had to remind myself I wasn’t stuck in that way of living. Things were different, and that wasn’t my life anymore.

Pushing that fear down, I looked between them with resolve. I wouldn’t give in to what they wanted—I couldn’t. It was a ridiculous promise for them to make on my behalf anyway.

The last time I saw Nora, she was a child. The thought alone made my stomach turn.

“I’m not in your pack anymore, and I don’t have to follow through with any promise you’ve made,” I muttered, not relenting. “I won’t do it.”

Dad looked prepared to snap, but Mom stepped toward me, eyes pleading. “Ezra—”

“Leave,” I growled through grit teeth, walking past them to reach the door. “Now.”

I could tell that Dad wanted to give me a piece of his mind, likely because they assumed I would simply cave and give in, but Mom put a hand out to stop him before she looked at me again. “We’ll be in the area for a little while…when you change your mind, we’ll be here to work out the details.”

When .

Like hell.

Even more enraged, I snapped over my shoulder, “I said go! Get off my property, and get off my grounds.”

My words clearly stung to some degree, but as they fixed their mouths into straight lines, Dad let go of a breath before he led Mom off my porch.

Grinding my teeth together as that anger pulsed within my chest, I pushed my way inside and slammed the door, already seeing red.

My chest heaved with those agitated breaths, forcing myself to try and calm down.

But seeing them and hearing those demands, as if I owed them anything, felt like a knife to the chest.

I couldn’t stand the thought of following through with their ridiculous agreement. There were so many reasons why I couldn’t—why I wouldn’t.

Namely, I wasn’t prepared to take anyone as my mate out of some twisted duty, and I certainly wouldn’t take a freshly eighteen-year-old…and one I had known when she was just a child.

Even if I was worn out from being at the bar all night, stripping down to my boxers and dropping myself into bed did nothing to tame my anger and disbelief about what my parents dropped on me.

Still, I shoved it down like always and closed my eyes, sure about one thing:

I wasn’t going to do anything my parents wanted of me. The time of me caving to their demands was long gone.