Bryce Evans

by Big Bad Alpha [Ashland Pack 2]

  “So Lexy is a witch, too?” Reece inquired.

  “They say she is more powerful than her mother, and from what Selena has told me, she has yet to tap into her powers. Why? Did you come across her?” asked Damen.

  “Yeah, I saw her and another wolf with her,” Reece growled out.

  “That’s Jacob Cord. He is also part of the pack and he is Adrianna’s assistant. He is a good kid. Well I guess he isn’t a kid anymore, but he is a great guy. Smart as a whip, too. He can do anything with a computer,” answered Damen.

  “I also saw a wolf sitting in the woods where the cottage is. I think it might have been Mace. The vibes he was sending me made me think it was him,” Reece said, trying to gauge Damen’s reaction.

  Damen grinned. So Mace is watching from the woods. Shit, he has gotten desperate. Now I know I need to get this going with Mace and Lexy. Damen laughed on the inside knowing he couldn’t say what he was thinking to everyone sitting at the table.

  “What’s so funny?” Reece asked Damen, who was smiling like the Cheshire cat.

  “Nothing. Just something I need to do later. So, Reece, you need to come out with me tonight to the Pub and meet some of the people in the pack. You deserve a break after your move today,” Damen said.

  “Thanks, Damen, but I can’t leave Star here by herself and it’s our first night here,” Reece said with a frown.

  “Nonsense, Reece. We will stay until you get home tonight. I’ve got my homemade apple pie in the oven and I just bet Star will want to play a good game of Monopoly with us,” said Nancy.

  Star looked over at Reece, who was smiling.

  “Star, what do you think?” asked Reece. Star was already nodding her head yes. Reece could tell Star missed their mom and Nancy was motherly, so he couldn’t say no to her. Great, now I can find out more about our mate. At least I hope she isn’t taken already. Being a witch, she may not understand our ways. Reece shrugged at the thought of not being able to have his mate.

  “Okay. Do we have time for me to take a shower and change?” asked Reece.

  “Yes you do. I need to take one myself and I always keep spare clothes in the truck so if I can use Star’s shower, we can leave from here,” said Damen.

  “Sounds like a plan.” Everyone sat and ate another plate of Nancy’s famous spaghetti then another plate and then another. Damen sat back in his seat, rubbing his stomach.

  “Nancy, you have outdone yourself. That was fantastic, woman, and, Josh, you are a lucky man.” Josh grinned, and reached out and held Nancy’s hand. Everyone could see the love the two wolves shared together.

  “Okay, guys, go get ready while Josh, Star, and I get down to a competitive game of Monopoly. Get your game face on, Star, because Josh cheats.” All the men laughed except Star.

  “You really don’t cheat, do you, Josh?” asked Star, wide-eyed.

  Josh smiled then with a wicked grin replied, “Nah, Nancy just can’t beat me so she says I cheat.”

  “Yeah I bet, but just in case, I’m keeping my eyes on you throughout the game,” said Star with a grin.

  Josh laughed as Damen and Reece walked out of the kitchen then hearing some giggles as they went to take separate showers.

  ***

  Mace got into his truck and pealed out of his driveway heading toward the Pub. He needed to release some energy and he knew just the girl to do that with. Penny Nugent was the girl that Mace had a good time with. She liked to party and just plain old fucking without complication. He hasn’t seen Penny in a while and hoped she would be at the Pub tonight. Mace wanted to get rid himself of these feelings for Lexy.

  ***

  Lexy stood at her dresser, looking down into the beautiful jewelry box Mace left for her to use. The box had designs carved into the box on both sides. It was different and eccentric, too. She thought it looked like something one would see on a TV show involving witches. She couldn’t understand why Mace would let her use it since it was his dead mother’s; she had heard how close the McDonalds were with each other. Nervously, she placed her gold chain and diamond earrings that her mom and Peter had given her for her birthday into the jewelry box. It was an extravagant gift and she absolutely loved it. She knew how long Peter had to save to buy the set for her, never having gotten any kind of real jewelry before because they couldn’t afford it. She had cried all day when they gave it to her.

  “Pizza’s here.” Lexy heard Jacob yell, so she carefully closed the box with her jewelry in it and walked into the living room. Jacob had taken two plates out and had placed two pieces of pizzas on it. She watched as Jacob practically slid the whole piece of pizza in his mouth and swallowed.

  “Holly crap, Jacob, did you just inhale that pizza or what?” Lexy laughed as Jacob shrugged his shoulders, laughing at her expression.

  “I told you, Little Red, that werewolves eat a lot and real fast. I’m starving from helping you unpack,” Jacob said chuckling.

  “Something tells me, hot stuff, that you eat like this all the time,” Lexy said, teasing him.

  “Well you would be correct, Little Red. Actually, I can’t call you Little Red since your hair isn’t red so I will call you Little Brown instead. What do you think, Little Brown?” Jacob laughed.

  “I think you’re crazy but I guess I will answer to it.” Lexy leaned over and elbowed Jacob, letting him know she appreciated him being her friend.

  “What shall we watch tonight? This is movie night so we will always think of Wednesday night as movie night,” Jacob said as he inhaled another piece of pizza.

  “Umm, Jacob?” Lexy looked over at Jacob with tears in her eyes.

  “What’s wrong, Little Brown?” Jacob asked with concern in his voice.

  Lexy blinked as the tears fell down her face. “Thank you for being my first friend ever.”

  Jacob stopped and stared at Lexy. “What do you mean ‘first friend,’ like here in Ashland?”

  Lexy turned her head so Jacob couldn’t see her face. “Just forget what I said.” Lexy wiped her eyes as she tried to play off what she had said.

  Jacob reached over and grabbed Lexy’s hand. Lexy looked over at Jacob but couldn’t hold his gaze. She looked down at her feet when Jacob reached over and titled her chin up so she would look at him. “Lexy, it is I who should be thanking you for being my friend. From here on out we are officially best friends.”

  Tears fell from Lexy’s eyes. She reached over, grabbed Jacob, and hugged him. “Thank you.”

  Jacob laughed into Lexy’s hair as they held each other. “You’re welcome, Little Brown.”

  Chapter Six

  “Well look what the wolf dragged in,” Penny yelled as all the girls sitting at her table turned and looked over at Mace as he closed the front door to the Pub. Mace was here on a mission. He needed to forget about Lexy and he knew the woman to help him do that. He looked at Penny with heat in his eyes. She knew what that look meant. Mace wanted to fuck and she was all for that. He walked straight up to Penny as she jumped onto him, tightening her legs around him, rubbing her clit on him. Mace turned and carried Penny to his office. He wasn’t the kind who took girls home so Penny was used to the Alpha fucking her in his office. Penny already had Mace’s shirt off when he kicked the door to his office closed. Penny released herself from Mace as she walked around the table slowly taking her shirt off. Then she slipped her thumbs into her pants and slowly dragged her pants down letting Mace watch her seduce him with the strip tease. Penny was a looker and a great fuck. She knew how to make the men scream out in ecstasy and beg for more.

  “Where you been, Alpha? I’ve missed you. I thought we had something going on between us?” Mace didn’t want to hear her talk, he only wanted to fuck her senseless and then go home alone. Mace could feel his wolf trying to claw through. He didn’t want this woman. ‘I need this, dammit,’ he said to his wolf.

  “Wolf got your tongue?” Mace struggled with his wolf then pulled his pants down far enough for him to reach in and grab his cock. He looked ov
er at Penny then started rubbing his cock up and down.

  “Suck it, now! I don’t want to talk so if you only want to tease then let me know now Penny and I'll find someone else.”

  Penny narrowed her eyes at Mace because he had never said anything rude to her before, but she didn’t want anyone thinking she couldn’t give it good to the Alpha. Penny knew that any of the other girls sitting at her table would be knocking down Mace’s door to fuck him. Penny smiled then walked over to Mace and got down on her knees. She looked up and made eye contact with Mace before she grabbed his cock and licked it like an ice cream cone.

  Mace grunted out as she took all of Mace’s cock into her mouth. He tried to get aroused as he grabbed her by the hair and started fucking her face. But when he closed his eyes, he saw Lexy’s hazel eyes staring back at him. Mace gasped then jerked away from Penny as he slipped out of her mouth with a popping sound echoing through the room.

  He couldn’t do it.

  “What the fuck, Mace?” Mace leaned over and grabbed the table, holding himself up. He started shaking and sweating as he pulled his pants up and turned around. ‘Come on, boy, don’t do this to me,’ Mace pleaded with his wolf. Mace’s wolf was going crazy. This wasn’t his mate and he didn’t want anyone else touching him.

  Penny had gotten up and wrapped her arms around Maces stomach. “What’s wrong with little Mace? He doesn’t want to come out and play?” Mace grabbed Penny’s hands and shrugged them off him.

  “This was a mistake. I’m sorry, but I’ve got to leave.”

  “What do you mean leave? Mace?” Penny was getting loud. “If you leave now then everybody will know that we didn’t do anything.” Mace narrowed his eyes at her then growled at her. Penny lowered her eyes in submission, feeling the power coming from Mace.

  “I don’t give a flying fuck if people know we didn’t fuck. It’s none of their business. I will leave out my office door and you can stay or go out anytime you want, Penny, but make no mistake, you are not my mate. We are not together. We have a good time sometimes so don’t play the game I-thought-me-and-you-had-something-going attitude.” Penny lowered her head from being chastised by her Alpha.

  “I’m sorry Ma—I mean, Alpha.” Mace shuddered from speaking to Penny so mean. He felt bad at how he just treated her. She didn’t deserve that from him. He always took what he wanted from Penny and she never complained because Mace had treated her like a friend, but tonight Mace was treating her like a whore. Mace looked down at the floor, frustrated with his actions tonight.

  Mace sighed knowing he needed to make this right with Penny. She was a good girl and didn’t deserve this. “Listen, Penny, I’m sorry. We are friends and I’m just going through some things and having a hard time right now dealing with all the new people coming into the pack and into town. I needed to blow off some steam and thought this was the way to do it, but you didn’t deserve to be treated like that. I respect you, Penny, so don’t take this to heart or hold it against me. Okay?”

  Mace sat down at the table, slumped over, looking at the table. Penny knew something was wrong with Mace.

  He was right, Mace wasn’t her mate either, and she longed to find hers. Mace had been good to her and a good Alpha to her pack. “Mace, is there anything I can help you with? You’re acting like something more is bothering you. If you want to talk about it then I’m here for you. We are friends and no matter what, I will always be your friend. And you have never treated me bad so get that out of your head. I know the deal. You’re right, we’re not mates but thanks for being my friend.”

  Mace looked up at Penny, relieved that she wasn’t mad at him. Nothing worse than a woman pissed off, even if he did deserve it. “Thanks, Penny, but right now I don’t want to even think about it. Here, let me help you put your clothes back on.” Mace reached down and grabbed Penny’s shirt. He pulled it over her head then kissed the top of her head. Penny reached down and grabbed her pants, pulling them up as she walked over and hugged Mace. Penny and Mace walked out of his office hugged up to each other as Mace escorted Penny back to her table then he kissed her on top of her head.

  “Hey, ladies, tonight the drinks are on me.” All the girls yelled then jumped up high fiving each other. Mace walked toward the bar so he could tell the bartender the ladies table could have free drinks tonight. He was shocked to see it was Peter Redding behind the bar.

  “Oh, hi, Peter. I didn’t notice that it was you behind the bar.” Mace could have crawled under the table because he knew Peter had seen Penny jump up and ride Mace to his office. Peter probably assumed that Mace had just fucked her.

  “Hey, Alpha. Okay, that will be handled. Is there anything else you will need tonight?” said Peter.

  Mace slumped his shoulders forward not knowing what to say to Peter. He knew that he would probably tell his wife, Mary, what happened and then Lexy would find out. “Shit. Um, sorry, Peter. No, that is all I needed. I’m going home now so I guess I will see you tomorrow.” Mace started walking off when Peter asked the question.

  “So did my baby girl get moved in? I didn’t get a chance to help her move her stuff because I had to start tonight, but she told me she had it covered. I can’t thank you enough, Alpha, for what you have done for my daughter,” said Peter.

  “Yeah, she got moved in and settled. Jacob Cord helped her move her stuff. He is a good kid and it appears they hit it off,” said Mace.

  Peter smiled knowing Lexy desperately needed a friend. Peter knew Lexy never had friends and closed herself off to people from fear of them hurting her. “Great. Well, Alpha, thanks again and thanks for helping my baby girl.” Peter didn’t act differently toward his Alpha. He was an Alpha who had needs and it wasn’t his business.

  Mace walked out of the Pub. Baby girl? Lexy was a lot of things, but baby girl isn’t one of them. Mace knew that Lexy was sexy and he was fighting the attraction to her and if he was being honest, he was fighting the mating pull to her. He knew she was scared of him and he didn’t feel he could give her anything except heartache. Now my wolf doesn’t want any other woman. She is a witch, too. What the hell will I do now? Mace realized his wolf wouldn’t stop until he got her.

  Damen was waiting outside for Mace when he walked up to his truck.

  “Now is the time to talk, Mace, and I won’t take no for an answer,” said Damen.

  Mace could tell that Damen wouldn’t stop until Mace spoke to him and explained what was wrong with him. He recognized the man walking with Damen. It was Reece Phillips. Damen did great backgrounds on everyone and pictures were a necessity.

  “Where are you going?” Damen asked Mace.

  “Well I’m starving and it is slow in the Pub tonight, I want something to eat and now I’m leaving to go get something,” Mace said as he gazed over at Reece, taking in his scent. ‘Mate,’ said Mace’s wolf. ‘What the hell is going on now? I am not gay, dammit! He is not our mate, too,’ Mace argued with his wolf.

  “You should have been with us tonight over at Reece’s house. Nancy cooked her famous spaghetti and it was out of this world.” Mace frowned.

  “Nancy cooked her spaghetti?” Everyone in the pack knew that Nancy’s spaghetti was Mace’s favorite food.

  “Well if it is slow, I guess we could go back to my house and warm up the leftovers and then eat that apple pie Nancy cooked,” Reece explained.

  “She made her apple pie, too?” Mace slumped his shoulders because Nancy’s apple pie was the greatest and was one of his favorite desserts. Mace was starving.

  “Shit, sorry, Alpha. This is Reece Phillips.” Reece stuck his hand out to shake Mace’s hand. As their hands touched, a soft current flowed up Reece’s and Mace’s arms. Reece immediately knew that Mace was his mate, too. He didn’t feel sexual attraction toward Mace, but he knew that Mace would be much more than his Alpha.

  Mace shook his head as he let go of Reece’s hand, staring at his own. It happened again, as the door opened in his mind and Mace watched as Reece carried Lexy in his arms.
He was telling her to wake up, that she was okay now. Mace could feel the fear pouring out of Reece as he held Lexy. Then the door closed. Mace shook his head trying to figure out what in the hell was going on. The first time he had a vision was when he touched Lexy, now Reece. Mace needed to know more about Reece. He immediately felt something for this stranger and new pack mate, but it was more then just being pack. Mace didn’t want to think about it now. Not now, not now, Mace repeated again. He could tell Reece and Damen were staring at him. “Sorry, Reece, for not being there today. I had some business to attend to and watch over today. Was it you I saw in the woods today?”

  Now it made sense to Reece. When Mace said watch over, he meant Lexy. I wondered why he was watching the girl. She is beautiful, but I wonder if he wants her for himself. “No problem, Alpha. Yes, my wolf was crazy to come out after two weeks. And for my new home, I had a lot of help today. The pack has been great to my family. I can’t thank you guys enough. Joining the pack was the right decision for us. We are very grateful for the support and help everyone has bestowed on my sister and me,” replied Reece.

  “Thanks. I’m glad you’re happy with everyone. This is not just a pack, Reece. We are a family. Now let’s go eat some of those leftovers,” Mace said as he patted Reece on the shoulder. Mace was kinda scared to touch Reece again for fear of having another vision, but nothing happened. Mace knew he needed to speak to Selena and ask her could these be real visions.

  “Reece, if you don’t mind can you drive my truck back? I need to speak to the Alpha alone on the ride back,” said Damen.

  "No problem," Reece said and held his hand out to receive the keys from Damen.

  Mace cringed as he watched Reece walk toward Damen's truck. He knew Damen was going to question him. “Get in,” Mace sighed as he opened up his truck door. Damen got into the passenger side.