Page 1 of My Brutal Alpha

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.”

---