Once Forgotten Twice Loved

by Bryce Evans

  “Hey, ma’am, can you hear me?”

  Ash didn’t recognize the voice, but it sounded like a young girl. She slowly opened eyes, blinking the haze of sleep from them. Ash blinked as she looked up into the face of a young girl. “What happened?” Ash muttered as she tried to lean up.

  “You were taken to be the Alpha’s mate.”

  Ash looked at the young girl shaking her head. “Taken...what…who took me? Where am I?” Ash finally focused on the girl then looked around the small room.

  “Um…I don’t know,” she answered.

  Ash looked at the end of the bed and three other girls were huddled together watching her. She tried to remember what happened, but the last thing she remembered was jogging along the trail. Then her mind went blank. Ash tried to get up then fell back down on the bed. One of the girls tried to help her up again by putting their arm around her and lifting her up.

  “Thank you for helping me.” Ash was looking around when it dawned on her who the girls were.

  “Oh my God. You are the girls who were taken from the packs.”

  “Exactly, OMG. I keep saying it over and over. I just want to go home. Can you help us?” Jamie asked as she scooted closer to Ash.

  Ash looked at the girls, trying to show a brave face. Then the memories flooded her mind from what happened in the woods. A man shot at her. Ash felt down in her pockets to see if she still had her cellphone, but she had on running pants. She heard one of the girls whimper. Ash moved toward the girls, knowing that she needed to calm them down. She would need their help if they were going to get through this. “I’m going to try, girls, but I will need your help to get us out of here. Now come here and answer some questions for me.” The girls moved closer to answer Ash’s questions.

  ***

  “Larsen, call your Deputy back and see if he found anything yet?” Larken asked his brother.

  “He said he would call when he found something.”

  Larken blew out a worried breath. “Dammit, call anyway.”

  Larsen glared at his brother but picked up the phone and called his Deputy.

  Pelton watched as the stress of not being able to do anything affected Larken and Larsen.

  Larken was scared for his mate. The full moon was approaching and without their mate, the brother’s would become a handful. Their wolves would fight for control because they would want to hunt for their mate. They wanted their mate and they planned to tear the man who took her limb from limb. Pelton knew that he would act the same way if Ash were his mate. She had become a friend and he was scared for her life. He knew that she could handle a couple of the men, but he was worried that they would gang up on her and hurt her if they had to. If Pelton was correct and his profile of Lex Mann was correct, then he knew she was in deep trouble. Pelton knew he had to think of other ways to track Lex Mann.

  “He is still looking, but hasn’t found anything yet,” Larsen hissed.

  Half of Larken’s pack was with him and Larsen on Jonas’s land. Jonas was looking at the ground as he paced back and forth.

  “What do you think Ashland will say, Nash, when she finds out that she has family?” Reece asked.

  Nash could tell that Reece was worried about his niece. He was worried sick about her, too. If something happened to her, Nash knew he would blame himself. He also knew that Ash was strong and if given the chance would get away, but she was probably trying to help the girls too or they would have heard from her by now.

  “Ash will be happy, Reece. She has a lot of love to give but never had any family to share it with. I can’t wait to see her face when she finds out. I truly believe she will be happy.”

  Reece smiled. He couldn’t wait to tell Ash about her mother and father. Reece didn’t know Josh Peters well, but knew he was a good man. She would need to know that Josh had family too and they would be excited to know she was alive.

  Larsen’s phone rang. “Hello. Okay. What is the address again? Dammit, we are in the wrong place.” Larsen hung the phone up. “We were wrong. He has property just outside of Meadowland. The son of bitch was right next-door all along. He owns twenty-five acres on Williams Road.”

  “Williams Road is near my territory,” Reece said as he smiled.

  “Let’s go then. The full moon is in two hours and I know what that crazy fuck will do if he hasn’t already,” Larken snarled out.

  Reece got in the vehicle with Larken, Larsen, and Nash. He called his Councilor, Levi Turner, whom was his Second in Command.

  “Levi, I need your help. Gather the team and head to Williams Road. My sister’s daughter is being held there. Yes, I know, but we were wrong. She is alive but being held prisoner with some young girls. There are wolves that have them so make sure they don’t pick up your scent. Don’t move in. Just recon. We are forty minutes out.” Reece hung up his phone and stared out the window. The tension in the vehicle was getting to him. He wanted to hurt someone and he planned on it just as soon as he found him.

  Reece knew that Levi was the type who wouldn’t question him about Ash yet. He only gave him some of the information, but Levi was a smart man and he would get the information he needed. He was a trusted friend and Second.

  ***

  “I know you are scared, but we have to get out of here. I won’t let them hurt you. I know Larken and the Alphas are looking for us. I know it.” Ash held the girls’ hands, trying to calm them down. They needed to get out of here. She knew she couldn’t protect all of them so they needed to hurry up.

  Ash heard someone walking toward the door. The girls pulled Ash toward the corner with them. Hugging her close to them. Ash made sure she was sitting in front of the girls when a tall man walked in the door.

  “Well, look who is awake. Hello, beautiful.”

  Ash had never seen this man before. She watched as he walked into the room, shutting the door behind him. Ash didn’t get a good look of what was outside the room before he shut the door.

  The man spread his hands out. “Welcome to the pack.”

  Ash narrowed her eyes at the man. “I don’t want to be part of this pack. I’m already mated and part of the Meadowland Pack.” Ash watched as the man frowned and narrowed his black lifeless eyes at her.

  “Well, don’t worry. I will make sure you forget all about that pack. You will soon be mated to me.”

  “Who are you?” Ash asked the man, trying to keep him talking.

  “I’m your mate and Alpha. But since you will be my mate, you can call me Lex.”

  “Oh, you are Lex Mann.” The man stopped and looked at Ash.

  “How did you know my name?”

  Ash smiled as she looked up at Lex. “Do you really think they don’t know who you are? Where you are? The FBI has been tracking you and your so-called pack.” Ash couldn’t stop now. She had to make him believe what she was saying.

  Lex quickly walked to the window and pulled the blind back so he could look out. “You’re lying.”

  Lex looked back at Ash then out the window. Ash told herself to keep talking and make him believe what she was saying. Use your skills, girl. He is trying to see if you are telling the truth.

  “They wouldn’t risk getting the FBI involved and allow them to know about us.”

  “Well, you’re wrong. Who do you think I am? I work for the New York Police Department. The Alphas formed a taskforce when you started taking their kids. There are wolves that work for the FBI and the CIA. They have been tracking you for a while. They inserted a tracking device under our skin. They know where you are. If you give up now, you may be able to save your life and the lives of your pack. Don’t be a fool, Lex, the Supreme Alpha knows about you and has sent Protectors here to find you. Your best bet is to give yourself up.” Ash swallowed as her stomach started fluttering with nervous butterflies. Ash stared at Lex, praying that what she said was sinking in that deep heartless soul of his.

  Lex turned around and glared at Ash. “You are lying. They…I know you are lying.”

  As
h knew she had him now. He couldn’t stop pacing and breathing hard. His nostrils flared as he paced. He kept walking back and forth toward the window and looking out. He was mumbling under his breath. Ash couldn’t make out what he was saying.

  Lex stopped and looked at Ash. “This won’t stop me from mating with you or my men from mating with them.” Lex pointed at the girls trying to hide behind Ash. Instantly, Ash backed up and widened her arms out. “I don’t believe you. They would have already stormed the place by now. In a few minutes, get ready. The moon will be full and you will be my mate. I know you are lying. The FBI.” Lex laughed as if he was trying to make himself believe he was right. Ash backed up further, putting her hands out around the girls.

  “I will fight you on that. If you touch these girls, I will kill you. You have no idea what you are messing with.”

  Lex laughed. There was no warmth in his eyes. He looked like a man who had truly lost all of his humanity. Lex walked over to where she was huddled in the corner with the girls.

  “I hope you do fight. It makes it so much better when you do. I will tie you up if I have to and then you will wish you were nicer to your mate and Alpha. Girls, get ready. The men have waited long enough.”

  Lex walked out of the room with the girls whimpering, huddling closer to Ash. She could hear that Lex didn’t lock the door behind him. Ash jumped up quickly and turned around so she could talk to the girls.

  “Okay, girls, listen up. You are going to have to help me. It’s time to find something to use to hit them with. I will protect you, but you have to stay with me. I think we can get out of this window, but we have to be quiet. When I tell you to run, run as fast as you can. Change into your wolf as soon as you hit the ground and follow me.”

  Lori looked like she was the most frightened of the bunch. “Lori, that’s your name, right?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “You can do this, baby. Just follow the girls. I won’t leave anyone behind. I promise.” Ash hugged Lori, who didn’t look confident, but nodded her head.

  “No matter what, girls, you keep running. Don’t look back. No matter what you hear. Is everyone clear? Don’t look back.” All the girls nodded.

  Ash walked over to the door and pushed the lock in. She knew it wouldn’t stop them, but it may give them some time. Then she looked at Kammy. “Help me lift this bed and put it against the door.” Kammy and Kerra picked up one side of the full bed and quietly placed it against the door.

  Ash went to the window and tried to open it. The window was stuck but with Ash’s strength, the window came up halfway. Ash didn’t want to make any more noise so she looked and didn’t see any guards. She sent Lori, Jamie, Kerra, and then Kammy out the window. They stopped and waited for Ash. “Change,” she whispered. All the girls except Kammy and Kerra called their wolf and changed. Ash had to crawl face first out the window when she heard the door crashing in. “Run,” she screamed.

  Lex broke the door open and ran to the window as Ash was pulling her body through. He tried to pull Ash back into the window but Kammy and Kerra stayed behind and pulled Ash by the arms, trying to pull her through. Lex grabbed on to her legs and pulled. Johnny ran into the room and tried to help Lex when Lex screamed at him to go get the girls back. Johnny let go, giving Ash enough leverage to kick Lex in the stomach. He fell backwards and the girls jerked her through the window. Ash scrambled to her feet and told the girls to run. Ash could hear Johnny and the other men coming around the house. Ash picked up a stick and looked back at the girls. “Change now and don’t look back.” Kammy hesitated but changed and ran into the woods with her sister.

  Ash knew she wouldn’t be able to escape, but she would give the girls a head start. Johnny came around the corner of the house and Ash swung the branch, hitting him in the head, knocking him into the other men. Ash backed up and swung the branch again making contact with another man. Another man changed as he jumped through the air trying to knock Ash down. Ash grabbed him, snapping his neck before he could slam into her.

  ***

  Levi Turner turned and watched as his Prime, Reece Ramsey, walked toward him with a bunch of werewolves. “Prime,” Levi said as he bowed his head to Reece, their leader of the Clan.

  “Have you found anything, Levi?”

  “Yes, scouts have observed the small house about one hundred yards from here. Lights are on in the house and they only saw two guards walking around the grounds. They could hear people inside. They didn’t want to get too close, but people are there and the guards are wolves just like you said.”

  Reece was going to ask another question when Larken and the other wolves stopped moving, staring toward the wooded area in front of them. They could hear someone running through the woods. It sounded like more than one.

  “It’s wolves, running fast and heading this way,” Larken responded.

  Jonas walked up closer to the wood line, listening to the sound. “Look.” Jonas pointed as a small wolf ran toward the road. The wolf appeared to be a younger female. Nash grabbed the wolf around its flank, trying to calm her down. He made sure he stayed away from her jaws. The wolf was trying to bite Nash as he held her still.

  “We are here to help you. Your Alpha sent us,” Nash responded to the little wolf, who was trying to bite Nash. When the wolf heard Nash say that her Alpha sent them, she stopped moving. Before Nash could say anything else, the wolf transformed back into a girl.

  Larken and Larsen ran up to Nash. They recognized the girl from her picture as Jamie Johnson. “Jamie, where are the others?” Larken asked.

  “She told us to run so we all ran in different directions.” Jamie was trying to catch her breath. She had small scratches on her face from where the bushes had hit her as she ran through the woods.

  “Where is the woman, Jamie?” Larken asked quickly.

  “She was last coming out of the window and she told us to run and not look back.”

  Larken and Larsen didn’t wait for anyone else. They started running through the woods trying to find Ash. Their mating instincts were already in full force since the full moon was bearing down on them. Protecting their mate was the only concern on the twins’ minds. Larken could see another little wolf running as fast as she could toward them. A larger wolf jumped on her from behind. Larsen changed, shredding his clothes as he jumped through the air, hitting the bigger wolf, knocking it off the little wolf. Larken never looked back. He knew his brother would help the girl and then follow.

  Larsen bit into the flank of the bigger wolf, making him howl in pain. Larsen knew this wolf was no match for him. The wolf tried running from him, but Larsen grabbed the wolf around the neck, squeezing until he heard the wolf’s neck break. Larsen was in no mood for forgiveness.

  Larken continued to run through the woods. Praying he wasn’t too late to save his mate. If he ever got out of this with his mate alive, he would never let her out of his site. Larken heard the sound of something crashing through the woods. He looked over and saw Reece. Larken couldn’t think right now. He needed to get to his mate. His wolf was trying to take over as Larken mowed down branches as he ran through the woods.

  ***

  Ash turned just as Lex slammed into her. The breath whooshed out of her lungs. Ash didn’t have time to block the punch to her face as she was knocked backwards into a tree. Lex reached down and grabbed Ash by the throat, lifting her off the ground. Her legs were dangling as she tried to free his hands from her neck.

  “Who do you think you are? You are no match for me,” snarled Lex.

  Ash had had enough of this arrogant ass. She kicked her leg up, landing right between his legs, kicking his balls. Lex dropped her like a sack of potatoes. She landed on her feet, but Lex dropped to his knees, grabbing his private area, moaning.

  Lex tried yelling but the pain was so intense that only a whisper came out of his mouth. “I’m going to kill you, bitch.”

  “Not before I kill you first.” Lex looked up and saw Ash’s fangs descend. Her eyes had
glazed over as she grabbed Lex by the hair of his head and slammed his head into a tree. Ash could hear the sound of his head thumping the tree. She continued to slam his head until someone grabbed her from behind, trapping her arms. Ash couldn’t move. She began to struggle and kick her legs out, trying to get away from whoever had her.

  “It’s me, Ash. It’s Larken, baby. Calm down.” Ash couldn’t hear Larken telling her that it was he. Ash was beyond hearing anyone. She slammed her head back, knocking Larken in the face. He dropped her, reaching up to his nose. Blood was running down his face where Ash had slammed her head into his face. He knew Ash was scared and trying to protect the girls. Her thoughts couldn’t register about anything else. She was in protection mode and she wanted to kill Lex Mann. And nobody was going to stop her.

  Reece ran into the clearing as Ash rammed her head backward, knocking Larken in the face. He could see the look in her eyes. She would not be stopped. Her emotions were ruling her. Reece understood those feelings. He had killed his father when he found out his father had killed his sister and at the time he thought, her unborn child. He only knew rage, and the look in Ash’s eyes was nothing but pure rage.

  Reece ran up to Lex, who was lying lifeless on the ground, and extended his fangs. He put his arms out trying to block her path. Ash went down in a crouched position as the new threat extended his fangs. Something in the back of her mind kept telling her to stop, but all Ash saw was someone standing in the way of the man who planned to hurt the girls further.

  Larsen and Nash ran into the clearing and watched as Ash circled Reece. Larken was on the ground shaking his head. Blood was pouring from his nose. Ash had hit him so hard that she had stunned him.

  “Shit,” Nash whispered. He had seen Ash look like this before. She had always calmed down once she would see Nash, but today was different. She was protecting young girls. All that she had been through in her life had come to the surface. Ash wasn’t just protecting the young girls. She was pissed off—and that was a deadly combination.