Free curse of the alpha - episode 05 & 06 by Tasha Black

warily and tasted the air. Cressida must have woven her scent back and forth through the grass as she retreated, Ainsley smelled her everywhere.
    She turned back to Erik just in time to see him shift and leap at her.
    There was no time to retreat, she could only try to stand her ground and hope the impact didn’t break her spine. She turned her head and splayed her paws.
    Erik crash landed on her back like a boulder. Pain shot out between her shoulder blades. Before she could process it he was grasping and shaking her ruff.
    She flipped herself onto her back to push him off with her spring-like back legs.
    But he only leapt up again and pounced down on her as she lay on her back, snapping viciously at the sides of her face, while she pawed at him ineffectually.
    She felt like a weak little puppy - completely demoralized – with her mate gloating his strength over her.
    Just then Cressida appeared in her human form.
    “Erik, for fuck’s sake, enough!” she yelled.
    He leapt off Ainsley immediately.
    She hopped to her feet, shaking her shaggy coat as though she could shake off the experience.
    Cressida was dressing Erik down. His ears were down and he panted at Ainsley.
    “You know this is her first time! Maybe it seems like fun to you, but we’re not playing!”
    Great. Now even Cressida was condescending her.
    Ainsley growled at Cressida. Immediately the girl stepped back and shut her mouth.
    Ainsley bounced quickly onto splayed front legs in a staccato gesture she hoped they would interpret correctly as an invitation for more fighting.
    “That’s what I like to see, Connor. You better be ready this time.”
    Cressida melted back into a wolf and disappeared as Erik slowly circled her.
    It was going to be a long day.

CHAPTER 4
    B y the time the sun was in the center of the sky, Ainsley was exhausted and despondent.
    When Erik dropped her again, she growled. He stepped back.
    She shifted into her human form, without even bothering to sit up.
    “There’s no point,” she whispered.
    He nuzzled her face with his wet nose as she tried to hold back her tears.
    “He should kill me. I would be a terrible alpha. I’m too weak.”
    “You’re just hungry,” Cressida said in a casual tone. She had appeared next to Ainsley and shifted without warning.
    At that, Erik shifted too.
    “Come on, let’s get some food. We can talk more after that,” he said, pulling Ainsley to her feet.
    She hated to take any support from him - it hurt her pride. But she was so tired she felt like he could have carried her into the house and she wouldn’t have cared. Besides, he was her mate, he was supposed to take care of her.
    They made their way back inside and Erik deposited her on the soft out on the porch.
    “I’ll be right back with sandwiches,” he promised.
    Cressida sank to the floor at her feet and leaned her blonde head against the sofa.
    “This isn’t going to work,” Ainsley said as soon as he was out of their hearing. “Erik is trying to spare my feelings, but I know you’ll tell me the truth.”
    “Erik will tell you the truth too,” Cressida said. “And it’s not hopeless, you’re just not trying hard enough. Eat and then try again.”
    “It’s just going to be more of the same. I’ll never be big enough to beat Erik or fast enough to catch you.”
    Cressida turned and knelt up to look into Ainsley’s eyes.
    “You are my alpha now, Ainsley Connor. I will not answer to Clive Warren. You’re gonna have to figure this out.”
    Ainsley stared back at her angrily.
    Erik came in with plates of turkey sandwiches, a couple of mugs and a gallon of chocolate milk on a tray.
    “What’s going on? I was only gone for a minute!”
    Cressida stood down, but Ainsley was still furious.
    “Erik, this isn’t going to work.”
    “Eat, please, Ainsley,” he replied calmly as he settled himself on the floor opposite Cressida.
    She wanted to argue but the sandwiches smelled too delicious. She ate ravenously while the other