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

two watched.
    Erik poured a mug of chocolate milk and handed it to her. She downed in a gulp.
    When she slowed down on her second sandwich Erik and Cressida began to eat too. There was a friendly silence as they ate together. Ainsley wondered idly whether that was a wolf thing too.
    Finally they finished and Erik carried the tray back to the kitchen.
    Cressida leaned companionably against Ainsley’s legs. Ainsley would have pushed her off except that after the meal she was feeling so much better. And Cressida was warm and languid. It made Ainsley sleepy.
    Before she could drift off, Erik reappeared.
    “So, what did you learn today?” he asked.
    Cressida sat up again and looked to Ainsley.
    “I learned that I’m strong but not strong enough. And I’m fast but not fast enough.”
    “What does that tell you?”
    Ainsley thought about it.
    “It tells me that Clive Warren is going to kill me and wear my pelt like a sweater to keep everyone else in line.”
    Cressida barked out a quick laugh before Erik silenced her with a stern look.
    “It tells me that there must be something else, Ainsley.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “We all have different abilities. For example, I’m big and strong, right?”
    “Yes.”
    “Do you think Clive is stronger than I am?”
    “Yes.”
    “What do you think I can do that he can’t?”
    Ainsley thought about it.
    “You’re smarter than he is.”
    “Yes, and I’m more patient – more disciplined. If I fought Clive, I would have to avoid a direct battle of strength. Instead I would have to frustrate him and take him when he’s impatient and vulnerable.”
    Ainsley nodded. It made sense, in theory.
    “What about Cressida?” Erik asked.
    “She’s quick as hell, and she fights dirty.”
    Cressida nodded proudly, like she was accepting an award.
    “She sure does,” Erik said. “Clive wouldn’t know what hit him. And Cressida is small enough and fast enough that she could wear him out trying to find her. Then she would just need enough strength to finish him.”
    Ainsley nodded.
    “So what you do have, Ainsley?” Erik asked. “What’s special about you – that no other wolf has? How are you going to do it?”
    Ainsley wished she had an answer.

CHAPTER 5
    T he telephone rang, leaving the question hanging in the air.
    They turned their heads as one to look at it.
    Its sound was so bright and normal, it felt out of place in their conversation.
    Erik hopped up and answered.
    “Hello... Um, yes, she is - hang on.” He covered the receiver with his palm. “Ainsley, it’s Grace for you.”
    Ainsley slid off the sofa, lightly caressing Cressida’s soft blonde head on her way. She took the receiver from Erik and headed to the kitchen.
    “Hi, Grace.”
    “Ainsley, what in the world is going on?”
    Good lord. Where to begin?
    “I’m the alpha.”
    “Is that even possible?”
    “Apparently.”
    “Wow.”
    “Yeah.”
    “WOW.”
    “Yeah.”
    There was a pause.
    “So things still seem…intense in town. Is everyone on board with this?”
    “That’s a nice way to put it.”
    “Ainsley, make no mistake, I think you’ll make a fantastic alpha. I can’t think of anyone better suited. Maybe I should have just asked… how I can help?”
    Ainsley laughed.
    “Grace, you’re the best friend a woman could have, you know that right?”
    “If we pull this off you’ll have to put your money where your mouth is. I’m talking about coffee and a real discussion of an Oprah’s Book Club selection.”
    Ainsley couldn’t begin to imagine such a thing. Even in New York she hadn’t had time for that sort of thing. But it sounded really nice. She laughed.
    “If you get me out of this we can do that once a week for the rest of our lives.”
    “Tell me everything.”
    She did.
    By the end of the conversation, Ainsley was pretty sure Grace was barely hiding her shock. And Ainsley hadn’t even told her about Cressida’s visit to the house a few days ago.
    “So what are you going