Free fate of the alpha - episode 3 by Tasha Black Page A

would do what had to be done in this situation.
    Sucking in a breath, she opened her eyes, and took a step toward Charley.
    “Well, that’s unexpected,” Charley remarked, cocking the hammer of the gun. “I guess you’re more wolf than I gave you credit for. Say good-bye to your friend.”
    “That won’t be necessary,” said a crisp voice from the doorway behind them.
    Julian.
    Ainsley snuck a glance back at him. He was holding the key. It seemed almost to glow in his hand, like it knew, after centuries, that it was finally close to its home.
    “How about a trade?” Julian asked Charley, without so much as a glance at Ainsley.
    “Julian, you can’t do this,” Ainsley said. “Your vows, your order... You’ve dedicated your life to keeping these things from getting free.”
    “No. I dedicated my body and soul. Until I met Grace, I didn’t have a life,” he said simply. “I’m not willing to let her go. No matter the cost.”
    A flash of understanding illuminated everything for Ainsley. The strange behavior, the tension, all of it made sense. Grace and Julian weren’t having a fling. What they had was love, true love. And Julian was going to destroy the world in its name.
    Desperately, Ainsley scrambled, putting herself physically between Julian and Charley.
    “You’re not thinking clearly, Julian,” she told him. “I’m not going to let you do this.”
    “I’ve never been more clear about anything,” he said as a huge ball of light leapt into existence in his free hand. “And you might want to get out of my way.”
    A growl burst from Ainsley’s chest, and she had to press down her wolf once again, as she summoned her own blue ball of light.
    “You know you’re no match for me, Ainsley,” he said, the ball of energy pulsing in time with his steady heartbeat.
    “You’re not that quick, Copperfield,” Cressida said from behind Julian.
    Ainsley was at a complete loss for a moment, wondering how Cressida had managed to position herself without anyone noticing. She really was wonderfully sneaky.
    “If you attack Ainsley, you’ll be dead before you hit the ground,” Cressida hissed in his ear. “And if you make me shift and ruin these boots, I’ll make sure it’s painful.”
    For a moment, Julian seemed to waver in indecision. Then the ball of light in his hand flickered out.
    Ainsley held her magic strong.
    Cressida smirked, and Ainsley was forced to admire what a great pirate she made.
    Julian’s shoulders slumped and the look in his eyes was so painful she could barely meet his gaze. She knew that look. She’d seen it in the mirror every night since Erik had gone.
    “Why don’t you give me that key?” she asked him gently.
    Julian looked down at the key in his hand, as though he had forgotten all about it.
    He looked to Grace, then, before anyone could react, he threw himself at the center of the symbol on the floor, and shoved the key into the stone hole.
    Instantly, a pillar of crimson energy engulfed him.
    Grace’s scream ripped Ainsley’s gaze from Julian.
    Her best friend, still bound, dragged herself across the floor toward the column of fiery red light.
    Ainsley threw herself at Grace and rolled her away from the grate.
    “Noooooo,” Grace howled. “Let me go! You were willing to let me die a minute ago. Let me go!”
    Behind them, Charley cackled in delight.
    Ainsley pinned Grace beneath herself and turned to see Charley stepping toward the beam.
    Julian was gone.
    “Rise, Master,” Charley boomed in his friendliest Sunday open house voice. “My father’s father began our post in this village to prepare for your arrival. I am here to do your bidding.”
    The outline of a human-like shape began to form inside the beam.
    Ainsley watched, numb with horror, as Charley stepped closer still.
    The thing inside the light reached out a hand to Charley’s head. Charley closed his eyes, basking in the glory of its presence.
    The moment the hand made contact with his head, his