curse of the alpha - episode 05 & 06

CURSE OF THE ALPHA: EPISODES 5 & 6

TWO-EPISODE BUNDLE

CURSE OF THE ALPHA: EPISODES 5 & 6

TWO-EPISODE BUNDLE

TASHA BLACK

13TH STORY PRESS    

Contents

Copyright

Episode 5

1.
Chapter 1

2.
Chapter 2

3.
Chapter 3

4.
Chapter 4

5.
Chapter 5

6.
Chapter 6

7.
Chapter 7

8.
Chapter 8

9.
Chapter 9

10.
Chapter 10

11.
Chapter 11

Episode 6

12.
Chapter 1

13.
Chapter 2

14.
Chapter 3

15.
Chapter 4

16.
Chapter 5

17.
Chapter 6

18.
Chapter 7

19.
Chapter 8

20.
Chapter 9

21.
Chapter 10

22.
Chapter 11

23.
Chapter 12

24.
Chapter 13

25.
Chapter 14

26.
Chapter 15

27.
Chapter 16

28.
Chapter 17

29.
Chapter 18

30.
Chapter 19

31.
Chapter 20

32.
Chapter 21

33.
Chapter 22

Afterword

Also by Tasha Black

Copyright © 2014 by 13th Story Press All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

First Edition: October 6, 2014

ASIN: B00MUWOK2A

13th Story Press PO Box 506 Swarthmore, PA 19081

[email protected]

Cover design 2014 by Cormar Covers

www.cormarcovers.com

     
Episode 5

CHAPTER 1

E
rik felt Ainsley’s heart flutter against his chest like a baby bird as he pulled her protectively into the circle of his arms.

The wolves moved away.

Erik began to breath again.

They circled back. Again, the wolves passed the mouth of the cave where he and Ainsley hid. Erik knew they had caught the scent and it would only be a matter of time.

“We’re going to have to make a run for it,” he breathed into Ainsley’s ear. “If you can’t change then I’ll carry you on my back.”

“Won’t that slow you down?”

“I’m fast.”

“How fast?”

“Really fast,” he whispered with more confidence than he felt.

“One way to find out,” she whispered back.

He could feel her smile against his cheek and his heart drummed.

“Hold on tight,” he said. “And whatever happens, don’t let go.”

Erik eyed the mouth of the cave and prepared to shift.

CHAPTER 2

A 
insley crouched in the impenetrable darkness of the dank cave. Her clothes were torn and bloodied and her hair tangled and full of brambles from her frantic run through the woods. Outside, giant wolves stalked, waiting to tear her apart.

Ainsley had never felt so blissfully alive.

Erik’s kiss had driven away the thoughts of anything else. She tried without much success to pull her mind away from it. It didn’t help that he was naked and holding her in his lap, whispering strategy into her ear as she nodded along and tried in vain to pay attention.

She could still feel the warmth of his tongue in her mouth.

“… just hold on tight. Whatever happens don’t let go,” he finished.

Well crap. She had missed most of it.

“So you’ll shift and I’ll hop on and not let go? That’s the whole plan”

“Yep, that’s pretty much it from your perspective. And if inspiration hits, don’t be afraid to use some of that magical talent.”

Ainsley nodded. It was sort of nice to think of her new ability as a talent instead of a curse.

“But mostly just hang on. I want to keep you around,” he said gruffly.

Before she could think too much about that last he was expanding rapidly. Though her mind knew that the wolf before her was Erik, she still took a step back. A small step - there was barely room in the cave for both of them.

A cool snout nuzzled her arm. She held back a giggle and let her fingers play in his smooth, silken fur. He bumped her chest with the top of his head affectionately. Then he lay on the cave floor.

Ainsley placed one hand on his massive shoulder and stroked down the curve of his back. She could feel each vertebrae, like someone had magnified a pearl necklace. He was large but he was no horse - his back wasn’t meant to carry things. The thought that she might hurt him made her hesitate.

He turned his muzzle back to her and gave her a nudge.

She threw one leg over and paused again. Was this really a good idea?

Ouch!

What the hell? Erik had nipped her.

She hurriedly climbed the rest of the way onto him and could swear he was laughing, not just panting.

“Laugh it up, fuzzball. If we make it out of here alive, I am so going to whack you on the nose with a rolled up newspaper.”

As he rose up to his full height, she gave up trying to hold onto her dignity and focused on trying to hold onto
him
. His topcoat was long but slippery. His undercoat was less slippery, but too short. She tried just gently putting her arms around his neck but he shook and she flew off.

She picked herself up and he nuzzled the nape of her neck.

“Quit it. No more nipping,” she whispered.

He nuzzled her nape more insistently, then lowered his head.

Hmm.

She scrambled up again and grabbed the scruff of his neck. To her surprise, it was easy to hold onto.

He shook again but she held him tight between her knees and didn’t let go of his scruff. She stayed on board.

Yes!

He licked her leg, and the tickly feel of his raspy tongue made her giggle.

Before she could think he leapt with all his strength. They burst through the vines and into the night air. The moonlight was almost blinding after the dark of the cave.

In two giant leaps he was over the creek.

Suddenly, she could hear the other three wolves, they were splashing through the creek, toward Erik, snarling. She put her head down into the shining fur on his neck and willed him to go faster.

As though he heard her thoughts, the giant wolf expanded his stride. Trees blurred past them. His heartbeat drummed and she felt it like her own as she pressed against him. Soon, she could no longer hear the wolves behind them.

Erik kept his new pace though. The wind whipped her hair and she lifted her head a little.

It was exhilarating!

If she shifted, would she be able to do this?

Too soon, he was slowing. They came out of the woods back at the bank of the creek. Erik leapt into a stand of bamboo. Instead of crashing through it though, he followed a curving path. When they emerged they were in a huge meadow. The wind and rain whipped the lush grass. Ainsley could just see the roof of a cottage on a hill overlooking the clearing.

Erik lifted his glossy muzzle and sniffed the air. He seemed satisfied with what he smelled and began trotting through the meadow toward the hill.

They had thundered through the woods for an hour and Erik was barely panting. As the adrenaline rush faded, Ainsley found herself suddenly weary to her bones. Soft fur warmed her and the slow, hypnotic beat of his heart lulled her. The rhythm of these shorter steps was all that kept her awake.

Finally, they reached the top of the hill. Erik carried her as far as the steps to the cottage, then stood next to the landing for her to dismount.

She slid off his back and felt a pang of sorrow that the wolf would soon be gone. She chided herself, knowing that Erik was Erik, no matter what form he took. But their relationship was easier this way, without the sexual pull and the pressure to talk.

He bumped his head into her chest again and she embraced his shaggy head, burying her face in his fragrant fur.

When she let go, he bowed his head and slipped back into human form.

CHAPTER 3

A 
insley was struck all over again by Erik’s nakedness. The moonlight accentuated the contrast between the muscles and veins on his arms. A silky trail of fur led down his chest, but Ainsley managed to stop her eyes from following.