by Tasha Black
“Y-yes.”
“Yes, I think you do. Coffee?”
“Yes, please. Thank you.”
Wow.
Cressida’s meek voice was pretty funny – but Erik was very sure he shouldn’t laugh. He slipped off the table and ran upstairs to get cleaned up. As he passed Cressida, he saw that her eyes were fixated on Ainsley’s full breasts.
He felt a pang of jealousy but pushed it down. Ainsley was alpha. She could do whatever she wanted.
Nevertheless, he would clean up quickly. If anything happened he didn’t want to miss it.
Chapter 3
Ainsley was buzzing with delight.
She couldn’t quite believe that she had really done that with Erik in front of Cressida. On the other hand, the effect was marvelous.
Cressida stood behind her, awkwardly shifting her weight from one leg to the other. Waiting to see what crazy thing Ainsley might do next.
Ainsley poured out three mugs of coffee and set them on the counter in front of Cressida. She pulled the milk out of the fridge and stretched to reach the sugar bowl out of a cupboard.
When she turned to the counter with milk and sugar, Cressida was finally looking up at her. Her lips were parted and her eyes were wide. She held eye contact with Ainsley for a heartbeat, then dropped her gaze to her hands.
Ainsley felt her nipples go hard. She fought against her wolf, which wanted to mount Cressida to express her dominance.
Instead, she calmly poured milk into her own mug, then swirled the cup to watch the milk make patterns in the coffee.
“What does it feel like?” Cressida asked.
Ainsley thought about it.
“It’s hard to describe. It’s like someone took my blinders off.”
“Oh.”
“Are you really going to help me?”
“Of course.”
“Are you a good fighter?”
“Oh just you wait!” Cressida’s voice regained some of her usual bravado.
She gulped down her coffee black as Ainsley watched in horror. Black coffee was for cops in movies.
Erik pounded down the stairs and skidded to a halt in the doorway. He looked back and forth between them.
Ainsley wasn’t sure if he was glad they weren’t making out or disappointed.
She made a mental note to ask him later. Though she wasn’t sure how she would want him to answer.
“Hi, Erik,” she said instead.
He smiled into her eyes with such warmth it almost hurt.
“You should get cleaned up so we can get out there! It’s nice out,” he said.
“Come with me,” she told Cressida.
Cressida followed without question. Ainsley didn’t want to think about how many times Cressida had been upstairs in this house. But she surely wasn’t going to leave her alone with Erik now.
“I brought you some clothes,” Cressida said, indicating her purse.
Ainsley wondered how skimpy the clothes must be if they fit in that purse. But beggars couldn’t be choosers. All she had for now was Erik’s stuff.
“Thanks. Just put them on the bed. I’ll be right back.”
She did a quick clean-up, then came out. A real bath would have to wait until after the day’s training.
“Let me brush your hair,” Cressida offered.
“Why?”
“I just want to,” Cressida said.
Ainsley shrugged and threw Cressida the brush. She sat on the bed and Cressida knelt behind her and began to brush her hair.
As soon as the slow, smooth strokes began Ainsley recognized that Cressida was grooming her. Her wolf was pleased and leaned into Cressida’s gentle touch. It was soothing to be cared for.
But all too soon her hair was gleaming and there was nothing to do but go outside and learn how to fight.
Cressida put the brush away and waited for Ainsley to get up. She looked like she could happily stand there for weeks, if necessary.
Ainsley hopped up and they sailed down the stairs.
Erik smiled. There was a question in his eyes that seemed to be answered when she embraced him. She didn’t smell like Cressida. He must have been worried about what she had done when she was alone with the girl.
A friendship with Cressida was going to be a dangerous enterprise for their relationship. Ainsley chose to table that thought until she had time to look at all the angles.
Cressida had quietly removed her clothes while Ainsley and Erik embraced. Seeing her lithe form woke Ainsley’s urges all over again.
How did these wolves ever get anything done?
She sighed, and they all headed out to the meadow.
Ainsley thought about what a strange sight they would have been to anyone who wasn’t a wolf. It was a good thing Erik had bought all this property.
When they reached the edge of the meadow, Erik stopped.
“We should talk about this first, then shift.”
Ainsley nodded and sank to the ground. The other two sat with her, forming a small circle.
“What do I need to know?” Ainsley asked.
“Clive is enormous,” Cressida replied instantly, “you need to use your speed. Tire him out.”
“He’s big but he can get lazy. He’s never been in a fight that’s lasted more than a minute or two. So be sure to stay disciplined so that when he misses his mark you can take advantage,” Erik added.
“Will he try to kill me? Or will we just fight to see who wins?”
Cressida looked at her hands.
“That’s up to the winner, Ainsley,” Erik said softly. “The winner can kill his opponent-”
“-Or her opponent!” Cressida added.
“Or her opponent,” Erik agreed, “if he or she chooses. Or the winner can show mercy and oust the other wolf from the pack but allow them to live.”
Gloomy looks were exchanged. Ainsley figured they were all on the same page that Clive would just kill her.
“Why do we have this fighting thing? And why didn’t the toughest guys in the pack just duke it out to find a leader in the first place, rather than involve me?” she asked.
“It’s because the most powerful leader is the one who has the support of the pack. Most of the time in a pack like ours lineage trumps everything – not brawn. Fights only happen when there is uncertainty about leadership.”
Ouch.
That must mean the pack wasn’t completely behind her. It was understandable really. Her first reaction to finding out she was a wolf had been to run away. Her second reaction had been to try and beat the system. It would be much more surprising if the whole pack had stood behind her. She dreaded what they would think when they found out she could use magic.
Nonetheless it rankled her in a physical way. She ached to shift and relieve her feelings with a good fight.
“Let’s do this,” she said grimly.
Cressida shrugged. By the time her shoulders came back down, she was a wolf.
Erik politely waited for Ainsley to shift first.
It happened easily this time, she pictured her wolf and she was her wolf.
Even the sudden narrowing of her vision and the assault of sounds and smells felt familiar instead of frightening. It was getting easier to tune out what she didn’t want - leaving her the ability to focus her heightened senses where she wanted them.
Just as she lifted her snout to take in a first taste of the morning air, an enormous furry thing flew at her out of nowhere.
She flattened herself to the ground, but it was too late. Cressida had a tight hold on her scruff.
Ainsley yipped – more in surprise than pain- and Cressida bounded away.
She snapped her head around to Erik.
“That was sort of low, wasn’t it? But it’s typical for a smaller wolf. Cressida has to fight dirty. This is one of the reasons we-”
Ainsley could smell the furtive she-wolf stalking her again. This time she waited until she felt Cressida pounce, then dodged at the last instant. Cressida latched onto Ainsley’s
ear instead of her scruff and they both landed in a pile at Erik’s feet.
‘-asked her to come today. Wow. That was better.”
Cressida was up already and out of sight.
Ainsley shook herself and hopped to her feet. She swiveled her ears around 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
By 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 sofa 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 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 do you 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
The 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 to do?” Grace asked when Ainsley had finished.
“Probably be killed,” Ainsley said glumly.
“Are you telling me that you are more intimidated by Clive Warren than by those tough New York rich guys you’ve been dealing with?”
“Hm, I never thought about it that way. Of course those guys aren’t trying to kill me.”
“Aren’t they? It seems like a pretty dog eat dog business to me.”
Ainsley laughed.
“As long as I’ve known you, you have never once failed at anything that was really important to you. Remember the Girl Scout cookies - and the softball final where you pulled your shoulder? Remember the spelling bee?”
Oh god, that spelling bee. She had been obsessed with winning even though she couldn’t compete at Regional because of a softball game.
“You’ve got this, Ainsley. Call me when you figure out how I can help,” Grace said.
Erik padded into the kitchen and twined Ainsley’s hair around his fingers. Cressida followed a few paces behind.
“Thank you, Grace.”
“Be careful. I’ll talk to you soon.”
Chapter 6
Clive paced back and forth restlessly on the rubber mulch of the playground. It was after 2:00, and there was no one here except Justin and Will and some dumb kid from the coffee shop.
