Read Online Fate of the Alpha: The Complete Bundle by Tasha Black - Free Book Online
Authors: Tasha Black
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the alpha, I can mate with whomever I want, whenever I want.
Ainsley’s stomach turned. She certainly had no desire to mate with Julian. He wasn’t even a wolf. And since when was the wolf in charge? This was the man she loved.
As she struggled, Erik sighed.
“Never mind. I’m sorry I asked.”
“Erik.”
“Forget it. I’ll send Cressida by to pick you up when you’re done.”
He stopped walking.
Ainsley bit her lip in frustration. There was no time for this. As a matter of fact, she was supposed to be clearing her mind for practice.
She turned back to him, to tell him he didn’t need to worry, that she would tell him what’s going on later, when he came back for her.
But the look on his face froze her.
The air began to crackle and something stirred in the fallen leaves. A cascade of pine needles mixed with red and yellow leaves lifted from the forest floor and began to circle her.
As Ainsley watched in dismay, the circle began to glow a sickly yellow. The glow spread, illuminating a complex pattern inside. She knew the runes meant magic, but she couldn’t begin to decipher them.
“Ainsley, are you doing that?” Erik called.
She couldn’t move. Her feet rooted to the ground, and her muscles locked up like she had touched a live current.
The circle roiled, folding in on itself and regrouping. As they both watched, it took the form of a giant, glowing snake, encircling Ainsley.
Suddenly everything seemed to be happening in slow motion.
The snake reared up between them, baring dripping, silver fangs.
Erik crouched low and launched himself, shifting in mid-air and shredding his clothes.
Ainsley found herself thinking about how much she had liked that jacket as the snake began its strike in her direction.
Then, the enormous black wolf that was her mate crashed into her, knocking her out of the circle and putting time back in its place.
Before she could react, the snake’s fangs sunk into Erik’s back.
He howled in agony.
The wolf howl melted into a human scream as Erik shifted back.
It was the saddest sound Ainsley had ever heard.
Suddenly, the snake was gone and the leaves dropped back to the ground, as if they had never been anything but normal fall leaves.
Ainsley fell to the ground by Erik’s side. He seemed to be in one piece, but something was terribly wrong.
“What happened, Erik? What can I do? Can you shift to heal?”
“Ainsley.” His eyes were glazed and unfocused. “I can’t. My wolf… It’s…gone.”
Before she could take that in, the sound of crashing footsteps came toward them through the woods.
Ainsley struggled to hold her wolf in check. She opened her hand and a grapefruit-sized sphere of energy appeared instantly.
She turned toward the sound and prepared to throw.
Chapter 9
F or the second time since stepping onto the path, Grace thought she saw movement in the trees.
The college woods took on an ethereal quality every evening during the hour when dusk settled into Tarker’s Hollow. And this close to the full moon, there was no telling what might be prowling in the semidarkness.
She squared her shoulders and stepped up her pace. It was the light playing tricks on her - there was too much contrast between the dark shadows and spun gold of the oak leaves above.
To the rhythm of her steps, Grace repeated her questions. Why would someone harm Sadie Epstein-Walker? Why would a teaching assistant know details? Why meet at the amphitheater?
None of it made sense.
A hollow feeling filled the woods tonight. Grace couldn’t put her finger on it, but her inner voice was whispering of tragedy.
She tamped it down and kept walking.
Grace had never really gotten into exploring the college woods the way so many Tarker’s Hollow residents loved to do. While Ainsley was out here kissing Brian Swinton, Grace had been curled up on a chair with a text book, looking out over the trees from the safety of the library.
A stone monument marked the entrance to the
Ainsley’s stomach turned. She certainly had no desire to mate with Julian. He wasn’t even a wolf. And since when was the wolf in charge? This was the man she loved.
As she struggled, Erik sighed.
“Never mind. I’m sorry I asked.”
“Erik.”
“Forget it. I’ll send Cressida by to pick you up when you’re done.”
He stopped walking.
Ainsley bit her lip in frustration. There was no time for this. As a matter of fact, she was supposed to be clearing her mind for practice.
She turned back to him, to tell him he didn’t need to worry, that she would tell him what’s going on later, when he came back for her.
But the look on his face froze her.
The air began to crackle and something stirred in the fallen leaves. A cascade of pine needles mixed with red and yellow leaves lifted from the forest floor and began to circle her.
As Ainsley watched in dismay, the circle began to glow a sickly yellow. The glow spread, illuminating a complex pattern inside. She knew the runes meant magic, but she couldn’t begin to decipher them.
“Ainsley, are you doing that?” Erik called.
She couldn’t move. Her feet rooted to the ground, and her muscles locked up like she had touched a live current.
The circle roiled, folding in on itself and regrouping. As they both watched, it took the form of a giant, glowing snake, encircling Ainsley.
Suddenly everything seemed to be happening in slow motion.
The snake reared up between them, baring dripping, silver fangs.
Erik crouched low and launched himself, shifting in mid-air and shredding his clothes.
Ainsley found herself thinking about how much she had liked that jacket as the snake began its strike in her direction.
Then, the enormous black wolf that was her mate crashed into her, knocking her out of the circle and putting time back in its place.
Before she could react, the snake’s fangs sunk into Erik’s back.
He howled in agony.
The wolf howl melted into a human scream as Erik shifted back.
It was the saddest sound Ainsley had ever heard.
Suddenly, the snake was gone and the leaves dropped back to the ground, as if they had never been anything but normal fall leaves.
Ainsley fell to the ground by Erik’s side. He seemed to be in one piece, but something was terribly wrong.
“What happened, Erik? What can I do? Can you shift to heal?”
“Ainsley.” His eyes were glazed and unfocused. “I can’t. My wolf… It’s…gone.”
Before she could take that in, the sound of crashing footsteps came toward them through the woods.
Ainsley struggled to hold her wolf in check. She opened her hand and a grapefruit-sized sphere of energy appeared instantly.
She turned toward the sound and prepared to throw.
Chapter 9
F or the second time since stepping onto the path, Grace thought she saw movement in the trees.
The college woods took on an ethereal quality every evening during the hour when dusk settled into Tarker’s Hollow. And this close to the full moon, there was no telling what might be prowling in the semidarkness.
She squared her shoulders and stepped up her pace. It was the light playing tricks on her - there was too much contrast between the dark shadows and spun gold of the oak leaves above.
To the rhythm of her steps, Grace repeated her questions. Why would someone harm Sadie Epstein-Walker? Why would a teaching assistant know details? Why meet at the amphitheater?
None of it made sense.
A hollow feeling filled the woods tonight. Grace couldn’t put her finger on it, but her inner voice was whispering of tragedy.
She tamped it down and kept walking.
Grace had never really gotten into exploring the college woods the way so many Tarker’s Hollow residents loved to do. While Ainsley was out here kissing Brian Swinton, Grace had been curled up on a chair with a text book, looking out over the trees from the safety of the library.
A stone monument marked the entrance to the
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