Animal Heart (Beast & Beauty)

by M, Jessie

  “This isn't about you and I, Lucas. It's about her needs and feelings right now.”

  “Yeah well, we both know where that's headed, don't we? With your unsubtle encouragement? I've seen you both, remember?”

  “What does he mean by 'seen you both'?” Charlene probed, looking down her pretty nose at him slyly. He was quite sure she knew exactly what Lucas was getting at.

  “That's enough! What I do, as the alpha of this pack, is my business. It's not for open discussion!” Aden snapped, standing up. “I'll go and get her now and if there's any atmosphere at the table, or unpleasantness from any one of you, you'll be on midwinter hard duties, permanently, as a result.”

  He stalked off to collect her, leaving the room in silence behind.

  He knocked and she came to the door. She gave him a little smile and his face lit up in response. She seemed to be taking this all very well now, after the initial shock.

  “Have you hidden all the knives?” she joked.

  “I'm sure there's no need to think that way,” he sighed, completely agreeing with her.

  “Well I'm sure there is,” she replied in a small anxious voice which tugged at his heart. He took her hand and led her down the corridor. As she turned the corner, all eyes were upon her, and there was a low mumbling of hello's and welcomes. Sammy and Shane stood up and gave her an enthusiastic hug and kiss and very warm words of welcome. She sat in the empty seat between Sammy and Lucas and he kissed her cheek and hugged her shoulder tightly.

  “Welcome to your new home, Maddy,” Lucas said quietly. She said thank you and smiled at him in return and then turned, nervously, to look around the rest of the table. Her gaze fell on Aden's and her eyes lit up.

  “So, what household task shall I take on?” she asked him pleasantly.

  “Well actually, I was just thinking about that,” he began, turning towards Mia. “As you aren't that keen on working with the horses, especially with the colder weather approaching, perhaps you could work inside? We need some more exposure for the ranch. Would you like to do some promotion for us, on the internet? Find out all about that stuff?” he suggested thoughtfully. “Then Maddy can come and help me with the horses, can't you?” he added, turning back to her with a smile.

  “How wonderfully convenient,” Lucas growled at him. Aden stared at him as if to say... don't you dare...

  “As Maddy loves horses, it's a very convenient position for her,” Aden said levelly.

  “I meant, how convenient for you,” Lucas emphasized, getting up and leaving the table abruptly.

  “Well, I'd love to do that,” Maddy replied, with enthusiasm, obviously trying to ignore Lucas' embarrassing and possessive behavior.

  He looked to Mia again, awaiting her reply.

  “I suppose it might be more interesting than hay, oats, and horse shit,” mumbled Mia ungraciously. He wasn't sure if she was delighted or annoyed. Delighted to get away from the stables maybe, but not so keen on the new stable girl who'd be constantly at his side.

  “Right, now that's all sorted... time for food, methinks!” Shane said, rubbing his hands as he rose from the table. He was closely followed by Sammy, as they went off to collect their meal.

  They all ate the gigantic beef steak pie and creamed potatoes enthusiastically, and even Maddy seemed to be ravenous. Shane was such a good chef, he thought in appreciation. He seemed to think this very same thought after every meal.

  “Now that was what I call a pie and a half,” Aden sighed, patting his full and contented stomach.

  “I'm not surprised, being as you ate at least a quarter of it!” laughed Maddy.

  “I did not!” he objected with good humor and a smile.

  “I was watching, you cut three big slices.”

  “Maybe I did. I had a stressful day. I need to eat when I'm stressed. I burn through the calories like hell.”

  “You had a stressful day did you? Jeez, I had such a boring one myself...” She suddenly couldn't stop herself and burst into loud hysterical laughter, to her surprise they all joined in. Even miserable Mia.

  After spending a pleasant evening talking and drinking with the whole pack, during which Lucas returned, seemingly much happier and in control of himself, he noticed she was yawning.

  “You'd better go to bed. Work starts at seven thirty. Rain or shine.”

  “Okay boss. I'll be off then. 'Night everyone.”

  They all bade her goodnight and he rose to see her to her room. He didn't need to, but he wanted to have a quick private word.

  They stood in the corridor.

  “Maddy. Don't take this the wrong way, but I think I should sleep in your room for the next few nights.”

  “Oh really? Now why is that?” She raised her eyebrows at him.

  “Night times can be quite frightening, as you're more likely to change in your sleep. It's something that naturally comes under control in time, but just now, I don't think it's wise for you to sleep alone.”

  “It's okay, I can keep it back. Sammy told me how to think of cold things. That definitely helps.”

  “Oh it does, I know... but at night the change is much harder to hold back.”

  “What about Sammy, can't she stay?”

  “She's done enough to help today. She can spend some time with you tomorrow. And besides, she has Shane.”

  “I know. Is that acceptable to you, the two of them pairing up?”

  “I realised a while back they have a thing going, and as they're fairly subtle about it, I've kinda given them my permission, unofficially.”

  “You have a nice caring nature, don't you?” Her question surprised him. Nice and caring weren't his main strengths in his opinion. Strong, determined, and protective were more fitting perhaps. “Look,” she carried on, without waiting for his answer. “You do what you feel is best as far as I'm concerned. I trust you not to take advantage.” She grinned.

  “As if I would? It's purely precautionary. To ensure you're safe and sound, until you become more stable inside. Nothing may happen in the night, I really don't know.”

  “Well, as I have two beds, you're welcome to have the other.”

  “Of course. That's what I intended.”

  “I'll say goodnight then.” She turned the door handle and started to go in and then turned back. “Oh Aden... before you go I'd like to say one thing. And I mean it from the bottom of my heart. Thank you. Thanks so much for finding me and for saving my life.” She stood up on tip toe and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. His heart burst with hope and joy with her small gesture of thankful kindness. She couldn't have done it in a better way. She closed the door behind her and he floated off, back to the others for a while longer, his head in the clouds.

  She woke him up, with a piercing scream of distress. He jumped out of bed, and in a half asleep state, he fumbled around trying to find her in the dark. He eventually gave up and turned the light on. She was crouched in the corner, fully human in form, but obviously very scared.

  “Hey, hey, what's up? Tell me... Calm down now, sshhhh.” He put his arm around her shoulders and helped her up. She sobbed into his chest.

  “Dreadful... dream. Ripping... my family... to pieces...” she sobbed. “Full... moon...” Her whole body was heaving with anguish.

  “That's not going to happen. Don't worry. Come back to bed now.” He led her back to bed and covered her up quickly. Her tiny nightdress was far too sexy for words. Then he sat at her side and stroked her hair for a minute. “Go back to sleep, hmmm?” He turned off the light and climbed back in the other bed.

  He was just drifting off again, when she spoke to him in the darkness.

  “Can I sleep with you? I feel scared and alone, my heart's pounding like mad, I need a hug.”

  “I don't think that's a good idea really. I'm not wearing much.”

  “Neither am I but I promise not to get up to anything. I'll keep my hands to myself.”

  “Oh ha ha... Very amusing.”

  He heard her bed creak
and then a rush of cool air as she lifted his covers and slipped in beside him. She turned and spooned backwards, nestling into his chest and stomach, moving his arm from where it lay in between them and tucking it around her waist, her hand over his.

  “That's so much better,” she said. “I feel safe now. 'Night then.”

  He lay there awake for an age, every one of his senses on high alert. Safe? That was ironic. She felt safe in the arms of an impassioned alpha werewolf? He ached to turn her round and take her into his arms properly. To kiss her face. To make love to her like the crazy wolf-man he was. But eventually, somehow, his body calmed down, relaxing with the heat of her against him. Their breathing soon fell into a steady united rhythm, and he found himself falling into a wonderful deep sleep.

  He awoke before first light, aware of her breathing against his face. And the weight of her bare leg slung across his. He daren't move an inch as he strained his eyes in the dark to see how close she was.

  It appeared they couldn't get much closer.

  This was torture, but at the same time he loved it, this warm close togetherness. He wanted to wake up like this every day. He lay there for a long time feeling her breath on his face until it was light and suddenly her alarm sounded, beeping. She roused next to him and opened her pretty blue eyes lazily.

  “Good morning,” she whispered with a cute little yawn.

  “Good morning,” he replied. His stomach muscles contracting so tightly it was painful.

  “Well this is cosy,” she murmured.

  “A bit too cosy.” Cosy wasn't the word he'd have chosen, but still... it was definitely too 'something'...

  They stared for a while, ignoring the alarm as it beeped away merrily. How he was keeping control of himself, he had no idea. And fuck, what the hell was she doing? His eyes widened as her head moved a couple of inches closer and her mouth touched his, her soft lips brushing against him like warm silk. His eyes closed in ecstasy as her hands sank into his hair, her fingers curling around it tightly. He tried to fight his instincts and not respond too much, because he didn't think he could stop whatever might follow. She nipped at his bottom lip with her teeth and he felt himself weakening fast. As her tongue pushed inside his mouth, he lost all sense of reason, and surged against her with a deep moan of surrender. His best, most honorable intentions disappeared as their tongues tangled together, slowly and thoroughly, intent on exploring every single part of each other's wet heat.

  “Mmmm, Aden...” she murmured, against his mouth.

  A strange tingling sensation whipped around his body like a wild firestorm as his name hung between their lips. He cupped her face in his hands and drank her in once more as his heart pounded madly. There was nothing like it on this earth. Her taste, her feel, and the gorgeous little humming sounds she kept making in her throat. He could stay in bed all day doing this. He hadn't enjoyed kissing someone so much in his whole life. But he couldn't and wouldn't. In fact he shouldn't be doing this at all. This was not going to plan.

  He steeled himself, and with the greatest difficulty, he pulled away.

  “Come on. Time to get up,” he said with an amazing calmness to his voice. “I'd better be going,” he added in quiet self-disbelief, getting up quickly and putting on his jeans and t-shirt.

  She had an odd look on her face, as though she couldn't believe he was doing it either. “I guess you should,” she said, turning the annoying alarm off at last.

  He walked to the door and turned, a question burning on the tip of his tongue.

  “Tell me something... How far were you prepared to let me go?” he asked with a wry smile.

  “Not very far. But don't worry, you passed the test,” she replied cryptically, with a cute little smile.

  He chuckled to himself as he made his way back to his room. So... She was testing him, was she? He wondered how many more tests he had to pass before she accepted the offer of being his mate.

  He returned to the Ranch-house at the end of the day with a deep sense of contentment. Maddy was more than enthusiastic in her new role. She enjoyed being around the horses, and that was plain to see. Everything about them seemed to make her smile and him too. How anyone could get so much pleasure out of de-stoning their hooves was a complete mystery to him. And fuck, if he hadn't been grinning like an idiot most of the time! He was rather ashamed of himself. What a softy he had suddenly become.

  The plus side of her enthusiastic first day was that things where cleaner and neater than they'd ever been. He'd complimented the work she'd done so often that it had become embarrassing and she'd told him to shut up, that it was her job now and she liked to do her job well.

  He'd laughed at that. How different to Mia she was! She expected profuse thanks for every little deed she performed. He breathed a sigh of relief that he was actually working with a kindred spirit for once.

  Over dinner he suggested they all take a break the next afternoon and take a trip to town for a Big Betty Burger, the biggest burgers known to man or wolf, and a drink or ten. A long overdue and celebratory visit to Ted's bar was in order. They did this as often as they could in summer, clients permitting, because in winter the likelihood of heavy snowfall meant town visits had to be planned more carefully, and were only made for collecting essential supplies, using the motor sleds and tow tubs.

  Despite being wolves, they couldn't travel through six foot high snowdrifts, especially when they were drunken wolves, so that type of outing was rare in wintertime.

  They all loved to unwind at Ted's where they could mix with the local characters, and there were certainly a few of those. Hopefully, the perpetually unpleasant and somewhat mad Mayor Bill wouldn't show, or his snotty wife, Sergeant Philomena or 'Filomountie', as they had nicknamed her, due to her love of pastries and her large size.

  Aden didn't want any scenes. He wanted to enjoy himself and his pack to do likewise.

  He liked to shoot pool and was good at it, practising a lot on the ranch table. But in town there was always someone to pick up his challenge, and have a little wager, which made it more than fun. He liked the competition. And of course there was the drink. They could all drink as much as they liked, and boy, did they! Then whoever drew the short straw could drive the trashed lot of them back, which would, of course, be him, because he didn't ever drink much. He couldn't control and lead if he was three sheets to the wind, could he? And he needed to be extra sharp around Maddy just now. Get her out of the bar if things started happening. He had a feeling her rush would begin soon. She'd said she'd neither felt nor seen any body transformation in the last twenty four hours and that usually meant the rush was coming and could be very strong.

  The first rush.

  The initial full transformation into a wolf.

  He was quite excited for her and for himself. How he wanted to see her animal side.

  It was unstoppable and fast, and usually a touch painful. In fact the rush was the reason he had suggested staying with her at night time. He didn't want her to be alone when it happened. He remembered his own all too well, and the shock of its intensity, even to this day.

  Hopefully the bar outing wouldn't be the place it started, but he was prepared for that, if it was. He could remove her immediately and take her to the lock-ups. Then he'd return for her later, when they left for the ranch. She could only pace around inside there and wouldn't come to any harm.

  His bar suggestion was greeted with a warm and cheering response. He didn't mind leaving the ranch unoccupied for a few hours. It was literally in the middle of nowhere, and Rebel and Fire were exceptionally efficient guard dogs. It was very convenient being able to communicate with dogs so fluently. They knew the dog and human equivalent of hundreds of words, even some full sentences. He could explain that they were to patrol the ranch for the whole afternoon, no napping on the job, and they would carry out his orders to a T.

  Maddy went to bed early, tired from her physical exertions, and he slipped into her room an hour later. He undressed and got i
nto the spare bed quietly. He wasn't prepared for her arrival quite so soon. She slipped into his bed and his arms, and placed a warm kiss on his surprised mouth.

  “I've wanted to do that all day. But it wouldn't be right to kiss my new boss, would it?”

  “Give it a try, you never know. He might like it when he's bored with cleaning the tack,” he suggested with a laugh.

  “Aden...?”

  “Yes...?”

  “That kiss wasn't an invitation things to go further.”

  “That's cool with me. I like being your teddy bear. You can cuddle me all you like.”

  “That sounds very appealing, but before that let's have a proper goodnight kiss, like the one we had this morning.”

  “Maddy, I don't believe you're this innocent. Can't you tell I have a lot of deep feelings for you already? Another dose of heavy tongue twisting like that is going to tip me over the edge. Honestly, I won't be able to stop, and you've got enough going on at the moment, haven't you?”

  “Oh, I see. Well in that case it's not such a good idea then, is it? I'll settle for a hug.”

  “That I can do without getting overcome.”

  But instead of turning her back, like the night before, she snuggled down forwards, into his chest, her arm around his waist.

  “I'm getting some deep feelings for you too. Is that allowed?” She murmured.

  “As deep as you like,” he replied, a surge of joy flooding through him.

  “I'm not into sharing though.” She looked up and he caught the brightness of her eyes in the dark.

  “Nor am I, it would seem.” he said softly in reply, his eyes holding hers.

  “'Night then, it's been such a lovely day, far better than yesterday anyhow.”

  “Yeah, that it has. Hopefully tomorrow will be even better. Pleasant dreams sweetheart.”

  She kissed his neck lightly and stroked his chest with her fingertips and finally, with a deep sigh, fell silent and still and fast asleep, hugging him tightly.

  He had never felt so close to anyone as he had at that moment. His heart grew with such feelings it was fit to burst. He felt like he was on a runaway train travelling somewhere wonderful, somewhere he'd never been before, and he so wanted to get there and see it. But at the same time it scared him more than he liked to admit.