Animal Heart (Beast & Beauty) (15 page)

“Yeah, I suppose so. In their own way. They're my family after all. We have our squabbles and fights, but despite all that we're close enough.”

“Exactly. You're a kind and caring person Aden. How could anyone not like and love you?”

“I don't think Mia and Lucas are that fond of me at the moment though,” he sighed.

“They have their own selfish reasons for all that, don't they? Look, I'm sorry I've caused problems between you and Lucas. I hope things improve soon, because he's lovely. Well he was.”

“So you think he's lovely do you?” he probed, staring intently at her.

“As a person, yes. He's funny, naughty and playful, and good looking of course.”

“How attracted to him are you Maddy?” he asked hesitantly.

“I'm not... Not like that... Well, not any more. I was for a while, in the beginning, I admit that. He kind of bowled me over when I arrived,” she laughed, remembering his fast hitting on her, the second she got in the ranch door.

“So what happened to change your mind? He's still the same person now that he was then.” His eyes looked moody and darkened with concern.

“You know what happened.”

“No, I don't!” he erupted, his voice becoming heated and passionate. “All I know is that you've taken my heart and turned my life upside down and made me realise what I've been missing. I have to know, is he going to take you away from me one day?”

“Oh no... That's not going to happen. Really. I wish I'd never mentioned him now.”

“I'm sorry. I shouldn't be heaping all this heavy stuff on you today, should I?” He smiled ruefully.

“I must confess I'd much prefer to hear something funny, or fluffy, or sweet and nice. It'll help me cope with the next few days,” she admitted. “But if it helps you to feel better, you can ask or tell me anything. You really can.”

“Well here goes, sweetheart... I hope you like what you hear, because it's something I really do need to tell you. You're my first love Maddy, and as far as I'm concerned, you're my last.”

All the oxygen left her lungs in a rush. So much for it all being too fast and too soon, and whatever. This was now a full blown love affair and hurtling towards mating at warp speed. She undid her belt and literally threw herself at him, curling her arms around his neck. He hugged her tightly, painfully tight.

“I get the impression you feel the same. Do you?”

“I've never had a deep connection with anyone before, either. Not like this.” She kissed his face again and again, the both of them sighing with delight. All her caution was thrown to the wind now that she knew what made him what he was. In fact she loved him all the more for it.

Her lips met his in an explosive reaction. Everything tingled all over her body like an electric shock. He pulled her close, and she eased astride his lap as they dissolved into a hot liquid mass of sensitive feelings. Her tongue brushed his, back and forth, and time stood still. She no longer heard the traffic thundering past them outside. She was cocooned in a soundproofed vault of love and she wanted to stay there forever. He kissed her like she'd never been kissed before. Every part of her screamed out, 'I love you', and every part of him screamed it back. She took the pounding assault on her senses for a blissful age until it became too intense and she just couldn't breathe. She came up for air with a long shaky gasp. She gazed into his eyes in adoration. “I love you madly. I don't think I could love you more.”

“And I love you too. I'm going to kiss every single red hair on your head to prove it later.”

“It seems like we're lost souls, destined to find each other.”

“Mmmm, fate and destiny have certainly played a part, and I know I shouldn't be thinking it, but I thank God you fell off my horse and nearly died.”

“So am I.” And strangely, she really meant it.

They arrived back at eleven and were set upon by everyone. Maddy was hugged and kissed and soon everyone was in tears. He'd never seen such a reaction in his life. She was meant to be the alpha mate. Her presence had set them alight. It hadn't always been in the best way, but it had to be said she aroused their emotions. Strongly. He was so sure of her now. He looked at her and she looked at him and they both knew without a shadow of a doubt.  Everyone filtered off, and Maddy went for a girly chat with Sammy in the kitchen. He was left alone with his enthusiastic dogs, which he'd been petting non stop for the last five minutes, and Lucas. He desperately wanted to clear the air with him.

Much to his surprise, it seemed Lucas had the same idea.

“Aden, look pal... I've been way too harsh on you. I had no claim on Mads. It was a bit of a mad obsession. Put it down to temporary insanity brought on by frustration. You make a good pair. I wish you all the best. Really I do. I behaved like a fucking idiot. Sorry man.”

“Oh, right... So what's brought you to your senses?” he asked, punching him playfully. How relieved he was to have him back to his normal self. He loved this guy. He openly admitted it to himself. He hugged him self-consciously. He wasn't into intense displays of male affection like this.

“More like who…” Lucas nodded across the room as Grace appeared and opened the fridge, grabbing a few bottles of beer for them.

“Really? Well that's just great. I love it. Really I do.” He smiled from ear to ear. He liked her a helluva lot too. How wonderful it was to be able to admit these things to himself. She'd been his favorite of all the women. He didn't tell Lucas that though. But he could understand the attraction very well. Grace was quiet and unassuming, yet had a gorgeous body to die for. Her dimples and that cute little crossed tooth of hers had always done things to him. Her eyes were genuinely warm and caring. She was perfect for his best friend.

“So do I. I wished we'd both realised it long ago. It just took off. We sat and talked about things and we... well you know.”

“I've had the same experience tonight. I'm still recovering.”

“It got deep and heavy did it?”

“Lucas, I can't explain it.”

“You don't need to. I know.”

They both laughed, their bond strengthening between them.

“So, where's Mia? Is she okay about things, being in the guest suite, I mean?”

“I don't think
that's
gonna happen.”

“Right... Why?”

“They've hit it off, big time.... Her and Cal. She might not be with us for much longer. I've never heard anything like it. It takes a lot to embarrass me, but I was earlier... The howling, screaming and whatever.... Jesus...!” He laughed.

Grace handed him an opened beer. They clinked their bottles together.

“To all of us,” Aden said with a deep understanding look.

“Yeah. To all of us,” they agreed.

They lay facing each other on his bed. He didn't want to rush into anything with her tonight. In fact he was happy to just sleep, if that's what she wanted. He couldn't imagine how she was coping right now. He wanted to be there for her, no matter what she needed. A hug, a kiss, something more...

“How are you baby?” he asked, tucking her hair behind her ear, and giving her a little kiss on the nose.

“I don't know. I'm half way between being ecstatic about us and despairing over my parents. My heart's going haywire,” she said with a wobbly lip.

“Oh Maddy, I wish I could take some of that hurt away, but only time will do that.”

“Just the fact you're here is enough. Really.” She touched his face and he held her hand against him.

“Have you been feeling any more urges to transform, or strange things going on...? It's nearly full moon and we get a little freaky about now. Breakouts can happen quite fast, parts transforming all over the place. We all have our way of dealing with it, but be warned, it gets intense when the moon is full.”

“I haven't felt a thing. I'm quite calm inside. And I can transform at will, so easily, look.”

She started her transformation... he could see her eyes glowing, her nose and mouth beginning to bulge, and she held up her hands as her claws began to emerge, black wiry hairs springing forth. He stared at her as she stopped it, and it all reverted back to human form again almost instantly.

“That's quite amazing, to have such control over yourself so soon. Especially now. I'm having problems keeping my wolf back this evening. It's pushing me to my limits.”

“It's like I touch a button inside me, ever so gently. I think of her, my wolf side, and she sweeps to the surface. It feels really cool. Pleasant even. Initially, anyway... I'm not so keen on the stretching part. I've done the full wolf twice on my own. I did it once in the lockup, after my rush, and once in the bathroom.”

“You're obviously a natural wolf in sheep's clothing,” he laughed. “I wish I'd been that way. I had a lot of problems at the start. I was always changing inconveniently. Parts of me were uncontrollable. The ears and the tail were the worst.” He snickered for a moment as he remembered some embarrassing, tricky moments.

“Aden, show me him. Your wolf.”

“Okay, but promise you won't laugh, or scream in horror.”

“I promise I won't. But as I'm excited to see you change, I might smile at you quite a lot.”

“Shall we go outside together, in the forest? Our night vision is perfect. Perhaps some exercise and cool air will make you tired, and you'll sleep better, because you need some rest.”

“I'd love to do that. Open the window first, so we can leave. But I want to sit on the bed and watch you change.”

He got up and opened the window. The cold night air flooded the room and they both shivered.

“I'd better get my fur coat on then,” he grinned. He removed his clothes and stood naked before her, and then brought him out. It took about three minutes in total, if he forced it. But he didn't, he let it happen slowly so she could see all the ugliest stages he went through. His eyes fixed on hers as she sat propped up on his bed, her eyes widening larger and larger with each passing moment. She didn't seem to be smiling much.

The creaking of his bones, and the small yelps which left his mouth, were the only sounds in the room.

Finally complete, he shook himself and padded up to her side. He lifted his heavyset, muscular upper half onto the bed, and laid his head on her lap. He turned his gaze up to her as if to say, 'well?'

She responded with a big smile and a playful tug of his ears.

“That was so wonderful to see. You are the most gorgeous, handsome, and sexy werewolf ever. I want to bite every part of you.” She bent her neck and kissed his wet nose. He wagged his tail like an idiot. To his embarrassment, he couldn't stop it.

They say love is blind, he thought with happiness. He knew he wasn't gorgeous at all. But he was overjoyed she wasn't repulsed at least. He licked her hand and got off the bed, sitting on the floor and scratching his itchy head with his long hind leg.

She stripped off her clothes quickly, lay on her stomach, and he watched her change. Not that he had to wait long. She seemed to transform in a fluid whoosh, from her head to her toes. He really couldn't believe it. It all happened in less than a minute. She hopped off the bed, and shook wildly which fluffed up her gorgeous dark furry coat far too sexily. Then she growled at him. 'Well, that was fun.'

'Maddy... so fast... how?' he asked with a deep growl back.

'Don't know. Come on, race 'ya,' she replied with a very appealing mixture of a snarl and a squeak, and then bounded out of the window in a graceful leap of dark fur and a swishing tail. He leapt after her in complete rapture.

She was his. His dreamy she-wolf. And she kept on blowing his mind.

They entered the deep night of the forest, running side by side. He growled, 'go on... run away', and she set off at a fast pace, imploring him to chase.

And what a chase it was.

This wonderful male and female romp he had never wanted to do before.

And Jesus was she fast!

He pushed himself to go faster and nipped harshly at the end of her tail. She yelped and changed direction, hurtling through the undergrowth, the bracken, and in between the trees. She leapt with skill, clearing branches and rocks, and before he knew where they were, she took an almighty leap off his favorite resting rock and launched herself into the lake. His momentum was such that he couldn't stop himself, and he followed her in, splashing into the freezing cold water with a shriek of shock and surprise. They surfaced, snuffling and snapping at each other in amusement, and paddled back. Dripping and cold, they shook themselves wildly once they reached the shore. He had never done that before, diving into the lake. Wolves didn't like being wet, as a rule.

He smiled inside. What a little minx she was.

He circled her slowly, scenting her glorious and damp female aroma. He was hoping to do something else he'd never done either. He knew Shane and Sammy did it all the time. They told him they crept off into the forest and chased and mated for hours under the moonlight. They had plans. Family plans. It was the only way they could conceive a child. In this form. A human child which would be born from an animal conception. A true-born. That was their name. A naturally inherited werewolf state of being. These small children could transform into were-cubs from the age of seven or eight. He'd heard about them but never seen one. Not that he was trying to get Maddy pregnant himself.

Hell no!

That kind of thing could wait. He just wanted them to experience this together. Just this once.

His nose probed between her legs and she widened her stance, letting him taste her. His tongue lapped through her fur, finding her musky, slick and very welcoming wetness. She moaned and shuddered.

“Baby...  Do you want me to?” he asked her with a soft groaning whimper of desire. He didn't want to do anything she might not like or want. Mating like a dog might be distasteful to her, disgusting even. He prayed that it wasn't.

“Oh yes, please... do it...” she growled, lifting her tail clear, and presenting herself to him, her backside high in the air, and her front half sinking to the ground in readiness.

Overjoyed at her willingness, he mounted her quickly and rested on her back with his forelimbs. His animal hardness sank into her body with a delightful shiver of pleasure. He started to thrust deeply inside her as she held position below him.

“Much harder and faster...” she snapped. He pounded at her mercilessly and bit her ears and the back of her neck roughly. His whole body was on fire, heat tearing through him as he reached the point of no return...  He howled loudly as he climaxed, his animal seed spilling forth, and she replied with a long soft submissive growl into the earth beneath her. He lay still on her back, as he recovered, panting for a moment, and luxuriating with the amazing feelings aroused in him by his first ever animal fuck.

Suddenly, she rose and took off, leaving him shaky-legged behind, bounding away gracefully through the trees.

“Rabbit,” she barked loudly over her shoulder. She raced ahead of him and he moved slowly at first, recovering his composure as he followed her scent and that of the rabbit. He gained speed and spotted her hurtling down the trail and up towards eagle clearing. It wasn't a place he wanted to go. Not yet. It was too fresh in her mind, and his. But they didn't get that far. He watched her take a flying leap and she tumbled on the floor of the forest with the rabbit in her jaws. He obviously didn't need to teach her hunting skills, or even how to rip her prey up afterwards, based on the way she was starting to demolish it already.

“Leave bones. Too sharp,” he advised her, panting, as he arrived at her side.

“Mmmm, raw rabbit. Delicious,” she growled, ripping and swallowing her meal with relish. He licked her bloodied face with approval and lay down to watch her, resting his head on his paws and swishing his tail with delight. “Want some?” she mewed politely.

“No, yours. Your kill,” he snarled kindly, refusing her generous offer.

He was completely delighted at her abilities and their easy communication. Delighted full stop, in fact.  He yawned, and a shuddering deep sigh of satisfaction rolled out of his throat.

She stood and tossed the reminder of her kill into the bracken for the scavengers of the forest to finish off.

“Home time now?” she yipped, almost happily, her eyes glowing lovingly in the dark of her face, and she kissed him wolf-style, licking his mouth and nose thoroughly, covering him in rabbit scented saliva, which was oddly very appealing.

How he wanted to hug her to pieces.

Despite the terrible tragedy of the past day, she'd still managed to give him so much pleasure. From the darkest hours came the brightest moments, and he was having one right now. He almost floated back to the ranch on air, with her at his side.

As they approached his open window, for some deep unfathomable reason he had a sudden and intense sense of dread. She was so precious to him. Almost too precious. He couldn't lose her, not ever. He shook the illogical feelings away with a shake of his fur and nuzzled her silky dark side.