Animal Heart (Beast & Beauty) (2 page)

The horses of the Heart Mountain Ranch were the best, and word was spreading fast. Their bookings were increasing steadily and a good income was being made. The trails from the ranch were magnificent, and not overly mountainous, as many were further inside the Rockies. He had been lucky to stumble upon this perfect place five years ago. He had sold his successful garage in Calgary, and moved out with his pack. Two more members had been invited to join them since.  It had been a mess here when they arrived. Run down and almost in ruins, but they had transformed it into a breathtaking rustic retreat. The guest accommodation was superbly outfitted with every modern convenience. The food was magnificent and plentiful, all down to Shane's culinary mastery. Having a trained chef in house was more than a bonus. They were so well fed. Everyone had their place in the household, their work, and their responsibilities. It was a very well ordered house of wolves and dogs.

Mia walked towards him ready to begin work at his side. Her face was still set in that hurt look that she so often wore of late.

“Shall I start to clear them out?” she asked sulkily.

“No, I'll do that for a change. You can feed them today if you like, then we'll take them out for a quick run,” he replied in a reconciliatory tone.

“That'll be nice. I'll get on with it then.”

She began loading the hay and oats in their fodder trays and changing their water as Aden followed behind quickly, sweeping out their straw bedding and replacing it with fresh. That done, they strung the horses together in two lines of six, saddled up the leading two, and set out for an exercise ride. It was warm and the rain had stopped. It looked to be a fairly pleasant day ahead, as they took the short circular well trodden trek around the ranch perimeter, and finally back inside the stable yard.

“So, what are you doing now?” She asked when the horses were all back inside their stalls.

“
Going to town for supplies a little later with Shane and Sammy. Might have a beer at the bar while I'm there. See who's around, find out the local news from Miss Boyle, and what the old Mayor's been up to again.”

“But right now... anything planned?” she pushed.

“Look Mia, we've been down this road so many times I've lost count. You are not my mate. I don't have to tell you what I'm doing every minute of my day. Go hang out with your girlfriends or Lucas. He's always up for some female attention,” he replied testily.

“But I don't want to be with him, Aden. You know it's you I want,” she wheedled.

“And you know I don't feel the same way, as I've explained time and time again. I've always been honest about that,” he answered in as level a manner as he could manage, considering he was sick of repeating himself.

“But why not? You take me to bed often enough, you must like me a lot.”

“I do like you. Of course I do. You're pretty and very pleasant company, but I like the other women here equally as much,” he added in a softer, kinder tone.

“Why can't you choose one of us, like me for instance?” She suddenly hugged him to her tightly, looking up at him with soft appealing brown eyes. He detached himself from her gently and pushed her to arms length.

“Please Mia, stop all this pointless whining and go and get on with your day. If you don't like what goes on here, then you can damn well leave. No one is stopping you.” He was now fast losing his patience with her refusal to take no for an answer.

“Why are you so cold towards me? I've only ever been nice to you. You know I love you, don't you?” Tears were forming in her eyes. He sighed deeply. It always came to this teary showdown at the end of their discussions.

“I'm not cold. I'm pleasant and nice to you in return, as I am to everyone.”

“No you're not. Cold hearted, that's what you are.” And she turned and rushed away across the yard towards the ranch house. He sighed sadly as he watched her retreating, sobbing back and stood a while, scratching his head and thinking what the hell to do about her. At a loss for any inspiration, he shrugged and returned to his chores.

Once he'd finished the few remaining things at the stable, he went inside the ranch house to clean up. The smell of bacon and eggs was filling the air. Rebel and Fire, his two black and white Canadian Eskimo dogs, raised themselves from their snooze and came to greet him as he entered the main reception room, licking his hand and sitting at his feet as he petted them enthusiastically.

After his loving canine greeting, he moved off towards the kitchen. “Save some of that for me,” he said as he stuck his head inside the hot room.  Ben and Jamie were eating at the table, and
Jack was waiting patiently for his share while Samantha was clearing up the mess that Shane always created while he cooked. “I'll be back in ten.”

“Sure will,” Shane answered, looking up from the grill with his usual hot pink chef's face.

He entered his room, closely followed by the dogs and undressed, walking into his large shower. The warm water pelted down hard on his head, and he scrubbed himself all over thoroughly. He scoured roughly at his nails with a hard brush. He had a thing about cleanliness. Almost an obsession. His nails had to be spotless. Finally satisfied they were, he finished his shower, dried off, and dressed in clean jeans and a black t-shirt. He dropped his dirty clothes in the washing basket on the way into the kitchen, his dogs close to heel. He bade them to sit outside the kitchen, and they sat obediently, watching him through the doorway with drooling mouths.

“That smells so good. Gimme lots and lots.”
He stood by Shane's side, with a watering mouth, and smiled at Samantha as she gave the table a quick wipe over in preparation for his feast.

“I'd have thought a raw pig would have been enough, but oh no, now you want a cooked one...! I only had a scrawny rabbit myself, I ate it fur and all.” He put some more bacon on the grill with a grin.

“I'm always hungry for pigs, you know me.”

“Yeah, hungry like the big bad wolf, ha ha...” He chuckled at his well used little joke.

“I'm not disagreeing with you at all,” he smiled.

“
I'm done,” Samantha said, surveying the tidy kitchen. “You can finish up and stick the washer on, when you've eaten. I need to get my list sorted before we go to town.”

“
Okiedoke, off you go then sweet. Don't forget to put beers on the list this time. We don't like pink wine much, do we Aden?”

“
Not at all, in fact,” Aden replied, not that he ever drank at the ranch anyway. He didn't like the feeling of being out of control. Ever. He had a lot of responsibility.

“There, get that down you,” Shane said, handing him a plate piled high with mouth-watering eggs and bacon which was still sizzling all over as it was served.

“Mmmm.” He sat at the table behind Shane, and after smothering it all with barbecue sauce, he began to polish it off pretty quickly.

A minute later Shane sat down opposite him, with his own rather smaller plateful and two mugs of coffee.

“You really are a bottomless pit. I don't know where you put it,” Shane said, watching him in admiration.

“
I've a lot of muscle to feed and bears to wrestle.”

“
Ha, ha... You should have seen that bear's face when you went back for round two.  It was a picture. I've never seen anything look so terrified! You're one huge, scary, alpha wolf when you get going.” He paused, and finally popped his first piece of bacon in his mouth, and seemed to savor every crunchy little morsel of it. “Aden... Can I talk to you about something?” He looked him in the eye warily.

“Of course.”

“You know Mia's really upset.”

“Isn't she always lately? It must be hormonal or something.”

“It's nothing to do with her hormones and you know it. Why can't you mate with her? It'll be good for the pack. It's the way things should be, isn't it? For the Alpha to have a mate. She's very pretty and she adores you.” Shane tried to appeal to him calmly and sensibly, but all it did was rile him up.

“Shit, I don't believe this! Don't you start on me as well! I just don't see her in that way.”

“But it's becoming a problem. No one can mate, can they? Not until you do... You know Sammy and I....” But he didn't let Shane finish.

He interrupted him very angrily.

“Shut up...! Don't you think I fucking know all this? Yes it's a problem, right? But I won't take a mate for the sake of it. Subject closed. Thanks for the food. It was great, as usual.” He got up abruptly, and slopping his coffee over the table in his haste to grab it, left the kitchen in a raging huff. He ignored his cowering dogs, who intuitively sensed that now was not a good time to request a pat on the head or a tiny scrap of bacon for a treat. He turned into his room and slammed the door hard to make his point.  Damn, that temper of his had got the better of him again.

Madison sat in the diner on the outskirts of Calgary, about to eat a large slice of very rich blackcurrant cheesecake for her lunch. A steaming mug of creamy coffee sat beside it. She always ate what she liked, but usually she was more healthy minded. But heck, she was on vacation! Thankfully, she was blessed with a fairly slim build and a naturally high metabolism that was the envy of her friends. She took her first big forkful and shoved it into her mouth daintily, closing her eyes as the orgasmic flavor rolled across her tastebuds in a rush. She couldn't help the sigh of pleasure that escaped her lips.

“You enjoyin' that, are 'ya?” A gruff voice asked from the aisle in front of her. She opened her eyes and looked up, past the tatty, grimy old clothes, and the mass of whiskers to see a pair of bright grey twinkling eyes, watching her intently.

“No law against it, is there?” she said with a harsh snap.

“No, no... And I like a woman who enjoys 'er food, that I do.  Far too many of 'em stick thin, they are. No fun in life if you can't indulge your basic desires, life's meant for livin' an' all that,” he rambled on while taking a seat opposite her, without being invited.

“Oh yeah? And tell me who are you, old and wise one? The Canadian Dalai Lama...?”

“Who?” he asked, furrowing his brow.

“Oh never mind. Now leave me be, go sit elsewhere.” She gave him a hard look and pursed her lips in distaste as the smell of his unwashed body wafted across the table.

“How about a taste of that first? What yer 'avin there my love. Just a tiny forkful for a poor old 'un with no cash, hmmm?” He coughed and spluttered all over her cheesecake deliberately.

“Look, have it all. I've got to go anyway.” She shoved it across to him out of disgust and pity, rose from the table and took her untouched cup of coffee to the counter to take out instead.

“Emory bothering you?” the young waitress asked, nodding towards the old man at her table.

“Not any more. I want to take this out, would you mind?” She handed the waitress her cup.

“Sure, I'll pour you a fresh one. It'll keep nice and hot. Double cream again?”

“Yeah, and make it an extra large one and give me two big spoons of sugar, I need it to keep me going for a long time. I'll take a packet of chips as well.” She placed a dollar on the counter in front of her.

“So, where are you off to? Anywhere nice?”

“Heart Mountain. Riding for a few days. Getting away from it all, I hope.”

“Stressful job?” she asked, putting a bucket sized coffee down on the counter in front of her.

“Yeah, I'm a production assistant for a TV advertising company. It's manic. I can't wait to get out there in the natural landscape and unwind.”

“I'd rather lay on a beach myself, with a margarita and a good book.”

“Oh no, I can't stand all that airport crap and then lazing around feeling hot, covered in sand, and bored witless. Besides I burn easily. With my coloring I never tan.” She pointed to her long auburn hair.

“Try SPF 60, a big umbrella, and your iPod.” She smiled warmly, revealing a diamond tooth gem.

“Believe me I've done all that often enough before. My friends are really into that. But I like the wilderness. It calls to me. Brings me inner peace.” Her eyes glazed as her mind wandered off along a beautiful trail, the sun shafting through the trees, and a gorgeous white stallion carrying her along as the breeze gently stirred his fine mane and tail. She reluctantly shook herself out of her over the top daydream, gave the friendly waitress a generous tip, and waved goodbye to the crafty old bastard who'd just polished off her treat. He winked and waved back, his whiskers covered in cream cheese. She laughed out loud as she opened the door and walked back to her car, with her super giant coffee and potato chips. 

She sat in the car on the garage forecourt, after filling up her white VW Golf with gas. She tilted the vanity mirror down and gave her wind whipped hair a quick brush, added a slick of lip gloss and a quick spritz of perfume to get rid of the gasoline aroma that had followed her inside the car. She looked at herself for a few seconds. People told her she looked like Avril Lavigne, the singer-songwriter, and having examined and compared herself with pictures of her at length, she had to immodestly agree with that opinion. She had her bright blue eyes and her pouty, sulky mouth. They were very similar in build as well. But although Madison's hair was dead straight too, it was a very different color to Avril's. It hung in a deep red glossy curtain around her face. She loved her hair now. But in the past she had hated it. Being disparagingly called 'ginger' and various other rude and uncomplimentary things made her feel second class when she was a young teen at school. But now she felt special. Blessed even. Men seemed to like it. In fact she attracted them like bees to a flower.

She flipped the mirror back up and got her phone out. After sending her parents, older sister Carly, and Jade a 'goodbye for now' text, as she would be out of signal reach soon, she pressed on with her journey. She joined the Trans Canadian Highway, left her home city of Calgary behind, and headed west towards her destination. She'd never been to the Heart Mountain Ranch before, and she was looking forward to it. She'd never been on vacation on her own before either. She hadn't planned it that way, but her friend Jade had broken both her wrist and ankle a few days ago when she'd fallen over blind drunk. It had to happen one day. Thankfully she was feeling okay, but obviously not up for a horse-riding escape at the moment.

She'd initially thought about cancelling or rescheduling if possible, and then changed her mind. Jade was so full on, with everything she did. She wanted to ride all day until saddle sore took on a whole new meaning. Then get trashed every night and she constantly and shamelessly hit on men of any age wherever she went. She was hard to keep up with.

Madison has suddenly seen Jade's broken limbs as a sign. A way to indulge herself in a manner she liked for a change, at a much slower pace. Hangover free. She might even get a chance to chat up a man or two herself, in her own sweet way, without blonde bombshell Jade forcing herself to the front of the line.

Men were at the top of her list of must do's. Although she had dated many, so far she'd not met one she wanted to be with for very long. It'd be nice if she found someone who liked the same things as she did. Someone who wasn't obsessed with their appearance, football or baseball, or having the best looking or most expensive car. She wanted someone with fire and passion in their veins. Someone who loved the great outdoors, the tranquillity of isolation, and the beauty of nature. Someone really hot and wild inside.

Her relationships usually fizzled out after a few dates, due to lack of enthusiasm on her part. They were all so fucking wet and boring. Or was it her fault? Maybe she was too fussy or looking for someone who didn't exist except in her mind?  She sighed to herself and put her foot down on the gas, overtaking a gigantic ugly truck that was spoiling her panoramic view ahead. She turned on the radio and Taylor Swift belted out loudly. She sang along to 'Trouble' enthusiastically at the top of her lungs, and smiled deep down inside herself at the lyrics of the song.

Mmmmm, a bad man. A really hot bad man. A steamy animal affair. Now wouldn't that be something else?

The journey shouldn't take that long. Normally about two hours to the lower parts of the Rockies, then maybe an hour into the mountains from there. As she took a large sip of her coffee, her eyes were drawn to the sky. Clouds were gathering in the distance ahead. Hopefully it wouldn't rain. She wanted to get there before a torrential downpour made it difficult to see. Her GPS was set with the details of the ranch, but these places tended to be fairly remote, and the roads were never the best and could be treacherous in bad weather. Especially in a car like hers, that was about as well suited to the rugged outdoors as a frilly lace dress.

* * *

It was after four in the afternoon as she drove along the road towards the Ranch, slow and cautiously. Her foot was barely touching the gas. Ever since she'd turned off the highway, the road had been getting narrower, bumpier, and extremely muddy after the earlier downpour. She'd long ago left behind any noticeable signs of civilisation. The few houses and cabins she'd passed on this undulating hilly road, after leaving Heart town, were miles back now. She sighed as she looked at the GPS. Another two miles of this crap to go. The barely readable ancient road sign she was approaching indicated a sharp bend ahead and she slowed even more. She wasn't normally a nervous driver at all, but that was on a nice firm road, with blacktop and white lines and things, not this army assault course she'd found herself on now. To her delight, the road opened up beautifully wide after the bend from hell and it started to descend the hill. In the distance she could see a clearing. Small buildings with smoke arising from one of them, and a few vehicles dotted around. Then it all disappeared as she descended below the tree line.

In three minutes she was pulling into the ranch itself, with a sense of pure joy cascading over her whole being.

What a beautiful spot this was. Five days of peace and quiet in the middle of nowhere. What more could a stressed out TV advertising girl want?

She parked up next to a few other cars in the designated guest parking area and got out, quickly putting on her short black leather jacket afterwards as she found it to be quite chilly. September days could be warm and beautiful in the Rockies, but the evenings and nights were often cold. Leaving her suitcase in the car, she set off for a quick nose around.

Her ears picked up at the sound of horses, and she walked towards it, passing what was obviously the main ranch house, where she would likely be staying, and off to the left through an open metal gate. A dozen stables were arranged in a right angle. She approached the first with anticipation and a large, stunning white head appeared through it, dwarfing her own. She patted the horse's nose and made a series of clicking sounds with her tongue.

“
You're a real stunner, aren't you? I'm in love already.” She read the name above the stable door.

Storm.... How beautiful...

“
Boy, do I want to get a saddle on you,” she sighed, and then laughed as he hung his neck heavily over her shoulder, snorting and snuffling down her back. “Very friendly, aren't you Storm?”

“
A fine horse, isn't he?” A deep voice came from behind and startled her. She turned.

“
Yeah, and I'd love to... ride... him...” her voice trailed off, and her breath caught in her throat, as she took in the sight before her.

She'd put him at thirty, give or take. He had thick longish dark hair, swept back messily as if he'd run his fingers through it dozens of times. And beautiful piercing blue eyes, in fact she'd never seen a brighter blue than his. His tough looking but handsome head sat above such a tall and powerfully built body, it made her legs feel weak. Her stomach did a little somersault, and then another... She pulled herself together and tried to stop gawking so obviously.

Oh come on... I'm acting like I've never seen a good looking man before!

He came closer and stood on the other side of Storm's big head, stroking his long nose, and staring at her in a very direct manner, his blue sapphires blazing hypnotically into hers.

“Storm belongs to me. He's unpredictable and needs a strong hand. For that reason I don't let clients ride him.” His deep voice rumbled right through her like an earthquake. Could a voice be more sexy? Could he? She forced her tongue into action.

“
Is that so? I'd like to try in any case. I've been riding for fifteen years, I think I have a strong enough hand to cope with any horse,” she said, bridling a little at being thought of as incapable in any sense, and staring back equally directly.

“
Like I said. He's mine,” he replied coolly, with an unwavering gaze.

“
Possessive, aren't you?” she remarked, finally lowering her gaze, more than uncomfortable under his intense scrutiny.

She was pretty damn sure he hadn't blinked once since they started talking.

“As far as the horses are concerned, yes.”

“
And
who
are you, exactly?” she probed, lifting her eyes once more and meeting his hard stare full on with renewed confidence.

“
I'm the ranch owner, Aden Carr.” He held out his hand in greeting. “And you?”

“
Oh, I'm Madison Jones, call me Maddy. Pleased to meet you.” She said coolly. She placed her small soft hand in his large rough one and he shook it with a painfully hard grip as if to make the point that her hands weren't strong in the slightest. She winced to herself and was forced to agree.

“
Pleased to meet you too. Now, if you'd like to follow me, I'll introduce you to Lucas. He does the admissions.” He swiftly turned and without waiting to see if she was following or not, he  bounded off with a lengthy stride towards the door to the ranch house where he stood waiting for her to catch up. He opened the door and ushered her inside with his arm. Behind the counter sat another handsome hunk.

What a wonderful place this was!

“Lucas, this is our guest Maddy. I'll leave her with you.” And he left with not a word more, just a barely perceptible nod in her direction.