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Chapter Five

Ashlynn

I had Buck and Bailey by their lead ropes, one on each side of me, walking towards one of the back pastures. That's where my uncle told me to turn them out, then I'd put them in the stables tonight. He said he would have Dawson show me which ones would be mine. I'm lost in my own little world, enjoying the fresh mountain air and the clear blue skies overhead. Montana was beautiful no doubt.

"Hey Doc," I heard someone hollering, but I thought nothing of it and kept walking. "Doc Cane!", oh shit they are talking to me. It's going to take some getting used to that's for sure. I stopped and turned towards the voice. It was Mike, the vet tech I had met earlier. He threw me a wave as he was running up to me. He wasn't a huge guy, but he wasn't small either. On the skinny side for a werewolf, but what did I care, as long as he worked hard and knew what he was doing. "Sorry to bother you when you're just getting settled, but I gotta put in the order for the supplies for the week. Alpha told me to come find you and have you tell me what you wanted."

"Oh, uh ok. I gotta turn my horses out. Can you give me five minutes?" I gestured towards the pasture with my head, since I had lead ropes in my hand.

Mike scratches the back of his,"Ok sure, can I help. We can talk and walk, ya know?" He had a southern accent, definitely not from this part of the country.

"Sure thing Mike," I handed him Buck's lead rope. I doubt Bailey would like him and she could be a biter. We walked towards the pasture, Mike seemed a little uncomfortable.

"So uh, what brings ya'll out here?" Mike asked with his cute country accent.

I am not one to give out much in the realm of personal information, so I turned it around on him. "I could ask you the same thing, because clearly you aren't from around here. Did you elope from your pack or something?" I tried to sound like I was joking, but I'm not sure I actually was.

Mike ran his hand through his already messy hair, a lock of it falling into his eyes. He had that kind of skater hair cut that a lot of the young kids were sporting. Look at me, young kids like I'm some old lady. Growing up to fast will do that to you. Mike was chewing on his cheek like he didn't know what to say. "Actually Ma'am I went to vet tech school up here and I like it a lot. The Alpha gave me a job, and well everyone knows this is the best ranch in the country. I couldn't turn it down." He gave me a goofy smile. "How about you?" he asked again.

I gave a sigh, and I am sure he heard it. "Listen," I said. "Please call me Ash, ok? Doc or Doctor Cane is pretty formal. So unless we are dealing with outside people, or unless my Uncle told you different, Ash will do just fine." I was avoiding his questions again.

He beamed like a kid who just got a lollipop. "Yes ma'am!"

I gave him a side eye, "And no ma'am. Reserve that for the old ladies, ok? That ain't me."

"Oh yeah right. Ok Doc," I gave him a look, and he grit his teeth. "Sorry, I mean Ash. My mama raised me to be respectful. I will do my best though." He was grinning again and I just nodded my head. "So the Alpha is your Uncle huh?" Again with the questions.

"Yep". That was all he was getting out of me.

"How long have you been a vet? You don't look very old," he just kept pressing.

"You're a talker aren't ya?" I said looking over at him. He just grinned back.

"I just graduated vet school actually, but I specialized in large animals because I knew I wanted to work with horses. I did an internship at a big Veterinarian Clinic south of Portland, Oregon. And I am not very old, I graduated from high school early and went right to college. I'm 24." I hoped this would appease his many questions. He did stay quiet for a bit. We got up to the furthest pasture, and I pulled the latch on the gate and swung it open. We led the horses in and I took off their halters and gave them each a smack on the rump. They galloped away, tails in the air, loving their new found freedom. We locked up the gate, I threw some hay over the fence, checked the water trough and headed back towards the clinic, Mike hot on my tail.

"So you're super smart then," he kind of swallows and continues on. "I oughta warn ya Ash, we are pretty far from town here, and um well, you know, there's a lot of single guys hanging around this place." He looked nervous.

I laughed so hard I snorted. His face turned bright red. "I didn't mean anything Ash, just ya know, maybe don't walk around in the woods alone and stuff."

I gave him a teasing smile, "Why not? Is a big bad werewolf gonna get me out there?"

It was his turn to laugh. "Nah I suppose not. Besides you're to smart to get entangled with one of them. Smart and purty," He says 'pretty' with his southern accent. I can't help but think it's cute, but not in the attracted to ya kind of cute, just cute to hear him speak. He looked embarrassed so I didn't say anything about it and just kept walking towards the clinic.

"Well Mike, tell me what we are supposed to be ordering huh? I've been on the road for four days and nothing sounds better than a hot shower and a soft bed, so you want to tell me what we've got in terms of supplies? It's nearing breeding season for the mares, is it not?" I turned the conversation to work.

Now Mike is all business, "Oh yes Doc, let's get inside and I can show ya what meds we have, maybe you'd like to see what else ya need. I'm sure you will want to order gloves that actually fit your hands, and probably some lead for when you have to take xrays. Our last vet was a big fat old guy, he retired, but we definitely don't have anything small enough for you." I think he was paying me a compliment, but I didn't pay him any mind.

"Alright then, let's get to it," I said pushing through the clinic door. As I turned to shut the door behind me, I looked up. There was Dawson, leaning on the arena fence, one leg hitched up on the bottom rung of the fencing, both arms draped lazily over the top of the fence. He was staring right at me. I just gave him a smile and a wave and shut the door. What's with this guy?

An hour later, I'm walking out of the clinic towards my truck. I grabbed my suitcase and duffle bag out of the bed of the truck, figuring I will get the rest later. I haul my stuff up to my loft, dropping my bags on the bedroom floor. I barely break the threshold before I'm kicking off my boots and stripping my shirt off over my head. I haven't showered since the morning we left, I figure I must smell like a fat heifer in the heat of summer.

The bathroom is actually pretty big. It has a huge walk-in shower with dual shower heads, and a seamless glass door. I turn the water on hot and finish undressing, brushing my teeth while the water gets hot. I waste no time. I even sit on the little stone bench in the shower and shave my legs. It feels so good to be clean. Throwing my hair into a towel, I walk out to my bedroom naked, so freeing to know that no one is going to walk in. I haven't lived alone since the first year of college when I lived in the dorms, a requirement for the University.

I throw on some cut off jean shorts and a red tank top. I quickly brush my hair out and twist it into a braid. I still have to go find Dawson and get stalls for my horses. Slipping my boots back on, I head out towards the stable I saw him enter earlier today. I don't make it five feet before I hear his smooth deep voice, "Going somewhere?". I turn around, he's standing in the breezeway of the main horse barn, leaning against the wall, like he had been waiting for me.

"Oh hey, yeah I was actually going to go look for you. I need to get my horses in some stalls, and my Uncle....," I stopped myself. "Sorry, the Alpha told me to find you and you'd let me know which ones are mine."

He's not saying anything, just staring at me. I stand there for a long awkward minute, and go to turn around towards the pasture. He's next to me before I even realized he's moved. He places his hand at the small of my back, steering me to the stable that's to the right of the arena. His hand feels warm against my back. It makes me feel kind of funny inside, but not in a bad way. I glance up at his face, but he's looking straight ahead, like he doesn't even notice where his hand sits.

"In here," he says as we approach the stable. "You can have these first two stalls. They are clean. There's a tack room at the end of the barn, should be a saddle rack that's empty in there. Let me know where you put your tack and I can label that spot as yours tomorrow. Your horses stalls will also have their names on them." He doesn't even take a breath. When he finishes he looks down at me. "That sound alright to you Ashlynn?" The way he says my name has my stomach doing somersaults.

"Yes that sounds great Dawson, thanks." I turn to walk out to get my horses, but he puts his hand on my arm to stop me. I look up at him again, one eyebrow raised, "Uh yeah?".

He drops his hand, and takes a step closer. I see his nostrils flair and I know he's trying to smell me. He tilts his head, "What's your horses names?"

"Ummm what?", I'm taken back by the question.

He jerks his thumb towards the stalls, "For the name plates. Your horses names?"

"Oh right. Bailey and Buck," and as I turn to walk out to the pasture, he is right in step next to me. I say nothing, just keep walking in silence. Oddly enough, it's not uncomfortable. As we reach the gate, I whistle and both my horses come trotting over to the fence.

Dawson raises his eyebrows at me, and then a big grin crosses his face. "Not bad," he says, as he unlocks the gate. I grab one of the halters and he grabs the other, heading for Bailey.

"Yeah I don't think you should try to catch her," I warn him. "She's a biter, especially men."

He just glances over at me, like he doesn't believe it. He walks up to her, and she takes a step back. As he goes to place his hand on her neck, she swings her head back and snaps her teeth at him. He just chuckles and starts talking to her, in that deep soft voice of his. I admit, he's got a rather soothing timber to it. "Come on girl, I won't hurt ya. Take it easy now," he's whispering to her, slowly running his hand along her main. I can't help but think how those hands would feel rubbing all over me.

"That a girl," I snap out of my daze just in time to see him halter up Bailey, like he's been doing it for years. I'm actually shocked. She legit hates men, has bitten every single one that has come near her.

I throw the halter on Buck, and look over at Bailey, "Traitor," I tell her. Dawson laughs. It's a deep laugh and it sounds nice.

"Don't pay it any mind Ashlynn, I've been known to tame the wildest of beasts," He gives me a wink, as we walk the two horses down to the stables.

"Hmmph, I will keep that in mind," I'm still kind of in shock.

We get the horses put in the stalls. I pull the garden hose in and fill the water pails, then shut the doors and latch them. I turn to Dawson, who has walked over to one of the other stalls and is doing the same. "Hey, thanks for the help Dawson. See ya later," I wave over my shoulder as I head out to hopefully get some dinner and crash.

Dawson

I see her head up to her loft, knowing she's supposed to come see me about the stalls. Normally I'd be cutting out about now, hitting the shower myself, but I decide I can wait around for her a bit. I stand against the stable wall, waiting for her to come down the steps that lead up to the loft. She comes floating down the stairs in a pair of cut off jean shorts and a tank top that literally outlines every curve. I'm pretty sure I can detect a perky nipple poking through. She's got on her boots, which looks sexy as hell with those shorts. I am momentarily stunned as I take in her back side that is strolling away from me. "Going somewhere?," I ask.

When she turns around, her beautiful blue eyes are sparkling back at me, it's all I can do not to stalk right up to her. Her long brown hair is in a braid, pulled over her shoulder. Her hair is still a bit damp and it's gotten her tank top wet. Yep, perky nipple showing through. I have to concentrate to look at her face. I'm in a daze when she turns and walks off. I realize she has said something but I didn't hear a word of it. Oh shit, I say to myself and catch up to her. My hand goes to her lower back all on it's own, leading her to the stall barn. We maintain some conversation regarding the stalls and the tack room, and then head to the pasture for her horses.

Her mare is a bit skittish when I walk up to her, and Ashlynn warns me. I take that as a challenge. A few minutes later, I've got that mare eating out of the palm of my hand. I'm wishing I could have that same effect on Ashlynn. She seems genuinely impressed that her mare allowed me to touch her and halter her. Points for me, I think to myself. Once we have the horses in their stalls, I try not to look like a creep, staring at her ass as she bends over to fill the water buckets, but I can't help it. She's gorgeous. Every part of her. I notice a small scar where that wound was on her leg. I make a mental note to ask her what happened. Before I know it, she's waving goodbye and prancing away from me. I'm standing there, my jaw hanging open, watching her walk away. Dang it Dawson, I think to myself. Get it together. That's the Alpha's niece.

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