CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

«They\'re adorable,» Samantha commented, smiling lightly. «I can keep them for you every time you want to date.»

«It won\'t happen often,» Lara said. «And thank you for your help.»

«Oh, but how so? You two should get to know each other better. And kids are always on the way...» Samantha tried, amused by the two shy expressions in front of her.

She could sense what the two were up to a few minutes before, but she couldn\'t just comment in front of Lara. They weren\'t close enough, and it looked like the woman was shy and reserved.

«Just tell me earlier, and I can keep the pups as often as you two need! Especially for the first few times... You have years to recuperate, right?» she continued.

The pups were firmly set on not letting Nate get to their mommy, so the only manoeuvre space they could achieve was when Nate and Lara were alone.

Nate needed to conquer Lara\'s heart in the shortest time possible, and then he could spend some effort on the pups and their needs and diffidence.

That\'s how Samantha would have proceeded if only she had a mate to conquer. Unfortunately, her position was on the opposite side: she had to avoid any close contact with her soulmate in order to keep her heart and head straight and focused.

While they talked, Jaden opened his eyes and recognised his mommy\'s scent in the room. It was entangled with Nate\'s, which was a bad sign, but the boy was too happy to see her to notice.

«Mommy!» he exclaimed, opening his eyes wide and running to her.

Lara chuckled, picking him up and rubbing his back while walking to the room.

«In time to tuck the cover for you,» she said. «How lucky!»

«Mommy, don\'t leave us this often. We want to stay with you,» he said.

«Oh, don\'t pretend to be spoiled now!»

His pursed lips made her chuckle, and she bent down to leave a peck on his hair. The white ears were still there, but she didn\'t find them strange anymore. It was just like her cub\'s blond hair: a part of him she got to know with time.

What surprised her a little more was Scarlet. The girl had woken up by the time she walked back, and she carried her to the room as well. Her black ears weren\'t as expressive as Jaden\'s, and she had quite some control over them. It was rare to see her dark brown, mostly black furry ears.

On the way, Scarlet sniffed around Lara\'s neck and realised that something must have happened. She was too sleepy to think any further, but she knew that man had taken the chance to do the bad things he had been planning since the beginning.

Her eyes closed as soon as she lay on the bed, and she barely registered her mommy\'s lips on her forehead and the peace of her dreams after the kiss.

When Lara had settled her cubs on the big bed, she walked out of the room and looked for Nate. Samantha had just left, and Nate was looking for food in the kitchen.

They had not had dinner in the end. Lara was a little hungry, too, since the cocktail party was more about drinking and chatting than eating.

«Here,» Nate said while setting the table for them. «The kids ate some salad while you weren\'t watching. Samantha told me they asked for it without any prompt. You should be proud of your methods, for they\'re disciplined when it\'s not about their territoriality.»

«Territoriality?» Lara murmured, tilting her head. «What are you talking about?»

«They want me dead because I risk using some of your attention, Lara. It\'s not cute and harmless; it\'s savage.»

«Are you sulking, perhaps?» she asked, sitting next to him and observing his complex expression. He was telling her how her cubs felt, but it sounded like a confession of his own thoughts, for some reason.

«No, why would I? It\'s not like they stand any chance to kill me. I\'m just trying to explain why they hate me so much.»

«Oh, they don\'t hate you! They just need some time, okay?»

«Do they?»

«Yes, of course. Just like you need time to know them better.»

«I\'m worried,» he sighed. «What if they decide that they don\'t need me? Tomorrow, they will meet their grandmother, and I can\'t imagine them accepting her just yet.»

«We will see tomorrow, Nate. There\'s no need to start worrying now. Also, I\'m sure everything will be all right. I\'m so happy your mother is willing to know them... It will do them good to have a grandmother, right? A family, a house where they\'re safe... I couldn\'t give them that, but you can.»

«Oh, you\'re so wrong about that. Lara, you did give them a family and a house. You gave them all your love, and they didn\'t lack anything.»

«But I am not enough, alone.»

Oh, it was not true. Nate knew she was more than enough. Even if it meant overworking herself, she could manage just fine.

It was nice she would give him a chance to help, actually. It was not a need but an option, in their case.

«It\'s good you are not alone, then,» he said with a smile.

Even if it hurt his Alpha pride, he knew it was all his luck that his mate accepted to share some responsibilities with him.

«I am here for you, and the rest of the pack will be as well. Including my side of the family.... You are one of us, now, since you gave birth to the twins.»