CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

«I'm not confident enough to go without you. What if something happens and I don't know what to do?»

Lara thought about Nate's words for a while. In the end, she would also worry if she stayed far from her cubs for two days.

«All right, I will come along,» she said. «But I don't want to be in the way... The kids are too attached to me, and I want them to feel freer and meet other people. It's for their future, right?»

«We'll figure out something,» Nate said.

He smiled, as content as he could be. He extorted a third date with his mate. Even though he wouldn't admit it for anything in the world, he was keeping count of how often they met.

Even if the kids were with them, he was happy to be able to see Lara, to talk with her...

If only he was allowed to touch her, he wouldn't mind keeping the pups at his side forever. If only he could bring up marriage again without making Lara cry like that time...

«It will be all right,» he continued, reaching out to her. Before he could touch her face, he was crossed by doubt: what if she fled just like after their night together?

He still didn't find out what exactly she disliked about him, so he diverted his hand from her face to her shoulder. He squeezed, feeling like an idiot.

If only she had been a wolf, he would have made her his, keeping her far from the rest of the world. Yet, humans don't just accept their instincts.

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«How are you doing at work?» he inquired. There was another issue to solve, other than the pups fighting with others.

Too many male wolves surrounded his woman. And they didn't seem to mind that she had his scent on.

They dared to approach her all the same... He couldn't make a claim on her without revealing everything about his position to Lara. And he wasn't sure she would like knowing he was an Alpha.

Maybe, she didn't even know what that meant...

He sighed, dejected.

«It's fine,» Lara said. «Work is fun, and my colleagues are interesting. They stopped acting weird, so now I can work without useless worries.»

She chuckled, remembering how much she was frightened when three of them had approached her. Even if they had a dangerous aura, they were in broad daylight and at work.

At that moment, she had reacted nervously and fled. Only later she had realised she overreacted.

«Too bad I'm changing departments,» she sighed. «I'll have to adapt again.»

«You're good at adapting,» Nate pointed out.

Not everyone could accept that their children weren't human like Lara did. She was way more than just adaptable.

He suspected she could make the most of any situation she would be in, so he wasn't too worried about the work she would have to do. He feared someone else might notice her qualities.

Nate knew his limits. He had no experience with women, and he had never been interested in making some because he knew his mate would naturally reciprocate his feelings.

Only after being left by Lara, he realised it was all the dream of a fool. But he didn't have the nerves to court other women just to learn how to do it.

He was still looking for a good position for Lara. One where she would interact with the pack enough to know them better without being in danger like in the sales department.

«You have my number now,» he said. «Call me if you need help, okay?»

«I'll do my job, Nate,» the woman chuckled. «I'm not a kid.»

«That's not what I meant.» He needed to make her realise he wasn't understating her. He was just a little protective.

But... would she feel uneasy if she noticed?

«You are kind,» she replied, soothing his worries a little. «But you don't have to go out of your way for me. Really.»

«I'd love to,» he said.

The last time he proposed to her, she started crying about being apart from the cubs. It was like walking on thin ice. A wrong step would make him fall back into the abyss where he had spent the last years.

«I'd love to be of help to you, Lara.»

He retreated his hand and decided to stop. He had obtained a hug that day. And he also touched her shoulder without making her wince in fear. It was a win.

He could touch her a little every time until she didn't find it strange. And then, he would make his move.

«Ah,» he sighed, realising how helpless he became.

«What?»

«I was just thinking,» he replied.

He moved a lock of Lara's hair behind the shoulder and noticed how she didn't push him away. It was a sign, right?

Also, she had felt something when they met. She looked at him and shivered when he greeted her for the first time after years.

He just needed to make sure that shiver wasn't out of fear or awkwardness. He remembered her kisses as if they had happened a day before and not six years.

How long did he have to wait to have some again?

Before he could lick his lips while staring intensely, he rubbed his hair to wake up. Was there anything else they needed to talk about?

He didn't want to let her leave yet.

Moreover, the Black Moon was making him feel even worse than usual.

«Good luck for tomorrow,» he said. «The pups are going to whine for the whole time.»

«It's a hard time for you too,» Lara noticed.

«I will bring Scarlet back early, so she won't stay apart from you.»

«All right. I can make dinner for us all.»

«That would be comforting,» he said.

He didn't smile because it would have frightened Lara. He kept a serious, straight face.

«I'm looking forward to it,» he added. The chicken she cooked for him was still one of his best memories.

Except that she didn't make it for him.

Oh, she would cook especially for him that time, he realised. Purposely.. Not by chance like before.