CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

After work, Lara collected her things and went home. Nate said he would bring the twins to her in the evening, so she could focus on what she needed to do and also use that time for herself.

Without anyone around, she had time to relax.

She hadn't even realised how much three wolves - four if she counted Samantha - could drain her of every trace of vitality. Oh, it had actually been one wolf who did most of the work. The other three were entertaining each other in the garden.

Still, she was even more tired than after a usual night of the full moon. At least, that afternoon was all for herself.

She had enough time to relax a little and, maybe, sleep an hour.

Unless the kids forced Nate to bring them back early. It had happened in the past, after all. They didn't like being apart from their mommy for too long, and it wasn't such a rare occurrence for them to whine until they got what they wanted.

To her surprise, even if they didn't spend the night playing together, the kids didn't appear till the evening.

She had just tied the bag with the trash and finished cleaning the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Her hair was still wet from the bath, so she had wrapped it in a towel. The light pyjama she was wearing didn't hide much, for it was one of those models designed to look cute and feel comfortable, made of a t-shirt with a teddy bear and a pair of shorts.

She didn't look like a model in a fashion magazine, but her kids didn't mind. They crossed the door and hugged her desperately, sniffing her fresh aroma. They didn't let go until Lara chuckled and got up, inviting Nate inside.

«I haven't made dinner,» she said, «but I can brew a cup of tea for you.»

«Maybe another time,» he said before disappearing. His eyes swept over her body more out of instinct than any real intent. He memorised her shapes and expression, trying his best not to look like a maniac.

He knew Lara would devote her attention to the pups after being apart from them for a whole afternoon. There was no reason to stay and hope in vain to get some of her gazes or smiles. As such, he left.

Lara barely noticed him while she hugged her cubs and kissed their heads.

Only after exchanging enough attention, did she split from them and turned towards the kitchen. She had left the trash for last, and she had forgotten to take it out before.

«Oh, jeez,» she whispered. «Mommy will be right back!»

Jaden and Scarlet observed how she collected the sacks and went out to throw everything in the bins in front of the building. They pouted, unhappy their mommy left as soon as they had come back home.

They sat at the table and waited, even though they weren't hungry. Nate had brought them to one of the restaurants he liked, the one with private rooms. They had their fill without guilt and were a little sleepy. Still, they hadn't hugged their mommy enough for that day. They needed to delay sleeping a little more, at least until she came back.

«Do you think she's forgetting us?» Scarlet inquired. She looked at Jaden, waiting for the boy's opinion with earnest interest.

«I don't know, Scarlet. But she's been so distracted... every time Nate is around.»

«He stole her yesterday. She didn't sleep with us but with him!»

«That's right,» Jaden sighed. «Mommy isn't like she used to be.»

Silence fell between them again, and they stared at each other for another five minutes, waiting.

«Do you think she's lost?» Jaden asked when he couldn't wait anymore.

«Mommy is smart and doesn't get lost!» Scarlet rebuked. How could Jaden think about something so stupid?

However, she felt something deep in her heart. As if a thousand needles were piercing her stomach, making her want to vomit and, at the same time, run forever.

Was their mommy in danger? She had to check for sure.

Jaden had the same thoughts, so the twins looked each other in the eye and nodded, taking the decision once and for good.

The risk was being punished if their mommy caught them wandering out of the home. It was acceptable as long as that painful feeling disappeared from their lives.

They couldn't bear that piercing pain in their stomach. They couldn't do anything with their fingers trembling. They needed to see their mother at that moment and hug her tightly until everything returned to normal.

«Let's go look for her,» Jaden said, and Scarlet followed. They held hands and went down the stairs, one step at a time. It took them forever to reach the ground floor, but those stairs were so scary that they couldn't hurry. Going up was easier than coming down, for some reason.

They opened the gate and stepped outside, leaving the door open ajar to be able to come back, and sniffed the air to catch traces of their mommy. The world outside was noisy, chaotic, and full of danger. Yet, they needed to make sure their mommy was okay.

They would have taken a glance and walked back in silence if she was all right. They weren't going to let Lara see them, and they would be back home in a moment, with their hearts reassured and their senses at peace.

They took a few steps right towards where Lara's scent brought them and then strolled together under the street lamps. The trash bins weren't that far, after all. They were almost there... Just a few metres more.

They didn't even have time to come up with a way to avoid their mommy seeing them. Somehow, it passed from their mind. There was something more urgent than that... It was that weird scent and dark presence.

Someone was there, they realised, tightening the grip on each other's hand.