CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

«Hello, here are their things...» Lara said while leaving the bag in the waiting room. «I have to go, Nate is waiting outside, and he's kind of nervous... See you tomorrow, okay? Call if you need anything, and we'll come back for the twins.»

«Sure,» Samantha said, looking behind Lara's back to see the kids. «Where are they?»

«Here, here,» Lara chuckled. «Have fun with your aunt, kids. And listen to her!»

«Yes, mommy,» the two said, at the same time. «We will be good.»

Seeing the twins were calm and accepting the situation, Lara turned her back, stepped out and closed the door, and left without turning back. Her getaway with Nate was waiting, and she could take a break from thinking about the kids for a few days.

Once alone, Samantha and the pups looked at each other for a long second. Jaden was the first to move.

He reached Samantha and lifted his arms.

«Aunty!» he exclaimed.

As her first, natural reaction, Samantha bowed down and picked the boy.

«Hello, Jaden. Your aunt missed you so much! How were you doing recently?»

«Hmm... Good?»

«Oh, I'm relieved...»

They hugged each other and cuddled while Scarlet stood there, waiting for the dark presence behind the door to appear.

In fact, the man arrived soon enough. He stood at the door and leaned on the frame. His eyes and hair were both black like oil, and he was as tall as Nate, more or less.

«Are you our uncle?» Scarlet inquired, standing in between Samantha and that man.

«May be,» Renato replied, observing the pup in return.

«You want our aunt!» Scarlet exclaimed.

«What?» Jaden said, inhaling sharply «You want aunty Sam?»

He tightened his hug around Samantha's neck and glared at the man. Yet another tall man ready to take someone he loved away... His aunty needed protection!

«You shouldn't lift heavy pups, Samantha,» Renato pointed out.

«He's not heavy,» was the lazy reply.

He could see how his mate was cuddling with a blonde pup, and he didn't like that show. But, what could he do?

A low growl made him look lower, to where he left the female pup a few seconds before. She was still there, her eyes glowing in the shadows of the room, and her teeth uncovered as a sign of threat.

Something told him the pups were serious when telling him to let go. But, after all he'd been through to get his mate...

He sighed, scratching his head. Something else, deep down in his heart, told him not to oppose those two little beasts.

«Okay,» he said. «She's all yours. I'll go cook.»

He turned on his heels and left towards the kitchen.

«Cook?» Scarlet repeated.

She glanced up at her aunt and checked that she was still focused on cuddling with Jaden. They had even released their ears, twitching and trembling in excitement.

The girl touched her stomach, which was starting to feel empty, and she took her decision.

Scarlet followed the tall man into the kitchen and silently sat at the table. She managed to move the chair back a little and climb on it without delay, and she observed the ingredients on the table. The huge piece of meat in the centre made her eyes shine.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

It was so pretty! Even better than the diamonds she was collecting with Nate!

Were they going to eat that?

«No raw meat for pups,» Renato murmured, taking it away before Scarlet could reach out to it.

When the little girl showed him droopy ears and a sad tail, he knew what was going on. He didn't live next to his little devil without learning a trick or two.

To him, droopy ears were nothing. He could resist the urge to fulfil Scarlet's wish. She could wait a little more before eating.

He noticed the colour of the ears, and his brows rose on his forehead.

«You have dark ears,» he commented. «How come you're not your aunt's favourite pup?»

«What makes you think that?» Scarlet rebuked. «Maybe I am!»

«She's been cuddling with the other one in the waiting room. They haven't moved yet, and the sofa is way comfier.»

«Oh... Well, I don't know why my aunty likes Jaden more. I'm cuter, right? I don't know...»

She looked down for a moment before blinking, slowly. She was still thinking about the meat.

«Wait for a few minutes while I cook this,» Renato said absent-mindedly. He cut a few pieces and turned the stoves on. «It'll be ready very soon.»

«Will it, uncle?»

«Yes, yes... Just have a little patience, okay? Don't be like your aunt.»

«My aunt is really cool.»

«Cool?»

«She has pretty clothes and a nice job. Oh, she had a nice job. She used to work at my dad's company... Do you know that my dad is a CEO?»

«Don't tell me,» he sighed, rolling his eyes.

«And my mommy is very beautiful and kind. She loves me very much, even more than aunty Sam. And she cooks yummy things for Jaden and me.»

Read exclusive adventures at empire

«Very interesting,» he added, not really concerned. Every pup liked their mother, right?

«Why aren't you moving faster, by the way?»

He turned to glare at the girl, and his eyes stopped at the ears. She was moving them in circles, and her expression was transparent. She was doing it on purpose. She didn't lose control but was trying to... what? Manipulate him to get some food?

Did that make sense?

And how could a child so small control their shape like that? And, more importantly, how could a child so small have the wits to come up with such a plan. Those kids were scary.

«Why are you showing me ears?» he inquired.

«Don't you find it pretty?»

«Do you do this at home when you're hungry? Does it work?»

«My mommy finds it cute.»

«Oh, I see... But... does that mean...»

Renato's lips curled up. How unexpected... Oh, but not totally unexpected, all in all.