CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

Tuesday morning, Lara went to work like usual. She had prepared a bag for Scarlet, for it was Nate's turn to keep her for the afternoon.

She went to the CEO's office and didn't find anyone around. She knocked, and no one replied. Hence, she walked in and found a pile of work for her. She sat at the same place as the day before and started reading.

There was a folder on the side, and she opened it just to check if it was among her tasks.

She saw all the notes she had written the day before. Why were they there? Oh, could it be that she made some mistake and the CEO wanted to tell her?

But there were no comments anywhere.

Lara decided to put the folder back in place and pretend she didn't see anything. She didn't have time for weird events.

By the end of her working time, she had just a document left to do, so she decided to read it before going.

Before she could finish, though, the door opened.

Her first instinct was to get up from the chair. She was sitting at the CEO's place as if it was hers!

She cleared her throat and smoothed her blouse while preparing to greet the man that had occupied her thoughts a little too often those days.

When she lifted her gaze, though, she didn't find any middle-aged man with authoritative eyes and an expensive suit.

Oh, the expensive suit was there. But the rest wasn't.

«Nate?» she stuttered, surprised.

Nate's eyes were as wide as hers, and he stood there, in shock, for a few moments.

«Yes? You're still here?»

«I'm almost done,» Lara sighed, sitting back and returning to read the document.

Her sigh of relief didn't pass unnoticed to the man.

«On the CEO's chair?» he chuckled. «Do you like it?»

«It's comfortable,» she replied with a wily grin. «Are you jealous?»

«Of you, sitting on his chair?»

«Yes... I bet you wanted to try it too...»

He smirked while bending down to open a drawer. He collected a few paper sheets, all under Lara's gaze.

«Are you allowed to touch all of this?» she inquired, tilting her head. «Because if you're not, I'm an accomplice with anything you're up to. And it would be bad if both of us lost our jobs at the same time. We have kids to bring up, remember?»

Even though her words were sober, her tone didn't show any trace of worry.

«No one will lose their job, Lara.»

«I'm relieved.»

«You don't look relieved, though,» he murmured, leaning his weight on the desk and observing her.

He stood there a couple of seconds, collecting every detail of the woman's expression.

«Lunch after you're done?» he offered.

«Sure. Is it our first date?»

«Oh, yes. Promise!»

«Promise what? That I won't bring the kids?»

«No, that you won't change your mind.»

«How often do you think I change my mind, Nate? I said okay, so I'll come.»

«It's a promise, then», he said, stubborn like a bull.

She couldn't understand him, so she returned to her work. It was lunchtime, and she was hungry.

«Are you going to stay here until I finish?» she asked, then. «Isn't this place sacred? I heard only the CEO can get in here.»

«I could say the same for you, but you look so good on that chair that I forget my words when I glance at you.»

He peeked at her blushing expression, happy like a dog. His words were reaching her, which meant he could try moving forward with their relationship.

He bowed closer to her, his lips itching to touch hers. His body was tense and hurting, and only a kiss could heal him from that pain.

Too bad that Lara realised where they were and moved the chair back.

«Nate, we're at work! What if someone comes here now?»

«What of it?» he sighed, returning to rummage in the drawer.

«Hey, are you sure the CEO won't mind if you touch his things like this?»

«No, and he won't mind you touching his things either.»

«Is he that easygoing?»

«I don't know; you tell me.»

«Tell what?»

«I'm the CEO, Lara.»

The woman blinked, curling her lips, ready to laugh at his joke. Yet, his face didn't look right...

«Since when?» she chuckled, brushing it off.

«About six years,» Nate explained, leaving the documents on the desk and devoting all his attention to Lara. «Since when my father died, I had to take care of the company and the pack.»

«Oh, I'm sorry,» she said.

Only later, her mind resumed working again. She had been tricked by that bastard! He didn't tell her he was the one taking decisions, even making her feel bad for the disturb...

«Why did you hide it?» she wondered, her eyes filling with tears. «And here I thought I could trust you...»

«No, Lara, wait... I didn't hide it. It just slipped out of my mind.»

He caught her wrist before she could run away, and he pinned her chin to see her eyes. Her tears were like arrows in his heart, but it didn't matter at the moment.

«I didn't know where to start explaining. So, every time, it slipped out of my mind. And I liked being seen for what I am... Not as an Alpha or a boss, but just a man.»

«Is that reason enough to lie?»

«No, it's not. But I didn't lie... And it was so new to have someone who didn't know about my identity. Every time you looked at me, every time you were worried or felt as if you were asking me a lot... Oh, Lara, it felt so nice to be just a random guy trying to win your affection.»

«You are not a random guy,» she pointed out.

Seeing his dejected sigh, she clarified her words. In the end, even if she was a little angry, she couldn't bear to see him suffer.

«I mean, you are my kids' father. Isn't that enough already?»