CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

«You were with that woman while we were fighting,» the Alpha accused him.

Renato nodded, his face confused by the situation. Some of the guards were heavily wounded, still recovering after several hours from the fight. The base in the outskirts was lost, and there was no trace of Nathaniel Woods's mate.

Apparently, they had lost big time.

All while he was busy cooking for Samantha. He didn't even get any useful information to soothe the Alpha. All he got was a lot of cute expressions and an obedient wolf eating the food he prepared with much care. Not what he wanted, but enough for his wild heart to settle for days.

«I didn't know about this, Alpha. I wouldn't have gone if I did, you know,» he pointed out.

Why was his Alpha acting as if he purposely disappeared?

Moreover, Renato was sure he did them a favour by distracting Samantha. He couldn't admit it out loud, for it could bring problems, but Samantha was strong enough to deal with anyone in his pack. Battling with her would have brought even more damage.

«And we lost all the same,» he sighed, observing the effects of the power imbalance between the two packs.

How was it possible? Taken one at a time, the wolves in both packs had similar levels of powers and prowess. How come the Mayford pack lost a battle just like that?

Were the others hiding their real powers like Samantha? Oh, it was impossible! Someone would have noticed details if it was the case.

What could be the cause of the Norwich pack's supremacy?

For sure, it wasn't cohesiveness. In Mayford, they were like a family, protecting each other no less than in Nathaniel Woods's pack.

«We are your family, Renato,» Lucretia added from the sofa. Even though she was too young to decide anything, she would sometimes attend her brother's meetings. Most likely, it was just an easy way to spoil her, to let her think she was relevant.

Of course, Lucretia didn't stay silent and listen. Depending on how interesting it was, she would tell her opinion more often than not. Her behaviour would trigger most wolves' nerves, but no one ever said anything for respect of the Alpha.

«I told him to go on a mission, Lucretia,» the Alpha chuckled. «He didn't betray us just like that.»

«I know,» she sighed. «But I'd like to know who that woman is. If she can keep Renato busy for so long, she must be dangerous.»

«Oh, she is dangerous,» the Alpha confirmed. «That's why only Renato can deal with her. Am I right?»

«Of course, Alpha,» he replied mechanically.

«But who will accompany me next time I need to go shopping?» Lucretia pouted. «He's always busy!»

«Renato can't,» the Alpha repeated. «If he's on a mission, that has priority. Now more than ever.»

Feeling the pressure from those words, Renato moved his eyes to the floor. His pack was expecting something from him, yet he couldn't move any faster than that.

Why was fate as wicked as to pair him with someone as outstanding as Samantha? It was no surprise she didn't want to follow him, after all. He wasn't all that good, all things considered, and all he could offer was a different pack with different rules.

But... Could she really adapt to Mayford? For the first time, he started to doubt his plan.

The position she had in Norwich was high-ranking, and she had tons of freedom she would need to renounce to if she moved packs.

In Mayford, she would be just Renato's mate. And Renato was just a regular Beta, even though the Alpha's right-hand man.

A secret love affair was preferable for her. No surprise that she didn't want a relationship.

«Things aren't going as planned, Alpha,» he confessed. «I'm struggling to convince her.»

«Females can be stubborn,» the Alpha replied. He rolled his eyes, glancing for a moment at his own sister. He knew something about stubbornness, after all.

If only Lucretia knew what the real plan was, she would have thrown a fit forever. She was rather clear with her intentions, and she had had her eyes on Renato for years. Losing him to a random female of another pack would have been a difficult blow.

But she had to pay her price if she wanted to live comfortably in the pack, the Alpha reminded himself. Spoiling that sister of his had been an instinct, especially after they lost their father. But there was a limit to everything.

«Just continue with the plan,» he said. «One day, your efforts will pay back.»

He turned and left the office while Lucretia and Renato remained, one sat on the sofa and the other standing in front of the desk.

The Alpha had heard enough talk about women, and he was having enough trouble with females.

On one side, his sister had been insisting on knowing who the mysterious woman was. Then, Samantha Murphy wasn't collaborating one bit.

Third, there was that woman. Lara Clayton, Nathaniel Woods's mate. He couldn't push her out of his thoughts. From the moment he saw her, defending her pups and glaring at him with enough calm to surprise him, he had started feeling weird.

His heart would beat faster at the thought he was that man's mate. How could he have everything from life? It was so unfair! Even a beautiful mate, though human.

Was it the usual need? He had to take everything away from him, including his people. Starting from Samantha Murphy, ending with his most cherished one.

Yet, the Alpha was starting to think that killing that woman wouldn't have brought many advantages. He wanted to take her away, but in a way that would have made Nathaniel Woods suffer the most.

«What if she's your mate?» he sniggered, crossing doors and reaching his private lodgings. «What if you have pups together?»

There was no marriage certificate anywhere, and there was no proof of a mating ritual. Those two were not together yet, and there must have been a reason for that.

Was it because Nathaniel Woods was reluctant to bind himself to a human? Or, rather.... Was it because of Lara Clayton?