CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

They took the elevator to the second floor. The hotel wasn't too big, even though quite exclusive. Their room seemed so far that Lara yawned twice on the way.

She strolled behind Nate, feeling at ease. She didn't need to look after her cubs, so she could allow herself to lower her guard.

She didn't know how tired she was during the afternoon, but the meal in the fast-food restaurant and the long road exhausted her even more.

«Open the door, will you?» Nate whispered.

Lara nodded, taking a few steps in front of him and observing the number of the key. She couldn't try the wrong door regardless because there wasn't any too close to theirs.

She pressed the card on the magnetic reader, and the lock opened with a click. She pushed the door and held it in place for Nate to get in.

Then, only after checking it was locked again, she turned and examined the entrance room. An entrance room?

She was expecting a family room with four beds barely fitting in.

Yet, they were going to use a suite.

She proceeded further and saw the living room. It had a sofa, even a kitchen in the corner with all the finest appliances. Everything was perfectly clean, and a French window showed the terrace they could use. What use of a terrace was there next to the sea? They would spend the most time at the beach, regardless.

She found Nate in the nearest room. It had two beds, quite distant from each other. He was settling Jaden and making sure he was covered by the blanket.

«You're done already,» she commented.

She moved back to let him walk out, and she tripped on her own feet. She was so tired that she forgot how to walk. Luckily, Nate was there to catch her before she could fall.

«Hey, you're dead tired,» he murmured. He left the door where the pups were sleeping open, in case they woke up in the middle of the night and cried for their mommy.

Then, he could settle his mate in bed as well. Lara was rubbing her eyes and feigning composure. She reminded him of Scarlet at that moment. The way they would touch their eyes and delicately rub with the tip of their finger was the same.

«Here it is your bed,» he said, showing her the master bedroom. It was the largest among the three in the suite, and the bed next to the window was big enough for three.

Nate wasn't a fool: he knew the pups were going to cling on Lara from the moment they got up. It was better if she was comfortable.

He didn't let go of her waist until reaching the side of the bed, and he moved the covers for her. He wanted to see her resting before going back to check if the car and luggage were safe.

Lara observed the bed with tired eyes, crawling on it and settling in the middle. She sighed, happy at the softness.

«I need to change,» she remembered, but her muscles didn't allow her to push any further with her intention.

She just closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Nate reached out to caress her face, but he stopped just in time. His back was burning, for some reason. As if a pair - or two - of watching eyes were checking his intentions.

He sighed and got up, turning towards the door.

To his surprise, there was only one pup.

«What are you doing up, Jaden? It's late. You should go back to sleep.»

«I don't want to leave my mommy to you,» he replied, ruffling his blond hair and trying to glare. Yet, he had just woken up, and his threatening intentions failed at the first attempt.

«I won't be here if that's what you're worried about. I'll sleep in another room.»

«Where?»

«I'll show you,» Nate said, offering his hand to the pup.

Jaden observed the fingers stretched out, but he didn't accept that hand. He didn't want to have anything to do with that man.

«Show me,» he said, pouting.

Nate walked back, passing in front of the pups' room. He took two more steps and opened the last door.

«Here,» he said. «I'll be sleeping in here.»

It was the smallest room of the three. It was there just as an extra, and most people wouldn't use it at all. The bed in Lara's room was for two anyway. But they couldn't sleep together, not just yet.

As for the pups, he knew them. They would have complained about everything. But their room was in between his and Lara's: they could protect her from him without much fatigue.

It was worth letting him sleep in the suite, right? He didn't want to look for another room father from them.

«All right,» Jaden said. «Just for this once, I'll let you go. But do not try doing anything to my mommy. I will be watching you.»

«Sure,» Nate chuckled. «Now, should you go back to sleeping?»

Jaden nodded, limping back and climbing on the bed. Nate helped him with the blanket again, but the little one just turned his back to him. He didn't want to thank him for the help for anything in the world.

«Ah, I was so stubborn as a child as well,» Nate said before leaving. He patted Jaden's head and went out.

Just to be safe, he left a light on in the hallway.

He got rid of his clothes and lay in bed, finally getting some rest as well. It was really late. If it weren't for that coffee, he would have been as sleepy as Lara.

But the thought of waiting tomorrow and departing on Saturday was almost painful. They would have lost the morning at the beach. It was worth all the preparations, all in all.

He couldn't wait but to wake up again, to see how Lara and the pups would react to the blue waves and blond sand.