CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

When she heard about the fashion show in one of the neighbouring cities, Samantha offered to go. They weren't looking for anything there: those clothes were too costly for their usual clients. Yet, fashion and distraction went well together.

She hadn't seen Rider in a while, and the Black Moon was approaching. She'd better find a ton of things to do before then.

She went alone, without bringing anyone from the department. After all, male wolves didn't know a thing about fashion. It would have been a waste of funds and torture for anyone who would have been selected.

She arrived at the hotel early in the morning. She would have travelled the day before, but she was busy playing with her niece and nephew. The pups had way more appeal than a fashion show; she had to admit it.

They had been turbulent and asked her to play a lot of different games she had never heard of before, but they would turn calm and obedient every time Melanie appeared. Samantha was glad they liked their grandmother enough to behave, but she was even more glad they were as free as to be noisy when she was there.

They had healed her wounded heart for the evening, and the feelings of warmth they gave her were still with her when she reached her room.

Pups could heal anything. It was proof enough. She could try stealing one from Nate... Or she could just adopt one if she found it.

Having her own didn't seem like an option for the moment being. More than anything, because she couldn't bring herself to ask Rider for help after one-sidedly breaking up. Moreover, she couldn't imagine having pups with anyone else.

He was the right level of handsome, and a pup with his features was exactly what she wanted: a little round thing with big pitch-black eyes.

She changed clothes and got ready for the long day. What she loved the most about fashion shows was that she didn't need to work hard.

Nate wasn't interested in luxurious clothes, so she could just take some pictures to deliver to their stylists and get it over with. The rest was all about the amusement of being in between beautiful models wearing beautiful clothes.

She opened her luggage and observed the two outfits she had prepared. One was a simple mini-dress, black and straight. She had a colourful belt to go with it, and she would wear one of her beloved sets of earrings and necklace.

The other option was a tailleur with dark green trousers and jacket. She did like the latter more, especially for the day.

She tied her hair in a ponytail, applied simple makeup, and got out of the room after checking that she looked like a businesswoman.

Her seat was in the back, behind four lines of chairs, but it was right in front of the catwalk. She had the best angle to look at the models, and she could also listen to what the humans in the front seats thought about it. Especially those in the first row: they were those predicting and directing the fashion industry.

She could gather information about the trends, and that would have helped them with the season. After all, even if they made clothes for ordinary people, they had to predict what the masses would like to wear.

She had a notebook and her phone ready to take pictures.

It lasted about one hour, but it was just the morning show. There were others in the afternoon and the big event in the evening. Yet, Samantha could gather a lot of ideas for the LY Corp stylists just from a single show.

She collected her things and went out to send them to the company. There were just a couple of employees in the Design Department that weekend, but they were waiting for news.

When she was done sending everything, she put her notebook and phone in the bag and turned to leave. It was there that she saw a familiar face.

Not very familiar, actually, but it had hit her nerves the first time she had seen it. How was the name? Lucretia?

Something similar, Samantha thought.

She was the brat from the Mayford pack who said weird things at the Tech Fair. If it wasn't because the teens reminded her of Rider, she would have forgotten.

She also saw a couple of the guys backing the brat. They were there to look at the show, maybe buy some dresses. It meant that the brat was someone relevant in the pack.

Seeing someone from Mayford was the last thing Samantha wanted. Anything reminding her of her mate was poisonous at that moment.

She turned the corner and avoided the group, set on not catching their attention by any means. Even if it meant taking the stairs instead of the lift.

She could visit the city centre, eat out... Anything but stay in the hotel. She had to take her time to calm her pain and collect enough energy to deal with the brats if it came to that.

«If only they weren't related to him,» she sighed.

She wouldn't mind a few brats messing around. It wasn't enough to trigger her nerves...

«Oh, damn it,» she murmured. What was happening to her? She had been a rational person for long. Before meeting her mate.

She was starting to understand how Nate felt while Lara was away. Every single day for six years. Every single Black Moon.

It was worse than they said, actually. And she knew it wouldn't get better.

Just when she was starting to calm down, her eyes met another pair. Black like ravens.

Her lungs lost all the air, but her heart beat again. She smiled before realising it, but she took back control soon enough. It was not time to smile, damn it!

«He-hello,» she stuttered.

Stuttering? Oh, could she get any worse?

Still, she was happy to see him.. Even if it meant she was going to lose her sanity.