CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

It had been peaceful in the beginning. Scarlet had started tearing the pages apart to collect only those with her mommy or Nate.

It wasn't that difficult, and she was growing her collection pretty fast. At that rate, she was going to be done soon.

She had left Nate's article for last. It was the easiest because it was the first page. She could do it later, when she was tired or bored. Also, her mommy had priority.

When she finally needed only the last effort, she started tearing the page. But then, her fingers slipped, and Nate's picture was cut in half.

«Oh, no, daddy!» she complained, trying to put it back together. Yet, it stood separated. «Oh, no!»

She started sobbing just like Jaden a few minutes before, and she felt Nate's presence by her side a few seconds later.

«What's the matter?»

«Daddy is broken,» she whined. «Look!»

«I'm not broken. And that's just a picture. We can look for another newspaper at the company tomorrow.»

«No, I want this!»

«Why this, specifically?»

«This is the one I personally chose,» she explained, rubbing her eyes and looking for Nate's embrace. «I saw it first, and I decided to collect mommy's pictures too. This one is special.»

«Oh, but it's just about me,» Nate pointed out. «It's not too special.»

«But it's pretty.»

«Hmm... Is it?»

«Yes!»

«Why?»

«Because my daddy is handsome.»

«I didn't know that,» Nate said, secretly enjoying his daughter's praise.

Somehow, when she was the one saying it, it felt so nice. He would have got up and walked to the rest of the family, asking Scarlet to repeat in front of everyone, if not for the just solved little tantrum Jaden had. It wasn't the case to do anything which could bring too much excitement.

«Let me take a look,» he said, taking the piece of paper and analysing the damage. It was torn into two halves.

He could bring it with him and simply deliver a new one to Scarlet the day after.

«I can fix it!» he said.

«Can you?»

«Yes. I will bring you this tomorrow as good as new.»

«No,» she moaned. «You're going to trick me.»

«I'm not!»

«Yes, you are. Fix it now so I can see.»

«It needs time, Scarlet. And being watched makes me nervous.»

«Now or never,» she said. «I won't give you my copy.»

«Oh, all right,» he sighed, carrying paper and girl into the study.

He left both on the chair behind the desk just for the time needed to find some transparent tape and some glue. Then, he lifted Scarlet and sat at his place, positioning the girl on his lap.

«Look at this,» he said before starting to do the hard work.

He taped the two pieces together, and then he glued everything on a thick paper. That way, Scarlet could keep it whole forever.

«What do you think about making a collage?»

«I don't know what that is.»

«I have other papers like this. We can glue all Lara's pictures on one of them so that they're together. It'll be even more beautiful, and they won't break by chance like this one.»

«I can still see it's broken,» Scarlet pointed out, pressing her finger on the crack crossing Nate's smile.

At least, she wasn't crying anymore. She was too distracted by Nate's actions to do so.

«But it's better than before,» Nate rebuked.

«It is. Just a little.»

«Then, what do you think?»

«We can make one with mommy,» she agreed.

And, just like that, father and daughter started assembling all the pictures Scarlet had collected.

Nate would cut the articles, sometimes just the pictures, while Scarlet would carefully glue them on the paper. Everything found some space, and other sheets would pile up on the desk when there wasn't any spot void to fill.

They worked hard, one of them forgetting about the work he had scheduled for the afternoon. They didn't even notice how Lara and Melanie were observing them from the door. The two women exchanged a glance and sighed, turning back towards the living room and sitting next to Jaden.

The boy had calmed down and was sipping his chocolate while - much to everyone's surprise - Scarlet had forgotten about it.

«They're adorable, really,» Melanie said, «but they're also much work.»

Lara caressed Jaden's head and smiled at him when he turned. She let him hug her, happy for his bright smile. His fear seemed to have left, and he was just as affectionate as always.

«I know, right?» Lara replied. Even though quite some time had passed, Melanie didn't show any hint of annoyance for the wait.

«It will be the Black Moon tomorrow. I usually don't want anyone in the residence during the Bright Moon, it's too much to handle for me. Yet, for the Black Moon, you four are welcome.»

«Thank you,» Lara replied. «I will go where Nate thinks the pups will feel better. They usually sleep a little late, but they're not too difficult. I just need to reassure them more often than usual.»

«Oh, they're not the only two you will be reassuring. It will be the first Black Moon you spend with Nate, won't it?»

«Not really, but, at the same time, it will be.»

They had met during a night of the new moon, after all. And then, there had been that first hug a month before.

«I hope I will be able to handle it,» she said. She even sighed, remembering that her own body would take the toll.

She was going to have her period soon. It would have been a tiring day, but she would finally have some peace from her weird feelings and wishes.

Nate could sleep sound nights, for her desire to get her hands on him would have decreased a little. To the level it was before, which wasn't very comforting. Still, better than behaving like a crazy woman.

«After this, we will have two weeks of peace,» she commented. Till the Bright Moon. Oh, life with werewolves was so much sweat.

She already felt tired, but it was definitely worth it.