CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

Rider parked the car not far from the address Samantha had sent him, and he walked toward the restaurant with a tone of questions.

First of all: how much did the woman know? If she knew Amanda was his sister, she could guess everything else. From his name and position to his reputation in the pack.

She could have even discovered his early plan to bring her into his pack! Oh, that would have been a disaster!

He didn't even want Samantha to abandon her people anymore. Losing even the little of her trust he had was out of the question. How could he even look her in the eye if she knew about it?

Even if the Moon would still drive them one in the other's arms, it would have been more torture than pleasure.

He read once again the text, finding no trace of rage. No annoyance... Not even because of the unplanned encounter with two runaway teenage wolves.

«Your sister and her friend are with me. Sending the address where you can find us.»

He followed the directions, finding a low-key restaurant. It was almost a fast food place: they were grilling meat and serving it on big wooden plates with some vegetables as decoration.

He could see some guests eating the meat into sandwiches, while others had the meat on the plate and the bread apart.

Samantha and the two girls were in the corner, eating the meat and forgetting all about bread, side dishes or vegetables. They seemed to have fun, all three of them.

Especially Amanda: she was beaming while tasting that not luxurious yet good-quality beef. It was fresh and tasty. Listening to Samantha chatting about something not related to any pack politics was relaxing.

«So, you two were angry about something and fled,» Samantha said, trying to collect some information about the reasons behind their holiday. She wouldn't think they came there just to meet with her.

Even just founding each other had been sheer luck. «Which one of you, exactly?»

She turned to Lucretia, waiting for an admission.

«They wanted to ground me! You would have run away in my place too!»

«Oh, well... Maybe.»

«I'm not just a spoiled brat,» the other continued, cutting the meat into medium-size pieces before eating it. «I have my reasons to do the things I do.»

She had calmed down and was conversing with an - almost - normal tone.

«I understand now. How long has it been?»

«We ran away this afternoon.»

«Oh, isn't it time to go back?»

«No. At least two more days. But now that you're offering us dinner, our money could last three.»

«Who said I was offering?» Samantha chuckled.

«I have no money nor intention to pay for all of this!»

«Oh, sure... I knew as much. But someone else will pay, do not worry.»

«Who?»

«You will see,» she said, leaning back on the chair.

Only then did Rider's scent hit her. She couldn't feel him in the crowd until he had reached closer... Why was the mating link so cruel to her? Was it related to how she sometimes could lose control over her shape?

She didn't move immediately, but her smile froze on her face. The two girls in front of her raised their eyes and stared in silence, helping her locate the face of the man she was waiting for.

«I will pay,» Rider said. «Since you two had already inconvenienced the lady enough.»

At the word lady, Samantha turned and looked up, smirking. She liked the way he was trying to act polite and detached. He didn't know her name, either way... And he couldn't call her Miss Trouble in front of those brats.

The safest option was being courteous like that.

He sat right next to her, and his eyes suddenly were full of life. Even if he was angry at the teenage girls; even if he was far from home and in the enemy's territory.

How could he be less happy while sitting next to his mate; in public, at that? It was a rare, maybe unique, occasion.

«Are you all done eating?» he wondered. He signalled to the waiter to bring something for him too. He hadn't had time for dinner because he was busy first with the pack and then looking for the girls.

Now that he knew they were safe, he could relax and eat something with them. There was time for scoldings and punishment. Especially because the Alpha was fuming.

Just the thought of meeting his rage, all of a sudden, made him sigh. If only that evening could last forever... He had no hurry to go back.

«Would you like another drink?» he asked Samantha, noticing the still water on the table.

«Yes, order another bottle. Water is the best with meat like this, isn't it? The grill gives it a special taste, and any juice or wine would ruin it...»

«I agree,» he said, even though he didn't have a clue about what was better.

He had started understanding wine just lately, and to him, tastes were a simple matter: he either liked or not liked. There weren't as many shades as Samantha would notice... Or, better: there hadn't been until he started to know her.

He observed how Samantha bit her skewer and desired a piece for himself. A piece of that specific skewer... But it was not the right time.

He felt the thirst at the back of his throat, but it was somehow... Far away? As if he was remembering thirst instead of actually feeling it.

Only after a while, he understood: it wasn't his! He was feeling what Samantha felt thanks to their link, but it didn't seem like her soul was as sensitive as his. Either she didn't care enough, or she couldn't feel it as deeply. Maybe, Renato thought, he was the special one in that case... It would have been so lucky: he was able to help Samantha without asking her how!

He poured her a glass of water, and he observed how she drank a couple of sips before returning to the meat. He smiled, only later remembering they were not alone. Two pairs of eyes were fixed on him, wide open and following every single change on his expression. Not willing to lose a single detail, even though for different reasons.