CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

Scarlet was sitting on Nate's lap, discussing names for her gemstones.

At first, she had stared in shock and disappointment, unhappy because her stones had names and she couldn't do anything about it. But then, after hearing that she could give them personal names, she felt relieved.

Sure, her stones had names like Sapphire, Amethyst. Her mommy's was Diamond. But they all could have a more specific name just like she and her brother were pups, but had their own names.

After clearing that little misunderstanding with Nate, and reminding him that she was treasuring Jimmy - so he would buy her more in the future - she waited for Nate to ask something. He was thinking hard, she could see it. But, about what?

The red and blue columns on his graph? It must have been very difficult to understand for him, but she could help easily.

«See daddy? Blue is higher, so it's better.»

«Thank you, Scarlet,» he sighed. «Now it's clear what I shall do.»

«But there is earning money. That's good.»

«People with graphs sometimes lie so that they get you to pay more.»

«P-pay?» she said. She didn't like that word. «That's not good!»

«But the money will return multiplied. We'll have more than at the beginning.»

«Oh, phew,» she sighed, a hand pressed on her chest. That dad of her knew how to scare her.

«Regarding your grandfather, though... Jaden said he will teach you business.»

«Do you want him to teach you as well, daddy?»

«I'm not sure. What do you think about him?»

«Grandpa is fun!» Scarlet said. «He is like mommy, just that he is older. And he is a little evil. But just a little...»

«What do you mean by evil?»

«Are you worried, daddy? Is it because he wants your mommy? You know, Jaden and I didn't want you at the beginning but now it's different. You shouldn't make trouble, maybe grandpa Luther will become your new daddy,» she said, tilting her head and patting on his elbow as if to hearten him. «It will be all right. Your mommy won't abandon you.

I think grandpa Luther will go live with her.»

Nate's mind broke into two halves. Part of him would have laughed at his daughter's fantasy. How could she make up such a story?

Another part, however, was wondering: what if it was true? It was too detailed, and too complex for Scarlet to make it up.

«What are you talking about?» he inquired.

«Don't worry, daddy. I will help you if your mommy forgets about you.»

«I don't need comfort, Scarlet. Just, explain. What is this story about grandpa Luther being evil and wanting your grandma?»

«He's like you when you appeared. And he wants grandma like you wanted mommy.»

«How do you know?»

Scarlet shrugged. She just knew it. Not any different than how she knew Nate wanted Lara. But, this time, she had nothing against it.

Grandma would love her and Jaden even with a new boyfriend. Even more: if grandpa Luther were to marry her, she would keep them more often because she wouldn't be alone with them.

She liked both her grandma and her grandpa, so she saw nothing wrong with them being together. Also, it was not like grandpa Luther would eat their grandmother. He wasn't as dangerous as her daddy.

«Don't bite my grandpa just because you're jealous,» she said, recycling Nate's words from months before. Those had stuck in her mind after being scolded by him so much time ago.

She hadn't bitten anyone since then, even though that brat Stella was allowed to bite her brother - just because she was little?

She pouted, letting Nate digest the news. He didn't know how to feel.

He was well aware of the friendship between Uncle Luther, as he called him as a kid, and his parents. He was Nate's father's closest friend even as a human. What tied them was friendship, not... Not any romantic feeling towards his mother.

He was quite sure Luther hadn't approached Robert because of Melanie. It would have been too much for their profound friendship.

However, now that he knew, Nate couldn't stop being bothered. What did that man want from his mother? She was a widow and didn't like being in crowded places. After stepping down from her place as Alpha female, she had retreated from the pack and lives almost in isolation.

His mother still loved his father, which made Nate relax. There was no danger she fell into any romantic trap. Also, there was a chance it was all Scarlet's imagination.

However, the more he heard about that man, the more he would be on alert. Even though Lara seemed attached to the only member of her family who had never wronged her.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

«Returning to our chat,» Nate said. «You can't say words like pup, wolf, and pack in front of your grandfather,» Nate said. «He doesn't know about us. And it has to stay a secret. He's human and no humans can know! Okay?» Read latest stories on empire

«Mommy is human.»

«It's different. She is my mate.»

«Oh, okay,» Scarlet said. «I can't say wolf, pup, and pack.»

«You can't grow or scratch, understood! No ears. No tails.»

«No fighting,» Scarlet hummed, rolling her eyes. Since when would her daddy nag like her mommy? «But you also can't fight, daddy! Mommy wouldn't be happy if you hurt her uncle. She likes her uncle, after all.»

She tilted her head, still considering things.

«I also like my uncle,» she said.

Nate's face turned dark in a split moment.

«He's fun and cooked for me. I can understand why mommy likes her uncle.»

«It's not the same,» Nate murmured, dark like the sky at the horizon where the clouds were gathering for a storm.

«No?»

«Your mommy's uncle is her mother's brother. Your uncle is just your aunt's boyfriend. He's not your blood uncle.»

«But he's fun! Even though not as pretty as aunty.»

«Sure, who can be as pretty as your aunt, other than your mommy?»

«He's a black wolf. I like white wolves more,» Scarlet declared. «I wish I was white like aunty.»