Chapter 12 - Raising Two Wolves
Just the thought of being apart from her cubs broke Lara's heart.
Even if she wasn't a good mother, she couldn't imagine a life without them. She would just lose any motivation to continue fighting, and she would stop caring about anything.
She knew how it was going to end: she would die, forgotten and alone. And her cubs would be somewhere else, taken care of by other people. Yet, no matter how powerful or similar to them, no one could love them enough.
She was their mother, and no one could feel what she felt every time she was with them.
«I can't let you take them away,» she said, her eyes filling with tears. «They're my children.»
Nate blinked, surprised. He raised his gaze and met hers in the mirror.
He was almost done with her wounds, and his rage was calming down as he realised it wasn't the pup's fault if she couldn't control herself.
Yet, he couldn't leave his mate close to those dangerous beasts.
«I know how to take care of them. And I understand them,» Nate pointed out. «They are like me. I can teach them how to keep control.»
The tears in Lara's eyes escaped her control, and she started sobbing.
What could she do? That man indeed was their father. Her body could tell, and the kids noticed it with their fine senses.
Moreover, he seemed to be rich and powerful. What judge in the world would leave her cubs with a broke woman like her? If it came to a tribunal.
That man could just collect them and leave, and she would have no power to stop him.
She didn't think about it before, but she started hating being human at that very moment. If she had more strength, she could fight for her cubs.
«Don't take them away from me,» she sobbed, losing any bit of dignity. She was ready to beg if it could move that strong man.
Anything, for her cubs.
What made it the most difficult was that her body was even more confused than her mind. Instinctively, it could sense the danger.
She was in part afraid.
Yet, she felt burning where his fingers touched while treating her wounds, and it was not due to the medicine.
She quivered when his eyes moved on her. Her legs trembled every time she thought about how she already did get her hands on him but unfortunately forgot soon after.
His finger pressed on the skin of her shoulder, and the familiar thrills crossed her spine. He already did that once, she was sure.
«It's still here,» he commented.
Lara raised her brows, confused.
«Your birthmark. A crescent moon, right here. I was amazed when I saw it for the first time. It's just fate mocking me, but it's so pretty.»
He bowed down, intending to leave a light peck on it. He stopped only when the disinfectant's stink hit his nose. He frowned and moved back, and he realised he was being too vigorous.
He stepped to the side and looked at Lara's face.
She was frightened, confused, and anxious. At the same time, though, her tears couldn't hide her excitement. So many emotions for a single heart.
He wiped her tears and tried remembering their conversation.
What made her cry in the first place? He hated himself for being so out of control. He hated himself for her tears, but he couldn't keep his thoughts straight at that moment.
«Why are you crying?» he then asked.
«I don't want to live apart from my children,» she repeated, biting her lips soon after not to burst out sobbing anew.
«I don't want that either,» he said. «You don't need to stay apart from them.»
«I will bring them to you as often as you want. Just leave them with me, please...»
Her wet eyes widened, and she used all of her willpower to keep her image steady. Another crisis wouldn't have convinced that man she was the right person to take care of his kids.
She was still pressing a bloody towel on her chest, trying to shield herself from his eyes.
«I don't want to split you,» he said. «I'm not that heartless, for goodness! You can bring them along.»
At those words, Lara stopped thinking. She couldn't understand him, no matter how hard she tried.
What were they talking about, to begin with?
«You should get dressed, now. There's chicken on the oven, and I'm not sure how long it'll stay intact if you don't hurry.»
He turned on his heels and reached the door.
«Lara, you've done an awesome job with the pups. No, more than that...»
He turned again, facing her from far away.
He realised it was better, at least for the time being. They could both think more clearly if they weren't too close. And he was less scary from afar, right?
He was just like any businessman. As a human, Lara shouldn't have been able to feel his nature if he wasn't close enough. Hence, she would not be as scared.
Nor attracted, he thought. But that was a battle for another day.
He couldn't just kidnap his mate and keep her by his side forever. She wouldn't give in to her instinct and allow him to do so. Especially with two pups in the way.
It was a battle he needed to fight for a long time, and burning all his aces the first evening was a bad idea.
For the moment, it was enough that he could talk with her. He could hear her voice, and he could look at her in the daylight without any hurry.
«You've done an incredible job. You raised two wolves without even knowing what they were. You gave up on your life for them.»
«How could I abandon my own children?» she replied, breathing again as she used to.
Having him far away was helping, indeed.
«The aroma of the chicken made me hungry as well,» Nate said, breaking the tension and smiling. He walked out of the bathroom without any shame for how he invited himself over for dinner.
***
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