CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

Jaden was happy even after failing his mission. Finding that magazine was so hard that he and his mommy had toured the whole city without luck. Every time, the shop assistant would say they received just one or two copies, and those were already sold.

«Oh, mommy, you're so famous now,» he said. «Everyone wants your picture.»

«I'm not sure it's about the picture, Jaden,» Lara chuckled. «It's just a famous magazine. That's all.»

«But it came out today and everyone bought it already!»

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«Maybe because of the poster? There's a famous singer this week.»

«Oof,» he sighed. He still thought it was his mommy's merit if the magazine sold so much.

«Let's try again in the centre,» she sighed, not willing to give up just yet. In the end, if they couldn't find the copy, they could contact the magazine and make them send the original.

After all, Nate would have received it immediately. Just, she was worried they would inquire why they had to ask a reporter for a picture of Lara.

She would have made one last attempt. Also, there was no way she would give up. Jaden asked her for something: it was as rare as to bet her pride on it!

«Your mommy will find it,» she said, «one way or the other.»

«My mommy is the best,» he chuckled, strolling next to her while holding hands. Going on an adventure with her was enough to make him happy, so much that he didn't need the picture anymore.

They passed in front of the ice cream shop they would visit with Nate, and Lara halted.

«This place is where you and your father spend time,» she said. «I saw a few pictures.»

«Yes, mommy. Scarlet always asks for ice cream from here, so we come often. It's also where we met grandpa Luther for the first time.»n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

«A special place to you, isn't it?»

«Maybe,» Jaden said.

«Let's get some ice cream before continuing our research, what do you think?»

«Okay,» he hummed. He didn't want ice cream, but maybe his mommy did. If he said no, she wouldn't walk in and have one for herself at any cost.

So, he had to eat his so that his mommy would buy herself one as well.

They sat at one of the tables, one in front of the other. He loved spending time with his mommy alone, and she was in such a good mood that he felt happy just looking at her. She used to always be in a hurry or worried about something but, since Nate came into their life, things had been better.

Even though he wouldn't admit it too loudly, having a father was a good thing. It was a pity he didn't know it before, or he would have gone looking for him even sooner so that his mommy could rest.

«What ice cream will you eat, mommy?» he asked.

Lara blinked, surprised.

«I?»

«Yes, mommy. Which one?»

«Oh... I guess... Uhm, vanilla?»

«They have orange here. And chocolate. Like the cake you like, mommy.»

«Do they, now? But I'm not a kid.»

«Daddy always eats ice cream,» he said, even though it was a lie. Nate would sometimes buy one for himself, but it was a rare thing. However, his mommy didn't need to know things to such a detail.

«Okay, then. I'll listen to mommy's boy then. Be it orange and chocolate.»

«I go order, mommy,» he said, slipping down from the chair.

Lara's heart filled with pride at the sight of her boy dealing with everything. Having Nate as an example was comforting: she didn't need to worry her son became anything other than a perfect gentleman.

She followed him with her eyes, smiling tenderly when he ordered the ice creams for both. Such a scene would have been impossible just a few months before when she was alone and didn't know how to deal with her cubs.

She saw how Jaden offered a banknote to the lady, even telling her to keep the change. Where did that come from?

«Dad told me this is how I should do,» he said when he came back. He sat in front of Lara and waited for their portions to be prepared and brought to them.

He knew his mommy must have been full of questions.

«Mommy is proud of you,» she said. «Of both of you.»

«Dad and I?»

«Exactly.»

Jaden giggled, contented up to the sky. He would have told Nate they had made Lara happy, regardless of the outcome of their research.

«There are a few places in the centre selling newspapers,» Lara said after receiving the - suspiciously big - cup with ice cream. «We will find a copy, sooner or later. If not, we'll try ordering on the internet.»

«Mommy, do you want to try mine?» Jaden said, pushing his ice cream towards her.

Lara raised her brows, not expecting something like that. Oh, her son would steal hearts left and right once grown up. He knew how to act cute and court at the same time. He might become even more dangerous than Nate for ladies, she thought. But she wouldn't admit it out loud for anything in the world.

He would stay her little boy forever in her mind, even then.

«What is this?» she asked while collecting some ice cream with her spoon.

She followed Jaden's reactions and saw no trace of regret. He heartedly wanted her to try it, how odd. Wasn't he a territorial little wolf?

«The brown one is cream with crunchies. The white is called... uhm, stracciatella?»

«Oh, it's so tasty. I think I'll take this next time,» Lara said. The white cream had pieces of dark chocolate which were a contrast to the sweet milk cream.

«Next time? Will we come back together?»

«Sure, why not?»

She hadn't thought about how much her cubs had missed walking with her and doing the simple things they were getting used to do with their dad. And she also felt filled with energy and warmth.

She had missed it more than them, if possible.

«We can do a lot of things together,» she said. With or without Nate, she could bring her kids to nice places. Now that they knew how to control their nature, they could visit the world.

She could finally be a normal mother.