CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

Chapter 395: Time to confess

«Next one,» Samantha said after looking at the beaten young man for one last time.

The teens who had convinced him to go first were weirdly silent, their heads bowed not to meet Samantha's eyes by mistake. No one was willing to be the next one.

«You're calmer now, ah? If I let you go, you'll come and trouble me again when you think it's the right moment. But I don't want that to happen. I want to live without the fear anyone will attack me from the shadows.»

«From the shadows?» they whispered, confused. None of them had that intention: it wouldn't count!

They just needed to challenge their Alpha because, all of a sudden, it didn't feel like sure death. They thought they stood a chance to be stronger than her, no matter how idiotic it turned out when they saw their friend losing in a matter of seconds - but then being attacked again after that, with no trace of mercy.

They didn't want to survive the same experience. They didn't want to be hurt and in pain for the whole day.

However, Samantha didn't seem very interested in their opinions.

«One,» she repeated, tilting her head.

She waited patiently until noticing they would try hiding behind each other.

She pointed to one randomly and said: «you!» If she let them decide, they would lose the whole day. She was in a hurry to go back and get ready to meet her mate's parents! Those younglings were making her waste precious time.

The chosen one blinked, surprised, but he felt her pressure push him forward. He had been ordered, and he couldn't fight her words anymore. Not unless he wanted to challenge her for power, but that wasn't anymore in his thoughts.

As such, that peaceful day transformed into a storm in the pack. Samantha moved her muscles and fought, finally unleashing some of the dormant power she had been used to hide. She didn't need to hide: what for? There wasn't any Alpha who would hate her for that.

It wasn't as pleasant for the guys who had bright ideas.

It was terrible for Renato. He observed his mate fight, and he wished he could step in and do it in her stead. Yet, it was out of the question.

First of all, he would have ended up beaten up like the younglings. And, secondly, he knew Samantha would hate it. She was a brave, independent woman. She didn't need him to do her bidding, even when he so desperately wanted to.

Only after dealing with a good part of the teens and making clear that they were too green to challenge her, did Samantha wonder a little.

«Why did the teens challenge me?» she asked. What had brought them to think they would gain anything by beating her?

She turned to Renato, but he had no response. She glanced at the rest of the pack, and she found them exchanging glances and hiding their feelings behind dumbfounded expressions.

They thought the answer was obvious. However, they didn't dare tell her. How odd, wasn't it?

«Hey,» Samantha complained. «I kindly asked to stay here. If you don't want me, you could have said so from the start. It would have saved us both a lot of time!»

The wolves turned pale, and they stared at Samantha in horror. As if hers was a threat. As if she was hurting them by saying she would leave

«It's not like that,» Renato said. «It's not like they don't want you here. On the contrary.»

The pack wanted her so badly that they agreed - even though without words - to hide the fact she was their Alpha. They would do anything to make her stay.

It had made Renato understand how their pack not only was not disbanding, but it was fortifying by the day. Their empathy and connection were strong enough to make them agree without exchanging a single word.

Maybe, if Samantha saw them in that new light, she would accept them... Moreover, Renato was dying inside, wanting to run to her and check her vitals and scent. However, he knew it would have earned him a punch.

Also, he could notice how Samantha had fought. Rather than hurting or giving back the attacks, she had focused on teaching those brats something new. They would need more time to realise, but they could learn a lot from that brief session.

He also was amazed by her. She was fast as the wind, so much that eyes could barely follow her. She was swift with her moves and strong - enough to control it.

When he saw Samantha was done, he finally allowed himself to run to her. He caught her right hand, the one she had used the most, and kissed her knuckles. Was she hurt? Did she need help in any way?

The others wanted to inquire, as well, but had no idea whether it would have been welcomed. As such, they listened quietly, holding their breaths while praying for a positive response.

«How are you feeling?» Renato asked, and all the ears nearby - even those on the reckless youngling's heads - were on alert and catching every single sigh.

«I am,» Samantha replied, and the silence was interrupted by a collective sigh. How relieving!

Experience tales at M V L

She turned back to the pack, suspicious.

«What is going on?»

She blocked Renato's face when he tried to kiss her knuckles again. At that moment, it seemed like a manoeuvre to distract her. But she was curious, suspicious, and needed a few answers.

«Hey, Ri... Renato. What is happening here?»

His lips were pressed on her hand, his eyes looking at her, wide and dark as the night.

«It's happening that younglings want to test themselves. They feel like they won't die by challenging you, so they did it.»

«But... Why? First of all, what reason is there to challenge me? They could ask me to train or something. And you are better for this! You're one of them, and you won't kill them either.»

Renato sighed. Was it already time to tell her everything?