«That’s why we should know each other better,» Nate said, leaning back on his chair. He smiled at Lara, trying to look reassuring.

«We should discuss what to do next,» she said. «But we can’t be family just like this.»

«I agree. As a starter, we should discuss. What do you think about tomorrow? At dinner.»

«Yes, sure,» she sighed, already wondering how much meat she should be buying. She was currently jobless, and that man, inviting himself over, wasn’t helping.

Her finances weren’t as bad; she would have been able to afford another dinner or two. But then she would need to find a job.

«You can come to my place. Or we can go out to a restaurant,» Nate added, making it clear he wasn’t leeching off.

«Scarlet and Jaden aren’t ready to eat out,» she said.

«Then let’s go alone, you and me.»

«And what should I do with them? Leave them alone?»

It was one thing if she went to work. It couldn’t be helped. But she wouldn’t start leaving her cubs defenceless to go out and have fun.

That was something she wouldn’t do!

«I can call a babysitter.»

«They growl at strangers!» Lara pointed out. «That’s why I don’t call babysitters anymore!»

«A wolf-sitter.»

«What?» she scoffed, a little annoyed. «What are you implying?»

«A wolf girl can take care of them for a couple of hours.»

«You can just come here again tomorrow, and we can talk,» she said. Why involve even more people?

«Oh, I can’t,» Nate said. «First of all, I want to talk with you alone. Without your bodyguards. And second, it’s my turn to offer you dinner. If you don’t want to go out, then come to my home. We can eat all four together. Then, the pups will watch TV or play in another room.»

He was displeased that his plan to have a date failed. Yet, he couldn’t afford to let her go just like that. If the price to pay was to have the pups with them, so be it.

«They are my responsibility as well,» he added. Only after saying it, the truth of his words hit him.

He had spent the whole evening trying to woo his mate. All he could do was think about her for the whole damned afternoon.

Yet, he was the pups’ father. He did have responsibility.

If it wasn’t for him, they wouldn’t be in that room, eating together, exchanging embarrassed glances.

But he might have never met his mate again. He wouldn’t have gone to search for her in Sheton: he didn’t know she travelled so far to reach the club that night.

They didn’t have time to talk, so he couldn’t even collect any evidence about her identity. All he knew was that she was his mate. And that she was human.

He stupidly thought it was not a big problem until her humanity allowed her to leave.

He wouldn’t underestimate the importance of talking anymore. If wolves could communicate in many other ways, humans used words the most.

«If you don’t trust me enough to come to my house, I guess a restaurant is still the best option,» he considered.

Either way, he would be happy.

A date alone with her, or the chance to show her a place she would like and accept to live in.

«I am not afraid,» Lara sighed. «For some reason, I’m not afraid of what you could do to me. As for the children… You said it: they’re yours as well. I can’t prevent you from seeing them.»

He smiled, noticing how she hadn’t yet understood what he was aiming at. But looking like a potential father for them would have made her realise how useful he could be, right?

He tilted his head, still pondering.

Conquering the pups was a hard mission, but making their mother believe he wanted to bring them up with her was worth the hassle. He didn’t have more relevant businesses, so he could as well offer part of his time for that.

It would at least ease Lara’s life.

It was a pity the pups were more similar to him than to her. But fathering them shouldn’t have been too hard. He just needed to make sure they didn’t lack anything.

His father did that with him, and he grew up just fine.

Even though he didn’t have many memories of his childhood with the previous Alpha. He was strict, and he taught him how to rule. But it all happened when he was already an adult. Before he turned fifteen, his father rarely paid any attention to him.

But he also had never tried killing his own father. That was something the pups didn’t inherit from him for sure.

«Tomorrow, after I finish working, you’ll come to have dinner at my place,» he said. It was decided.

He had twenty hours to make the house decent and ready to welcome the three. Also, he had plenty of time to warn his chef to prepare more food than usual.

Baiting them with meat seemed quite a safe approach.

«Also, Manager Cooper told me you should report to him tomorrow morning. You got the job.»

«What job?» she murmured. «And how do you know?»

«The manager told me.»

«Oh, but… Why?»

«He said…» Nate scratched his head, looking for proper words. «He said hard-working people are always welcome.»

«What time do you usually start working?»

He went to work at seven. He could focus better when there was silence. But the rest of the employees would come an hour or so later.

However, Lara wasn’t a regular employee. She was his mate and his future wife. She gave birth to his children.

And she worked hard for six years to feed their pups. She didn’t need to overexert herself that time as well.

«You can come at nine. The Manager will tell you more. This is all I know.»

He could think about it in detail during the night. And then instruct Bass about it.

«The manager… He is a wolf too, right?» she said, surprising Nate.

«Yes.» He nodded. «How did you know?»

«He was a little scary,» she said.

He lifted an eyebrow.

«Am I scary, perhaps?»

«Not as much as the manager.»

She looked down, hoping the said manager would never hear her admission.

«Oh, that’s right,» Nate confirmed. «Manager Cooper is scary.. You don’t need to be too close to him, luckily.»