Nate leaned on the doorframe, trying to control his temper. The wounds on his mate’s shoulders troubled him more than anything.

He wanted to grab the little girl and shake her until she realised what she was doing.

How did she dare hurt Lara?

He took a deep breath and tried calming down.

He was in the kitchen, alone with the calmer pup.

That one didn’t try to kill him. And he didn’t hurt Lara.

Moreover, he had her eyes. It was enough for Nate to decide he was his favourite among the two. Even if he was glaring and visibly unhappy about him.

«We won’t let you get mommy,» the little one commented. «If Scarlet doesn’t kill you, I will.»

Oh, awesome. Nate sighed in his heart.

Not that he couldn’t understand them. He was unhappy about sharing his mate with them as well. But he was an adult and knew it couldn’t be helped.

If the deal to have Lara was to accept the whole family, he was ready. He would have learned how to be a proper father if needed.

As long as the void in his heart could finally be filled.

«Aren’t you the least frightened by me?» he asked, curious.

He was an Alpha. Other wolves would feel threatened and wouldn’t dare to meet his eyes. Yet, both his pups didn’t react like that.

Was it because they grew up without a pack? Maybe, they didn’t know the rules. Or, being half-human, their instinct wasn’t at that level yet.

Or they simply didn’t care. After all, he could understand their worries. In their place, he would defend Lara as well.

Nate blinked, calming down his nerves. When he thought he was okay, the timer of the oven rang, and he winced in place.

He walked to it and turned off that annoying sound, using all his wits to understand how that thing worked.

He turned off the temperature, but the light inside was still on. He looked at the options for a minute before finding the right button and turned it off.

«Mommy always takes it out to cool,» the little boy said.

«It’s burning, step back,» he murmured, but then he realised the little boy wasn’t anywhere nearby.

He turned to check, and he was in the corner, jumping in place and drooling a little. Yet, he didn’t move forward. Like a dog on a leash? Or, rather, domesticated.

He took out the chicken and left it on top to cool. He turned to the little boy and gestured towards the table.

«Shall we talk?» he asked.

His eyes stopped for a moment on the fluffy ears, but he didn’t find anything amiss until he remembered the little one was five.

Five. His pup was five and already turning halfway. Even a tail was visible from under his shorts, wagging.

«Are you a dog, perhaps?» he spat out. «Why are you wagging your tail?»

The pup wasn’t offended by his words, but he stopped observing the chicken and turned back to Nate.

«Am I?» he inquired. «I don’t like dogs.»

«No, of course,» Nate sighed. «Dogs are stupid and stink.»

«Right. But at least they don’t bark when you tell them to shut up.»

Jaden reached a chair and climbed on top. He sat there, solemn like an adult.

«You are not a dog. You are a wolf. And my pup. As such, you should conduct yourself as a wolf…» Nate tried, testing the waters.

«I am not,» Jaden replied, shaking his head in denial. «I am only of mommy.»

«Still, you’re a wolf. Didn’t you know it before?»

«No.»

«So, does your mother know you’re wolves?»

The little one shrugged, not knowing the answer.

«Does your sister turn like you?»

«What turn?» the one murmured.

«Does your sister have a tail?»

«She does, but not always.»

«So, she doesn’t transform like you. But she can’t control her urges… It must be tough for your mother. She’s just a human: how could she raise you for so long?»

Jaden bit his little lips, feeling under scrutiny. It was true that their mommy suffered because of them. But she never once complained.

And they couldn’t live without her. They wanted to have her close for the whole time.

«Ah, we can talk later,» Nate sighed.

«Are you our father? Our real father?»

«I am,» he said.

Unless their mother had an affair with another werewolf, he wanted to add. But the simple thought was painful. He couldn’t bring himself to word it.

Moreover, the little boy was similar to how Nate was at his age. Except for the black eyes.

The girl did resemble Lara to some degree, but the similarities were still more in favour of Nate. Both his pups had more in common with him than their beloved mommy.

«Are you here to take mommy away?»

«I won’t take her away,» he said. «We can move together to a better place.»

«I like it here.»

«Then, I can move here.»

«There is no place for you. It’s too little.»

«That’s why I said we could move somewhere else. You would have your own room and a mountain of toys. Isn’t that good?»

«I don’t need my room. I want to sleep with mommy forever.»

«That won’t be possible,» Nate cut it short. Before realising he was arguing with a kid.

He passed a hand through his hair for the umpteenth time that day.

«Won’t your mother be happier in a bigger place?»

«We won’t let you get closer to her. You are dangerous.»

«I am your father.»

«So what? We don’t need a father.»

«Your mother is young,» he pointed out. «Do you want her to be alone for the rest of her life?»

«She won’t be alone.. Scarlet and I will always be with her.»