CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

After dinner, Amanda dragged Renato into her room to deal with the painting.

The meal had been surprisingly easy. No one asked him anything about the woman who marked him, even though it was evident his mother would have liked to know more. She was curious and, even though secretly, hoping he was finally going to settle down.

She felt as if without a mate by his side, his life would have always been turbulent.

She didn't know his woman, though, Renato thought. If she knew about Samantha, she wouldn't have been so sure that a mate would have brought him peace and calm.

Amanda was dying to hear more, so he knew he was going to spill the beans sooner than later.

«Where's the painting?» he inquired, bringing a nail and a hammer with him. «Let's get it over with.»

«Here, here...» she said. «Can you hang it there, next to the door?»

«Sure.»

Since he was tall enough, he didn't need a chair to reach the height his sister wanted.

«What is it that you want to know so badly?» he asked. «Last time you came up with an excuse like this, it was to talk about Lucretia's crazy ideas.»

«I can't say Lucretia is totally unrelated to the matter, but well... I'd like to know about your woman.»

«She's not my woman.»

«I see... I met her, you know? I didn't know why, but I was curious about her. We talked for a few minutes.»

«You talked?» he said, choking. He coughed for a while before regaining control over his breathing.

«Yes. Samantha is so beautiful, isn't she?»

His spine was crossed by a thrill. If Amanda knew, then everyone did.

«How do you know her name?»

«She told me herself.»

«But how do you know it was her?»

«I didn't know it when we met. I found out when Lucretia told me.»

He left the hammer on the table and walked to the bed. He sat next to his sister, sighing helplessly.

«So, Lucretia knows. Damn it, it will be public knowledge in a day or two.»

«Oh, if she hasn't told everyone yet, I doubt she will now. It's been a week, and I haven't caught any gossip.»

«It's not comforting. She must be planning something, then.»

Dealing with Lucretia was rather bothersome more often than not.

«Not that it matters,» he added. She couldn't blackmail him with that information, and she couldn't do anything to Samantha from Mayford.

«I'd prefer to hear about Samantha, though. How is she? Why are you marked by her?»

«It was... Ehm, an incident?»

«You didn't mark her, though! I didn't notice your scent on her.»

«We haven't seen each other in a while, and I didn't mark her, indeed. She offered me to, but I refused.»

«Why?»

«I don't know. I felt as if it was the right thing to do, at that moment.»

«Is that why she left you? Because you didn't want to commit?»

«Oh, no.» It was the opposite.

«Lucretia told me you're seeing her just to get information. Is that true? You can't be so mean to girls, you know that, right? I don't believe that brat! My brother would never do such a thing!»

«Amanda, please... I'm really not in the mood to talk about that. And I'm not sure I have permission either.»

«A secret?» she mumbled. «Then, it must be true that you're using her! Why? Has she done anything to you to deserve that?»

Samantha was as kind as to talk with her even though they were enemies, even after the others had been impolite. Why was her brother using such a girl for his gain?

«You're a jerk!» she continued, tears filling her eyes. Disappointment made her heart hurt as if she was the one being lied to.

«Hey,» he moaned, but he didn't defend himself. He knew she was right.

He just bowed his head and waited for the rest, finally hearing the words he deserved. It hurt more said by his sister, but he didn't mind that pain. It was what he deserved, and it distracted him from that longing he would always have in the back of his mind.

Even after not seeing her for so long, Samantha was still in his mind.

«You're exactly like the people you tell me not to tangle with! How dare you tell me to take care?»

«Amanda...»

«No matter what you think, you have no right to teach me if you're like this!»

«That's right. You are right. I am a jerk, and I was taking advantage of Samantha.»

«Did she leave you for that reason?»

«I do not know. I don't think she would have just called it off like this. I think she just doesn't want to deal with an enemy of her pack.»

«She left you because of that? After marking you? She knew you were one of us even before, didn't she?»

«Yes, but that... Oh, it's so complicated, Amanda. I just wanted to bring her here, but she refused any attempt. She even told me not to call her because we weren't in a relationship.»

«It doesn't make sense.»

«It does, but it's also weird. All I wanted was for her to become one of us, while she asked me not to date. Not to know each other and not to inquire.»

«Wait... Did she ask you that? And, moreover, you wanted her to live with us?»

Amanda tilted her head, confused.

«There's something I'm missing. Why, all of a sudden, you want a stable relationship?»

«It's not that I have a choice.»

«Why?»

«We're mates, Amanda. And Samantha doesn't even know my name. She believes I don't know hers, and she acted as if we could bypass the link if we met often enough.»

«That's nonsense.»

«I know. But she left me when we started growing closer. It's not just about us being enemies; I'm sure there's more to it. Yet, she refused to see me again, and she said we're not meant to be.»

«Your mate? And she left you just because? Oh, how unlucky can you be?» Amanda commented, letting go of her fury.. Sorrow took the place of rage, and she calmed down while considering her brother's words once again.