Scarlet yed with the dolls, getting closer to the other girls little by little. In the end, she talked with them - never forgetting to boast about her daddy - and they yed pretend together. She felt so literate while exining the rules to them. They didn''t know that specific game!


    Jaden made new friends. They couldn''t y ball inside, and he didn''t want to leave the room where aunty Sam was, so he chatted with them about balls, toys, and football.


    His blonde hair caught the attention of every toddler around there. One little girl crawled to him and tried touching it, but Jaden took a step back.


    ?I''m sorry, I can''t let you do that,? he said with the most solemn tone a child could use. ?If I do, Ste will be unhappy.?


    His demeanour made the caretaker squeal: he was mimicking an adult with his words and gestures, how cute! While Samantha melted then and there.


    ?Oh, how sweet,? she said.


    ?I don''t understand,? Renato said, curious. ?Who is Ste??


    ?His ymate. Seems like she''s a little jealous. She used to like Nate for some reason even while he was too threatening of a presence for the pups. Most of them would run away but Ste was more curious than wary. And here it turns out she''s ying with Nate''s son. I guess it has something to do with their appearance?


    They do look simr.?


    ?The twins are Woods''s copies. They have little from their mother, unfortunately.?


    ?Hey, don''t be like that! Even though, they would be even cuter if they resembled Lara.?


    ?It''s difficult for Alpha''s pups to resemble their mother,? Renato pointed out. ?Even Luciano and Lucretia are copies of their father. Woods is the same.?


    ?So, our pup will be like you?? she wondered.


    She smiled, happy about that discovery. She liked dark pups so much! Every kid in the pack was just so cute! She would love to have one like that. Possibly, with pitch-ck eyes.


    While she made her order to the Moon Goddess: ck eyes, dark hair, round cheeks... Renato rose an eyebrow.


    ?No, Samantha. You''re the Alpha among us two.?


    ?Oh, is that so?? she said. ?Then, who will they look like??N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He shrugged. It was a difficult question, and it didn''t have a right answer. Just like usual, things would have followed every rule but in an unexpected way. Their kids would be more simr to Samantha than him but he couldn''t guess in what way. Not yet.


    ?We''ll eventually find out,? he said, circling her shoulders with one arm.


    His gesture, more automatic than thought, attracted Jaden''s attention.


    Scarlet was too busy with her conference to see it: she was talking, and the other girls were watching her with wide eyes and their ears open, wondering who was that daddy CEO and whether he actually was as handsome as Scarlet made him.


    But Jaden couldn''t be distracted enough. His warm brown eyes stopped on Renato. How could such a colour feel icy on the skin was a mystery.


    But the man knew he was in trouble. He had been with Scarlet all morning, so he knew what to expect from her. But the little boy? He was unpredictable.


    ?Let''s talk about Ste again,? Renato said, and he noticed the brown eyes discreetly moving away.


    Jaden bent his head to hide the light blushing on his cheeks.


    ?Is she... Uhm...? What could he possibly ask about a pup? ?Is she Jaden''s age??


    ?No,? Samantha replied, oblivious to the drama and turmoil in someone''s little heart.


    Renato loved that part of her: she wouldn''t notice what was going on until someone pointed it out. Like that, he could observe the pups'' reacting to her words until it was toote to unsee their true thoughts.


    ?She''s one... She''s almost two, actually.?


    ?Oh, a baby.?


    ?A baby with a good eye,? she said, using Roxy''s words to exin why Ste liked Nate.


    ?And she''s friends with Jaden??


    ?Yes, seems so. I didn''t know it, actually. They hadn''t met yet when I was in the pack. But I''m sure her good eye is still there if she sticks to Jaden.?


    She even chuckled, as if her words weren''t causing a certain blonde pup''s face to turn red like pepper. Samantha had told him he was pretty or handsome, depending on the circumstances. So had done Lara, and he hadn''t reacted like that. So, the only difference was Ste.


    If Samantha had opened her eyes, she would have seen everything. Yet, for Renato, it was all clear. There it was: a little man in love. He could understand the boy''s struggle, and he dared notugh at him.


    The matters of the heart were difficult to deal with, even more so when happening to male wolves. They were born for fighting, running and hunting. Their hearts were too tender and easy to be yed with.


    Jaden''s eyes stopped on Renato, waiting for a word from him. They exchanged a nce, and the little boy waited for his scorn or a joke. Somehow, he expected it.


    But Renato said nothing. After exchanging that long nce, somehow he knew Jaden had understood. It was weird, dealing with that kid: sometimes he acted like a pup, sometimes like a grown adult. And it was even more strange when he could understand!


    ?I see,? Renato said, and Jaden''s back straightened. He got ready for the attack. ?And do the pups in Norwich have a ce like this?? he asked, moving the topic towards safends.


    Samantha had told him everything about the kindergarten, so he knew it already. But he couldn''t find another question without sounding too much off.


    Jaden caught the events. He understood.


    Renato saw him sigh, relieved. That one looked like a grown wolf in a small body more often than not!


    But, with that newfound male solidarity, the two exchanged onest look before returning to their jobs: Jaden ying with the other pups, and Renato listening to Samantha.


    Was it a truce? Would Jaden re less often? Renato hoped it was the case.


    He didn''t know these two pups could be heartless and take advantage of every situation. They would turn sweet when they needed it and forget about it a momentter. Nate was used to it, but Renato had still to learn.