CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

They reached the forest and left the bikes not far from the road, hidden enough to avoid being seen and potentially stolen. Done that, Samantha and Renato walked in between the trees.

«Freedom!» Samantha exclaimed, throwing her jacket on the ground. Her shirt followed soon enough, and she got rid of her clothes before transforming.

Some wolves could get out of their clothes in a few seconds, removing the necessary before the transformation and slipping out of the rest in their wolf shape. It reduced the time needed to shapeshift. Those few seconds could save one's life in a fight. But, that day, Samantha wasn't in the mood for an abrupt transformation.

Once completely naked, she stretched her arms and closed her eyes, her face turned up towards the moon. The light helped her transformation, making it fast and smooth.

Her human body disappeared, and in its place appeared a white wolf. Her fur was completely white; only the tip of her tail was black. Her ears were like snow, her fangs sharp and tiny. The muscles of her legs were powerful and ready to run.

She turned to Renato and saw him there, still human and unmoving. He was staring at her, his mouth opened wide in surprise.

He wasn't expecting such a sudden transformation. No shame nor shyness stopped Samantha from baring her body and showing him her wolf.

He was shocked, lost in a world far from time and space.

His mate had just allowed him to witness such an intimate moment, hadn't she? Did it mean he could hope for the better?

Also, she was just as he imagined her. White and perfect, elegant in every step. She had turned in less than a second; were there faster wolves? Not that he knew.

Even those boasting about their abilities wouldn't say less than two seconds. Yet, Samantha... Her transformation was almost instantaneous.

He got his clothes off under her gaze, avoiding her eyes because he knew he was slower. Way, way slower. Once completely naked, he took a deep breath and started the transformation.

He managed to count to two before his brain lost the capability to store numbers. It meant he needed at least three seconds, he realised in the last moment of consciousness. Then, all that stayed was instinct.

He was a black wolf, difficult to spot in the shadows. That night, the full moon made him visible with its blinding light. His eyes shined, reflecting the Bright Moon and letting Samantha sigh in awe. Your next read awaits at m v|l-e'm,p| y- r

He was bigger than her; no surprise. But she wasn't expecting him to look so threatening. She lowered her head and circled around him, sniffing him and recognising that scent little by little. He was her mate, she realised while wagging her tail.

She jumped in place, attracting his attention. She bared her fangs in a childish attempt at looking dangerous, and she faked an attack. Renato didn't move an inch, so she took a few steps to the side and tried again to surprise him.

Seeing he didn't want to play like that, she scoffed. Turning her back on him and moving her tail in a hypnotic rhythm, she took a few steps towards the forest. She turned to check he was following her, and she growled before starting to run.

He trailed after her, doing his best to keep the pace.

Like that, wild and untamed, they ran in the night one after the other, reaching their limits in the chase. They forgot about the time, and Samantha forgot about her problems.

She would run just at the right pace to have her mate behind her without being caught, and she would adapt to his speed with ease.

They ran for hours, howling and growling at each other when they got closer. Then, at some point, Samantha got tired of the game.

She decreased her speed just enough to be caught, and she felt a heavy body land upon her from above. The hunter in him had guided Renato to seize the moment, and he blocked his mate under his paws and bit her ear playfully. He licked her face and sniffed her neck, happy to have won - even though he knew she had let him.

To his wolf, that power game had no meaning. He was so damn happy his mate let him win because it meant they could be together. And she seemed to be having fun while pretending to be blocked by him.

She turned on her back, trying to push him away with her paws or whining in a cute request of mercy. When their eyes met, like that, they stopped moving for a long moment.

As if they had agreed, they turned back to humans. Oddly enough, it took them the same time. They resumed their consciousness at the same moment, their bodies in close contact and their souls entwined.

Their tongues weren't still able to talk, but they could watch each other, caress the other's skin or inhale their scent. With their fingers, they could draw circles or tease. With their human limbs, they could get their bodies closer.

«Mine,» Renato said. It was the first word after a long time, and he had been the first to say it.

Samantha moaned in agreement, but she needed more time to get her human mind back working. She let him caress her hair and press his lips on her forehead while her thoughts returned one by one.

«Mine,» she replied, her voice broken from the emotions.

She had never been in a worse situation, but she had also never experienced so much happiness all at once. Her admission made Renato beam, and he pecked her forehead again.

Their lips met after a long while, and they kissed to enforce their claims. Their chests were filled with warmth under the Bright Moon, and the Moon Goddess blessed their love.

They were mates, and they couldn't escape their destiny. It was too late to change their mind. The only choice was accepting and letting their hearts rule over their decisions.

After all, they weren't theirs alone. Not anymore: they were one of the other.