NOVEL NEXT Chapter 520: Fear of lightning
Scarlet and Jaden were waiting next to the door, sure their mommy would come to fetch them. They were holding hands to give each other strength, and they would wince at every noise.
The caretaker had observed their odd behaviour for a while before being distracted by another pup bursting out crying.
What was going on with the twins? If they didn't turn normal, she would call their parents. Just in case.
When Lara barged in, the caretaker took a deep breath. The Alpha would finally cure whatever was wrong with her twins.
«Hello,» Lara said, walking to her. «I'm here to pick up the twins. I know it's early, but there's a storm on the way. They're a little susceptible, so I'd...»
«Sure, Alpha! They're ready, see? They've been waiting for a while now.»
«Oh, how funny,» Lara chuckled. «Thank you.»
She turned to her cubs and offered her hands. The two caught her fingers and followed out, taking deep sighs of relief. Their mommy had come to save them!
«Mommy, you're late,» Jaden said, his eyes filled with tears. It had been terrible to listen to the thunder from afar and wonder when it would be close to them.
Scarlet, on the other hand, couldn't talk at all. She was trembling like a leaf.
When they were smaller, their mommy would sometimes work during storms. They would hide under the table or in a dark corner and hug each other, waiting for her to come back.
When she was with them, on the other hand, they would hug her tightly and close their eyes, sinking in her scent.
«Your father is looking for a nice room for us to hide in,» Lara said. «Isn't it better now that you have two parents?»
They both nodded. If Nate was looking for a room, he would find it. They wouldn't be alone, which was already enough. And they wouldn't need to hide from the windows.
They got out of the elevator and met Nate.
He halted in his steps, noticing something he didn't think possible. Lara was walking in between two silent and trembling pups. Was it real or just a delusion?
His kids feared nothing, always full of energy or with something painful to say. Was a little storm enough to transform them into silent and calm children?
«Come here,» he said, kneeling in front of them and spreading his arms.
Both the twins ran to him and hugged his neck while he picked them up. They hid their faces in his clothes and winced when a strike of lightning hit nearby.
The storm would soon be over them, which mean the thunder would be louder and more frequent. Not to mention the lightning.
«Here, here... There's a room we use for conferences and sometimes to project movies. It has no windows.»
«Really?» Lara said. «It's awesome!»
She trailed behind them, her heart filled with warmth at the scene. Even if she didn't like that her kids were afraid, it was nice to see their father worry about them.
Even their fear was cute. It reminded her that they were just five even if they would growl or ask difficult questions. Jaden's curiosity had disappeared with the first thunder, and Scarlet's character had hidden behind her mask of fear.
She was hugging Nate tightly, nibbling on his shoulder to calm down. She would do that every time she was nervous, and Nate hadn't even noticed yet. His shirt was wet, but he was too focused on calming the little beasts down.
«I'm here, and nothing will happen,» he was whispering. «It's just a storm. It'll pass soon, and we'll go eat ice cream together...»
Lara sat on one of the armchairs, getting comfortable in preparation for a couple of hours of bad weather. If they were lucky, it would calm down before they had to go home. Travelling with shivering kids would have been difficult - but not impossible for two parents.
She offered to keep one of the pups, but they wouldn't part from Nate. He had sat on the office chair at the small table in the corner. That must have been his place when he attended the conferences. It had armrests, and it was obviously comfortable enough for all three of them.
«Daddy,» Scarlet moaned when the umpteenth thunder crossed the city. Her hands gripped Nate's shirt as strong as they could be, and her eyes let a couple of tears escape.
«I'm here, daddy's girl,» Nate said, «don't worry. It will be over soon.»
He felt his heart sink deep into a sea of desperation. Why were his pups suffering? And why couldn't he help in any way?
Under Lara's close watch, he worried and comforted the twins for a long while. Find your next read on empire
She was sighing in peace on her chair, happy like never before. She would worry about her kids if she was alone, hugging and comforting them just like Nate was doing. However, since they were safe and protected, she could bless her eyes with the sight.
Nate was doing a good job, and the cubs were calming down little by little. They would still be startled at every bolt hitting Norwich, but they stopped trembling and almost fell asleep in their daddy's arms.
She observed the spectacle from her seat just like in a theatre, happy that her family was so united. Small obstacles like their fear of lightning would push them closer together. And every time her kids and her boyfriend took a step closer to each other, she felt happier.
Jaden was still awake, gazing at his dad while the latter patted his head and caressed his back. Scarlet was snoozing, relaxed and without worry. A little frown adorned her expression, but it was just a ghost of the frightened face she had at the beginning. Her daddy was protecting her, after all; there was no need to shiver and cry.
Lara wished to take a picture of that moment, even though she doubted she would ever forget it. Nate was a great father, and she was happy she could witness some of his adventures like that.