In the last photo in the file, the beautiful woman held the child, her smile blossoming like a flower.
It was as perfect as a painting.
The huge wolf's nose touched the image of the woman's face, ever so gently.
In this life, this was the only way he could touch her face—there was no imagined warmth or softness, only the coldness of the paper and the lingering scent of ink.
He wanted so much to take one more step forward.
He wanted her to be his mate... he dreamed about it.
He wanted to hold her hand, walk with her anywhere, and when she got tired, he would carry her.
As her mate, he would care for her tenderly, love her wholeheartedly, touch her long hair, kiss her face, her lips, and embrace her.
But now, he had to stop.
He had to step aside.
The torrent of love he felt for her hadn't even poured out yet, and he had to hold it back.
The bitterness of having to withdraw, despite his deep unwillingness, tormented him painfully.
Suddenly, there was a crashing sound as the floor-to-ceiling window behind the study shattered.
A massive black figure leapt down from the third floor to the first. In an instant, the huge, dark silhouette landed on all fours, sprinting and leaping outside with the speed and force of a whirlwind.
A small tuft of black fur was left on the shattered window.
The enormous werewolf had transformed into a terrifyingly pure wolf form, much larger than any of his kin. His body was tall and powerful, muscular and strong, like a black yak—yet without the yak's bulkiness or difficulty in running.
On the contrary, his limbs were very muscular and flexible. With each touch of his paws on the ground, he covered a great distance, almost as if he were flying.
He ran with a lithe figure through the mountains, through the forest.
In the night forest, animals reacted with fright, scattering everywhere. Soon, the shrieks of wild boars could be heard.
Birds flew out of the forest en masse.
A python hissed in warning, but the next second, claws grabbed it, lifted it to his massive wolf jaws, and broke its body.
Seven wild boars lay silent on the ground nearby, the smell of blood thick in the air.
Moonlight cast a glow over the running werewolf, his body streaked with red blood. He ran, breathing heavily, letting out a deep, haunting howl.
A low howl echoed in the valley, filled with sorrowful emotion.
"Owooo—wooo—"
Before long, the massive werewolf stood atop the mountain, overlooking the silent forest below. He slowly raised his head, his narrow, upturned wolf eyes glistening under the cool moonlight.
One sorrowful howl after another resounded through the dark, silent mountains.
The image of the woman's gentle smile, her soft, lovely voice, surfaced in his mind, consuming his entire being.
The more he thought about her, the more his heart ached.
He had lost her before he ever had her.
Only on such a night could he hastily pack away all his feelings. He wouldn't move forward anymore; his place was now behind her.
He hadn't realized that letting go willingly could be this painful.
Someday, she would run into someone else's arms...
Just the thought of it felt like two giant hands were tearing at his heart, pulling it back and forth, the pain relentless.
He went mad, frantic, thrashing and rolling in despair. His massive wolf claws tore at the rocky ground, scattering earth, and left deep gouges on the silent pine trees around him.
Suddenly, a splashing sound came from a river in the middle of the forest.
The enormous werewolf slowly sank, letting the river water fill his ears and surround his body. The gurgling sound was loud, and his chest felt tight from not breathing.
But, at last, he felt a little better.
In this way, with his repeatedly tormented and numb heart, he spent the whole night in the wilderness, leaving many signs of his anguish behind.
The sky had yet to brighten.
The werewolf Alpha returned to Luna Palace with seven wild boars over his shoulder. He leaped over the back wall and tossed the boars to the side of it.
In human form, he walked toward the residential area.
By the time he reached the living room door, he had resumed his usual appearance. Well, almost.
His black shirt was already in tatters, barely holding together. His short black hair was disheveled and damp, his eyes bloodshot and intense.
If someone had taken a picture of this, the headline would probably read: "Shock! The Nightblade Group Goes Bankrupt."
As Roderick opened the door and saw the dozen or so werewolves in the living room, he wasn't surprised.
"Alpha Roderick..."
"Alpha Roderick, did you go hunting alone...?"
"Alpha Roderick, were you...rejected after confessing?"
They had heard Alpha Roderick's howls last night. Never before had he howled like that.
Roderick didn't respond to their questions. His gaze lingered on the pack, deep and steady, before he looked away and spoke in a serious, unwavering tone: "From now on, whatever Catriona says in the Luna Palace goes."
"Whatever she wants to do, whatever she desires, cooperate fully."
In Roderick's eyes was the stillness of a quiet lake. "I love her. But I have wronged her, and I am unworthy of her."
"So, don't meddle."
He meant that the pack should stop trying to interfere, arranging chances or pushing him and Catriona together.
Catriona had no idea what had happened.
When she woke up in the morning, her son was still asleep, so she quietly got out of bed to wash up.
Today was Saturday, so her son didn't have to go to school and could sleep a little longer.
Also, today was her birthday.
