After Roderick went upstairs.
Black looked thoroughly deflated. His ears and tail drooped.
"Alpha Roderick called me useless—I don't think I'll ever be happy again."
The other wolves laughed, gloating.
Black felt that the food didn't even taste good anymore.
Curious, Catriona asked, "Do you still have a scent? I don't smell anything."
Ruby chuckled, "That's because humans have the weakest sense of smell."
Brownie explained, "It's because when we hunt, if we don't mask our scent, some prey can sense us coming. So, every werewolf learns from a young age to hide their own scent."
"I see." Catriona nodded.
Black let out a howl, "I was just too relaxed! I've never bothered masking my scent here, and the Alpha Roderick never mentioned it before!"
A male werewolf with a gray-black tail stood on the second-floor hallway, watching. His name was Grey, and he hadn't joined the others in eating, nor had he helped with moving or gathering food for Catriona.
He had stayed in his room all day.
Now, he looked at Black's foolish antics, then glanced at Catriona, his expression darkening as he turned back into his room.
A disgraceful pack of werewolves, he thought, letting a few bowls of human food win them over so easily.
Like the Alpha Roderick, he despised pure humans.
The human woman had taken on too much of Black's scent, which angered the Alpha Roderick.
Even the Alpha Roderick as powerful as him couldn't escape the innate possessiveness of a werewolf. To Grey, that human had nothing worthy of his Alpha; she was only brought back to the manor because she'd borne his cub.
She had disturbed their peaceful lives.
If she hadn't come, they would have lived more comfortably.
Clearly, the Alpha Roderick didn't like her either.
When would she leave? Pure humans were truly disgusting!
——
Ten o'clock at night.
Cedric's eyes were drooping with sleep. After his bath, he clambered into bed, limbs moving clumsily.
Catriona sat by the bed, stroking her son's hair. "Hold on a bit, drink your medicine first."
Roderick entered, carrying the cold spring water from the underground ice chamber, a chill surrounding him. Catriona's eyes lit up when she saw him.
"Little one, sit up. Daddy brought your medicine. Drink it and go to sleep." She gently lifted the drowsy little boy. "Mr. Nightblade, just give it to him like this."
Roderick grunted in acknowledgment, his expression clearly uninterested in conversation. As he leaned down, he was forced to come a bit closer to Catriona. She had just bathed, and the floral scent of her shower gel lingered strongly in the air.
Not particularly pleasant, but better than the stench of Black from earlier.
The little one caught a whiff of the cold spring water and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. His chubby cheeks moved with each little sniff, and perhaps from sheer delight, his ears popped up through his hair, revealing themselves with a quick flick.
Catriona looked at him affectionately, murmuring softly, "Ah, so cute."
Roderick glanced at her. "Cute?"
"Yes, these little ears—so cute the more I look at them."
The bottle emptied, and Roderick straightened up. "Is that so."
Most pure humans treated them as monsters, often reacting with horror, calling the police, and screaming "demon" or "monster."
He still remembered it—he was around eight or nine then, struggling to control his ears and tail. Once, a human woman spotted him and screamed, hurling a stone the size of a tennis at him.
The stone struck his forehead, blood streaming down as he lost control, reverting instantly to his wolf form.
He didn't know how far he'd run before he passed out. When he came to, he was under a large park tree, nestled in the grass. A human child was holding him, crying softly, her tears and drool falling onto his fur. He was too injured to move, so he just lay there, letting her sob over him.
The child must have been upset at home and had run away. She clung to him tightly that night, not letting go, and no adults came to bring her back.
He played with that human child for ten days, even following her back to her home—or rather, her uncle's home, as she had called it.
After ten days, she no longer came to the park.
Twenty days later, he saw her somewhere else, happily playing with new friends.
He learned his second lesson about pure humans—they were fickle by nature, never loyal, whether to friends or mates.
He should have just turned and left, but he couldn't resist asking, "You're not afraid?"
Catriona kissed her baby's face, gently placing him on the pillow. Hearing this, she shook her head. "At first, I was a little scared. But I realized they're all quite nice, so I'm not afraid anymore. I've met people who are far scarier."
"Actually," she said, stroking her son's little ears, "I think anyone kind-hearted is very cute."
Roderick was silent for a moment, then left without a word.
Cedric, who hadn't been sleeping well lately, was now sound asleep after drinking the cold spring water.
Catriona felt an immense weight lift from her heart.
Suddenly, she hurried to the doorway.
"Mr. Nightblade."
Roderick stopped but didn't turn around. "What is it?"
"Thank you," Catriona said.
If he hadn't appeared in time, if something had happened to her child, Catriona thought she would never recover from the pain.
"I know you're his father, and this was just a small act for you, but on my behalf, thank you."
She hadn't had this child for anyone else—she had him because she wanted him.
That one fateful night had led her to leave school and endure two tough years, but she had no regrets. She was happy now.
She'd raised her cub alone all these years, accustomed to handling everything independently. Now, with someone of the same status stepping in to lend a hand, she felt a bit more at ease—and there was a strange, unexpected feeling that came with it.
It was as if she had gained a business partner of sorts.
...
Roderick reached the corner, about to head upstairs when a gray werewolf hurried to catch up with him.
"Alpha Roderick, that deceitful human is using the cub to curry favor with you. Don't be fooled."
"Humans are cunning, Alpha Roderick. You must stay alert."
Roderick glanced at him. "Grey, eavesdropping is inappropriate."
"It's not... I just happened to be passing by."
"Control your scent next time." Implying he'd sensed him all along. "You've grown complacent after years without hunting."
Grey frowned. "Alpha Roderick, is it that you don't want our scent on that human? You're slacking too. She was just putting on a show to break through your defenses! You know how cunning they are, right?"
Roderick paused, his gaze both serious and stern. "I don't think she was putting on a show. Grey, humans may be fickle with their mates, but when it comes to their child, they're no different from us. Maternal love knows no boundaries among species."
Grey was stunned, then reacted in a panic. "Alpha Roderick!! Are you really out of your mind? You've fallen for her trick!"
Roderick frowned. "Grey, it's you who dislikes humans too much."
Grey followed him to his room door, pausing at his words. "What do you mean... Alpha Roderick, don't you hate humans too? Aren't we the same?"
"No," Roderick opened the door. "I'm not like you. Humans have their own merits. I acknowledge that. You never will."
He closed the door.
Grey clenched his fists, his eyes wide. What was the Alpha Roderick...doing?
Just because a human woman had moved in, he was acting like this.
...
Catriona knew nothing of this. She had slept soundly and woke up early the next day to make breakfast, preparing her son's favorite meal.
Kitchen man was washing beef nearby. Catriona watched as he blanched it briefly in water, then speared it with a large iron fork, cutting it into twenty-pound pieces and placing them on a large platter without any seasoning.
Werewolves gradually began waking up, coming to the kitchen to take their food.
This was werewolf food.
Tsk, tsk, quite a sight.
That day, Roderick brought something up: he wanted to transfer Cedric to a different kindergarten. In his view, the current school wasn't up to standard, neither in terms of educational environment nor hygiene.
"Where would he be transferred?"
"Royal Family Privacy Kindergarten."
Royal Family Privacy Kindergarten??!
Was it the Royal Family Privacy Kindergarten she was thinking of? The one with tuition over a million per semester, one of the top kindergartens in Capital. Some joked that even the least gifted children came out smarter from there.
"I'll ask my son. If he agrees, then I have no objections."
"Alright." Roderick said no more and left to go to work.
Cedric agreed to the transfer without hesitation.
This took Catriona by surprise. "Aren't you going to miss your friends?"
"No."
There were too many girls at that school who chirped around him, wanting him to play with them. Every time, he had to climb a tree to get away for a breather.
The new school probably wouldn't be like that.
——
After confirming the transfer.
On the third morning, a human arrived at the mansion.
Catriona was sure he was human.
"Hello, Miss Ashford." The young man greeted her with a smile. "I'm Mr. Nightblade's personal assistant, Arden Whitstone. The young master's transfer paperwork is completed, and he can start school tomorrow."
"You..."
The young man smiled. "I'm pure human."
With werewolves running around openly displaying ears and tails, Arden was unfazed.
Of course, with Roderick running a company in human society, he had to interact with humans regularly.
"Arden, you're here! Where have you been these past few days?" Black walked over, wagging his tail.
"I went to the northern grasslands to secure some orders."
"How was it? Are the cattle and sheep there nice and fat?""
Arden smiled. "Not bad. You should enjoy it."
"Arden, did you bring me a bracelet? Awoo!" Ruby came barreling down the stairs, accidentally crashing into the table and yelping in pain.
The smile on Arden's face paused briefly as he walked over, extending his hand. "Miss Ruby, are you alright?"
"I'm fine!" Ruby sprang up from the floor, hitting Arden's nose with her head.
The young man grunted, blood flowing from his nose.
"Oh no! I'm so sorry!" Ruby panicked, her tail wagging wildly.
Black sighed. "Ruby, you're cursed. Arden always gets unlucky around you."
Arden calmly took out a handkerchief, expertly wiping his nosebleed. "It's alright; Miss Ruby didn't do it on purpose."
Ruby let out a mournful howl. "Arden, you're so nice."
Then, Catriona noticed Arden's ears turning red.
Huh?
She felt like something was going on here.
Just then, Roderick came downstairs, a suit jacket slung over his arm, wearing a crisp white shirt. He looked every bit the part of a refined gentleman—who would guess he wasn't human?
She had to admit, by human standards, he was strikingly handsome.
Beneath his short black hair, his face was sharply defined, with features that hinted at his werewolf lineage. His eyes, naturally slanted and intense, paired with his usual tightly pressed lips, gave him an air of stern, unyielding coolness.
The werewolves began greeting him.
"Alpha Roderick! Good morning!"
"Alpha Roderick is up."
"Alpha Roderick, any instructions for today?"
At this, Roderick suddenly turned and glanced at Catriona.
Catriona was slightly puzzled. Why was he looking at her?
Then she heard Roderick say, "Ask her from now on."
Catriona was taken aback.
The werewolves nodded without surprise, "Alright!"
"Catriona, do you have anything you need done today? Just let us know."
Catriona glanced at Roderick, then shook her head. "Thank you, nothing for today."
"Mr. Nightblade," Arden followed Roderick. "The arrangements are complete."
After Roderick sat down, he handed him the documents in his hand.
"Kindergarten starts at eight and ends at four-thirty. The driver for the young master is human, but rest assured, he has eight years of combat experience, won championships, and has been driving for twenty years. He's handpicked from our human staff—fully vetted."
"Five cars will follow, each with bodyguards trained on the island back in the day."
Roderick lifted his gaze from his watch, calmly instructing, "Brownie, Lightblaze, Bruce, you join the cub's escort team too."
"Yes, Alpha Roderick! It's an honor!"
They weren't of Roderick's lineage, but they belonged to the same pack. Roderick had taken them in from the mountains, providing them with shelter and food, so they acknowledged him as their Alpha.
The Alpha Roderick was very generous, even giving them human currency each month.
So doing tasks for the Alpha Roderick made them eager; they competed for the chance to work each day.
Alpha Roderick had only this one cub, and they would protect him with all their might.
Catriona stood by, amazed at the level of security—so luxurious! Her son had somehow transformed into a young master of a wealthy family.
Spending the past two days with a pack of wolves hadn't felt that unusual.
Come to think of it, Roderick seemed to be doing quite well in the human world... the Capital Nightblades, Nightblade...
She suddenly froze.
Wait a minute—the street where her shop was located! Wasn't that Nightblade's property?
???
Catriona's body stiffened as she slowly turned to look at Roderick. Hold on—was he the one collecting her rent?
That wolf, dressed in a white shirt and looking so prim and proper, sat right there at the dining table, while a pack of werewolves gathered around him, their tails swaying eagerly.
Ah, this...
The one collecting her rent was a wolf.
A wolf was doing better than her.
Catriona was at a loss for words.
She only now realized that her son was not only a little wolf cub but truly a little young master too.
Roderick listened to Arden's conversation, feeling the intense gaze from a certain woman. He frowned slightly and turned to look.
Catriona couldn't dodge in time and forced an awkward smile at him.
...
"Mr. Nightblade, over here. I believe we should..."
Roderick glanced down indifferently, his gaze gradually softening, and his ears slowly reddened.
Why was that woman smiling so beautifully at him first thing in the morning?
What did she mean by that?
She displayed a friendly attitude—could it really be as Grey suggested? Was she beginning to show kindness with ulterior motives, hoping to make herself... his mate?
At this moment, Roderick was neither the lofty Nightblade head nor the Alpha of the werewolves; he was a male werewolf considering a mate.
In the werewolf pack, if one had feelings for another, they would openly show interest without holding back. Pursuing love was the most natural thing.
Growing up in the human world, he had observed the same behavior there.
The only difference was that once a relationship was confirmed in the werewolf, they would remain together for life.
Pure humans are different; their bonds only last for a time. They're fickle, with a period of excitement that eventually fades, leading them to drift apart. In the end, they might stay together merely for the sake of their cubs, coexisting without true connection.
He had never seen a purely human couple stay in love all the way to old age, which, he admitted, left him with a deep-rooted bias against them.
He'd witnessed elderly couples, praised for their devotion, turning around to flirt with someone else in the park.
He'd seen so-called model couples, only to find one partner involved with someone else.
In the end, he thought that so-called human love was merely one side keeping secrets well enough that the other side remained unaware.
Roderick couldn't understand the human cycle of a relationship—the honeymoon phase, the boredom phase, and finally, the phase where they became more like family.
If he had to compare, in the werewolf, they remained in a state of deep affection with their partner for life.
Everything he had seen and heard growing up had solidified his decision to never take a human as a mate.
So, even if this woman was interested, he wouldn't consider it.
"Mr. Nightblade, what do you think?" Arden had been talking for a while, his throat parched.
Roderick responded with a casual "Hmm."
Arden began again, "Mr. Nightblade, we...that's everything. So, what do you think of my suggestions?"
Roderick stayed silent.
So why had that woman suddenly smiled at him like that?
...
Suddenly, Roderick caught the scent of the cub, his gaze snapping sharply toward the second-floor stairway.
Sure enough, there stood a cub in a black, half-sleeved shirt, his chubby little legs planted on the carpet, barefoot, ears poking out as he curiously stared at him.
Observing him from the shadows.
Seeing Roderick look over, he quickly ducked back around the corner.
He no longer disliked Roderick as he had three days ago; this man gave him delicious water every day, and drinking it made his body stop hurting.
Gradually, he grew a bit curious, starting to enjoy sneaking glances at Roderick.
The other wolves noticed too.
"Cub, you're awake? Are you hungry?"
"Cub, did you sleep well last night?"
Ruby clutched his chest, "The cub is so cute, squeal!"
Seeing this, Catriona felt genuinely happy; the wolves here all adored her child.
What mother wouldn't be pleased to see her child loved?
She stepped forward and went upstairs, gently asking, "Baby, you're awake?"
She was incomparably gentle in front of her child.
The cub threw himself into his mother's arms. Tsk, what a little cuddler.
Catriona kissed her son's little cheek, "Tomorrow, you'll go to a new kindergarten. Are you excited? You'll love it there; they have a crocodile fountain and a rabbit fountain!"
Cedric wiggled in her arms, his little tail wagging, nodding.
Catriona was lost in thought.
As her son recovered and prepared to start school, she'd also need to start getting back to work.
Since kindergarten didn't start until tomorrow, Catriona decided she'd head back to her shop after breakfast.
The werewolves ate their breakfast, but she couldn't stomach their cooking, so she made her own.
Today, she made minced meat and carrot pasta, two fried eggs, and two small pieces of beef.
She cooked at a slower pace, finally bringing the food to the table. Cedric held a bottle, drinking milk, following her like a little tail.
Roderick sat at the head of the dining table, watching the scene unfold. He said nothing, but his brow creased slightly.
The next day, Arden brought in two human chefs.
"They're as trustworthy as I am. Miss Ashford, if you want anything in the future, just let them know."
"No need to be polite; Mr. Nightblade said you can call me whenever you need anything."
"Oh, thank you."
Actually, she felt that Roderick seemed to dislike her a bit; he spoke plenty with other werewolves.
But when he spoke to her, he had a look that said he didn't want to say more than necessary.
He was clearly sensitive about physical contact between them. She still remembered last night when, while feeding Cedric the spring water, she accidentally brushed against him. He immediately stepped back, casting her an annoyed look.
Catriona wasn't about to make things awkward, so she took care to keep her distance from him.
As for hiring chefs just for her, it was likely because she was the cub's mother, benefiting from her child's presence.
Might as well shamelessly enjoy it.
