Six o'clock.
Catriona locked up, ready to buy some clothes. Cedric was transferring to a new kindergarten tomorrow, and she wanted to dress a bit nicer.
It was best to shop with a friend with good taste, or else it was easy to make mistakes.
Aveline had taken her kid and gone home. With two kids in tow, it wasn't convenient for her to tag along.
Just then, her other, more laid-back single friend called.
"Catriona, where are you? I heard you moved? You didn't even tell me?"
Only then did Catriona realize—it had been such a whirlwind that she'd forgotten to tell her friends about moving.
She had just mentioned to Aveline earlier that Cedric's biological father had shown up and they'd moved, but she hadn't given any details.
With the werewolves' unique identities, Black and the others definitely wouldn't want their true nature revealed.
It wasn't something she could easily talk about.
Twenty minutes later.
Catriona parked her car, took her son's hand, and met her friend on marketing street.
This street was the top choice for women in Capital to buy clothes. The entire street was filled with clothing stores, showcasing well-known national brands. The first half of the street offered affordable options, but prices rose as you moved further down.
From a distance, a woman in a dress came running over, calling out, "Cedric! Come here, Auntie Eulalia will give you a hug."
Cedric let her pick him up, pursing his lips slightly as he greeted her, "Auntie Eulalia."
"All better now? That's amazing! You've beaten the illness; from now on, you'll be unstoppable!"
Catriona couldn't help but laugh.
This friend of hers, Eulalia Fairbrook, had been her classmate since elementary school. She'd chosen the name herself and was now a full-time comic artist, quite successful, with her own car and home in Capital.
"And you're laughing," Eulalia glared at her. "You moved and didn't tell me? Our friendship has broken."
"Don't be mad, I was wrong."
With that, they started walking.
Catriona shared everything that had happened in the past few days—except for the werewolves.
Eulalia was stunned after listening. "Are you trying to make a comic out of this? I'm the comic artist here! The kid's biological father shows up, you move, then transfer schools—all in just a few days?"
"Who is this man? How did he find you? Does he want to take the kid? What's he like?"
Catriona was just about to speak when she glanced up at the large screen on the building across the street. A group of men in suits was walking together, and the one leading them looked very familiar.
She pointed in that direction, "There, that's him."
Eulalia looked over and saw a man in his fifties standing by the crosswalk.
"Huh???" Her eyes widened in disbelief.
Catriona clicked her tongue, realizing her friend had mistaken someone else for him. She raised Eulalia's chin and pointed. "Look up at the screen. See who Cedric looks like."
Her son bore a striking resemblance to Roderick. Catriona watched as Roderick strode across the big screen, seemingly attending some business event. The glaring lights cast onto him, highlighting his cold, slanted eyes and tightly pressed lips.
"See him?"
Eulalia: "I'm not wearing my glasses."
Catriona: "..."
"Hold on," she said, pulling her glasses from her bag, putting them on, and letting out a startled yell.
"Holy—! That's that Ro- Ro- Roderick...what's his name? Roderick?" She pinched Cedric's cheek, then looked back up. "Oh my goodness, I never thought of it before, but that's the larger version over there, and the smaller version is right here in my hands."
"What's his deal? Just wants you and your son to live over there?"
Catriona thought for a moment and nodded.
"What's he like? I heard he even needs a dozen people to serve him at meals, like he's some kind of emperor at home. They say all the meat his family eats is shipped straight from the grasslands. He's supposed to be especially arrogant, always scowling, like he looks down on everyone."
After listening, Catriona actually found it...not far off?
When Roderick ate, there were indeed about ten werewolves with wagging tails surrounding him.
The other day, she'd heard Arden mention securing orders from the northern grasslands, and Black had asked if the cattle were fat.
As for being an emperor at home, well, the werewolves called him 'Alpha Roderick' and obeyed him, so that sort of counted.
Always having a scowl and looking down on people was spot-on—she could attest to that.
Eulalia's eyes widened. "Hey, your silence is deafening—are the rumors true?"
"Seems...so, I guess."
Eulalia's expression shifted. "How is he toward you? Don't tell me...did he forcefully take you away? That'd be awful." Her eyes showed concern.
"Not at all." Seeing her friend's concern, Catriona thought for a moment and explained, "He came because the child was ill. He has a doctor who can treat Cedric."
"Oh, I see. No wonder you moved so quickly."
Relieved that Catriona and her son were safe, Eulalia began helping her pick out clothes in the store.
After buying clothes, they grabbed a bite to eat. By then, it was nine in the evening.
They each headed home.
Catriona fastened her seatbelt and began the drive home.
Cedric was asleep in his car seat.
She gently lifted her son out of the car, holding a few bags in one hand. Before they even reached the main hall, the werewolves' howls echoed from inside.
"Alpha Roderick, Catriona is back! Aowooo!"
"Alpha Roderick, Catriona is back!"
"Alpha Roderick, don't worry anymore."
Catriona faintly heard Roderick say, "Shut up."
She almost wanted to laugh. Roderick, worried about her? Surely, he was worried about his cub instead.
He needed to give Cedric the cold spring water.
Ruby took Catriona's bags and bounced away, whispering, "The cub is asleep. Shh!!"
In an instant, the grand hall fell silent.
Holding her child, Catriona moved through the werewolves, quietly nodding and smiling in greeting.
As she passed Roderick, seated on the sofa, she reminded herself that he was the one collecting her rent—the big landlord. A little courtesy couldn't hurt, so she gave him a polite nod and smile as a greeting.
Roderick caught a faint, natural floral scent—she had gone to the flower shop today, and the smell wasn't unpleasant.
The next moment, the woman turned to look at him, a soft smile spreading across her face, her eyes curving with a hint of gentleness.
Roderick paused and immediately looked away.
This woman was at it again, showing friendliness.
If Catriona knew what Roderick was thinking, she'd probably spit blood.
Not long after she entered the room, Roderick brought over the cold spring water. The cub, smelling it, opened his mouth and began drinking.
Catriona sensibly stood off to the side.
She didn't want to accidentally bump into this wolf again and have him give her that cold glare.
Roderick glanced at her indifferently and asked, "You have no clothes?"
"Huh?"
Roderick said nothing further and left.
He didn't need to ask; she was out buying clothes so late, after all.
The next morning, Catriona finally understood what Roderick had meant. A fashion designer showed up, took measurements for both her and her son, kept her contract number, and then left. By the afternoon, she received a dozen design sketches, asking which styles she preferred.
Catriona picked out a few she liked.
Well, it was another day of benefiting thanks to her son.
Today was Cedric's first day at the new kindergarten. Catriona postponed her shop opening, and Roderick delayed his work, both agreeing to take the child to school.
Cedric wore a white shirt underneath a black blazer, paired with small white dress pants—the uniform of Kindergarten. A tiny tie was neatly knotted at his collar.
Being at home, he felt relaxed, his little furry ears showing on top of his head. His serious little face only looked cuter.
Catriona, on the other hand, wore the dress she'd bought yesterday—a sky-blue, V-neck dress with a cinched waist that fell just to her knees. She had gritted her teeth at the price, spending 2,500$ on it.
She'd applied a light makeup, and her slightly curled blond hair framed her face, each delicate feature blooming like a flower. At 5.6 feet, with a slender waist and long legs, she wore a pair of stiletto heels. As she descended the stairs hand-in-hand with her son, she looked like a goddess being descending to earth, leaving the werewolves utterly captivated.
"Catriona must be one of the really beautiful types among humans! What do they call them—goddesses?" Black sighed.
Ruby: "Of course! With looks like that, she'd be considered beautiful even in our werewolf! And the cub is just too adorable!"
Brownie stroked his chin. "Does she compare with Snowheart? I've never even seen Snowheart."
"What right does she have to be compared with Snowheart? Snowheart is a hundred times more beautiful!" sneered a werewolf with gray-black ears.
Brownie scratched his head. "Oh? You've seen Snowheart? By the way, Grey, you haven't come down in days."
Grey's tone was indifferent. "Do you think I'm like you?"
"What?" Brownie was a bit confused.
As Catriona reached the bottom of the stairs, she saw the werewolves raise their heads, looking towards the staircase behind her. "Alpha Roderick, awooo! Good morning, Alpha Roderick!"
Catriona turned her head.
Roderick stood at the top of the stairs in a black suit, looking down.
One stood at the top of the stairs on the second floor, the other on the first floor, and their eyes met.
Catriona curved her eyes in a smile, acknowledging him.
She didn't know how beautiful her smile was.
Roderick's long, golden eyes fixed on her, as if enchanted. In the next moment, instead of descending the stairs as he'd intended, he turned and walked away, his figure vanishing from everyone's sight.
He strode directly into a side room, heading to the sink, where he looked at the mirror. On top of his head, two black ears had popped out, beyond his control.
He hadn't managed to control himself.
He stared intensely at his reflection, fixating on his ears, his sharply defined face shadowed with a stormy expression. Just because of one smile from that woman... he had lost control.
Since getting hurt as a child, he had always kept his ears and tail hidden; he didn't want humans to see them again. As he worked in a company dealing with humans, he became constantly vigilant.
He couldn't relax for even a moment, and over time, it became a habit.
Even when he returned to the house full of his pack, he didn't let them show.
Now, just because that woman smiled at him, he had lost control.
Roderick's face grew hot.
That woman, Catriona—early in the morning, she was already trying to win him over.
