Roderick sat on the couch, listening to Magnus talk about matters at the bureau, his gaze falling on Black and Bruce. Their unusual reaction made him frown slightly, especially as both of them were flushed.
Today, Catriona planned to visit her grandmother's grave. She was dressed simply and casually, wearing a white tracksuit with her hair tied up in a loose bun.
Roderick's voice lowered slightly, carrying a subtle chill, "Black, Bruce."
"Yes, Alpha Roderick!" The two wolves immediately straightened up.
"Go clean the front gate three more times."
Black and Bruce: Huh??
But hadn't they just cleaned it?
However, they dared not protest; Alpha Roderick had spoken, so off they went!
Seeing Catriona come down, Roderick instantly lost all desire to work. He said to Magnus, "Let's call it a day."
He stood up, his gaze landing on Catriona, and his thin lips parted slightly, "Did you sleep well last night?"
At the same time, he bent down to scoop Cedric into his arms.
The moment she saw him, memories of yesterday surged back, of her riding his pure wolf form, and how she'd embarrassingly lost control at the end.
And of that massive black wolf hovering over her, licking her wound...
How...how could just one night make her feel unable to look this wolf in the eye?!
It was both awkward and oddly uncomfortable.
She avoided looking directly into his eyes, replying vaguely, "Mm, it was alright."
With that, she walked past him toward the dining table.
Behind her, Roderick held the young cub, ruffling his soft hair. "You didn't bump into your mom's injured hand last night, did you?"
Cedric pouted his small lips and shook his head, his tuft of hair bobbing along, "I wouldn't bump into it."
Listening to the father and son's conversation, Catriona quickened her pace.
Him...this casual concern he showed for her—it always felt a bit strange to her. But fine, maybe she was just being too sensitive.
Given her current relationship with Roderick, it was only natural for him to ask a couple of caring questions.
Stay calm! Stay calm!
After breakfast, she went into the kitchen and fried a snack her grandmother used to love.
"Where's your mom going?" Roderick asked the cub, glancing toward the kitchen.
Cedric, chewing on a piece of meat, puffed his little cheeks, "Mom said she's going to visit Great-Grandma."
So...
As Catriona packed the snacks and prepared to leave with her son, Roderick spoke up, "Catriona, wherever you're going today, let me drive."
"Why?"
Holding the cub, Roderick exuded a fatherly warmth, "I've been away for days; I just want to spend more time with him."
This reasoning left Catriona with no grounds to refuse.
A father wanting to spend time with his son—it's only right; why not?
Besides, Cedric must have missed his father too.
"Alright, let's go."
The happiest one was Cedric. He loved being with both his parents, his little tail wagging as a cute smile spread across his chubby face.
Once they were in the car, Catriona said, "Let's go to the shop first. I need to pick up a bouquet."
It had always been her way—whenever she visited her grandmother, she would go to her flower shop and make a bouquet for her.
She wanted her grandmother to know that she was making a living selling these flowers and was doing quite well.
As she made the bouquet, Cedric wanted to help, "Mom, I want to give Great-Grandma flowers too."
"Alright, come here, Mommy will show you how."
Roderick also made a bouquet of white chrysanthemums.
Looking at Catriona, he said in a calm, low voice, "If you don't want me at your grandmother's grave, you can take my flowers for me."
Catriona paused, then lowered her head to wrap her flowers, "It's fine; it's a good chance for Grandma to see what Cedric's dad looks like."
Roderick's eyes widened slightly, and his mood lifted a few notches.
Was Catriona going to take him to meet her family?
He glanced at his casual black top, frowning slightly, feeling it was somewhat inappropriate.
Catriona didn't ask anything when she heard Roderick was leaving for a bit; she didn't expect him to return fifteen minutes later.
He was dressed in a well-tailored suit, his black hair neatly styled, obviously well-groomed, and wearing an expensive watch. He stood tall, exuding an air of elegance, his features striking.
Wherever he stood, he radiated the presence of a top-tier handsome man.
The handsome man spoke, "Have you been waiting long?"
Catriona was stunned. "You..."
What on earth did he go to do?!
It was as if he went on a blind date or something.
Roderick, feeling a bit awkward, replied, "Yeah, it's my first time meeting the elder. I hope she approves."
?????
Catriona: Could you please not act like a nervous bridegroom meeting his in-laws?!
She felt entirely overwhelmed.
Cedric clutched his small bouquet of white chrysanthemums, tugging at his mother's clothes as he looked up at Roderick with a bit of admiration.
Dad is so tall and handsome.
Would he... grow that tall someday too?
As the family of three left the flower shop, a passing girl screamed, her eyes shining as she looked at Roderick, blurting out, "Whoa! He's a total hottie!!" "Oh my... How handsome!!"
After saying that, she got embarrassed and ran off, head down.
Catriona glanced back at Roderick, who head and shoulders above the rest; it was hard to ignore him.
He really was quite good-looking.
Now, this handsome guy was driving for her.
This handsome guy had even liked her once.
Oh, and this handsome guy wasn't even human.
Lost in thought, she suddenly heard Roderick call her name.
"Catriona."
"Buckle your seatbelt."
Catriona looked down, realizing she had been holding the seatbelt without fastening it. Feeling a sudden flush, she replied with a soft "Oh" and buckled up.
Honestly, this handsome guy was still a super furry.
At some point, Catriona suddenly snapped back to her senses.
What was going on?! Why was she finding Roderick more pleasing to the eye?
Could it be that she was also a face enthusiast?
Stop! Stop!
They arrived at the cemetery.
They parked outside and had to walk a bit.
On either side of the concrete path stood rows of tombstones. It was a cloudy day, and the surroundings were eerily silent, with a gentle breeze carrying a hint of chill.
Roderick held a bouquet of white chrysanthemums, his gaze sweeping over these purely human gravestones, his face expressionless.
Once humans passed into the afterlife, they lay beneath the earth, never to be seen again.
In the werewolf tribe, thanks to their unique snowy mountain environment, their families could remain forever as they were when they passed.
Finally, they stopped in front of a tombstone. At the top center was a photo of an elderly woman, smiling kindly and amiably.
Names of descendants were engraved on the stone book between the tomb. Roderick glanced at it and saw that Catriona's name was missing.
In that moment, his heart ached dully.
Of course, he understood—Catriona was not this elder's biological granddaughter, so the family descendants wouldn't carve her name on it.
But to Catriona, this elder was the closest family she had.
Catriona's feelings for the elder were no less than those of the descendants listed on the tombstone.
Yet, years from now, no one would know that Grandma once had a granddaughter.
The only place where Catriona had ever experienced familial love, her trace in the family, would pass like a breeze, unnoticed, forgotten, and fading away.
Catriona quietly gazed at the elder's photo on the tombstone, placed the flowers down, and led her son a step forward.
"Grandma, I brought Cedric to see you."
"I've been busy lately and haven't been able to visit often."
Roderick pursed his lips, feeling a deep ache spread throughout his heart.
Cedric placed the flowers down, his childish voice soft and tender. "Great-grandma, I'm here to see you again. I've grown taller, and I'll grow big and tall to protect Mom."
Catriona smiled, glanced back at Roderick, and made some space. "Grandma, this is Cedric's father."
Roderick stepped forward, looked at the photo of the elder, and then bowed deeply.
Catriona was taken aback.
She watched Roderick slowly straighten up. "I'm sorry I came so late. Thank you."
After speaking, he bowed again.
"Thank you."
Catriona didn't ask him what he was grateful for. A trace of indescribable emotion spread through her heart.
Suddenly, light rain began to fall from the sky, with a hint that it might grow heavier.
But they had just arrived.
Roderick turned around immediately. "There's an umbrella in the car. I'll get it."
"Thank you," Catriona said.
Catriona knelt down, her fingers tracing the face of the elderly woman in the photo. "Grandma, this is Cedric's dad. Not too bad looking, right?"
"He's a bit strange sometimes, but overall, I think he's a good person. He's wealthy and generous. Maybe in this life, I won't have to worry about making ends meet."
"If you were still here, you'd probably want to match us up, wouldn't you? I mean, we have a kid, and we're both single."
"Grandma, you're not here to watch over me now. I can do whatever I want. There's no way it could happen with him."
"In another month, Cedric and I will be moving out of his place. Grandma, I wish you were still here. I would've taken you to live with us."
"Other elderly people live to be eighty or ninety, but you... you left us at only seventy."
"Grandma, I miss your little cakes."
The light drizzle grew heavier, falling on Catriona's fair face, dampening her lashes and her eyes.
A pair of small hands touched her face, wiping away the raindrops.
"Mommy, I'll make cakes for you."
Catriona smiled, "Can you?"
Cedric hugged her, his cheek pressed against hers, like a little sweet bean. "If you teach me, I can do it."
"Why hasn't Dad come yet?"
Raindrops drifted down in the silent graveyard, and Roderick stood motionless, gripping an umbrella tightly by his side. He felt no different from the voiceless tombstones around him.
For the first time, he hated the heightened hearing of werewolves.
If he were an ordinary human, he wouldn't feel this pain so acutely.
If it weren't for Catriona, he wouldn't have realized she had been in Luna Palace for nearly half a year.
In these six months, everything had changed.
Only her desire to leave hadn't changed.
Roderick's lips twisted slightly, his gaze hollow and cold.
Just when he thought he'd broken through her heart defenses—like last night when she'd gotten nervous, even flustered and angry, and had blushed in front of him.
When he thought this was a good sign and his confidence soared.
She still wanted to leave.
Well...
Good or bad, her heart wouldn't budge for him. He had fallen this low!
It was only he who was frantic, only he who was going mad, only he who was quietly grieving. Only he...
Only he looked like a clown.
Wouldn't she even open her heart to him, even just a sliver?
Her heart door was tightly shut.
For Lucian and that Ambros, she wouldn't open it either. How foolish he was to think he was any different.
Roderick felt heartbroken to the point of insanity.
He let out a long breath, his thin lips trembling slightly, and raindrops fell onto his carefully groomed hair.
"Ha..." He laughed suddenly, self-mockingly. But his eyes, like those of a predator, were cold and ruthless.
If the door was closed, it didn't matter. If she wanted to leave, that was fine too.
He wouldn't let her go.
He'd pretended to be a gentle lamb long enough, worked hard to act human, thinking she'd buy it.
Since she didn't buy it...
Why keep pretending?
In the sharp gaze of the werewolf Alpha, his pupils suddenly turned green. Within those emerald eyes, there was no trace of the kindness or innocence expected of a human, only a profound and insatiable desire.
