Madam Nightblade paused, surprised. "Packing early? So she's not staying at Luna Palace anymore?"
Roderick had no reservations in front of his mother.
He took a deep breath and laughed bitterly. "She's been eager to leave for a while now. She can't wait to get as far away from me as possible."
"Oh, I don't think that girl is completely uninterested in you, though?"
Her words lifted Roderick's spirits a bit. "Mother, so you noticed it too?"
Madam Nightblade pondered for a while, then suddenly widened her eyes. "I know why she wants to leave Luna Palace."
Roderick frowned, casting a curious look at his mother. "You know what?"
Madam Nightblade looked at him, shook her head, and sighed. "Rory, you didn't prepare a marriage home! You made her live with so many werewolves, but she's a pure human—it's natural that she'd feel uncomfortable."
Roderick:...
Madam Nightblade had already turned away, mumbling seriously as she walked, "Yes, no marriage home—that needs to be taken care of right away."
Roderick:...
He knew it—his mother hadn't understood the situation.
From afar, Madam Nightblade turned and spoke to Roderick:
"Rory, even if she leaves Luna Palace, she's still in Capital, right? Still in the human world, right? It's alright. Don't hurt her, don't force her to stay. You need to give her freedom, respect her."
"And also, don't let her see you relax like this."
Roderick's lips twitched into a slight, self-mocking smile. It wasn't that he cared about Catriona leaving Luna Palace.
What he cared about was... that Catriona hadn't said she would take him along.
When Catriona left, he would just be left behind at Luna Palace.
But he couldn't bring himself to say it, couldn't say, "Can I come to your home?"
She started packing three days in advance, eager to get away from him as soon as possible, making it even harder for him to say it.
After work, he would no longer see the mother and son at Luna Palace. Even though that was how life had always been before, he hadn't felt anything then.
Luna Palace was full of his loyal pack members, and he had been willing to live with them, accustomed to interacting and getting along with his people.
But now, just imagining Luna Palace without the mother and son made him feel bored, stifled, uncomfortable—he didn't want to return there.
In three days, there would no longer be anyone there he looked forward to seeing.
He knew full well that he couldn't force her, couldn't make her stay.
Even though, deep down, he had such dark thoughts.
But if leaving Luna Palace was the happiness she desired, how could he clip her wings? She had lived so many years without control over her own fate—how could he possibly become the villain in her memories?
He only wanted her to be happy.
What he wanted even more was for her to find that happiness with him.
At this moment, the atmosphere at Luna Palace was a bit tense.
Catriona was still packing when, not long ago, Roderick appeared at the doorway, his face expressionless. He asked, in a neutral tone, what she was packing for.
After she answered truthfully, he left without saying another word.
Is he angry again? Won't he go crazy and try to stop her? Will she be able to leave smoothly?
She hurried her movements as she packed, glancing over at Cedric, who was busy with his toys. "I'll take this too... hmm, and this dinosaur..."
Downstairs, the werewolves looked uncomfortable, unable to find ease standing or sitting, so they simply sprawled on the floor, rolling around and kicking.
"Just now, Alpha Roderick's face looked awful, and he left without a word."
"Catriona's leaving in three days; she never mentioned it before, and suddenly..."
"She really must dislike us. The cub won't need the cold spring after tomorrow, and she can't wait to leave..."
Lightblaze's face went pale, and he lowered his head. "We won't get to see her and the cub much anymore, will we?"
Sapphire was already sitting in the corner of the sofa, quietly wiping away tears.
Draven sat on the sofa, drinking, with the calmest expression.
