Catriona quickly finished packing; she had already moved some things in advance, so this time she didn't have much luggage.
As she descended the stairs, the pack of werewolves at Luna Palace wore serious expressions, their heads bowed, and the atmosphere felt tense.
"Catriona," Black spoke up. "Can you... not go?" He scratched the back of his head, his eyes turning red. "I'm sorry... I really like you; can you stay?"
His words hung in the air.
The other werewolves quickly chimed in.
"Please stay, Catriona; I'm sorry for what happened in the past. You can vent however you like."
"Don't go; stay with the little cub."
"Catriona..."
Catriona tightened her grip on her phone, parted her lips, and fell silent for a moment.
Then she looked up and softly said, "When I first arrived at Luna Palace, I truly thought I would stay here for a long time. You see, you're all part of my son's pack. You like him, care for him, and you won't let him feel lonely; you can teach him a lot about being a werewolf."
"For so many years, this was the first time my son and I felt so welcomed and cared for. While I was overwhelmed, I felt both flattered and surprised. Each one of you werewolves is wonderful and lovely."
"But later," Catriona's lips curled slightly, revealing a bittersweet arc, "I realized I was an intruder; my home isn't here."
"An intruder isn't welcome anywhere; I know this all too well. That little intruder vowed long ago to have a home of her own."
She looked at the pack, smiled faintly, and said, "Then, goodbye."
Then, she took her son's hand and wove through the werewolves without looking back.
"Catriona!!"
"Catriona!! Cub!!"
Amidst the cries of injured male werewolves and the sobs of female werewolves, Catriona paused, biting her lip hard, then quickened her pace.
Stepping out of the gates of Luna Palace, she lifted her head to the sky and let out a soft breath; everything was over.
At last... it was all over.
All the moments that had transpired at Luna Palace would fade away with the passage of time, memories drifted away like water flowing downstream, disappearing without a trace.
She pressed her lips together; was she happy?
Yes, she should be happy.
But perhaps she was a bit tired; that happiness was still temporarily asleep.
"Oh!! Bestie! Get in the car!!"
Sylvaine and Eulalia got out of the car, both holding flowers, and handed them to her and her son.
"Cedric! Come here for godmom's hug; we're going home!" Eulalia scooped up Cedric.
"Catriona, get in the car; let's hurry up. Who knows if Roderick will change his mind..."
Catriona smiled faintly. "He won't; let's go."
They got in the car, and the procession of vehicles drove away in a grand manner.
In that moment, it felt like a part of her was left behind, though she couldn't quite say what it was.
"In your presence, I always feel worthless."
In her mind, Roderick's words from last night flashed through.
"A werewolf falling for a human is as foolish as a moth to a flame. I know that, yet I can't help but like you. You see," he pointed to his wolf face, locking his sharp wolf eyes onto her, "to you, is it ugly? Is it terrifying?"
"It's somewhat laughable, isn't it? But what can I do? I just like you; we have our little cub. Fate has tied us together. I'd gladly take ninety-nine steps toward you if you'd take just one toward me."
"You're right. From the beginning until now, the only one who has changed is me. I've lost completely, and it's my own fault. I deserve it."
"I was the one who deluded myself, the one who was arrogant, the one who fell first. What Alpha of pack, what ruler of the Nightblade—here, in your world, I ended up shattered."
"Once again... you've left me."
"But it was you who came to provoke me first."
At that moment, she saw the glimmer of tears in his wolf-like eyes.
But he quickly turned away, as if he didn't want her to see. "Don't worry, I won't stop you. If you want to go home, go ahead."
When he turned back, his face had transformed into that of a human, sharp and cold like a sculpture.
He strode toward the door.
"Wait, you said I provoked you first?" She couldn't hold back and clenched her fists, asking.
Roderick stopped at the door, a sad smile tugging at his lips. "Are you thinking again that I'm just being overly sentimental, that I want too much?"
Catriona couldn't express how she felt at that moment. She stepped forward, glaring at him. "Then clarify! Where did I provoke you first?"
"The park."
"What?" Catriona was momentarily confused. Park... Suddenly, her eyes widened in realization.
"Remember now?" Roderick smirked. "That black wolf cub you wouldn't let go of all night, the one you thought was a dog."
Catriona was so shocked she gasped and took two steps back, her lips parting in disbelief. "You, it's you? No! What a coincidence! You must have investigated me to..."
"I did investigate you, or I wouldn't have known that human cub was you."
"You accidentally left your hairpin at that Park; I still have it."
"It wasn't an accident; I deliberately left it there!" Catriona protested loudly.
"For me back then, the outcome was no different," Roderick looked down, a scoff escaping his lips. "Just when I had finally forgotten, you got drunk and walked into the wrong room."
Catriona found herself at a loss for words; in this matter, she had been in the wrong. She had walked into the wrong room and had taken advantage of him.
As he spoke, Roderick found it ironic. "I had already decided to live alone, and then I find out you gave birth to the cub."
"Catriona, why do we seem unable to part? I keep falling for you again and again."
"My feelings for you aren't accidental; they feel premeditated."
Catriona had been unable to sleep the previous night and had gone to bed late.
She never imagined that Roderick was actually the first black dog—no, wolf cub—she had met at her uncle's house when she was a child.
That little cub had stayed with her in the park all night and later came to find her every day, bringing her various treats.
She realized she had known Roderick long ago.
