The night was as dark as ink.
"Where are you taking me?"
Catriona asked in a soft voice, as Roderick carried her horizontally, holding her tightly and wrapping her in his suit jacket, her forehead resting against his strong chest.
Roderick was clearly in a good mood, his voice deep and intoxicating. "Don't be afraid, Caddy."
Catriona felt him climbing stairs?
Then they entered a room, and the night breeze vanished.
She felt Roderick sit down.
"What exactly do you want to do?" Catriona moved, preparing to rise, but a large hand gently pressed on the back of her head. "Don't move, Caddy, just wait a moment."
"What..." Catriona hadn't finished her sentence when a sound came from beside her, as if something had been activated.
It moved...
Did this "room" just move?
It was rising... rising...
She pressed her lips together. "Are we on a plane?"
"Caddy, you are very clever," Roderick praised. "Yes, on a plane with your name written on it."
Catriona remembered the last time, in that beautiful villa, filled with bags, and the plane he mentioned...
"Where are we flying to at this hour?"
The plane had already taken to the night sky.
Roderick looked out the window, lightly curling his lips as he pulled the person in his arms closer. "Look."
Catriona blinked; the light in the plane was dim. She looked out the window and was instantly stunned.
In the pitch-black night sky, countless stars twinkled, shining brightly.
A dreamy galaxy appeared before her eyes, so breathtakingly beautiful, it was like a river of diamonds that could glow.
This was completely different from what she had seen underground.
The beauty was so stunning that she didn't want to blink.
She was now on a plane in the night sky.
As if...
She had become... the plane in her childhood memories with her grandmother.
She had become... one of the planes adorning the night sky alongside the stars.
Roderick said softly, "Look down; you humans have also created a river of stars on the ground."
Catriona leaned forward slightly, lowering her gaze and widening her eyes.
"It's so beautiful..."
The vibrant colors of light covered the earth—reds, greens, pinks—but the most striking were the golden street lamps stretching along the long road, lighting up the ground like a golden snake.
In this underground world, which child cuddled next to their elder, looking up at the night sky, exclaiming in delight, "Look, an airplane!"
"Caddy."
Catriona turned her head.
She saw Roderick standing there, holding a glowing little box.
He knelt on one knee and opened the glowing box.
In the dim light of the airplane, the glowing box was almost the only source of illumination; inside lay a diamond ring, quietly shining.
It was stunning, radiating light.
Catriona stared at him, unable to blink. "You..."
"I once said I wanted to be your shooting star." Under the light, Roderick's eyes turned a beautiful shade of green, like emeralds.
Catriona couldn't tear her gaze away from his eyes.
"I hope to be that shooting star for you."
Roderick seemed unaware of his changing gaze; he blinked and continued, "Tell me the life you want, the things you like, what you hope to have."
"There are no shooting stars tonight, but that's okay. From now on, I will be your shooting star."
"Caddy, be my mate."
Perhaps everyone wishes for their own exclusive shooting star.
But that wish seemed impossible to fulfill, so one could only hope to see a shooting star once.
Roderick stared at her, his green eyes glowing softly, and Catriona nearly got lost in those emeralds.
She murmured softly, "I already have my shooting star."
Although, they are green.
During those years when she was pushed around like a hot potato, feeling unappreciated and overlooked, she never imagined that one day in the future...
A werewolf, with no blood relation to her, would appear, choosing her resolutely, loving her with all his might, wanting to be her shooting star.
"Okay." Her eyes curved happily as she extended her hand.
How could she refuse?
She liked this self-absorbed, proud silly wolf.
This werewolf... the one she deeply loved.
The one who brought snacks to the park every day to see her, the one who, when he realized she was missing, ran frantically through the streets looking for her.
It turned out she had always been his resolute choice.
Long ago, she had already been valued and cared for.
Long before, she was not just a drifting weed; at least one werewolf cub cared for her.
The ring was placed on her ring finger.
She and Roderick embraced and kissed.
Sometimes, happiness is right in front of she.
When it arrives, she has to seize it.
Isn't life all about searching for such moments?
On their way back.
Roderick held Catriona's hand tightly as she opened the door.
He opened the door, and it was Draven.
They heard a pop, and colorful ribbons fell continuously, as a room full of people laughed and shouted, "Did the proposal succeed, Mr. Nightblade?"
"Congratulations to you both!"
"Caddy, does this mean a wedding is in order?"
"Wow, you've even got the ring on!"
Catriona looked at the familiar faces—Eulalia, Sylvaine, Aveline, and members of Roderick's family had also come.
Even her former landlord from the flower shop had come with her daughter from abroad. If she hadn't passed the shop on to them, how would her life have been so good?
Catriona was so surprised she couldn't find her voice.
"All of you're here..."
"Catriona, I'm so happy to see you found happiness," The former landlord said, smiling kindly despite her sixty-plus years.
"When's the wedding? I'll make sure to show up and enjoy a good meal!"
Catriona's eyes glistened with tears. "Yes, all of you must come."
Before the ribbons had fully fallen, Cedric quietly approached and hugged his mother.
In a serious tone, he asked, "Mommy, are you happy today?"
Catriona squatted down. "Sweetheart, Mommy is very happy."
"Is that so?" Cedric beamed a sweet, adorable smile. "Mommy should be happy every day. If Daddy makes you unhappy, we can just leave him, okay?"
He said this with an innocent grin.
Roderick squatted down too, pinching the little cub's round cheeks. "Little supervisor, you'll never see that day."
Cedric squinted his eyes in delight, looking extremely cute. "Anyway, I'm sticking with Mommy. Daddy better keep your word!"
Roderick clicked his tongue, unable to resist pinching his cheeks again.
Madam Nightblade smiled widely at Catriona, taking her hand. "I'm so happy for you both. Thank you for bringing Rory happiness."
"I've prepared some things for you." Madam Nightblade pulled out a large stack of contracts, property deeds, and ten small boxes.
If Silas were here, seeing those ten boxes, his eyes would widen in disbelief; they contained the rare snow crystals that extend life.
In the snow mountain werewolf clan, only the larger groups could possess a few of these, but Madam Nightblade brought out ten at once!
This hinted at Nightblade's pack immense wealth and resources, both in the human world and in the mountains.
Typically, werewolves live for over three hundred years.
Some werewolves seek out snow crystals to prolong their lives.
Others, weary of living, choose to depart early.
As for Nightblade's pack, who knows how many snow crystals they possess?
Probably... they could live as long as they wanted.
Catriona first learned about the werewolf lifespan of over three hundred years at Luna Palace.
At that time, she felt a pang of sadness, knowing she could live only a hundred years, while her son would endure the pain of losing his mother for so many more.
But now...
It seemed like their family could stay together forever.
Always... so happily together.
It was rare and lucky for werewolves to find mates they mutually liked.
Without anyone needing to say it, Roderick would cherish the mate he had worked so hard to win over.
On the balcony, Roderick held his little cub in one arm while holding Catriona's hand with the other.
"When do you want to have the wedding, Caddy? Mother said she would choose the date for us."
Indeed, wedding dates are usually arranged by the elders.
Catriona had no elders of her own.
Madam Nightblade took her hand and pulled out an astrological book, looking for a good date.
A wedding blessed by everyone—how could that not be something to look forward to?
Catriona smiled, her eyes sparkling like the moon hanging in the night sky.
—
