It's an usual Monday.
Catriona had set an alarm in advance. When the 7 AM alarm went off, she woke up from Roderick's embrace, rubbing her eyes.
Roderick woke up as well, tightening his hold around Catriona's waist and pulling her into his embrace, his voice deep and husky. "Want to sleep a little longer?"
"No, we have to get our son to school today."
Roderick lowered his gaze, planting a soft kiss on the woman's fair forehead before burying his head into her neck, inhaling deeply, looking completely captivated.
Catriona tilted her neck back and said lightly, "No biting, I've been wearing a turtleneck sweater for a week."
She had noticed it too.
She didn't know if all werewolves were like this or just Roderick; he particularly loved her neck, always kissing, nibbling, and sniffing.
At first, she thought he was just too excited to control himself, but as it happened repeatedly, she began to feel that he did it on purpose.
If she indulged him, he would only take it a step further.
Feeling her neck being gently nipped by sharp teeth, Catriona wasn't pleased. She reached up to grasp the furry head, her voice gentle yet laced with a hint of warning, "That's enough."
Roderick reluctantly let her go.
Catriona urged, "Get up quickly, we still need to take our son to school."
Roderick sighed; with the sweet warmth in his arms, who wouldn't be tempted?
But...
By the way, did the cub really have to go to school? They could have someone else take him. He pressed his lips together, at least not daring to voice his thoughts.
"Alright, time to get up." Finally, he sighed, turned over with Catriona in his arms, and sat on the edge of the bed, her sitting on his lap as he held her close. "Caddy, my mate... I want to be with you always."
Catriona reassured him, "But we have to live our lives too; isn't that what it's all about?"
Roderick thought to himself that only in the human world were there so many things to do, studying this and that, occupying most of their time.
In the snowy mountains, as long as you were well-fed, the rest was all free time.
Speaking of the snowy mountains, he said, "We've only had a human wedding; we still need to have the bonding ceremony in the mountains. How about you come back with me next month?"
"Grandma hasn't met you yet; she'll like you."
While speaking, his kisses didn't stop, not even letting Catriona's hands escape; she truly felt... this guy was like a big dog.
"Sure, Cedric hasn't been to the snowy mountains either; he's wanted to see it for a long time." After finishing her response, she simply bit down on his long hand.
It seemed like she was getting infected too, letting this guy bite her all the time; after all, who didn't have teeth?
Roderick raised an eyebrow, letting her bite, finding it quite amusing. "Caddy, it's fine if you bite hard."
"Hmph..."
Catriona bit down hard and then released.
Roderick picked up the slippers from the floor and helped her put them on, then carried her to the bathroom.
"It'll be really cold in the snowy mountains, right? Can I... handle it?" Catriona asked anxiously.
"Don't worry," Roderick set her down and looked at the beautiful, fair-skinned woman in the mirror. "Haven't you eaten the snow crystal? The snowy mountains will just be a slightly chilly place for you now."
"What if I hadn't eaten the snow crystal?" Catriona asked curiously.
Roderick's lips parted slightly as he nonchalantly replied, "You'd die."
Catriona was absent.
"Then... what about Silas? He's human but grew up in the snowy mountains. Did he also eat the snow crystal?"
"Yes." Roderick scoffed, recalling something. "Even if he ate the snow crystal, he'd still feel cold. He used to cry a lot when he was young, very loudly."
Catriona couldn't imagine what Silas must have looked like as a crying child.
She found it oddly amusing. "I really can't see that."
The couple chatted while getting ready. Catriona went into the dressing room to pick her clothes, and after she got dressed, they both left the room.
Catriona reached her son's room and knocked on the door. "Sweetie, are you awake?"
There was the sound of little footsteps pattering, and the door opened from the inside. Cedric, wearing a bunny onesie with his fluffy, tousled hair and wolf ears showing, leapt into Catriona's arms.
"Mommy!!"
Catriona picked up her son, planting a kiss on his chubby little face as she walked into the room. "How did you sleep last night, little one? You're going to school today."
Cedric clung tightly to his mother, glancing at his father behind them. He huffed, then reluctantly called out, "Daddy."
Cedric got dressed in his uniform, finished washing up, and was carried downstairs by Roderick for breakfast.
"After I take you to school, I'll pick you up in the afternoon."
"Little one, do you know? The werewolf friend you met before is also at your school. Did you play together?"
Cedric made a disinterested sound, sipping milk and eating meat, his little face puffing up.
That grey-purple guy, always so bad at controlling his ears and tail, so clumsy—he didn't want to be friends with him.
But, compared to the noisy classmates, that guy was okay. Sometimes, they could hang out.
Cedric was dropped off at school by his parents. His little short legs swung happily, a sign that he was in a good mood and satisfied with the situation.
Catriona bent down to kiss him, "I'll pick you up in the afternoon."
Cedric let his mother kiss him, but he warily eyed his father as if afraid Roderick might kiss him too. He nodded, shook his little backpack, and ran into the school.
In response, Roderick pressed his lips together and scoffed.
Wasn't it just that one kiss on his fifth birthday?
This little brat doesn't really think he can get the same affection Roderick gives Catriona, does he?
What a delightful thought.
He pulled Catriona into the car and shut the door.
Gripping the back of her head, he kissed her.
After all, he had a mate to kiss.
After a while, Catriona, breathless and flushed, shot him a glare.
Though a partition rose in the car so the driver couldn't see, she still felt a bit uncomfortable.
Seeing his mate glare at him, Roderick pressed his lips together. "You're so generous with your kisses for the little one," he said, word by word. "It's not fair, Caddy."
"You..."
Catriona was taken aback by his outrageous claim and stammered, "You... are comparing yourself to our son? What's fair or unfair about that?"
Roderick lowered his gaze, silently fastening her seatbelt before looking at her again. "Caddy, you are my mate, and the little cub will have his mate in the future. Catriona should be closer to me."
Catriona's brain processed his words for a moment, then she raised an eyebrow. "So you're jealous of your own son?"
Roderick stared at her. "Is that not allowed?"
"That's not unusual among werewolves."
He leaned closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Caddy, the little cub is growing up. You should look at me more, be closer to me."
Catriona couldn't help but twitch her lips.
He's only five years old and already growing up?
What does "growing up" even mean at this age?
Even if he's a werewolf baby, he's still just five—a cute little chubby face!
"You werewolves are not just love-struck; you're also..." clingy... she didn't finish the thought.
She never expected that this werewolf would become more and more clingy after they got together.
She ruffled Roderick's fluffy hair.
"Aren't we close now?"
Roderick replied, "We can be even closer."
Catriona felt an inexplicable urge to laugh, so she did. "Can we take it slow? We have a long life ahead of us."
The morning sun streamed through the car window, warming them both.
"Caddy, I love you."
In their kiss, Catriona closed her eyes, her feather-like lashes fluttering, and without hesitation, she replied, "I love you too. Rory."
The winter sun felt especially warm.
