It was hot and exhausting...
In the dim, yellow-lit cave, Catriona lay sprawled on the stone bed, weakly moving a finger. She had lost all sense of day and night.
How long had she been in this cave?
Now, she finally understood what the statues of the cubs on the snow bridge meant. She had foolishly thought it was a honeymoon!
He seemed to be desperately controlling himself, afraid of hurting her.
Catriona exhaled, thinking to herself, This time is over... right?
The werewolf's heat cycle was truly no different from...
This werewolf—he should just go bathe in the cold pool!
The next moment, she felt something, her eyes widening in disbelief as she turned her head to glare at the werewolf biting her. "Are you... a pervert?"
She felt like she hadn't had a moment of proper rest since entering the den. Catriona was done with it; she shifted her body, attempting to crawl higher. "Anyway, it was supposed to be the last time. I need a break!"
She couldn't see how tempting she must have appeared now, but in the dim, shadowy cave, it was no different for a werewolf's eyes than daylight.
"Ah!" Catriona had just crawled out when she was dragged back to her previous position.
The werewolf spoke, his words making it sound like he was pitiable, if she didn't know any better.
Catriona rolled her eyes.
"Caddy, won't you? Please..."
"Caddy, I like you. We've held the bonding ceremony of the werewolf. Do you know how happy I am?"
This was the first move—acting cute.
She had fallen for it before.
Now, she was unmoved, wearing an expression as if all worldly desires had left her: "Oh."
Seeing her like this, the werewolf tightly embraced her, wrapping his large tail around her hand, leaning down to touch her face with his large ears.
"Caddy, don't you like my ears and tail? Come, touch them. You've neglected them for half an hour." He said, then playfully kissed her cheek, pinched her chin, and turned her to face him: "Look, don't you like my eyes? You said they were like emeralds."
Beneath his black hair and wolf ears, a pair of green wolf eyes flickered softly in the bedside light, even more beautiful than emeralds.
Catriona indeed momentarily lost focus, but quickly snapped back to her senses.
This was the second move.
She had fallen for it before, too.
"I'm tired now, I don't want to look," she muttered, turning her gaze away. She unwrapped the large tail coiled around her hand, sat up from the bed, and swiftly grabbed her long robe, draping it over herself.
Her body felt sore and weak, but she moved across the bed to the edge, enduring the discomfort.
The werewolf lay on his side, his back to her, maintaining the posture as if he had been pushed away, looking rather dejected from behind.
Catriona, wearing her robe, saw this scene and couldn't help but twitch her lips in silent exasperation. To anyone who didn't know, they might think she was the one who had slept and left like a heartless woman.
The wolf fell silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh. "Caddy, I knew it... you're getting bored. There's a story among pure humans called the Seven Years Itch: the first year is fresh, the second year is familiar, the third year starts to feel dull, the fourth year begins with doubts, the fifth year brings plans, the sixth year brings resolution, and by the seventh year, you simply divorce."
He sighed again, his tone somewhat melancholic: "We've only been together for less than two years. Didn't you say, 'The rest of our lives is long?'"
"Alright, I know. I've been too much. I must have troubled you, annoyed you, haven't I?"
"If you want to do anything, it's up to you. Caddy, I won't stop you, nor will I beg or act pathetic again."
He lay on his side, his back to her, speaking in a low tone, not turning to look at her, as if he were truly in pain.
This was the third move.
Catriona had fallen for this one the hardest.
After establishing a relationship with Roderick and spending more time together, she truly understood what a lecherous wolf was—a sly wolf who would do anything to achieve his goal, without any shame.
When she first met Roderick, she never would have imagined that the aloof, condescending man who looked down on pure humans would now be the one to act coquettishly, feign vulnerability, flatter her, and play mind games.
"Your 'heat cycle' ended yesterday! Stop pretending." She said coldly, slowly standing up and walking to another den, the equivalent of a living room, where there were soft cushions, storybooks, and little trinkets for entertainment.
Roderick, hearing this, turned around in disbelief, looking at the woman's unrelenting back.
Seeing that none of his tricks had worked, he frowned, his thin lips pressing tightly together. He rolled over and sat up on the bed, his emerald eyes darkening, and with a low growl of frustration, he grabbed Catriona's pillow. Holding it to his nose, he inhaled deeply, letting out a soft, dissatisfied growl.
He dared not make the sound too loud, fearing Catriona might hear it.
Catriona was no longer falling for these tricks.
He'd need to think of something else.
The werewolf's sharp, upturned eyes shifted as he began to hatch another plan.
"Roderick, I want some water." Catriona's voice was soft and delicate; she knew he could hear her, but she was too tired to shout.
The werewolf's ears twitched as he smelled the mate's pillow, and he responded with a grunt. He hurriedly placed the pillow down and smoothed out its wrinkles.
Then, he quickly slid off the bed, his large tail swishing behind him, and hurried to pour water.
"Caddy, I'll be right there."
Catriona watched as the large werewolf, his tail swishing behind him, charged toward her. "Caddy, if you're tired, I can feed you..." As he said the words "feed you," a gleam of mischief returned to his eyes.
"No, thank you." Catriona said expressionlessly, took the water cup from him, and drank a sip.
Roderick lowered his head, as if somewhat regretful, and let out a soft "oh."
Catriona pretended not to see it.
She didn't want to fall for it again.
Last time, her lips had swollen from the kiss; she didn't want a repeat of that.
Heh, that greedy werewolf.
Wait, her movement paused as she took a subtle glance at the werewolf in front of her with his large ears and tail. Speaking of which, her son was also a werewolf...
He wouldn't grow up to be like this one day, would he?
Catriona found it hard to believe. How could her polite, well-mannered, and adorable son ever become a cunning and shameless werewolf like Roderick?
Werewolves don't just have two faces; she had long lost count of how many faces Roderick had.
Catriona silently took a sip of water. How could her sweet, adorable son—whom she had raised since childhood—ever be like Roderick? She was thinking too much.
But Catriona only thought this to herself.
It didn't matter what kind of werewolf her son would become in the future; he had his own life to live. She shouldn't impose her expectations on him, nor should she wish for him to become anyone else.
Catriona finished her water and pointed to her waist. "My back hurts."
Then, this werewolf began massaging her.
Catriona lay back on the soft cushion (sofa), closing her eyes in comfort.
