Coldsnap: The Billionaire Alpha's Fated Pregnant Princess (GL)
Chapter 167 - One Meme’s Trash Is Another Crypto Treasure

Chapter 167: Chapter 167 - One Meme’s Trash Is Another Crypto Treasure

"So you see, very much not romantically involved with my terrifying werewolf boss... despite what the rumor mill at company water coolers might suggest. I don’t even swing the way you two do!"

The jealous rage that had been roaring like a bonfire in my chest had contracted to a small ember that left me feeling foolish and exposed for my true thoughts. I’d been ready to tear this woman apart over a protection charm.

Verbally.

> And a little part of me wanted to try more than that. Werewolf hormones are something else! <

"I..."

Wait. How did one apologize for behavior like that? Sorry, I almost might have slung you into the other wall if you actually were physically involved with someone who isn’t even officially mine to be possessive about?

Brook straightened while pushing away from the wall as I got stuck thinking, adjusting her glasses with shaking hands.

"So. Now that we’ve established that I’m not sleeping with any woman, especially not the one you’re definitely not in love with..."

"...You have a smart mouth for someone who was just cowering against a wall."

Vrika wagged their tail, but agreed. Such a mouthy turnaround makes her a fun talking partner... and at least so far she is not speaking in ways I cannot process - like that Ellie Rushwater.

"Yes, well... you have a short temper for someone who came here for my help. I get the jealousy, I do, but still. Anyway! Lets just reset and move on? Hi, I’m Brook - want to see how much money you’ve been carrying around in those devices?"

"I wasn’t jealous."

I said almost automatically, in a tone that was more assured than pout, while she moved back to the table. The woman’s grin was sharp before gesturing to the chair beside her. I sat the bookstore tote on the flat surface as I say down.

"Alright, let’s see what you’ve stumbled across."

Reaching in and plugging the first device into her laptop, her fingers flew across the keyboard as her eyes twitched from point to point on the screen. The nervous energy from our initial confrontation had already faded into focus and competence.

Windows opened and closed, changed back and forth, and lines of code scrolled past all too quickly for me to follow. I was genuinely impressed by what seemed like her skills with computers. If nothing less, it was significantly higher than either Helene or myself.

> I guess a person good with such technology might look impressive even if they are fiddling slowly, compared to someone with only enough experience to be confused. <

"This first one... well, it’s a perfect example of why any digital market trade is gambling. This had a good bubble as a meme-coin. Back when it was worth something... I actually made some private funds on it myself. But now?"

"Worthless, I assume?"

She had paused for effect and I spoke mostly just to show I was listening. Vrika was already dozing off on top of the warm slab of Composure. Worse, I think it’s because the spirit is feeling calm and safe with that bit of the Alpha’s scent nearby...

"More or less. It’s basically a pile of virtual trash. A lot of it, though... maybe twenty bucks if you’re lucky and someone is hoping it rebounds miraculously someday, but I’d just consider this one as only the worth of the piece of hardware itself."

She moved to the second device without preamble. After some moments of checking it out, her expression brightened instead of the grimace she gave during the first ’wallet’.

"Better. Solid stable blockchain from a few years back and plenty of it again. Still not as amazing as you might be hoping, but... from the looks of the open trades, about eight thousand dollars if you dumped them all."

"Not terrible. For something I found lying around."

I responded positively... though after learning about my total gold reserves, even sold at 80%... eight thousand was a tenth that felt almost quaint. I wasn’t sure how much to expect from any of this in the first place, so-

"Holy fucking shit..."

Brook took off her glasses and cleaned them with a little cloth she pulled from somewhere. She turned slowly toward me and stared as more sets of data populated her screen. Information and user interfaces that meant nothing to me.

"What?"

"Someone went in on what became the big kahuna of them all. Had to have been when it was still relatively cheap since the software app hasn’t been accessed in years. You... well, you just have to see it on your own."

She opened a program that seemed to chart the current market prices then turned the laptop toward me. The twenty four number of ’coins’ that were supposedly stored away in something called a ’blockchain’ filled one box.

But her glossy, clear coated nails pointed at a number that made my heart pause and thump so loud that my wolf shot to its feet as if its tail was stepped on.

[$1,276,493.58]

I stared at the screen, trying to process a figure more than a dozen times larger than what I’d thought the gold was worth at one time. My eyes turn, shocked, onto the cheap looking black device that had been sitting in a cache at the bottom of a ravine for who knows how long.

> That maniac hunter was living out there as he was alone and he had this much just laying around? Granted, he had no more idea than I did, I’m sure. But this JP that gifted it to him must have. Had the other person never contacted to let him know? <

"You’re... certain?"

"Dead certain. Though cashing it out properly will take some finessing."

"What do you mean? Is it the number of these... crypto currencies that is hard to sell?"

I point at the value that was being multiplied. Having no idea how any of this works, all I can think is that getting rid of twenty four of anything doesn’t seem so hard.

> No, that’s not true. All I can think of is that this really is incredible luck. If I’d deviated on my path toward the city at all, even if I’d chased down food in one direction more before heading back... <

Then I might never have smelled the dead hunter. I certainly wouldn’t be enjoying new clothes and... apartment. I wouldn’t have went to that pawn shop trying to sell things. Might never have met Kyrie in that same vulnerable moment sort of way.

> Actually, she pretty much has only seen me in those times so far! What good luck?! I’m clearly cursed... <