Coldsnap: The Billionaire Alpha's Fated Pregnant Princess (GL)
Chapter 57 - A Cute Kid, Shame…

Chapter 57: Chapter 57 - A Cute Kid, Shame...

"C-can I take a picture?"

I blink at the reddish-haired teenager, entirely caught off guard. People on the street have not particularly talked to me at all since I’ve been here.

Except the blind old man and the charity woman. Actually, somehow that still makes me feel bad about my appearance...

Ah, his phone is already half-raised. I lift my chin and lightly, playfully sneer at the child.

"And why, exactly, would you want to do that?"

He flushes deep red while starting to nervously adjust his weight from one foot to the other. Meanwhile this bold dog moves over and sniffs curiously at my shoes.

A small, shaggy white thing that I could hold in one arm. Truly, fearless.

"Um, it’s just you... just look really cool? The hair especially."

He gestures vaguely at my twin tails and I struggle not to lose my composure at the praise. It doesn’t mean as much from a stranger who is obviously masking his real thoughts, but it was still nice to hear!

That woman at the bakery also complimented me, but I was a little too frazzled at the choices to think about it that much...

"Please? My friends won’t believe I just talked and ran into someone so..."

He trailed off, apparently searching for an appropriate word. Probably one that would not reveal his deeper thoughts.

"Someone so...?"

My free hand rests on my hip as I adjust my stance. Raising my chest to look more imposing, daring him to lie.

"Pretty. Like, magazine model pretty."

He answers in a rush before slamming the device over his mouth. Despite myself, I feel a smile growing on my face.

Hearing some honest admiration in his voice is oddly refreshing. And truthfully it is rather... cute.

"Is that all? So you wanted to use me to show off to them?"

I ask with a softened tone. He nods back vigorously, then reddens brightly again.

> His skin tone really shows his blood pressure... <

"Actually, could w-we take one together? That would be even better. They might think I just... you know... stole a picture from the internet."

A ’two-shot’ with a stranger... how very strange. With Helene’s understanding, I can definitely see that people may act like this with celebrities.

But I’m just a nobody werewolf at the moment. Wearing only decent clothes and more bags than anyone else on the street.

> Honestly, I’d been avoiding thinking about it but if this was my world I’d be mistaken for a porter. Moving goods between locations for low pay... <

"Hmm...."

For a few moments I consider if that is a sort of job I would be willing to do, while pretending to think about his request. This world uses vehicles for delivering things for the most part.

I’m not sure I would be able to get into driving in a short time. so I actually turn my thoughts to the shaking, hopeful little teenager.

Surely this is just a tug of his adolescence. And yet, wasn’t I just last night taking dozens of photos of myself?

What harm is a few more? My sigh tries to sound more put-upon than I actually feel.

"Very well. But I should warn you, I’m somewhat picky with photography. So you must take a good photo."

The boy grins, pulling in the winding leash of his dog as he steps in beside me. He holds up his phone, arm extended as far as he can, and snaps a quick photo like he is afraid I’ll bite.

When he checks it, his face obviously falls. What did he think that angle was going to get him?

"It’s all... blurry."

I peer at the screen and wince. The image is indeed terrible...

Half of my face is cut off and the angle is unflattering for both of us. This photo is pure evil and must be purged.

"That simply won’t do. Do you mind?"

Properly hesitant to hand over his valuable personal item to me, I fish for the phone in my pocket. Showing off that I have no covetous intentions.

"Mine has unfortunately not made it through the night. Completely out of charge. But I can show you how to take a proper photograph with yours, if you’ll let me."

"Oh. Uh... okay?"

After immediately deleting that photo, I spent the next few minutes lecturing him on the different ways to angle the camera I’d discovered. The importance of paying attention to light and shadows.

Most of all, taking multiple shots in quick succession to select the best one of the bunch. All techniques I’d practiced in the motel room alone.

> Yes, I’m going to call the ideas Helene formed in the past while taking her pictures ’techniques’. She may have been ignorant of a lot, she may have made choices I never would have... however Vrika... <

My wolf looks at me expectantly as I speak to it. Blue eyes glowing softly against its black furred face.

> She was intelligent and could have made something more of herself. That’s why I’m sometimes so frustrated when I look back at her life. <

"You have to hold steady, tilt this edge slightly down. Yes, like that. Now, take several in a row this time."

I instruct while leaning over his shoulder to reduce the required image area. His arms aren’t long enough for wide shots.

The first little while of that he shook and flinched a lot, clearly not expecting I would be willing to keep myself so close. It makes me want to ruffle his hair and tease him further.

Like I’d done to a couple of the siblings of the merchant daughters I had the longest relations with. The women which I’d visit both by sneaking out at night to be with them...

And on ’official’ meetings in which I could show more socially acceptable favor to them.

Eventually he manages a surprisingly acceptable image.

In it, I’m giving a small, dignified smile while leaning down next to him. One side of my hair is in the frame and, of course, he did not forget to choose the angle that points at my chest.

> Males in puberty... it’s hard to hate them when their little urges are controlling them. <

He smiles a little too wide beside me in the photo. His little dog too, is there looking curiously at the camera as he holds to one side of his ribs.

"Very dynamic and striking. Good job."

"This is awesome! It’s so good! I can’t believe I’m the one who did it..."

He exclaims while tapping at his screen. Unfamiliar interfaces coming and going in seconds.

"I’m so going to post this right now to my private account. That’s alright, right?"

I think for a moment before shrugging. As far as I know, that means that very few people will see it.

Just family and immediate friends. His next words, however...

"My cousin Victoria is going to freak when she sees I met someone this cool just walking her dog."

My smile freezes.

"...Victoria? Whitecrest?"

"Yeah, my cousin. She’s always going on about knowing all these important, pretty people in the city. Now I’ve got something to show off too!"

The hostile werewolf from the spa had a cute relative like this? Of course I wouldn’t notice...

An Omega does have an identifiable scent, but it’s weak. Something I might not notice if covered up with anything.

Especially a very low dose scent blocker that someone with their family’s means could easily afford. I imagine she provides them to that Lucinda woman as well.

"Oh, what’s your social name on the net? For the tag?"

"I prefer not to be tagged."

I’m only a little certain what that phrase means in the first place, but I answer quickly. Without affirming or denying whether I actually have an... internet presence.

Technically, Helene did have a secret one - but I have no intention of reviving that.

It can stay buried, just like that hunter which I did something like this world’s rites for.