Coldsnap: The Billionaire Alpha's Fated Pregnant Princess (GL)
Chapter 63 - Princess Panic Lomdi

Chapter 63: Chapter 63 - Princess Panic Lomdi

Seized by a sudden impulse, I held the phone up and took a quick selfie. My expression was serious - eyebrows slightly furrowed, mouth in a thin line.

Not quite fiercely angry... but definitely not smiling. I looked at the image on the screen for a long while.

> This is ridiculous. What am I doing? <

Vrika just watched me trying and failing to do anything with any composure. My thumb hovered over the attachment button.

A few taps and I’d be sending her my face. Letting her see me as I am right now.

"Why does that feel so intimate? People... see each other all the time."

The image quickly sits ready after tricking myself into ’normalizing’ this. Waiting for me to add a text of some sort alongside it before sending.

A group of laughing teenagers walked by, startling me out of my trance. I quickly shoved the device back in my pocket like I was doing something wrong.

When I walked for a bit I found myself pulling it out again - because of another message received. Just because I don’t send one back, is she going to send more until I do?!

But to my horror, I realized that I did send one. My selfie... stuck in the chat bubble and not down where one types messages.

Underneath is her response...

K: [Message received, loud and clear. I’ll do better to make my Princess happy.]

My hand raises swiftly into the air. Removing the text from my line of sight and gripping the device a little harder than I should.

> I should break this thing! It is clearly an important part of her master plan. No wonder she gave it back, since she intended to use it to... to keep trying to woo me! <

My wolf makes a groaning noise and falls on its side. But I’m too worked up to care.

Out in reality, I contemplate slamming it on the nearest rock until the computer insides become outsides. The reaction feels too strong, even for me.

Quickly, I turn the camera on and snap a series of photos to see what sort of expression I’m making.

"All as red as that Paul kid. Are you kidding me?!"

I delete the photo evidence immediately. Complete and utter embarrassment does not need saved.

Nor does the flush that extends from my cheeks down my neck. Or my eyes that have this wild and panicked look.

All because she had the audacity to call me [Princess]. Not like a title but... like we were... familiar.

As if she has the right to use an endearment!

> I see your question already, Vrika. But you ARE a princess and she’s the only one you told - so why is it so different coming from her? Well it JUST IS OKAY! <

I swat away my failed attempt at logical observation, still too flustered to engage with my wolf. With a trembling hand, I shoved the phone deep into my backpack this time.

Far from easy reach for now.

"She’s getting way too comfortable. Kyrie Voss. Maybe if I ignore her entirely for a few days... leave the city for a little while? Go to take the other spoils I left at the hunter’s hideaway..."

’Brainstorming’ the most useful way to avoid her and have a good excuse only made me feel more ridiculous. Like the time I hid from the etiquette lesson instructor by claiming I’d gotten lost in the woods for three weeks.

> Could not, for the life of me, figure out how to get out of the immediate area around a nice cave I’d found. <

I take several deep breaths as I shared the memory. The cool air entering my lungs helped somewhat.

"Focus. Get on with the rest of your day. Clinic first."

The distraction of a clear task ahead steadied me. One foot in front of the other, with direction and purpose.

The clinic was still a good distance away according to the map. My mind and eyes focused on the system feature as I crossed another street.

At the moment I didn’t actually care about the various numbers, or for figuring out why some areas had higher numbers than others. That, when I flipped it from Immediate to Apocalypse, so many of them were drastically different results.

But I still looked anyway. Letting ideas subconsciously settle and keep me from drifting back to other matters.

A vibration from my backpack made me tense. I refused to stop walking and check.

"I am not going to respond again right away. I’m not going to let her distract me from what I need to do."

Two more blocks passed before my resolve cracked. I ducked into the shadow of a bus stop shelter and fished the phone out, violently cursing my own weakness and curiosity.

K: [Thank you for reaching out. I hope your day is going well. Please let me know if you need anything. I’m available for you any time.]

Nothing nearly as presumptuous or possessive. I stared at the message, unsure how to feel about its relative restraint and... offer.

In my world, no one with power was this persistently gentle. My brothers, my father, even my mother - none would extend such consistent courtesy without any given in return.

Another round of inferior typing and inability to decide on what to say began.

C: [I’m fine. Busy. You should be too.]

Short and more dismissive than my earlier entries. But not completely ignoring her, despite part of me wanting to do it.

A different half simply won, for now. So I pretend it is Vrika’s fault and scold it.

> Why should I let myself grow accustomed to this? When what I learn soon may very well preclude her... attentions. <

I put the phone away and continued toward the clinic. Along the way, something... unexpected caught my attention.

Threaded beneath the urban swirl of exhaust fumes and human sweat were wolf pheromones. And not just from one, but several.

While there had occasionally been a whiff here or there since I’ve arrived, this was clearly a group or gathering up ahead. I slowed my pace while scanning for threats.

Vrika’s hackles rose in my mindscape, their thoughts and impressions of the scents pressing at me as it grew stronger. In the direction where I was supposed to go.

The traces, some seem much older - and different from Kyrie’s deliberate territorial marking at the motel. This seemed more like... a natural accumulation from routine comings and goings.

The red brick building was visible to me now at the end of the street, just as the motel clerk had described. Frosted glass prevents any clear view of its insides.

Likely for the privacy of its patrons.

A relatively small sign identified it as [Silverton Women’s Health Center]. It also listed their hours of operation, confirming they were indeed open today at this time.

I paused across the street, observing the entrance. Many wolf smells from ’regular’ visitors rather than the fresh wolves I’m sure are currently inside.

Several women entered and exited while I watched. All human, from what I could tell at this distance.

My Intuition did not give me that same suggestion as with Lucinda, that any were using scent blockers. But I may not be close enough to tell.

> Does that mean that maybe... this place is specifically werewolf-friendly? <

Shifters might not usually want the healthcare of humans - especially for pregnancies. But if they did need it, they couldn’t exactly reveal their nature to standard human hospitals.

And a place like this that exists in the Rimecoat territory, known to be rather... open to ’visiting’ wolves? It made a certain kind of sense.

Of course, this realization brought a whole new anxiety. Concern about what this place’s connection might be to the local pack.

To Kyrie Voss.