Coldsnap: The Billionaire Alpha's Fated Pregnant Princess (GL)
Chapter 70 - Helpful, But It’s Not The Same

Chapter 70: Chapter 70 - Helpful, But It’s Not The Same

Pointing at the mere corner of the package of animal decals I’d purchased at Welken’s Electronics, she somehow... knows what it is perfectly. Relieved at the change in subject, I quickly pull them out.

"Yes. I bought them earlier. However, I’m not sure how to apply them correctly. I was going to look up-"

Mira perks up immediately and interrupts my stream of words.

"Oh, I can help with that! My little sister puts these on everything. Which one were you thinking of using?"

Annoying, but I guess that I did interrupt her once as well, so I will allow it. I point to the blue fox.

"This one."

"Oh, good choice. Ah. We’d need to clean the back of your phone first."

"Clean... will a wet wipe work?"

She is shaking her head frantically as I start to reach for my things.

"No, no! It might have cleaning chemicals that can get on your screen and damage it. Do you just have a tissue or something?"

Digging through, I pull out the water bottle so it isn’t rolling around and - lacking any dry disposable napkins or tissues - the cleanest sock I can find.

"How about one of these?"

Her lip quivers and eye twitches as I offer the foot garment. A look I’ve seen before, though not really since I’ve been here.

> I believe she is thinking of laughing at me, but is too scared to? <

Vrika chuffs once at my assessment. So far, my wolf has about the same opinion as me on this woman.

"I can... just use one of my own tissues, okay?"

Mira takes the water bottle and gestures for my phone, which I reluctantly hand over. She pulls a small pack of plain branded tissue paper.

Wetting one of them slightly, she scrubs and checks she hasn’t left any residue before handing back my water. Since it is out, I go ahead and take a sip to quench my drying throat.

It tastes faintly of the plastic container it’s been sitting in all day. A far cry from the crystal-clear spring waters kept in metallic water jugs for only short periods.

Vrika’s nose wrinkles in my mindscape, mirroring my thoughts. A bond of beasts appreciating nature’s simpler perfection.

"The trick is to line it up perfectly before you let it touch anywhere on the surface. Then press it from the center out to avoid air bubbles."

I watch as her slim fingers work. She peels the fox sticker from its backing and hovers it over the phone, checking the alignment before looking up at me with worry.

"Is this where you want it?"

Looks as good as anywhere I can think of, so I nod. With gentle pressure, she smooths it just like she described.

"There. Perfect."

Something strikes me strangely about the details of all this. A werewolf handing a hunter’s phone with a fox sticker back to a werewolf with a fox soul.

But I don’t let that bother me for long, admiring the blue fox. It’s a small thing... but seeing this symbol of my true nature displayed so openly feels oddly satisfying.

Almost as much as having my hair done the way I prefer. I offer the other woman an easy smile.

"Thank you."

"N-no problem."

She seems somewhat emboldened by my gratitude and leans in again. Is it a wolf thing to get so close to one you are trying to be friendly with?

> Because I kind of want to nip at her to make her back off... <

"Listen, I know it’s none of my business, but... are you planning on staying in Rimecoat territory now?"

A question that seems innocent enough, but I sense all the layers beneath it. Time spent as a royal princess allows me to view all of this the way it truly is.

Werewolf politics. Pack territories. The consequences of being a rogue.

And someone I don’t know very well, who keeps asking me questions. So I answer carefully.

"For now."

"Do you have... support? People you can trust?"

I immediately think of Kyrie Voss, of her offers and assistance. And how much I’ve avoided taking it.

Of Edgar on his bench, helping and guiding me twice. Of all the other strangers and employees at establishments who had shown small kindnesses in their own ways.

The system, with its useful properties and Vrika... with its...

> Stop barking, I’m thinking of applicable compliments! Just give me like five seconds to choose one, okay?! <

It wasn’t enough to suggest you have become irreplaceable, now I have to actually come up with concrete reasons why? Greedy spirit...

"...I’m managing at the moment."

Copper hair shifts away as she turns and reaches into her purse and pulls out a small business card and her phone. She smiles shyly.

"I work at the Historical Society in the city. Junior Archivist. It’s not much, but I have access to all kinds of records and information."

She offers me the card and I consider whether it is wise to take it. Her objectives have been surprisingly opaque, leaving me without any idea of why she is approaching so much.

That usually means a political opponent is either very good at hiding their intentions - or they are very silly and do not even know what they want. I might be leaning toward the latter, but I cannot discount the former.

"Please, if you need anything - information, someone to talk to, whatever - you can call me. I’m usually there Tuesday through Saturday, nine to five."

"Why would you help me? We barely know each other."

Mira shrugs while her wrist nervously twists the phone in one hand. It seems clear that she was going to offer her direct number but ’chickened’ out.

...There really are a lot of phrases that paint beasts in a bad light in this world, aren’t there.

"My pack believes the Lunar Goddess teaches compassion, even across pack lines. And..."

Before she can finish, the other Pineheart woman emerges back through the waiting area, followed by the nurse. She takes one look at us and turns what I think humans here call her ’bitch face’ on as she heads for the exit.

"Ms. Thornfield?"

Nancy calls out and the werewolf beside me stands, gathering her purse and dropping the card on the seat. Such a smooth motion!

"Looks like I’m up. The doctor’s pretty thorough, so you might be waiting a while yet. Sorry about that."

She then adds in a quieter voice.

"I’m glad we ran into each other, Hel- I mean, Citra? I hope things work out for you."

As she follows the nurse down the hallway, I stare at the business card like it’s a bomb.

> An unexpected ally? Or just a kind face in a strange place? <

Either way, I tuck the card into my backpack. Far away from Kyrie’s, for some reason I don’t rightly understand.

Or that I chose not to try to understand, even if it would be easier to keep them all together. Easier not to worry about that woman’s scent getting anywhere near what remains of the CEO’s.

When I settle back into the chair to wait my turn, a blue fox now sits on one side of the device as a very orange one hops and hops its way toward level six on the other side.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.