Coldsnap: The Billionaire Alpha's Fated Pregnant Princess (GL)-Chapter 195 - TMI Is More Than An Initialism!

"Well, I can’t stand here talking to two young women all night like I’m still your age. I should let you both get on with your evenings."

The end of his cane taps on the ground as Edgar turns to face me. Considering I haven’t made any noise... and even considering I haven’t really moved, it’s still impressive that he has the spatial awareness to turn that accurately.

"But Citra, might I offer a piece of unsolicited advice?"

"...Of course."

> Wisdom that matters is usually unsolicited. If you knew what to ask for and when, why would people remain ignorant? <

"There’s a qualitative difference between watching over someone and watching out for them. Nurturing care or sympathetic worry, the people in our life... usually know which one they need from us if we only ask and listen."

I see it as talking about my following Anise... well, likely more generally than all that, but it was the trigger for what he says this time. What he can say about it without actually knowing all the details.

But the point of such wisdom lies in making you think, not giving you some instant answer. And it does. Make me think.

> I had not really asked if she is okay all night, even if I listened to everything she said. I’ve just assumed that the woman looked well enough put together - and that if she had the room to bother with me, that she is alright. <

Yet... while perhaps a little too meddlesome, she has shown off a lot of interest and care. So I should be more careful in the future not to forget to return that. In ways more than just stalking after her.

"Thank you. That’s good advice."

As he moves stiffly on old joints towards the apartment building’s entrance, Mira and I are left standing alone together on the street’s sidewalk. The silence caused by the serious exchange stretches out for an uncomfortable moment as she avoids staring me down.

"So... friend troubles?"

"Something like that. I’m not a very good one."

"...But I thought you walked her home?"

With a soft chuckle, I shake my head and take off this jacket. I can’t just stand here as the only werewolf wearing a coat. Her fingers fix her slightly messy copper hair as she actually takes a small step away.

> What was that about? <

"No, I followed her without asking because she was intoxicated."

"That’s still sweet of you. Not everyone would bother to go out of their way. It’s easy to convince yourself that bad things won’t happen or that, if they do, it was only fate."

"Maybe."

Like in the clinic, she continues to steal glances, but I can’t help but notice that she is being far more wary than before. Not so much that she is fleeing, but she isn’t getting in my personal space like I was prepared for.

> Maybe she’s sick. I can’t think of what else would cause such a change in someone’s personality? <

"...Are you okay?"

"Hm? Oh, I’m fine. Though I’m going to love taking a shower in a bit, get all the days smells off... of me."

Her voice catches and her face reddens. She looks down and hunches over, as if trying to look small. And I realize... exactly what is different compared to last time. My hands were holding chopsticks, so they hardly smell of lingering fish...

But instead my fingertips, wrists, probably the whole front of my blouse and shorts... still smell like crisp snow over that slight forest smell that I’m starting to understand is my own scent - underneath what remains of lavender body wash.

I’m wearing the same clothes that I was lying on top of Kyrie with... and she can tell. She took a step back because the smell of an Alpha must be stronger without the jacket blocking some of it.

"Look, this isn’t what it smells like!"

I blurt out after my face spiked to a temperature hotter than the tea at the restaurant. Mira’s eyes widen and sparkle yellow at my loud voice... and she takes another step back, holding up her hands and shaking them side to side.

"C-citra please, I wasn’t assuming and I really don’t need to know-" freewёbnoνel.com

"We just happened to be in the same enclosed space, we didn’t actually get to... I mean, nothing happened! Nothing was going to happen, it was completely innocent!"

Frantic, blatant lies mixed with too much truth pour from my mouth as I step her way. Until she backs into a streetlight with a clang... both of us shaking and desperate for different reasons.

"I really, really don’t need details. This sounds like a very private matter that I have not been picturing, I swear. It is also entirely another pack’s business and I-

"It’s not pack business! We’re not... there’s no claiming or marking or anything like that, okay!?"

> What... is... WRONG with me?! <

Protesting in the worst possible way which only insinuates that there was *something* going on that would normally involve those things. It makes Mira crouch like she wants to disappear into the sidewalk.

"P-please stop talking."

It’s good advice. Better than Edgar’s, even... but I can’t stop. From inside my mindscape, it is like my rational mouth has completely disconnected from my brain. Sitting here with a very quiet Vrika who keeps tilting his head back and forth at my voiced sentences.

"But you’re looking at me like we did something scandalous! I swear that I was fully clothed the entire time she was on her back!"

"...That somehow makes it sound worse, since your front... smells like..."

Whispering this and staring at me in horror, face having changed from red to pale to green. We stare at each other for a moment after that, like both of us are afraid to even breathe and set off another ’explosion’ again.

"Helene... I mean, Citra. I’m going to go inside that building now. And tomorrow, I’m going to do my best to pretend this conversation never happened - and that I never smelled anything. Is that okay?"

"That’s... that’s fine. But really, it was just... nothing actually-"

"NOPE. Not hearing it. Lalalalala!"

Mira bolts from her crouch toward the building entrance with a loud voice to drown me out as she fumbles for her keycard. But I don’t watch to see if she gets inside safely... because I finally have the idea to order Vrika to take control - and we run in the other direction entirely.

Having just convinced a Pineheart pack member that I definitely, absolutely did something scandalous with the most powerful werewolf in the city.

⧖ ☾ ❄ ☽ ⧖

> This is fine. Everything is fine. <

Vrika is practically rolling on the ground laughing in my mindscape. After taking back bodily control a dozen sprinted blocks away... the journey back to my own place at Perigee gave me plenty of time to think about how hopeless I am.

As did stuffing my face even more and taking a long shower. With all of that, I’ve come to the conclusion that I really do not understand it.

For better or worse - and it mostly feels like worse - Kyrie brings out things in me, even when she is not around. Including inglorious attempts to deny the silliest, most obvious to anyone things.

"I might not have ever bragged aloud about what I was doing with partners... but I have never, ever sabotaged myself so terribly - to my knowledge. If I had, I’d probably want to forget it though, so maybe I am repressing it?"

Lounging in a fresh set of underwear, because right now I’m still far too stimulated to be stripped down completely... I stare at my phone. Telling myself that doing some research might be in order.

But remembering what Edgar said to me as if it was on repeat.

C: [Did you make it home safely? You seemed pretty unsteady when I last saw you.]

The probing response didn’t give away when the real last time I saw her was. When the notification for her answer comes, I tap on it without even trying to read in the small version.

A: [Checking on me! That’s very sweet, even after I was... well, me.]

A: [Yes, thank you. Made it home fine. Mostly. Only fell up the stairs once.]

"Fell... up?"

Shaking my head at the paradox, my thumbs tap busily away at a response.

C: [Good. Try to drink some water before you sleep. Alcohol dehydrates.]

A: [You’re bossy when you’re worried - it’s cute. Hey, want to see what I saw?]

Several photo attachments come into site, the ones she took suddenly and without asking. And of course, she was right, even in the questionable lighting I do look... striking. The stone lantern behind me in the last creates a nice effect.

A: [See? Told you. The camera loves her.]

Squinting at the phrasing, my heart drops down past my stomach when I notice something. A feature of these devices I haven’t used yet waited within the texting application. At the top, it says more than just the number for the seamstress.

K: [These are beautiful photos, Anise. Thank you for sharing them.]

My heart now climbs to my throat at the confirmation - Kyrie Voss is somehow in my chat with a new friend.

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