"Alright, I’ll dig deeper into his recent communications and financial records. Imdiate family, too. See if anyone’s been motivating him to be part of this. Do you need sothing from right now, or was this just a call for you to be updated?"
"Three things. First, can you route that car back to where I am so that I do not need to go track it down? And second, I need to set up a eting with your guy. The one you told about."
"The car’s easy enough. Should be there in thirty minutes if I send it now. As far as guys I told you about... oh! Yeah, I can get him to the warehouse. When do you need it?"
"As soon as possible. Today, if he can manage it."
"Sure thing! He owes a favor anyway. Third thing?"
I smirked at her tone, thinking that most people probably fear owing this woman favors. Back in my world, I thought I had the art of keeping blackmail at hand sewed up quite well into my royal clothing - but this woman has it seeded in ’the cloud’.
"Just... keep an eye on things. Not just for Kyrie. Yourself, too. Because if a direct attack failed, then they might try and reduce her support next."
"Already handling that. I’ve got monitoring set up. Trust , if anyone so much as breathes wrong or grumbles a peep about boss lady’s wolfy bits, I’ll know about it. Good to talk, but seems like we both have things to do - ciao!"
Her tone changed at the end before she hung up. Making think soone must have gotten nearby that she was trying to hide who she was talking to from. Perhaps Luca?
But really, all I could think about was one other part of her sentence.
"...Wolfy bits?"
> No. I am not sure what she ans by that, either. Nor do I think I want to contemplate it. Really! <
Vrika paces in my soul while making a chuffing noise at where my head went.
⧖ ☾ ❄ ☽ ⧖
The self-driving car arrived exactly when predicted, pulling into the rest stop for to slide into the *unnecessary* driver’s seat. I programd it with the app for the warehouse district, then settled back to wait as we pulled onto the main road.
Fifteen minutes into the drive, I finally worked up the nerve to make another call. One I hadn’t intended to make at all, but asking Martha to keep quiet and dealing with the idea of determined enemies made realize I had more holes in my story than ’swiss cheese’.
"Silverton Won’s Health, this is Dr. Lang. To whom am I speaking?"
"Hello, this is... Citra. Citra Lomdi."
My mouth dries. I’d thought I’d have to talk to an overnight receptionist or maybe a voicemail. I was not prepared for this!
"Of course. Your voice is a bit different over the phone, but I can hear it now. Did you call because of an imdiate concern? It is not too late and I can wait for you to arrive at the clinic if necessary."
"No, nothing... nothing’s wrong with the child. I just made that appointnt before and need to discuss... rescheduling it."
My fingers drumd against my thigh as I tried to find the right lies. Ones that will not be dismissive of the purpose of her profession, despite now having a portable version of the ’diagnostician’ part of it within the system.
"I’m going to need to push it back. Recent work conflicts have co up, you see."
Eventually the sound of typing on a keyboard began, which only made more nervous.
> I know it is likely that she is just trying to fix things in the computer for my request, but for so reason I pictured a therapist with a clipboard. So I can only imagine her typing ’habitual liar’ over and over again. <
"I understand if you need to reschedule, but I have to stress that consistent monitoring during the first trister is critical for both maternal and fetal health."
"Yes, I’ve read-"
"We may be werewolves and we may generally have few complications after a successful insemination, but the ones we do have are so often preventable if caught in ti that it makes sick to my stomach to think about."
I open my mouth again and close it. Because while I wouldn’t quite call it the *anguish* of personal experience, it was at least a strong sorrow for her kin in that voice. One that was doing a fair job of making feel selfish and wrong for what I was doing.
> But I have no choice. I cannot let her dical machines get a look at how fast it is growing or what form it is taking... <
"If we can work sothing out to get you in... or for to make a ho visit... can you tell more about these work conflicts?"
"...Modeling contracts. They’ve offered booking until the Fifteenth of December that would require being out of the city for several weeks."
"I see. And this opportunity ca up suddenly?"
"Yes."
Everything I said wasn’t entirely a lie. I did have more modeling work lined up... according to the texts from excited, panicked, and too teasing Anise.
Though it was not far outside of Vossden at all, three days would be sowhere out in nature. And I did *not* know about it before the last hour on the clock, so...
"Citra, I want to be very clear about sothing. As a physician, hearing your request does not make happy."
The concern in her voice made my chest twinge. It reminded how alone I really was in this part of my situation. With almost no one who knows the whole truth... except myself and Vrika.
"Doctor Lang, I will be just as forthcoming. I respect your dical advice - and I understand the risks. If I thought that what I was asking for would put this child or myself in unnecessary harm’s way, then I hope you would believe that I would never dare."
"...Given the circumstances and that your initial screening looked almost excessively healthy..."
After mumbling, she sighed so loudly on the other end that the microphone crackled. It was beginning to make feel terrible. The idea that I may have just ruined her night, at a minimum - on top of whatever worries she may remain harboring soon.
"I want you to swear you will call imdiately if you experience any unusual symptoms. Noticeable blood, severe cramping, persistent nausea, or even sleeplessness - anything at all that seems off from your healthy routine. Do not just let it slide by as coincidence."
"Of course. I swear it by the Lunar Goddess herself."
Without sha at all that a pup in my womb is already ’off’, I make the vow. Those things *all* sound terrifying, so of course I would absolutely consider approaching a healer of so sort!
"And Citra? If this becos a pattern, with missed appointnts... we’ll need to have a different conversation about your commitnt to parenthood. Understood?"
"Understood. Thank you so much for accommodating this. I know I would regret it if I didn’t earn money while I can. But I also did not want to just disappear without informing you."
"...Thank you. Have a good evening, Ms. Lomdi. See you next month."
Slumping back in the seat, the worry that I would bump a pedal on the vehicle gets displaced by the unhappiness in my heart. Because there is a good chance I would not speak to the caring woman again...
Not before I have the pup. Because like usual, what I said was not entirely a lie.
> I do not want to disappear without informing anyone. But I will do what is required to protect myself and the life Helene made. I’d decided that before I ever t any of these people. And knowing them now... does not change my mind.
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