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 trying and failing to do anything with any composure. My thumb hovered over the attachnt button.
A few taps and I’d be sending her my face. Letting her see as I am right now.
"Why does that feel so intimate? People... see each other all the ti."
The image quickly sits ready after tricking myself into ’normalizing’ this. Waiting for to add a text of so sort alongside it before sending.
A group of laughing teenagers walked by, startling out of my trance. I quickly shoved the device back in my pocket like I was doing sothing wrong.
When I walked for a bit I found myself pulling it out again - because of another ssage 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 ssages.
Underneath is her response...
K: [ssage 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 ! <
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 beco outsides. The reaction feels too strong, even for .
Quickly, I turn the cara 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 ?!"
I delete the photo evidence imdiately. Complete and utter embarrassnt 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 [Princess]. Not like a title but... like we were... familiar.
As if she has the right to use an endearnt!
> 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 ti.
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 feel more ridiculous. Like the ti 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 , figure out how to get out of the imdiate area around a nice cave I’d found. <
I take several deep breaths as I shared the mory. The cool air entering my lungs helped sowhat.
"Focus. Get on with the rest of your day. Clinic first."
The distraction of a clear task ahead steadied . 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 mont I didn’t actually care about the various numbers, or for figuring out why so areas had higher numbers than others. That, when I flipped it from Imdiate to Apocalypse, so many of them were drastically different results.
But I still looked anyway. Letting ideas subconsciously settle and keep from drifting back to other matters.
A vibration from my backpack made 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 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 know if you need anything. I’m available for you any ti.]
Nothing nearly as presumptuous or possessive. I stared at the ssage, 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 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 accustod 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, sothing... unexpected caught my attention.
Threaded beneath the urban swirl of exhaust fus 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 as it grew stronger. In the direction where I was supposed to go.
The traces, so seem much older - and different from Kyrie’s deliberate territorial marking at the motel. This seed more like... a natural accumulation from routine comings and goings.
The red brick building was visible to 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 Won’s Health Center]. It also listed their hours of operation, confirming they were indeed open today at this ti.
I paused across the street, observing the entrance. Many wolf slls from ’regular’ visitors rather than the fresh wolves I’m sure are currently inside.
Several won entered and exited while I watched. All human, from what I could tell at this distance.
My Intuition did not give that sa suggestion as with Lucinda, that any were using scent blockers. But I may not be close enough to tell.
> Does that an 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 Ricoat 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.
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