Coldsnap: The Billionaire Alpha's Fated Pregnant Princess (GL)
Chapter 65 - Provocation, Thy Name Is Citra

Chapter 65: Chapter 65 - Provocation, Thy Name Is Citra

I fumble through the paperwork, leaving more blank spaces than filled ones. A few essential items go in - my name as Citra Lomdi, my approximate age, and a checkmark for [Suspected Pregnancy].

When asked if I’ve had prenatal care before, I simply write no. Under the section for insurance information, I check the box for [None].

And when it asks about emergency contacts, I pause with the pen hovering above the line. I have almost all the information to include... for only one particular person.

Someone who seems like they might come here immediately, if called. If necessary.

But the line that says [Relation To Patient]... cannot really be filled. So, I leave it all blank.

Looking down at it all, the form feels laughably incomplete. But it’s the best I can do without fabricating more information.

> Besides, a part of me suspects they might be used to this from werewolves who prefer to stay off the grid. <

After walking back over and returning the clipboard and its paperwork to the receptionist, I pause as I turn to leave.

"Excuse me, but is there an outlet I could possibly use? My phone is nearly dead."

The woman glances up, her gaze quickly noting the device I’m waving for emphasis in my hand. She points toward the ’werewolf section’ of the waiting area.

"Of course. There’s one over by the far wall. The other side gets crowded with people charging devices all day, but our... fewer community members usually don’t bring many electronics."

I nod my thanks and turn toward the indicated wall, where I find that the outlet sits mockingly behind the chair of a stern-looking woman. She’s obviously a member of the Pineheart pack.

The single amber leaf earring looks just like what Helene knew them to wear. With russet-brown hair swept into a severe updo.

Her posture radiates the kind of territorial, don’t approach energy that I’ve seen in guard captains back home. The ones who were promoted on length of service alone and don’t actually want to be doing a bunch of extra work.

The other two werewolves sit spaced evenly apart from her - and each other. No matter where I tried to sit, I would be breaking the balance that keeps peace among different packs in close quarters.

One, a blonde, is clearly a Cloudtail by her neckerchief with subtle cloud-like patterns embroidered on it. The last is a copper-haired woman who had been stealing glances at me this whole time.

She wears the same earring that marks her as another Pineheart, though it looks a little less lustrous of an orange. Considering her nervous energy though, I have a hard time picturing her as higher up in their hierarchy.

> All in all, it looks like I must approach the ’biggest bitch’ of the group here. Well, be ready, Vrika. It may get more interesting than I plan. <

I step toward the woman sitting where I need to be. Standing just close enough to be noticed, but not so close as to seem immediately aggressive.

"Excuse me. Would you mind if we traded seats? I want to charge my phone."

I keep my voice to what I believe are fairly neutral tones. When she looks up at me, her eyes narrow.

She even makes a show of looking up and down at my outfit, my bags, and my shoes - before taking in my hair in particular with a nasal noise.

"This seat is mine. Find another one."

The woman answers curtly... not bothering to disguise her dismissal with any congeniality. Vrika growls softly in my mindscape, hackles rising at the show of disrespect.

I feel my lips curve into what I know is a smile-sneer combination. The same condescending expression that had made more than one potential suitor reconsider their offer to the crown, back in my kingdom.

"Well, that’s alright."

I step forward and lean over, daring and imposing. My voice takes on a silky quality that has always served me well with women.

"I can just sit on your lap if you’d truly like. Or you can sit on mine. Either way, I’d get even more out of this than I wanted."

The woman’s hazel eyes widened in shock - with a hint of genuine alarm flickering across her face as she felt I was serious. The other Pineheart seated behind me makes a small choking sound.

> Interesting. That might have been some suppressed laughter? <

"What did you just say to me?"

My target hisses, voice low enough that the receptionist won’t hear us arguing. Meanwhile, I maintain eye contact without backing down.

"I believe you heard me perfectly well. I just need the outlet. Not your dignity, should you have any. So... make this easy - or I make it interesting. Your choice."

Puffing out my chest more, there is a moment I think she might actually challenge me. That I may have miscalculated.

I’m relying entirely on the leverage of her wanting to stay here for her appointment - and not cause trouble that may get her kicked out.

Her hands tense on the armrests - and I catch the faintest gleam of yellow coloration in her eyes as her shift edges forward. But then she stands abruptly while gathering her purse sitting in the chair next to her.

"...This kind of behavior is why rogues have the reputation they do."

She mutters while moving two seats over as the other Pineheart scrambles to make more space. When she plops down and glances back, I smile and bow very lightly.

Like I’d seen the delivery girl from that ’sushi’ place perform.

"Thank you for your generosity, though it’s a shame we couldn’t... grow closer."

I provoke her sweetly a final time before settling into the vacated chair. I dig out the new phone accessories from my bag and put it all together.

The screen lights up with the charging symbol... and I allow myself a small moment of satisfaction as I let it sit there on the chair nearby for a bit. The same spot the purse had been in, and closer to the Cloudtail she-wolf who pretends to be absorbed in a magazine.

> Her eyes don’t move across the page. Just doing it for appearances sake. <

At least she seemed to not care that much about me and the situation, so I didn’t make any mention of it aloud. The waiting room falls into an uncomfortable silence.

Pointedly avoiding looking in my direction after what I said, the stern Pineheart glares at a wall. Only the copper-haired woman continues to steal glances at me, a curious thing that almost seems like admiration in her expression.

But every time I look back, she averts her gaze and huddles her neck down. With one side slightly exposed.

> Very submissive. She’s lucky I’m not someone with bad intentions. Yes, Vrika, despite flirting with her packmate just to upset them. That doesn’t count as bad - it was tactical. <

Blue eyes look at me like they can hardly believe the lies I spew to its face. My wolf can tell that I was just chasing the danger before me.

And it’s right, of course - in a manner of speaking. I really was relying on the implied safety of our public location when I made the decision.

However, in the future, this werewolf will surely remember me. And that kind of enemy making does... sort of thrill me.

The minutes tick by slowly and one by one, the human patients are called back. The first from our group to be admitted to the back is the blonde - who has not spoken or really looked at me at all.

My new brunette social ’mindgame’ project keeps checking her watch like she has somewhere better to be. Sighing pointedly in a way that makes me want to take a photo.

> She’s not all that attractive, compared to some people, but something about her whole person is at least quite... real, right now. <

While the wolf spirit continues to growl softly and whine over the fun clash I keep inching toward continuing. Ultimately, I decide to put the device and my time to better use.

It’s probably not very good to take... ’candids’ of people you do not know well in an environment like this.

Besides, this rectangle beside me contains access to more knowledge than the royal libraries of my homeland. I’m sure I can figure out how to extract some of it.

And make that trip I didn’t get to take to the public one obsolete!