Coldsnap: The Billionaire Alpha's Fated Pregnant Princess (GL)-Chapter 354 - [K] Prize Worth Working Overtime For

Chapter 354: Chapter 354 - [K] Prize Worth Working Overtime For

A/N: Mildly descriptive states of undress.

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***[POV: Busy(?) Alpha CEO]***

A spreadsheet of totals blurred in front of my eyes. I’d been staring for minutes at the same columns of expected supply chain vulnerabilities in the coming weeks, created by both my assistant and a team of other individuals in our company good with plotting theoretical data.

All in the name of a ’worst case winter’ scenario that I am continuing to claim is some sort of government program that we are getting a grant for. My phone buzzed on the desk at the same time my earpiece informed me that I had a new photo message.

"Alright. I’m out. I won’t be able to compete for attention with that. Tell Citra I said hello."

Without any other words, Claire grabbed up her own laptop and began to leave my office. Without the rolling chair she’d brought inside here this evening. She has still been very effective with her work, but has stopped being so professional around me lately.

I couldn’t blame her. Not when I’m... being how I am. The picture of the unclothed fox-lady certainly is not something I should be looking at during work hours. Or letting my assistant sneak around my chair and look at.

Luckily it is past eight. But that text...

Princess: [You do partial shifting on your arms, what about other places? Like... just the ears and tail?]

I stared at the message and picture long after I was left alone. That had never been something I’d even attempted. Never needed to. The claws and hybrid strength served a purpose I had needed it for.

Combat. Quick and decisive displays of strength. And even that, I’ve never been able to teach anyone how I-

"New Image, From: Princess."

Lodestar spoke again in my ear and made me look back down at my screen. This time, it was not a piece of artwork. At least... not one to let anyone but me ever see.

Growling, in a way that I’m not sure was jealousy or just restraint, I look at Citra posed on my screen. Standing just as nude as that digital art ’vixen’, but apparently turned around in a mirror. As she took the photo over her shoulder in front of a white shower curtain in her bathroom.

"Her shower had a glass door. Did she go buy a rod just for this...?"

Fox ears perched on her head, black as her hair and stark against the shiny drape. Tilted just enough that the set of jeweled items in her hair caught the cool light, which also made her skin seem extra milky.

A leather belt with a fluffy tail pinned to it hung straight down so that nothing as explicit as the separation of cheeks was visible. If you didn’t count the rest of her curves as *graphic*. Hips, thighs, underarm, and the side of her breast...

Just between that gap in the arm she is taking the photo with. And having enjoyed all of it the other night, I could never discount an inch of her as being less than sensual. What is she trying to do to me this time?

Is it an invitation? Just teasing me? Or...

Princess: [If you get what drove me to ask after seeing this, then maybe you’ll understand how highly I value a trade. If you can accommodate, you may deserve another treat.]

My brain and breathing stuttered to a halt. Both. It was both. I stood abruptly, grabbing my suit jacket from the chair, making it halfway out of the room, and groaning while marching back to turn off the computer.

Security may be tight in the tower, but that does not mean I should be lazy. Or... neglectful while in my hurry for something I can’t even give her. Yet.

At the private elevator, I needlessly pressed the button to go up twice. My hand then moved to my head before I could think better of it. Trying to concentrate. For that familiar sensation of transforming.

Direct. Control. Just ears. Just... the ears.

Cracks spread through my skull first, which was unusual. But when the elevator doors opened to the penthouse seconds later, the only successful thing I’d done was ruin a blouse.

Seams torn, buttons dangling from ripped threads. Waist constrained by a skirt that did not budge. My furred and clawed hand pressed into the wall outside. Paws stepped softly over the gap.

And I let out a hot breath from my snout as I caught my reflection in the mirrors behind the door that was closing. Full hybrid, orange eyes, and a wolf inside that was actually as annoyed as I was that we could not make it work.

Yet.

⧖ ☾ ❄ ☽ ⧖

I’d never bothered to put clothes back on. Just forced myself back to human and tried again. First just the claws repeatedly. Really thinking what felt different about it.

A number more attempts after that led to hybrid transformations. Which made sense, I was trying to mix the two. To be human and retain werewolf features. I never thought of being a wolf when trying to keep my arms.

Still frustrated, my third idea was to shift to such a wolf, then *reverse* to a human partially. To leave the tail, at least. Muscles twisted and bones snapped back to my human looking form instead.

I gasped at the continuous strain. I’d transformed more times in the last couple hours than I had in weeks combined. Perhaps this is even my record within a single day.

Drinking some water before pouring it over my head to cool off helped. Though it left a mess on the kitchen tile that my clean hand towels had to handle.

My wolf was eager. Because our mate was asking - give mate what they want. That was what it felt like. Ridiculous.

"You only fully agree if it leads to carnal moments. Not if it respects her space. Unless she gets fed up and threatens to leave, then you are docile."

Unlike her, I can’t really converse with what is inside me. But our body... my body was getting tired of being partly compelled to do this over and over. Causing me to just... stop.

With four legs and fur, flopping on the cool floor in this quiet penthouse. Vibration from the city beyond the windows - and the tower’s utility and maintenance systems - were all I had to deal with. And it lulled me to sleep as I shut my eyes.

With a count to ten, just for those moments, to let myself rest.

⧖ ☾ ❄ ☽ ⧖

A ringtone jolted me awake. One I did not need to check to know who was calling. I scrambled onto my paws before shifting back to human... still disoriented and clumsy from the wolfnap.

"Hello?"

"Did I wake you? You sound... out of breath."

My heart was pounding at her amused voice. Even before I heard a distinctive sort of splashing sound in the background. Pool? Is that the treat?

"I was practicing. Took a... nap."

"Oh, having some trouble with it?"

Covering it up may have been less embarrassing. I didn’t have to admit to it. My fingers threaded through my hair, still a bit damp from earlier.

It had been less than an hour according to the digital clocks in view. But that’s time I won’t get back this evening. Which means rushing had been...

"It’s... more difficult than expected."

"Mmm. Well, I have faith in you. By the way, baths are truly relaxing."

Another set of water sounds, languid and staccato all at once. I can almost picture her leg lifting slowly, rippling the water as drops rain from it. Probably grinning like a cat that ate the canary at whatever face she thinks I am making right now.

"While buying a curtain, I found some menthol salts. So I put just a little in the water. You know... just in case a certain big sweet wolf was eager to collect her prize tonight."

My throat went completely dry. Or I realized how dry it was as I gulped. Quietly, without making more noise, I padded toward the kitchen for another glass of water. But my silence was enough.

"No pressure, of course. Take your time. I’ll just be here... soaking for you."

The lilt in her voice told me she knew exactly what she was doing. Challenge, promise, and provocation. With a soft sigh that felt like it was on the edge of disappointment, she ended the call as abruptly as it came in.

I took a breath. Then another. Forced myself to center, over ten counts of ten. Thinking of everything that I should be doing.

How these hours could have been used looking at plans. For anything more I can do to prepare. Or just resting, so that I will be in good shape to do that tomorrow. And the next day.

Then I tried her request.

Again and again.

Later in my bed that I don’t remember passing out in? Black fur was curled around my white. Even though I never succeeded in her stated request or called her back.

And I’m not sure she understands. That recognizing I’d be pushed by that tease, letting herself in to check on me, and then just cuddling with me...

Was more of a sweet treat than anything else I or my wolf had been thinking of.