Coldsnap: The Billionaire Alpha's Fated Pregnant Princess (GL)-Chapter 373 - [K] Things Too Late, Too Early, And Just In Time

Chapter 373: Chapter 373 - [K] Things Too Late, Too Early, And Just In Time

***[POV: Bestfriend Boss Lady]***

Although she had been unusually quiet since Citra left, Claire threw herself into our final apocalypse preparations like I had. She seemed to be pretty much the only one around here who could even activate the terminal, though she could only shrug.

I believe it was because that was how the one who gave it to her wanted things. She did say that the system worked on her desires in some form.

My assistant entered with messy hair, her tablet clutched to her chest and a half-eaten chocolate bar in her other hand. Her eyes found the set of hair ties in my hand on the desk immediately.

"Still doing that, huh?"

"...Did you have something to report?"

She took another bite of chocolate, chewing slowly. Stalling while staring off at nothing behind those glasses. Her work has not lessened, but she certainly has stopped caring about appearances so much.

"Claire. Just tell me."

"The drone watching the cabin logged another 48 hour search pattern with no activity. That’s ten days now of absolutely nothing, boss. No heat signatures, no movement, no signs anyone’s been within a quarter mile of the place."

My chest tightened. I knew nothing would change there, but I couldn’t give up hoping. I heard the tablet click down onto my desk and looked up into her flat, robotic face despite not being in her office attire.

"I didn’t want to think that’s what it meant. The wire transfer... I kept telling myself it was just Citra being Citra about debts. The messages to others were just an assurance that she’d show up before everything started."

Fingers tapped on the upside down device as she pulled something up on it. The last photo she took. I’d seen it already. I’d seen them all.

Claire had sent me all the photos from Citra’s cloud backup days ago. And I looked through every one. Landscapes, selfies, candid moments of her life here and the people she met with that I hadn’t known she was capturing.

Far too many nude shots to be calm about the woman before me shrugging and admitting she looked at. With only her word that the person herself already knew and also shrugged it off.

I don’t think that makes it okay with me. There are lines. Even knowing this woman crosses every one she catches sight of isn’t always enough.

But even if it is a stab at the friendship, she is still a valuable employee.

"I’ve looked at this. What about it?"

"You were awake."

She said it softly. Hurt. I began studying the image in detail for the first time since that initial, painful glance at the curve of her jaw, the soft fall of her hair, and the barely-there sad smile on her lips.

My eyes were open during the shutter. Not wide, not *obvious* in the lighting. But enough that when she enhanced that section by running it through filters it was fairly unmistakable. I’d closed them immediately after.

"I was awake. I pretended not to notice her getting up."

"Why... I’ve been trying to figure out if I should have done something more. But you let her go?"

"I thought she was just restless like the night before. Thought she’d come back to bed."

Her hand slapped on the bulletproof material, so dense that it must have hurt a lot.

"Did you know she got in the elevator?"

"I thought she needed space to move around. To not feel watched or constrained. I was trying to give her what I thought she needed after clinging onto her like I did."

"And instead you gave her enough freedom to disappear completely."

Even though I’d been thinking the same thing this whole time, her words felt... new. Someone *finally* blamed me.

And it was relieving.

I let go of the plastic spheres in hand and let them roll across the flat surface. Recalling the feeling of her getting untangled from me, the mattress movement, and the soft footfalls.

How long it took before the sound of the elevator opening rang out. How long I took before I actually rolled over.

Before I called it back to the penthouse and saw what she’d done to the control panel. Every step of it was too slow. Too optimistic.

I thought I had learned not to cage her, even when she’d been telling me the whole time not to have expectations. That letting the door remain open was... all I needed to do.

But it still doesn’t make sense to me. I still feel like I am missing something.

"I let her leave."

"Maybe. Or maybe she would have just left later if you stopped her then."

She stuffed the rest of the chocolate into her mouth and grabbed her device, pacing around my desk twice until she finished chewing it all.

"You can’t control someone into staying. Even if you don’t give them space to run. Trust me, I’ve tried. By the way, tell Luca he is kind of an asshole for me, please? Preferably in front of all his wolf friends at your stupid wolf meeting in those stupid caves."

With her walk away, I realize her behavior lately isn’t all about Citra. And that just like I hadn’t shared my deeper relationship worries, she hadn’t shared hers until now.

Communication is pretty important. I’ve known that all my business life. So why did I chicken out so bad?

Fated Mate. I know that’s why. The feeling of having one shot and not wanting to blow the chance.

My phone buzzed with a message from Luca. Informing me that the Duskpaw arrived a bit earlier than we expected. That Jace is with them instead of holding with the rest of their pack.

Not bothering to protect their own Omegas during the journey to lunar rite, but instead to continue with his one-sided bullshit. I picked up the hair ties and slipped them into my pocket to go change.

Into something unrestrictive. Because while I could also walk straight out of the city like my mate without anything on... if I want to make it there quickly, I need to use the helicopter.

And I’d rather not be stared at for showing up on the roof in nothing. Even if he has seen me leave the flight cabin that way.

⧖ ☾ ❄ ☽ ⧖

The arrival went as well as could be expected. Making my way deeper into the Silvertrap Caves took no real thought. Mixed together scents guided me anyway. Familiar and unfamiliar pack hierarchy.

But the execution of my arguments did not go as well as I expected.

I was in the middle of a heated discussion with the Sandhowl pack’s Alpha, who actually seemed like he was taking the *wrong* side... when I heard it. A faint, echoing howl from deep within the caves.

My wolf knew immediately. My heart lurched in my chest. And all the other bickering werewolves fell silent.

Heads all cocked, eyes all wary. For they had heard it too, but without the recognition of who it came from.

But one of them understood in the same way I could. Jace Duskpaw was moving before anyone even asked where it came from. His nostrils flared and his eyes flashing with a feverish blue light.

"It’s *her*." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

He growled, his voice thick with fury and disgust as he transformed. Yet my paws were already eating up any distance through pathways known and unknown.

I could hear him behind me, growing more distant. Could hear the others shout to follow.

All that mattered was getting to Citra first. Protecting her and the child. Because that’s what this was about, I’d realized it when I heard that howl.

I didn’t question how it was possible considering what I ordered Dr. Lang tell me against her code of ethics. I barely questioned the why I came to the conclusion. In my heart I knew that Citra must have just given birth.

Right here in the further depths of the lunar conclave’s sacred caves. I just had to find her first. Without any idea or any scent-

Another bark and a howl.

But not hers. A Duskpaw... *Jace* had somehow caught the trail! I reversed direction to take a new path, slammed into a stalagmite that was in my way, and burst into the small chamber in a cloud of limestone shrapnel.

His claws were extended and his teeth bared, the black werewolf lunging toward her as she curled, weakened around something in her arms.

I threw myself onto his back. A vicious snarl ripped from my throat as I gripped my claws in a gut wrench hold... and bodily tossed this asshole former mate of Helene’s across the room.

Hoping he snapped his neck, broke his back, or landed his manhood on a spiky rock.