Coldsnap: The Billionaire Alpha's Fated Pregnant Princess (GL)-Chapter 427 - Keeping Secrets From Witches Is Harder Than From Lovers

Chapter 427: Chapter 427 - Keeping Secrets From Witches Is Harder Than From Lovers

Kyrie emerged with damp white hair and fresh clothes. She bothered to put on a nice red blouse from her closet and white slacks instead of opting for the military look today.

Perhaps chosen to project competence. A return to normal... or just a reminder of who she is to others. Not ceremony, but still a message and ritual in the choice.

Her Beta straightens, but hesitates in the motion. The witch also grows a stillness to her that I expect is both of them realizing the difference between us.

That I have not returned the marking.

But when I’m looked at again by the elderly woman, like she’s comparing two people? I get the feeling in my heart that she is not so concerned with that, but something more.

"Alpha. You look... rested this morning."

"Sleeping in a bed, instead of in snow piles or in caves, usually helps with that."

I suppose I hadn’t chosen to think about it, but if she really was searching for so long for me, then she would have had to take *some* breaks. The white wolf digging a hole, crawling inside a snowdrift that would retain her warmth...

Such a realistic detail that pinches at heartstrings. I thought I’d silenced guilt by making my way back to the tower with her. But talking to her assistant, seeing the greenhouse, those things did open a window again.

"Martha. Thank you for bringing what I asked for. And for everything your covens have been contributing to the tower’s sustainability efforts while I’ve been away."

"They are not ’my’ covens, Mrs. Voss. It looks like you gained something significant this morning. But also might have lost something, too."

Kyrie meets that without flinching. But those new colors ringed around her makes whatever the Goddess has done to her undeniable, even to me. it only makes sense that a mystic from this world would notice.

It also makes sense that a man would barely notice *that* detail, as Luca’s confusion grows more visible in his posture. He seems to know they speak of something ’wrong’ but also seems to lack the framework to identify it.

> I wonder if he even notes when Claire has her glasses on or off? <

"Yes. I am different. We both are."

As she begins with this answer, she moves to stand beside me deliberately. Places her hand at the small of my back frustratingly. As if the bond mark was not enough!

"Perhaps, we should sit down. There’s quite a bit to explain."

"I think all of us are strong enough to stand. You’ve only one soul to you now. What happened to your wolves?"

Her Beta’s head snaps to the chicken farming witch, then back to us. I can feel fingernails scratch against my tailbone. Shaking, slightly... obviously not ready to be forced into this moment.

Though it’s not exactly like I was ready to hear it either. My first, raw feeling is a moment of indignation.

A deity which keeps meddling in things probably took the spirit, the same as Vrika. Convincing it that it was *needed* for things and that its old contracted host would be fine without it.

Of course, the second soreness is less hot and more cold. A feeling like I am to blame. That I caused it with my connection to her.

Thankfully that all fades rapidly enough, knowing that the Lunar Goddess already had her eyes here. Even without my presence. It’s not my-

"I told it to get out. Because I wasn’t sharing."

"You what? When did this happen?"

My heart stops and voice sounds strange. Those fire-opals meet mine and I can see the lilac reflecting in the brown center. There’s no apology in them at all. No regret.

"During the marking. My wolf tried to reach for yours, but it wasn’t there. So I... asked mine to leave too. I won’t share you. Not that way."

I bite my tongue, literally, to keep the words inside. The curses I’d prefer my son not to hear spoken... even if he can’t understand them and even if he might have heard quite a bit of strange things in the nursery already.

They fall across my horror filled soul instead, every way I can think of to label her an idiot in my native tongue. Before I begin with the ones in English. Even if they kind of repeat the ideas.

"I didn’t think it was possible. For a werewolf to voluntarily release their spirit. And the wolf spirit the Goddess allowed you, Citra - where was it?"

"She took it back. A few days ago."

Martha was able to react fairly calmly to all this news and ask me that, but Luca had backed up into the wall for support. Where my horror was for her stupid, permanent feeling commitment that I’m sure she will regret...

> No, I guess it’s the same. He is trying to process how a leader can just toss away what rightfully gives her the throne. <

At least, I’m pretty sure that an Omega has never been an Alpha. They would kind of get torn apart during any challenge or confrontation with a spirited peer.

"Kyrie. Can you still transform? Like she could?"

Holding up her arm, it grows fur and claws on the end of her fingers. But her eyes? They ticked away to the side instead of meeting anyone’s.

Letting me know she is hiding something still. So much for being bonded, one-sidedly - it changed very little between us in *this* regard!

However, the display of power does bring the man in the room to his wits. He pushes off the wall and looks steadier on his feet. But no less confused as he looks for words.

"What does this mean for the pack? Are you going to-"

"That false challenge you staged for your people’s sake before. Did you want to try and finish it differently with this new information, Luca Stroman?"

Great. Seeing that she still had her shifting ability slammed me back into place as well. Calculating the ways to get him to act as I wish.

"...No."

"Are you compelled to tell everyone the truth of something there was no way for you to know without her admitting it? I would think not."

Repositioning Asha on my chest intentionally, to throw him further off balance, I step away from the woman and any desire to stick my face into that new scent undertone. Even if my social strategy is seeking for a way to use that in an effective moment.

> Preferably more public, more people. People trying to depreciate one or both of us with less than pleasant eyes, instead of his political clarity seeking ones. <

"But the Rimecoat is better understood by you. If you think the half-understood truth is better than omission before we have had a reasonable amount of time to experiment and learn everything we can about what has changed... then that is your decision as her Beta. Not mine." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Walking to the very chairs that we really should have sat down in, I think about how leaving that sort of thinking to him is fine by me. I didn’t come here to take over their pack structure.

I just came here because I accepted that it would be a better environment for my son. To have more than just myself care for him because she has the strength and kindness to do so.

And because Kyrie Voss is the sort of beautiful, persistent, open-door cage I didn’t mind strolling into. Since she seems pretty selective on who else gets let inside.

> Or apparently, it’s just the two of us. No other wolves, just two ridiculous ’foxes’ trying to out-possess one another. <

When I make it clear with a look that I expected everyone to join me, she saunters over. And sits on the arm of my chair.

...Foolish, silly, stupid sweet werewolf.