Coldsnap: The Billionaire Alpha's Fated Pregnant Princess (GL)-Chapter 431 - Load Bear-ing Details, pt2

The pull was simple... just effort. With the knot sitting on one ankle correctly, I transformed and hopped back up. Being careful not to nick the rope with my claws was the most time consuming part.

Feet planted firm, werewolf strength proving sufficient, the uneven weight raised up and up until I was sure its head was clearing the floor by enough to get a bucket underneath - which I was sure of because of the one I had left nearby to judge this.

> I was really sure the bear was going to run into it when the whole animal swung that way like a rather macabre pendulum. <

Wrapping the rope twice around the support beam... something Helene knew was called a ’round turn’ thanks to the Omegas that still needed human ingenuity in the village she grew up in, I let go of the rope with one hand and started to transform back to a human again.

Finishing this side with two ’half-hitches’, I balance walk over about four and a half feet and wrap another anchor point before sliding back down the rope and creating another temporary knot on the other leg.

"This is going to require lots of back and forth."

Glancing at the kind of inconvenient system earpiece that I had to leave out of my head again, I feel nothing but complaints as I shift again and carefully hoist the carcass into a Y-shape. At least it is getting me more used to changing without my wolf.

When I land back down and move some buckets closer, I take a break to put the earpiece in to see if my guide has any advice.

"-sure he will grow up very proud to have her for a mother. She’s really fearless in so many ways."

"Yes, I can see."

"Citra can be a bit too sure of herself though. On the weirdest things."

"I suppose that is part of what Mrs. Voss finds charming."

"...You can look at the screen and see exactly what parts of her she finds... charming."

"Try not to make this all weirder, if you don’t mind. I’m treating it like a lunar ritual night with women I respect. Not a peep show."

"Did it sound like I wasn’t respecting her? I can’t really deny the peeping part, though, because-"

Instead of engaging with those two, who I know have probably *seen* that I have the ability to hear them again, I merely remove the item that is more trouble than it is worth and walk away unphased.

My eyes tick to the bag of tools. There was a number of knives inside that Martha told me how to use. She recommended the ’drop point’ with a thick fixed blade for the next part.

But whether it was because I was subconsciously annoyed or simply wanted to test myself, I turned into my hybrid form again. Approached the future nourishment and murmured a short blessing.

Straightening my fingers and locking the joints, I drove clawtip first into the thick ruff of the neck behind its windpipe. The hide resisted for a small beat of returning pressure before snapping.

My whole hand sunk right into ’warm’ muscle and blood, all the way up to the end of the palm. All of the feeling of fat, hard ridges, and ropey vessels and tendons remains even if the temperature registers dryly.

Honestly, bestial things do not turn my stomach all that much in the first place. Yet the fact that this is such a human feeling action behind its specific intention... bothers me.

Picturing Damien Eschenhorn as the bear. Doing what I couldn’t that day. Curled claws, hooking everything inside and tearing outward.

The sound... was a popping wet tear that shot a bit of blood against my furred forearm before starting to glug rapidly down, a slapping curtain of deep red into the bucket below. And of course the scent was rich with that of a still fresh kill.

But as fast as it came out and filled more than a quarter of the first bucket, it slowed to a trickle just as quickly. He did suggest I would have to work it out a bit manually.

I tried squeezing the front legs first like suggested. Pumping them, like I was serving as the beating heart for the creature’s vascular system. Each time set a quicker spurt of blood surging down out of the wound.

When the container was about two thirds full, I stopped and changed it out for an empty one. Only this time I tried pushing on the chest cavity. A rhythmic push and release, trying to be extra careful not to crack its ribs.

> From what I remember Helene reading, this is a big problem with that CPR medical trick for humans... <

In time, I managed to empty all of the blood that would come out, almost matching the first bucket in volume. Neither of them could tell me offhand how much there would be, though it looks to be well more than six gallons... maybe not quite eight.

Sighing while becoming human again, I put the earpiece in even though it felt like admitting defeat. I didn’t truly know the best way to proceed from here, now that the blood is out.

The humans sometimes kept furs of the slain beasts in my world, but that was rarer for shifters. And if it wasn’t edible, most beasts didn’t bother to specifically be careful with anything.

Which is to say, Ravi taught me how to get to the meat. Not how to preserve the hide in the best way. My brutal claws, effective as they were just now, also weren’t suited for this.

"Can you hear?"

"Yes."

"My apologies for engaging in excessive banter. Your mate made it very plain that her employee should control herself for the next hour. Or else..."

"Are you trailing because it was a vague threat, or did she use a specific one?"

Of course she was listening. And likely watching. And is trying to fight battles for me that I ignored.

"I watched you rip out a dead creature’s throat and I’d rather not say. If that tells you anything. You ready for me to walk you through the belly cut?"

I’d much prefer to stay on exactly what my... my what? What exactly do I call her now? Not-yet-mate is too wordy. Hm... ah. I guess it can be simple. Since I’m letting myself... take possession of so many things.

"Should you tell me what my Kyrie used to keep my friend quiet, then I would be willing to set aside certain piece of this creature for you. If that is amenable."

"What would you do with the information?"

"I’m afraid I cannot say. It highly depends on how far my silly Kyrie went to lessen the perceived stressors for me. Though in Claire’s case, I may retain it as a sword to wield over her head on my own."

Chuckling, I reach into the bag and select the curved skinning knife I should be using next. Assessing its edge and weight, I spin the hilt once across my bloody palm to see how much traction I will have.

> Never did get to use one of these for much more than threatening others. Guess I got some stabs in when I was kidnapped. Hardly too laudable. <

"Murderous isn’t a word I really toss around a lot. Can’t actually think of another. Not with you looking like that. This woman is your friend, right?"

"She is. One of my very dear friends in this world."

Tapping the knife against my thigh while glancing up at the drone, I sharpen my gaze and let loose my irritations.

"But I am after all, a bit too sure of myself over the *weirdest* things - and it would always be better to be *absolutely* sure... that I could shut her down as effectively as my white haired beauty is able."

A simple admission of ’mine’, as much as possible out loud will do. To tell her - and others - that I am not as shallow as I know I can appear. That there are some responsibilities I am willing to take.

"My Pyārī is also in for a talking to, do not worry."

Her falling in love with me is one such responsibility. One I will not let her bear the detriment of anymore. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Gripping the head of the bear and slicing the rest of the neck skin in a circle around it feels symbolic. Completing a circle, cleanly, that started with a ripping tear.

A ripping tear I will do my utmost to not let her ever feel. Which is why I simply cannot mark her back.