Coldsnap: The Billionaire Alpha's Fated Pregnant Princess (GL)-Chapter 454 - Some Tea Spilled, Some Tea Prepared

Chapter 454: Chapter 454 - Some Tea Spilled, Some Tea Prepared

"Twenty five is a long time. Even longer in years than... this... body has been alive."

What am I saying? Am I attempting to ruin her moment here by bringing up such a thing? It was going so smoothly for once. With me just keeping my mouth shut.

"Longer than I’d been alive at the time, too. I also have to think that number matches my age when she finally passed. While we were unable to do anything for her."

Needles of pain prickle my chest - not just from staring at my son while full of milk. But from knowing someone like me *might* have been able to talk her through it.

Assuming she was willing to hear what I had to say. Because it’s not just something I could have done *to* her. It would have been something she had to want for herself.

And as much as I hate to think it, no matter how much she loved her daughter here, she could have been choosing not to fight against the withering. Humans can also die slow from heartbreaks.

> She might have been choosing to join him, without literally throwing herself into an immediate death. Being a widow cannot be an easy thing. Which is why I never want this woman to experience a Śoṣa thanks to the Lunar Goddess’s little whim to divinely connect us. <

"Fertility rates are the real crutch of our species. When I started Lunarizon’s medical research arm, that was their real focus. Outside of general conversion of existing human technology to meet our needs."

"My memory doesn’t seem to have a lot of... our kind getting severely sick regularly."

"No, we don’t."

Well, I’ve already proved I’m awake enough to speak. Going back to being silent just isn’t me. Neither is effortlessly admitting that I count myself as a werewolf these days.

> Sometimes it just works and I don’t falter. Thinking shifter equals werewolf in their language is easy enough. Other times I feel like it’s patently untrue and that I am playing a role, even when she looks at me fondly. <

"Even Omegas are quite healthy into old age, though passing seventy is a feat."

I did know that. The Elders of the Duskpaw were few enough, but none were over a hundred. As I might have expected from my world’s shifters. Truly, it’s no wonder we formed and dominated the kingdoms.

With the territorial mind of beasts and the intelligence of humans, though somewhat lacking their ingenuity, and a longevity that surpassed both... we became the survivors. Holders of knowledge.

> And it didn’t hurt that the local pantheon of deities favored us, either. <

"Unless we get into fights to the death, which is unfortunately common, or die in accidents... much less common, sorry... werewolves are still... designed quite well."

I can admit that easily enough. The regeneration and hybrid form are extremely valuable components of the design, weaknesses to strange certain things aside.

"Some of them are designed more impressive than others."

She squeezes my hip and lowers the side of her forehead onto the top of mine. I can almost feel that part of me. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

The one that has accepted this form as my own... at most times... raise it’s chin and smirk.

"Sweet words from a sweet wolf."

Well, that may also be because I genuinely smile at her in reality. After pulling my head away from hers. Funny coincidence, that. The inside matching the outside for once.

...Vrika would find it funny, anyway.

"I’m sorry that I don’t have anything more comforting to say."

"Wanting me to be comforted is plenty enough. Come on, lets get you taken care of."

My spine straightens sharply as she tugs at my elbow. Those words could mean... so much. But not putting our son down, heading to the kitchen...

It only confused the me who couldn’t get *certain things* out of mind. Is she going to feed me again? I sincerely hope she’s not trying to make that her thin-

"...What do you think you’re doing?"

Icily, my voice shivers out of my teeth eight seconds later. Because this woman has turned on a *certain* machine. Letting a feature that is technically unnecessary to me, with system Tolerance, begin to warm the silicone.

"Helping. You’re leaking, Citra."

Lifting her arm, she shows off the wet spot on her shirt. Right where I’d been leaning into her. The ice in my throat melts, steams right into a ball of fire at the back of my skull.

Heating my cheeks *much* faster than that machine is capable of reaching my body temperature, as I glance down and... check myself. Two mornings in a row! I am *not* making a habit of having her deal with this from me.

"Thank you. I can take it from here."

"Are you sure? I wouldn’t mind."

She lifts one of the flanges and shakes it around a little. My finger raises, points to the elevator around the corner-

"Get out."

And the only thing I could possibly say to her teasing, after the way this morning has started - or her *sincerity* despite it - falls from my lips.

⧖ ☾ ❄ ☽ ⧖

Before leaving the city, I’d ordered and stored away a number of things. Some of which is now stuck in the second container down in the caves that I had to leave behind - though I thankfully didn’t actually put that much of my own supplies inside it.

Which is why the executive kitchen now smells like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, and strong tea. My servants would be ashamed of me, but when looking for ways to feel...

> Well, human in an apocalypse, I guess? <

I discovered that there is such a thing as this Chai ’concentrate’. A syrupy concoction that I simply have to mix with equal parts water. If I wanted to be basic with it!

"Smells good. Alright, now..."

The tea had started steaming but not boiling in my pot. Something I’d bought on a whim after thinking that I could at least heat things up, but had yet to use. Not after failing so much with mere eggs.

I took a ladle of it from the pot and drizzled it in a bowl, around a clump of sweetened, condensed milk. Whisked it well until it became a much more mixed and pourable slurry. One that I could add to the warming pot without it sinking and burning.

"So far so good."

For a bit after that, I looked distractedly at Asha as he dozed in a nest of blankets I’d arranged in his playpen. Watching him toddle around, start to get the hang of eating off of the little plate on his own, it had been a very complex kind of *motivation*.

Enough that I’d decided if I was going to play host to the leaders of the covens, I would do it properly.