CHAPTER 251: CHAPTER 251 - THE JEALOUSY GOES BOTH WAYS

White hair drifting from the wind - from the shop’s heat escaping through the entrance behind her as it closed. Brown eyes lost in the orange so fierce that I’m surprised I haven’t caught ablaze in its candlelight... but of course they were aimed a little beside me already.

Staring at Ellie with the kind of focus a predator reserves for prey it’s about to tear apart. Her usual appearance was also quite disheveled - with hair that looked like she’d been running her hands through it repeatedly.

Red blouse was unbuttoned at the top. Blazer nowhere to be found. My wolf cowered in the back of my mind... because it saw no opportunity or thrill in this version of her. Only something to submit to and pray it’s throat was not torn out.

Eventually, the Stonepaw noticed my sudden stillness and turned to follow my gaze. The moment she saw Kyrie Voss looking at her like that, it seemed like every drop of color drained from her face before she whispered...

"...oh shit..."

"Citra."

I could hear the tension underneath the terse use of my name. The suggestion that primal violence was being held back by sheer willpower. My fingers flexed in the mittens, my own tension a grave mismatch for what is passing between them.

"I’ve been looking for you."

That predatory stillness suddenly took a deliberate step towards us - and Ellie bolted from leaning into my side to back away from the ’target’. However, all that coordination she held in this sanctuary of hers was shot by fear... and her heel caught on a display stand.

Books scattered everywhere as she tumbled flat on her back - the dark haired werewolf left her arms spread wide and her head tilted back without meeting anyone’s gaze. Perfectly submissive, showing no more signs of running or intention to fight back against whatever was happening.

Kyrie stalked closer and the few other customers in the store seemed to sense the dangerous nature of what was going on. All of them quickly found reasons to be elsewhere. Even the clerk behind the counter must have discovered urgent business in the back room.

Or maybe he’s just cowering too low for me to see? Either way, what a fearsome aura...

"What, exactly, was going on here?"

Voice like a winter wind, she said it to me I’m almost certain. But she also moved past me to loom over poor Ellie. The woman whimpered from the floor and looked like she was trying to decide whether she was about to die... or if this was all some sort of bizarre nightmare.

At least that’s why I think she is banging her head and telling herself to wake up. Is this a common dream?

Vrika still feels useless, just as much as the Stonewater’s wolf. All because of the angry look I may have fantasized about not too long ago. But it’s... it’s pointed at the wrong person!

Here was the mighty Rimecoat Alpha radiating full predatory power less than a day after our night in the forest. All that controlled danger unleashed, and it wasn’t even directed mostly at me!

Jealousy was running rampant in this establishment. Hers. Mine. Part of me that I never want to examine too closely was genuinely irritated at Ellie Rushwater. That she dared to steal the moment from me.

Why should this submissive wolf deserve the delicious anger. I’m the one you can’t control, you stupid white wolf! Look at me!

Luckily, the part that remembered what it was really like to be terrified and cornered, far past the point of thrill... couldn’t stand watching this happen. Not to someone who’d been nothing but kind to me, if overly eccentric and touchy.

"Kyrie."

...See, it’s a good thing I’m a hells damned hypocrite.

I said her name sharply and caused her to turn toward me. For a moment, all my breath hummed out of me at the raw emotion in her eyes. Then my heels were clicking against the shop floor.

When I reached her, I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed Kyrie’s wrist and pulled her away from that other cowering wolf with firm authority. The moment the gelled pads touch her, something shifted in her expression.

Still with murder in her eyes, I could feel as all of her focus sharpened on me. The fury didn’t subside but it did direct itself at me. But also... not at me? Ah... maybe it’s because this doesn’t feel like my hand.

"That’s enough. I was merely making friends. Nothing more."

From the corner of my eye, I could see my ’friend’ still on the floor where I sort of felt she belonged. Staring up at us with a mixture of that same terror... but also fascination. She was seeing the most powerful Alpha in the region being ’handled’ by some no-name rogue.

And she patted at her face like she still couldn’t accept this was not all fantasy. A growl rumbled as I took that little look her way, before a rough sounding voice complained to me.

"Friend. Is that what you call that... leaning into each other?"

"Yes. And you’re going to leave her alone. Promise it."

I could feel the tremor in her arm under my grip as I spoke firmly. The way her wolf was likely still demanding action.

But now that call to do something was focused on me - the one who’d dared to command her, to touch her, to pull her away from her fury right in the middle of it.

Somehow I pegged her as the kind of person who would falter immediately when I admonished her... well, she’s done a lot of groundwork to make me believe that so far, hm?

Vrika whined at me finally - well, with something coherent. It still didn’t think any of this was smarter than just laying down and letting the Alpha sort it out as they wished.

But frankly, that is an unacceptable option. Raising up my other hand, I pat its faux-paw on her cheek and watch as so many facial muscles just ripple in confused mental orders.

"No immediate response. Was that a refusal? Come over here. Now."

She followed without any particular resistance, probably more surprised herself at that than I was. When we were what I judged to be a safe distance away, I reached up to my head and deliberately removed the wolf ear headband.

"If you’re going to be territorial like this, then it’s only fitting..."

Placing it on her white hair, the soft gray ears sat up far more mismatched than how they were on my outfit - which at least had more neutral tones to match.

"-that you get to wear the beastly costume and be the bad wolf. Unless... you are going to refuse me on that as well?"