CHAPTER 246: CHAPTER 246 - ACCUSED, AMUSED, RETURN FIRE

Turning away without a response, I hand the meal’s check and the card to the woman who would be processing my payment. She was marvelously good at seeming oblivious to the tension crackling between her customers.

Maybe little arguments happen a lot at a place like this?

However, Paul shifted uncomfortably beside me again and nervously straightened the pair of containers in the bag he held. Clearly sensing something was wrong even if he didn’t understand fully what her implication was.

"Thank you."

I didn’t have time to pay attention to the teen on the other side, because as my fingers took the card back... a hand touched my wrist. She didn’t *grab*, but she did interrupt the direction I was pulling my arm back in.

"Nothing to say? I’m just curious about what paid services you might be providing to be... given access to someone else’s personal account that you’ve just met."

She’s really going to do this. Right here at the counter, in front of everyone. Is she afraid I intend to run away from her accusation?

"I think you’re making assumptions. Just like you did last time."

My other hand slides under her wrist and pushes the whole arm up and away. She seems to try to resist a moment at first, until her eyes spark orange when she realizes that I seem to be strong enough not to care that she is pushing back.

Hm. Backs down quickly. But not completely. Like a starving beast who tries to snap its jaws at you, darts away, and stalks at the edges of the treeline for another chance. No, not quite rabid - don’t be rude.

"Well, from where I’m standing, it looks very much like someone has found herself a wealthy benefactor using only their feminine wiles in trade. How... entrepreneurial of you."

The silence that followed felt deafening. Even the workers behind the counter were forced to stare like people starved of entertainment... and truly, it was sort of entertaining.

Just how wrong she is. Just how right she is. The human imagination really is great!

"Vicky, that’s... that’s enough."

A small voice tried to beg voice tight with mortification. Even knowing this probably wasn’t good for them to see, I couldn’t help the fact that a bit of a smile was on my lips. In my mindscape, I stood beside Vrika in my old human form with the same sort of pleasure.

Amused, yes. Provocative, yes. She’s clearly the type to have decided her mind and nothing I say would convince her otherwise. Why should I give her any real information if all she intends to use is the version she concocts from it?

She leaned her face - and that stench of curdled milk on ice - slightly toward me, her voice dropping to a whisper that should have felt more threatening than shouting. Except I can still see where I had rattled her... hidden in her brown eyes.

"I don’t know what game you’re playing, girl, but Kyrie Voss didn’t build what she has for us only to lose it all to a gold digger."

"Your head really shoots as best it can toward the worst cases, doesn’t it? Have I offended you in some other life? Or are you just so bored by your ’clients’ that my charm is dragging you over again and again?"

"Charm? Hardly. Dressing forest trash in expensive clothes does not make it a diamond."

"Are you saying you intend to be the pressure meant to turn me into a shiny gem? Ms. Whitecrest, I’m afraid that I have no interest in being pressed down by you at all."

Her nose wrinkled at the innuendo and I snickered. When I lean closer, I watch her hand twitch like she intended to slap me for the intrusion. That could have made things interesting - it still might!

"But... ’Vicky’... I hear there is at least one Beta who has no interest in being polished by you either."

A deep, rumbling growl draws some eyes. But she keeps it together... what a shame. When I lean back, her eyes are filled with more hatred than before. I suppose I’ve made it very personal now.

What did she think *she* was doing by constantly looking down and telling me these things. Was it just business for her? Hardly. What a child.

My wolf has me right on the edge of shifting completely as I stare back at her. My eyes are probably glowing, but I don’t really care at the moment. Because she needs to be intimidated, apparently.

"...Just remember that there are those of us watching what she does. Closely."

With that, she straightened and walked back as if she was not retreating to the group of four men - two Omegas and two humans who had been staring this way with more confusion than anything. Leaving me standing there with two teens looking at me much the same.

"What the hell was that about?"

"Language."

Zoé whispered as we moved away from the counter and I tapped the edge of my hand softly on the top of her head before tucking the card back in the oxblood colored purse.

"And nothing you need to worry about. I sincerely apologize that the two of you have been so put upon by those circling around me today."

"No, it’s... it’s fine?"

Paul tries to hand me the bag of food containers he is holding for me when we get back out into the city air. The sound of traffic and that distinct low roar of the city in daytime is honestly more pressure than I ever felt from that woman today.

"Besides this was all my fault. If I hadn’t come out-"

Interrupting his reasoning with the same light tap treatment I gave his girlfriend, I swipe the bag out of the air when he drops it. All to bring his hands to his head with wide eyes, like he had just taken some wildly unexpected damage.

But it was so soft? Less strength than I hit her with... ah, she is rubbing her hair too now.

Without knowing whether this was just sympathy - to make him look like she also felt something and he was not ’too sensitive’ - or if I’d actually struck them too hard... I clear my throat and move on.

"There’s no telling where I would have gone today. I might have still run into her here, or somewhere else. Sincere apologies for your wrongs are fine, but don’t get depressed over things you cannot control that have already happened."

"...Okay. Sorry, Citra."

"Sorry for cursing."

"Good kids."

Petting both of their hair for just a second in reality, I continue the argument with Vrika in my mindscape. The black wolf, having lost the reason for us to remain united, had gone back to using me as his figurative chew toy.

Shut up, all adults are hypocrites! What is wrong with idealizing what feels like positive behavior and hoping the next generation figures out how to make it work for them? Oh, you did NOT just imply I am just like my mother!

Wrestling with the creature on the slab of Composure, I refuse to admit that this is just a matter of ’do what I say, not what I do’. Even if it is, I will not admit it!

"Uhm, is there a reason you are still gripping our heads?"

"Just in thought. Hey, lets go take a few final pictures together. We can stop at interesting places for them as I walk you closer to home."

They both argue about taking up more of my time. But as sweet as they are, I am not going to listen. I’m just going to do what I want.