Page 27 of The Alpha's Auctioned Pregnant Mate

She wasn't just sold as a regular person. She was sold as a bride. Mr. High and Mighty was her owner. She was just another possession to him now.

After she had cleaned herself up, Wren changed into an oversized shirt she found in the wardrobe. A plate of quinoa and turkey with broccoli had been placed on the reading table in the room, and despite her desire not to touch it, her rumbling stomach forced her to sit and eat.

My, they eat well.

After Wren finished the meal, she realized that he most likely would come for his possession. He would want to get every penny he spent on her.

Wren was scared for what was to come. So, she was determined to stay up all night waiting for him and do her best to prevent whatever he wanted to do to her. However, her tired body soon gave in to sleep after only a few minutes on the soft sheets.

Chapter 10 - Articus

Articus paced the dimly lit room, the flickering lamp casting a shadow on his face. The plush carpets muffled his steps as he walked across the study and came to a stop next to the footboard. He roughly ran his hands over his face, his agitation evident.

He tried to keep his emotions in check while he waited for Cassius to return home, but he failed. He was still fuming when his cousin got back. The weight of his frustrations pressed heavily on his shoulders while his mind churned with irritation and disappointment.

The smell of cinnamon and apple cider vinegar filled the room, barely calming his senses. Cassius sat in the corner of this study and smoked his pipe, keeping his eyes on Articus.

When he came back and met Articus looking royally pissed, he immediately sprang into action and led him into the study, away from the bustle of the main house, so he could freely pour out his grievances, his voice tinged with frustration and anger.

“She doesn’t seem to appreciate anything I’ve done for her,” Articus said, his tone sharp. “I mean, she should be grateful, right? I saved her from being sold to someone who might have had sinister plans, yet she’s been nothing but difficult.”

It confounded Articus how she could be so ungrateful after all he had done. The very thought of it stung deeply. He had gone far out of his way, spending a small fortune to buy her freedom from slavery, and yet she remained resentful and distant.

He saved her from being auctioned off to the worst bidder in the room, but all he got in return was her wrath and distrust. The irony surely wasn’t lost on him. Anger and confusion churned within him, making his insides feel like a stormy sea.

A little thanks wouldn’t hurt.

Cassius leaned back in his leather chair, his eyes thoughtful. “Have you considered her perspective? She’s been through a lot, more than you might imagine. She’s likely struggling with feelings of fear and betrayal. It’s not as simple for her as it is for you.”

Articus sighed, running a hand through his hair. Cassius was right. Despite how upset he was at her ingratitude, he knew it wouldn’t be that easy for her to trust anyone else, which was why he was trying so hard to cut her some slack, but he had never met someone who was inherently difficult.

The nerve.

It was like she had made it her lifelong mission to frustrate the life out of him. His body coiled up with so much anger that he could feel his body tremble lightly. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had gotten such a huge rise out of him. It was annoying and unsettling.

“I must say, married life isn’t treating you so well,” Cassius teased, pouring himself a glass of wine, a smile lightly grazing his lips.

Married man. Him?

Did he really get married to a stranger he just met? He couldn’t believe it. It had all happened so fast—an impulsive decision fueled by the heat of the moment.

Now, with the adrenaline fading and the room’s oppressive silence settling in, the reality of his situation hit himwith full force—Articus couldn’t believe he was now a married man, fully bound to someone he barely knew.

He had never been married before. He didn’t know what to do with this newly acquired status.

“Articus,” Cassius’s voice cut through the tense silence of the room. “You should take her over the mountain.”

Articus scoffed. A sound that was more about his frustration than disbelief. He had always prided himself on being calm and level-headed, but tonight, he found himself in a state of unrest and anger.

“Articus, you know I’m right,” Cassius pointed out, referring to his earlier suggestion. “She won’t be safe here.”

Articus groaned loudly, tipping his head backward and placing his hands behind his neck, massaging the taut muscles there. His eyebrows furrowed as resentment built inside him as he fought to keep his temper in check.

“She hates my guts. What makes you think she’ll agree to come with me?”

“She will, once she knows she might be captured once again,” Cassius replied, his voice taking on a cold and calculating edge.

Articus stopped pacing and stared at Cassius with a blend of curiosity and confusion. “What do you mean?” he asked, trying to mask his frustration.

---