Page 36 of The Alpha's Auctioned Pregnant Mate

Wren's other hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of Articus's shirt. "No," she said, her voice shaky but determined. "Please, don't try again. I can't... I can't go through that again."

Juniper's eyes filled with sympathy. "We couldn't try again even if we wanted to, Wren. Another attempt would likely kill you. The spell is too deeply ingrained."

Articus felt as if the ground had fallen out from beneath him. He had bought Wren at the auction to save her from a worse fate, but now... now he felt responsible for her in a way he hadn't anticipated.

He couldn't just set her free, couldn't let her go. She was bound to him, whether either of them liked it or not.

What have I done?

Wren was crying now, silent tears streaming down her face as she clung to Articus's shirt. Without thinking, he gathered her into his arms, holding her close as she sobbed against his chest.

"Shh," he murmured, stroking her hair. "It's going to be okay. We'll figure this out."

But even as he said the words, he wasn't sure he believed them. How could they possibly figure this out? The only options were unthinkable. But he knew he couldn't let her die.

Articus looked down at Wren. Her eyes were closed, her breathing steady. She seemed to have fallen into an exhausted sleep.

Rowan was quiet for a long moment, his golden eyes thoughtful. "Maybe," he said slowly, "the answer isn't in breaking the spell right away."

Articus turned to look at his friend, one eyebrow raised in question.

"Hear me out," Rowan continued. "You can't break the spell, and you can't let her go. So maybe... maybe you focus on making her comfortable here. On building trust."

"What are you getting at?" Articus asked, with a hint of wariness in his voice.

Rowan shrugged. "Look, I'm not saying you should try to seduce her or anything creepy like that. But maybe if you give her time, show her that you're not the monster she probably thinks you are... maybe eventually, she'll choose to stay. To accept the mark on her own terms."

Articus was quiet for a long moment, considering Rowan's words. It wasn't a perfect solution—far from it. But it was better than the alternatives he'd been wrestling with.

"Thank you both for coming," he said to Rowan and Juniper. "I know it was short notice, and I... I appreciate your help."

Rowan clasped Articus's shoulder, his grip firm and reassuring. "That's what friends are for, Art. We're here for you, both of you, whatever you need."

As Rowan and Juniper left, Articus remained on the chaise lounge with Wren still cradled in his arms. He knew he should move her to her room and let her rest properly, but he was reluctant to let her go. It felt as if she might shatter if he released her.

Somewhere between buying Wren at the auction and holding her as she cried, he had started to care for her—really care for her, not just out of a sense of duty or obligation, but in a way that made his heart ache when he saw her in pain.

It was a dangerous realization.

Chapter 13 - Wren

Wren's eyes fluttered open, her consciousness slowly returning like a ship emerging from a thick fog. The world around her was a hazy blur, shapes, and colors merging into an indistinct mass. As her vision cleared, she became aware of a warmth enveloping her, strong arms cradling her body.

Articus.

She was too weak to care that he was carrying her, her usual defenses shattered by the ordeal she'd just endured. Her body felt impossibly heavy as if her bones had been replaced with lead.

As Articus moved, each step sent a dull ache through her body. Wren's mind drifted, recalling stories she'd heard back in the place they called 'where the sun doesn't shine.' Tales of snatchers whispered in dark corners with fear-filled eyes.

If the snatchers catch you, it's over. The only escape is death.

She thought bitterly, recalling the whispered warnings from the darker side of the mountain, where the sun never shone, and the world was a constant struggle.

She'd never truly believed those stories. They seemed like exaggerations, myths to keep young rogues in line. But now, as the lingering pain of Juniper's magic coursed through her, Wren understood the terrifying truth behind those words.

The magic those bastards had placed on her felt like a cold shackle.

Binding magic on people's souls.

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