Page 52 of The Alpha's Auctioned Pregnant Mate

"Not at all," Wren replied, breathing in his familiar scent. "Martha kept me company."

Articus smiled. "I'm glad. Wren, you remember my cousin Cassius?"

Wren nodded. She had seen him enter with Articus at the bar, albeit briefly, and she knew she had met him briefly during her first chaotic days in Articus' home but hadn't interacted with him much since then.

Articus gestured toward his study. "I’m going to join him for a call now. Would you like to join us?"

Wren hesitated, surprised by the offer. She wasn't used to being included in pack business. "Are you sure?"

"Of course," Articus said easily. "It concerns our work on helping the rogues on the Dark Side, so your input is valuable."

Warmth bloomed in Wren's chest at his words. She followed Articus into the study, settling into one of the comfortable leather chairs as Articus took his place behind the desk and turned on the laptop, his blue eyes focused on the screen.

It was a far cry from the fiery atmosphere that had marked their early days together. Now, there was a different type of fire.

The memory of his touch sent a shiver down her spine, a warmth blooming in her core. It wasn't just the lust; there was a tenderness in the way he caressed her, a care in how he made sure she was comfortable and satisfied.

Focus on the meeting, not being flipped over, WREN!

The scene was so normal, so peaceful, that for a moment, Wren could almost forget the extraordinary circumstances that had brought her here.

Almost.

"How are things going, Cassius?" Articus's question drew Wren's attention back to his conversation. “Settling into the new position?”

“All good,” Cassius replied, clear and confident. There was a pause, followed by the faint sound of papers shuffling on the other end. “Fully settled in, and everything’s running smoothly. The transition has been easier than expected.”

Wren could hear the pride in Cassius's voice. She remembered meeting him, his blonde hair and blue eyes so similar to Articus's, yet so different. Where Articus was ice, Cassius was sunshine.

"It's good to see you again, Wren, and under better circumstances," Cassius said, his tone friendly but his eyes assessing. "I hope you're settling in well?"

“Yes, I am,” Wren answered softly. “Thank you for all you did, Cassius.”

Articus cast a glance at Wren, his expression softening for a split second before he turned his attention back to the screen.

Wren could sense the shift in his tone when he spoke again. “And the situation with the rogues? Are they still getting snatched? We spoke about setting some measures in place before I left.”

Cassius’s tone grew more serious. “We’ve increased protection around the younger wolves, especially those who haven’t done anything wrong but are rogues by birth. I’m doing everything I can to make sure they’re not easy targets anymore.”

He actually took what happened to heart.

"Now then," Cassius began, leaning forward. "I've been giving a lot of thought to your... unique situation." His eyes flicked briefly to Wren.

Articus raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Cassius nodded. "I think we have an opportunity here. A chance to bridge the gap between our two sides of the mountain."

Wren felt herself tense slightly. She wasn't used to being seen as a political tool.

But Cassius continued, his tone thoughtful rather than calculating. "For too long, we've kept ourselves separate from the other side. We've let fear and mistrust dictate our actions. But you, Articus, by bringing Wren here, by making her your wife—you've shown that it doesn't have to be that way."

Articus leaned back in his chair, considering. "What exactly are you proposing?"

"Nothing concrete yet," Cassius said. "But I think we should start looking for ways to open up more communication, more exchange between our two sides. We could learn from each other, grow stronger together instead of remaining divided."

“And how are the other packs reacting?” Articus’s voice broke through her thoughts.

“They’re taking it seriously, at least,” Cassius replied. “It’s a big step forward. The Alphas know this isn’t just a rogue problem; it affects everyone. We can’t afford to be divided on this anymore. It's actually a very big step—what has happened between you and Wren."

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