Aurora kept her voice light and distant. "I am not a petty or jealous person. Besides, I can understand why it needs to happen. When you have a child of your own, your future in this pack will be safe." She paused. "As for whether he still sleeps in your bed after you fall pregnant, that is none of my concern."
Her last sentence came out sharper than the rest.
Adrian turned to her at once, squeezing her fingers in his. "Don’t worry, my love. If she gets pregnant, I will never touch her again."
"There is no need to reassure me. I told you, I am not that narrow-minded," Aurora said, turning her face away with a frown.
Cassandra sat quietly behind her desk, watching the two of them. A deep sense of absurdity washed over her. Adrian had sworn an oath of loyalty to her when he asked for her hand, yet here he was, treating their marriage like a business deal to be partitioned out to satisfy his new mate.
She stood up slowly, keeping her posture straight as she looked right at Aurora. "Being a woman in this world is already hard enough. Why must you drag us down even more? You are a woman too. Just because you have ridden into battle and killed enemies on the field, does that give you the right to treat other women like trash? Do you only see me as someone who needs to bear a pack heir just to survive? Am I destined to do nothing in this place except play a quiet background role?"
Aurora’s brow furrowed. "You are turning this into a big deal over nothing."
"Let us get a divorce, Adrian," Cassandra said, her voice dropping into a cold, steady calm as she turned to her husband. "There is no need to say anything else. It is not dignified to sit here and argue like this."
Aurora sneered, a cold smile touching her lips. "Divorce? Are you trying to threaten us now? Let me tell you, I am not someone you can easily manipulate with dramatic games. Go ahead and make a scene. Ruining your own reputation as a proper lady will only be your loss."
She knew very well how much noble families cared about their standing in the pack hierarchy, especially someone like Cassandra, who was the daughter of the late Marquis of Northwatch. A high-ranking woman asking to leave her husband was almost unheard of and would bring endless gossip.
Adrian stepped forward, his face dark with frustration. "Cassandra, I will not agree to a divorce. We are saying all of this for your own good."
"There is no need for that," Cassandra said smoothly, her expression calm and untouchable. "You are just afraid of being criticized by the pack elders for being heartless and ungrateful after rising in rank. Everything you do is calculated for your own sake, yet you hypocritically claim it is for my benefit. It is sickening to hear."
"That is not what I meant at all." Adrian’s eyes widened. "Cassandra, please do not misunderstand."
Aurora shook her head with a cold laugh, stepping in front of Adrian. "I knew it. Someone like you will never understand how warriors think. Even now, you still insist on clinging to the foolish pride of a noble lady. I came here today wanting to have a real, honest talk with you, but your mind is too full of ugly thoughts. You keep jumping to wild conclusions as if we are plotting against you, when I was only trying to be thoughtful about your future."
She raised her chin. "If you get a divorce, you will be nothing more than a discarded woman with no pack backing. Life out there will never be as good as what you have right here as Adrian’s Luna. Why hold onto this useless pride and make life miserable for yourself? Since you do not appreciate my good intentions, I will not say another word. Do whatever you want. My heart belongs entirely to Adrian, and I have nothing to hide. Whether people praise me or criticize me, I will accept it all."
Cassandra looked at her with cool, dark eyes. "If you were truly not afraid of what people think, General Yates, you would not have come to my private study today."
Aurora stepped forward, coming right up to the heavy wooden desk. "I am only worried that someone might use a divorce to play the victim, gain sympathy from the pack council, and ruin my marriage to Adrian. We earned this marriage decree with our blood and hard work on the battlefield. We will not let you mess with that."
Cassandra shook her head, finding the whole confrontation ridiculous. "Leave. This conversation is a waste of time. You are commanders who have served this country. I have no wish to speak ill of you."
Her late father and brothers had all been military men who sacrificed their lives fighting on the bloodied borders. In her heart, the warriors who protected the pack held the highest honor. She did not want to drag their sacrifice into this petty dispute.
"Lulu, show them out," Cassandra called out, lowering her eyes to hide the icy coldness taking root in her gaze.
Lulu, who had been listening nervously right outside the door, opened it and stepped into the room.
"Generals, your feelings for each other are your own business." Her voice shook, but she didn’t step back. "Please do not mistreat my lady, and do not use your military achievements to push her around."
Aurora turned her head sharply, her eyes burning with fury. "How dare you?" Her voice cracked through the study like a whip. "You are just a lowly servant girl! How dare you speak to a general like that?"