Adrian drew in a slow breath, staring at his wife like he was trying to work out whether she meant every word or was simply testing how far she could push him. Either way, divorce wasn’t something he could give her. Cutting Cassandra loose now would set off exactly the kind of storm that would drown him and Aurora both, and he knew it.
There was also the matter of his own soldiers to think about. Every warrior under his command still spoke of Cassandra’s father like a legend carved into the walls of the pack house. Losing their respect over something like this wasn’t a price he was willing to pay.
"I won’t divorce you, Cassandra." His voice came out somewhere between frustration and defeat. "I’ll see that you’re taken care of, but this has to stop. What you did this time went too far. Using my mother’s health to bend me to your will, do you understand how cruel that is? If you’re angry, be angry at me. Leave her out of it. What you’re doing isn’t just disrespectful, it’ll cost you whatever reputation you have left."
Cassandra’s expression didn’t so much as flicker. "Is it that you won’t divorce me, or that you’re afraid to?" Her voice was cool and precise, each word landing exactly where she meant it to. "A divorce would make you look heartless in front of the whole pack, and you’d lose every old ally my father ever earned you. You want the marriage and the reputation both, and you think you can have them at the same time. Just because the Sinclair name has fallen doesn’t mean I need the Warren family to survive. You’ve underestimated me, and you’ve overestimated yourself."
Something in that landed harder than she probably intended, and it showed in the sudden heat behind his eyes.
"Enough." His voice cracked through the room. "The decree came from the Alpha himself. I will marry Aurora, whether you accept it or not. If you have conditions, name them, and I’ll meet every one."
"I have no conditions. I want nothing from you."
She stood there with her spine straight and her eyes perfectly dry, the small mark near her cheekbone standing out against skin that hadn’t lost an ounce of its color despite everything.
"Honestly, Cassandra, I expected better from you." Adrian’s frustration bled into something closer to disbelief. "Your father and your brothers were soldiers, every one of them. I thought you’d understand this world well enough not to make things so hard for Aurora."
A short, humorless laugh escaped her. "You thought I would simply step aside and smile while my husband married another woman? You’ve given me far too much credit, Adrian. This conversation is finished."
Her refusal to bend only fed the fire in him further.
"Fine. Since you insist on being this heartless, I’ll take it straight to the Alpha myself. You’re defying his decree on purpose, and you’ll answer for it when he hears how you’ve behaved."
Cassandra let out a short, unimpressed sound. "What exactly do you think the Alpha is going to do to me? I’m not one of his warriors, Adrian, and I’m certainly not bound by his court. Why not run to Luna instead, since you’re so eager to complain? She’s always adored Aurora, hasn’t she? Go tell her I won’t let Aurora into this family. I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to hear it."
"Don’t tempt me. You cut off my mother’s medicine. That alone is disrespect enough for Luna to deal with you herself."
"Take your time on your way out. I won’t be walking you to the door." Cassandra didn’t even bother to look up.
"You’ll regret this." Adrian shot her one last glare before turning on his heel and storming out.
"Perhaps worry about the betrothal gifts first," she called after him, her voice trailing him down the hall with just enough amusement to sting. "Would you like to borrow the money from me after all?"
He stopped mid stride for exactly one breath before continuing on without turning around. The truth was, he had thought about it, more than once. But after everything just said between them, he’d sooner ask Aurora to accept a smaller dowry than ever come back to Cassandra with his hand out.
Once the door shut behind him, Lulu peeked her head around the corner. "My lady, if he actually asked to borrow money from you, would you really lend it to him?"
Cassandra pressed her fingers to her temples, worn out from all the talking. After a moment, she let herself smile. "Of course I would. With interest, naturally. Every coin, paid back on time, or he’ll wish he’d never asked."
"And if he doesn’t pay you back?"
"Then I’ll have someone knocking on his door every single day until he does." Her gaze drifted to the corner where the broken bowl and spilled soup had left a damp stain on the floor, and she let out a small, wistful sigh. "Lulu, is there any watercress soup left, by any chance? I find myself wanting some rather badly."
"There’s a whole pot of it, and we’ve got chicken soup too. Which would you like?"
Cassandra’s face brightened for the first time all afternoon. "Both, please. Have some yourself, and send the rest down to the other girls. And tell me, is everything packed?"
"All ready to go. We’re only waiting on the decree now." Lulu’s whole mood had lifted, the gloom of the past few days finally lifting off her shoulders. "Once it arrives, we can leave whenever you say."
"Good. It’s nearly over, then." Cassandra allowed herself a quiet, satisfied breath. "Though I imagine Adrian will go straight to the Yates family and try to talk them down on the price of those gifts. Aurora will agree to it too, I’d wager, if it means getting what she wants that much sooner."