Chapter 7 - Articus

Articus leaned back in his chair, a contented smile playing on his lips as he thought about the time he’d spent with Wren. The conversation had flowed more easily than he’d expected, and there was something about her that drew him in, a magnetic pull he couldn’t quite explain.

She’s not like anyone I’ve met before.

His thoughts drifted to the way her hazel eyes sparkled with intelligence and fire. He hadn’t expected to feel this way—so captivated by someone he’d only just met. But there was a softness to her, a warmth that contrasted sharply with the hard edges of the world they both inhabited.

I’ll have to tell her about myself eventually.

The idea made him uneasy. He didn’t want to scare her off, not when they were just starting to connect.

As he waited for Wren to return from the backroom, Articus found himself wondering about her. She was clearly strong and independent, yet there was a vulnerability in her that made him want to protect her. He hadn’t felt this protective in a long time, and the intensity of the emotion surprised him.

Why does she affect me like this?

Before he could dwell on it, the door to the bar swung open, and in walked Cassius.

Cassius spotted Articus and raised an eyebrow, striding over to where he sat. “Articus, isn’t there someone you’re supposed to be apologizing to?” he asked, his tone teasing but with a hint of seriousness. “Where is she?”

Articus gestured toward the backroom. “She just went to grab something for Mara,” he replied. “She’ll be back in a minute.”

Cassius frowned slightly, glancing toward the back of the bar. “Maybe she needs help. Don’t leave a lady waiting too long after an apology.”

Articus chuckled, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind.

Maybe I should check on her.

He pushed his chair back and stood up. Cassius followed suit, and the two of them made their way toward the back of the bar. As they approached the door, a strange sound caught their attention—a muffled noise, almost like a struggle.

Articus’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly pushed open the door, Cassius close behind.

They were just in time to see a figure being shoved into the back of a van at the end of the alley. Even in the dim light, Articus recognized that light brown hair.

Wren!

Articus was moving before he could think, a growl building in his throat. But Cassius's hand clamped down on his shoulder, holding him back with surprising strength.

"Let go," Articus snarled, his wolf rising close to the surface. "They're taking her!"

"I know," Cassius said, his voice tight. "But you can't just charge in there."

Articus whirled on him, disbelief and anger warring inside him. "What are you talking about? We have to stop them!"

Cassius shook his head, his expression grim. "It's not that simple, Art. This isn't your territory. You start a fight here, and you could trigger a war."

"A war?" Articus repeated, incredulous. "Over stopping a kidnapping?"

"You don't understand how things work here," Cassius said, his voice low and urgent. "The balance of power is delicate. One wrong move, and everything could explode."

Articus stared at him, unable to comprehend what he was hearing. How could Cassius be so calm? How could he just stand there while Wren was being taken?

The van's engine roared to life, and panic surged through Articus. "We can't just let them take her!"

Cassius's grip on his shoulder tightened. "We won't. But we need to be smart about this. Getting ourselves killed won't help her."

Articus took a deep breath, forcing himself to think past the rage and fear clouding his mind. Cassius was right. As much as he hated to admit it, charging in blindly wouldn't do Wren any good.

"Fine," Articus growled. "What do you suggest?"

"We follow them," Cassius said, already moving toward where they parked. "Find out where they're taking her. Then we can plan our next move."

Articus nodded, falling into step beside him. Every instinct in him was screaming to go back, to fight, to save her. But he pushed it down. He had to trust that Cassius knew what he was doing.

As they climbed into Cassius's car, a thought struck Articus. "Why would they take her? What's going on?"

Cassius's face was grim as he started the engine. "If I had to guess? They're taking her to be sold."

The words hit Art like a physical blow. "Sold? What do you mean, sold?"

Cassius pulled out onto the street, eyes scanning for the van. "It happens sometimes. They snatch people they think no one will miss. Rogues, mostly. Sometimes pack members who've fallen on hard times."

Art felt sick. The idea that something like this could be happening, that people could be treated like... like property. It was incomprehensible.

"How..." Articus swallowed hard, trying to find the words. "How can you let this happen?"

Cassius's hands tightened on the steering wheel. "You think we like it? We do what we can, but we're outnumbered. Outgunned. It's not as simple as just shutting them down."

Articus shook his head, unable to accept it. "There has to be something we can do."

"Right now, we focus on saving your girl," Cassius said, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "One problem at a time, Art."

His words brought Articus up short. "She's not my girl."

Cassius snorted. "Could've fooled me. The way you reacted back there... I haven't seen a man that worked up over a woman he didn’t care about—" he cocked his head to the side, "ever."

Articus opened his mouth to argue, then closed it again. Cassius wasn't wrong. The intensity of Art's reaction surprised even him. He'd known Wren for all of an hour, and yet the thought of her in danger made his wolf howl with rage and fear.

"Is she your mate?" Cassius asked, his voice softer now.

Articus hesitated. "I... maybe. I don't know."

It wasn't impossible. The instant connection he felt, the way her scent called to him... But it didn't make sense. How could his mate be a rogue? How could fate be so cruel as to pair him with someone from a world so different from his own?

Cassius nodded, as if Articus’ confusion confirmed something for him. "It would explain a lot. The way you two sparked off each other, your reaction..."

Articus leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes. His head was spinning, too many thoughts and emotions vying for attention. Concern for Wren, anger at the kidnappers, confusion about his own feelings...

"There," Cassius said suddenly, jolting Art from his thoughts. "I see the van."

Articus sat up straight, scanning the street ahead. Sure enough, there was the van, a few cars ahead of them.

"What's the plan?" Articus asked, tension thrumming through his body.

Cassius kept his eyes on the van as he responded. "We follow them. See where they take her. Then we figure out how to get her out."

It wasn't much of a plan, but it was all they had. Articus nodded, settling in for what promised to be a long night.

As they drove through the darkened streets, Articus couldn't help but think about Wren. Was she conscious? Was she scared? Angry? Did she think anyone was coming for her?

Articus clenched his fists, a low growl escaping him. They were coming, Wren. Just hold on.

The van led them through a maze of streets, each one darker and more run-down than the last. Finally, it turned into what looked like an abandoned warehouse district.

"This isn't good," Cassius muttered, slowing down to maintain their distance.

Articus nodded, his eyes fixed on the van. The buildings around them loomed large and ominous, their broken windows like empty eye sockets staring down at them.

The van finally came to a stop outside one of the warehouses. Two men jumped out of the front, heading for the back doors.

Surprisingly, there were more than a few trucks and vans parked outside the warehouse, with massive floodlights illuminating the courtyard.

Cassius frowned as he killed the lights of his car and parked beyond the reach of the bright lights. "It's a fucking circus," he muttered. "I'm telling you now, Art, I don't like this."

"What do we do?" Articus asked, his body tensed to spring into action.

Cassius put a hand on his arm. "We wait. We need to see where they take her, get a layout of the place."

Articus growled low in his throat but forced himself to stay put. As strong as he was, he knew not all problems were solved by strength.

There’s too much we don’t know.

They had no idea how many men they had, the weapons or if any of the snatchers’ partners had also followed them. Going in half-cocked would only get them—and possibly Wren—killed.

They watched as the men pulled Wren from the van. Articus spotted her light brown hair and cussed. She seemed unconscious, with her hair covering her face. Until she started struggling and tussling. She does this for a while and then stops.

The second man has covered her nose with a black cloth. Its content had knocked her out. They were treating her like an animal. Articus boiled in anger. Again, he fought the urge to handle the situation head-on.

They dragged her into the warehouse, the heavy metal door slamming shut behind them. The sound echoed in the empty street, final and ominous.

"Now what?" Articus asked, his voice tight with suppressed rage.

Cassius was already pulling out his phone. "Now, I call for backup."

Articus blinked at him, surprised. "Backup?"

Cassius nodded, not looking up from his phone. "You didn't think I was planning on us taking on a whole operation by ourselves, did you? I'm not that crazy."

Relief washed over Articus. "Who are you calling?" he asked as Cassius put the phone to his ear.

"My second," Cassius replied. "And a few others I trust. We'll need all the help we can get."

As Cassius talked quietly into the phone, Articus turned his attention back to the warehouse. Somewhere in there, Wren was being held against her will. The thought made his blood boil.

Articus took a deep breath, trying to center himself. He needed to stay calm. For Wren's sake, if nothing else.

Articus made a silent vow. He'd get her out of there. And then, if she'd let him, he'd spend as long as it took making it up to her.

He'd learn about her world, about the struggles rogues faced. He'd challenge everything he thought he knew. And maybe, just maybe, he could start to bridge the gap between their two worlds.

But first, they had to save her.

Cassius ended his call and turned to Articus. "They'll be here in twenty minutes. Think you can sit tight that long?"

Articus nodded, even as his wolf paced restlessly inside him. "I'll manage. But the second they get here, we're going in."

Cassius studied Articus for a long moment, then nodded. "Alright. But we do this smart, you hear me? No heroics. No lone wolf bullshit. We work as a team."

"Understood," Articus said, meaning it. He might be an Alpha in his own territory, but here, he was out of his depth. He needed to trust Cassius's judgment.

As they settled in to wait, Art found himself thinking about home. About his pack, safe and secure on their side of the mountain. How naive they'd been, how sheltered.

When this was over, things were going to change. Articus would make sure of it. No more turning a blind eye to what happened on this side of the mountain. No more writing off rogues as lost causes.

It was time they started building bridges instead of walls.

The minutes ticked by slowly, each one feeling like an eternity. Articus strained his ears, hoping to catch some sound from the warehouse, some sign that Wren was okay. But there was nothing but silence.

Finally, after what felt like hours, a series of cars pulled up quietly behind them. Cassius nodded at Art. "It's time."