Chapter 85 Having a heir

Chapter 85 Having a heir
Auren's pov
Cassandra raises both hands innocently, though the smugness never leaves her face and turns around. “Relax, Hope. We were only talking.”

Hope's glare at her as she steps between us. “I know you, Cassy. And I know what you’re capable of. Weren’t you told by my brother to stay away?”

I barely hear the continuation of their argument over the beating of my heart. My entire body has gone completely numb and cold as I stare at Cassandra, desperately waiting for her to deny the claim she just made. There is no way Alpha Dravik has a son. Why would he agree to me carrying his heir if he already has a son? 

And if he has one, what will he get from me then? I will be useless. I will have nothing to offer him.

“……like I said, we were just chatting," Cassandra snorts, rolling her eyes. "Don’t get your knickers in a twist over nothing."

"You mean you want to size her up," Hope snaps back, her fingers flexing into tight fists at her sides. "Dravik doesn’t want you, and Garrick sure as hell doesn’t want you now, so why don’t you do all of us a favor and disappear like you always do?"

Cassy clenches her teeth as she glares at Hope. "I have always detested that big mouth of yours, Hope. Combined with that big freaking ego that you constantly shove in our faces. But you don't scare me at all, so what are you going to do about it now? Maybe Dravik needs a reminder of how meddling his baby sister is, especially since you know how important I am to him now."

"You big slut—"

"Ladies," Brandon strides towards us across the courtyard. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No," Hope snaps, crossing her arms over her chest. "Cassy was just leaving."

"Whatever," Cassandra mutters, turning away from Hope towards Brandon. "Oh, Brandon darling," she purrs, reaching out to touch his arm. "I’m so sorry to hear about you and your mate. How have you been fairing through all this?"

Her voice has gone back to being sickeningly sweet.

He gives her a polite smile back, casually stepping out of her touch. "I’m fine, Cassandra. Just go," he says, waving her away.

She smiles sweetly at Brandon one last time as she turns on her heel and walks away toward the pack house. I look around for Alpha Dravik. I know he can feel my panic and yet he hasn’t shown up. Did he send Brandon to check on me?  

"Hope..." Brandon cocks an eyebrow at her, his voice carrying a quiet scolding tone.

"She started it," she mutters defensively, crossing her arms tighter.

"I don’t doubt it.”

I look around again for any sign of Alpha Dravik. 

"He’s still with Collins, researching,” Brandon says

"Ohh…Okay," I whisper.

"Shall we go inside?" Brandon suggests, gesturing toward the main house.

Hope doesn’t wait for my answer as she grabs my hand, tugging me inside towards the warmth of the kitchen as she mutters what a big slut Cassy was and how she can never understand what her brothers ever saw in her.

"Let it rest, Hope," Brandon says as he pours himself a glass of water at the counter.

"That goat needs to know her place and stay away," Hope grumbles as she falls into one of the chairs.

"I agree, but maybe you could rise above it," he tells her, pulling up a seat beside her. "She just helped us to capture an enemy, and Dravik has made her position in the pack quite clear. And you know as well as I do that she won’t be the last female to fawn over him, so learn to ignore it." He shakes a playful finger at her pouting face. "You’re better than this, duckling."

Hope lets out a heavy sigh. "Fine. But if she takes another cheap shot at Auren again—"

"The woman is digging herself in a deep hole, so let her carry on," he interrupts.. "Besides, with the new.…..” His eyes move to me and back to Hope. “….development, we don’t want to antagonize her till Dravik decides what to do."

I look away as my brows furrow. Is he talking about the child Cassandra mentioned? Is that the new development they’re trying to manage?

"Why don’t you go," I hear Brandon tell her softly. "I can sit with Auren and keep her company."

"Are you sure? Shouldn't you be going back home to the girls?"

"They’re with their grandparents for the night, so I have nowhere to be.”

"I can stay if you need me to," Hope says, touching my shoulder, and I raise my eyes to meet hers.

"I’m okay," I whisper, forcing myself to give her a small, reassuring smile.

"Okay. But If you need me, or if that goat comes back, I will be down at the hospital." 

I nod, watching as she heads out the back door.

"You’re a terrible liar," Brandon says, shaking his head. "Why didn’t you tell her you weren’t okay?"