Lenny

    I cleared my throat. "Enjoying the view?"

    Caius turned toward me, gave me a quick once-over, then returned his attention to the window. "Just appreciating the scenery."

    "The scenery," I repeated dryly. "Is that what we''re calling it?"

    "What would you call it?"

    "Stalking."

    Caius snorted. "It''s not stalking if it''s public space and I''m not hiding."

    "You''re lurking by a window with alcohol at ten AM, watching a woman who has no idea you''re there. That''s pretty much the definition of creepy behaviour."

    "Says the man who just sidled up to join me in said lurking," Caius pointed out with annoying uracy.

    I opened my mouth to argue, then realised he had a point. "I was curious about what you were doing."

    "And now you know. I''m watching Cassidy teach the younger pack members about local nt identification for their survival training."

    "How do you know that''s what she''s teaching?"

    "Because I asked her yesterday what she had nned for today." Caius took another sip of wine, still not looking away from the window. "She''s incredibly knowledgeable about native flora. Did you know she can identify over two hundred medicinal nts just by their leaves?"

    The admiration in his voice made my stomach clench with an emotion I didn''t want to think about.

    Caius suddenly looked away from the window with a sigh and turned to face me fully. "You''ve known Cassidy for the longest time, right? Do you know what she likes?"

    I turned to him at the unexpected question. "What she likes?"

    "Gifts, hobbies, preferences. It''s difficult to figure out what to give a beautiful woman when you want it to be meaningful."

    My eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why?"

    "Cassidy''s birthday ising up next week, and I want to get her something special. Something that shows I''ve been paying attention to who she is, not just what she looks like."

    I scoffed, hoping my tone didn''te out as aggressive as I felt. "What do you think you''re doing, buying Cassidy gifts? Did she ask you to?"

    Caius arched an eyebrow, looking confused by my reaction. "She''s my girlfriend. Why wouldn''t I want to buy my girlfriend a gift?"

    I stood frozen, staring at him as my brain struggled to process what he''d just said.

    "Your... what?"

    "My girlfriend," Caius repeated slowly, as if I were having trouble understanding basic English. "We''ve been dating for three weeks now. I thought everyone knew."

    "Three weeks?" My voice came out strangled. "You''ve been dating Cassidy for three weeks?"

    "Well, officially dating. We''ve been spending time together after the war, and we grew really close, but we made it official recently." Caius studied my face with growing concern. "Lenny, are you alright? You look like you''ve seen a ghost."

    "Ramsey knows about this?" I managed to ask.

    "Of course, Ramsey knows. I asked his permission before asking her out, since she was technically his fiancée. He gave his blessing."

    I felt like the ground had shifted beneath my feet. "Permission... blessing..."

    "The whole formal courtship protocol. I know it''s old-fashioned, but given Cassidy''s situation, I wanted to make sure everything was handled properly." Caius was looking at me with worry now. "Seriously, what''s wrong? You look like you''re about to be sick."

    "Why would Cassidy date someone like you?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

    "Why not?" Caius shrugged, giving me an amused smile. "I''ve dated women like Cassidy my entire life. She''s my type exactly."

    "Why?" I scoffed. "What do they see in you? Do you charm them because…" I ran my hand from the top of his body to his toe. "This? Seriously?"

    "I know I am nowhere near you and Ramsey in looks, but I am more than an average handsome Lycan. I''m smart,e from a good family..."

    "Your dad was a dark friend," I interrupted with a scoff.

    "Still, Ie from legacy," Caius insisted. I am a good warrior. I chase one woman at a time, and I happen to be one of those few ones who don''t have a baby mama."

    "Oh, please, Caius." I red at him. "I take care of all my children. I am responsible."

    "My qualities," he continued, ignoring me, "attract women a lot, but outside all of these, I understand Cassidy more. Most people see her like the viin…"

    "I don''t see her that way." I stopped him mid-sentence. "If anything, I know she wouldn''t have done half the things she did if her love for Ramsey had ever been reciprocated, but seeing this now… are you sure? She might not be over him yet."

    "She is!" Caius said with an air of pride. "When a woman has outgrown something, it''s easier to tell in everything she does, and one of the sure ways is…" he leaned towards me. "Our sex has gotten better than before."

    Before I could formte any response, my mind was interrupted by an iing pack link from our security team at the White Mountain Region gate.

    Beta Lenny, we have visitors requesting entrance. Representatives from several smaller werewolf packs seeking audience with you. They say they have an appointment.

    I nodded acknowledgement through the link, grateful for the distraction from Caius''s revtion. Let them through. I''ll meet them in Conference Room B in twenty minutes.

    Right. The small packs delegation. I''d been expecting them since their proposal arrivedst week.

    "I have to go," I said abruptly, backing away from the window.

    "Lenny, wait—"

    But I was already walking away, my mind reeling from everything I''d just learned. Cassidy was dating Caius. Had been for weeks. Ramsey knew and approved. Everyone knew except me.

    The delegation of small pack representatives would be arriving soon, seeking financial assistance to rebuild theirmunities after the devastation of the war with the Dark One. Most of the major packs they''d been affiliated with had suffered severe losses and could no longer support their smaller allies.

    Their budget proposal had been outrageous; nearly two million dors in requested aid for infrastructure, medical supplies, and basic necessities. I''d wanted to meet with them in person to understand exactly why they needed such an enormous amount and what their long-term sustainability ns looked like.

    But right now, I could barely focus on that when the image of Cassidy riding Caius was burned into my brain.

    How had I missed this? How had I been so oblivious to what was happening right under my nose?

    And why did the thought of Cassidy and Caius together make me feel like someone had ripped my heart out of my chest?