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The Alpha's Fated Outcast Rise Of The Moonsinger novel Chapter 397

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 accuracy.

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 plant identification for their survival training."

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

"Because I asked her yesterday what she had planned 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 plants 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 is coming 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't come 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."

Before I could formulate any response, my mind was interrupted by an incoming 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 revelation. 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 arrived last 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 their communities 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 dollars 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 plans 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?

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