Chapter 5
I was starting to get used to Caspian's daily appearances. Third day in a row he'd shown up around lunchtime, ordered something simple, helped with the kids, made conversation with regular customers who were slowly warming up to him. It was... nice. Dangerously nice.
Which is why I wasn't completely surprised when a black Town Car pulled up outside and a woman in a perfectly tailored suit stepped out.
She was beautiful in that cold, expensive way—blonde hair in a precise bob, makeup flawless, wearing clothes that cost more than my monthly rent. Everything about her screamed money and class and breeding.
I knew before she opened her mouth that she was here about Caspian. This was what women in his world looked like—polished and perfect and completely out of my league.
"Isla Moorhaven?" she asked, though she clearly already knew.
"Yes?"
"I'm Vivienne Ashford. I think we need to talk."
I glanced around the diner, noting how conversations had died again. "About what?"
"About your... association... with Caspian Blackthorne."
My stomach dropped. "I don't know what you mean."
"Oh please." Her laugh was like crystal breaking. "The entire werewolf community is talking about it. The Blackthorne heir slumming it with a single Omega who runs a failing diner? It's quite the scandal."
Scandal. Of course it was a scandal. I was fooling myself thinking this could be anything else. Men like Caspian didn't date women like me without causing talk, without embarrassing their families.
"If you have something to say, say it," I managed.
"Smart. I like directness." She sat down at the counter like she owned the place. "Caspian is... going through a phase. Rebellion against family expectations. Unfortunately, you're collateral damage."
"Collateral damage?"
"He'll get bored. Men like Caspian always do. But meanwhile, you're making a fool of yourself and embarrassing him." Vivienne's smile was sharp. "I'm here to offer you a way out that saves face for everyone."
"What kind of way out?" I heard myself ask.
Vivienne opened her purse and pulled out a business card. "There's a gentleman I'd like you to meet. Human, so no complications with pack dynamics. Steady job, good income, looking for a wife to help raise his daughter."
I stared at the card. James Morrison, Insurance Agent.
"You're trying to set me up?"
"I'm trying to be realistic." Vivienne leaned forward. "Look around you. This place, your life, your circumstances... they don't match Caspian's world. You have children, ex-husband baggage, a sick family member. He has obligations to his bloodline, family legacy, political alliances."
Every word was true. That was the worst part. I knew all of this, had told myself the same things. But hearing it from someone else, having my insecurities laid out so clearly... it hurt more than I expected.
"What makes you think he'd listen to you?" I asked.
"Because I know him. We grew up together, our families have been allies for generations. I understand his responsibilities in ways you never could." Vivienne's voice softened slightly. "Look, you seem like a nice woman. You deserve someone who can give you full commitment, not someone torn between duty and infatuation."
"Infatuation?"
"What did you think this was?" She sounded genuinely curious. "Love? Men like Caspian don't fall in love with women like you. They have flings, they rebel, they explore. But they marry within their class."
The bell over the door chimed. Caspian walked in, stopping when he saw Vivienne.
"Viv." His voice was carefully neutral. "What are you doing here?"
"Having a conversation with your... friend."
I watched tension coil through his body, saw Alpha instincts kick in. "About what?"
"About reality," Vivienne said smoothly. "About expectations and responsibilities. You know, things adults discuss."
I could see a storm brewing in Caspian's eyes, could smell his scent shifting to something more dangerous. But I also saw confirmation of everything Vivienne had said. She knew how to talk to him, understood his world in ways I never would.
After Vivienne left (following a tense conversation with Caspian that I pretended not to overhear), I found myself staring at James Morrison's business card.
Insurance agent. Divorced father. Looking for stable relationship.
Everything I should want. Everything that made sense.
"Mommy?" Ruby tugged at my shirt. "Why do you look sad?"
"I'm not sad, baby. Just thinking."
"About the forest man?"
Forest man. Felix's nickname for Caspian had stuck. Both kids adored him, which made everything more complicated. They were getting attached, building fantasies about the family I couldn't give them.
My phone rang. Unknown number.
"Hello?"
"Ms. Moorhaven? This is James Morrison. Vivienne Ashford gave me your number? She thought we might have mutual interests."
I closed my eyes. "Mr. Morrison."
"Please, call me James. I was wondering if you'd be free for coffee sometime? I know this is unusual, meeting through a mutual friend, but Vivienne speaks highly of you."
Mutual friend. That's what we were calling Vivienne now. The woman who'd made it clear I was an embarrassment to the man I was falling for.
"I... when?"
"Tonight? I know it's short notice, but I'm traveling for work tomorrow. There's a nice place downtown, neutral territory."
Neutral territory. Like this was a business negotiation rather than a potential date.
"Okay," I heard myself say. "Tonight."
James Morrison was exactly what I expected—pleasant, stable, boring. He had kind eyes and a sensible haircut, wore a sweater vest and talked about insurance policies like they were fascinating.
"So Vivienne tells me you're a single mother?" he said, stirring his decaf coffee. "That's wonderful. My Sarah is eight, needs a female influence in her life."
"That's... nice," I managed, trying to focus on his words instead of comparing him to a certain Alpha who smelled like cedar and danger.
"I believe in traditional values, family stability. None of this modern nonsense about following your heart. The heart isn't reliable—compatibility, shared goals, those are what matter."
He was right, of course. The heart wasn't reliable. The heart made you think you could bridge impossible gaps, made you forget about class differences and social expectations.
"Isla? Are you listening?"
"Sorry, what?"
"I asked about your business. Vivienne mentioned you run a restaurant?"
"Small diner. Nothing fancy."
"Well, that would change of course. Sarah needs stability, a proper home environment. I'm sure we could find you something more... appropriate."
More appropriate. Code for giving up everything I'd built.
That's when I saw him.
Caspian, standing outside the coffee shop, staring through the window with an expression I couldn't read.
Our eyes met through the glass.
How long had he been there? What was he thinking? I felt like a teenager caught doing something wrong, which was ridiculous because I was a free adult who could date whoever I wanted.
"Excuse me," I said to James. "I'll be right back."
I walked outside on shaking legs.
"Caspian."
"Isla." His voice was tight. "Nice date?"
"It's not a date. It's... coffee."
"Right. Coffee." He stepped closer, and I caught his scent—familiar cedar mixed with something sharper. Anger? Jealousy? "With the man Vivienne set you up with."