**Aria's POV**

Caspian stayed for a week, observing pack operations and learning what my daily responsibilities actually involved. He attended council meetings, watched me mediate disputes between pack members, and accompanied me on territorial patrol rounds.

"You handle the politics differently than I expected," he said on the fourth day as we reviewed resource allocation proposals.

"How so?"

"You're more direct. Less concerned about diplomatic niceties, more focused on practical ...