Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother-Chapter 209 Indeed, quite the coincidence

Victoria’s POV

"And what’s your name, gorgeous?"

"Howard Lancaster," he replied with a smooth confidence that sent warning signals through my wolf senses. Something about him felt off, though I couldn’t place it.

"Lancaster?" Grace practically bounced in her seat. "What a coincidence! I’m Grace Mitchell, and this is Victoria Lancaster. You two share a last name—must be fate, right?"

I narrowed my eyes slightly. Lancaster? That couldn’t be right. The Lancaster bloodline was meticulously documented within the Crescent Dawn Pack, and I would know of any distant relatives, especially one who looked like him—striking features with hints of mixed heritage that gave him an exotic edge.

"Indeed, quite the coincidence," Howard responded, flashing a brilliant smile that transformed his usually severe features. Something lurked beneath that practiced charm—a darkness my wolf Nora instantly recognized.

Grace was completely taken in. "Mixed heritage guys are always the hottest," she whispered not-so-subtly in my direction.

If only she knew what I sensed—beneath that crisp white button-down and boyish smile lurked something dangerous. The kind of danger that came with blood on your hands. My wolf growled low in my mind, urging caution.

"We’ve already ordered some food," Grace continued, practically glowing with hospitality. "Would you like to join us? Check the menu and see if there’s anything you’d like to add?"

Howard nodded. "I’ll add a couple more dishes."

The food arrived quickly, and Grace chatted away as I maintained a careful silence, observing our unexpected dining companion. His eyes kept finding their way to me, studying me with an intensity that made my skin prickle.

"Why so quiet?" Howard finally addressed me directly. "Am I intruding?"

"No," I answered simply, keeping my expression neutral.

"Don’t mind her," Grace jumped in. "She’s just naturally the quiet type."

Howard pulled out his phone. "Since we’ve run into each other so fortuitously, perhaps we should exchange contact information?"

"Absolutely!" Grace agreed without hesitation, her guard completely down.

I shook my head. "I’d rather not. My boyfriend wouldn’t appreciate it." The mention of Damien wasn’t entirely a lie—we had our arrangement, complicated as it was—but in this moment, he made a perfect shield against this stranger’s advances.

Howard’s lips curled into a knowing smile, as if my refusal amused rather than offended him. My wolf bristled. What game was he playing?

When Howard excused himself to the restroom, I immediately called for the check, only to discover he’d already paid.

"Let me give you my share," I insisted when he returned.

"No need," he replied smoothly. "Perhaps next time we meet, you can return the favor."

With those words hanging in the air, he departed, leaving me with an unsettled feeling crawling up my spine.

"Victoria," Grace leaned forward conspiratorially, "I think he’s into you."

"What do you mean?" I asked, though I’d caught his lingering glances.

"Exactly what I said! He barely took his eyes off you the whole time. Out of all the tables in this place, he chose ours. That wasn’t coincidence—he was targeting you specifically."

Grace sighed dreamily. "He was gorgeous though, wasn’t he? That quiet, dangerous vibe mixed with those boy-next-door looks."

I arched an eyebrow. "What about your precious Elijah? Already forgotten him?"

"Of course not!" She looked scandalized. "Elijah is still the sexiest man alive. I was just appreciating the view! Did you see him in that press conference last week, defending our country’s interests? The way he commanded that room in his tailored suit?" She fanned herself dramatically. "I’ll send you the clip later."

"Speaking of the Gillies brothers," I said, eager to change the subject, "I saw Jacob’s movie is breaking box office records. Want to check it out?"

"Even though I’m not his biggest fan, I should probably support him. Let’s go!" Grace decided with characteristic enthusiasm.

Though I’d already seen the thriller with Damien, I enjoyed watching it again. Jacob Gillies might be insufferable in person, but his performance was undeniably captivating. The plot twists still managed to surprise, and the way his character protected his love interest with such fierce devotion—it resonated deeply.

For a suspense movie, the romantic elements were perfectly balanced. Jacob might not play the typical heartthrob roles, but those few scenes of raw emotion had earned him legions of new fans.

By the film’s conclusion, when his character made the ultimate sacrifice, Grace was sobbing uncontrollably beside me.

"Damn that Jacob Gillies," she muttered, dabbing at her mascara-streaked cheeks. "Why does he have to be so good?"

In Grace’s mind, Jacob had always been the annoying, flippant Gillies brother. Seeing him deliver such a powerful performance had clearly shaken her perception.

"Being good is a bad thing now?" I teased. "Check out his other films when you get home. He’s more talented than his public persona suggests. The Gillies family might be powerful, but they raised their sons with strong values—minimal publicity stunts, no scandals, no revolving door of girlfriends."

"The Gillies family values might be intact," Grace conceded, "just look at Elijah and Brian, but Jacob is still Jacob." Her resistance was weakening, though. The film had worked its magic.

Still emotionally invested, Grace insisted we watch it again immediately. After our second viewing, night had fallen, and we grabbed dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Over dessert, Grace gave me a mischievous look. "Victoria, let’s hit a club for a few drinks."

"Now? It’s getting late," I hesitated.

"That’s precisely when people go to clubs! Don’t tell me dating Damien Sterling has made you boring. Can’t you spend one night out with your best friend?" Her pleading expression was impossible to resist.

I sighed, relenting. "Fine. Just a couple of drinks."

The nightclub pulsed with neon lights and throbbing music when we arrived, the atmosphere electric with the primal energy of bodies moving in the darkness. Neither of us noticed Howard Lancaster slipping in behind us, his face partially concealed by a baseball cap.

We found a table in a corner, and Grace immediately ordered several cocktails.

"Feels like forever since we’ve done this," she said, raising her glass. "After you marry that alpha of yours, I bet these nights will become ancient history."

I rolled my eyes. "Why are you so fixated on marriage? As I’ve told you repeatedly, that’s far in the future. Besides," I clinked my glass against hers, my voice softening, "married or not, whenever you need me, I’ll be there. One call, and I’ll come running. That’s a promise, Grace."