Jaxon's POV
The late afternoon air had that heavy, restless stillness that made everything feel irritating. I was already halfway to my car, the keys loose in my hand, when I heard it—
“Jaxon.”
The voice was thin, almost too soft to carry in the open space, but I heard it anyway. The kind of voice that hoped I wouldn’t hear.
My steps slowed, but I didn’t turn right away. Not because I didn’t know who it belonged to, I did—but because I needed a moment to decide how much of my patience I was willing to spend on her.
Finally, I pivoted. My jaw tightened.
“It’s Alpha Jaxon,” I corrected, my voice flat, no room for negotiation. “And I do not look like your boyfriend.”
Briar froze for a second. The wind caught a strand of her hair, flicking it across her face. She tucked it behind her e
