Brielle's POV
The training grounds were quieter than usual, with most of the wolves scattered across the pack territory handling their duties. The stillness was a welcome change, a moment to breathe and think: something I hadn’t had much of lately.
I leaned against the fence, staring out at the empty field. It had been days since the rogue incident, but Jake's words still lingered in the back of my mind, sharp and unrelenting.
“Brielle,” a familiar voice called, pulling me from my thoughts.
I turned to see Max jogging toward me, his easy grin already in place.
“Hey,” I said, offering him a small smile.
“What are you doing out here?” he asked, stopping a few feet away. “Hiding from the Alpha again?”
I rolled my eyes, though his teasing pulled a reluctant smirk from me. "Something li
