Jake's POV
No amount of paperwork, pack business, or sparring could drown out the annoyance burning through me.
Brielle was ignoring me.
It wasn’t obvious: not to anyone else, at least. She wasn’t avoiding me outright, wasn’t sneaking around like some coward afraid to face the Alpha. But I noticed.
I noticed the way she suddenly found something fascinating to look at whenever I entered a room. How she’d be deep in conversation with Jade or Max or anyone else but never once glanced in my direction. How she went through the damn training grounds like I didn’t exist.
And it was pissing me off.
I told myself I didn’t care.
I told myself I should be grateful.
The last thing I needed was more distractions.
And yet, the fact that she was giving me nothing: no defiance, no eye rolls, no
