The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 101

Freya's POV

I sat frozen as he left the room, panic rising in my chest. Moon Crescent Court. The place where I'd been sentenced to exile three years ago. The place where my family had been destroyed. The place I'd sworn never to enter again.

My hands shook as I pushed back from the table and stood. The other servants averted their eyes, but I could feel their stares the moment my back was turned.

The blue coat hung in my closet, as Thorne had said—another new item, perfectly tailored. I put it on mechanically, my mind racing. Why would Thorne want me at the courthouse? Was this about my meeting with Stone? Was I to be punished publicly? Or worse—re-sentenced?

Ten minutes later, I descended the main staircase to find Thorne waiting by the front door, his own coat draped over his arm.

"Ready?" he asked, though it wasn't really a question.

The drive to Moon Crescent Court passed in silence. I stared out the window, watching as we moved from the elegant estates of the Alpha district into the bustling center of Moon Bay. My anxiety grew with each mile, my hands clenched tightly in my lap.

When the imposing marble columns of the courthouse came into view, I felt physically ill. My wolf cowered inside me, remembering the last time we'd been here—standing in the defendant's box, watching as everything we loved was stripped away.

"Why are we here?" I finally asked, my voice cracking.

Thorne glanced at me, his expression neutral. "Cole Raine's sentencing. I thought you'd want to witness it."

"Cole Raine?" The name was familiar—the wolf who had attacked Thorne at the Moon Howl Bar, the one involved in illegal moon-silver trading.

"His trial concluded yesterday," Thorne explained as the car pulled to a stop. "He was found guilty of all charges, including the moon-silver trafficking operation at Moon Howl. The sentencing was originally scheduled for two days ago, but was postponed."

"Postponed? Why?"

Thorne's jaw tightened slightly. "That's not important. What matters is that justice will be served today."

As we exited the car, I hung back, my feet seemingly rooted to the pavement. The courthouse loomed before me, all white stone and stern authority. Three years ago, I'd walked out of those doors in chains, marked with moon-silver, bound for exile. The memory made me physically ill.

"Thorne, please," I whispered, not caring how pathetic I sounded. "I can't go in there."

He turned, one eyebrow raised. "Can't? Or won't?"

"Both," I admitted, my voice shaking. "That place... what happened there..."

"Is in the past," he finished firmly. "Today you're here as my guest, not a defendant."

"Please," I repeated, hating the desperation in my voice. "Don't make me go in there."

Thorne stepped closer, his voice dropping so only I could hear. "For someone who claims she was wrongfully convicted, you show a remarkable fear of the justice system. What are you afraid of, Freya? That being in that courtroom will bring back the truth of what you did?"

Something snapped inside me. Without thinking, I lunged forward, my wolf surging to the surface. My teeth—sharper, longer than they should have been in human form—sank into Thorne's wrist as he raised his arm to defend himself.

The taste of his blood filled my mouth for one triumphant second before white-hot agony exploded from my neck. The moon-silver mark burned like acid, sending waves of paralyzing pain through my body. I released Thorne's wrist with a gasp, falling to my knees on the pavement.

Thorne stood over me, his expression unreadable as he cradled his injured wrist. "Are you finished?" he asked quietly.

I couldn't respond, could barely breathe through the pain. The moon-silver mark was doing its job—punishing any act of aggression against my Alpha. My vision swam, dark spots dancing at the edges.

"Alpha Thorne!" A familiar voice called from nearby. I looked up through my tears to see Mark approaching, accompanied by a woman I recognized with a jolt of surprise—Terra Thompson from the Moon Howl Bar.

Terra's eyes widened when she saw me kneeling on the ground. "Freya? Is that you?" She took a step toward me, then stopped, remembering protocol in the presence of an Alpha.

"Terra," I managed to gasp, the pain from the mark slowly receding.

Thorne nodded to Mark. "Help Miss Riley to her feet. We're running late."

Mark assisted me up, his grip firm but not unkind. I swayed slightly, still dizzy from the punishment of the mark.

Terra kept a respectful distance, but her eyes were full of concern. "I haven't seen you since... well, since that night at the bar," she said softly. "Are you okay?"

Before I could answer, I spotted an opening—a break in the small crowd of wolves entering the courthouse. Without thinking, I wrenched free from Mark's grip and bolted, running blindly away from the courthouse, away from Thorne, away from the memories.

I didn't make it far. A car horn blared as I darted into the street, tires screeching. I froze, caught in the headlights like prey. Then strong arms wrapped around me, yanking me backward just as the car swerved past, missing me by inches.

Thorne's scent surrounded me, his chest solid against my back, his breathing harsh in my ear. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" he growled, his voice vibrating with anger and something else—fear?

I stood trembling in his grip, the adrenaline leaving me weak. Cars continued to pass, drivers staring at the scene we made—the Alpha holding a distraught woman at the courthouse steps.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, though I wasn't sure what exactly I was apologizing for—biting him, running, or simply existing in his world when I clearly didn't belong.

Thorne's grip loosened slightly, but he kept one arm firmly around my waist as he guided me back toward the courthouse. Mark and Terra waited at the bottom of the steps, both wearing expressions of concern.

"Alpha, perhaps Miss Riley isn't well enough for the proceedings," Mark suggested cautiously.

"She's fine," Thorne replied, his tone leaving no room for argument. "We're going inside now."

I took a deep breath, gathering what remained of my courage. This was happening, whether I wanted it or not. As Thorne led me up the steps, I straightened my spine and lifted my chin, determined not to show the terror coursing through me.

"Three years ago, you left here in chains," I reminded myself. "Today, you walk in on the arm of the Alpha. Whatever happens, you will endure it. You are a Riley, even if no one else remembers what that means."

The massive doors of Moon Crescent Court swung open before us, revealing the marble grandeur beyond. My heart pounded painfully against my ribs, but I kept my face carefully neutral as we stepped inside, the weight of justice and memory pressing down on me with each step.