The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 105

Freya's POV

Evening shadows stretched across my small attic room as I bent over my desk, pencil moving rapidly across the paper. After the emotionally draining day at the courthouse, I'd retreated here, finding solace in my design work. The sketches I was creating would never be submitted to Stone's competition—not after what had happened, not after seeing the raw power of an Alpha's judgment—but the act of creation helped calm my frayed nerves.

I was so absorbed in my work that the sharp knock on my door startled me, making me drag my pencil across the page in a jagged line. I sighed, setting the ruined sketch aside.

"Come in," I called, expecting Martha with some evening tea.

Instead, Lucy's face appeared in the doorway, her expression a mask of forced politeness that didn't reach her eyes.

"Miss Kaelin is asking for you," she said, clearly enjoying delivering the message. "She's waiting in the dining room."

My stomach knotted. Kaelin Brooks was the last person I wanted to see.

"Is Alpha Thorne with her?" I asked, buying time as I closed my sketchbook.

Lucy's smile widened, showing too many teeth. "The Alpha has retired to his study for the evening. Miss Kaelin is alone." She paused, her gaze traveling around my tiny room with obvious disdain. "She said it's urgent."

"I'll be right down," I said, keeping my voice neutral.

Lucy didn't move from the doorway. "I can wait and escort you," she offered, though we both knew it wasn't an offer but a command.

I nodded, gathering my composure. My wolf bristled, sensing danger, but I pushed her down. I couldn't afford to show weakness, not in front of Lucy, and certainly not in front of Kaelin.

The walk down from the attic to the main floor felt longer than usual, each step bringing me closer to whatever confrontation awaited. Lucy walked slightly ahead of me, her shoulders back, her chin lifted—a Beta asserting dominance over someone she considered beneath her.

As we approached the dining room, I could smell Kaelin's scent—designer perfume layered over the natural smell of a high-ranking Beta wolf. There was something else there too—a subtle hint of agitation that made my wolf even more wary.

Lucy opened the door with a flourish and announced my presence as if I were being presented at court. "Miss Riley is here, Miss Brooks."

Kaelin sat at the head of the table—Thorne's place—with a cup of tea in front of her. She looked every inch the Alpha's mate, poised and perfect.

"Freya," she said, her voice honey-sweet. "Thank you for coming down. Please, have a seat."

I took a chair near the middle of the table, keeping a safe distance between us. The other servants hovered around the edges of the room—Thomas arranging flowers, Edith dusting the sideboard, two kitchen assistants pretending to polish silver. Everyone was finding excuses to linger, curious about this unusual meeting.

"That will be all," Kaelin said to the room, but no one moved. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "I'd like to speak with Freya alone."

Still, they hesitated, glancing at each other. It was Lucy who finally took charge, her voice sickly sweet.

"You heard Miss Kaelin," she said, moving to stand behind Kaelin's chair like a loyal guard dog. "Everyone out."

The others filed out reluctantly, though I noticed Martha lingering in the doorway to the kitchen, her face creased with worry. Lucy caught her gaze and made a shooing motion. Martha's lips tightened, but she stepped back, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Once we were "alone"—though Lucy remained standing at attention behind Kaelin—the false warmth drained from Kaelin's face, replaced by cold calculation.

"I think it's time we had a proper conversation, don't you?" she said, setting her teacup down with a delicate clink. "Woman to woman."

I didn't respond, waiting for the real purpose of this meeting to emerge.

"I want to talk about your... continued presence here at Grey Estate," she continued, her gaze sharp. "It's been what, almost one week now? That seems excessive for a released exile to get back on her feet, doesn't it?"

My hands tightened in my lap. "Alpha Thorne has required me to stay."

"Yes, I'm aware," she said, waving a dismissive hand. "But I gave you three million dollars." Her smile was brittle. "That's quite generous, don't you think? More than enough to start a new life somewhere... else."

So this was it—She was urging me to leave Grey Estate quickly after taking her money. I shouldn't have been surprised, but the directness of her approach caught me off guard.

"I've discussed leaving with Thorne," I said carefully. "He's made it clear that I'm to remain at Grey Estate for now."

Kaelin's eyes flashed. "And why would he do that, I wonder? What possible use could an Alpha have for keeping a disgraced exile in his home?"

The implication hung in the air between us, ugly and accusatory. My cheeks burned, but I kept my expression neutral.

"I don't presume to understand Alpha Thorne's decisions," I said, the formal title feeling strange on my tongue. "I'm simply following his orders."

Kaelin leaned forward, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against the polished wood of the table. "Let me be clear, Freya. I will be moving into Grey Estate after the binding ceremony next month. And I don't want you here when I do."

I blinked, caught off guard by her bluntness. "I—"

"Did you think I wouldn't notice?" she continued, her voice dropping to a near-whisper. "The way you look at him? The way he watched you yesterday? I'm not blind, Freya."

"There's nothing between us," I said quickly, too quickly. "There never was."

Her laugh was sharp, like breaking glass. "You pursued him before your exile. Everyone knows that. And now you're back, conveniently helpless, needing his protection." Her eyes narrowed. "Do you think I don't see the game you're playing?"

Before I could respond, Kaelin stood abruptly, circling the table to stand beside me. I tensed, ready to defend myself if necessary, though attacking the Alpha's intended would only end one way for me—back in the Forgotten Wilds.

"I want you gone within the week," she said, her voice low but firm. She reached out, her fingers closing around my wrist in a grip that was just shy of painful. "If you don't leave willingly, I'll make sure you have nothing. Not even that generous payout."

I tried to pull away, but her grip tightened. "You can't do that," I said, though I wasn't entirely sure. As the future Alpha's mate, Kaelin held considerable power.

"Can't I?" she whispered, leaning closer. Her eyes flashed gold again, the irises expanding as her wolf pushed forward. "You have no idea what I'm capable of, Riley."