The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 116

Freya's POV

I sat stiffly in the back of Thorne's sleek car as we pulled away from the Brooks estate, the image of Kaelin kissing Thorne's cheek burned into my retinas like I'd stared at the sun too long. My wolf whimpered softly inside me, retreating to a corner of my consciousness. I closed my eyes, trying to find some quiet in the darkness behind my eyelids, but it only made the picture clearer: Kaelin on her tiptoes, her perfect lips brushing against Thorne's cheek, her eyes—those calculating eyes—looking directly at the car window where I sat watching. Like she knew. Like she wanted me to see.

Of course she did. Kaelin Brooks never did anything without purpose. That public display of affection wasn't about showing Thorne love—it was about showing me my place.

I opened my eyes, forcing myself to focus on the passing landscape instead of the hollow ache in my chest. Thorne sat beside me, silent and rigid, his jaw tight as he stared straight ahead. Mark drove with the practiced precision of someone who knew his Alpha's preferences without being told. The tension in the car was thick enough to choke on.

The car glided through the affluent neighborhoods of Moon Light District, the elegant homes with their manicured lawns passing by in a blur of privilege I once knew. The evening light cast long shadows across the road, and I watched them stretch and contract, thinking how similar they were to the remnants of my feelings for Thorne—insubstantial, yet somehow impossible to escape completely.

I leaned my head against the cool window glass, my breath creating a small circle of fog. Why did it hurt? I'd told myself repeatedly that I was over him, that the pain of his betrayal had cauterized any love I once felt. Three years in the Forgotten Wilds should have burned away such foolish attachments.

"Those wolves who can't let go," I whispered to myself, "they're the ones who haven't been hurt deeply enough yet."

My wolf stirred at these words, disagreeing. She remembered too well the bond we'd once felt with Thorne, before everything shattered. Before he sentenced me to exile without a second glance.

I didn't hate him though. That was the worst part. I couldn't bring myself to hate the man who had destroyed my life and separated me from my family. He was Alpha, the chief judge of Moon Bay. I was a wolf with a moon-silver mark and a criminal past. Everything he had done was sanctioned by pack law and tradition.

The car turned onto the long driveway leading to Grey Estate, and I straightened in my seat, composing myself. No more thinking about Thorne Grey or his perfect little mate with her perfect little injury that required his perfect Alpha attention. No more wondering what might have been.

My priority now was finding a way out of Grey Estate. Finding my family. Moving on with whatever scraps of life I could salvage. I had survived the Wilds—I could survive this golden cage too.

As the grand facade of Grey Estate came into view, I made myself a promise: I would leave this place, one way or another. And when I did, I wouldn't look back.

---

The attic room was silent except for the scratching of my pencil against paper. After being shown to my new quarters and left alone, I'd immediately pulled out my design supplies. Work had always been my escape, and tonight I needed that more than ever. The competition deadline loomed, and despite everything that had happened, I wasn't about to miss my chance.

Hours passed as I sketched, erased, and refined my designs under the soft glow of the desk lamp. The moon climbed high in the sky, visible through the small attic window, bathing my drafting table in silvery light. My wolf drew strength from it, even as my human body began to tire.

"Just a little more," I murmured to myself, flexing my cramping fingers before returning to the final details of my third design.

It was nearly three in the morning when I put the finishing touches on the last sketch. I sat back, rolling my shoulders to release the tension that had built there. Despite my exhaustion, pride swelled in my chest. These designs were good—better than good.

I quickly photographed each drawing, uploaded them to my tablet, and navigated to the competition website. My finger hovered over the submit button for just a moment before pressing it decisively. There. Done. Whatever happened now was out of my hands.

I had barely set my tablet down when my phone buzzed. I frowned, checking the time—3:17 AM. Who would be calling at this hour? The screen displayed a name that made my stomach tighten.

Jasper Stone.

I stared at it, debating whether to answer. Had he somehow been notified the moment I submitted my designs? The coincidence seemed too perfect. After a moment's hesitation, I accepted the call.

"Hello?" My voice was rough from hours of silence.

"Freya Riley," his deep voice purred through the speaker. "Still awake at this hour? Dedication is an admirable quality."

I straightened in my chair. "How did you know I just submitted my designs?"

A low chuckle came through the line. "The system alerts me to all submissions. When I saw yours come in at this hour, I couldn't resist calling immediately."

"Most people would wait until morning," I said dryly.

"I'm not most people," he replied. "And I was curious about what would drive someone to work until dawn."

I leaned back in my chair, pushing a strand of hair from my face. "What do you want, Alpha Stone?"

"Straight to business. I appreciate that about you." There was an amused lilt to his voice. "I was calling about your design submission. I'm impressed by your dedication to meet the deadline."

"It's finished. I've just uploaded it to the competition website."

"Excellent. I'm looking forward to seeing your work." He paused, and I could practically hear the smile in his voice. "Though I must admit, I'm curious about something."

"What's that?" I asked warily.

"Why would someone like Alpha Grey's pet designer interest me so much? After all, you're just one contestant among many, and you can't possibly give me the satisfaction of outranking Thorne in this competition since you're not working directly for me."

My grip tightened on the phone. So we were done with pretenses.

"You tell me," I challenged. "Why are you so interested in my submission? Why call me personally when there are dozens of other designers in the competition?"

He chuckled. "Have you considered that my interest might be more... personal in nature?"

"Don't play games with me," I said flatly. "I'm not in the mood, especially not at three in the morning."

"I'm not playing games, Freya." His voice dropped lower, more intimate. "Why not consider the simplest explanation? Perhaps I find you intriguing. Talented. Attractive, even."

I nearly laughed. "Right. Because that makes perfect sense."

"You don't believe me?" There was a note of something that might have been genuine hurt in his voice, but I wasn't naive enough to trust it.

"Not for a second," I replied. "Look, I appreciate the opportunity to participate in your competition, but let's not pretend this is anything other than what it is."

Jasper cleared his throat. "And what if I told you my interest was sincere? That perhaps I do find you... appealing?"

I frowned, caught off guard by his persistence. "Then I'd say you're wasting your time. I'm not interested."

"Not even a little curious?" he pressed.

"No," I said firmly. "Even if I were, I wouldn't consider you. I'm sure you get some twisted Alpha thrill from pursuing women who belong to Thorne, but I won't acknowledge you as superior to him, if that's what you're after."

There was a pause, and when he spoke again, his tone had shifted to something more thoughtful. "Why not think about it from a more... personal perspective?"

I snorted. "Stop joking around."

Jasper's voice grew surprisingly serious. "What if I'm not? What if I genuinely find you appealing and talented?"

My wolf bristled with suspicion. "Then I'd still say no."

With that, I ended the call and tossed my phone onto the desk. Whatever Jasper Stone was after, I couldn't afford to get caught up in it. Especially not now, with exhaustion making my thoughts fuzzy. I rubbed my tired eyes and glanced at the bed, suddenly aware of how desperately I needed sleep.

Tomorrow would bring its own challenges. For now, I'd earned my rest.