The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 125

Freya’s POV

I closed the door behind me without responding, my hands shaking with suppressed emotion. The worst part was, she was right. Thorne had always chosen to believe Kaelin's version of events over mine, even three years ago when it mattered most.

Nothing had changed. Nothing would change. I was still just a pawn in their game, useful only as long as I served their purposes. The sooner I could leave Grey Estate—leave Moon Bay entirely—the better.

That evening, I retreated to my small room, grateful for the privacy and the lock on the door. I sat cross-legged on the bed, my tablet balanced on my knees as I nervously checked the rankings for the design competition. The contest had officially begun, and votes were already pouring in.

My heart sank as I saw Kaelin Brooks' name at the top of the leaderboard, with what I recognized as my own design displayed beside it. The elegant lines of the ceremonial robe, the intricate moon phase embroidery—all of it was exactly as I had sketched it. My vision, my creation, now attributed to Kaelin.

My phone buzzed with an incoming message. I hesitated before opening it, knowing it was likely Jasper Stone. Since our last conversation, he had been unusually persistent, though I couldn't determine if his interest was purely strategic or something more personal.

[The imitation is good, but lacks the soul of the original,] his message read. [I know the truth, even if others don't. The competition committee will hear about this.]

I typed back quickly: [Please don't reveal my identity. I don't want this to become about me. Just prove she stole the design.]

His response came immediately: [As you wish, Freya Riley. But sooner or later, you'll need to step out of the shadows.]

I set the phone aside, conflicted. Part of me wanted justice—wanted everyone to know that Kaelin had stolen my work. But the larger part of me feared the consequences of such exposure. I was already walking a precarious line at Grey Estate; I couldn't afford to make more enemies.

With a sigh, I shut down the tablet and prepared for bed, knowing tomorrow would bring new challenges. As I drifted off to sleep, my thoughts returned to Thorne—to the feel of his hands on my skin, the weight of his body over mine. For a brief moment, I allowed myself to wonder what might have been if things had been different. If I hadn't been a Riley, if he hadn't been an Alpha, if Kaelin hadn't been there to poison everything between us.

But such thoughts were dangerous, leading only to more pain. Reality was what it was, and no amount of wishing could change it. I was a disgraced Beta with a silver mark, and he was an Alpha promised to another. That was the bitter truth I needed to accept.

---

The next morning dawned bright and clear. I woke early, driven by a restless energy that my wolf recognized as anxiety. Today was the day the final results of the Silver Moon Design Competition would be announced. Though I had little hope of justice, a part of me still clung to the possibility that Jasper might somehow expose Kaelin's theft without revealing my involvement.

I checked my tablet as soon as I was dressed, my heart sinking as I saw the news splashed across the competition website:

[Congratulations to Kaelin Brooks, winner of the Silver Moon Design Competition! Her innovative design for traditional Moon Ceremony robes has captured the hearts and votes of both Grey Moon and Silverstone Pack members.]

Below the announcement was a picture of Kaelin in an elegant pose, holding a sketch that was unmistakably mine. Her smile was radiant, her eyes gleaming with triumph.

I scrolled down to the comments section, a masochistic curiosity driving me to see how people were responding.

[Kaelin Brooks deserves this win! Such talent!]

[Our future Alpha Female showing her creative side! Grey Moon Pack is lucky to have her!]

[I heard she's been working on these designs for years, even while recovering from that awful attack by the Riley girl.]

My breath caught at that last comment. The responses to it poured in, each one more painful than the last.

[I remember that! The disgraced Riley family's daughter, right? Didn't she physically assault Kaelin out of jealousy over Alpha Thorne?]

[Yes! That Riley girl was obsessed with Alpha Thorne.]

[Poor Kaelin! Thankfully he saw sense and sent the girl away.]

[I heard from my cousin who works at Grey Estate that the Riley girl is actually back there! Working as a servant or something. Alpha Thorne is too forgiving.]

The comments continued, each one twisting the knife deeper. The narrative they painted was so far from the truth it was almost laughable—except I couldn't find any humor in it. Not when these lies had cost me everything: my family, my home, my future.

I set the tablet down, my hands shaking with a mixture of anger and grief. Three years ago, I had been judged and condemned based on Kaelin's lies. Now history was repeating itself, with my designs stolen and my name once again dragged through the mud.

My wolf howled within me, a mournful sound that resonated through my entire being. I missed my family with an ache that never truly subsided. My father with his quiet strength, my mother with her warm laugh, my brother with his protective nature. Were they alive? Were they safe? Or had Kaelin's vendetta claimed them too?

---

A knock at my door jolted me from my dark thoughts. I quickly wiped away the tears I hadn't realized were falling and called out, "Who is it?"

"It's Lucy," came the reply, her voice falsely cheerful. "I need to speak with you about your duties today."

I sighed, steeling myself for another confrontation. I tucked the tablet under my pillow and moved to unlock the door.

Lucy stood in the hallway, a smug smile on her face. "Good morning, Riley. I hope you slept well."

"What do you need, Lucy?" I asked, not bothering with pleasantries.

"Edith has requested your presence in the main sitting room. Something about the flower arrangements for the binding ceremony." Her smile widened. "Miss Brooks has won some design competition, you know. She'll be in an excellent mood today."

As I followed Lucy down the hallway toward the sitting room, watching her confident stride and the arrogant tilt of her head, something shifted within me. My wolf, usually content to observe from the shadows of my consciousness, surged forward with a growl that I felt in my very bones.

"Lucy," I called out, my voice steady despite the anger coursing through me.

She turned, one eyebrow raised in mock curiosity. "Yes, Riley?"

"It was you who went through my room that day, wasn't it? You who took my designs and gave them to Kaelin."

Lucy's smile faltered slightly, her nostrils flaring as she scented my anger. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't you?" I stepped closer, feeling my wolf's strength flowing through me. For the first time since returning to Grey Estate, I allowed some of my wolf's presence to show in my stance, in the subtle flash of my eyes. "You broke into my room. You stole my work."

Lucy took an instinctive step back, her body language shifting from confidence to wariness. Despite being a Beta like me, she had never faced the challenges I had in the Wilds, never had to fight for survival every day.

"Careful, Riley," she hissed, glancing around to ensure we were alone in the hallway. "You're making dangerous accusations."

"Not accusations. Facts." I moved closer still, until I could smell the sudden spike of fear in her scent. "I know it was you, Lucy. And deep down, you know that what you did was wrong—not just morally, but legally. Theft is a serious offense in pack law."

Lucy's eyes widened slightly, her composure cracking further. "You... You have no evidence!" With that, she turned and hurried away, her posture no longer proud but hunched, her tail metaphorically tucked between her legs.

Looking at her back, I shouted, "Just wait and see, I'll find evidence."