The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 132

Thorne's POV

The evening air carried the sweet scent of roses as I gripped Freya's wrist, my fingers tightening around her delicate bones. I could feel her pulse racing beneath my touch, the rhythm quickening as I confronted her. My wolf stirred within me, agitated and territorial as I stared into her eyes, allowing my own to shift to their golden Alpha state.

"Not planning to explain yourself?" I growled, the Alpha timbre in my voice making the question more demand than inquiry. "Why are you on the phone with the Alpha of Silverstone Pack?"

Freya's chin lifted slightly, a subtle act of defiance that made my wolf bristle. Despite her submissive position as a marked Beta, she still managed to maintain that infuriating spark of resistance.

"Explain what?" she replied, her voice deceptively casual. "Even if you are an Alpha, I don't believe you have the right to control who I speak with."

The memory of seeing her with Jasper at Moon Howl flashed through my mind—their heads bent close together, the easy familiarity in their body language, Jasper's hand lingering too long on her arm. The image burned like silver against my skin. My voice dropped lower, taking on the resonant quality that only Alphas could produce, a sound that bypassed rational thought and spoke directly to the wolf within.

I backed her against the rose-covered wall of the garden, my body caging hers without touching. Her scent intensified with her nervousness—wild honey and night-blooming flowers, tinged now with the sharp edge of fear.

"Say it," I demanded, leaning closer until I could feel her quickened breath against my face. "What exactly is your relationship with him?"

Before she could answer, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I ignored it, keeping my gaze locked with hers. It buzzed again, insistent. Reluctantly, I pulled it out, still maintaining my position of dominance over her. Mark's message illuminated the screen:

[Traced anonymous account. IP address registered to Silverstone territory. Almost certainly Stone's people behind it.]

I looked back at Freya, a new suspicion forming. "Interesting timing," I said, showing her the message. "The anonymous account that's been stirring up trouble for Kaelin? It's coming from Silverstone territory." I watched her face carefully, looking for any flicker of guilt or recognition. "Jasper Stone's people."

She blinked, her expression carefully neutral, but I could smell the subtle change in her scent—not guilt, but something closer to vindication.

"So you think I'm somehow involved? That I'm working with Jasper to... what? Discredit Kaelin?" Her voice grew stronger with each word. "You've already made up your mind, haven't you? The great Alpha Thorne doesn't need evidence or a fair hearing. Just like three years ago."

My jaw clenched at the reference to her trial. "This isn't about the past."

"Isn't it?" Her eyes flashed. "You're so quick to assume I'm plotting with Jasper. Have you considered that maybe he's helping me because I'm the one who was wronged? That maybe—just maybe—Kaelin actually did steal my designs?"

"So you admit you're working with him," I growled, focusing on the confirmation rather than her accusation.

"Is that all you heard?" She pushed against my chest, surprising me with her boldness. "Does Alpha Thorne not need to investigate or gather evidence before passing judgment these days? Is that how you'll judge others in Moon Crescent Court as well—with assumptions instead of facts?"

Her words struck a nerve. My role as judge was sacred to me, founded on principles of fairness and evidence. The accusation that I would abandon those principles stung more than she knew.

"You're avoiding my question," I said, redirecting. "Jasper Stone is using you to attack my chosen mate, to undermine Grey Moon Pack's standing. And you're letting him."

"He's helping me get justice," she fired back, her voice dropping to a low, almost wolflike growl that surprised me. "Something you never bothered to do."

"Justice?" I scoffed. "Jasper Stone doesn't know the meaning of the word. He's using you, Freya. He doesn't care about your designs. He cares about undermining me, about creating division."

She shook her head, frustration evident in every line of her body. "You really can't imagine that someone might actually be on my side, can you? That someone might see me as more than just a marked Beta or a convenient tool?"

"What I can't imagine," I said, stepping closer again, a dangerous thought forming, "is why Jasper Stone, who has never shown interest in fashion or design, would suddenly care so much about this particular case." I searched her face, my suspicion growing. "What did you give him in return for his help, Freya?"

Her eyes widened with shock, then narrowed with understanding. "What are you implying?"

"How far did it go?" I asked, my voice deadly quiet as my wolf snarled within me. "Did you sleep with him for his protection?"

The slap came so quickly that even my Alpha reflexes didn't have time to react. The sting on my cheek was nothing compared to the fury in her eyes.

"Is that what you think of me?" she whispered, her voice shaking with rage. "That I would prostitute myself for protection?"

The Riley family moon-mark on her neck glowed faintly silver in her anger, a reminder of her bloodline's once-proud standing. I should have backed away, should have recognized that I'd crossed a line, but my wolf was too agitated, too possessive.

"What am I supposed to think?" I countered. "Stone doesn't do anything without getting something in return. And he's made no secret of his interest in you."

"Maybe he believes me," she said simply. "Maybe he sees what you refuse to—that I was wronged. That Kaelin stole my work."

"Or maybe," I suggested coldly, "he's just trying to get to me through you. To win against me any way he can."

Freya's laugh was bitter. "Everything is about you, isn't it? Your pride, your competition with Jasper, your fear of losing face." She stepped closer, fearless now in her anger. "Did it ever occur to you that this isn't about you at all? That maybe this is about a designer who had her work stolen and wants it recognized?"

My phone rang again, the sound cutting through the tension between us. I ignored it, unwilling to break this confrontation.

The phone continued ringing insistently. Freya's gaze flicked to it, then back to me.

"Answer it," she said. "It might be important. More important than interrogating me about my nonexistent love life."

I pulled out the phone without breaking eye contact, answering with a curt, "What?"

Edward Brooks's voice came through, panicked and breathless. "Alpha Thorne, you need to come quickly. It's Kaelin—she's collapsed. She can't shift at all, not even partially. The doctors say her moon phase syndrome is the worst they've ever seen."

My expression must have changed, because Freya's anger softened slightly to concern.

"I'm on my way," I said, ending the call and slipping the phone back into my pocket.

"Kaelin?" Freya asked, her voice neutral but her scent betraying her curiosity.

"She's in medical distress," I said shortly, already turning to leave. "This conversation isn't over, Freya. Until I return, you will not contact Jasper Stone or anyone from Silverstone Pack. That's an order."