The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 156

Freya's POV

Duke left after ensuring I had the necessary forms, and I spent the next half hour filling out paperwork. When I returned to the design department, Melissa pointed vaguely toward the back of the room.

"There should be an empty desk somewhere over there."

I made my way through the office, feeling the weight of stares following me. When I approached an empty workstation, the Beta wolf at the adjacent desk looked up with a scowl.

"That's Jen's desk," he growled, teeth flashing briefly. "She's on vacation."

"Sorry," I murmured, moving to another empty station.

"That one's reserved for the new senior designer starting next week," a female voice called out.

This pattern repeated at every available workspace I approached. Some wolves were more direct, showing their displeasure through cold stares or turning their backs as I neared their territory. Others simply watched until I moved on, their message equally clear: not welcome.

Finally, I found an unoccupied desk in the farthest corner of the office, near the supply closet. The computer looked older than the others, and the chair had a tear in the seat, but at least no one immediately claimed it.

I had just settled in when I heard the whispers.

"Who is she really?"

"Never seen her portfolio. Must not be much of a designer."

"Did you see how Duke escorted her personally?"

"Obviously she has connections. Probably sleeping with someone important."

"Why else would Alpha Stone hire someone without even posting the position internally?"

I kept my eyes on the computer screen, pretending not to hear. My wolf whined internally, hating the isolation and judgment. But this wasn't the first time I'd been an outsider, and at least here no one knew the full details of my past. Being judged for supposed favoritism was far better than being judged as an exile.

A shadow fell across my desk, and I looked up to see a broad-shouldered male Beta standing over me, his arms filled with rolled-up design prints.

"You're the new girl, right? Mia?" he asked, his smile not reaching his eyes. "I'm Carter."

"Yes, that's me," I replied cautiously, careful to use my new identity.

"Great," he said, dropping the massive pile of blueprints and sketches onto my desk. "These need to be organized by project, client, and date. Alpha Stone likes to review archives occasionally, and these got mixed up during the last office move." His smile widened. "We need it done by end of day."

I stared at the mountain of papers. There had to be hundreds of designs, and without knowing the project codes or client systems, organizing them would be nearly impossible in a single day.

"Is there a filing system I should follow?" I asked, keeping my voice steady.

Carter shrugged. "Figure it out. That's what designers do, right? Solve problems?"

As he walked away, I heard him mutter to a colleague, "Let's see if Alpha's special project lasts the week. Emma's going to eat her alive when she gets back from her client meeting."

I took a deep breath and turned to the pile of designs. This was clearly a test—one designed for me to fail. But I'd survived worse than office politics. I began carefully examining each design, looking for patterns and project markers that might help me create a logical organization system.

Hours passed as I worked methodically through the pile. I skipped breaks, focusing entirely on the task. Some of the designs were brilliant—innovative spaces that balanced human comfort with wolf instincts. Others were more traditional, emphasizing pack hierarchy in the architectural flow. I found myself admiring the variety and creativity, despite the circumstances.

Around 1:00 PM, I suddenly realized the office had gone quiet. Looking up from my work, I found the room empty. Everyone had apparently left for lunch without a word to me. My stomach growled, reminding me I hadn't eaten since early morning.

I was debating whether to find the cafeteria on my own when a woman appeared in the doorway. She was elegantly dressed in a tailored burgundy suit, her dark hair swept into a sophisticated updo. It took me a moment to recognize her—Selena Price, Sebastian's sister whom I'd met briefly at the design competition.

Her eyes widened in recognition. "Freya? Is that you?"

I stood awkwardly, surprised she remembered me and nervous that she'd used my real name. "Yes, hello, Miss Price."

"Selena, please," she smiled, approaching my desk. "What are you doing here? And all alone?"

"I, um, just started today," I explained, gesturing vaguely at the pile of designs I'd been sorting. "I was catching up on some work."

Selena's eyes narrowed as she took in the deserted office and the mountain of paperwork. "Let me guess—they all conveniently disappeared for lunch without inviting you, and someone dumped an impossible task on your desk."

Her perception surprised me. "Something like that."

"Typical," she sighed, then smiled warmly. "Well, their loss is my gain. Join me for lunch? I was supposed to meet with Emma, but she's been held up at a client site."

"I don't want to impose—"

"Nonsense," Selena interrupted, linking her arm through mine with surprising familiarity. "I hate eating alone, and I'm dying to hear how you ended up at Silverstone. Though I notice they're calling you Mia?" She raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"It's... complicated," I said. "Jasper thought it would be better if I used a different name for now."

"Ah," Selena nodded understanding. "Professional alias. Smart move, considering the design competition drama. Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

Her friendly gesture caught me off guard. In the wolf world, casual physical contact implied a level of acceptance and trust that strangers rarely offered.

"Thank you," I said, genuinely moved by the simple kindness.

As we walked to the elevator, Selena chatted easily about the building's amenities and the cafeteria's surprisingly good food. When we entered the large, open dining area on the third floor, conversations paused briefly as wolves noticed our arrival. Selena seemed oblivious to the stares, guiding me confidently to the food line.

"The seared salmon is excellent," she advised, selecting a plate for herself. "Wolf-sized portions, too, not those tiny human-inspired servings some corporate cafeterias try to pass off as lunch."

I followed her lead, trying to ignore the whispers that followed us to a table by the windows.

"So," Selena said once we were seated, "how exactly did you end up at Stone Group? Last I heard, you were working at Grey Estate."

I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "It's... complicated."

"It always is with Alphas involved," she said knowingly. "Jasper doesn't typically recruit designers personally, so you must have impressed him."

"You know Alpha Stone well?" I asked, curious about her familiar tone.

"We just know each other," she explained. "Jasper's less uptight than most Alphas, but still—he doesn't bring in new talent without a reason."

I pushed my food around my plate, considering my response. "I participated in the Silverstone Design Competition. Anonymously."

Selena's eyes widened. "You were the mystery finalist? The one who withdrew?"

I nodded, uncomfortable with the memory of how that had played out.

"That explains it," she said, leaning forward with newfound interest. "Your work was extraordinary. Everyone in the design community was speculating about your identity."

"Thank you," I said quietly, surprised by her enthusiasm.

"Actually," Selena continued, her expression brightening, "this might be perfect timing. Do you remember when we met at my shop, I mentioned wanting you to wear a wedding dress I designed for a display photo?"