The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 212

Thorne's POV

The apartment was saturated with their scents, intermingling in a way that made my wolf bristle with territorial aggression. Everett's scent was everywhere—on the furniture, in the air, and worst of all, on Freya. The Beta doctor had clearly been keeping close to her, his protective pheromones lingering around her like an invisible claim.

I forced myself to focus on Freya instead of the territorial rage threatening to overtake me. She looked better than she had in the hospital—the dangerous fever flush had receded from her cheeks, though she still appeared fragile, wrapped in what was clearly Everett's oversized robe. Her honey-brown hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders, and despite her illness, her wolf eyes were alert and wary.

"It seems Ms. Riley and Dr. Everett have quite an intimate relationship," I remarked, unable to keep the edge from my voice. "Your scents are already mixing."

Her scent spiked with indignation. "Miles and I grew up together. We've known each other since we were pups. Our relationship is none of your business."

But it was my business. Everything about her had become my business, though I couldn't explain why, even to myself. My wolf paced restlessly inside me, demanding that I establish boundaries, that I make clear she was under my protection, not Everett's.

When Everett finally left us alone, I took a deep breath, trying to organize my thoughts. I hadn't planned what to say to her—I'd been operating on instinct since discovering she'd fled the hospital, driven by an urgent need to ensure she was safe.

"Now, what is it you wanted to say to me that couldn't be said in front of Miles?" she asked, perching on the edge of the couch.

Her directness had always been refreshing in a world of political maneuvering and carefully calculated words. Even now, weakened by illness and in a vulnerable position, she faced me head-on.

"I came here because I was concerned about you, Freya," I said, softening my tone. "I can't let you face these dangers alone."

She looked up at me, surprise flickering across her face. "You... were concerned about me?"

The vulnerability in her expression made something in my chest tighten. For a moment, she looked like the young Beta girl I remembered from our academy days—earnest and open, before life and my decisions had hardened her.

That fleeting softness vanished as quickly as it had appeared. She straightened her shoulders, her expression cooling. "I don't need your concern, Alpha Thorne. Haven't you noticed that your so-called concern only brings me more trouble?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, though I had a sinking feeling I knew exactly what she meant.

"The photos online," she said, gesturing to her phone on the coffee table. "You carrying me into the hospital, my identity exposed for everyone to see. Your pack is questioning your judgment. Your council is probably in an uproar."

She wasn't wrong. The political fallout had been immediate and severe. But that wasn't what concerned me most.

"My father and the council chair have temporarily relieved me of my duties at Moon Crescent Court," I admitted. "But that's not important right now."

"Not important?" she echoed, her voice rising slightly. "Your position as Alpha judge is everything to you. It's who you are."

"There are more pressing matters," I insisted. "Like why your room at the hospital was visited by Kaelin Brooks late at night."

Freya's scent changed abruptly—fear and anger mingling together. "So it was her," she murmured. "I thought as much."

"What did she say to you?" I demanded, my protective instincts flaring.

Freya hesitated, then met my gaze directly. "Your future Luna came to my hospital room in the middle of the night and threatened me. She told me I had to leave Moon Bay before dawn, or she would make things even worse for me."

My blood ran cold. "Kaelin threatened you?"

"She admitted to leaking the photo," Freya continued, her voice steady despite the lingering tremor in her scent. "She wanted me gone, out of your life, out of Moon Bay."

I clenched my fists, fury building inside me. The thought of Kaelin sneaking into Freya's room while she was vulnerable, threatening her when she was already ill—it made my wolf howl with rage.

"Why?" Freya asked suddenly, her voice quiet but intense. "Why are you so determined to keep me in your life, Thorne? Why do you keep finding me, following me, inserting yourself into my existence when all I've tried to do is stay away from you?"

Her question caught me off guard. I'd been asking myself the same thing for weeks, ever since I'd recognized her in that dingy bar. Why couldn't I just let her go? Why did my wolf refuse to accept her absence?

"Why not just let me live my life?" she pressed when I didn't answer immediately. "Your life would be so much simpler without me in it. Your council would be happier. Kaelin would be happier. You could have your perfect binding ceremony and your perfect Luna and forget all about the Riley exile."

Something about her words sparked an unexpected clarity in me. I took a step closer to her, watching as she tensed but didn't retreat.

"What if I don't want a simpler life?" I asked, my voice dropping lower. "What if I don't want to forget about you?"

Freya's eyes widened, her scent shifting with confusion and uncertainty.

"Freya, I've thought about this for a long time," I continued, finding the words as I spoke them. "Before, I didn't understand why I couldn't let you go. Why I was so obsessed with finding you even after you'd served your punishment." I took another step toward her, my wolf urging me forward. "Now I know. I've lost."

"Lost?" she echoed, confusion evident in her voice. "What are you talking about?"