The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 234

Freya’s POV

Martha's expression softened. "Ah, dear. This house is from Alpha Thorne. Despite dismissing me from the manor, he's been providing for me ever since, with a promise to cover my expenses for the rest of my life." She smiled, a knowing twinkle in her eye. "Though he asked me not to tell you that part. I suspect he was being stubborn, possibly trying to make you angry."

I stared at her, stunned by this revelation. All this time, I'd assumed Martha had suffered because of her association with me and my family. To learn that Thorne had been taking care of her secretly while maintaining the appearance of punishing her...it shifted something in my understanding of him.

Wordlessly, I pulled out my phone and sent Thorne a simple message: [Thank you.]

The afternoon passed peacefully as Martha and I worked in her garden. Despite my protests, she refused to let me help with the more strenuous tasks, insisting I was still recovering from my illness. Instead, I sat on a nearby bench, sketching designs for the jewelry collection I'd started for Elena Stone—work that would never be completed now.

"Your mother loved roses too," Martha commented, carefully pruning a bush of deep red blooms. "She would spend hours in our gardens at the estate."

The mention of my mother sent a familiar ache through my chest. Before I could respond, my phone chimed with a notification. Opening it, I found a message from Kaelin Brooks, along with a photo that made my blood run cold.

It was my crescent moon pendant—the one Julie Hunter had given me, the one Thorne had taken. In the photo, it dangled from Kaelin's fingers, the silver catching the light.

Her message was simple: [Looking for this? Let's talk. The Crescent Bistro, 7 PM.]

My hands shook with anger. That pendant was mine—a gift from my mentor, a symbol of my past life, a connection to who I'd been before exile. Thorne had taken it in a moment of jealousy, and now somehow Kaelin had it.

"I need to go out," I told Martha, my voice tight with controlled fury.

Martha looked up, concern etching her features. "What's happened?"

I showed her the message and photo. "Kaelin Brooks has something that belongs to me. I need to get it back."

Martha's expression darkened. "I'll come with you. Kaelin is dangerous, especially to you."

"No," I said firmly. "I need to handle this myself." Seeing her worried face, I added, "If there's any trouble, I'll contact Thorne immediately. I promise."

Martha clearly wasn't happy with my decision, but she reluctantly accepted it. "Be careful, child. That woman has her mother's cunning and her father's cruelty."

With that ominous warning echoing in my mind, I prepared to face Kaelin Brooks.

---

The Crescent Bistro was upscale but not ostentatious, catering to successful Betas and the occasional Alpha. I arrived precisely at seven, dressed in clothes that would help me blend in—dark jeans, a simple blouse, and a light jacket to conceal my crescent birthmark.

Kaelin was already seated at a corner table, looking elegant in a pale blue dress that complemented her flawless complexion. Her blonde hair was swept into a sophisticated updo, and diamonds glittered at her ears. The perfect picture of a future Luna.

As I approached, her eyes—cold despite their warm honey color—tracked my movement. Her lips curved into a smile that didn't reach those eyes.

"Freya Riley," she said, her voice carrying just enough to make nearby diners glance our way. "How nice of you to join me."

I slid into the seat across from her, keeping my expression neutral despite the anger simmering beneath my skin. "I'm here for my pendant. Nothing more."

Kaelin's smile widened. "So direct. No wonder Thorne found you... refreshing."

My eyes flicked to her neck, where my crescent moon pendant hung, mocking me with its proximity yet inaccessibility.

"That's mine," I said evenly. "Thorne had no right to take it, and you have no right to wear it."

Kaelin's fingers toyed with the pendant. "Oh, but Thorne gave it to me. A gift, he said."

I didn't believe her for a second. "I don't believe you. Unless Thorne confirms it's a gift from him, that pendant is still mine."

Her smile faltered slightly. "You called me here just for this?" I asked, frustration bleeding into my voice. "It can't be that simple. What do you really want, Kaelin?"

Kaelin leaned forward, her voice dropping to a dangerous purr. "I want your life, exile. Riley trash like you doesn't know its place. An Alpha's decision is final and absolute, yet you seem to think you can defy Thorne's judgment."

I felt my wolf bristle at the insult, but I kept my composure. "I'm only here to find my family. Once I do, you'll never see me again."

Kaelin laughed, a sharp, unpleasant sound. "How sweet. The loyal daughter searching for her traitor parents and brother."

She glanced around, her eyes narrowing slightly. I followed her gaze, noticing a subtle shift in the restaurant's atmosphere. Wolves were watching us—Grey Moon Pack members, likely assigned by Thorne to keep an eye on me. Kaelin must have sensed them too.

She pulled out her phone, typed something quickly, then returned her attention to me.

"If you want this," she said conversationally, "just get it yourself."

Before I could respond, she suddenly dropped the pendant into a glass of hot water on the table. I gasped, reaching for it instinctively, plunging my hand into the scalding liquid. Pain seared through my fingers as I fished out the pendant, but I refused to show weakness by crying out.

"Clumsy me," Kaelin said with mock concern. "Are you alright?"

I clutched the pendant in my burned hand, the pain nothing compared to the relief of having it back. "I'm fine," I said through gritted teeth.

Kaelin's expression changed, becoming calculating. "Tell me, Freya, what's more important to you? That little trinket, or your brother Ethan Riley?"

My heart stopped. "What did you say?"

Kaelin's smile was triumphant now. "Ethan Riley. Your brother. The rightful heir to Riley Enterprises before your family's disgrace." She pulled out her phone again, this time turning the screen toward me. "He sends his regards."

On the screen was a video feed showing a small, sparsely furnished room. In the center, slumped in a chair, was a man with silver-blonde hair. His head was down, but I could see a silver collar around his neck—a moon silver restraint that would prevent him from shifting or accessing his wolf strength.

"Ethan," I whispered, horror flooding through me.

"What have you done to him?" I demanded, my voice rising despite my efforts to stay calm.

Kaelin made a show of glancing around the restaurant. "Careful, Freya. You wouldn't want to cause a scene, would you?"

I forced myself to take a deep breath, though my wolf was howling in rage and fear. "What do you want?"

"Come with me," Kaelin said, her voice silky with triumph. "Now. Or the next video I show you will be of your brother experiencing the same silver immersion therapy you enjoyed in the prison."

The mention of that torture made my skin crawl with phantom pain. I couldn't let Ethan suffer that—I couldn't.

"Stop," I said, my voice breaking. "Don't hurt him."

"Then you'll come with me?" Kaelin pressed, her eyes gleaming with victory.

I looked down at the crescent pendant in my palm, still warm from the hot water. Then back at the screen showing my brother, helpless and collared. There was no choice to make.

"I'll come with you," I said, defeat heavy in my voice.