The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 235

Freya's POV

Kaelin's face transformed with triumph, her honey-colored eyes flashing with golden wolf light. Her lips curled into a predatory smile that made my skin crawl. My wolf howled in protest inside me, urging me to fight, to run—anything but surrender to this woman.

"A wise choice, Riley," she purred, her voice silky with satisfaction. "I always knew you'd make the right decision when properly motivated."

My fingers curled around the crescent moon pendant I'd just retrieved from the hot water. The metal was still warm against my palm, and I slipped it into my pocket, unwilling to let Kaelin see how much it meant to me.

"Let's go," I said, my voice steady despite the storm of emotions raging inside me. "Now."

Kaelin stood gracefully, tossing some bills onto the table with casual disregard. I noticed several wolves watching us—Grey Moon Pack members—but they made no move to intervene. Why would they? In their eyes, I was still the exile, and Kaelin was their Alpha's chosen mate.

She led me toward a side exit, away from the main restaurant floor. I followed, every step feeling like a betrayal to myself, but the image of Ethan with that silver collar around his neck kept me moving forward. The pendant in my pocket was my only comfort, a small piece of my past that I'd managed to reclaim before walking into whatever trap Kaelin had set.

"You're being so cooperative," Kaelin commented as we approached the door. "It's almost disappointing. I expected more of a fight from the girl who attacked me three years ago."

I bit back a retort. Now wasn't the time to antagonize her, not when Ethan's safety hung in the balance.

The cool evening air hit my face as we stepped outside. The side alley was dimly lit and deserted, the perfect place for an ambush. My suspicions were confirmed when I spotted a black SUV idling at the far end, its engine a low rumble in the quiet night.

"My ride is waiting," Kaelin said, her hand suddenly gripping my arm with surprising strength. "Don't try anything stupid, Freya. Your brother will pay the price."

As we approached the vehicle, the rear door swung open. A hulking figure emerged—a male Beta wolf with shoulders like boulders and arms thick with muscle. His face was partially shadowed, but I could see the gleam of his teeth as he smiled at me.

"Well, well," he said, his voice a deep growl that raised the hair on the back of my neck. "The Riley family runt. Your scent is even more distinctive than rumors suggest."

My wolf bristled at the insult, but I remained silent. This wasn't some random Beta; there was something calculated in the way he looked at me, as if he'd been waiting for this moment.

"Hurry up," Kaelin hissed, glancing nervously over her shoulder. "Grey family Deltas are still patrolling the front of the restaurant. We need to be careful not to attract their attention."

The Beta wolf nodded, then turned his predatory gaze back to me. Before I could react, he released a wave of dominating pheromones—a Beta's poor imitation of an Alpha's power, but still strong enough to make my head swim. As I struggled against the sudden dizziness, he moved with startling speed, his hand striking the back of my neck with precision.

Pain exploded at the base of my skull, and darkness rushed in from all sides. The last thing I felt was being lifted into strong arms, the scent of unfamiliar wolf filling my nostrils as consciousness slipped away.

---

I woke to searing pain around my wrists and ankles. My head throbbed where I'd been struck, and my vision swam as I tried to focus. I'd hit my forehead on something hard—the wooden leg of a bed, I realized, as my surroundings slowly came into focus.

The room was small and rustic, with rough-hewn logs forming the walls. A single window, covered with heavy curtains, allowed just enough moonlight to see by. I tried to move, only to be stopped by a sharp, burning sensation.

Looking down, I saw the cause: moon silver chains wrapped around my wrists and ankles, their pale glow seeming to mock me. The metal burned against my skin, not enough to cause permanent damage but enough to ensure constant pain and prevent shifting. I recognized the restraints all too well—they were identical to the ones used in the Silver Shackle Prison during my three years of exile.

I shifted slightly, trying to find a position that would ease the burning, and felt something in my clenched fist. Opening my palm, I saw my crescent moon pendant, still clutched tightly despite my unconscious state. Somehow, I'd maintained my grip even while being knocked out and transported. I quickly slipped it under the thin mattress I was lying on, hiding it from whoever had brought me here.

As my senses sharpened, I became aware of voices from the next room. One was unmistakably Kaelin's, her cultured tones now sharp with irritation. The other was the deep rumble of the Beta wolf who had ambushed me.

"This is taking too long," the male voice complained. "We should just eliminate her and be done with it."

"Don't be an idiot," Kaelin snapped. "She's our insurance. If Thorne comes looking for her—which he will—we need leverage."

"You're overcomplicating things," the Beta argued. "If you'd just let me handle this my way—"

"Your way would have us both executed for treason," Kaelin hissed. "I need time to implement the rest of my plan. Once I'm bound to Thorne as his Luna, even he won't be able to challenge me without causing a pack civil war."

Their voices dropped lower, and I strained to hear, ignoring the burn of the silver against my skin.

"Looks like your Moon Phase Syndrome has made you crazier than I thought," the Beta wolf said with a mocking laugh. "You were even willing to sell your body to me for this plan."

I froze, hardly believing what I was hearing.

"Shut up!" Kaelin's voice rose in a near-shriek. "You just need to follow my plan. I'll give you what you want in return."

The Beta's voice dropped to a hungry growl. "Don't forget, we're equals in this. No one has to listen to anyone else. You're not above me, or you wouldn't be in my bed."