The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 24

Freya's POV

The healing compound burned through my veins like liquid fire, simultaneously agonizing and relieving. I could feel my wolf responding to the medicine, stirring beneath my skin after being suppressed for so long. The doctor—Maloy, Thorne had called him—worked methodically, setting up an IV drip and checking my vitals with practiced movements.

"The worst of the internal bleeding is stabilizing," he informed me, his tone professional but not unkind. "But you need absolute rest for the next six hours at minimum. The compound needs time to work, and you absolutely cannot shift or engage in strenuous activity. Any stress on your system could reopen the wounds."

I nodded weakly, too exhausted to speak. The pain was beginning to dull, replaced by a heavy drowsiness that pulled at my consciousness. Through half-lidded eyes, I watched as Dr. Maloy packed his equipment and spoke quietly to Thorne, who had returned from the balcony.

"I'll check on her tomorrow morning," the doctor said. "Call me if her condition changes. The moon-silver contamination concerns me—it's interfering with the treatment's effectiveness."

Thorne thanked him and showed him to the door. I let my eyes close fully then, feigning sleep. I didn't have the strength for another confrontation with the Alpha who had once condemned me to hell.

The door closed with a soft click, and I heard Thorne's measured footsteps approaching the bed. The mattress dipped slightly as he sat beside me, and I fought to keep my breathing even, my heartbeat steady. After a moment of silence, I felt a gentle pressure on my neck, right where my family's crescent moon birthmark lay.

His fingers were warm against my skin, tracing the outline of the mark that had once been a symbol of pride for the Riley bloodline. Now it was little more than a target on my back, identifying me to anyone who might wish me harm.

"If you hadn't hurt others, you wouldn't have ended up like this," Thorne murmured, his voice so low I barely caught the words.

I wanted to snap back, to tell him I never hurt anyone, that Kaelin's accusations were lies—but I remained still, my wolf urging caution. In my weakened state, challenging an Alpha would be suicide.

My lips still tingled from our kiss earlier. My first kiss. The memory of it sent a confused shiver through me. Why had he kissed me? Why had he asked me to pretend to seduce him? None of it made sense. One moment he was my judge and executioner, the next he was pressing his lips against mine with an intensity that had left me breathless and confused.

Was it all some elaborate power play? A way to humiliate the exiled wolf? Or worse—was I just a momentary distraction from his fiancée? The thought made something twist painfully inside my chest. I wasn't some toy to be played with and discarded when convenient.

---

A sharp knock at the door shattered the silence. I felt Thorne tense beside me, his hand withdrawing from my neck. Through my lashes, I saw his expression instantly harden into a mask of controlled neutrality.

"Thorne? Are you in there?" A female voice called through the door—cultured, demanding, and unmistakably belonging to Kaelin Brooks.

My blood ran cold. Kaelin was here. The woman who had testified against me, who had ensured my exile with her false accusations. The woman engaged to marry the Alpha whose lips had been on mine just hours ago.

Thorne rose swiftly from the bed, his movements taut with tension. "Stay here," he whispered, though he thought I was asleep. "Don't make a sound."

I heard him cross to the door, opening it just enough to step through before closing it firmly behind him. Even through the door, their voices carried clearly to my wolf-sharp hearing.

"Kaelin, what are you doing here?" Thorne's tone was controlled but cold.

"Is that how you greet your fiancée? I was worried when you missed dinner," Kaelin's voice dripped with false sweetness. "What's so important in that room that you're keeping me out?"

"It's just business. A sensitive matter with one of the pack members."

"At midnight? In a hotel?" Her voice hardened. "Don't lie to me, Thorne."

"Go home, Kaelin. I'll explain everything later."

Their voices grew more heated, then faded as they moved further down the hallway—Thorne clearly trying to lead her away from the room. I forced my eyes open, fighting against the drug-induced lethargy.

The realization of my situation hit me like a physical blow. I was trapped in a hotel room, severely injured, with Kaelin Brooks—the architect of my destruction—just outside. And Thorne... whatever his game was with that kiss, he was still engaged to her. I was caught in the middle of something dangerous and beyond my understanding.

If Kaelin discovered me here, there was no telling what she might do. And if Thorne returned... I couldn't face him again, couldn't risk him seeing how much that kiss had affected me—my very first kiss, stolen by the man who had condemned me to exile. The confusion and unwanted attraction were too much to bear, especially with the threat of Kaelin looming.

With tremendous effort, I pushed myself to a sitting position, biting my lip to keep from crying out as pain lanced through my abdomen. The room spun around me, and I had to pause, breathing deeply until the dizziness subsided.

The IV in my arm was the first obstacle. I gritted my teeth and pulled it out in one swift motion, pressing my thumb against the small puncture to stem the bleeding. Blood trickled between my fingers, but I couldn't worry about that now.

Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I tested my weight on shaking limbs. My knees threatened to buckle, but I forced myself to stand, using the nightstand for support. On it lay several vials of medicine and a stack of cash that Thorne must have placed there earlier.

I hesitated for only a moment before taking both. The medicine might save my life if my wounds reopened, and the money... well, I'd long since passed the point of pride when it came to survival.

The main door was out of the question—Thorne and Kaelin were still in the hallway. My gaze shifted to the balcony doors, left partially open from Thorne's earlier phone call. Fresh air streamed in, carrying the scent of the city and, more importantly, freedom.

I staggered toward it, each step sending waves of pain through my body. Outside, the balcony overlooked the glittering cityscape, the neighboring building's roof just visible to the left—perhaps fifteen feet away, and slightly lower than our position.

In my prime, with my wolf at full strength, such a jump would have been trivial. In my current state, it could very well kill me. But staying meant potentially facing Kaelin's wrath or confronting Thorne about that kiss—both prospects terrified me more than the leap before me.

"Just one jump," I whispered to myself, fingers unconsciously touching my lips where his had been hours before. "One jump away from whatever game they're playing."

I climbed onto the balcony railing, my vision swimming from the exertion. Below, the city lights blurred together, dizzying in their intensity. I focused instead on my target—the flat rooftop of the neighboring building.

Then I leapt.

For one heart-stopping moment, I was airborne, suspended between buildings with nothing but air beneath me. Then gravity took hold, pulling me down faster than expected. I hit the opposite roof hard, rolling to absorb the impact but still feeling something tear inside me.

I bit down on my lip until I tasted blood, refusing to scream. The last thing I needed was to alert Thorne to my escape. Forcing myself to my feet, I staggered toward the roof access door, praying it would be unlocked.

The handle turned. Thank the Moon Goddess for small mercies.

I slipped inside and began the painful descent down the service stairs, one hand pressed against my abdomen where I could feel warm wetness seeping through my shirt. The healing compound was still working—barely—but I'd definitely set back my recovery.

By the time I reached the street, sweat drenched my body and my breathing came in shallow gasps. I pulled my jacket tighter around me, hoping to hide the bloodstains as I merged into the evening crowd.

"Better to face real enemies than live under an Alpha's 'protection,'" I muttered.