The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 248

Thorne’s POV

Our conversation was interrupted by the arrival of two more wolves—my father, Alexander Grey, and Edward Brooks, Kaelin's father. The contrast between them was striking. My father, even in his sixties, carried himself with the unbending authority of a former Alpha, while Edward, despite his position as head of enforcement, seemed diminished in his presence.

"Son," my father greeted me, his voice carrying a hint of a challenge. His scent—pine and authority—filled the corridor, making the medical staff shrink back instinctively. "Your hunting ground, your responsibility."

The public reprimand made my wolf bristle, but I kept my face neutral. "Father. Edward. I wasn't expecting you."

My father's golden eyes, so similar to my own, flashed with disapproval. "You allowed an exile to return to our territory," he growled, low enough that only I could hear. "And now look at the result. Kaelin might permanently lose her sight and shifting abilities."

Edward stepped forward, his expression carefully constructed to appear both worried and slightly accusatory. "My daughter," he said softly, "suffering because of your decision to allow that Riley girl back into our community."

I felt a surge of frustration at their presumption. Neither of them had all the facts, yet both were quick to assign blame—and specifically to tie Freya to Kaelin's condition.

"The situation is more complex than it appears," I responded, keeping my voice even. "We're still investigating what happened on that boat."

My father's eyes narrowed. "There's nothing to investigate. An exile conspired with a known criminal to attack our Luna. The course of action is clear."

"She isn't our Luna yet," I corrected automatically, then immediately regretted my words when I saw the flash of anger in my father's eyes.

"Watch your tone, Thorne," he warned, his voice dropping to a growl that still carried the weight of his former Alpha status. "We're in public."

Edward looked between us, his expression carefully neutral, though I caught the slight upturn at the corner of his mouth. He'd always enjoyed seeing friction between my father and me.

"Perhaps we should see Kaelin now," Edward suggested smoothly. "I'm sure she needs the comfort of her family."

We entered Kaelin's room together, an uncomfortable procession of power and tension. Olivia's face brightened at the sight of my father, her smile far warmer than what would be appropriate for her daughter's potential father-in-law.

"Alexander," she greeted, her voice softening. "Thank you for coming."

My father moved to Kaelin's bedside with surprising tenderness, gently placing his hand on her forehead. "Our Luna," he said softly, the possessive term making my wolf snarl internally. "The Grey family has never abandoned its own."

Kaelin's face relaxed at his touch, some of the tension leaving her body. "Thank you for being here," she whispered, her voice suddenly small and childlike.

Edward hesitated at the foot of the bed, his eyes fixed on his daughter's unseeing gaze. "The doctors... they're saying it's temporary, correct?" he asked, directing his question to me.

Before I could answer, my father spoke. "We'll ensure she receives the best care, regardless of cost."

Edward nodded, relief evident in his posture. Then, carefully, he added, "Given the circumstances... perhaps we should reconsider the timing of the alliance ceremony."

The suggestion hung in the air, a calculated move that didn't surprise me but apparently shocked my father, who turned to Edward with a sharp glare.

"The Luna of Grey Moon Pack will be Kaelin and no other," he declared, his voice leaving no room for argument. "This changes nothing."

I watched this exchange with growing puzzlement. My father had always been exacting about Alpha standards, critical of every potential mate I'd ever considered. His insistence on Kaelin, despite her syndrome and now this injury, was inconsistent with everything I knew about him. What hold did the Brooks family have that made him so determined to see this alliance through?

Dr. Maloy cleared his throat, breaking the tense silence. "I need to discuss Ms. Brooks' treatment options," he said. "The silver toxicity is advancing, and we need to make decisions quickly."

"What options?" Edward asked.

"Standard procedure carries significant risks," Dr. Maloy explained. "Her moon phase syndrome complicates the silver removal. I've consulted with our specialists, and they recommend Dr. Miles Everett perform the extraction."

Olivia's head snapped up, her eyes wide with alarm. "Everett? Isn't he—"

"The most qualified surgeon for silver toxicity in Moon Bay," Dr. Maloy finished firmly. "Perhaps in the entire Northwest."

Mark appeared in the doorway, his expression carefully neutral as he caught my eye. He approached discreetly and leaned close to my ear.

"Alpha," he murmured, "Miles Everett is currently in another room, treating Freya Riley. Her silver exposure was also severe, though different in nature."

Olivia, with her Beta hearing, caught enough of Mark's words to understand. Her face contorted with outrage.

"No!" she exclaimed. "That exile's friend will not touch my daughter! I won't allow it!"

I turned to face her, letting a hint of Alpha authority seep into my voice. "As Alpha, it's my responsibility to ensure every wolf in our territory receives the best medical care available. If Dr. Everett is the most qualified, then he will treat Kaelin."

"But he's friends with her!" Olivia protested. "He'll sabotage the treatment!"

My father's eyes flashed dangerously at her outburst. "Enough," he said quietly, yet with such authority that Olivia immediately fell silent. He turned to me, his gaze appraising. "As Alpha, this is your decision. But remember that an Alpha's primary duty is to his future Luna."

The implied threat in his words was clear, as was the challenge. My father had rarely interfered in my governance since passing the mantle to me five years ago, but he remained on the Lifetime Council, with veto power over major decisions. His interest in this particular situation felt disproportionate and suspicious.

I met his gaze steadily. "I'll speak with Dr. Everett myself."

My father's eyes narrowed slightly. "See that you do," he said, the words carrying far more weight than their simple meaning would suggest.

I turned to leave, but not before catching Edward's expression—a subtle mix of anxiety and calculation that further fueled my suspicions. Something deeper was at play here, some connection between the Brooks family and the Rileys that I hadn't yet uncovered.

As I stepped into the corridor with Mark at my side, my resolve hardened. I would get to the bottom of this, no matter whose carefully constructed narratives I had to tear apart in the process.

"Mark," I said quietly as we headed away from Kaelin's room, "before we speak with Miles Everett, I need to deal with Derek first."

Mark nodded, his expression grim. "He's being held in the hospital's secure wing under Delta guard. Security protocols are in place—silver restraints and constant surveillance."

"Good," I replied, feeling my wolf stir with anticipation. "I want to hear what he has to say before anyone else gets to him. I suspect Kaelin's extreme eagerness to see him silenced wasn't just about revenge."

Mark's eyebrows raised slightly. "You think he knows something that could compromise her?"

"I'm certain of it." I glanced back toward Kaelin's room, where my father and the Brooks family continued their hushed conversation. "And I intend to find out what it is."

As we walked down the sterile corridor toward the secure wing, I found myself analyzing the strange intensity of my father's defense of Kaelin, the desperate eagerness with which she had asked about Derek, and the way Edward and Olivia seemed more concerned about Freya than their daughter's actual condition.

Why was Kaelin so afraid of what Derek might say? What connection existed between the Brooks and Riley families that inspired such hatred? And most troublingly, why was my father—who had always demanded perfection in everything, especially potential mates—so insistent on Kaelin as Luna despite her increasingly obvious flaws?

I paused briefly as we passed near Freya's room, hearing her soft voice from within. She was in the grip of a nightmare, calling out in her sleep. The sound of my name on her lips, vulnerable and seeking, made my chest tighten with an emotion I wasn't prepared to name.

"Alpha?" Mark questioned, noticing my hesitation.

"Continue to the secure wing," I ordered, my voice hardening with resolve. "It's time we heard the truth from Derek—before anyone decides he shouldn't be able to tell it."