The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 254

Freya’s POV

The question hung in the air, uncomfortably precise. What was I to Thorne Grey? Not his Luna, despite what had happened between us. Not quite an exile anymore. Certainly not free.

"His responsibility," I finally answered, the word tasting bitter on my tongue.

Jasper studied me for a moment, then turned to Martha. "I'd like to speak with Freya. Alone."

Martha's eyes widened. "Absolutely not. He's another pack's Alpha, Freya. Alpha Grey would be—"

"Alpha Grey doesn't own me," I interrupted, surprising myself with the firmness in my voice. My wolf, usually so subdued since the silver exposure, stirred with something like approval.

"I heard about what happened at the docks," Jasper said, his voice lowering. "Seems Alpha Grey went to considerable trouble to rescue you."

The memory of that night flashed through my mind—the silver chains, Derek's taunts, Kaelin's hatred, and Thorne... Thorne appearing like a shadow, forced to choose between us. The way his eyes had lingered on Kaelin first.

"He didn't rescue me," I corrected flatly. "He rescued his Luna."

Something flickered in Jasper's eyes—curiosity, perhaps, or recognition of a deeper story. He glanced around the quiet neighborhood, then back to me.

"I was just passing by and thought you might appreciate getting out for a while. This place seems..." he surveyed the elegant but subdued surroundings, "...confining."

Martha stepped between us again. "Freya needs rest, not an excursion with another pack's Alpha."

But there was something appealing about Jasper's offer—a chance to escape these walls, to breathe air that wasn't saturated with memories of Thorne.

"I'll go," I said, ignoring Martha's sharp intake of breath.

"Freya!" Martha hissed, grabbing my arm. "Alpha Thorne will be furious. This could be seen as—"

"As what?" I challenged quietly. "I'm not his prisoner, Martha. And I'm not his Luna."

Martha's expression was pained, but she knew she couldn't stop me. An Alpha's request carried weight, even if it wasn't my Alpha making it. And part of me—the part that still smoldered with resentment over Thorne's choices—wanted to defy him, even in this small way.

"I'll have her back before dark," Jasper promised Martha, though his eyes remained fixed on me. "You have my word as an Alpha."

Martha's mouth thinned into a disapproving line, but she stepped aside. As a Beta, she couldn't challenge an Alpha's decision, especially not on her own territory.

"Fine," she conceded reluctantly. "But if Alpha Thorne asks, I want it clear that I objected to this."

Jasper nodded, a hint of amusement in his eyes as he gestured toward his car. I followed, feeling a strange mixture of trepidation and defiance. My wolf, usually so cautious, seemed almost eager for this change of scenery—this taste of something different.

As I settled into the passenger seat, the rich leather interior enveloped me in Jasper's scent. It was distinctly Alpha—powerful, dominant, territorial—but entirely different from Thorne's scent that had surrounded me for weeks. Where Thorne smelled of mint and metal, Jasper was all pine and mountain air. My wolf found it both foreign and fascinating.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked as he pulled away from the curb, leaving Martha's worried figure growing smaller in the side mirror.

Jasper's lips curved into a half-smile. "Somewhere that might make you feel better."

The car filled with his Alpha presence—strong, confident, but not oppressive. Unlike Thorne, who sometimes seemed to deliberately project his dominance, Jasper wore his Alpha status like a second skin—natural, unforced.

As we drove through Moon Bay's elegant streets, I realized that the knot of tension that had been my constant companion was beginning to loosen slightly. Perhaps it was simply being away from spaces saturated with memories of Thorne, or maybe it was the novelty of Jasper's company, but for the first time in days, I felt something other than despair.

"Where are we going?" I asked again as we left the residential areas behind, heading toward the northern outskirts of the city.

"A place where wolves go when they need to remember who they are," Jasper answered cryptically, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

Twenty minutes later, we pulled into a sprawling parking area bordered by towering pines. A carved wooden sign read "Moonlight Forest Park" in elegant lettering. The scent of pine and wild earth filled the air, and in the distance, I could hear the happy yips and howls of wolves at play.

"A forest park?" I asked, surprised by his choice.

Jasper turned off the engine and turned to face me, his amber eyes serious. "When a wolf is troubled, returning to nature is often the best medicine."

As I stepped out of the car, memories washed over me—running through the Moon Light District forests as a pup, my brother Ethan chasing me between the trees, my parents watching from the edge of the clearing, laughing at our antics. Before everything fell apart. Before we lost it all.

I remembered asking Thorne once, during one of our brief moments of peace, if he would run with me in the forests around Grey Manor. He had looked at me with that cool, distant expression and said, "I don't have time for such juvenile pursuits, Freya. Wolf-tag is for pups, not Alphas."

The memory stung afresh, a reminder of the distance he always maintained, even when we were closest.

Jasper came around the car, offering his arm with surprising gentlemanly grace. "Shall we?"

As we approached the park entrance, I noticed several wolves in the distance—Delta enforcers, undoubtedly—tracking our movements. Thorne's people, keeping eyes on the foreign Alpha in his territory. I pretended not to see them, but Jasper's slight smile told me he was well aware of our audience.

"Alpha Grey's enforcers seem concerned about my presence," he commented lightly as we entered the park. "One might think I'd kidnapped you."

"Haven't you?" I countered, matching his casual tone. "In a way?"

His laugh was unexpected—warm and genuine. "If I were kidnapping you, Freya, we'd be headed far from Moon Bay, not to its most popular public park."

The forest path opened before us, dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy. Around us, other wolves walked or ran, some in human form, others in their wolf shapes. Several glanced our way, curious about the powerful Alpha in their midst.

"This is where you come when you need to clear your head?" I asked, breathing in the rich forest scents.

Jasper shook his head. "I have my own forests. But sometimes public parks have their advantages. Anonymity, for one."

As we walked deeper into the park, a group of female Beta wolves approached from a side trail. Their eyes widened with recognition when they saw Jasper, their scents changing subtly—interest, attraction, curiosity. One of them, a tall blonde with striking features, moved directly toward us.

"Alpha Stone," she greeted, her voice pitched low and inviting. "What a surprise to see you here. I don't think I've ever encountered you in a public park before."

Before Jasper could respond, she turned to me, her gaze assessing, scent shifting to something less friendly when she noticed my proximity to the Alpha.

"And you are...?" she prompted, eyes narrowing slightly.

Jasper smoothly slipped his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to his side. The sudden contact made my wolf start in surprise, but I managed to keep my expression neutral.

"This is Freya, my companion for the day," he replied, his tone pleasant but dismissive.