The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 267

Thorne’s POV

The weight of the documents in my hand felt heavier than any burden I'd carried as Alpha. Each page was another nail in the coffin of lies that had buried the Riley family for three years. The evidence was irrefutable, damning—and it implicated my own father.

I steered my car through the winding road leading to Grey Manor, my jaw clenched so tight I could feel my teeth grinding. My wolf paced restlessly beneath my skin, alternating between rage and disbelief. The father who had taught me about justice, about the responsibility of power, had willingly destroyed an innocent family for political gain.

The manor came into view, its grey stone walls imposing against the twilight sky. This had been my childhood home, the place where I learned what it meant to be an Alpha. Now it felt like the epicenter of a betrayal that had poisoned our entire pack.

Mark had offered to accompany me, but this was a confrontation I needed to face alone. Father to son. Alpha to former Alpha.

As I pulled up to the circular driveway, our longtime Beta housekeeper emerged from the front entrance. Her face, usually warm with welcome, was creased with concern.

"Alpha Thorne," she greeted me with a slight bow. "Your father is in his study."

"He's expecting me?"

"No," she admitted. "But he always seems to know when you're coming."

I nodded, handing her my keys. "Thank you."

The manor was quiet as I walked through its familiar halls. Portraits of Grey Alphas past lined the walls, their eyes seeming to follow me with judgment—or was it shame? Had any of them compromised their integrity the way my father had? Had any of them sent an innocent wolf to exile for the sake of power?

The door to my father's study was closed. I stood before it, steadying my breath, centering my Alpha energy. Then I knocked—three sharp raps that echoed through the hallway.

"Enter," came the commanding voice from within.

My father sat behind his massive oak desk, a glass of bourbon in hand. At sixty-five, Alexander Grey was still an imposing figure—silver-streaked hair perfectly coiffed, shoulders broad beneath his tailored suit, eyes sharp and calculating. The former Alpha of Grey Moon Pack for thirty years before passing the mantle to me five years ago.

"Thorne," he said, his voice neutral but eyes wary. "This is unexpected."

"Is it?" I closed the door behind me and approached his desk. "I think you've been expecting this visit since the day you decided to frame the Riley family."

A flicker of something—surprise, perhaps concern—crossed his features before he schooled his expression back to impassivity. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

I tossed Ethan Riley's documents onto his desk. "Don't insult me with lies, Father. Not anymore."

He didn't touch the papers, merely glanced at them before taking another sip of his bourbon. "Where did you get these?"

"From Ethan Riley." I watched his face carefully. "Yes, he's alive. And he's been keeping evidence."

My father remained silent, calculating, assessing his options. I could almost see the wheels turning behind his eyes—the political animal trying to find an escape route.

"These documents," I continued, my voice low and dangerous, "prove that the Brooks family was collaborating with the Silver Circle—selling information about pack movements to hunters. The Riley family discovered this treachery and were preparing to expose it."

I leaned forward, placing my palms flat on his desk. "And then you helped Brooks pin those exact crimes on the Rileys."

My father's eyes narrowed. "You don't understand the complexities—"

"Then enlighten me!" I slammed my fist down, my control slipping. "Explain to me why my father, the man who taught me that an Alpha's primary responsibility is to protect every member of his pack, would destroy an innocent family!"

The bourbon in his glass sloshed as he set it down carefully. His eyes met mine, and for the first time, I saw resignation there.

"You want the truth?" he asked quietly. "Very well. The truth is more complicated than you realize."

He rose from his chair and walked to the window, looking out over the grounds bathed in evening light. "In the beginning, I supported your union with Freya Riley."

This admission caught me off guard. "What?"

He turned to face me. "In Grey Moon Pack, the Riley family was always a respected Beta lineage. I actually thought she would make a suitable Luna for you."

The revelation struck me like a physical blow. I remembered those early days when Freya had first started showing interest in me—her bright smile, her determination, her talent. Had Father truly supported that potential match?

"The two families had initial discussions about a mating alliance," he continued. "Freya showed clear interest in you, and you were beginning to respond. We were even starting to plan the engagement ceremony."

"What changed?" I demanded, trying to reconcile this with what I knew had happened afterward.

"Economics," he said simply. "The Riley family was already quite prominent financially. If they became the Luna's maternal family as well, too much power would be concentrated in one lineage."

My father returned to his desk, picking up his glass again. "I proposed that you should become the Riley Enterprises heir as part of the mating agreement."

"And they refused?"

"They already had Ethan as their heir," my father confirmed. "We reached an impasse."

I felt my anger building again. "So you destroyed them because they wouldn't give you control of their business?"

"It wasn't that simple," he countered. "While our families were at odds, I discovered evidence of the Brooks family's dealings with the Silver Circle."

"And instead of exposing them, you used it against the Rileys," I concluded, disgust evident in my voice.

"I chose family interests," he said, unapologetic. "It was... convenient to redirect suspicion toward the Rileys. The Brooks family needed my protection, and I needed allies."

My wolf snarled beneath my skin, outraged at this casual admission of such a profound betrayal. "You didn't just betray your duties as Alpha," I growled. "You destroyed my chance at happiness."

"Don't be dramatic," my father scoffed. "Kaelin Brooks is a suitable match—"

"Kaelin is mentally unstable and vindictive!" I interrupted. "And she worked with her father to torture Freya in Silver Shackle Prison!"

For the first time, my father looked genuinely surprised. "That wasn't part of the arrangement."

"No? Then perhaps you should review the evidence more closely," I said coldly, pointing to the documents. "Edward Brooks authorized special silver treatments for Freya—well beyond safe levels. Kaelin visited regularly to taunt her."

My father's expression darkened. "That was excessive. Unnecessary."

"Was framing an innocent family 'necessary'?" I demanded.

His eyes flashed with sudden anger. "You don't understand pack politics, Thorne. The Riley family would have eventually replaced us. And you," he jabbed a finger at me, "since becoming chief judge, have been so consumed with your high-minded justice work that you've completely forgotten about strengthening the Grey family. If you weren't an Alpha, the Riley family would have already taken over as Moon Bay's premier family."

I stared at my father, feeling a deep ache in my chest. This man, whom I had respected and emulated my entire life, now seemed like a stranger to me.

"Father," I said, my voice heavy with disappointment, "since I gained consciousness, I have never forgotten our family mission or pack obligations. I became a judge and rule on cases because I wanted to maintain peace in Moon Bay. Without this pack, what good is being the premier family?"

I shook my head sadly. "You're too shortsighted."

My father's face flushed with anger. "How dare you—"

"As of this moment," I cut him off, my voice ringing with Alpha authority, "you are relieved of all duties within this pack. And your crimes will be made public."

He stood abruptly, eyes flashing gold. "You can't do that. I'm still a member of the Elder Council. Without my political connections, you'll lose control of the pack."

"Then so be it," I said firmly. "I would rather lose my position as Alpha than continue a reign built on lies and betrayal."

My father stared at me, disbelief etched in every line of his face. "You would throw away generations of Grey dominance for the sake of one Beta family?"

"For the sake of justice," I corrected him. "Something you taught me before you forgot it yourself."

I gathered the documents and turned to leave, but my father's voice stopped me at the door.

"The pack won't follow you if you do this," he warned. "They respect power, Thorne. Always have."

I looked back at him one last time. "Then perhaps it's time they learned to respect something else."