The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 29

Freya's POV

The morning air carried the faint scent of pine and early dew as I moved away from Moon Bay's boundaries. My legs felt steadier than the night before, thanks to Dr. Maloy's medicine and the accelerated healing it triggered, but I was far from recovered. Each step sent a dull throb through my abdomen where the internal injuries were still mending.

I paused on a small hill overlooking the city, my fingers unconsciously digging into my palms. The morning sun caught the glass-and-steel skyline of Moon Bay, making it gleam like a crown. Somewhere in that maze of buildings, Thorne Grey was probably already at work in the Crescent Court, passing judgment on others just as he had on me. And beside him, eventually, would be Kaelin Brooks.

His mate. His chosen one.

My jaw clenched involuntarily, teeth grinding together. The information Ryder had casually dropped last night didn't just sting—it tore through me, leaving raw edges. I'd known, of course, that Thorne and Kaelin were engaged—had been for years, even before my exile. But hearing that they were finalizing their mating ceremony made it real in a way it hadn't been before.

My wolf whined softly inside me, a sound that escaped my throat before I could stop it. Heat flushed my cheeks at my own weakness. Once the proud daughter of the Riley family, now I was fleeing the city with nothing but the clothes on my back and money from Thorne's childhood friend. The irony wasn't lost on me—I needed charity from the Alpha's inner circle just to survive.

I swallowed two more of the pills Dr. Maloy had left on the bedside table. The bitter taste made me grimace, my tongue pushing against the roof of my mouth trying to escape the flavor. Almost immediately I felt the edge of pain in my abdomen dull slightly. My muscles relaxed, tension easing from my shoulders.

"Time to move," I murmured to myself, adjusting the small backpack Ryder had given me. Inside was a change of clothes, the remainder of the money, and the pills.

My plan was simple: head northeast toward the smaller pack territories. Rumors in the Shadow District suggested that several Riley family connections might have relocated there after our family's fall. It wasn't much to go on, but it was the only lead I had.

The main highway stretched ahead of me, a ribbon of asphalt cutting through the forest. Walking would take days, but I had no choice. I'd gone about two miles when I heard the rumble of a truck approaching from behind. Without thinking, I stuck out my thumb.

The large delivery truck slowed beside me. The driver, a burly man with a perpetual five o'clock shadow, rolled down his window. His scent immediately identified him as an Omega wolf, the woodsy notes tinged with something like motor oil.

"Where you headed?" he asked, eyeing me with mild curiosity rather than suspicion.

"Northeast," I replied. "As far as you're going."

He glanced at my neck, where my exile mark was barely visible beneath the collar of my shirt. I tensed, waiting for the rejection that usually followed recognition, my hand instinctively rising to cover the mark.

Instead, he shrugged. "Got fifty bucks? I'm headed to Pinecrest, about eighty miles up. Can drop you at the junction."

Relief flooded through me, my shoulders dropping from their defensive hunch. I reached into my pocket and extracted three twenty-dollar bills from the stack Ryder had given me. "Sixty," I said. "For no questions."

A smile cracked his weathered face. "Climb in. I'm hauling meat, so it might smell a bit strong for you."

The truck's cabin was warm and smelled of coffee and cigarettes. As I settled into the passenger seat, I caught the driver watching me from the corner of his eye.

"I know what you are," he said casually as he shifted gears. "Exile, right? That mark's faded but still visible."

My muscles tensed, ready to bolt if necessary. My heart rate spiked, and I felt my wolf rise closer to the surface, preparing for fight or flight.

"Relax," he continued. "I only care about money, not your status. Name's Lou, by the way."

"Freya," I replied, then immediately regretted giving my real name, my teeth catching my lower lip.

Lou didn't seem to recognize it, thankfully. "Well, Freya, there's water in that cooler if you're thirsty. Journey's about two hours if traffic's good."

I nodded my thanks and leaned back against the seat. The gentle rumble of the engine and the warmth of the cabin soon lulled me into a light doze, my body grateful for the rest after days of strain and injury.

---

Two hours later, Lou pulled into a truck stop for fuel. I stirred awake, momentarily confused by my surroundings until the events of the past few days came rushing back. My hand instinctively went to my abdomen, checking for blood.

"Bathroom's over there," Lou said, pointing to a small building. "We'll be here about fifteen minutes if you need to stretch your legs."

I nodded my thanks and climbed down from the cabin, wincing as the movement pulled at my healing wounds. The truck stop was busy with travelers and other truckers. I kept my head down, instinctively trying to avoid drawing attention.

The bathroom was mercifully clean, if basic. After washing my face with cold water, I felt more alert. The pills were working—my abdomen hurt less now, though a dull ache remained. I checked my reflection in the mirror. My face was still too thin, but some color had returned to my cheeks. I looked less like a corpse and more like a living wolf.

As I exited the bathroom, voices from around the corner caught my attention—the unmistakable crisp cadence of Frontier Guards. I froze, pressing myself against the wall of the building, straining to hear their conversation. My heartbeat thundered in my ears, nearly drowning out their words.

"...that Beta from the Moon Howl. The stubborn one," one was saying.

"Yeah, real piece of work. Wouldn't tell us a damn thing about where that exile went," the other replied. "Boss says to keep a close eye out, don't let that exile slip out of Moon Bay."

My blood ran cold. They could only be talking about one person—Terra. My breath caught in my throat, and I had to force myself to keep breathing.

"Mr. Carter said to take her back to headquarters in moon-silver cuffs. See how long she holds out then."