The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 31

Freya's POV

The Crescent Court was in the heart of the city, a massive stone building that dominated the central square. Getting there without being seen would be nearly impossible, especially with Deltas on high alert. Instead, I decided to wait near Thorne's private entrance on the east side of the building. He usually left through that door at the end of the day—at least, he had when I'd observed the court during my infatuation with him years ago.

"God, I was such a fool." The thought burned with self-loathing.

I made my way through back streets and service alleys, my senses on high alert for any sign of Deltas. Twice I had to duck into doorways to avoid patrols, my heart hammering so loudly I was sure they would hear it.

By the time I reached the small plaza opposite the Crescent Court's eastern entrance, night had fully fallen. The moon was waxing, nearly full, and its light cast long shadows across the cobblestones. I found a recess between two buildings with a clear view of the entrance and settled in to wait.

An hour passed. My legs cramped from standing still, and the chill of the night air seeped through my clothes. But I didn't dare move. This might be my only chance to approach Thorne without his guards surrounding him.

Finally, the door opened. Thorne appeared, his tall figure commanding even in the dim light, flanked by two muscular Deltas in dark suits. A sleek black SUV waited at the curb, driver inside. He wore a tailored suit that emphasized his broad shoulders, and his face was set in its usual stern lines. His mere presence made the air around him seem to vibrate with power. He paused at the top of the steps, seeming distracted or lost in thought, then gestured for the Deltas to remain at a distance. "Give me some space," I heard him say, his voice carrying in the quiet night. He waved off his security detail who reluctantly stepped back into the shadows, still vigilant but giving their Alpha the space he'd requested.

My wolf stirred restlessly inside me, responding to his Alpha presence even at this distance. A shiver ran down my spine that had nothing to do with the cold. I took a deep breath to steady myself, feeling my nipples harden beneath my shirt, an involuntary response to his dominance. I swallowed hard and stepped out of the shadows.

"Grey," I called softly, using his family name rather than his title. I kept my distance, knowing better than to approach an Alpha too directly.

Thorne froze, his head snapping in my direction with predatory speed. His eyes widened, then narrowed, golden light flaring briefly in their depths—his wolf responding to my presence. The intensity of his gaze made my knees weaken.

"You," he said, his voice a low growl that sent electric currents down my spine and heat pooling between my thighs. "You dare to come back?"

His scent reached me—crisp mint and cold metal, pure Alpha dominance—making my wolf want to roll over and submit.

I kept my voice low but firm, fighting against my body's reaction to him. "Judge Grey, I need your help."

A bitter laugh escaped him. "My help? After you disappeared from my hotel room? After you ripped out your IV when the doctor explicitly said—" He cut himself off, his jaw tightening, a muscle twitching in his cheek. "What could you possibly want from me now?"

"Terra Thompson has been arrested by the Frontier Guards," I said, cutting to the chase, my voice breaking slightly. "They're holding her in moon-silver cuffs because she wouldn't tell them where I went."

Something flickered in Thorne's eyes. "The bartender from the Moon Howl."

"She helped me," I admitted, my hands clenching and unclenching at my sides. "And now she's suffering for it. I can't—" My voice broke, emotion threatening to overwhelm me. I swallowed hard. "I can't let that happen."

---

Thorne studied me, his gaze moving slowly over my body as if assessing my condition. I felt exposed, vulnerable under his scrutiny. His nostrils flared slightly, scenting me, and I knew he could smell my fear—and worse, the unwanted arousal his presence triggered.

"So you came back," he said slowly, "for her."

"Yes." The word came out breathier than I intended.

"Not for yourself. Not because you were injured and needed medical care."

I frowned, confused by his line of questioning. "I... no. I was leaving the city when I heard she'd been arrested."

Thorne took another step toward me, closing the distance between us. I held my ground, though every instinct screamed at me to retreat. My wolf whined, wanting simultaneously to submit and to run.

"And what do you expect me to do about it?" he asked, his voice deceptively soft. He was close enough now that I could feel the heat radiating from his body.

"Order them to release her," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "You're the Alpha and the Chief Judge. Your word is law."

"And why would I do that?" His eyes remained fixed on mine, demanding honesty.

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. "Because she's innocent. She didn't do anything wrong except help someone in need."

"She helped an exile return to the city," Thorne countered, his voice hardening. "That's against pack law."

"Then punish me, not her!" The words burst from me with more force than I intended, my chest heaving with emotion. "I'll... I'll do whatever you want. Just let her go."

Thorne's eyes flashed gold again, and he closed the remaining distance between us in two long strides. He towered over me, his presence overwhelming all my senses. I could smell his breath, feel the heat of his body. My wolf cowered and submitted, while parts of me I didn't want to acknowledge responded to his proximity with an electric thrill.

"Whatever I want?" he repeated, his voice a dangerous purr that made my insides clench with forbidden want. "That's a dangerous offer to make, little wolf."

I refused to cower, meeting his gaze directly despite the trembling that had overtaken my body. "To save her, yes. Anything."

For a long moment, we stood there, locked in a silent battle of wills. His eyes dropped briefly to my lips, and I felt my breath catch, remembering our kiss. The tension between us was palpable, a living thing that made the air heavy and charged.

Thorne's jaw clenched as he stared down at me. I could see the conflict raging behind his eyes—fury battling with something deeper, more primal. His nostrils flared slightly as he inhaled my scent, and I watched his pupils dilate almost imperceptibly.

"You ran," he said, his voice so low I barely caught the words. "You were injured, vulnerable, and you ran."

He circled me slowly, like a predator sizing up its prey. When he spoke again, his voice had dropped to a dangerous whisper. "And now you return, not for yourself, but to beg for someone else."

I stood perfectly still as he completed his circle, coming to stand before me again. Something in his expression shifted—a softening around the eyes, a slight relaxation of his rigid posture.

He reached out, his fingers hovering just centimeters from my face, not quite touching. I could feel the heat radiating from his skin. "I should let you both suffer the consequences," he murmured, more to himself than to me. But there was no conviction behind the words.

He stared at me for another long moment, his golden gaze piercing through my defenses. I watched as resignation, determination, and something that looked disturbingly like possession flickered across his features.

"You have no idea what you do to me," he said, so quietly I almost missed it. Then he pulled back, his Alpha mask sliding firmly back into place, though I could still see the turmoil in his eyes. Something about seeing me this way—desperate and pleading for another—had broken through his carefully constructed walls.

Then, to my surprise, Thorne stepped back and pulled out his phone.

"Mark, check if the Frontier Guards have arrested a Terra Thompson, bartender from the Moon Howl," he said briskly. There was a pause. "Yes, that's the one. Find out what's going on and have her released immediately."