The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 34

Freya's POV

Kaelin Brooks stopped mid-sentence, her brown eyes widening as they locked with mine. The smile disappeared from her face, replaced by an expression of shock that quickly morphed into something darker, more predatory. The scent of her perfume – expensive and cloying – filled the room, but beneath it I could smell her true scent: fear mixed with hatred.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Freya Riley?"

My wolf surged forward at the threat in her voice, and I felt my canines lengthen slightly, pressing against my lower lip. My nails dug into my palms as I fought to keep my eyes from shifting to their wolf form. The last time I'd seen Kaelin Brooks had been at my trial, where her testimony – her lies – had condemned me to exile. The woman who had claimed I attacked her.

The air between us crackled with tension as we stared at each other across the room. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat sending a rush of anger through my veins. I could smell her fear beneath her expensive perfume – fear and something else... guilt? The scent was unmistakable, and it fed my wolf's growing rage.

"Long time no see, huh?" I asked, my voice trembling with the effort of controlling my anger. I stood slowly, my body coiled with tension. "Why did you do it? Why did you hurt yourself and blame it on me? You were jealous that Thorne and I were engaged, so you made up that story about me attacking you, didn't you? You wanted to destroy our engagement."

Kaelin took a step back, her eyes flickering between human brown and wolf amber. "You're insane," she hissed, her perfectly manicured hands clenching at her sides. "I'll never forget what you did to me."

I stood up, ignoring the pain that shot through my abdomen at the sudden movement. "I never hurt you," I said, fighting to keep my voice steady as rage and indignation coursed through me. "You know that. Tell the truth, Kaelin."

She retreated another step, her hand reaching for the door handle. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, but her eyes darted away from mine, unable to hold my gaze. My wolf recognized the evasion, the lie in her posture. "You're delusional. You always were obsessed with him."

I moved around the table, closing some of the distance between us. My wolf pushed against my control, wanting to confront this threat directly. The scent of my anger must have been powerful, because Kaelin's nostrils flared, and she backed up against the door.

"Look me in the eyes and tell me I attacked you," I challenged, my voice low and intense.

Instead of answering, Kaelin's lips curled into a cruel smile, recovering her composure. "It doesn't matter what I say. He's going to be my mate in less than a month. The ceremony is already planned." Her eyes swept over me, taking in my secondhand clothes and the lingering signs of my recent injuries. "You're nothing now. A ghost. An exile who shouldn't even be here."

Her words hit like physical blows, each one striking a tender spot. My wolf growled, the sound rumbling in my chest before I could stop it.

"You're wrong," I said, though my voice lacked conviction. "The truth always comes out eventually."

"Does it?" she asked, her tone mocking. "It's been three years, Freya. If the truth was going to come out, don't you think it would have by now?" She stepped closer, lowering her voice. "Let me make something very clear: Thorne is mine. He always was, even when you were throwing yourself at him. Whatever you think you're doing back here, it won't work. Go back to the Wilds where you belong."

The door to the balcony opened, and Thorne stepped back into the room. The temperature seemed to drop several degrees as his powerful Alpha presence filled the space. He immediately sensed the tension, his gaze flicking between Kaelin and me, assessing the situation with the practiced eye of a judge.

"What's going on here?" he asked, his voice deceptively calm, but I could see the tension in his jaw, the slight narrowing of his eyes.

Kaelin's demeanor changed instantly. Her shoulders slumped, and she began to tremble slightly. Her eyes, which had been hard and cold when looking at me, filled with tears as she turned to Thorne. The transformation was so complete, so convincing, that it was like watching an actress step into a role.

"Th-Thorne," she stuttered, her voice suddenly weak and fragile. "I didn't know you were here. I just... my moon-phase syndrome... I was feeling unwell and came looking for Daddy, but instead..." Her gaze drifted to me, and she visibly shuddered, a small whimper escaping her lips. "The person who hurt me is here. Her scent... it's making me... I can't breathe properly."

I stared at her in disbelief, my mouth actually falling open. The transformation was so complete, so convincing, that for a moment even I almost believed her. This was what had happened three years ago – this same act, this same manipulation. My hands trembled with rage and frustration, but I knew anything I said now would only look like aggression against someone apparently vulnerable.

Thorne moved swiftly to Kaelin's side, placing a supportive arm around her shoulders. The sight of him touching her sent an unwelcome pang through my chest. His eyes, when they turned to me, were cold with barely suppressed anger.

"Don't move from this room," he ordered, his voice carrying the full weight of an Alpha command. The force of it hit me like a physical blow, making my knees weak. "I'll be back to deal with you after I've taken care of this."