The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 44

Thorne's POV

I stood at the window of my study, watching Freya move through my mother's garden with unexpected grace. Her hands, which I knew bore the marks of harsh cleaning chemicals and endless labor, handled the delicate plants with surprising gentleness.

"You know, when you said you'd brought her here to work, I didn't think you meant as a servant," Sebastian remarked from the leather chair behind me. "She was the heir to the Riley fortune, Thorne. A high-ranking Beta from one of the oldest bloodlines in Moon Bay."

"Was being the operative word," I replied without turning. "The Rileys were disgraced. She was exiled. What is she now but a returned exile with no status, no pack?"

"She served three years in the Wilds," Sebastian countered, his voice level but carrying an undercurrent of disapproval. "Most wolves don't survive six months out there. Then Silver Shackle on top of that. Hasn't she been punished enough?"

I turned from the window, irritation flaring. "She attacked my future mate, Sebastian. She could have killed Kaelin."

"So you've said." Sebastian met my gaze steadily. "And yet you've brought her here, into your home, instead of sending her back to Silver Shackle. Why is that, I wonder?"

I didn't answer immediately. The truth was, I wasn't entirely sure myself. After finding her in that wine cellar, pale and swaying from hunger, something had shifted in me. A protective instinct that made no sense given our history.

"I need to keep her close," I said finally. "She has information about illegal activities at Moon Howl. And there's her connection to Terra Thompson..."

"And making the former Riley heir scrub your floors and trim your hedges is necessary for that investigation?" Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "Come on, Thorne. This isn't justice. It's humiliation for its own sake."

"You're overstepping," I warned, my voice dropping to a growl.

Sebastian stood, unintimidated. We'd known each other since we were pups, and he was one of the few wolves who didn't cower at my Alpha tone.

"Someone needs to," he said simply. "You've always been fair, Thorne. It's why you're respected as both Alpha and judge. But this..." He gestured toward the window where Freya could still be seen working in the garden. "This feels personal. And personal vendettas have no place in pack justice."

I turned back to the window, unwilling to admit he might have a point. "I know what I'm doing."

"Do you?" Sebastian moved to stand beside me. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're punishing her for making you feel something you don't want to feel."

I shot him a warning glare, which he acknowledged with a slight nod before changing the subject to pack business. But his words lingered, an uncomfortable weight in the back of my mind as I watched Freya continue her careful work in the garden below.

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Freya's POV

The sun climbed higher, beating down on the garden with increasing intensity. Sweat trickled down my back as I moved from bed to bed, the meticulous work requiring more concentration as fatigue set in. My head felt strangely heavy, a dull pressure building behind my eyes.

"Just a little longer", I told myself. "Finish this section, then you can go inside."

But as I straightened from pruning the last plant, a wave of dizziness hit me with unexpected force. The garden tilted and swam before my eyes, and I had to place a hand on a nearby bench to steady myself.

"You look unwell."

The voice startled me. I turned too quickly, nearly losing my balance, to find Thorne standing a few feet away, watching me with that unreadable expression that seemed to be his default when looking at me.

"I'm fine," I said automatically, though my voice sounded distant to my own ears. "Just a little warm."

He didn't respond, his golden eyes scanning me with clinical detachment. I fought the urge to shrink under his scrutiny, instead forcing myself to stand straighter despite the pounding in my head.

"I'm going inside now," I said, taking a step toward the path that led back to the house. "I've finished with the plants."

"You've done acceptable work," he said, the closest thing to praise I'd received since arriving at Grey Estate. "My mother would have appreciated your care with her orchids."

The unexpected comment threw me off balance—figuratively, and then literally as another wave of dizziness hit. I stumbled slightly but caught myself.

"If you'd give all your staff the same treatment," I blurted out, my voice trembling slightly with emotion, "perhaps I wouldn't have nightmares every night."

His eyes narrowed dangerously, the golden light in his pupils growing more pronounced. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing," I said quickly, regretting my outburst. "I should get back to work."

I moved past him, feeling his gaze burning into my back. His scent drifted to me on the breeze, making my wolf restless again. My legs grew increasingly unsteady, the sunlight became blinding, the air thick. Each step felt like walking through a swamp.

As I reached the front entrance of the estate, my vision began to darken at the edges, consciousness fading. I felt my body tilting forward, the ground rushing up to meet me.

Then, unexpectedly, strong arms caught me before I fell. Even in my semi-conscious state, I recognized Thorne's scent completely surrounding me. His arms wrapped firmly around my waist, his chest pressed tightly against my back.

I felt my wolf completely surrender to this Alpha's touch, my body relaxing into his embrace while my conscious mind protested this weakness.

Through the haze of awareness, I heard Thorne's voice, filled with commanding power: "Edith! Call Dr. Maloy immediately!"

His voice vibrated next to my ear, his warm breath brushing against my neck, right where my family's crescent mark was. My skin tingled at the contact, an electric sensation running down my spine.

Then darkness claimed me completely.