The Alpha's Exiled Mate Chapter 72

Freya's POV

The kitchen was my sanctuary as I scrubbed breakfast dishes with more force than necessary, trying to channel my frustration into something productive. My wolf paced restlessly inside me, bristling at the way Kaelin had treated us – and at Thorne's apparent willingness to let her.

"That Brooks girl has always been trouble," Martha commented as she entered the kitchen, watching me attack a particularly stubborn spot on a pan. "Easy with that, dear. It's silver-plated."

I eased my grip, exhaling slowly. "Sorry. I just—"

"I know." Martha patted my shoulder. "Her mother was the same way. Treated the staff like we were less than dirt beneath her paws."

I placed the clean pan on the drying rack, wiping my hands on my apron. "Do you know where Alpha Thorne went? He left after breakfast."

Martha said immediately, "He left the estate while you were washing the dishes."

My stomach twisted uncomfortably. He'd left without the herbal treatment his arm desperately needed.

"The silver infection could worsen without treatment," I murmured, more to myself than Martha.

"That man has always been too stubborn for his own good," Martha replied with a shake of her head. "Just like his father."

I dried my hands and removed my apron. "I should check if Edith needs help with anything."

As I walked through the grand hallway toward the main staircase, I sensed a presence in the formal sitting room. I paused, then slowly turned to find Kaelin Brooks seated elegantly on one of the antique sofas, a mysterious smile playing on her lips.

"Ms. Brooks," I said, inclining my head slightly. "I thought you'd left with Alpha Thorne."

"Why would I?" she asked, her voice honey-sweet. "When there's so much to discuss with you, Freya Riley."

A chill ran down my spine at her use of my full name. I'd been "the exile" or simply "Riley" to her until now.

"I'm not sure what we would have to discuss," I replied carefully.

"Oh, I think we do." She rose gracefully, her movements predatory as she approached me. "Tell me, does the staff know who you really are? That you're not just any exile, but Freya Riley, once-heir to the Riley fortune?"

I froze as her words echoed in the hallway. From the corner of my eye, I saw Lucy pause on the stairs, openly listening. Edith appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, her expression concerned.

"I don't see how that's relevant to my current position," I managed to say.

Kaelin laughed, the sound like breaking glass. "Not relevant? The daughter of one of the most disgraced families in wolf history, working as a servant in the home of the very Alpha who exiled her?" She circled me slowly. "It's positively... scandalous."

My heart pounded as I realized what she was doing – making sure every staff member within earshot heard the truth about my identity.

"Ms. Brooks, if you have concerns about my employment, perhaps you should discuss them with Alpha Thorne," I suggested, struggling to keep my voice even.

"I'm more concerned with what exactly you're doing in his private quarters," she replied, loud enough for everyone to hear. "First his bath, then delivering 'herbal remedies' at night? Quite intimate for an exile and an Alpha, don't you think?"

The insinuation hung in the air, poisonous and deliberate. I could feel the staff's eyes on me, curiosity and judgment in their gazes.

Something inside me snapped. Three years of exile, months of degradation and servitude, and now this public humiliation – it was too much.

"Kaelin," I said, my voice breaking as I dropped all pretense of formality, "why are you doing this? If your wolf is me, then say it! You don't need to keep circling around it and dragging the Riley name through the mud!"

Her eyes widened at my outburst, then narrowed dangerously. "Don't you dare address me so familiarly, exile. You forget your place."

"My place?" I laughed bitterly, tears threatening. "My place was taken from me three years ago! And you've made it your mission to ensure I never find another. What did I ever do to you that warranted this level of hatred?"

"You exist," she hissed, dropping her pleasant facade. "You and your family of traitors shouldn't be allowed to breathe the same air as loyal wolves."

The pain in my chest was almost unbearable. "I'm sorry your wolf is me," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "But you don't need to keep harping on the Riley name. We've paid for whatever sins you believe we committed."

Kaelin's face twisted with fury. "Not nearly enough," she snarled. "And now you're trying to worm your way into Thorne's good graces? That ends today." She turned to address the gathered staff. "This exile is to pack her belongings and leave Grey Estate immediately. As Alpha Thorne's intended, I will not have her under the same roof as my future mate."

Edith stepped forward hesitantly. "Ms. Brooks, with all due respect, only Alpha Thorne can make such decisions regarding the household staff."

"Are you questioning me?" Kaelin's voice dropped dangerously.

"No, Ms. Brooks," Edith replied, eyes lowered. "But Alpha Thorne specifically instructed that Ms. Riley remain here under his protection."

Kaelin's eyes flashed golden. "Protection? Or is it something else he's interested in? An Alpha doesn't need an exile serving him herbal remedies in his private bath."

I watched the staff exchange glances, uncertainty and gossip already spreading like wildfire. My carefully constructed anonymity was shattered, and with it, any hope of quiet dignity in my servitude.

"I'll leave," I said suddenly, my voice cutting through the murmurs.

Kaelin turned to me, triumph in her eyes. "Finally, some sense."

"For a price," I continued, straightening my shoulders and meeting her gaze directly.

Her expression faltered. "Excuse me?"

"One million silver coins," I stated clearly, naming a sum that would secure my future and my search for my family. "Pay me that, and I'll disappear. You'll never see me in Grey territory again."

Kaelin stared at me, caught off guard by my audacity. For a moment, calculation flickered across her features – weighing the cost against her desire to be rid of me.

"You think you're worth that much?" she finally asked, her voice laced with contempt.

"To be permanently rid of me? To ensure I never speak to Thorne again or reveal certain things I've observed during my time here?" I held her gaze steadily. "I think you'll find it's quite a bargain."

The room had gone deathly silent, the staff frozen in place, witnessing what no one had ever dared: an exile bargaining with the future Luna of the pack.

"One hundred thousand," Kaelin countered, the very act of negotiating revealing how badly she wanted me gone.

I shook my head. "One million. And you give me your wolf's oath that you'll never interfere with my survival rights again. No more trying to get me killed or imprisoned."