Page 31 of Alpha's Exiled Mate
“What is this?” His face twisted, pale with rage and grief. “Do you know what you’ve done?”
Before I could answer, he surged to his feet, pushing me back. “Get out! Now!”
His force was so strong that I fell heavily to the ground, a sharp pain shooting through my tailbone, though it paled in comparison to the wound in my heart. I felt warm liquid welling up in my eyes, blurring my vision, silently rolling down my cheeks. Perock stood there, his towering figure looming over me, his eyes filled only with cold fury, devoid of any trace of the tenderness I once thought I had seen.
“Perock, please, let me explain…” I sobbed, reaching out, my vision blurred.
“Get out!” he roared again, his voice a thunderclap that shook me to my core. “Don’t make me say it again.”
Trembling, I stood, tears streaming down my face. He turned away, his shoulders rigid, shutting me out. I fled, my sobs echoing in the corridor as I ran to my chambers, collapsing against the door, letting the tears consume me.
Sophia’s presence, Perock’s protection of her, the pendant’s significance, his fury—all confirmed a brutal truth - I will never be able to hold a place in his heart.
Those tender moments, our intimacy, were fleeting, a mirage I’d mistaken for reality. Sophia was his true love, the one he’d nearly died for, while I was a tool, a shadow.
The Perock who’d taught me to dance, who’d defended me, who once gently complimented the cake I made for him, was gone.
Chapter 10
Lilia
I lay in bed, my eyes red and swollen from crying all night.
The scene from last night still lingered in my mind—Perock’s furious gaze, the icy words “Get out,” and the broken crescent moon bracelet.
Every time I thought about it, it felt as though an invisible hand was gripping my chest tightly, making it hard to breathe.
I forced myself to get up, barely managing to comb through my hair. As my fingers ran through the strands, I noticed they had grown quite a bit longer, the black tips curling slightly. This is Viossi’s hair color, yet it’s close to the length of my original hair. This small detail suddenly made me feel a wave of disorientation—who was I, really? Lilia, or Viossi? Or just a shadow caught between two identities?
When Susie came in, she informed me that Lady Sophia would be visiting in the morning.
“She will meet with His Highness in the small parlor,” Susie said as she adjusted the hem of my dress.
Hearing this news, my fingers unconsciously tightened around the bedsheet. Sophia, the woman who had captivated Perock, the destined partner he could never forget. I had never truly seen her, only catching a fleeting glimpse from the shadows of the corridor.
An uncontrollable mix of curiosity and bitterness intertwined in my heart, like two coiled venomous snakes gnawing at my sanity. I wanted to see her with my own eyes, to see what kind of woman had completely captured Perock’s heart.
I didn’t tell anyone as I changed into a simple gray-blue long dress and quietly made my way to the vicinity of the small parlor. This was overstepping, a behavior I shouldn’t have indulged in, but I couldn’t control myself. Hiding behind a marble pillar outside the door, I peered through the half-open crack and caught a glimpse of the scene inside.
Perock stood by the window, sunlight outlining his tall, commanding frame, his dark doublet lending him a regal air. Yet his usual stoicism was frayed—he glanced repeatedly at the door, fidgeting with his collar, his fingers tapping the windowsill in an uncharacteristic rhythm. I’d never seen him so restless, so… eager.
The sight was a knife to my heart, proof of how deeply he anticipated her.
Footsteps approached, and a woman entered, her pale lavender gown flowing like mist. Her beauty stopped my breath—ebony hair swept elegantly atop her head, skin flawless as porcelain, eyes deep and radiant, a confident smile gracing her lips. Every gesture exuded nobility, as if she were born to this castle, to Perock’s side.
“Dear Perock,” her voice was a clear, lilting stream, “it’s been far too long.”
As soon as Perock heard her voice, I noticed his entire body posture change. His shoulders eased, his face softened, and hisamber eyes lit with a complex glow—pain, nostalgia, and joy intertwined in a way I’d never inspired.
My wolf whined within, sensing the depth of his devotion, a bond I could never rival.
“Sophia,” he murmured, his voice warm with a tenderness I’d never heard. “I’m glad you’re here.”
In that instant, Lord Thornfield’s words rang true. Perock’s affection for Sophia was an abyss I couldn’t bridge. No one had ever softened his edges, lowered his guard, or stripped him of his icy mantle—until her. What emerged was not the cold prince the world knew, but a man laid bare. I have nothing to compare. My hopes, fragile as they were, crumbled deeper.
Their conversation flowed effortlessly, intimate and warm, punctuated by soft chuckles, as if they’d never been apart. Sophia’s hand grazed Perock’s arm, a casual touch he didn’t reject, his gaze flickering with a quiet yearning. Each smile, each shared look, was a blade slicing into my heart. Jealousy and agony surged, drowning my breath, yet I couldn’t tear my eyes away.
I meant to leave, to spare myself more torment, but my foot caught a vase, its clink echoing like a betrayal. Their voices ceased, and Sophia’s gaze snapped to the door, her eyes sharp and knowing, a predator spotting her mark.