Page 10 of Bound to Exiles (Rejected Wolf Pack #5)

Freya

As twilight settled in, Flint’s warm gaze met mine, those dark eyes I’d come to love so deeply searching my face. “Are you ready, moonbeam?”

“I’m all packed up,” I said, unwilling to let my anxiety show.

Leaving Frost Fang meant venturing into the unknown again, but at least this time I wouldn’t be alone. Flint pulled me against his solid chest, his familiar earthy scent wrapping around me like a comforting blanket.

“That’s not what I meant,” he said before pressing his lips to mine.

I melted into his kiss, my body instantly responding to his touch.

When we broke apart, I couldn’t help but tease, “Am I supposed to read your thoughts? The Bonded link doesn’t work like that. Nor does the mate bond.”

I looked up at him through my lashes, feeling the heat rising between us. My skin tingled where our bodies touched, and the bite mark he’d left on the juncture between my neck and shoulder pulsed with desire.

“I’m sure you can guess what’s on my mind now,” Flint growled, pulling me tight against him .

The hard evidence of his arousal pressed against me, sending a rush of answering heat through my core.

“Come on,” Gage called from the front door, his deep and commanding voice breaking through our moment, and I reluctantly pulled away from Flint.

He promised, “We’ll save this for later,” though I could sense his doubt in the bond.

Once we left Frost Fang packlands, we’d be back to constant vigilance. All my mates would no doubt take turns patrolling and standing guard.

As we stepped outside, I reached for our Bonded link for privacy.

“To answer your earlier question, I’m ready to go. Frost Fang never felt very welcoming to me.”

It was true. Despite my time here, I’d never felt at home. The pack’s suspicious glances, the whispers about my hybrid nature, Fern’s barely concealed hostility — none of it had made me feel welcome. My true home was with my mates, wherever they were. The location didn’t matter to me.

As darkness fell, Heath joined us, falling into formation behind Gage.

My wolf stirred inside me, sensing the tension in the air.

Without discussion, Flint and I took up positions on either side of Zak.

I sensed the newcomer’s gratitude for the show of solidarity, threaded with hints of impatience.

I was ready for this to be over, too. We all were.

My fingers brushed over one of the ansuz runes under my left collarbone — Zak’s mark. Though he’d only been with us a short time, I felt protective of him. Perhaps because we shared the same hybrid nature, or perhaps because the Bonded mark connected us in ways I was still discovering.

As we entered the throne room, I was struck by how many pack members had gathered. The scent of anticipation hung thick in the air, mixed with anger and fear. I instinctively moved closer to Zak, my wolf bristling at the hostility directed at us.

“They’ve corrupted our pack alphas,” someone called from the crowd. “Just like witches always do!”

The words stung more than I expected. We’d faced similar accusations before, when the pack first saw my ansuz rune appear on Gage’s face, but Gage’s dominance had kept the pack from questioning too loudly.

Now, murmurs of agreement rippled through the gathered wolves, and Zak shivered beside me.

My heart ached for him. I knew how it felt to be treated as an outsider, to be treated badly for what you were born as rather than who you were.

Flint’s sister Fern stood on the steps leading up the throne, her expression triumphant as the rumors she’d helped spread took root. Flint’s disappointment and resignation flooded the bond, alongside his determination. Fern had made her choice, and now we would make ours.

The crowd’s discontent confirmed we were making the right choice.

“Release Tork!” someone demanded.

“Break alpha control!”

“Tell us the truth about the stars!”

My wolf growled inside me, but we didn’t try to defend ourselves this time. They’d already made up their minds.

“You’ve hidden the truth about everything,” Fern called, silencing the crowd, proving they looked to her to lead them now. “The starbeams, your reason for bringing in Ironwood defectors, the mages’ real purpose here, all of it.”

Her gaze fell on me before shifting to Zak, making it clear she considered us both threats. I kept my expression neutral, refusing to show how her words affected me. My time with the Ironwood pack had taught me to hide my pain.

I noticed Brooke and other Ironwood refugees shrinking back against the wall, fear evident in their eyes.

My heart went out to them — they’d escaped one hostile situation only to find themselves in another.

I’d hoped my former packmates would find a sanctuary here, not another place of fear like our old pack.

“The alphas cannot be trusted,” Fern added, her voice carrying.

Gage’s voice cut through the chaos like a blade. “Enough.”

Fern flinched almost imperceptibly when his voice raised.

“I have an announcement to make,” Gage said calmly. “We’ve come to a difficult decision.”

I noticed the wariness in Fern’s eyes as the alphas near her tensed up. Something in Fern’s posture resonated with me… I recognized those reactions from my own time in Ironwood. She’d been hurt by alphas before, perhaps repeatedly. The realization sent a wave of unexpected empathy through me.

In another life, that could have been me — bitter, mistrustful, seeing all alphas as the enemy.

If Gage hadn’t offered me protection during my heat, if Heath hadn’t provided me with clothing, and Flint hadn’t shown me kindness, I might have ended up just as damaged and determined to tear down any alpha who claimed power.

That is, if I’d managed to survive the wildlands without them.

My gaze shifted to Gage, standing tall despite the hostility directed at him.

He’d tried so hard to be different from his father and brother.

He’d abolished the omega competitions, welcomed refugees, ruled with fairness rather than fear.

And this was his reward — suspicion and rebellion from the very wolves he’d sought to protect.

The unfairness of it made my chest ache. Yet he stood tall and unbent.

His steady gaze swept the room as anticipation swelled. “The Howling Echo will return to our nomadic roots. We’re splitting off from Frost Fang and leaving the packlands in your care.”

Shock rippled through the crowd. I watched emotions play across various faces — disappointment, triumph, fear.

Bretton frowned, his disappointment and defeat obvious in his slumping shoulders.

No doubt he believed Gage would leave him behind as our eyes into Fern’s beta council.

While having a spy among them might have been useful, Bretton would be too obvious, and I knew Gage would give him the choice of whether to stay or leave with us.

Others looked as shocked and betrayed as Bretton. Fern’s victorious grin faltered as Gage continued.

“Anyone who wishes to join us may do so. Those who remain here can choose how they are governed. And for any Ironwood refugees who no longer feel welcome here, we’ll escort you safely back to your old packlands if you desire.”

Hope bloomed on Brooke’s face, but I also noticed the predatory gleam in several alphas’ eyes. They were already planning their power grab .

Varden surged forward, snarling, “You can’t abandon us to beta rule! If you’re stepping down you should name a successor—”

“How the Frost Fang pack chooses to govern itself is no longer my concern,” Gage replied coldly.

“However, I won’t transfer alpha power to another alpha.

That would go against the will of the pack as expressed by your chosen spokesperson.

” He nodded toward Fern. “To protect the pack, I’ll retain my status as pack alpha, taking it with me into exile. ”

“Brilliant,” Zak’s admiration flowed through our Bonded link. “Now their beta council needs you alive to prevent another alpha from claiming the pack.”

Gage’s grim satisfaction mixed with determination across the bond. He’d found a clever way to protect the pack even in exile. My eyes drifted to Flint, sensing his conflicted emotions about leaving his sister behind again.

“You took her place in banishment to protect her before. She’ll never forget that,” I assured him.

Flint took a deep breath, then sighed. “I never anticipated how leaving her in Frost Fang packlands would warp her outlook.”

“It’s not your fault,” I reminded him. “She made her own choices.”

The pack shifted restlessly in the throne room. Shifters looked around to see what everyone else would do now — would they choose to stay under Fern’s beta council or leave with us to live in exile?

Varden climbed up the steps past Fern. With his shoulders hunched and his brows lowered, his stocky frame radiated determination as he approached. Heath sighed, his resignation flowing through our bond before Varden even spoke.

“I challenge you, Gage,” Varden growled. “Alpha to alpha, I challenge you for leadership of the pack. If I win, the Frost Fang pack becomes mine.”

The gathered wolves fell silent, sensing the gravity of the moment. Despite Fern’s machinations, everything would come down to raw dominance, the most basic law of pack hierarchy.

“Outside,” Gage commanded, already striding toward the door, Heath staring after him.

The crowd at the foot of the throne parted for us as we followed him out. My wolf stirred restlessly, anxious about the coming fight but confident in Gage’s strength.

“You need to end this decisively,” Heath warned across our Bonded link. “We can’t afford for you to be wounded when we head into the wildlands.”

“Have any healing powers, mage?” Gage asked.

“I can’t bring you back from the dead,” Zak answered dryly. “Minor cuts and scars, sure.”