The Alpha's Exiled Mate

Chapter 5

DECLAN

Three days later, I stand outside the sickroom with my arms crossed, staring at the closed door. Antony shifts his weight beside me, and I can tell from his expression that the news isn't good.

"Still nothing from Dr. W?" I ask.

"No, Alpha. We've sent multiple letters. All confirmed delivered. But there's been no response."

I'm not surprised. Dr. W doesn't answer to anyone—not even Alphas. That's part of what makes her so damn elusive.

"Send another letter," I say. "Make it more earnest this time. Increase the offer significantly. Make it clear we're serious."

"Yes, Alpha." Antony pulls out his phone to make notes.

I glance at the sickroom door again, then back at him. Almost as an afterthought, I ask, "So Aria Sinclair should be on her way back by now. Where is she?"

Antony's fingers pause over his phone screen. He hesitates, just for a second, but I notice.

"She... hasn't replied either, Alpha."

I blink. "What?"

"We've sent the recall notice multiple times. All confirmed delivered to her address. But there's been no response."

Confusion cuts through me, sharp and unexpected. I stare at Antony like he just told me the moon fell out of the sky.

She didn't respond?

A recall notice isn't a suggestion. It's a direct order from her Alpha. Ignoring it is grounds for being declared rogue. Even if she hates me—and she has every right to—this doesn't make sense.

Why would she—

The door to the sickroom swings open.

The pack Healer steps out, his face drawn and exhausted. He's been in there for hours, running every test he knows, trying every remedy in his arsenal.

One look at his expression tells me it wasn't enough.

"Alpha." He bows his head. "Your parents are awake. They'd like to speak with you."

I push past him into the room without another word.

My mother is propped up against the pillows, her face pale and gaunt. My father sits in the chair beside her bed, his hand wrapped around hers. They both look fragile in a way that makes something twist in my chest.

They're dying.

The Healer follows me inside and closes the door quietly. I turn to him, already knowing what he's going to say but needing to hear it anyway.

"Tell me."

He bows his head lower. "Alpha, I've done everything I can. I've tried every treatment, every remedy I know. But their condition is... beyond my skill."

My mother's hand tightens on my father's. Neither of them looks surprised.

"There's nothing you can do?" I ask, my voice harder than I intended.

"There's one person who might be able to save them," the Healer says quietly. "But I can't guarantee she'll come."

"Who?"

"Dr. W." His voice turns reverent, almost awed. "She's a physician of legendary skill. Known for curing illnesses that others deem impossible. Her methods are unconventional, her whereabouts perpetually unknown, but her success rate is unmatched. If anyone can help your parents, it's her."

Dr. W. The same healer I've been trying to find for days.

I look at my parents. My mother's eyes are closed now, her breathing shallow. My father watches me with those sharp Alpha eyes that haven't dimmed despite everything.

"Then I'll find her," I say firmly. "Whatever it takes. I'll bring her here. I'll spare no cost, no effort. I promise you both—I will find Dr. W and bring her to the pack."

My mother's eyes flutter open, and she gives me a weak smile. "I know you will, Declan."

She shifts slightly against the pillows, and something in her expression changes. Becomes heavier. Like she's carrying a weight she's kept hidden for too long.

"There's something I need to say," she says quietly. "While I still can."

I move closer to her bedside. "What is it?"

"I've been putting my affairs in order. Thinking about... regrets." She glances at my father, then back at me. "Six years ago, when we exiled that girl—Aria—I think we were too hasty. Too driven by fear and emotion."

My wolf perks up immediately at the mention of her name, a pathetic whine building in the back of my mind. I force him down.

"She used to study herbs and healing within the pack, didn't she?" My mother's voice is soft, almost wistful. "She had potential. Real talent. And we... we threw her out without even listening to her side of the story. We were too rash."

"No." My father's voice cuts through the room like a blade. "We were not too rash. That girl attacked Celeste in front of the entire pack. She harmed the Beta's daughter—the future Luna. There was no excuse for that kind of violence."

"But what if—"

"There is no 'what if,'" my father says firmly. "The decision was made. It was the right decision then, and it's the right decision now." He looks at me, his gaze sharp and unyielding. "Declan, your priority should be curing Celeste's infertility and marrying her as soon as possible. That's what matters. The pack needs an heir. I need to know the succession is secure before I die. Don't let me die with that regret."

The words settle over the room like a heavy blanket.

My mother's face falls, but she doesn't argue. She just closes her eyes again, her hand going limp in my father's grip.

I stand there, caught between them. Between my mother's regret and my father's expectations.

But I don't say what I'm thinking. That I don't want Celeste. That the fated bond feels like a noose around my neck. That every day I spend with her makes me hate myself a little more.

I just nod. "I'll handle it."

My father's expression softens slightly. "Good. Now go. Find that doctor."

I leave the room, the door closing softly behind me.

***

Hours later, I'm alone in my office with Antony. The sun has set, and the pack grounds are quiet outside my window.

"The scouts reported back about Aria Sinclair," Antony says carefully.

I look up from the documents on my desk. "And?"

"Although there's been no reply from her, the wolves who delivered the letters were able to observe her situation." He pauses. "She's living in a small townhouse in a human neighborhood. The area is modest. Quiet. Not affluent."

"Go on."

"It appears she's... struggling, Alpha. Financially. She works at a community clinic. The house is small. The neighborhood isn't—" He stops, choosing his words carefully. "It doesn't look like she's doing well."

My wolf immediately bristles, a low growl rumbling through my mind.

Find her. Go to her. Make sure she's safe.

I grit my teeth and force him down, but he's restless now. Pacing. Agitated in a way I haven't felt in years.

"If she's struggling," I say, keeping my voice even, "she's welcome to return to the pack. I wouldn't object to that."

Antony blinks. "You... wouldn't object?"

"She's still technically a pack member. If she wants to come back, she can." I turn back to the window, staring out at nothing. "Make sure the scouts keep watching. I want to know she's safe."

"Yes, Alpha."

The silence stretches between us.

Internally, concern coils tightly in my chest. It's sharp and uncomfortable, and I don't want to look at it too closely.

I refuse to acknowledge it as lingering affection.

It's not that. It can't be that.

We were never truly suited anyway. An Alpha and an orphan? The gap between us was too wide. Even without the exile, even without Celeste, our bond would have fractured eventually. It was inevitable.

My concern is logical. Reasonable. She's a former pack member who's struggling, and I have the resources to help if she asks. That's all.

And I owe her an apology. That's the real reason I want to find her. Just to say I'm sorry for what happened six years ago. To clear my conscience.

Nothing more.

My wolf snarls at the lie, but I ignore him.

Antony's entire body goes rigid. His eyes unfocus—the telltale sign of a mind-link coming through.

I turn to look at him. "What is it?"

He doesn't answer immediately. Just stands there, clearly startled by whatever he's hearing.

"Antony," I say sharply. "Report. Now."

He blinks, his focus snapping back to me. "I just received word from the scouts tracking Dr. W's correspondence."

"And?"

"The address we've been sending letters to for Dr. W..." He pauses. "It's the same address as Aria Sinclair's."

The words hang in the air between us.

I stare at him.

"What did you just say?"

"Dr. W and Aria Sinclair. Same address. Same location." Antony's voice is steady, but I can see the confusion in his eyes. "The scouts confirmed it. Twice."

I stare at him, disbelief crashing through my composure.

"The orphan? Aria, the girl I banished six years ago... is Dr. W?"