Alright, so with that 'mated to the Alpha King after being exiled' setup, the emotional arc usually hits a very specific, brutal set of notes. It's not a linear path from sad to happy; it's more like a rollercoaster that starts in a freefall.
First, you've got the raw, gutting betrayal of the exile itself, especially if it's from the pack or the mate themselves. The character often clings to confusion and denial—'This can't be happening, the bond is supposed to be sacred.' That phase is usually short-lived, smothered by the immediate survival horror of being alone and vulnerable outside the territory. The anger that follows is a lifeline, a fire that keeps them moving. It's a messy, desperate rage.
Then the survival phase kicks in. They might find a rogue pack, a human town, or just a dank cabin. This is where pride and stubbornness harden into a new, colder identity. The connection to the Alpha King becomes a phantom limb—aching, sometimes sending psychic pain, but also a source of bitter fuel. The real emotional pivot isn't the reunion, but the moment they realize their own strength wasn't derived from the bond or the pack at all. The reconciliation, if it happens, is a minefield of tested trust, not a swoony surrender.
A story that nails this for me is one where the exiled mate returns not as a supplicant, but as a political threat the King can't ignore. The final emotion isn't forgiveness, but a weary, hard-won negotiation between two powerful, damaged people.