Alpha's Discarded Luna (Talia) novel Chapter 228

Chapter 226

Diana’s POV

+7 Bonus

I lean back in my chair, watching the stage with an expression of detached amusement. The drama unfolding before me is better than anything I could have scripted myself.

My thoughts drift as the crowd murmurs around me. Once, I pushed for a marriage of alliance.

I wanted to elevate our bloodline by marrying my son to a female alpha, or at least to someone from a reputable foreign pack with status and connections. But in the end,

Aires married Talia.

A pretty woman, yes, but useless as an omega. She never measured up to Imema, neither in breeding, nor in bearing, and not in the ability to navigate our world.

Now, things are different. Aires already has an Alpha heir. Aeson is healthy, bright, and growing strong. Our position as a pack is secure enough that an arranged marriage is no longer necessary to protect our future.

1/7

15:16

+7 Bonus

< Chapter 226

Aires might have been married before, but he is still a catch. There are plenty of well–bred young ladies from good

families who would jump at the chance to marry him. The real question is not whether we can find someone suitable. The question is whether any of those women would be good to Aeson. And more importantly, would Aeson accept them?

Right now, Aeson adores Imema. He lights up when she enters the room. He seeks her out for comfort and approval. And Imema seems to genuinely care for him, or at least she

is smart enough to pretend.

Perhaps convincing Aires to marry Imema would not be such

a bad idea.

I have another reason for considering this path. Imema is the best friend of Imema’s mother, Valeria. Valeria and I were

close once, before life got complicated. I still carry a soft spot

for her somewhere, buried under years of pragmatism and hard choices. Taking care of her daughter feels like a small way to honor that old friendship.

As for Imema’s terminal illness, I have heard from Nick that a cure was found not long ago. As long as Imema follows the treatment, she will make a full recovery. Convenient, isn’t it? A terminal illness that appears just in time to tug on Aires’s

2/7

15:16

+7 Bonus

< Chapter 226

heartstrings, and a miraculous cure that appears just in time

to remove the final obstacle to marriage.

I am not buying it.

Imema’s terminal illness sounds more like an excuse to get

close to Aires. A manufactured tragedy designed to appeal to his protective instincts. As a woman, how could I not see through another woman’s tricks? I have been playing this game longer than she has been alive.

If this were the past, I would have exposed the lie right

in front of Aires without a second thought. I would have stripped away her mask and watched her scramble for excuses. But now, I choose to keep my mouth shut.

Why? Because I have noticed something troubling. Aires is actually considering getting back together with Talia. He

wants her to be Aeson’s mother again. I see it in the way he

watches her, in the softness that creeps into his voice when

he says her name.

This gives me a sense of crisis. Talia and I have already fallen out. Our relationship is beyond repair. Letting her come back would be a direct slap in my face. She would have power

again. Influence again. A say in how this family is run. 3/7

15:16

+7 Bonus

< Chapter 226

I would rather accept Imema into the family a hundred times

over than let Talia step foot through those doors again.

At least Imema knows how to be grateful. At least Imema understands her place.

I lean back further, watching Talia and Robin on stage. They

are putting on quite the performance, but I can see the truth: it’s nothing more than lines they have memorized by heart.

It must have taken the poor soul many sleepless nights, hired

tutors, and desperate last–minute cramming. Because there

no way Talia knows a single word of Norvish.

Aires‘ POV

I return from my call with Bruno. My schedule is packed,

tighter than it has been in months, and making time to watch

Aeson’s performance today was already a challenge. The

phone has barely stopped ringing since I arrived.

But when Aeson was on stage, I turned it off. I wanted to

focus entirely on him. I wanted to see him shine.

I am not surprised that Aeson and Imema scored so high. If

anyone knows Imema’s abilities, it is me. She has always

4/7

I

15:16

+7 Bonus

< Chapter 226

been talented, always driven. And Aeson has never slacked

off in his studies. Their first–place win was practically set in

stone before they even stepped onto the stage.

That last phone call took longer than expected. Bruno had updates on the Brett Group situation, and I could not ignore them. By the time I return to the auditorium, the performance

on stage has already ended.

I glance at Talia and Robin standing under the spotlight. Something about the atmosphere feels wrong. The crowd is restless. People are whispering. I turn to Betty, who is sitting nearby with her eyes fixed on the stage.

“What happened?” I keep my voice low. “Did they forget their

lines?”

Betty’s mouth falls open. She stares at me with an expression I cannot quite read. Then she turns back to Talia, and I see something like respect in her eyes.

“Forget their lines?” She shakes her head. “Aires, why would you think that?”

I glance around at the restless crowd, at the way people are leaning forward and whispering. “What? Did they mess up 5/7

15:16

+7 Bonus

< Chapter 226

the performance?”

To me, it has to be that. They either forgot their lines or completely bombed the act. In my eyes, Talia does not have a single redeeming quality when it comes to something like this. She never showed interest in languages when we were

together. She never practiced. She never mentioned it.

Betty sighs, long and weary. “No, they were amazing. Almost flawless.” She gestures toward the judges‘ panel. “Several judges even gave them perfect scores.”

I blink. Perfect scores?

“But one of them accused them of cheating.” Betty quickly

explains the situation, filling me in on everything I missed

while I was on the phone.

Nick chuckles from his seat, not even trying to hide his glee. “Alpha, I have to say, Talia really put in the effort this time.” He grins. “She almost made it believable. She is really pulling out all the stops just to impress you and Aeson.”

He leans back, crossing his arms. “But a fake is still a fake. No matter how much a glass bead shines, it will never be a pearl.” He nods toward the judge who gave the zero. “And 6/7

15:16

+7 Bonus

< Chapter 226

look at that. The judge caught on. Her little act fell apart in

the end, didn’t it?”

X

special offer: 800 bonus free to you

get it

7/7