Alpha's Discarded Luna (Talia) novel Chapter 54

Alpha’s Discarded Luna

Chapter 53

Aires‘ POV

Imema finally sleeps. I station a nurse by her bed; no more midnight escapes, no more accidents.

She is in a state where she is willing to punish herself for everyone else’s

mistakes, and I’m not going to take any more chances.

୮

In the hallway, Richard is waiting for me. The moment I step out, he stands in my path.

“What is it?” I ask.

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“Alpha, did you take Electra?”

I stop. Study him. “Is that why you’re here?”

He meets my gaze without flinching. “Luma Talia came looking for you. I ran into her. She told me.”

A flicker of irritation. Talia. Of course. Always inserting herself, always playing the victim.

Richard’s voice drops, careful but firm. “I know Imema matters to you. But Talia is your wife. You should consider her position in all of this.”

I’ve heard this before. From him, from 16:21

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others. They don’t understand.

“If the Luna finds out you took her friend because of Miss. Volkov…” He pauses, letting it land. “That’s a wound that

won’t heal easily. Your marriage may not survive it.”

I shake my head. “You’re being manipulated. Nick saw her at the mall, buying clothes for Aeson. She’s playing games. The fake illness, the staged kidnapping…it’s all the same pattern. She’s been living off my name for years. She has Aeson. Why would she actually want a divorce?”

I almost laugh. “This is strategy. Retreat to advance. She thinks if she pretends to:21

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leave, I’ll chase her.”

Richard opens his mouth to argue-

The door opens. The nurse, flustered, relief flooding her face when she sees me.

“Mr. Perseus, thank goodness. Ms. Volkov is having nightmares…she won’t wake up no matter what we do. Please, come quickly.”

I nod, already moving past Richard.

Behind me, I hear him exhale. A long, tired sound.

I don’t look back. There’s no time for his

lectures, Imema needs me.

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Talia’s POV

Two days of waiting, of checking my phone every five minutes, of jumping at every notification. Finally, Richard calls.

“I’ve made inquiries, Luna.” His voice is calm, measured, the voice of someone delivering news he’s already processed. “Electra wasn’t taken by the Alpha.”

Relief floods through me, quickly replaced by fresh anxiety. “Then where is she? Why would she just disappear?”

A pause. “It seems she offended someone. She’s gone to ground, hiding from the retaliation. Give me a few more days, and

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I’ll surely be able to find her.

It makes sense. Electra has a temper, a sharp tongue. She’s made enemies before. I want to believe it’s that simple.

I thank Richard and hang up.

My phone buzzes almost immediately. A text from an unknown number…

Unsaved Contact: [Your friend has been missing for days. Aren’t you worried?]

I ignore it, and start to delete.

Another message arrives, this time it’s an

attachment.

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I tap on it, and it’s a photo of Electra.

She has been tied to a chair with duct tape over her mouth.

My blood freezes. I call the number, but the call is rejected.

Another text follows.

[If you want to find her, come to this coffee shop. Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you. I just want to talk.]

An address, that of a well–known café in the city center. It’s a public place.

It’s safe, theoretically.

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So, it’s not an unknown number after all.

It’s Imema.

Imema knows where Electra is… she has photos. Which means… what exactly does

it mean? She took her? Hired someone?

Used Aires’s resources?

Richard said Aires wasn’t involved. But

maybe, Richard doesn’t know everything after all.

I will go.

***

The café is elegant, yet understated. Nothing seems amiss–just quiet gonversations and the soft hiss of

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espresso machines. A hostess leads me to a corner table.

Imema sits there, demure in a soft cream dress, looking for all the world like she’s waiting for a friend.

“Ms. Perseus.” She smiles. “You came.‘

I don’t sit. “What do you want?”

She gestures to the chair across from her. “Please. Sit. I ordered you a coffee–I hope that’s alright.”

I remain standing.

Her smile doesn’t waver. “Aires is away on business. That’s the only reason I could 6:21

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invite you. He’d never allow me to leave the hospital otherwise.” A delicate pause. “He worries so much about me.”

I finally sit. Not because she wants me to,

but because I need answers. “Is Electra in your hands?”

“No.” She stirs her coffee, unhurried.

“She’s with Aires.”

The words land like stones.

“She pushed me to attempt suicide.” Imema’s voice is soft, reasonable. “How could Aires possibly let that go?”

“You’re saying Aires took her.”

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“I’m saying Aires is protecting me. As he should.” She looks up, meeting my eyes directly. There’s no fragility now. No tears. Just a woman who knows exactly what she’s doing.

“I hear you’re divorcing.” Her tone is conversational, almost pleasant. “I don’t know if you mean it or if it’s another strategy. It doesn’t matter either way. You won’t change anything.”

I say nothing.

“Between you and me.” She leans forward slightly. “He will always choose me.

Always.”

let the silence stretch. Then: “If that’s 16:21

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true, why am I the one he married?”

A flicker, which is quickly masked. “Because I gave him to you.” She smiles, serene and certain. “The unattainable is always more precious. Why else would he treat me like this now?”

The coffee arrives, but I don’t touch it.

“If you’re so confident,” I say quietly, “why are you here? Why threaten me with photos of my friend?”

Her expression doesn’t change, but something in her eyes sharpens.

“Consider it a reminder,” she says. “Of what happens to people who cross me. 16:21

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Your friend will be released, maybe. If she behaves properly and Aires decides she has learned her lesson. But if you keep pushing…”

She lets the sentence hang as a threat. I stand. “If anything happens to Electra—”

“What?” Imema tilts her head, curious. “You’ll do what? No one believes you. No one ever does.”

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