Page 15
Story: Mated to Ruin
His hands shake as he quickly calls Ivy.
The phone rang four times before she answered.
“What do you want, Talon?”
Her voice is freezing cold.
“Ivy, please. I need to know where Seraphina went.”
“I only know she left, but I don’t know where she went.”
“You’re lying!” His voice cracks in desperation. “She wouldn’t hide it from you. You’re her best friend. Did she tell you not to tell me?”
Ivy is quiet for a long time.
When she speaks, her voice is dead silent.
“No. She didn’t tell me to hide anything from you.”
She pauses.
“But Talon, do you think after everything you’ve done, after humiliating her publicly, after beating her in front of hundreds of people, after leaking her intimate photos online – do you really think you still have the face to see her?”
Each accusation strikes him as a physical blow.
“Ivy, please-”
“Don’t. Just don’t.”
She hangs up and immediately blocks his number.
Talon stands in the empty departure hall, as streams of travellers rush past him.
The hustle and bustle of everyday life continues around him, even as his world falls apart.
When Talon sees a woman with dark hair like Seraphina, he grabs her arm. “Sweetheart!”
But he’s met with a stranger’s terrified expression.
“Let go of me!”
He reluctantly releases her, mumbling apologies.
His phone rang. It’s his assistant calling.
“Alpha, we have a situation. Seraphina has reported you to the Alpha Council, accusing you of illegally organising private duels and public humiliation of a mate.”
Talon’s heart stops.
“But don’t worry,” the assistant adds quickly. “I negotiated with her legal team and removed all traces of her intimate photos and related topics online; we signed a significant compensation agreement, and she has withdrawn the charges.”
“Who authorised you to pay compensation?”
Talon’s voice is hoarse and barely audible.
The assistant appears perplexed. “What?” Sir, I do not understand.”
“I asked who gave you permission to compensate her!”
His voice erupts with fury.
The assistant pauses, clearly puzzled.
“Mr. Talon, I understand you and Seraphina are having marital problems, but if you don’t do this, you will face serious charges. The Alpha Council takes mate abuse extremely seriously. If it affects the development of the Ashfern Pack…”
“Then let it be affected.”
“I… what? Sir?”
The assistant is completely bewildered.
Talon suddenly feels completely powerless, as if all of his strength has drained from his body.
He is unwilling and unable to explain.
He hangs up and slumps into an airport chair, staring at the departure board but not seeing it.
Without the compensation, she would have had to go to court.
He could have seen her face-to-face.
But now, where can he find her?
Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice behind him: Aelina.
“Alpha, I heard from your assistant that you had prepared a surprise for me!”
Aelina jumps into Talon’s arms as soon as he opens the door.
The phone rang four times before she answered.
“What do you want, Talon?”
Her voice is freezing cold.
“Ivy, please. I need to know where Seraphina went.”
“I only know she left, but I don’t know where she went.”
“You’re lying!” His voice cracks in desperation. “She wouldn’t hide it from you. You’re her best friend. Did she tell you not to tell me?”
Ivy is quiet for a long time.
When she speaks, her voice is dead silent.
“No. She didn’t tell me to hide anything from you.”
She pauses.
“But Talon, do you think after everything you’ve done, after humiliating her publicly, after beating her in front of hundreds of people, after leaking her intimate photos online – do you really think you still have the face to see her?”
Each accusation strikes him as a physical blow.
“Ivy, please-”
“Don’t. Just don’t.”
She hangs up and immediately blocks his number.
Talon stands in the empty departure hall, as streams of travellers rush past him.
The hustle and bustle of everyday life continues around him, even as his world falls apart.
When Talon sees a woman with dark hair like Seraphina, he grabs her arm. “Sweetheart!”
But he’s met with a stranger’s terrified expression.
“Let go of me!”
He reluctantly releases her, mumbling apologies.
His phone rang. It’s his assistant calling.
“Alpha, we have a situation. Seraphina has reported you to the Alpha Council, accusing you of illegally organising private duels and public humiliation of a mate.”
Talon’s heart stops.
“But don’t worry,” the assistant adds quickly. “I negotiated with her legal team and removed all traces of her intimate photos and related topics online; we signed a significant compensation agreement, and she has withdrawn the charges.”
“Who authorised you to pay compensation?”
Talon’s voice is hoarse and barely audible.
The assistant appears perplexed. “What?” Sir, I do not understand.”
“I asked who gave you permission to compensate her!”
His voice erupts with fury.
The assistant pauses, clearly puzzled.
“Mr. Talon, I understand you and Seraphina are having marital problems, but if you don’t do this, you will face serious charges. The Alpha Council takes mate abuse extremely seriously. If it affects the development of the Ashfern Pack…”
“Then let it be affected.”
“I… what? Sir?”
The assistant is completely bewildered.
Talon suddenly feels completely powerless, as if all of his strength has drained from his body.
He is unwilling and unable to explain.
He hangs up and slumps into an airport chair, staring at the departure board but not seeing it.
Without the compensation, she would have had to go to court.
He could have seen her face-to-face.
But now, where can he find her?
Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice behind him: Aelina.
“Alpha, I heard from your assistant that you had prepared a surprise for me!”
Aelina jumps into Talon’s arms as soon as he opens the door.