Chapter 154 The Slap That Ended Everything

Eira thought the caption was accurate enough.

Alpha Sebastian fixated on one phrase: your favorite woman.

His expression darkened as he zoomed in on the photo. Isabella and Serena both looked like they had just come out of a back-alley brawl.

A few minutes later, he called Serena.

"Did Isabella attack you? Are you hurt?"

"Sebastian..." Serena’s voice trembled. She sounded close to tears. "I’m fine. Just a little sore. Isabella didn’t mean it. And Eira is here too."

The last part was enough to set him off.

Eira put her up to this.

He already knew Eira was there. She had sent him the photo herself.

He had gone through half a dozen phone numbers lately, and she had blocked every one within a day. The latest number still worked, though he was not sure that counted as progress.

"I’m on my way."

His voice was tight with exhaustion and concern.

As soon as the call ended, he opened a new message to Eira.

Stay at the Celestia Residences. Wait for me.

The message failed to send.

Blocked again.

Alpha Sebastian stared at the screen, his jaw clenched.

He had not even managed to repair things with Eira, and now Isabella had made everything worse by attacking Serena.

What the hell was wrong with his sister?

--

Isabella overheard Alpha Sebastian’s call and decided she needed some backup of her own. She pulled out her phone and called Luna Margaret.

Luna Margaret and Alpha Sebastian arrived within minutes, their faces grim.

When they reached the lobby, only Serena and Isabella were still there. Eira and Lila were long gone.

Alpha Sebastian let out a quiet breath.

Serena’s eyes filled with tears when she saw him. She started toward him, but Luna Margaret’s cold stare stopped her dead in her tracks.

Luna Margaret turned to her daughter.

"What were you thinking, starting a public brawl?"

Isabella planted her hands on her hips. "What else was I supposed to do? Three hundred thousand dollars a month, Mom. Every month. He’s been bankrolling that bitch."

"Isabella." Alpha Sebastian’s expression darkened. "Watch your mouth."

Luna Margaret spun toward him. "Don’t you dare take Serena’s side again. She’s not pack."

Not long ago, Luna Margaret had called Serena sweetheart. Now she was treating her like a stranger.

Alpha Sebastian walked over to Serena. A bruise was already forming on her forehead, and red marks covered her neck and hands.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"My stomach and my back." Serena tried to move, then winced. Isabella had knocked her down and hit her hard enough that everything ached.

Alpha Sebastian’s brow furrowed.

"We’re going to the hospital," he said. "Both of you. Get checked out."

He looked at Isabella.

"After the doctor clears you, you and I are going to talk about the money."

"What money?" Isabella snapped. "What have I ever cost you? Did I get three hundred thousand dollars a month? You’re my brother. Even if you gave me that much, I’d have every right to it."

"Enough." Luna Margaret caught Isabella by the hand. "We’re not fighting each other. We stick together. Now let the doctors examine you. We need to make sure there’s no serious damage."

Then she looked at Serena. Her expression held no warmth.

"And you and I will have a conversation later."

Serena’s stomach dropped.

She had spent years trying to win over the Hale family. Once they accepted her, she had believed Alpha Sebastian would eventually marry her. Eira had never been close to them anyway.

Now everything had changed.

Alpha Sebastian was searching for Eira, while his family had turned against Serena.

Alpha Sebastian headed for the exit.

"Come on. We’re going to the hospital."

He did not offer Serena his arm. He did not carry her. He barely looked at her.

His eyes kept sweeping the grounds for Eira.

Serena remained where she was.

"Sebastian, I don’t think I can walk. Could you carry me?"

"Unbelievable," Isabella muttered.

Serena truly was in pain, but Alpha Sebastian only lowered his voice.

"You know how exposed we are right now. The whole pack is watching."

She understood what he meant. The photos and evidence surrounding the affair could still damage them, even if they were not enough to prove every detail in court.

Serena did not dare push him further.

She gritted her teeth and walked toward the exit one painful step at a time.

Isabella watched her with a satisfied smile.

"You know what, Mom? I actually liked Eira better as our pack’s Luna."

Serena’s face went cold.

Luna Margaret’s expression tightened too.

"That’s enough."

--

At the hospital, Isabella was examined and sent to the waiting area with barely a scratch. Serena was still being treated. She had bruises across her body from hitting the pavement, and a nurse was applying ointment to the worst ones.

Alpha Sebastian came out first and found Isabella sitting there without a care in the world.

"After all these years, you still can’t keep your hands or your mouth under control?"

"Not when someone deserves it." Isabella shot to her feet. "She’s a homewrecker who drained you dry."

"Isabella." Alpha Sebastian’s expression hardened. "Stop calling her that. The money wasn’t all her fault. I’m the one who signed the checks."

Luna Margaret, who had followed him out, snapped. Her voice shook with anger and heartbreak. "What were you thinking? Giving her some money is one thing, but handing over everything?"

She wiped at the corner of her eye.

"Do you know how the rest of us have lived these past few years? The Hale family should have been living comfortably. Instead, we watched every expense while Serena spent your money like it was nothing."

Alpha Sebastian’s chest tightened at the mention of Eira.

She resents me too.

Isabella was not interested in his guilt.

"Then make Serena pay it back."

"The money is my responsibility," Alpha Sebastian said coldly. "Whether I recover it is none of your business."

"Then it’s Eira’s business." Isabella turned toward the exit. "There’s no way she’ll sit back and watch her husband give his entire fortune to a homewrecker."

"Don’t call her that." Alpha Sebastian’s voice dropped. "And stay away from Eira."

Isabella stopped and looked back at him.

"Homewrecker. Homewrecker. Home..."

His hand shot out. The slap cracked across her cheek, loud and sharp.

Isabella stumbled back and stared at him in disbelief.

"You hit me?" Her voice shook. "You hit your own sister for her?"

"Do you even know what Serena has done for you?" Alpha Sebastian demanded. "Why are you acting like Serena is the only one at fault?"

Isabella’s eyes flashed.

"You want to know what Serena has done?" she shouted. "She helped set Eira up!"

Alpha Sebastian went still.

Isabella pressed a hand to her burning cheek.

"When Eira was drugged and almost assaulted, Serena was involved. Serena got the drug. And Serena was the one who found the man."

The hallway fell silent.

For the first time, Alpha Sebastian’s anger disappeared.

"What did you just say?"