I Refuse To Be Your Luna (Flourish and Harold) novel Chapter 110

Chapter 110 A Shadow In The Light

Lady Flourish’s POV

Finished

The clinking of silverware against fine china gradually resumed around the grand head table, but the atmosphere had permanently shifted.

No amount of music from the string quartet or polite conversation could erase what had just happened.

Damian’s declaration lingered over the ballroom like an invisible weight, pressing down on every guest beneath the glittering chandeliers.

My Luna.

The words echoed through my mind long after he’d spoken them.

Every high-ranking wolf seated throughout the hall had heard him. Their hearing was far too sharp to miss a single syllable, and now countless pairs of eyes drifted toward us between bites of expensive food and careful sips of wine.

Some looked curious.

Others looked stunned.

A few looked openly calculating.

I drew in a slow, measured breath and lifted my napkin to my lips, disguising the last remnants of my cough.

My face still felt warm.

No… warm wasn’t the right word.

It was burning.

Inside my mind, my wolf was practically dancing.

He said it. In front of everyone.

She sounded unbearably pleased.

Did you hear the way he said it?

“I was there,” I muttered silently.

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Chapter 110 A Shadow In The Light

He claimed us.

“I noticed.”

Officially.

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Finished

I resisted the urge to groan.

She wasn’t helping.

Instead, she seemed determined to bask in every lingering glance directed our way.

Meanwhile, my own emotions were an impossible knot.

Embarrassment.

Relief.

Disbelief.

And somewhere beneath all of that…

Happiness.

Dangerous, foolish happiness.

“You did that on purpose,” I whispered, leaning just enough toward Damian that no one else could overhear.

His gaze remained on his plate for another second before he calmly looked at me.

“I stated a fact.”

“That wasn’t an answer.”

“It was.”

His expression didn’t change.

Not even slightly.

There wasn’t the faintest trace of apology in those dark eyes.

If anything…

He looked perfectly content with the chaos he’d caused.

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Chapter 110 A Shadow In The Light

“You knew everyone would hear.”

“I expected them to.”

“You enjoy making my life difficult.”

One corner of his mouth lifted.

“I enjoy making certain things unmistakably clear.”

My pulse skipped.

“You could have been… subtler.”

“I could have.”

“But?”

“But I chose not to.”

Finished

Before I could think of another response, I felt his hand disappear beneath the silk tablecloth.

A moment later, his broad palm settled over my knee.

Warm.

Steady.

Protective.

His thumb brushed lightly against the fabric of my dress before giving my knee a reassuring

squeeze.

The simple touch grounded me more effectively than any calming breath ever could.

Without realizing it, my shoulders relaxed.

He noticed.

“I can feel everyone staring,” I admitted quietly.

“They’ll stop.”

“When?”

“When they realize staring changes nothing.”

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Chapter 110 A Shadow In The Light

I let out the smallest laugh.

“You make it sound easy.”

“It is.”

“For you.”

“For us.”

The certainty in his voice caught me off guard.

There wasn’t a shred of hesitation.

Not even doubt.

Before I could respond, a bright, sugary voice cut cleanly through the surrounding

conversations.

“Alpha Damian! I didn’t think I would get the chance to speak with you tonight!”

I looked up.

Selene.

She floated toward the head table as though she’d rehearsed every step.

Finished

Her fiery red silk gown clung to every curve, shimmering beneath the crystal lights, while the familiar scent of synthetic orchids and overpowering vanilla reached us several seconds before she did.

It was so heavy I nearly wrinkled my nose.

Apparently I wasn’t the only one.

Several nearby wolves subtly shifted in their seats.

Selene’s attention, however, remained entirely fixed on Damian.

She smiled with practiced sweetness.

The kind she’d spent years perfecting.

“Selene,” I greeted evenly.

She barely looked at me.

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Chapter 110 A Shadow In The Light

“Flourish.”

Her eyes flicked over me for barely a heartbeat before returning to Damian.

“I see you managed to secure a seat at the main table.”

There wasn’t enough venom in the sentence for anyone unfamiliar with us to notice.

I noticed.

As always.

Finished

She rested perfectly manicured fingers against the back of the chair beside Damian and leaned forward just enough to expose her collarbone.

“Alpha Damian,” she purred, “my pack’s elders have been hoping to discuss our upcoming land leases with Stonehedge F-Tech.”

Her smile widened.

“I realize you’re incredibly busy, but perhaps we could step outside to the terrace? Somewhere a little quieter… so we can discuss everything privately.”

Almost immediately, the air shifted.

I felt it before I smelled it.

Then came the pheromones.

Sweet.

Tempting.

Carefully controlled.

A classic attempt to draw the attention of an unmated Alpha.

My wolf flattened her ears.

Seriously?

I remained perfectly still.

Damian didn’t.

He simply continued cutting his steak with slow, effortless precision.

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Chapter 110 A Shadow In The Light

He didn’t even acknowledge Selene’s existence.

The silence stretched.

Selene’s smile began to falter.

Finally, Damian spoke.

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Finished

“If your pack elders have business regarding F-Tech,” he said evenly, “they may arrange a formal meeting through my secretary during normal business hours.”

He placed another piece of steak onto his fork.

“You are intruding on my dinner.”

The words landed with quiet finality.

Selene blinked.

“I… only thought—”

“You thought incorrectly.”

This time he turned.

His gaze settled on her with all the warmth of winter stone.

There wasn’t anger.

There wasn’t irritation.

Only absolute indifference.

It was somehow worse.

“Step back.”

Selene froze.

“Your scent is entirely too aggressive,” Damian continued. “It is bothering my companion.”

For one endless second, nobody spoke.

Then soft laughter rippled through a nearby cluster of Lunas.

One hid her smile behind a champagne flute.

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Chapter 110 A Shadow in The Light

Another suddenly became fascinated by the dessert menu.

Selene’s cheeks flushed a violent shade of crimson.

“I didn’t mean-”

“I know exactly what you meant.”

Her lips parted.

Nothing came out.

She glanced around the room.

Dozens of people had witnessed the exchange.

Dozens more were pretending they hadn’t.

The humiliation was complete.

Then her eyes found mine.

The hatred there was almost tangible.

Sharp.

Poisonous.

Finished

As though this embarrassment had somehow become my

fault.

She spun on her heel without another word and disappeared into the crowd, the train of her dress sweeping dramatically behind her.

I watched her leave before releasing the breath I’d been holding.

“That was harsh,” I murmured.

Despite the sympathy I probably should have felt…

A quiet warmth spread through my chest.

My wolf looked unbearably smug.

She deserved it.

I ignored her.

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Chapter 110 A Shadow In The Light

Damian’s thumb continued tracing absent circles over my knee.

“She was disrespectful.”