I Refuse To Be Your Luna (Flourish and Harold) novel Chapter 226

Chapter 226 The Man Who Was Presumed Dead

Lady Flourish’s POV

รห

23

Finished

The figure stopped halfway up the stairs, and I couldn’t move as I stared at the face I had spent years believing belonged to a dead woman. My heart hammered against my ribs, and my wolf went completely still as recognition settled over me.

“Mom?”

The woman lifted her face toward me. Her features were older than the last memory I had of her, but there was no mistaking her eyes. They were the same eyes I had seen in childhood photographs.

My knees weakened, and Damian’s arm went around my waist immediately, holding me up while his warriors raised their weapons.

“Nobody attacks.” His command rolled through the stairwell, and every shifted wolf lowered their claws at once.

The woman looked at him. “You’re Damian.”

His expression hardened. “You know me?”

She gave a tired smile. “I know what your father wanted from you.”

“You are Elara,” Damian said.

My mother’s name sounded strange coming from him. She nodded slowly, and I pulled away from him, taking one step down.

“You’re alive.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “I’ve been alive all these years.”

My throat tightened. “Then why did everyone tell me you were dead?”

She looked past me toward the warriors. “Because your father needed the world to believe it.”

My stomach dropped. “Garret?”

She nodded. “He thought hiding me would keep you safe.”

I almost laughed, and it came out broken instead. “Safe?” My wolf stirred angrily. “I was raised believing my mother abandoned me.”

1/6

12:29 Thu, Oct 1

Chapter 226 The Man Who Was Presumed Dead

Elara’s expression crumpled. “I know.”

“You knew?”

“I heard you asking for me.”

My eyes burned. “Then why didn’t you come?”

She looked down at the stone steps. “Because I couldn’t.”

Damian stepped beside me. “Who kept you here?”

Her gaze moved to him. “The people who are now surrounding Stonehedge.”

His face changed. “How many?”

“I don’t know.”

“Where are they?”

M

23

Finished

“Outside the territory.” She shook her head. “They are not here for the pack.” Her eyes settled on me. “They came for you.”

A growl moved through Damian’s chest. “They won’t get her.”

Elara looked at him for several seconds. “That’s what your father said.”

“My father?”

“Ragnar knew about the blood.”

The name made the entire corridor go silent. Damian stared at her. “What blood?”

Elara looked directly at me. “The blood of the First Alpha.”

My wolf reacted immediately, heat spreading through my veins, the golden glow returning to my eyes. I stepped back.

Elara noticed. “Don’t fight it.”

“I’m not.”

“You don’t understand what is happening to you.”

“Then explain it.”

She inhaled slowly. “The First Alpha’s blood was passed through our family.”

216

12:29 Thu, Oct 1

Chapter 226 The Man Who Was Presumed Dead

23

Finished

I shook my head. “No.”

“Your mother carried it before you,” she said, and I realized she meant her own mother, my grandmother.

I stared at her. “Then why didn’t I know?”

“Because Garret sealed your memories.”

Damian turned sharply. “He did what?”

Elara’s expression strained. “He had no choice.”

I looked at her. “Stop defending him.”

“I’m not,” she said, her voice cracking. “I’m telling you what happened.”

A vibration came from Damian’s pocket. He pulled out his phone and checked the screen, and his expression changed.

“Rhys?” He answered immediately. “Talk.”

Rhys’s voice came through the speaker. “Alpha, we’ve confirmed the army is still surrounding the territory.”

Damian glanced at me. “Any movement?”

“Not yet.”

“Keep the surveillance drones in the air.”

“Already done.”

“Use the thermal cameras along the southern perimeter.”

“Understood.”

Damian ended the call, and Elara looked at the phone in his hand. “You have changed.”

His brows knitted together. “What do you mean?”

“When I knew your family, they relied on scouts and messengers.” She gave a faint smile. “Now you have machines watching the borders.”

“We use everything available.”

3/6

12:29 Thu, Oct 1

Chapter 226 The Man Who Was Presumed Dead

23

Finished

“Good.” Her expression turned serious. “Because the enemy has done the same.”

A warning sounded from Damian’s phone. He looked down. One of the surveillance feeds had gone offline.

“Rhys.”

The call connected instantly. “Alpha?”

“Why is Camera Twelve down?”

“We’re checking it.”

“Check faster.”

I could hear keyboards clicking through the phone. Then Rhys went silent.

“What?”

“The camera wasn’t disabled.”

Damian’s eyes narrowed. “Then what happened?”

“Someone accessed the system remotely.”

My stomach tightened. “From inside?”

Rhys hesitated. “Yes.”

Damian’s wolf surged. “Lock the network.”

“We’re trying.”

The call ended, and Damian looked toward the warriors. “Nobody leaves this floor.” He turned to Elara. “Can you walk?”

She nodded.

“Then we’re moving upstairs.”

I caught his hand. “What about the army?”

“We deal with them after we secure the estate.”

I looked toward my mother, who had spent years hidden beneath the place where I grew up. Now the same people hunting me were standing right outside. Everything felt connected in a way I couldn’t fully grasp yet.

4/6

12:29 Thu, Oct 1

Chapter 226 The Man Who Was Presumed Dead

23

10

Finished

“Good.” Her expression turned serious. “Because the enemy has done the same.”

A warning sounded from Damian’s phone. He looked down. One of the surveillance feeds had gone offline.

“Rhys.”

The call connected instantly. “Alpha?”

“Why is Camera Twelve down?”

“We’re checking it.”

“Check faster.”

I could hear keyboards clicking through the phone. Then Rhys went silent.

“What?”

“The camera wasn’t disabled.”

Damian’s eyes narrowed. “Then what happened?”

“Someone accessed the system remotely.”

My stomach tightened. “From inside?”

Rhys hesitated. “Yes.”

Damian’s wolf surged. “Lock the network.”

“We’re trying.”

The call ended, and Damian looked toward the warriors. “Nobody leaves this floor.” He turned to Elara. “Can you walk?”