I Refuse To Be Your Luna (Flourish and Harold) novel Chapter 3

Flourish’s POV

By the time my ride reached the main fortress of Stonehedge, the entire territory was already glowing beneath moonlight and silver fire lanterns.

Music drifted from the upper balconies while servants moved briskly across the massive courtyard carrying trays of wine and crystal cups toward the grand banquet hall. Alpha Magnus’s winter moon celebration was always excessive, but tonight felt heavier than usual. Wolves from neighboring territories filled the fortress, their scents mixing together beneath the cold winter air.

Every wolf that mattered was here.

And everyone already knew about the failed Luna Rite.

Fine by me. I was done hiding my humiliation for their comfort.

The first thing I saw when I stepped down was Harold standing near the entrance stairs speaking to several council wolves.

The conversation stopped the second his eyes landed on me.

I almost smiled.

For one long moment, he simply stared.

Not subtly either.

His gaze moved over the lavender gown hugging my waist before falling smoothly toward the slit running along my thigh. The dress itself was elegant enough for a formal Alpha gathering, but it was softer than what I normally wore, the color making my skin appear warmer beneath the moonlight.

I chose it carefully.

Not because Harold would like it.

Because I knew he wouldn’t.

A dangerous look crossed his face before he excused himself from the council wolves and walked directly toward me.

“You changed your mind about dressing modestly, I see.”

His voice remained calm, but I knew Harold well enough to hear the irritation beneath it.

I adjusted one sleeve lazily “You granted me enough privileges to deserve visual satisfaction.”

The nearby servants immediately lowered their heads to hide their reactions.

Harold stopped directly in front of me, close enough for me to catch the familiar scent of cedarwood and winter smoke clinging to his ceremonial coat. Usually, that scent settled my wolf instantly.

Tonight, it only reminded me of the medicine-covered blankets inside the western estate.

“You’re drawing attention,” he said quietly.

“Excellent,” I replied. “That was the goal.”

His jaw tightened slightly. “This is Alpha Magnus’s banquet, not some childish revenge game.”

“And abandoning your Luna Rite for your dead beta’s widow wasn’t childish?”

The words landed sharply between us.

For a brief second, genuine anger flashed through his eyes.

I was tired of being the only wounded person in this situation.

Several wolves near the staircase were already pretending not to listen, so Harold lowered his voice further before speaking again.

“We are not discussing this here.”

I looked past him toward the brightly lit hall entrance. “Then perhaps you shouldn’t have created the discussion in public.”

That silenced him for a moment.

Interesting.

I had spent years avoiding conflict with Harold because I hated the cold distance he slipped into whenever we argued. Now that I no longer cared whether he pulled away from me, I realized something almost embarrassing.

Winning against him was not difficult.

You simply had to stop loving him enough to surrender first.

Harold exhaled slowly through his nose before offering me his arm. “The northern Alphas are already inside. We’re late.”

I stared at his arm briefly before accepting it, though not because I suddenly felt cooperative. Alpha Magnus had treated me kindly for years, and I refused to humiliate him publicly on this night.

Still, the moment my fingers brushed Harold’s sleeve, another scent reached me immediately.

Moonflowers.

Soft winter herbs.

Phina.

The warmth disappeared from my expression instantly.

My eyes drifted toward the silver strand caught near the shoulder of his coat.

It was long, pale.

Definitely not mine.

I looked at it quietly for several seconds before lifting my gaze back toward Harold’s face.

“You missed a spot.”

His brows furrowed. “What?”

I nodded toward his shoulder.

Understanding crossed his expression almost immediately, followed quickly by irritation. Without another word, he brushed the strand away.

A soft laugh escaped me.

“Careful,” I murmured. “People might start thinking your beta’s widow spends more time touching you than she should.”

His grip tightened around my hand instantly.

“Flourish.”

“What?” I asked innocently. “I’m protecting your reputation.”

The vein near his temple pulsed sharply, but before he could answer, several elders approached from the entrance hall, forcing the conversation to end there.

The second we entered the banquet hall, the atmosphere shifted noticeably.

Conversations softened.

Eyes followed us openly.

Some wolves looked curious while others looked entertained, but almost all of them stared at me with the same question written across their faces.

After publicly rejecting the Luna Rite, why was I still standing beside Harold Virel tonight?

Poor Flourish.

Still chasing him.

Still hoping.

If only they knew I was being financially compensated for my suffering.

Harold leaned slightly closer as we moved deeper into the hall. “Stay here for a moment. Alpha Magnus wants me greeting the eastern territories personally.”

I smiled politely. “Go entertain your political obligations.”

His eyes narrowed faintly, but he eventually released my hand and disappeared toward the center of the hall where several territory leaders already waited for him.

The second he left, the whispers started.

“Well, this is embarrassing.”

I turned slowly to find three she-wolves standing near one of the wine tables watching me with open amusement. They belonged to lesser Alpha families within Stonehedge, wealthy enough to act arrogant and unimportant enough to gossip constantly.

One of them smiled too brightly. “After all that drama during the Luna Rite, I honestly expected you to hide for at least a month.”

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