I Refuse To Be Your Luna (Flourish and Harold) novel Chapter 33

Chapter 33 – Something Worth Reporting

Lady Flourish’s POV

31

Finished

The morning had barely started and I was already exhausted. Not physically, for once I’d actually slept well, but from constantly dealing with people who seemed determined to turn every simple situation into a crisis.

Walter drove quietly through the streets toward F-Tech headquarters while I went through reports on my tablet.

Several projects needed my approval, Rhys had already sent three reminders about an acquisition proposal, and Cheryl had warned me my afternoon was packed solid.

For once, work felt like the easy part. Numbers made sense. Contracts made sense. Business decisions had consequences I could actually calculate. People were different.

They lied, hid things, changed their stories, and expected me not to notice. My wolf gave a low, dissatisfied growl at the thought, and I ignored her and kept scrolling.

“Lady Flourish.” Walter’s voice pulled my attention up. “There’s someone standing in front of the vehicle.”

The car slowed to a stop and my eyes narrowed. Phina, of course, standing directly ahead of us, dressed neatly despite the early hour, hands clasped in front of her like she’d been waiting there for a while.

My wolf went alert immediately, though I couldn’t have said why. There was nothing obviously threatening about her, but my instincts had never trusted whatever it was she did to me.

“Wonderful,” I muttered.

Walter caught my eye in the mirror. “Should I drive around her?”

The temptation was real, but running over widows tended to raise questions. “No.” I put the tablet away and stepped out.

Relief crossed Phina’s face the second she saw me. “Lady Flourish.”

“What do you want, Phina?”

“I just need a moment.”

I folded my arms. “Then talk.”

She glanced around the street. “Not here.”

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16:51 Wed, Sep 30

Chapter 33 – Something Worth Reporting

31

Finished

My wolf’s ears pricked at the nervousness in her scent, though I couldn’t tell if it was real or just well practiced.

I sighed. “There’s a restaurant two blocks over. We can talk there.” Relief softened her face instantly, and I regretted the offer before we’d even started walking.

Twenty minutes later we sat across from each other in a quiet corner of an upscale restaurant, soft music playing, the smell of good food in the air. Unfortunately, so was Phina.

I stirred my coffee while she twisted her fingers together, and after six full minutes of that my patience ran out.

“Phina.”

She looked up. “Yes?”

“What do you actually want?”

“I wanted to talk about Harold.”

“Of course you did.”

Her shoulders dropped. “Please just hear me out.” I waved for her to continue. “Since you didn’t come to the infirmary after the attack, Alpha Ragnar got worried. He spoke to Harold privately and Harold seemed very upset afterward.”

“And?”

“And that’s all.”

I lowered my cup slowly. “What exactly does that have to do with me?”

Her face turned even more pitiful. “I know you’re angry with him. I know he’s made mistakes. If it would help, I can apologize for him. I can tell you how sorry he is, if you’ll just agree to go through with the Luna Rite.”

For a second I genuinely wondered if I’d heard her right. Then I laughed, and not a polite one either, a real laugh I couldn’t hold back. Phina smiled uncertainly at that, and I let the amusement drop from my face just as fast.

“Let me ask you something.”

“Anything.”

I leaned in and held her gaze. “Do you actually want me to mate Harold?”

16:51 Wed, Sep 30

Chapter 33 – Something Worth Reporting

31

Finished

Something flickered across her eyes for barely a second, but my wolf caught it and snarled quietly in my head.

Her expression softened right back into place. “Of course I do. I’ve always wanted you two together.”

“Save that for Harold.” Her face froze. “That sweet, helpless act might work on him, but it doesn’t work on me. I’m not one of your followers, and I’m certainly not one of the women in Stonehedge who thinks you’re some tragic saint. So spare me the sugary performance.”

I grabbed my purse and stood. The tension between us had drawn enough attention that nearby diners were already glancing over. I turned to leave.

Then something cold hit my shoulder. I stopped as liquid soaked through my dress and dripped down into my hair, the sharp smell of red wine reaching me almost instantly. The restaurant went quiet.

I turned around slowly. Selene stood behind me holding an empty wine glass, her face flushed with anger.

“How dare you speak to Phina like that?” My wolf’s hackles rose at the sound of her voice. “She was only trying to help you!”

Heads turned across the room. Phina stood up fast. “Selene, stop.”

“No! You don’t deserve her kindness! You have no right calling her two-faced when you’re the two-faced one here!”

Phina caught her arm, then looked back at me with a face full of manufactured concern. “Flourish, are you alright? She shouldn’t have done that.”

Everyone was watching now, waiting for me to lose it. My wolf wanted nothing more than to give them exactly that.

Instead I took a slow breath, then another, and refused to give either of them the reaction they were fishing for.

A server rushed over. “My Lady, are you alright?”

“Perfectly fine,” I said, smiling. “Would you bring me another glass of wine?”

She blinked, then nodded and hurried off. Selene stared at me like she couldn’t underst why I wasn’t screaming.

Phina kept up the act of calming her down while Selene jabbed a finger in my direction.

“I’m telling Harold everything!”

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