I Refuse To Be Your Luna (Flourish and Harold) novel Chapter 43

Chapter 43 The Wrong Reaction

Lady Flourish’s POV

Finished

I had barely taken three steps away from the restaurant before Rhys’s voice entered my head through the mind-link.

“Do not react.”

Naturally, every part of me wanted to react.

I kept walking toward Damian’s vehicle, forcing my expression to remain neutral while Rhys opened the connection enough for me to hear the conversation behind us.

“Oh my goddess,” one executive said. “Lady Flourish is something else.”

Another wolf laughed. “Do you know how many wolves have spent years trying to get Alpha Damian to notice them?”

“And she just got into his car.”

“I have never seen him offer anyone a ride home.”

“Not even once.”

My jaw tightened.

Rhys sighed through the link. “Perhaps that is because all of you have had too much wine.”

The amusement disappeared from his voice.

“Alpha Damian is being courteous to a business client. What exactly is strange about that?”

An executive scoffed. “Rhys, listen to yourself.”

“No. You listen to yourselves. You are creating stories from absolutely nothing.”

“Then explain why Alpha Damian looked like he wanted to skin Mark alive for asking whether they knew each other.”

1 almost groaned.

Rhys exhaled. “This discussion can continue another day when everyone is sober enough to remember basic professionalism.”

The connection ended.

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Chapter 43 The Wrong Reaction

Despite myself, I smiled. I sent him a silent thank-you through the link.

“You owe me,” came his immediate response.

Typical.

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By then, I had reached Damian’s vehicle.

The driver opened the rear door, and I slid inside. A moment later, Damian entered from the opposite side.

The door closed.

His scent immediately filled the enclosed space.

My wolf lifted her head. I mentally pushed her down.

‘Sit’.

She ignored me.

I straightened and looked toward Damian. “Alpha Virel.”

His eyes shifted toward me. That was enough to make my wolf stir again.

I hated her.

“You stopped calling me Damian.”

I blinked. “What?”

“You didn’t call me Damian today.”

Heat crawled up my neck. He was right.

Somewhere between the hospital visit, our arguments and everything that had happened since his return, I had started calling him Alpha Virel.

“I don’t want your board members getting strange ideas,” I said.

His brow lifted. “Strange ideas?”

“They already think too much.”

A faint smile touched his mouth. “I see.”

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“I don’t want anyone assuming I receive special treatment because of you.”

He studied me for a moment before looking away.

“When did you start drinking?”

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I turned toward the window. “My wolf told you to ask that?”

“No.”

“Then how did you know she doesn’t tolerate alcohol well?”

“Because I pay attention.”

His gaze moved over me.

“And your pheromones are obvious.”

I went quiet.

The words brought back a memory I had spent years avoiding. My twenty-third birthday.

It had been the fourth year of my relationship with Harold, and I had spent weeks planning the celebration because he promised he would be there.

Then a territory issue came up.

A meeting came up.

Phina needed something.

By midnight, I had been sitting alone.

The cake remained untouched. The candles had burned down, and I had cried because I felt stupid for expecting him to choose me for one night.

That was the first night I drank because I wanted to stop feeling.

“You’re thinking about something unpleasant,” Damian said.

I looked at him.

“You don’t have to tell me.”

I gave a small laugh. “Very observant.”

His expression remained serious.

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Chapter 43 The Wrong Reaction

“You must have gotten enough courage to learn how to drink like that. What was it? Four glasses?”

I laughed despite myself. “What a strange compliment.”

“It wasn’t.”

“I was always going to learn eventually.”

I gestured toward the window.

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“I run one of the largest technology companies across seven territories. Business dinners exist. Executives drink. Investors drink. Older wolves drink.”

I smiled faintly.

“I can’t survive forever on moonberry nectar.”

Something unreadable crossed his face. Neither of us spoke for several minutes.

The city passed outside until the familiar cliffs surrounding my residence appeared.

I felt relieved because I was finally home.

I unfastened my seat belt. “Thank you for the ride.”

Damian nodded.

I reached for the door but it didn’t open.

I pulled again but it wont budge. I slowly turned toward him.

“Damian?”

“You should drink less.”

“What?”

“If someone pressures you to drink again, use Harold’s name.”

His tone was calm.

“Everyone knows you’re his betrothed.”

The mention of Harold irritated me more than it should have.

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Chapter 43 The Wrong Reaction

“Harold’s name doesn’t work nearly as well as yours.”

Silence.

My wolf practically laughed. I stared at the dashboard.

Damian’s voice came lower.

“Then use mine.”

I looked at him.

He wasn’t joking.

“I was joking.”

“I wasn’t.”

My stomach tig

He held my

“Flourish

My wol

old’s betrothed. That makes you family.”

ree.

ou use my name.”

A second later, the door unlocked.

mediately.

Alpha Virel.”

Flourish.”

cle rolled away. I stood there for a moment before heading inside.

one rang before I reached my bedroom.

home,” I answered.

Was about to ask.” He paused. “Did Alpha Damian do anything?”

opped walking.

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Chapter 43 The Wrong Reaction

“Excuse me?”

His relief was immediate.

“Good.”

“Rhys.”

“I’m just checking.”

“Checking what?”

“You know.”

“No, I don