The Luna Queen's Rebirth (Ellie and Dominic) novel Chapter 24

Chapter 24 
Ellie’s POV 
The dean blinked in surprise, then quickly recovered with a relieved smile. 
“Ah, so that’s it! Miss Ellie must have been trying to avoid trouble from Lucas’s exes and admirers, hiding it until the last minute.” He chuckled, clearly pleased to have the problem resolved. “Well, it just so happens Lucas’s partner slot still open…” 
The dean cheerfully rambled about paperwork and dress codes, suddenly animated now that he didn’t have to deal with an unpartnered student. 
I wasn’t really listening to his cheerful monologue. I felt Dominic’s stare burning into my head, his presence filling the small office like a storm cloud. 
“Of course, we’ll need Lucas to confirm the arrangement,” the dean continued, making notes on his clipboard.” But I’m sure there won’t be any issues. Such a relief to have this sorted out so close to the deadline!” 
Sensing the change in the dean’s attitude now that I had an acceptable partner, I gave a few half–hearted replies and excused myself as quickly as possible. 
“Yes, I’ll make sure Lucas confirms,” I said, standing up before the dean could launch into another speech about ceremony protocols. 
“Wonderful! Just wonderful,” the dean beamed. 
But as I reached for the door handle, Dominic’s voice stopped me. 
“Actually, I think there’s been a misunderstanding-” 
“No misunderstanding,” I said firmly, cutting him off. “Lucas is my partner. End of discussion.” 
I walked out before either of them could respond, but Dominic caught up with me outside the office. His hand closed around my wrist. His grip was firm but not painful, just insistent enough to make me stop. 
“You’re not serious,” he said, his voice low and urgent. “Did Lucas force you into this? Is he threatening you?” 
The questions revealed so much about how Dominic saw me. As someone who couldn’t make her own decisions, who needed his protection and guidance. The idea that I might have chosen Lucas willingly clearly hadn’t 
occurred to him. 
I didn’t want to argue with him anymore. I was tired of these confrontations, tired of the way he made everything about him and his wounded pride.. 
“And what if he did?” I asked, meeting his eyes directly. “What would you do about it?” 
The question seemed to catch him completely off guard. For a moment, he looked genuinely confused, as if the idea that I might not want his protection had never occurred to him. 
“I would…” he started, then stopped, his grip on my wrist loosening slightly. 
“You would what, Dominic? Challenge him to a duel? Forbid me from seeing him?” I pulled my wrist free. “You have no right to control my life anymore.” 
His face went pale, but he didn’t deny it. We both knew exactly what he’d done to sabotage my previous attempts at independence. 
I walked away, leaving him standing there with his mouth half–open, finally understanding that his control over me had slipped completely. 
When my best friend Sarah heard that I’d be dancing with Lucas at the mating ceremony, she practically shrieked with excitement. 
“Lucas? The Lucas?” She grabbed my arm, bouncing on her toes. “Oh my god, Ellie, do you realize how many girls would kill to be in your position right now?” 
Her enthusiasm was infectious, even though I knew the situation was far more complicated than she realized. To Sarah, this looked like the ultimate social triumph. 
“I mean, he’s gorgeous, he’s rich, he’s charming,” Sarah continued, counting off Lucas’s attributes on her fingers. “And he’s Dominic’s biggest rival. This will show everyone that you’re not just sitting around moping.” 
She dragged me out shopping for a new dress, chattering non–stop about how this was my chance to make a statement. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I didn’t want to make Dominic realize anything. I just wanted to survive the ceremony and move on with my life. 
At the boutique, we met Vivian and her entourage. Everyone knew she would be Dominic’s dance partner and treated her like future Luna. Her followers gathered around her, offering opinions on dress and makeup with royal deference. 
Vivian was trying on an elegant white gown that made her look like a princess from a fairy tale. Her friends cooed and fawned over her, making comments about how perfect she and Dominic would look together. 
“It’s like you were made for each other,” one girl gushed. 
“The white really brings out your innocence,” another added. “Dominic is so lucky.” 
As we browsed the racks on the other side of the store, I overheard one of Vivian’s friends making a snide 
comment about me. 
“She chased after Dominic for years and still got dumped in the end,” the girl said with obvious satisfaction. It’s actually kind of pathetic when you think about it.” 
Her words stung more than I wanted to admit, but they weren’t wrong. From the outside, my years of pursuing Dominic did look pathetic. 
Vivian’s response was perfectly calculated to sound sympathetic while actually being cruel. 
“Ellie’s not a bad person,” she said in her sweetest voice, loud enough for me to hear. “She just fixated too much on something that was never hers to begin with.” 
The implication was clear. Dominic had always belonged to Vivian, and I’d been deluding myself all these years. 
Sarah had heard enough. Her face flushed with anger, and she stormed into the fitting area where Vivian and her friends were gathered. 
“At least Ellie has the sense to move on,” Sarah snapped. “Unlike some people who only got their chance 
because someone else stepped aside.” 
Vivian looked genuinely startled when she saw me standing behind Sarah. She clearly hadn’t expected me to witness her little performance. 
“Ellie!” she exclaimed, quickly switching to her concerned–sister voice. “I didn’t see you there. I was just—” 
“It’s fine,” I interrupted calmly, putting a restraining hand on Sarah’s arm. “I’m not interested in arguing about Dominic anymore.” 
Vivian’s eyes widened slightly at my calm response. She’d been expecting tears or anger, some dramatic reaction that would confirm her narrative about my supposed obsession with Dominic. 
“But she was-” Sarah started. 
“It doesn’t matter,” I said firmly. “Let her say whatever she wants. It has nothing to do with me anymore.‘ 
I pulled Sarah away to look at dresses, determined not to let Vivian ruin what should have been a fun afternoon. We found a beautiful backless gown in deep blue. The dress was elegant and sophisticated, with delicate beading that caught the light beautifully. 
“This is perfect,” Sarah said, holding it up against me. “It brings out your eyes, and the cut is so flattering. You have to try it on.” 
When I emerged wearing the blue gown, I felt beautiful for the first time in weeks. The dress fit perfectly, hugging my curves in all the right places while maintaining an air of elegance. 
“Oh my god, Ellie,” Sarah breathed. “You look incredible.” 
That’s when Dominic walked into the boutique. 
He saw me and his eyes immediately brightened with recognition. For a moment, he seemed to forget about our recent confrontations, his face lighting up the way it used to when we were younger. 
“So you did pick the color I like,” he said, his voice softer than it had been in days. “Blue – you remembered it’s my favorite…” 
The assumption in his voice made my stomach turn. That I had chosen the dress with him in mind, that everything I did was still somehow connected to him. 
“This one doesn’t suit me,” I said coolly, turning back toward the fitting room. “I’ll try another.”