Ch. I Refuse to Be Your Luna 107 I Refuse to Be Your Luna 107

Chapter 107 The Banquet Begins

Lady Flourish’s POV

23

Finsned

By the time Saturday evening arrived, I had spent far too much time second-guessing every choice I made.

I stood in front of the full-length mirror, smoothing down the fabric of the simple midnight- blue dress I had chosen from the back of my closet.

It was elegant but intentionally understated, devoid of the flashy beadwork or dramatic trains that the Lunas of high-ranking packs usually favored.

After a moment of hesitation, I picked up the modest perfume I had bought while shopping with Devina and lightly spritzed it onto my wrists and the pulse points of my neck.

The clean, understated scent of rainwater and light cedar drifted up, offering a small sense of comfort as I prepared to face a room full of influential Alpha families.

I kept telling myself that if I looked and smelled ordinary, I could easily blend into the background, find a quiet corner, and let the night pass by without incident.

Inside my mind, my wolf stirred, letting out a low, dissatisfied chuff at my attempt to hide, though she didn’t completely disagree with the need for caution.

My anxious thoughts were abruptly cut short by the deep, resonant purr of a high-performance engine drawing to a halt outside my front door.

Expecting the private driver Damian had mentioned over the phone, I picked up my silver clutch, took one last deep breath to steady my nerves, and stepped out onto the porch.

I froze the moment my eyes landed on the sleek, obsidian-black vehicle parked in the driveway.

The driver’s side door swung open, and Damian stepped out into the cool evening air.

Instead of sending a member of his personal staff, he had come personally. He wore a perfectly tailored dark suit that emphasized his broad shoulders and commanding stature, making him look every bit the formidable Alpha he was.

As his dark gree. eyes locked onto me, he paused at the edge of the walkway. For a fraction of a second, the usual calm indifference on his handsome face wavered, replaced by a sudden, intense look that made my breath catch in my throat.

He didn’t say a word immediately, but the darkening of his pupils and the slight flare of his nostrils told me everything.

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Chapter 107 The Banquet Begins

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The clean, simple fragrance I had chosen was working, but perhaps not in the way I had intended; it was drawing him in rather than making me invisible.

As he walked toward me, his strides deliberate and powerful, I could practically feel the restless energy of his wolf beneath the surface, reacting strongly to my presence.

The air between us grew thick with an unspoken, primal tension that always seemed to hum between a dominant Alpha and his chosen companion.

When he reached out to guide me toward the passenger side, his large hand lingered firmly on the small of my lower back, his heat radiating through the thin fabric of my dress.

His posture was noticeably stiffer, his shoulders squared as he scanned the quiet tree line surrounding the house, instantly more protective than usual.

“You look beautiful, Flourish,” he murmured, his deep voice carrying a trace of a rough, possessive edge that hadn’t been there during our phone calls.

“Thank you,” I replied, my heart doing a nervous flip against my ribs as I looked up at him. “I was fully expecting a driver. You didn’t have to navigate the evening traffic yourself.”

“I changed my mind,” he said simply, his gaze dropping to the pulse point on my neck before he opened the car door for me. “I found the idea of anyone else driving you tonight completely unacceptable.”

The weight of his words settled over me as I climbed into the leather seat. He closed the door behind me with a firm, solid click before jogging around to get into the driver’s seat.

The drive to the banquet passed in a blur of quiet anticipation, the comfortable silence inside the cabin occasionally punctuated by the soft growl of the engine.

When we finally arrived at the grand, gated estate where the inter-pack dinner was being held, the sheer scale of the event became immediately clear.

Brilliant crystal chandeliers cast a golden glow through the massive arched windows of the estate, illuminating the manicured grounds.

Valets hurried to park luxury vehicles, and affluent guests dressed in extravagant silks and furs moved toward the grand entrance in exclusive clusters.

The air outside was dense with the conflicting pheromones of dozens of high-ranking wolves, each subconsciously marking their territory and flashing their status.

As soon as Damian stepped out of the car and walked around to offer me his arm, the atmosphere around the entrance shifted perceptibly.

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Chapter 107 The Banquet Begins

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The security detail at the gate instantly straightened, bowing their heads in a unspoken show of submission to his dominant aura.

“Stay close to me,” Damian murmured, pressing his arm tighter against his side so that our shoulders brushed. “The wolves inside are going to be loud, and their curiosity will be even louder. Don’t let them crowd you.”

“I’ll try,” I whispered, wrapping my hand around his forearm, feeling the iron-hard muscle beneath his suit coat. “But I think your presence alone makes blending in impossible.”

The moment we walked through the heavy double doors into the main ballroom, a collective ripple of hushed whispers followed in our wake.

The clinking of crystal glasses and the low hum of conversation died down for a brief, telling

moment.

Other Alphas, elegant Lunas, and high-ranking council members from distant territories immediately turned their attention toward us.

Damian had a long-standing reputation for being entirely detached from pack politics and romance alike, having never brought a companion-let alone a potential Luna candidate-to a formal event like this before.

The rumors began spreading instantly, moving through the crowd like wildfire as elders leaned together to debate my lineage and background.

I instinctively tried to step back slightly, hoping to let him take the spotlight while I faded safely into the periphery of the ballroom, but

Damian completely refused to let me slip away.

Every time a powerful Alpha or a foreign delegate approached to greet him, his grip on my waist tightened, holding me firmly at his side.

“Alpha Damian,” an older, gray-haired man with sharp amber eyes said, stepping into our path with a calculating smile. “It has been far too long since you graced these gatherings. And who is this lovely lady by your side? I don’t believe she belongs to any of the neighboring bloodlines.”

“This is Flourish,” Damian stated clearly, his voice carrying a resonant undertone that commanded absolute respect from everyone within earshot. “She is with me. Her business handles F-Tech, and her presence here tonight is by my personal invitation.”

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