Ch. I Refuse to Be Your Luna 130 I Refuse to Be Your Luna 130

Chapter 130 Mud Masks And Matchmaking

Lady Flourish’s POV

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Finished

Thirty minutes later, I pulled up outside Lacey’s Beauty Parlor, checking my reflection once in the rearview mirror before heading inside.

Whatever that lingering, unfamiliar scent near the warehouse had been, it hadn’t followed me here. My wolf, at least, had finally settled somewhere between Rhys’s call and Phina’s engagement announcement, content to let the evening unfold without further vigilance.

The salon smelled overwhelming the moment I stepped through the door, a thick tangle of rosewater, eucalyptus, and warm wax that would have been pleasant in small doses but hit my heightened senses like a wall.

I breathed through my mouth for the first few seconds, the way I’d learned to years ago, my wolf adjusted and stopped flinching at every new note buried in the mix.

“You finally made it, Lady Rena.”

until

Lucinda’s voice greeted me from behind a face entirely obscured beneath a thick layer of pale green mud, her lips the only visible feature moving as she spoke. I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped me.

“I’ve been busy lately,” I said, settling onto the treatment chair beside her. “I’ve neglected you, my dear princess.”

“Hmph. At least you know it.” She huffed, though the effect was somewhat ruined by the crackling mask threatening to flake off her cheek.

The beautician gently began removing my makeup, her fingers deft and practiced. “You have such lovely skin, Ms. Steele.”

I murmured my thanks, long used to the compliment by now, though it never failed to feel a little strange coming from someone who had no idea what actually kept my complexion this steady the particular resilience that came with wolf blood, not skincare routine.

“I’d like a hydrating treatment, please,” I said.

Lucinda sighed dramatically beside me. “Rena, if only I had even half your genes. I went on a trip last month and came back three shades darker.”

“You have lovely skin too, Lucy,” I offered, and the beautician, having thoroughly complimented us both, finally left us to our masks and conversation.

The moment we were alone, Lucinda’s tone sharpened with barely restrained outrage.

11:42 Thu, Oct 1

Chapter 130 Mud Masks And Matchmaking

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Finished

“Rena, I heard from my mother that Trevor’s actually marrying Phina next month!”

Habits still tripped over their old names sometimes, even among family. “I know,” I said, settling back against the headrest. “I ran into her earlier. She made sure to tell me herself.””

“She ‘bragged about it? To your face?” Lucinda sat up so fast a chunk of dried mask cracked loose from her jaw. “Unbelievable.”

“It’s fine, Lucy. Truly.” I kept my voice even though my wolf gave a small, satisfied huff at the memory of Phina’s crumbling smile. “Whether they marry or not has nothing to do with me anymore.”

“It should matter to somebody,” Lucinda muttered, arms crossed. “My brother doesn’t deserve you. One’s a scoundrel, the other’s a scheming little viper. Let them have each other. He’ll get exactly what’s coming to him.”

I let the observation sit without argument. There wasn’t much left to defend where Harold was concerned.

“You know,” Lucinda added, quieter now, almost thoughtful, “Mother mentioned it was Damian who actually brought the match up to Grandfather this time. Practically insisted on it.”

My heart gave an unexpected, traitorous little skip.

Damian had arranged this. Not Ragnar, not the council, not some tangle of trade politics, Damian himself had gone to Magnus and pushed the marriage forward, presumably to close the door on Harold’s lingering claims once and for all.

I could picture it easily enough: him standing in front of our grandfather’s desk with that same cold, immovable calm he used whenever he’d already decided something wasn’t up for debate.

My wolf preened at the thought, warm and thoroughly pleased with her mate’s efficiency, curling around the knowledge the way she curled around anything that smelled like his protection.

Before I could ask Lucinda anything further, her phone rang, buzzing insistently against the little tray beside her chair.

She answered without checking the screen, immediately scowling. “Julian, can you please use my actual name? ‘Lil Lucy’ sounds ridiculous.”

Whatever he said in response made her roll her eyes hard enough that I heard the motion in her voice. “No thank you. I’m at the salon with Rena.”

A pause. Then, with obvious reluctance, she covered the receiver and turned to me. “Rena, dinner tonight? There’s a new place on Grove Street. His treat, apparently.”

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11:42 Thu, Oct 1

Chapter 130 Mud Masks And Matchmaking

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Finished

I hesitated. Julian was the healer Damian had once quietly arranged for me to see, and something about spending an evening across the table from him felt like inviting questions I wasn’t ready to answer.

But Lucinda didn’t wait for my answer. “We’re coming! Send the address!” she said into the phone, already hanging up with a triumphant grin.

“Lucy-”

“Don’t argue. Julian owes me a proper meal after the last three times he stiffed me on the bill.” She swung her legs off the treatment chair, mask forgotten. “Come on. Let’s go make his wallet suffer.”

I let myself be pulled along, telling myself it was simply dinner with a friend, entirely unaware of exactly who else would be waiting for us when we arrived.

My wolf, usually so quick to sense trouble before I did, stayed utterly silent the whole drive over, content, curled up, giving no warning at all for the ambush waiting on the other side of that restaurant door.

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