This Time, I Refuse to Be His Luna Chapter 05

This Time, I Refuse to Be His Luna Chapter 05

She was wearing a silver-white gown.

Around her neck was the moon-diamond necklace.

The necklace rested against the side of her throat, carrying Ethan’s cedar scent.

That sickly sweet peach blossom scent mixed with cedar and stabbed painfully into my nose.

She slipped her arm naturally through Ethan’s.

“Alpha, thank you for the gift. I love it.”

Ethan did not push her away.

He even lowered his head and looked at the necklace.

“As long as you like it.”

I slowly pulled my hand out of the bend of Ethan’s arm.

“I’m going to the restroom.”

Ethan lowered his head and warned me near my ear.

“Come back quickly. Don’t embarrass me.”

I nodded and turned away.

I threw up in the restroom.

The scent on that pendant dragged me back to the night I stood outside that hotel room, listening to sounds through the wall.

—

It made me sick.

When I vomited until my vision went black, I remembered the white walls of the center.

They pinned my shoulders down and pushed suppressant needles into the skin beside my neck.

They made me watch footage of myself losing control over and over.

They said, “You must learn not to respond to the Alpha’s scent anymore. You need to become a proper Luna.”

Now I had indeed learned.

When I walked out of the restroom, I passed the terrace.

Logan and Mason were leaning there, smoking mint cigarettes.

When Logan saw me, he blew out smoke.

“Look at her. She probably got triggered again. Sophia is ruthless too. She had to wear that necklace out here when it’s covered in the Alpha’s scent. Who wouldn’t smell it?”

I walked past them without stopping.

I returned to the banquet hall and stood beside Ethan again.

The peach blossom scent on him was heavier now.

I did not know what they had done during the half hour I was gone.

Ethan lowered his head and looked at me. His tone softened.

“The ceremony is set for next month. I had my assistant arrange the

—

venue. You can choose the details when we get back tonight.”

I said, “I already told you. Cancel it.”

His eyes darkened.

“A joke can only go so far. I’ve kept the Luna title for you all this time. What else do you want from me? Do you want me to get on my knees and beg?”

I looked into his eyes.

“I don’t want you to do anything. I just won’t bond with you.”

He lowered his voice.

“Do I have to send you back to the center before you learn your lesson?”

The moment those words landed, the area around us went quiet.

I finally understood.

He had never thought of that year as punishment.

In his eyes, it was only a way to make me behave.

Before I could speak, Sophia walked over again.

Her steps were weak, and she fell straight into Ethan’s arms.

She wrapped her arms around his waist, her voice sweet and sticky.

“Alpha, I’m dizzy. My wolf doesn’t feel well. Will you take me home?”

Her peach blossom scent deliberately spread outward.

—

Ethan supported her.

His brows tightened, but he did not push her away.

All three of his brothers looked at me.

They were waiting for me to lose control.

Waiting for me to become the joke of the banquet.

I only placed my wineglass on a server’s tray.

“Since Miss Bennett isn’t feeling well, take her home.”

Ethan’s expression changed.

Sophia pressed even closer.

“Alpha, I just want you to soothe me. Like before.”

Ethan was silent for a moment.

Then he said to me, “Go back to the estate and wait for me. I’ll take her home and come back soon.”

I nodded.

“Okay.”

He helped Sophia leave the banquet hall.

At that moment, Logan walked over and clapped twice.

“Miss Carter, which center did you go to? The results are impressive.”

Caleb laughed too.

—

“You’re really going to go home and wait for the Alpha like a good girl? Wait for him to come back and comfort you?”

I did not answer.

I left the banquet hall, returned to the estate first to get my luggage, then went straight to the airport.

Before the plane took off, I put my phone on airplane mode.

Outside the window, the city lights grew farther and farther away.

I closed my eyes.

For the first time, I fell asleep at night without the smell of cedar.

When I woke up, the plane had already landed.

I turned off airplane mode.

My phone immediately started vibrating like mad.

Ethan’s missed calls and messages filled the screen.

“Answer the phone. Where are you? Why didn’t you go back to the estate? Are you trying to scare me by leaving again? Come back now. I won’t go looking for you again.”

I glanced at the time.

It seemed that taking Sophia home had cost him a full three hours.

I did not reply.