Chosen by You, Once More

"Grace, I'm turning down your invitation. I already promised Lilith the opening dance."Darian shook off my hand without hesitation and walked toward Lilith.Whispers rippled through the crowd — mocking me for being rejected after asking my own fated mate to dance.But none of them knew how happy I was.Because I had been reborn.I was back at my twenty-second birthday ball.I was the only daughter of the Stone Creek Pack Alpha, and Darian was my fiancé.In everyone's eyes, I was the spoiled, clingy girl who had trapped Darian against his will.Darian thought so too.So even though we were fated mates, he never spared me a second glance.In my past life, he had done the exact same thing at this very ball — shaken off my hand in front of everyone and walked straight to Lilith.I had begged him to stay. He never looked back.I became a laughingstock.When Darian's parents found out, they were furious. They scolded him and ordered him to complete the marking ceremony with me immediately.

"You're dead, Grace!"Darian shoved me to the ground in a rage.The back of my head slammed against the stairs. Pain exploded behind my eyes.Through the haze, I heard him screaming at me."You've gone too far, Grace!""You're not worth Lilith's little finger. She's a thousand times kinder than you!""Being in the same house as someone like you makes the air smell rotten. You make me sick!"I swallowed the pain and cut him off."I'll move out. Relax."That shut him up. He stood there for a long moment before letting out a cold scoff."You'd better keep your word."He glared at me, then scooped Lilith into his arms and left without looking back.I touched the back of my head. My fingers came away sticky with blood.I thought of how, after he first learned we were fated mates, he used to say my scent was intoxicating. The mate bond did that.Later, he said he wanted to smell it all the time, and asked me to move in.I said yes.The man who once held me and whispered sweet things now spat

Dad saw me holding him back and assumed I was still protecting Darian. He coughed in frustration."Grace, you're the one who wanted to dissolve the ceremony, and now you're shielding him?""Do you still have feelings for him?"Darian heard that and smirked. "Grace, quit the games. If you still want me, why bother playing hard to get? You know that doesn't work on me."Lilith's eyes darted around before she leaned against Darian, looking fragile and tearful. "Darian, if Grace still has feelings for you, maybe I should step aside..."Darian immediately wrapped his arms around Lilith and murmured comforts.I took a deep breath, pulled out my phone, and dialed Alex — thank God he still had the same number.His voice on the other end was polite and distant. "Hello, who's calling?"I made my voice honey-sweet. "Baby, I'm on Maple Street. Weren't we going to celebrate the dissolution? Come pick me up."Alex didn't hesitate. "I'll be right there."I hung up and said coldly, "You heard that. I

I flexed my hand and said nothing."I haven't even settled the score for my dead child, and you dare hit me?"Something twisted in my chest.I remembered my past life — kneeling in the snow for an entire day and night, begging Darian to spare my parents.He kicked me in the stomach.He knew I was carrying his child. He used full force anyway.I collapsed in agony, bleeding, and he turned and walked away without a word.Alex got me to the hospital. I survived, but I lost the baby — and the ability to ever have children again.Back then, Darian never spared a thought for the child in my belly.For a moment, I was back in that freezing winter night.Then a warm hand gripped mine tightly.I turned to Alex.In both lives, the person standing beside me had never changed.He had always been there — steady and unwavering. Maybe it was time I was brave too.I took a deep breath and fixed Darian with a cold stare."Darian, if there's something wrong with your head, go see a doctor.""Your mansio

Darian's face contorted. "What are you laughing about now?"I pointed at the security camera above his head and said slowly, "Intentional destruction of key evidence. Caught on video. I think that's more than enough to convict you."The color drained from Darian's face. His legs gave out and he collapsed onto the sofa.I stood, patted his shoulder, a smile in my voice."Oh, and the ledger you just shredded? That was a decoy. Illegally obtained evidence is inadmissible anyway. The real records are still in your office — and they'll be the most powerful evidence at the Werewolf Council Court.""Darian, I gave you chances. So many chances.""But you just couldn't help yourself.""So now — we play by my rules."I walked out without looking back.Alex hurried toward me the moment I appeared, quickly checking me over to make sure I wasn't hurt before breaking into a grin. "How'd it go?"I flipped my hair and smirked. "Outsmarting that fool isn't exactly a challenge."We strolled arm in arm,