After My Mate's Deathbed Confession, I Rewrote Fate

I stepped out from behind the screen, carrying myself with the poise of a Luna, a lady of noble standing, and bowed gracefully to the room. Then, I turned my gaze to Charles Gray, whose face had turned ashen.

"Charles, be careful with your words," I said, my voice calm but firm. "We are not close enough for you to address me so informally."

"Besides, did I say anything untrue? Hasn’t Ella Wilson, the girl from the western pack, been flaunting the Gray family’s emblem everywhere, boasting about her connection to the son of a high-ranking Beta, claiming she’ll soon be the lady of a prominent house?"

I glanced toward the side door, where Lilyana had already slipped out. Soon enough, the news of Charles’s entanglement with Ella would spread like wildfire.

In my past life, I hadn’t learned until after my death how Charles had strung Ella along, promising her a future with the Gray family, only to abandon her when my father offered him a better opportunity. She had been forced to settle for someone else. Yet, Charles had blamed me for his own greed, tarnishing my name even in death.

This time, I would lay it all bare. Let the world see who was truly at fault.

I turned to Melina Larson, Charles’s stepmother, and smiled brightly. "It seems you haven’t heard the good news yet. I’ve heard Ella’s scent is as radiant as a rose and as graceful as a willow. Congratulations, Melina, on gaining such a charming daughter-in-law."

Charles’s face turned a shade darker, his eyes blazing as he snapped, "Eileen, when did you become such a gossip? Spreading rumors like a rogue! How dare you bring this up here? You know perfectly well that you and I—"

*Thud.*

The sound of Noa’s claws hitting the table cut him off. Charles immediately fell silent, realizing he’d gone too far, but his accusatory glare remained fixed on me. I ignored it.

Melina, however, seemed to awaken from a daze, forcing a polite smile. "Eileen is right. I hadn’t heard about this matter."

She shot a glance at Charles, her eyes filled with thinly veiled amusement. "Charles’s mother must have only heard about the most elegant and accomplished Luna in the region and assumed it was Eileen. That’s why I came here to propose on his behalf. I must apologize for the disturbance."

Her words were apologetic, but her tone betrayed her satisfaction. She had been worried that Charles’s potential mating with me, the daughter of a respected Beta, would threaten her own son’s future. Now, not only had I publicly humiliated Charles, but I’d also exposed his affair with Ella. No respectable Luna would want him now.

Melina’s words subtly shifted the blame to Charles and his mother, and Charles’s expression grew even more strained. He bowed stiffly to Noa, then pulled a small necklace from his belt and held it up.

"I don’t know any Ella Wilson," he declared. "And as for my connection to Eileen, this necklace is proof. Please, Madam Noa, see for yourself."

Noa examined the necklace, her brows furrowing. "Did you make this?"

I nodded, then feigned indignation. "Yes, I made it, but you took it from me last month at the pack gathering in exchange for that ridiculous fan of yours! And now you’re using it to tarnish my reputation? If I’d known your intentions, I’d have given it to anyone but you!"

I gestured to someone to fetch the fan from my room and tossed it at his feet, playing the part of a wronged young woman who had been utterly deceived.

At pack gatherings, it was common to exchange small tokens as part of friendly competitions. Last month, the Lunas had competed in crafting, and I had hurriedly finished mine, secretly giving the best one to Charles. The males had competed in poetry, and Charles had given me his fan, claiming it was a special gift for me.

Now, looking at it again, the poem scrawled on it was nothing but pretentious drivel. What a waste of my necklace.

Charles exploded in anger, calling me a liar. Noa snapped her fan shut and turned to me with a stern look.

"You," she scolded, "I’ve always told you to be careful with your actions, and yet you go around exchanging gifts with anyone! One day, you’ll find yourself tangled up with someone who doesn’t deserve you!"

Then she turned to the Gray family with an apologetic smile. "I’m terribly sorry. My daughter has been spoiled by her father and brothers, and she’s forgotten the importance of proper etiquette. This has clearly led to a misunderstanding with Charles."

"When my mate returns, we’ll discipline her properly. As for the rest…"

Melina nodded understandingly, ignoring Charles’s furious expression, and quickly ushered her family out. As they stepped through the doorway, I picked up the fan and followed them out.