RIANNA

The Alpha's mating ceremony is fast approaching in three days and I'm here to plan ahead of the ceremony with him.

My son, Alpha Ruzo of Crescent Pack will be marrying his mate at the Pack’s Conference Hall which is why I flew in from Darlington Pack in the US.

“Now you're getting married, at least let me spend some time with you knowing you won't have time for me again soon,” I teased my son upon going to meet him in his room.

“No, no.” He chuckled. “I will always have time for you, the love of my life. Getting married to my mate wouldn't change anything.” He said deviantly.

“Awwww.” I blushed, going over to kiss him on the cheek. “My forever love, I miss you so much.” I began to shed tears of joy upon thinking of the mating ceremony and being a grandma soon.

“Where's she?” I asked about Christabel. “I'm pretty sure she wouldn't recognize me.”

“You look so beautiful and young, in fact prettier and charming.” My son teased, I couldn't stop the blush.

“You're kidding me right? Don't let her hear this.” I joked. Ruzo nodded. We were fond of sharing such a happy relationship right from when he was a baby, now my mate is gone and he's the only one I have left.

“Where's she?” I repeated my question. “I want to discuss what I have in private, I can't afford letting her know. It's supposed to be a surprise.”

“She's gone to stay with her parents’ family house. You know our custom requires this?”

“Yes,” I nodded.

The door cracked slightly close, I shrugged. For a moment, silence covered the room, I thought someone was eavesdropping. When I didn't hear anything for the next few minutes, I resumed my conversation with my son.

“Since you're getting together with your mate, I want to prepare a special gift for her. You know she hasn't seen me in years, I want to prove a good mother-in-law.”

I watched my son's face glow with a radiant smile. “Yeah.” I grinned.

“I'm planning to give her a Black card loaded with thirty million dollars.”

“I can't give her a house, you already have a penthouse you will share with her. I guess with money, she can buy whatever she needs.”

Even though this amount was nothing to us as a billionaire family, it was a whole lot. It was the exact amount allocated to the pack for its development and to cater for the needs of the pack members.

“Giving such to a person would indeed be considered a great gift.” Ruzo confirmed.

Everything became set and I was going to make my first public appearance since I returned from the US. An hour to the mating ceremony, close relatives had to convene at the hall to have a private breakfast prepared by the incoming Luna.

“Where's the old Luna? Isn't she gonna attend this ceremony?”

“No one has seen her in years!” I heard people start to mutter among themselves.

“They don't know it's me. I won't let them know till the ceremony.”

“Let's take an excuse and leave then. We still have more to talk about, you know you're my best virtual event planner?” I giggled.

“Excuse me everyone,” Ruzo said, shooting his eyes directly at his mate. “I really have something to talk about with my planner.” He pointed to me and with this we left.

I only ate a small portion of my daughter-in-law’s food.

“She's just a great cook.” I complimented on our way to his room where he was taking me to. I felt so special having my son treat me with attention, at least right before he's married to his mate.

I ended up staying in his room till the ceremony began but he had to leave before me. “As your planner, I can only come later.” I teased.

“Byee. See you later mom.” He said before shutting the door of the room.

With him gone, I proceeded to do my makeup and then put on the special dress I'd brought with me for this special event. I needed to look good.

Suddenly, a knock came at the door. “Perhaps he forgot something,” I referred to my son. Grabbing the robe on the bed, I covered my body in undies and headed to the door.

“You forgot–” These words cut short the moment my eyes met with Christabel, eyes bloodshot with a pack of girls behind her, all looking fierce and aggressive.

“So this is the woman you were talking of, the one he's having an affair with?” One of the girls from the back asked Christabel. My body boiled up immediately.

RIANNA

“What's wrong?” I asked with confused glares but heavy slaps, kicks and punches descended on me all of a sudden. They swam all over me blocking my ability to say who I am.

“So you're his mistress? The one who has been having an affair with him?” She panted angrily, slapping me.

“Beat her, strip her of the rope. The entire guests in the hall need to see this.”

“No-oooo!” I tried to scream but one of them walked forward, sealing my lips with her palm while the rest continued the beating. They stripped me of the rope leaving me only in my undies.

“Let's drag her over to the pack elders first, we need to expose this bitch to them.”

I shrieked. “What's she afraid of?” They mocked. They thought I was just fearing but only myself knew what the pack elders had swore to do to me the day I got into their hands.

“Could today be the day they have been waiting for?” My wolf sunk deep in sorrows realizing what I'll definitely go through in the hands of those monsters.

“She has to explain to them what she's doing in undies in my mate’s room, then we will take her to the event hall and disgrace her openly.”

“The elders have to give us a go-ahead.” Christabel snapped her head up, a protest already on her lips.

“Yeahhh!” Her friends chorused.

I stiffened.

“Remember the last time I told you about a strange young woman in my mate’s room. She told him I didn't know about her. Ruzo thought I was at my parents’ side.”

My burdened mind returned to that moment when I felt the door shutting slightly while having a discussion with my son. The memory of how loved-up and casual we were flashed back in my mind. She must have mistook me for his mistress.

“I'm his mom. I was–” A heavy slap landed across my face, making my sight blur.

“What the hell are you saying?”

“My mother-in-law is yet to arrive as my mate told me. Are you so desperate to evade my anger that you should tell such a lie?”

She grabbed the belt from one of the girls at the back who was a tomboy and began slashing at my skin mercilessly. My body was covered in my blood.

They dragged me along the hallway, heading to the meeting room where the pack elders always confer for a drink as custom demanded before the main event.

They knew me. They hated me. They hated my son and they had threatened to deal with me miserably the day I got into their hands, or they will reveal my worst secret to the whole world, a secret my son will come to hate me for, something I never wanted to experience in my whole life.

“You deserve this!” They taunted even without getting to hear the full story. I could see the lust and sarcasm glowing from their faces.

It was them telling me through their gazes, “Your day has come!”

I shut my eyes so tight, unable to witness such embarrassment with my eyes opened.

When they threw me to the floor and I crashed myself, rolling against the hard floor, I opened my eyes to see myself before thousands of people. Even with my blurry sight, I caught them all staring at me with shock.

I looked for my son but I couldn't find him yet. Christabel stepped forward announcing before everyone, “Sorry to interrupt your drinking, elders. This woman you see here is the mistress of my mate, the Alpha whom I've found recently in his room.”

“Where's my mate, where's the Alpha? Let him come out here to defend himself?”

“He has hidden,” she taunted. “Just because I exposed the love of his life in public.”

Anger boiled up in my chest. I wanted to rise and hit her hard on the head. How could my son marry such a girl with such a temperament. She was so immature that she had to say this before everyone.

“Don't worry, endure a little further so when Ruzo comes to tell everyone you're his mom, she would be put to the greatest shame.” My wolf told me.

I felt a sudden surge of energy flowing into me. I watched as she took out her phone, then played the recorder.

It was the exact conversation I had with my son where I planned to give her a Black credit card but she stormed off angrily before I reached this point.

“Deal with her!” The eight elders who were here all rose up, roaring in anger upon listening to the audio.

“Shameless bitch!” They yelled at me. “She's one of those destroying sweet marriages in this pack.”

“Oooh, you know her?” Christabel asked, eyes popping out with much expectation. This is what she wanted to hear.

“Yes, of course.” They growled in unison, glaring at me with sinister eyes.

“Oh goddess!” I groaned, raising my hands to my head. With them saying this, there's nothing else I would say to Christabel and her girls for them to believe me.

“Shut the fuck up!” She dashed me a terrible slap that bounced on my eyes, nearly blinding me.

“We will deal with you!” The elders shouted in support, pulling more ginger on Christabel.

Slowly I closed my eyes, preparing for my death when I got to hear the sudden roar of a familiar voice. I heard footsteps running into the podium.

“Christabel, what's going on here?” It was my worst rival, the woman I never wanted to see, even in my dreams.

My elder sister, Gerald. Her voice was panicky. I could hear her ragged breath.

“You just disappeared all of a sudden from the hall and I had to search for you?” She rushed over her words.

Always trying to act as a mother to everyone, even to my son. Trying to take his attention away from me, same as she tried with my late mate.

At this point, I wished the ground would open up and swallow me.

RIANNA

She, seeing me in such a state will make her assume her prayers have been answered.

“Welcome, the rightful Luna.” The elders rose up to cheer her as she walked further in. Meanwhile, I tried hiding my face as I sat on the bare floor, sobbing.

My prayers to remain hidden went tenser than before but I knew it was just futile. There was no escape route for me.

“Ooh–Ohhh. It's you?” She chuckled.

“Mom, you know her?” Christabel asked.

“Yesssss!” She stressed. “She had snatched almost a hundred mates from women in this pack.”

Gosh!

“What are you saying?” I slumped to the ground, spreading my hands wide. I'm finished!

“Did you guys just choose a day to come and embarrass me here, lying against me.”

“Will you keep your mouth shut or we will expose your secret for the world to hear?” Gerald spanked my cheeks.

“You're still so shameless. What of you who have lied to Ruzo for years now?”

Christabel rushed over to her side, grabbing her arm. “Please spill it out. What did she do?”

My heart raced.

“Please don't.” I stood up from the floor, dropping on my knees.

“I beg you, don't. Whatever you wish, I'll give it to you.”

“Well, if you think you can buy me with money this time around, then you're in for a massive failure.” She taunted.

Christabel persisted. “Can I know what she really did?”

Gerald's heart was beating so loudly, I could hear it.

I began to feel a pang of guilt for what I did. All these years, I thought I actually did the right thing but this moment, things were different.

Maybe I was wrong. I shouldn't have done it.

“I'll expose it here to everyone.” Gerald threatened.

Anger somehow seized my chest. I rose to my feet, feeling my tears dry away slowly. Boldness was climbing over me, through my nerves, I felt strengthened to speak.

“I'd rather say it myself, after I'm done. You can beat me to death, if you wish.” I said stoutly. The elders who were sitting slowly rose to their feet.

“What came over her?” One of the girls leaned towards Christabel, whispering into her ears. I heard it but kept on with the harsh face.

I was ready to tell the story of my life myself, let no one reveal it.

“So this is what happened,” I began. “You're free to ask me questions where you deem fit.”

Merely starting, I see a tall young man walking into the room. “Oh no! It's my son.” I whispered to myself.

“What's going on here?” I heard him say next. My eyes slightly opened to see him.

He froze, slowly pulling his hand to his head with his lips spread wide. “What's going on here?” He barked, flinching his head to his mate.

“What did you do to my mom?”

Suddenly the guests broke into a puzzled gasp, the girls she had brought to harass me stumbled backward. A whole lot of the guests who had risen to support Christabel beating me up sank to their seats finding it hard to believe.

“See what your mate has done to me oo!” I cried out loud. “The mate I wanted to surprise to millions of dollars as a–” My voice broke halfway into a terrible cry.

For the moment, my urge to confess was off.

“I want to die! I can't bear such shame.”

“My mother-in-law is on her way here, right?” Christabel’s voice had lowered, she was now sounding panicked, looking at the woman who had been trying so hard to portray herself as the mom, rather than the potential aunt-in-law.

“She's going to arrive soon, right? This isn't your mother?” Christabel turned to Ruzo right afterwards, grabbing his arms but he pushed her away. She stumbled and almost fell.

Through all the questions she asked, Ruzo was fiercely staring at her. The hall became tense as his eyes switched to bright yellow while his fists were folded.

Before anyone could expect, I heard deep punches, terrifying groans. “Help! Help! Help!”

“How dare you be so rascal with my mom? Why would you disgrace her half-naked before everyone, pulling her out of my room and dropping her here in a pool of blood?”

People scrambled for safety. “If you move!” He growled. “You joined to support her in beating an innocent woman.”

“Guards, lock the doors. All the doors.” He commanded. My body quivered. I wondered what he was about to do. I didn't want him to hurt some innocent people in the midst.

His anger once returned to his mate. “I want you stripping right here before everyone, even to your panties.”

Meanwhile my heart was thumping to say the truth, if he chooses to punish Christabel after my confession, then so be it. I still won.

“You have to pay right away for what you've done!”

She was stunned, shaking in fear. Ruzo’s hands descended on her, ripping her long blue gown into two, exposing her undies.

I stretched my hand, trying to stop him. “Let me tell you something first.” But he wasn't listening. Gerald with the elders glanced at me, eyes narrowing.

“It seems she has charmed him, that's why he's always fighting for her.” Their murmuring clashed with the loud groans of Christabel.

I was here trying to grab my son's attention.

“Please stop! My parents are here, my relatives. I can't have them see me this way.” She cried out, her girls covered their faces with shame.

“I'm coming after you girls.”’He threatened them, making them squirt in fear. Ruzo put more pressure, within a second, the once looking bridal gown was torn in shreds. He advanced to her bikini undies.

Seeing my oppressor disgraced, I summoned up some energy, rising up.

I summoned my entire energy to shout. He paused. I sighed. “Ruzo, allow me to say what I have to say first, then you decide what to do next.”

“What's it mom?” He said, amidst gnashing of teeth. Gerald nodded her head, folding her arms across her chest.