I Almost Got Killed By My Son's Mate

Atilla's POV

Xerxes Worgen, my son, was finally about to perform the union ceremony with his fated mate, Ceresca Faelan, a she-wolf he had pursued relentlessly for two years in the Night Prowlers pack. The news filled me with joy and relief. At last, the Moon Howlers would have a rightful Alpha, and I could step down from the burden of leadership that had weighed on me for so long.

Overcome with excitement, I left the pack in the capable hands of our Beta and set off early for the Night Prowlers’ territory. The ceremony was still a day away, but I couldn’t wait to see my son. It had been years since we last spoke in person, and my heart longed for the reunion.

That night, under the silver glow of the moon, I met Xerxes for a late-night walk, hoping to share a rare quiet moment with him. Since his father, Aztec Worgen, had passed, the leadership had fallen to me while Xerxes trained hard to take over the rank his father left. During this time, the elders and I decided to hide my identity to avoid being targeted by rogues and other rival packs.

But since a pack without an Alpha was prone to rogue attacks, the elders soon decided to make Xerxes the pack's Alpha, since they believed he had already learned everything an Alpha should. Even so, he was not yet official since he hadn't found his mate.

After years of searching, Xerxes found Ceresca in the Night Prowlers, only to leave his responsibilities behind and chase after her. With him gone, the weight of the pack’s leadership returned to me. Though I longed for rest, I carried the burden once again, silently hoping his union would bring much-needed stability to our pack.

Our walk was peaceful, a time to catch up on the years that had passed. But by morning, that peace was shattered.

Xerxes stormed into the place I was temporarily staying, his face dark with frustration. "Mom, what should I do? We had a big fight," he blurted, pacing like a caged wolf.

My stomach twisted. "What do you mean, a fight? Your union ceremony is in just a few hours, Xerxes. You need to fix this now."

He ran a hand through his hair, irritated. "I know, Mom! But Ceresca’s furious. She’s convinced I have another she-wolf! She said her friend saw me with someone last night."

I frowned, confused. "Another she-wolf? Who could—" Then it dawned on me.

I had met Xerxes for a walk last night. Could that have been the cause of this misunderstanding?

“Xerxes,” I said sternly, “the mateship bond is sacred. You cannot let this misunderstanding ruin everything. You’ve finally found your mate—don’t you dare mess it up.”

He fell silent, his defiance crumbling under the weight of my words. For a long moment, he said nothing, eyes cast downward.

But as much as I scolded him, the sinking feeling in my chest only grew. The ceremony was supposed to be a celebration, yet now there was a dark cloud hanging over it. I guess I would just personally explain the misunderstanding between them later.

That afternoon, to clear my head, I went to the market to pass the time before the ceremony. I strolled through the bustling streets, trying to shake the sense of dread creeping over me. Just as I was about to leave and head to the venue, I heard a group of she-wolves passing by, their conversation catching my ear.

"Hey, Ceresca. That’s the she-wolf I saw last night with Alpha Xerxes."

My interest was piqued when I heard the names. But just before I could turn around to look at them, a hand was already in my hair, yanking me back with such force that I stumbled.

"So, it's you, huh?" the girl in a red dress hissed, venom dripping from every word. I supposed she was my son's mate, Ceresca, as the girl mentioned earlier.

Her grip tightened painfully as she dragged my head backward, glaring at me with eyes full of rage.

I stared at her, shocked and disoriented. “Ceresca, I—”

But she didn’t let me finish. A sharp slap cracked across my face, the sting of it making my vision blur. The force turned my head sideways, and I tasted blood on my lip.

The market had fallen silent. Dozens of eyes were on us, watching in shock as Ceresca, my son’s mate, lashed out at me in front of everyone.

"You disgusting bitch!" she screamed, grabbing my hair again and pulling me closer, her breath hot against my skin. "You think you can just hide forever, seducing Xerxes like that?"