Jules’ POV

After such a welcoming experience I was dreading going home. All I wanted to do was cuddle my Alpha and Cooper until they lacked oxygen. Yet I figured that I shouldn’t push my luck. After a long scenting from both Duke and Cooper I was on my familiar way back to the manor. It was quiet like usual, but for some reason today the silence left me unsettled.

I almost screamed when I felt my arm get grabbed as I entered the manor. I really wanted to scream when I looked up into the furious arms of my mother. She knew. I could just tell and I wish I couldn’t.

“Jules Banfield, how could you betray us like this? We were too lenient. I just can’t believe that mutt actually mated my precious little boy. Come Jules let me see that ugly scar forced upon you. Oh my poor baby. It’s okay. You’re safe here” she hugged me and I winced as her spine stiffened, “Don’t tell me…”

Tears escaped my eyes and I held my stomach protectively. That seemed to be the only indication she needed to confirm her thoughts. My father who stood silently seemed to catch on and his once disappointed face now held rage. Where my mother was overbearing and pushy, my father often tried to let me have a little freedom. He would take me on walks around the outskirts of our manor, and read me stories until I fell asleep. I wanted him to yell at me, to scream at me, but all he did was walk out of the room with his head hung low.

“How could you? You went against us. Your own family... How could you?” She glared at me before slamming the door shut after she stormed out of the room.

Soon after she left some servants came into the room and I wanted to lash out as they started boarding up my window, and eventually they locked my door. Now I was really in a prison. How did they find out? Now they are going to go after my Alpha under the premise that he has taken advantage of me. Why couldn’t I have opened my mouth when I needed to?

After who knows how long of crying I heard a loud knock on my door, “Jules? What’s going on? Mother and Father have started to prepare the guards, and they look absolutely furious”

“They know, Julian...they know” I muttered laying against the door.

“Damn it! Damn it all to hell! Do they know about the baby?”

“They know everything but the truth, and it’s all my fault. Duke is about to get ambushed and I can’t even tell him” I yelled out to Julian and I heard his growl before I was left in silence. I guess even Julian doesn’t want my company anymore.

I flinched from my bed as I heard the sound of wood being hit hard. I jumped when I saw the sharp blade of an axe making its way through my thick wooden door. This went on for a while until I saw the familiar form of my older brother grinning in the demolished door frame. I sprung up in glee and rushed over to him. What surprised me is that beside him, hidden by the rest of the door frame stood Jules who had his own axe.

“What? I just wanted to hit something” He shrugged and I had no time to question his sanity.

“Hurry Jules, we must warn Duke of the attack” Julian lifted me up and ran over to one of the horses. I knew that he wished to shift, but since I was so far in my pregnancy he didn’t want to tire me out by forcing me to run as well.

We practically pushed our poor mare to her full speed, and yet just as I feared we were too late. I watched in horror as the Banfield army marched through the town all the way up to the poorly prepared guards of the McAlpine army. It seemed that the outcome was apparent. I whimpered at the sight of Duke pushing to the front, his face hardened. It made me wonder where Cooper was. Is he safe?

We rode further into the scene yet we were still too far away. There would be a battle before I could stop it.

⯀

Duke’s POV

I could tell something was wrong, but I knew something was wrong when I heard the urgent calls of my beta.

“The Banfields have made their presence known, Alpha” I gritted my teeth in frustration. I should have known that they would come. I was also worried for my pregnant omega who I fear had to suffer the wrath of his parents.

I packed a bag for Cooper before asking one of the pack mothers to watch him as she was the one that watched most of the pups when something big happened. I pecked him on the forehead before rushing off to the chaos.

I ordered a small group to attack first to hold them off while the rest of my army got properly prepared. When I finally made it to the actual battlefield I was shocked at the carnage. No matter how many battles I’ve been in, the sight of war has always unsettled me. I charged into the fight with all of my might.

You slice a man open and try not to imagine their humanity. You don’t think about their family or the fact that someone will miss the man you just killed. You can’t. The blood of people that could so easily be friends in a better situation decorating the floor. It’s heart wrenching, but I refuse to have my heart wrenched.

Right as I gained sight of Alpha Banfield he stopped in front of me. We stared each other down, “It is dishonorable to attack without a purpose, Banfield”

“I agree, but I’m afraid I do have a purpose. You have defiled my child and forced pregnancy upon him” He snarled at me.

“I have done no such thing. Jules is not a prisoner, and I have only served to set him free” I throw back at him.

“You believe yourself to be mightier than me, but you have not set him free. Instead you have made him a prisoner of your mark” He spat out at me.

“Jules is my mate and my equal. My mark protects him; it does not shackle him. Perhaps you are referring to the binds of your mating” He growled at my words and shifted into his wolf. I followed suit and soon the two of us were taking turns slashing and biting away.

I heard the shouts of Julian before I actually saw what happened. When I turned my head to see the commotion Banfield used my distraction to his advantage. He slammed into me and I whimpered in pain. I ignored him in favor of rushing to what was really important in my life.

“No...Jules! What is he doing here, Julian?!” I shifted back and yelled out as I hurried over to my omega who had just been run into by fighting wolves.

“I tried to stop him, but he was insistent on stopping this nonsense,” Julian explained as he held onto the side of his fainted brother.

“Move out of the way. It is because of you that my Jules is in such a state. I will take him home, and you will be banned from ever seeing him again” I winced at the deep voice of Jules’ father.

“No! You have no authority to demand such a thing. I must get Jules to the infirmary right away. This is not the time for an argument. Call off your troops as will I. Once Jules is settled we can finish this fight once and for all” I didn’t wait to hear his answer before picking my omega up and stealing Julian’s horse before riding off to the infirmary.

Some of the nurses jumped up in surprise when I slammed the doors open and demanded a doctor. They led us to a room right away. I was waiting very impatiently, caressing my poor omega’s cheeks when the door burst open to reveal Julian and his father.

I opened my mouth but before I could say anything the doctor made his presence known, “What seems to be the issue, Alpha?”

“It’s Jules. He had a hard impact with some wolves on the battlefield. It knocked him unconscious” I explained.

“I need to remove his gown, is that okay? I could try to perform a check up with his clothes on, but the previous option would be more thorough” As much as I didn’t want anyone to see Jules in a state of undress I agreed to his terms.

I heard the slight intake of breath from his father when he saw just how far along in his pregnancy, “How far along is he?”

“About 25 weeks along now. We kept it very well hidden” I estimate.

“My little baby is having a baby of his own...and I was willing to jeopardize his health because of pride” Alpha Julian had a hard look in his eyes as we stared down at Jules’ body that had a large bruise on his right leg.

“It was never my intention to get him pregnant, let alone mate with him at this age. I would also just like to make it clear that I had no clue that he was a Banfield before I fell in love with him. I would sometimes catch him crying at night because he didn’t want us to fight. He loves us, and yet we hurt him. I am Alpha enough to admit that I should have had more control regarding our mating, but I am also man enough to realize that Jules is the captor of my heart” I hold Jules’ hand while talking to his father who is brushing Jules’ hair.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but as far as I can tell Luna Jules and the baby will be just fine. He might have trouble walking and might be in a bit of pain, but nothing threatening or severe” The doctor informs us and it feels like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

“Why is he still unconscious?” Julian asked in concern.

“I’m assuming that this situation has been very stressful on Luna, and the hit must have sent him overboard. He should wake up soon but for now he is getting some much needed rest” The doctor leaves soon after.

“This is exactly what I didn't want for my baby. I never wanted to see Jules in a hospital ever again. Jules was born prematurely and we all thought that he wasn’t going to make it, but somehow he pulled through. Combined with the fact that male omegas are looked down upon, Juliette and I wanted to protect him with our everything. I knew we could be harsh at times, but I never wanted to push him away. He is my jewel, my little treasure and I couldn’t fathom losing him” I never would have known that Jules had a hard start to life.

“I believe that Jules is aware of the love you have for him, but he also craves freedom. I love Jules and I’ll admit that sometimes I want to lock him up so that he will never have to face the dangers of life. I know we have our differences, but I can at least say that we both love Jules with all of our hearts. Isn’t that enough to put aside some silly disagreement of our ancestors?” I try to compromise with the heart broken man.

“Yes it is true. This has gone on for too long. I suppose I just didn’t want to disappoint my father, but ever since I was young I’ve always questioned our families’ feud. I can tell you care for my son, and I would do anything to make him happy. Especially after all of the pain I’ve caused him” We shook hands, and even though I knew that our packs wouldn’t be best friends right away, this was a step in the right direction.

“Thank you Alpha Julian for your cooperation. I hope that we can put this all behind us. I consider you family now” He nodded in agreement.

“As do I, Alpha Duke. Alert me when Jules gains consciousness. I would love to stay, but I must try to console my she-devil of a wife. I also must send my pack back home, the fight is over” Part of me was suspicious about how willing Alpha Julian was to move on, but I suppose he has had to deal with the feud for a lot longer than I have. It is simply just time to move on.