The next six weeks were a blur of sleepless nights, battle planning sessions, spit up, dirty diapers, and the return of my sunny mate. We had just gotten the twins laid down in the portable crib that Frankie had loaned us and were taking a badly needed shower the night before the impending battle.

Drew fretted as I shampooed his hair. "What if they wake up though? Or need me?"

"Then I will tell you at once, now lift your head so I can rinse. Lindo, you know that I can hear them from another part of the B&B if I focus. And I know each of their cries and what they mean. I promise that if one of our sons so much as whimpers in his sleep, I will let you know."

Drew bit his lip and looked at me pensively. "I'm sorry that I worry so much. I just want to be there whenever they need me. I don't want my cubs to ever feel alone or unwanted."

Setting the soap aside, I put my arms around my mate and held him close. "Lindo, we aren't your parents. Our boys will never feel that way. And they also have each other. Loneliness will be a foreign entity to those little imps."

Kissing along the side of his neck, I whispered: "You are an amazing papa to our sons already, lindo. I'm amazed what good care you take of them. But sometimes, you need to be taken care of too."

Drew turned at the same time I did, our lips seeking each other. As we kissed, I reached down and grabbed our hard shafts into my fist and began to stroke them together. Drew licked my lips as he broke our kiss and zoomed in on my alpha-gland. He nipped and sucked at it while I stroked us faster. I knew that Drew wouldn't give me much playtime yet, he was too worried about the boys. Working with the time frame I had, I stepped back enough to touch the tips of our cocks together.

I pushed my own back and pulled at Drew's foreskin, tucking it around my thick mushroom head, then stretched my own over his to create a complete docking. Our leaking tips rubbed against each other as I swiveled my hips and firmly stroked our combined length.

Drew's eyes widened with delight as he watched. Reaching out, he fondled my heavy sac with one hand just the way I liked it while gripping his own with the other. It seemed like it was over before it began between my strokes and his nimble fingers. My mate's head fell back as a look of ecstasy passed over his face.

As he moaned out a low growl, I felt his release coat the sensitive tip of my cock. His hand squeezed my balls as he came, pushing me over the edge with him. With a soft groan, I looked down and watched as our combined foreskins puffed out a little before my thick cream began to ooze out over my hand and onto the shower floor below us.

Drew looked down and carefully peeled us apart, making me hiss from the sensation as he brushed against my now hypersensitive tip. Rather than letting all of our release get washed away, he held up his cum coated palm and licked it clean.

"That was fucking hot," I purred at him as I pushed him up against the shower wall for a bruising kiss.

We finally stumbled out of the shower a short time later, completely satisfied and ready for bed. After we'd dried each other off, we turned off the light and quietly went into the main room.

Drew flitted over to check on the cubs, running a light hand over the little butts that stuck up in the air. No matter how many time we tried turning them their sides or backs, they always ended up on their bellies with their knees tucked up underneath the little butts in the air.

We started out with putting them in separate travel beds, but that didn't last either. They would whimper and whine until we had them together. Then they'd snuggle up beside each other and sleep like little angels.

I pulled him away from the cubs and guided him to bed. Our little jaguar cubs would still be here for him to adore tomorrow. Tonight, he needed his sleep. We got into our favorite spoon position, and drifted off together almost as soon as our heads hit the pillows.

* * *

The following day, I was awake before my alarm went off in the predawn hours. I rose and muttered a prayer to the goddess while I checked on the twins and made sure their diaper bags were packed and ready to go. Once that was done, I changed the babies’ diapers, taking care not to rouse them fully.

I looked over when I felt Drew's eyes on me. "It's time, isn't it." He stated this flatly, not questioning, just commenting. I nodded and met him for a hug as he rolled out of bed and to his feet.

"Please be careful, alpha. I honestly couldn't bear it if you were so much as scratched out there today." His wide eyes looked up at me, love and fear warring with what he knew I needed to do.

"I'll be fine, lindo. I've seen it several times now, and in each dream it ends the same, no matter what gets us there. Now, come on. Get dressed so we can go."

Our departures had been planned meticulously so that we wouldn't set off any suspicions. Our entire army had been camped out on the lodge property for the past two nights, and each group arrived in metered bits just as we were doing now. We were driving over with Frankie and Liam in their minivan.

Our cubs would be guarded by the omegas of the lodge. I would've felt just as fine leaving them at the den, but I wanted them close by at battle's end. I would need to cuddle their innocence to remove the stain of the battlefield from my mind.

We slipped the diaper bags over our shoulders, and picked up the babies. I locked the door behind us and followed Drew down the hall to the stairs. We found our hosts waiting in the lobby, their babies in car seats that would lock into the matching base in the van.

I started to panic over having forgotten such a simple detail when Frankie reached behind the counter and pulled out two more. They smelled of chemicals and plastic, so I knew they were brand new.

Drew started to protest but Frankie shook his head. "My family, like Hector's, had time to accumulate cash. Add in a hefty hacker’s pay rate and I have a fat bank account. It's my pleasure to give your cubs a gift. Now hurry up, let's get the little dudes strapped in. Liam already installed the bases last night."

Shaking my head, I moved to get Peter into his seat while Drew did the same with Kent. I was overwhelmed by the generosity and good hearts of these wonderful people I'd met up here in the Pacific Northwest.

In all too short a time, we were pulling into the parking lot of a huge lodge. It looked like it was built to handle a healthy tourist trade. I found it charming that the Alpha of the wolf pack had made their home here with his widowed aunt.

A group of omegas came out to meet us with First Mate Kai leading the way. He hugged Drew like he'd known him forever, which went a long way toward making me feel better about leaving him and our sons here with minimal protection.

A huge, hulking guy came up and greeted Liam with a hug. I remembered having met him all those months ago at our first group session. The only way that I could tell the gentle soul was omega was by his scent and sweet demeanor. Yes, my family would be well protected. Not to mention that old saying about not messing with a bear's cub. Well, these cubs would have three bears watching over them with Colin added into the mix.

Drew and I hugged silently, passing our affection through our bond. I gave him a final kiss and turned him toward the other omegas who stood cuddling our cubs. Once they were all safely inside, the rest of us remaining stripped down and went into our shift. After I shifted, I moved silently through the group, catching the scents of all our team before we took off in a run to meet the others at our agreed upon location just outside hearing range of where the rogues were camped a few miles from here in an empty field.

Our contingent was the last to arrive. I recognized Jules and Mikael by scent. Mikael's strong alpha vibe was easy to pick up anyway. The man was singularly the most powerful Alpha I'd ever met. I strongly suspected that he was an ungifted descendant of a founding family whose lineage gift had been lost by not having the required alpha or omega to pass it on to. Given how huge and powerful he was already, a dose of true lineage magic would have made him downright scary. No matter how nice he was, that was just a fact.

At Jules' signal, we lined up. Jules and the two Alphas, with Frankie and I directly behind them. The rest of our small army was spread out around us in a wide circle so that we would surround them at first light. The two Alphas looked to each other without their seconds-in-command there.

Jules had insisted that they each stay behind in their respective community. If they didn't hear from us by the time the sun rose above the treeline, they were to take the omegas and cubs and flee for the safe houses that Jules and Frankie had prepared in that eventuality. Frankie knew it wasn't necessary, he trusted my vision. He'd done it though, for the peace of mind of the Alphas. If something should go wrong, our mates and offspring would be protected.

Daniel at the wolf lodge had a letter from me to Drew with instructions to get on my plane and tell the pilot to take them to my home if something should happen to me. The problem about visions that I hadn't explained to my mate was that I couldn't see my own ending in the scene. I knew the other Alphas would survive, but I had no such comfort for myself.

Diego's mate came and stood at my other shoulder, chuffing out a greeting. The young alpha was on a mission. I only hoped that he lived to tell the tale. Again, the only outcome I knew for certain was that of the two Alpha leaders.

In that brief second between dark and dawn, when the first orange flash of sun teased at my retinas, Jules gave the signature jaguar coughing roar. The two Alphas joined in, creating an eerie sound in the quiet morning hour as the bear, wolf, and jaguar sounded the battle cry.

In a flash the cry was picked up by every member of our combined army and a fierce cacophony of howls and roars could be heard echoing around the valley as we all charged across the open meadow where the rogues were stumbling from their tents.

Some were already shifting or shifted as our army descended. The ones in human form weren't given any lenience based on the Alpha's orders. This was strictly kill or be killed now, no holding back. And like Jules said, if they were in human form then they could come at you with human weapons.

Because our part of the circle had been the furthest out from the rogue's camping area, the battle was in full gear in the seconds it took us to get there. I saw a human gun raised toward Alpha Jake and leapt right over him to sink my fangs into the man's arm. With a shake of my head, the arm and gun went flying while the man was dropped to bleed out while I moved on to the next.

My cat was in full battle mode, ripping the throats, guts, or limbs from any who dared attack us. I had just dispatched a nasty coyote and flung his limp body to the side when I noticed Stefan the Alpha Heir facing down a black alpha wolf. Before I could go to his aid, the wolf jumped to attack. While he was in the air, Stefan rolled to his side and swiped his fully extended claws through the wolf's soft belly. The wolf fell to the ground, dead.

Stefan was wiping the guts from his claws when a wailing roar filled the air. A red brown she-bear came barrelling out of hiding and lapped at the body of the wolf in a display of affection that was shocking after all I'd heard of the bitch.

She turned, her eyes settling on Alpha Mikael. He calmly walked her way as she shifted and flung herself over the corpse of her dead lover. Huh. The only way alphas were ever fated was if they were part of a triad. If that pair had a fated third, I was scared to know who the hell it was. Talk about a match made in hell. Nope. No fucking thank you.

Alpha Mikael calmly walked over to where his sister lay sprawled over the dead body, her own naked form now coated in his blood. She looked up at the blonde-brown bear, her long red hair matted with blood as it hung over her shoulder. She stood and stalked over to Mikael, leaving a trail of blood in the dead yellow grass as she went.

Frankie came up beside me. While the two alpha siblings faced each other with silent rage, we shifted and stood shoulder to shoulder. Yvonne reached her brother and began to scream, "SHIFT, motherfucker! We are going to talk and then I will fucking end you!"

When Mikael didn't give her the luxury of an argument, she did the weirdest fucking thing. She bent into a squat and pulled a fucking gun from inside her girl hole. As she lifted it to point at Mikael's skull, Frankie and I joined hands and I projected a rapid fire succession of images into her mind.

I showed her faces I'd slowly memorized over the months I'd spent planning. Each face was a victim of the rogue war, a death that lay in her hands. I didn't give her the death or blood that she craved, instead I showed her happy faces with eyes shining in love and respect. I showed her the survivors, carrying on and smiling through their pain. I showed her Stefan and Diego on the floor playing with little Tony.

I showed her that she had failed. That her victims would heal from her scars. That even with all the pain she'd caused, the lives she'd destroyed, she was still nothing, had done nothing of consequence. I could feel her trying to fight the truths I bombarded her with as her face screwed up in rage.

The gun dropped and she grabbed her temples, screaming out in agony as I showed her images of Mikael and Taylor laughing with their family. Her former mate, Oskar, and the family he'd built with his fated-mate. With the added amperage of Frankie's power, I sent feelings of love, devotion, and respect with every image.

She looked around desperately, trying to figure out what was happening inside her already rotting brain. With one last ill fated move, she went to attack her brother with her bare human hands. His big blue eyes filled with remorse as Mikael silently swept a paw across her neck.

Her human neck didn't stand a chance next to that sharp row of fully extended claws, and he went a little deeper than he'd probably intended when he nearly severed the head completely from her body. Mikael stood stoically, allowing himself to be sprayed by her blood as her still blinking head flopped backward, its skull slapping the body between her shoulder blades.

Once she'd fallen, Mikael turned his back and left her where she lay as he slowly walked away with a mournful bellow. He'd done his duty as the Alpha, but the cost had been horrific for the man. As I distantly thought this, I realized with a start that I was falling when knees hit the crunchy grass of the dry ground.

For the first time in memory, I couldn't hear a blessed sound. Frankie crouched over me, his hands coming toward my face with a golden glow. I closed my eyes against the brightness and succumbed to the dark eddies that pulled me into a whirling pool of unconsciousness.

* * *

It was full dark when I woke in a strange bed with moonlight streaming in through the window. I heard the breathing and rapid heartbeats of the twins. As soon as I blinked, I found myself being attacked with a flurry of kisses and the groping hands of my mate.

I grunted in surprise as Drew flipped onto his knees and straddled my hips. Bracing his hands on my shoulders, he ground his lace covered cock over my own bare shaft and leaned to kiss me.

After a long, soulful kiss, he reached back and grabbed my now fully awake and definitely interested cock. Rocking back, he speared his hole right onto my cock and began to ride me at a fast and hard pace.

Riding me at a punishing pace while he gripped my shoulders, Drew never slowed or gave me a chance to pull back from my fast building climax. Needing him to be there with me, I reached into his lace jock and gave his cock a few firm tugs. Within seconds, the nubbins of my knotting vortex were fully erect and latching into the clenching walls of his tunnel as Drew sprayed my chest with spurts of hot cum.

He dropped onto my chest with a soft moan while I finished unloading my own release into his channel. We lay for several minutes, catching our breath while I idly played with his hair.

"What just happened there, lindo? I feel like you just had your way with me and I was your willing victim."

Drew snorted. "Maybe you were. I was just so happy to see you wake up! You've been unconscious for almost twenty hours. Frankie promised me up and down that you were just psychically drained and to pretend you were sleeping."

I could feel the fear, anger, and worry pouring off my mate. Both from my gift and through our bond, his emotions were a visceral thing right now that I could almost touch, taste, and smell.

Rolling us to our side, I painfully adjusted us so that we could be face to face. "I'm so sorry, lindo. I never wanted to you to worry. I'm okay though, as you can see. I'm right here beside you. Well, inside you, but you get my point."

His eyes flashed as my mate ignored my attempt at humor and said: "And that's how you'll remain. At my side. Next time you will have me with you. I don't ever want to be sitting here biting my nails while another Alpha carries your limp body in."

"Oh, hell. Tell me that didn't happen! Who was it?"

"It was Jules. He wouldn't let anyone else have the honor of carrying you, or so he said. He carried you here, and Alpha Jake insisted that we stay as his guest for the weekend. He feels as though his pack owes you a debt of gratitude."

I blinked, taking it all in. "And our people? Did we lose anyone? And did the rogue mercenaries take off like we expected?"

"Our people lived. Every warrior from both communities, although there are a lot of injuries. A beta from the den had his leg bitten off. But a wolf from here put pressure on it while another wolf made a tourniquet from one of their tents or some shit. It was pretty crazy. The Alphas took their own injured home, but Jules and his mates are here for the weekend with us, as are Frankie and Liam."

"And the rogues?" I didn't really care, as long as they'd scattered to the winds and wouldn't be around to hurt my new friends.

"Not many escaped. Apparently your warriors were hungry for blood. By the time you guys took out Yvonne, most of the rogues were already dead." Drew sounded as unbothered by this as I was. Either we were jaded from the whole process, or those bad apples had just needed to go. Either way, I was glad it was over.

Wrapping my arms around my mate, I pulled him close and took a deep whiff of his scent. "Mmm. I'm sorry I scared you, lindo. Let's never do this again. I can't begin to tell you what you mean to me."

"Yes, you can," Drew replied as he smacked a hand against my chest. "You big jerk. You can start by reading me that fucking good-bye letter you left with Daniel in case you didn't make it."

I stared at him in shock. "Huh? How? I mean..."

Drew grinned. "The fucking bond, you big dumb alpha. I saw flashes across the bond. Flashes of you writing something while doing that pervy thing where you watch me sleep before tucking it into an envelope, and I saw flashes of you giving the envelope to Daniel."

I shook my head at my own stupidity. Here I'd tried to be secretive and leave a 'just in case' note for Drew, and yet I’d never thought about our bond. I was so used to having my own form of psychic powers that I’d forgotten such a common little bond.