TRISTAN

 

“I’m all right.”

Julius put his hand on my chin and tilted my face toward his. I knew he saw something because of the slight pain that lingered on my cheek. But it wasn’t anything for me to be concerned about.

“I should be back at the shelter,” I said.

“Saxon has everything under control,” Julius said. “The last thing those Omegas need to see is you in your condition.”

“My condition? You think this is anything? I’ve seen Omegas come to the shelter with much worse. They’ve lived on the streets of Pandora. They’ve endured the Timberlands—”

“And you’re their caretaker. You didn’t have to go through any of those things yet you’re injured.”

Julius turned toward Donovan.

“Thank you for letting us use your place,” Julius said.

“Of course,” the rich Alpha replied. “I can’t think of a better place to discuss this. And there is something we need to discuss.”

Julius arrived at the shelter because he knew something was wrong. Donovan was gracious enough to bring us back to his mansion so that I wouldn’t be around the Omegas at the shelter despite my insistence.

“Something has to be done about Seth and his gang,” Donovan said.

“You’re right,” Julius said. “And I’m going to do it.”

The fierce look in his eyes was unmistakable. Julius was an Alpha but he was as kind as any man I’d ever met. He’d had moments when there was an intensity inside of him that would’ve frightened any man that had to face him. His accomplishments in the Timberlands were enough proof of that.

He looked different now though. He wasn’t just focused. His jaw clenched and his brow furrowed, Julius was fuming like I’d never seen him before.

“I’m going to deal with Seth,” Julius said. “I’m going to take it right to him.”

“What?” I exclaimed. “You can’t.”

“Why not? I’m the mayor of this city. I have to make an example out of him.”

“That’s exactly why you can’t. You’re the mayor. People look up to you. What would they think if they saw you beating a group of men?”

Julius caressed his hand across the side of my cheek.

“You are my Omega,” he said. “They hurt you. They hurt me. I can’t let that go unpunished.”

“And what are you planning on doing? You’re just gonna go over to him and his gang and fight them?”

“They have to be taught a lesson.”

I pulled my face away from him and closed my eyes. I sighed a deep breath to make sure that my feelings didn’t get the best of me.

“I saw what you did,” I said. “I saw you fight the Fierce wolves. I saw you almost die when you faced that Primal.”

I turned back to him. The intensity in his eyes hadn’t faded. It didn’t look like I could get through to him but I had to try.

“I’m tired,” I said. “I’m tired of all the fighting. I’m tired of the violence. I just want to live in peace.”

“There’ll be no peace as long as Seth and his brethren are around. There’s only one thing he understands.”

“Then that’s it? You’re just gonna fight him to teach him a lesson?”

“I’m not teaching him a lesson. I’m teaching everybody a lesson.”

“What are you saying?”

Julius’s throat shifted with a swallow. The rage in his eyes was gone but his stare was still just as intense. The man I fell for was still there. There was a compassion inside of him somewhere. He looked torn trying to steady his emotions.

“Everybody knows of the violence in this city,” he said. “Everybody is so afraid of going to Pandora because of men like Seth and his kin. I’ll face Seth. I’ll let everybody in the city know what happens to those who think they can treat this city like the wild our ancestors used to live in all those years ago. We’re a civilized society now. We’re respectful. We’re peaceful. After I’m through with Seth and his gang, everybody else will fall in line.”

“Julius—”

He put his hand back to my cheek and cut me off.

“This will be the last time,” he said. “This will be the last time anybody ever raises their fist to try and prove their dominance. The era of violent Alphas taking advantage of others is over.”

“I… I just don’t want to see you get hurt doing it.”

“I was chosen to lead this city. I must make Dirge the place it was destined to be. The work of our ancestors can’t be in vain.”

There was no turning back. Julius had already made up his mind.

But the way he looked at me was enough to make me realize it was the right decision. Perhaps my bad judgment was getting the best of me. Maybe it was simply because Julius was my Alpha. I wasn’t going to stop him from doing what he was going to do.

“Okay…” I whispered.

“I’ve faced them before,” Donovan said. “They’re a wild pack of hyenas. Violent, as expected. But not invincible. I took the whole group on by myself.”

“Their numbers have grown,” Julius said.

“That’s true. But you’re a lion. I’m sure you can take them if a jaguar like I can. I’ll be by your side and there will be others—”

“No.”

Julius shook his head.

“I’ll face Seth and his gang by myself,” Julius said.

Donovan stared blankly at Julius. My mouth hung half-open as I tried to figure out what to say in protest.

“Julius, you can’t—”

He cut me off just by staring at me.

“Men like Seth only speak one language. A language of violence. I have to speak to him in that way. I can only make my point to the rest of this city by doing it by myself.”

“I don’t see why you have to make that point by yourself,” Donovan said.

“Seth and I represent different ways of life. Seth thinks Dirge is the Timberlands of old. He wants chaos and anarchy to reign supreme. I want our people to live in peace and harmony. I want us all to live prosperous lives where nobody has to live in fear. I want Dirge to be a city of joy.”

Julius straightened up and took a deep breath.

“Fighting Seth is the only language that everybody in this city understands,” he said. “It will be the last time anybody ever fights. The days of old will be gone forever. I will be the last man to fight in this city.”

“And what if Seth beats you?” Donovan said. “What if his gang is too much to overcome? So many people will become disenfranchised that Dirge might slip into chaos. It would be a shame after accomplishing so much…”

“People like you and Tristan worked too hard to let all of this go to waste. I won’t fall against Seth. Dirge’s destiny is a peaceful one. I will make everybody see it. Even if I have to force them.”

I sighed a deep breath and chuckled softly.

“Peace through force,” I said. “I guess this wouldn’t be the first time you ever did that…”

I looked up at Julius and smiled softly at him. His eyes were as intense as they always were but he was smiling just the same as me. It was enough to steady my heart even though I knew the danger that was ahead.

“The fighting is almost over,” Julius said. “This will be the last time.”