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He chuckled. “That’s because you’re in my life.”
Ree looked at Duke. “What now?”
He looked at Byron. “Dad?”
“Right. Now that my son has found his mate and the threat to the pride is effectively squashed, on to the business at hand. I’ve had the elders looking at our pride laws. Each pride has their own laws, Ree. Most of them are similar, but based on pride needs there will be differences. When Duke showed up this morning and just willingly accepted his exile, I knew that there needed to be a change.”
Duke frowned. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that I’m the alpha and I decide what laws the pride does and does not follow. I believe that it’s high time lions stopped punishing our people for finding true love outside of our kind. I’m changing our mating laws. From now on, pride members may mate with whoever they want, be they human, lion, or another supernatural creature.”
“Dad, I don’t know what to say.”
“Say that you’ll still take over as alpha. I’m ready to retire.”
“What if the pride rejects the new law and my mating?”
“A few may want to leave, but that’s on them,” Byron said. “The elders all back me up.”
One of the elders said, “My granddaughter has a human boyfriend. She’s afraid that she’ll lose everything if she chooses him, but she doesn’t want anyone else. Now she can have the best of both worlds.”
“Our laws are archaic,” another elder said. “Our people will die out if we don’t stop the exclusivity.”
Duke looked down at Ree. “What do you think, sweetheart? Do you want to be alpha female?”
“I don’t know how.”
“We’ll be there to help,” Davina said. “The only thing you need to do is stand by Duke. Everything else will come with time.”
“Then yes,” Ree said.
“The pride has been told to come here tonight for a meeting,” Byron said. “The elders and I will explain the new law. We need to set a date for you to take over.”
“I’d like to give Ree time to learn about our people,” Duke said. “She’s pretty clueless.”
“Hey!”
He chuckled. “Sorry, sweetheart. It’s true, though.”
She shook her head. “I’m a fast learner.”
“Good,” Davina said. “You’ll be great, I know it.”
“How do you know?” Ree asked.
“Because you and Duke are heart-matches. Nothing is more powerful than that.”
* * *
The afternoon passed quickly as Duke worked with his father and the elders on rewriting the pride laws. Ree and Mercy stayed with Davina in the kitchen and helped cook dinner. Ree took the opportunity to get to know her future mother-in-law, and learn about the pride. The more she learned, the happier she was to be part of it. They would have been fine on their own, but knowing that the pride was with them made it that much better.
After dinner, Ree and Duke joined Byron, Davina, and the elders on the large back porch. The forty-two-member pride was gathered in the yard, their gazes curious. Byron moved to the top step with Davina, and raised his hand for silence.
“As many of you know, our pride laws have remained original to my ancestors who settled in Kedrick over two hundred years ago. Although I appreciate the laws, I do know that a pride that doesn’t change with the times will be doomed to disappear. To this end, I have rewritten the mating rules for our pride. From this day forward, any male or female may remain within the pride regardless of their chosen mate, be they lion, human, or other supernatural creature. No longer will pride members face exile if their heart-match is not of our kind.”
He paused as the crowd surged with conversation. Ree could hear some angry tones, but most of the pride seemed happy.
He raised his hand for quiet and then gestured to Duke, who led Ree to join Byron. “My son, Duke, has mated and marked this human female, Ree. I welcome Ree to the pride. Duke and Ree will be taking over as alpha male and female in thirty days. During this time, any pride members who wish to leave may do so with our blessing, but I encourage you all to embrace the change and allow our people to move forward into a new dawn. Before you is my son, a male who chose honor over duty, knowing that he faced exile. That isexactlythe sort of male who should lead the pride.”
