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Hemi grunted. “I should track him down and kill him.”
“You know you can’t, even if it is tempting,” Duke said.
“He can’t really force Demi to mate with him, can he?” Em asked, looking up at Diesel.
“Hell, no,” Demi said. “I’m my own female. And there’s no way I’m going to mate with some entitled jackass.”
“We’ll assign protectors to watch your place while Hemi’s working,” Duke said.
“Thanks,” Demi said. “Man, I need a drink.”
“I think we all do,” Duke said. “You two okay?”
“We will be,” Diesel said. “What a strange night. Do you know why that female was so insistent on breaking up my mating?”
“The alpha told me that after Valerie rejected the mating contract, she returned to the pride to discover her one prospect had entered into a contract with a female from another pride to join Benecio’s pride. Because the male was high ranked, he would be eligible to fight for alpha,” Duke said. “Benecio wanted Valerie’s mate to also be high ranked so he could fight for alpha and keep the line in the family.”
“I thought the alpha was passed from father to son?” Em asked.
“It is, unless the alpha doesn’t have kids,” Diesel said.
“Oh. So she could have mated the high-ranked guy in the first place but wanted to get mate-matched by Abbie? That doesn’t make sense.”
“I think Benecio didn’t like the male, so he wanted Valerie’s mate to be strong enough to fight for the alpha position,” Duke said.
“And no one counted on my leg injury making me a low-ranked male. There’s no way an alpha would entertain a rank fight for someone like me.”
“You’re the fiercest, most protective man I’ve ever known. Anyone who looks at you and only sees your leg isn’t seeing the whole picture.”
“I agree,” Duke said. He put his hand on Diesel’s shoulder. “I saw how fast you moved, how protective you were. I think our people’s rank system is screwed up, just like our mating laws. You shouldn’t be stuck in the low ranks.”
There had been a time when Diesel wanted very much to be higher in the pride rankings. He’d attached value to the ranks because that’s how lions looked at them. Now that he had Em in his arms, he didn’t want anything to do with a higher rank. She made him feel like he was the most important male in the universe.
“Thanks, but I’m fine where I am. Higher ranks come with more responsibilities, and my mate and I have the future to think about.”
Duke nodded in understanding. “If you ever change your mind, let me know.”
“I will.”
“This never happens at the coffee shop,” Em said.
He stared at her for a long moment and then laughed. “Very true. Let’s dance.”
“Now?” she asked.
He nodded. He took her hand and pulled her to the center of the dance floor, away from the lions who were discussing Demi’s new suitor and trying to talk Hemi out of preemptively killing the male.
The music got loud and full of static, and Diesel winced.
“Sorry,” Titus called.
A slow, romantic song came over the speakers and Diesel gave a thumbs up to the male.
Em snuggled against him, her hands locked at his waist, her head over his heart. “You know I’d do anything to keep you safe?” Diesel said.
“I do. I saw the look in your eyes when Valerie threatened me.”
“She never should have been able to get close to you.”
