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“Duke.” Benecio wasn’t looking at Duke, but at Demi.
“We’ve come to show you in person that Demi has found her heart-matches in two males. Even though you had no real claim to her and she refused your advances, her mating is proof that she can no longer be claimed as the mate for anyone else.”
Benecio tilted his head slightly and his eyes lightened to pale gold. “According to the laws, I publicly claimed her and made my intentions known. The males are usurpers to my mate, which gives me the right of mate-battle.”
Mate-battle? Rafe hadn’t ever heard that term before. He glanced at Rhaider, who also looked confused.
Byron stepped forward. “Any claim you had, however erroneous or delusional, was nullified the moment Demi and her mates mated. Heart-matches supersede all else. The law you’re referring to is ancient. You can’t hold her to a law that isn’t in effect anymore.”
“I can and I will.”
“Wait,” Abbie said. She moved up next to Duke, the mate-match book in her hands. “I’m the match-maker. I can try to find your rightful mate. You don’t have to bring war to anyone.”
Benecio’s brows went high. “What is the meaning of this?”
Abbie rubbed her hand over the top of the book and Rafe felt some kind of power come from her, a crackling, electric feeling in the air. She opened the book and began to flip the pages.
“Let her find your mate,” Duke said. “Demi is taken. Someone else will be a better choice for you.”
“I don’t agree to this,” Benecio said with a growl. He took a step forward, claws erupting from his fingers.
Abbie gasped and there was a strange ripping sound that seemed to come from the book. She slapped the book closed and took a step back.
“No,” she whispered. “No. No.”
“Abbie?” Demi asked. “What’s wrong?”
Abbie looked at Duke and shook her head. “I can’t. I can’t match him.”
She ran from the group, and Rafe glanced over his shoulder to see her climb into one of the SUVs and slam the door shut.
“Well shit,” Rafe said under his breath.
Triumphantly, Benecio said, “I told you that Demi is rightfully mine. So, you have two choices: I can either fight the males who are trying to steal her from me, or I can bring my people to your doorstep and take you all out. The choice,” he said, pausing for a long moment before leveling a narrow look at Demi, “is entirely up to her.”
“I’m Alpha of the Kedrick pride,” Duke said. “I will not allow you to put my pride member into a position to send anyone to battle. You will end this craziness immediately or you will suffer.” Duke finished speaking with a deep growl.
“What’s it going to be, Demi?” Benecio asked. “Come to me and no one gets hurt. Dig in your heels, and your supposed mates will be hurt. I guarantee it. Along with your father and mother and brother.”
“Hey, fuck you!” Hemi said with a growl.
Demi blinked luminous eyes at Rafe. “I don’t know what to do.”
“We’ll fight you ourselves,” Rhaider said. He looked at Rafe and he nodded in understanding.
“Yes. She’s ours to defend,” Rafe said.
“Then until tomorrow night,” Benecio said. “I’ll be waiting.”
Chapter Fourteen
Demi stood with her mates as Benecio and his people left the park. When their vehicles were gone, the males around her exploded into conversation, everyone angry at the turn of events. She didn’t know what to say because she was dumbfounded to have had the spotlight turned on her by that bastard Benecio. What right did he have to make her choose like that? To sacrifice herself or to let her mates sacrifice themselves? It was a no-win situation.
The noble part of her, the heroine of her own story, wanted to willingly go to Benecio to save her mates. But aside from the fact that her lioness rebelled at the thought of even laying eyes on Benecio again, let alone mating him, she knew Rafe and Rhaider would never allow her to do that. They were willing to fight him. She hoped that two against one would mean the odds were in their favor, but she didn’t trust Benecio even a tiny bit.
He was crazy and dangerous, which was not a good combination. He clearly wasn’t alpha because he’d inherited the position or won a popularity contest. The visible scars on his face and arms, the hardness of his gaze and set of his jaw, told her he’d fought with claws and fangs to be where he was. Alphas who won their position like that often faced a similar fate as the alpha they’d killed to get where they were.
She couldn’t imagine living with the knowledge that someday people you cared about would find a weakness and kill you.
