Marc murmured, “Dual animals.It’s beyond rare.Like, one in a million rare.So rare, that you might as well ask for lightning to strike you twice and then win the lottery ‘too rare’.”
“And you guys think El is one?”Shawn asked hoarsely, staring at the sleeping woman in Marc’s arms.
How could such a curvy beauty be so…
Then, he stopped that train of thought.
He’d always known El was unique.Here was proof of that.
Marc sighed.“It’s looking that way, and it would explain a lot.”
Trip nodded.“Like the fact she’s finding it hard to shift.That’s normal at first, but after the first four dozen times, Mother… it’s easy.It’s just like putting on pants, for God’s sake.But El can’t do it.And it’s nothing to do with her being an adult and having to learn everything she should have known from being a kit.”Trip shook his head.“She has difficulties with it—there’s no avoiding that fact.”
“What else?”Shawn demanded gruffly.
Marc murmured, “Her responses are off the chart.”
“In what way?”
“Leilani is an incredibly dominant female.Our women usually are, but she’s special.”
“And she knows it,” Shawn grumbled, making Trip snort.
“But El challenged her,” Marc said, carrying on as though Shawn hadn’t interrupted.“She’s done it a few times.I’ve noticed.But she leaves the room or avoids Leilani to prevent it from happening.”
Trip whistled under his breath.“You’re right.She doesn’t get involved, does she?”
“No.”
“That’s rare?”Shawn asked.
“Very.Look at it this way, El’s strong enough to challenge.But she’s also strong enough to back off.That takes smarts.That makes her…”
Marc blew out a breath.“Leadership material.”
Shawn’s mouth dropped open.“You can’t be serious.”
Trip shrugged.“When we’re dominant, we have to control ourselves otherwise we could be put down.The Pride won’t allow dominant Lions to roam around, hurting and challenging at will.There’s always a level of control.But if a challenge is met, backing away from that takes immense power.As strong as Leilani is, even she couldn’t do that.”
“But surely backing off is a sign of weakness?”
“It could seem that way, but it’s the fact she can switch it off and on.Remember what I told you about Ryan barely shifting?”Trip asked.
“Yeah.I remember.He doesn’t have to shift because the more he does, the more his Lion could take charge, and as his Lion’s so strong, it could…”
“Take the man out of the equation,” Marc finished.“Well, this is working to a similar principle as that.If one of the dicks challenges Ryan, they could submit at any moment before he enters the challenge ring and he’d have to back off.
“That’s what being a leader is when it comes down to dominance.Having that cut off point and not finding it too impossible to stop yourself from going rabid.”
Shawn whispered, “This is nuts.”
Trip sighed.“I have to agree.”
And if Trip thought something was crazy, then it sure as hell was.
Chapter 8
As he watched his mate storm out of the restaurant, he kept his gaze clued to her rigid spine.
