“Only Emma gets to call me that,” Max groused, flopping down into an office chair. He stretched his long legs out before him, his feet crossed at the ankles, and folded his hands over his stomach. He was the picture of ease, and it didn’t fool Adrian for a moment. Those sky blue eyes were too sharp for him to be truly relaxed.

“Fine. Oh Great and Exalted Leader, impart your wisdom unto me. And hurry it up, I’ve got a patient due in an hour.”

Max rolled his eyes. “Do you remember the position your father held within the Pride?”

Adrian nodded; it was no secret. “Yeah. He was Marshal.”

“And what does the Marshal do?”

Adrian frowned. Max was being a pain in the ass. “The Marshal protects the Alphas and the Pride from threats,” he parroted. “Do I get a cookie now?”

“And when was the last time the Pride was threatened?” Max raised one brow and stared at him demandingly.

Adrian blew out a breath. “My father killed an Outcast who was hurting Pride members. Females, to be specific,” he added with a little growl.

“Uh-huh. And that was, what? Twenty-five years ago?”

“Yeah. So?”

“So your dad is no longer Marshal.”

Adrian shrugged. “I know. I figured Gabe was. That’s why he came back to the area.” Adrian gulped as his eyes went wide. “Are you telling me I’m Gabe’s Second?”

Max rolled his eyes. “No. Idiot. Gabe is your Second. You’re Marshal.”

Adrian blinked. “No fucking way.”

“Yes fucking way.”

“I’m an eye doctor. I’m not a cop.”

Max grinned. “So? Are you saying I can’t kick ass with the best of them?”

Adrian’s eyes widened. “No! Hell, no. Do I look stupid?”

“I’m not going to answer that.”

“Asshole.”

Max grinned. “What about Simon? Do you consider him a wimp?”

“No,” Adrian agreed thoughtfully.

“Okay then. Didn’t you notice how Gabe listened to you, followed your directions, added on only after he’d gotten your approval?”

Adrian blinked again, startled. The other man had done that, hadn’t he?

“That’s because he knew instinctively who you are, and who he is. And he’s fine with it.”

Hell, maybe Max was right. He blew out a breath as all the odd sensations he’d been feeling recently suddenly made sense. All males felt the need to protect their mate, it was bred into them. A male who wasn’t willing to lay down his life in defense of his mate and kits didn’t deserve either. But his reaction to Belle’s pain had been almost as strong as his reaction to Sheri’s. His need to ensure his Alpha’s safety and the safety of his Pride had been eating at him for the past two days, ever since his tires had been slashed. Adrian was both horrified and fascinated. “Marshal?”

Max sighed. “You know how the hierarchy goes, Adrian. Why are you surprised you’d be right at the top? You’re damn near as powerful as I am, and you are as powerful as Simon. And, hell, the three of us have been best friends for years. I just had to make sure you accepted it before confirming it.”

Alpha, Beta, Marshal, Omega; that’s the way the hierarchy went. Alpha was the ruler of the Pride, the Marshal was its paw, and the Omega was its heart. All were positions you were born to, not made into.

The Alpha could tell you how the Pride was as a whole, but had trouble seeing the details, so the Marshal filled in the physical aspects for the Alpha while the Omega filled in the emotional ones. Without all three the Pride would falter and eventually die.

He looked into Max’s eyes and saw the understanding there. Max had a similar burden, but his, as Alpha, was even greater. There was no sympathy in his gaze. Like him, Adrian was what he was.

He nodded his acceptance.

He felt the mantle of the Marshal settle on his shoulders with surprising ease as Max’s power subtly surrounded him. It felt comfortable, like a part of him had been missing and then given back to him. His Puma purred its approval. He now had the authority necessary to ensure not only the safety of his mate, but that of his Alphas and his Pride. Although he knew it was still incomplete; they had no Omega, but unless he missed his guess Max already knew who it was and was just waiting for the right moment to clue the person in.

“Can I ask you something?”

Max shrugged. “Sure.”

“Why didn’t I feel this when Becky was attacked?”

Max raised one eyebrow and waited.

And it hit him. “She wasn’t Pride yet.” And because Livia hadn’t endangered a Pride member, his

“spider sense” hadn’t tingled.

“And since she challenged Emma rather than just attacking her, it wouldn’t have set you off, either.”

“But Emma was in danger, wasn’t she?”

Max shrugged. “Not really. It was a dominance challenge. Trust me, if Livia had gone after Emma without challenge, you would have activated.”

“Okay, now you make me sound like a Wonder Twin.” Adrian shuddered.

Max huffed out a laugh and leaned forward. “Yeah, I can just see you in purple tights. Do you want to know how this works or not?”

“I suppose I’d better. I wouldn’t want to be so lame I could be beaten by a mop.”

Max grinned. “Okay, relax. Think about the Pride as a whole. Who’s in pain right now, and is it natural or something inflicted?”

He frowned. How the hell was he supposed to know that?

Only, he did know. Becky had a toothache; he’d have to let Simon know. Sarah Parker had cut her finger, probably trying to cook. She was a bit clumsy with the kitchen knives, and just about anything else she laid her hands on. Marie Howard had a skinned knee from a fall. Emma also had a cut finger…and she was…

He turned to Max, horrified. “Emma!”

Max was up and out the door before he’d finished. Adrian was right behind him. It was only a few blocks to Wallflowers but they both ran the whole way, jackets left behind in their hurry to get to Emma.

Max stopped outside the door. “Mother fucker.”

Adrian growled low in his throat at what had been the glass front of the store. Emma held up a piece of the glass that had been her picture window, some of the old-fashioned gold lettering still visible, blood dripping down her hand from where she’d cut herself. Her eyes glistened with tears as she stared at it.