"I'm within three of his rank," she said.
Her eyes were properly on Darryl's feet, though her face was turned to him.
"It is within my right to challenge him for the right to fight the Alpha." I stared at her.
This was not something I'd have expected of the Mary Jo who had allowed the fae to set fire to my house while she was supposed to be standing guard.
"You're not within three ranks," growled Darryl.
She held up her hand.
"Paul," she said.
Then she held up one finger "Henry." Another finger.
"George and me." She was right.
That was where I'd have put her, too.
"You are an unmated woman," Darryl said.
"That puts your rank at the bottom.
Alec is after George." "Alec," she called, not taking her attention away from Darryl.
"Who is more dominant, you or me?" Alec stepped around the other wolves and looked from her to Paul.
I could see the answer he wanted to make, and Darryl started to relax.
Adam, I noticed, was watching Mary Jo with surprised respect.
Alec opened his mouth, then hesitated.
"You all could tell if I lied," he said.
He raised up both his hands in a gesture of surrender.
"I hope you know what you're doing, Mary Jo." He looked Darryl in the eye, and said, "Mary Jo outranks me." And chaos reigned.
Paul stuck his head in Darryl's face and raved.
He was one of the very few people in the pack tall enough to stand eye to eye with Darryl.
If there hadn't been so much noise, I'd have been able to hear what he said--but I could guess.
Paul liked Mary Jo.
He didn't want to kill her.
Mary Jo stood there; like Adam, she was an island of quiet in the uproar.
She was small, but every ounce of weight she had was muscle.
She was tough as boot leather, quick, and agile.
I wasn't as certain as Paul was that she'd lose--I wouldn't want to fight against her.
If she won, she could yield to Adam.