Page 33 of Chasing Savannah
Chapter 11
Derrick stood in the middle of the gathered circle, eying their head enforcer. Simon was a little worse for wear after having to battle for his position. He smiled as he thought of the hierarchy matches. Some of the men in their group had been sorely surprised to learn they could not in fact beat all the women from the Tampa prowl. There was a moment there when he thought he’d have to fight for the Beta position, but Simon had held onto his position, thus keeping him from having to battle for Beta. Still, they’d give the crowd a demonstration of why he was Beta.
He’d given Simon time after his last match to catch his breath before starting their official fight. They both bowed and took up defensive positions. They paced around, circling each other, familiar sparring partners. Simon smiled before opening aggressively, trying to kick Derrick. As his foot rose, Derrick shifted his weight to avoid the blow. He slapped Simon's leg higher, throwing off the man's balance. He straightened and slapped his palm down on Simon’s exposed chest, slamming him to the ground. Before Simon could roll, Derrick's panther ripped from his skin and snapped at Simon's neck.
Jumping back, Simon quickly yielded, shock across his face at the speed of Derrick’s change. Hell, he too was surprised. His cat had never reacted to a sparring match with Simon in such an aggressive manner. His panther turned toward the audience and roared. Half the spectators shifted under the weight of the Beta power. He just as smoothly returned to his human form, firmly establishing his position.
He held his hand out to help Simon stand, “Sorry about that, he snapped out of my control for a moment.”
“This territory has welcomed you well. I've never seen you move that quickly, it shocked the shit out of me. Your power is growing, Beta.” Simon clasped his outstretched hand.
Derrick laughed. “Next time we spar, you won’t be tired from hierarchy matches, we’ll see how it goes then.
Simon snorted and stood, lifting his chin in submission. “I look forward to it.”
He grabbed his enforcer on the back of the neck and brought their foreheads together. The mantle of Beta settled over Derrick’s shoulders, tightening his bond with the prowl that had come with them from New Jersey, as well as the new prowl. He stepped back from Simon and rolled his shoulders, reveling in the power.
He groaned at his shredded clothes left at his feet. Someone handed him a pair of jeans and a shirt. He gave them a thankful nod and left the circle, needing to expend the energy still running through his body. He hastily slipped on the clothes, and decided to walk the perimeter of the clearing, not that he needed to. Felix Jeremiah ran a tight prowl, and their prowls blended damn near seamlessly.
He nodded as a woman walked from the woods, her eyes glowing in the night, her cat close to the surface.
“Beta.” She inclined her head in greeting and went back to her watch.
Yeah, so walking the perimeter was definitely not needed. It gave him a sense of pride to do it, though, knowing the land was theirs and their small prowl had expanded. Safety and security was important to him, especially now that he had a mate. The small prowl he’d grown up in hadn’t stood a chance against the supremacists who’d targeted them. He wouldn’t let that happen again.
He had nagged Carlos into starting their prowl and he’d pushed to make them as strong as possible. In a prowl full of ex-military, it hadn’t been hard. A natural hierarchy had formed, the men and women grateful for a place their cat was comfortable. He understood the sentiment. He wanted a place where his children could grow up, secure and safe and he’d finally found it.
He thought to Savi and his panther paced his subconscious. Usually he could calm the cat, keep it furled within him, but with the tournament going, and the way the energy buzzed through their new prowl, his cat was impossible to curtail. He gave thought to shedding his clothes and exploring their new territory more. But, if he shifted again, his cat would make a beeline for their mate, and that was a fact.
He’d been checking out the territory earlier when he’d come up on Savannah standing on the porch alone. His cat had watched her for long moments, trying to entice its mate into the woods to play, before he let Derrick shift back into his human form.
He gave a quiet snort.
As though he would keep them from their mate. His cat swiped at him, and he had to laugh, aware that yes, he was currently keeping them from their mate. He bade his cat patience. He was playing a long game. Savannah seemed reluctant and he aimed to find out why. Her sadness had reached out to him when he’d saw her on her grandmother’s porch and he didn’t understand it. It had beckoned him closer.
Just thinking of her had his feet turning to look for her. He didn’t know where she was, and yet, when he looked up from his introspection, he spotted her dancing with her cousins around the large bonfire that had been built.
His senses had unerringly found her without conscious thought. The firelight danced across her, the tight jeans she wore damn near painting a map of her curves. He hardened. She was so beautiful he ached with need for her. A snarl rumbled his chest and he stalked toward her. He looked up to see Carlos doing the same. His Alpha nodded at him as they surrounded their mate. Her cousins shuffled out of the way, giving them a clear path to Savannah.
She turned, her eyes widening as Derrick grabbed her waist, bringing her closer. His hips moved with hers, and her breath hitched. His cat circled his body, heightening his magic. Their steps synched as though they’d danced together their whole lives. Carlos’ growl surrounded them as he sidled up to their mate. As soon as the Felix’s hands touched her shoulders, power raised down the prowl link. Derrick threw his head back and called to the moon. Answering calls went up around the bonfire, upping the power level. He brought his head down and stared at Savannah. Her mouth was open, her breath coming out in short pants.
He craved her.
Derrick pulled her into his shaft, grinding his hips into her along with the beat of the music. The three of them moved together, their hips gyrating, the heat between the three of them rivaling that of the fire. Savannah threw her arms up and her head back in abandon. Their mate must have had a few drinks, because her face was flushed. As much as he wanted to take their dancing further, he wouldn’t take advantage of that.
He and Carlos exchanged looks, their bond deepening as they danced with their mate. Power raised along the prowl link and everyone around them started dancing. The children had long since been put to bed and it was just adults. As they danced, there were no inhibitions, no worries and he was drunk off the scent of his mate and their budding bond. He leaned in and kissed her in front of the prowl. It made their intentions known to all who saw them. It wouldn’t take long for the gossip to spread. Especially not with the amount of power that the three of them touching generated.
He pulled from the kiss and spun her, nudging Savannah into Carlos’ arms. Carlos devoured her mouth, pulling their mate closer to him. Derrick scraped his teeth along the back of her neck, aching for the day he’d leave his mark. Power inched higher, energy pushing through the prowl link in a way that made some shift. Others released their cats enough to yowl their approval. Derrick’s panther pushed against him, trying to force its way out. He only let him off his leash enough to revel in the alpha power.
Savi pulled back from the kiss, her eyes unfocused. Her hand went to her mouth, her fingers skimming her lips. Savannah’s magic rose, and melded with him and the Felix’s power. It was amazing how powerful their connection was already. Her mewl of need had hunger, sharp and insistent, bombarding him and he watched as Carlos kissed her again. Derrick spun her around when they parted, needing to taste her once more. Their tongues dueled, and she gripped his shoulders, coming to her toes. He was seconds from begging.
She pulled back and touched her lips. “I need…I have to go.” She whispered.
Derrick’s chest was heaving, his breath sawing in and out of his lungs as he fought his cat. He put his forehead against hers. “Do what you have to do, kitten, but be real careful with the way you leave this clearing.”
She nodded and sighed, rubbing her cheek along his. The affectionate gesture ratcheted up his need for her.
“I won’t run, I know it will only rile up your panthers more.”
