Page 124 of Chasing Savannah
Chapter 40
Savannah sat on the floor of Jamie’s bedroom hours later, watching both children sleep. Ella had begged to sleep in her brother’s room. They slept now cuddled with each other, held tight even in sleep.
She was numb. She’d kept up appearances as her family filtered in to see for themselves that the kids were safe. She’d held it together up until the point Greg and his wife had finally left with promises to check on their son in the morning. A warm shower had not helped thaw her feelings, nor had the pep talk from Charlotte and Naomi before they left.
Her son was home safe and that’s all that mattered, but…she knew what needed to happen. It weighed on her, the decision. Toni was dead, she wouldn’t cause them any more trouble, and yet, her words rang in Savannah’s ear.
Toni said she knew what she knew. Savannah’s latency would weaken the prowl, no matter her determination not to. She looked up at the quiet knock.
Derrick stood there, his arms crossed over his bare chest. “They’re sleeping, babe, come rest. The healer ordered you to sleep, hours ago.”
She wrapped her arms around her knees, hiding her wince as the skin of her stomach pulled. She looked back at the children. Would she be able to sleep? She doubted it. Seeing Jamie with the Alpha’s claw at his throat would haunt her the rest of her life. She’d caused that. Derrick sighed and joined her on the floor. She avoided his gaze. He always saw too much. With Carlos, even if he knew something was wrong, he let her come to him. Not so with the Beta.
He wouldn’t let her hide.
She couldn’t go to him. Taking comfort in his arms would make what she had to do so much harder. If she left the children’s room, she’d have to talk to her mates and let them know the decision she’d made. She stared at Ella. The little girl was as much a part of her as Jamie. Being her mother was something she was looking forward to. Tears escaped and she turned her head.
Sobs shook her shoulders and Derrick said nothing, simply put his hand on her back. The warmth of it nearly broke through the numbness. Derrick scooped her up, and pulled her into his lap. He still didn’t say anything, and she couldn’t talk through the tears. She watched the children sleep, her body trembling. She didn’t know how long she cried, but soon exhaustion won.
Derrick held his mate, finally breathing once her body went slack with sleep. Something was wrong. She was pulling from them, he felt it, and his panther felt it. He just didn’t know what to do about it, so he held her. He wondered if killing Antoinette had bothered her, but when he thought on it, she’d been pulling away from the moment she learned who’d been attacking the prowl.
Savannah told him what her aunt had told her so long ago. He compared that to what Antoinette said tonight. Savannah couldn’t possibly think she wasn’t strong enough to be the alpha female. She’d proved that and more when she killed the old Seer. The enforcers there had given their submission to her, surely she understood her place in the prowl was secure.
He thought about the carnage they’d left behind this night. A part of him felt guilt. He thought about his family’s prowl and how easily they’d been wiped out. He knew how it felt to be in a small prowl. Carlos showed up in the doorway with a blanket and pillows.
“It’s not the same, Beta.” It was if Carlos read his mind.
“I can’t help—”
“Your prowl was minding their business, Ella’s as well. You had no control over racists destroying your prowls. These panthers came afterus.” Carlos’ voice was raspy. He kneeled next to Derrick and touched their foreheads together. “They came after our family, Derrick, I’m not about to let you feel guilt for protecting what’s ours.”
He took a deep breath and took in the soothing energy from his Alpha. Carlos kissed Savannah’s cheek in his lap, and stood. Derrick clutched their mate tighter, he was loathe to put her down. Carlos spread out multiple blankets and they settled on the floor of the children’s room with their mate between them.
Sometime in the middle of the night, he’d carried their mate to bed. The next morning he leaned his head on his bent arm and watched her sleep. He sighed. Her body stiffened and the pulse at her neck sped.
“Jamie!” She sat up, breathing hard and fast.
He gripped her shoulder and sat up. “He’s safe, babe,” he whispered and pulled her back into his arms.
He kissed her neck, and murmured to her until her heart beat slowed and awareness slowly crept into her eyes. She looked at him, really seeing him and blinked.
“He’s safe, love.” He repeated and cocked his head. “From the sound of it, they’re making breakfast.”
She swallowed and nodded.
“Come.”
He rolled from the other side of the bed and grabbed a robe and held it out to her. She rushed from beneath the blankets and turned her back to him, throwing her arms into the robe. She beat him out of the room, pausing at the top of the stairs. He watched her, leaned against the doorway of their room.
Jamie and Ella were sitting at the kitchen counter eating waffles. Carlos looked up and smiled. He inclined his head, beckoning their mate. She held up a finger and turned back towards their bedroom. She leaned into Derrick’s chest and he encircled her in his arms. Her shoulders shook and tears wet his t-shirt.
“Everything will be fine, love.” He whispered.
She nodded, but her tears didn’t stop. He pulled her back into their room and sat on the edge of the bed with her in his lap. She shuddered after a few moments.
“Ready to go downstairs?”
She sighed. “Let me wash my face first.”
