Page 106 of Chasing Savannah
They drove the rest of the way in silence. Her body shook with left over adrenaline. Her vision was dimming around the edges, and blood was soaking her shirt at the shoulder. When they got to the complex she limped to the elevator. She stabbed in the code for the top floor.
“No, no extra scents,” she whispered as the security tried to surround her.
She pressed the button, closing the door on them. When she got to the penthouse floor Carlos and Derrick paced the hallway in front of the elevator. They rushed at her.
“No, no, no.” She backed away from them. They stopped, stunned, but kept their distance.
“Let me hold you, kitten,” Derrick whispered.
Her knees buckled with the need to run to them both. To feel their arms around her, but the more scents Charlotte had to decipher the harder it would be.
“I need Char first, Derrick, please.” Her voice broke but she refused to let tears fall.
Carlos’ security team surrounded the penthouse, standing in front of the windows their faces solemn. Rage glittered in their eyes. Some of them were half shifted in their anger, their claws unleashed, fur rippling down their arm.
She’d wrenched her knee when she hit the concrete and it was throbbing like a bitch. She wanted to lay down, she wanted to have her mates surround her, but she stood in the middle of the apartment not touching anything. The wound at her shoulder was no longer bleeding, she wasn’t sure if she should be worried about that or not, but she was thankful it was no longer numb.
Char rushed in, no longer than thirty seconds later and as soon as she got a look at Savannah, she growled. Her cousin wore a pair of black leather pants, a white silk tank top and a thin black trench coat with the sleeves pushed up to her elbows. Savannah looked down at her dirty blazer and ripped skirt, she had to look a mess. Her face was throbbing, and her arms burned from the scratches and scrapes she had. Char didn’t rush her, instead she held up her hands and approached slowly.
“Is there a healer coming?” She asked Savannah’s mates.
Derrick nodded.
“Alright, Vanna, I need to get their scent, okay?” Charlotte kept her voice quiet, approaching as one would a dangerous, wounded animal.
Savannah nodded. “I didn’t let anyone else touch me,” she whispered. “His scent should be the only one on me.”
Derrick and Carlos both snarled, growls rumbled around the room as the security team expressed their anger.
“Good girl.” Charlotte whispered. “Show me where he’s touched you.”
She swept her hands down the front of body, “he laid on top of me.” She whispered.
The growl Carlos released raised the hair on her neck. She knew her mate was going crazy. He struggled to reign in his cat, his emotions broadcasting loudly through their bond and down the prowl link, riling his enforcers more.
“He licked my face,” she told Charlotte, tensing as the room went deadly quiet, throbbing rage filling the space.
“That’s enough, Fela,” Charlotte’s voice was a deep growl as she fought her own panther. Claws exploded from her hands, fur sprouting along the exposed skin of her lower arms, before it receded. “Which side, Savi?”
She pointed at the left side of her face. Charlotte leaned in closer. Savannah fought to keep her body still, fought to keep her trembling to a minimum as Charlotte inhaled the skin of her cheek.
Char let out a low, furious snarl and she jerked, flinching at a sound she’d never heard her cousin make.
Carlos growled again.
Charlotte turned to her mates. “I have the scent, Felix. He won’t get away.”
Further surprising her, Char leaned over and nuzzled underneath Savannah’s chin, submitting to her and it brought tears to Savi’s eyes. She loved her cousin as a sister, and the respect she was showing made her heart swell.
“I'll find him for you, Vanna,” Charlotte whispered.
A righteous anger overwhelmed Savannah making her body tremble harder. “When you do, bring him back here, I don’t want him able to stand before any council. Make him hurt, Char.”
Charlotte nuzzled her face, “I swear it, cousin.” She nodded at Derrick and Carlos and turned, her coat billowing behind her as she left the room.
Carlos whistled and three of the enforcers in the room followed Charlotte out.
Savannah turned and faced her mates fully for the first time, and staggered at the anger on their faces. Their eyes were completely amber, the slit in the middle narrowing and widening as they battled their cats. She nodded and they both rushed her. Carlos growled and gathered her in his arms. The three of them stood together, their breaths mingling as they reassured each other.
“Leave.” Carlos ordered.
His remaining enforcers jumped to obey him. Each of them stroked a hand across her head, reassuring her in their own way as they left. Her body trembled and once the elevator doors closed, her knees gave out. Carlos lifted her before she could fall.
“Take her, I’ll make sure the healer gets here.” Derrick kissed her lips softly before he too was gone.
