Chapter 35
He found him downstairs in his office pacing, snarls reverberating throughout the room. Their enforcers had steely eyes, each responding to the Felix’s anger. Men and women both, lined against the wall, awaiting their Alpha’s orders. The explosive fury their alpha felt was being pushed down the prowl link and every panther within it was probably feeling edgy and unsettled.
Derrick nodded his head towards the door and cleared the room. He needed to calm his co-mate down and relieve some of the tension in the prowl’s link. He walked up to Carlos and stopped him with a hand on his chest.
“She’s fine, Alpha.”
He addressed him as such because it would be the only way to get to Carlos’ cat while he was this agitated.
Carlos growled and grabbed the back of Derrick’s neck. “Do not placate me, Beta. I want him dead!”
“As do I, Felix.”
“But?”
“No buts. We have every right to our rage.”
Their foreheads touched and held, their cats reaching for each other and calming the other down. With every breath they took together, the anger lightened. He saw Carlos fight to keep his cat under control. Felt his panther’s touch against his own, the anger in the animal abating each time Derrick’s cat reached out.
There was a knock on the door and before they could answer, another cousin rushed in. Naomi’s face was streaked with tears. He’d only seen her in the short times he’d visited Savi, so he didn’t know her well. The last time he’d seen her, though, she didn’t have this power that preceded her entrance into the room. He realized the last time he’d seen her was before they’d sealed their mating. Their grandparents’ words about her coming into power after Savannah ran through his mind. He inhaled, wondering at the difference in her.
“They won’t let me see her, is she okay?” Naomi touched Carlos arm, and a flare of power rippled down the prowl link.
He raised his brows, but Carlos lowered his. The Felix reached for the female, his eyes narrowed. She went into his arms and uncharacteristically Carlos brought her closer. Their foreheads touched and through his link with Carlos, he felt the Felix bring in the female. Soon, a huge pressure released on the prowl link and he braced himself on the desk. A sense of calm, and wellbeing flowed down the prowl link.
“What was that?” she whispered.
Carlos pulled his head back and kissed Naomi’s forehead. “Welcome. Your power is amazing, but I wanted to be mad.”
She smiled, through her tears and he reached on Carlos’ desk and gave her a box of tissues.
“What was that?” She asked again.
“I’ve heard of Zeta powers but I’d never experienced it. I’m sorry, I should’ve asked your permission before I joined you to our prowl. But instinct overrode my manners.”
She shook her head, “that’s okay. I’ve been out of town, or I would’ve have come by to talk to you. Joelle…” She cleared her throat and shook her head.
“Who are you?” Carlos asked, guiding her to the chair in front of his desk.
“Oh, sorry,” she held out her hand, “I’m Naomi, Savannah’s cousin.”
“Charlotte is your sister, right?” He asked.
“Yes, Savi called her and she called me and it took me forever to get from the airport and then when I went upstairs they wouldn’t let me see her.” She hiccupped.
Derrick nodded and pulled out his phone. He texted the enforcer he had on the door. He waved the phone. “Fixed it. She’s sleeping now, but you can go up and see her, I’m sure you will feel better once you do. I didn’t mean for him to keep family away, but with the Felix on edge as he was, I imagine he took the order a little more serious than normal.”
“Thank you,” Naomi breathed out and rushed to the door. She turned around, “Felix, can we speak later, once I’ve checked on Savi?”
“Of course.” Carlos murmured.
He waited until Naomi left the room before going around his desk to sit. He leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath. He was stunned and working to process what had just happened. Most of it was instinct, and out of his control. Something about Naomi had called to him immediately, his power reacting differently than it did with his mate. He’d heard Savannah talking about Naomi, and talking to her cousin frequently on the phone, he hadn’t met her until today.
Derrick looked at the door again before turning back to him. “That was…”
“We have a prowl Zeta. Can you believe it?”
Derrick sat in the chair Naomi vacated. “Zetas are only drawn to settled prowls, she’s family, why wouldn’t she have been in the prowl prior to us?”