Page 22 of Chasing Savannah
Chapter 8
Carlos closed his eyes and stood still. Power reached to him, the land embracing him, and his panther lavished in it. He felt rooted, the wildness of his panther tamed by the winds blowing through the trees. That same breeze amplified his power, filling his body until he felt drunk. Magic raised the hair on his arm and his Beta growled next to him.
It was as if he stood still enough he could feel the footsteps of every animal on the land. Did it translate to the prowl? When the power fully transferred, would he be able to find the members of his prowl so long as they were on the land?
“It’s a heady power.”
Jeremiah came up, and the aging Felix’s heat was like a fur blanket at Carlos’ back.
Jeremiah gripped his shoulder. His hands were wrinkled, and calloused from what was probably years of fieldwork. “You’re what this territory needs. Though my granddaughters have the strength, the land never responded to them in that way.”
A lump gathered in Carlos’ throat, emotions swamping him. He didn’t know it could be this way. It was no wonder the tristate prowls wanted him from their land. No one would willingly give up this type of power. He turned to Felix Jeremiah, trying to puzzle out why he would do so.
“It’s time.” Jeremiah answered his unspoken question. “The responsibility of a good Felix is to do what’s best for the land and the magic that flows through the prowl.”
It humbled him. Though he’d found himself a reluctant Alpha, he wanted to be a good one for those under him. He was happy Jeremiah agreed to stay on and advise him. They continued their walk through the land, with Harper and Jeremiah explaining the reach of their territory. Both men moved unhurriedly, the ground underfoot seeming to sigh as they passed. They went over county lines and where their territory intersected with the other packs and prides that made Tampa their home.
He was impressed. The prowl held a lot of territory, stretching all the way northwest into the state and farther east than he’d expected. It was a lot of land to cover. A lot of responsibility. His small group had only consisted of twenty enforcers and their family. With the merging it would bring their number up to ninety. He worried about the politics of handling a prowl of that size. The weight of it settled on his shoulders, but his panther seemed to take it in stride. Jeremiah explained the network of safe houses they had set up in the area for panthers who got stuck too far from home.
He’d been a city cat his whole life. It hadn’t occurred to him the logistics of running a prowl in a place where there were enough woods to roam free. His cats had had to practice stealth, only able to run free at state parks under the cover of darkness. This would be new…freeing. He couldn’t help the smile that curled his lips.
Derrick, Theo, Harper and Rebecca trailed behind them, Rebecca and Harper holding hands. Carlos glanced back at them.
He cleared his throat. “How is it in a Tribond?”
At first he thought the Alpha wouldn’t answer. He walked on, hands in his pocket. He broke the silence a moment later.
“It's the best thing to ever happen to me. You know the pull of our animal as Alpha, the constant war to stay in control. The two of them balance that out. The power between the three of us reaches levels not even your imagination can conjure. The power exchange to the prowl will grow tenfold under it.”
He wasn’t concerned about the power. He fumbled to find another way to ask what he wanted to know.
Jeremiah chuckled. “You’re worried about sharing?”
Carlos turned and looked back at his best friend talking with the other Beta. He and Derrick had been through things most would buckle under.
“No.”
That would never be a problem between him and Derrick. It would be a privilege to share a mate between them, each of them caring for and protecting her.
“It’s not the sharing. I’m more concerned with how our mate will deal with two strong males.”
His panther was aggressive, its power overwhelming even for him and he shared his body with it. He could be overbearing, at least according to his sisters, he didn’t know how his mate would deal with that from him, and Derrick.
Jeremiah hummed. “If your mate is who you say she is, don’t be too concerned.”
“So you do know her?”
“Very well.” Felix Jeremiah didn’t elaborate. He instead changed the subject. “You’ll have a problem with the Miami prowl. Our seer has foreseen it.”
He hummed, not sure if he’d take the word of a seer he’d never met. Especially since he’d never really consulted one before. His prowl was young, comprised of mostly loner panthers looking for a place to settle. They hadn’t yet melded into a cohesive unit, but they were getting there. They hadn’t attracted any Seers, so he didn’t know much about them, or whether their advice would be something he actively sought out.
But still, it couldn’t be a coincidence that with his arrival, trouble would visit. “Miami specifically?” He looked up as they came upon a house.
Jeremiah smiled and pat him on the back. “I’ll let her tell you herself.”
Carlos had to wonder if he was easily readable or if Jeremiah could read minds. The Felix ushered them all in. The woman who greeted them was a lot younger than he’d expected. She was Hispanic, her skin browned from what looked like many hours in the sun. Her beautiful face was open, her curiosity and excitement easy to discern. She grabbed his hand as they were introduced.
She smiled widely. “I’m Joelle. You will bring a lot to this prowl.” She moved to Derrick and gripped his hand. “A strong Beta, you’ve seen your future and are making steps to ensure it comes to fruition.”
