Page 24 of Chasing Savannah

Jeremiah nodded. “The Miami Felix is your father then?”

He shook his head. “Daniel Ayala is my father. Outside of a few stories from my mother, I know nothing about Yasim.”

“What happened, if you don’t mind my asking?” Harper asked.

Carlos stretched his legs out in front of him. “I never got the complete story from my mother or my older sister. It’s painful for them both.”

He thought about what his mother had told him before he headed down. She was afraid he’d run into his father in the local council meeting, so she wanted to make sure he was prepared. He knew she’d left out a lot of details, but she’d told him more than she’d ever did about the subject. And though it happened over thirty years ago, she still had tears in her eyes.

“My mother mated him, and from what she tells me, things were fine. He was Beta to a cruel Alpha in a disjointed prowl. Yasim pulled together a few panthers and they challenged their way up the hierarchy. He beat the Alpha, and took over the prowl. She said he changed then. She would never say in what way. Just that while better than the other Alpha, he was not without his cruelties. She withstood a lot with my sister Yasmeen, but she said once she was pregnant with me something whispered to her that her son would never be safe there. She said something to him that must’ve struck a nerve. He beat her, and had his enforcers drop her off in the middle of the swamp with nothing but the clothes on their back.”

Rebecca gasped.

“Daniel found her wandering, dehydrated and clutching my sister’s hand.” He shook his head. “My father took care of both Yasmeen and me as though we were his. My mother was very upset about me coming here and possibly running into him.”

He turned to the seer. “Does he know I’m here?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know when he finds out, but he will eventually and it will start a sort of escalation.”

“When will he come?” He asked again.

She closed her eyes and breathed deep. “It will be a while before he realizes the power that entered the state is you.”

Harper spoke up. “Right now, I suspect he’ll send out spies to find out what’s happening. To see how our prowl holds up to your power. He’s unaware we’re blending together.”

“Then we need the ceremony done.” Carlos said. “I can’t begin to work on the Tribond until I know our prowls are together and not infighting.”

“You’ll have a fight on your hands with your mate.” Rebecca cautioned.

Carlos looked to her in surprise. “You think?”

“I know.” She told him.

Harper nodded, and Rebecca sighed. “We’ll help in whatever way we can. But Savi has her own mind and her own way of doing things. It will make her a great Alpha female, but will give you hell.”

Jeremiah snorted. “She’ll challenge your panther at every turn.”

Joelle gave him a commiserating look. “The Miami Felix will unfortunately not help with that.”

Carlos was confused as to how well they knew Savannah, but he didn’t have time to explore it. He needed to get his enforcers moved down, and settled before his father caught wind of him in the state. Once the prowl was his, he would focus on moving everyone else.

“Tomorrow evening then,” Jeremiah proposed.

“My prowl is small, and they are ready to move down, but I want my enforcers here immediately.”

Jeremiah acquiesced. “Of course, but, about your enforcers...”

“We thought having a tournament would help settle hierarchy quickly and with minimal bloodshed.” Derrick proffered.

“It will give the prowls a chance to know each other in between matches.” Rebecca’s shoulders slumped in relief and she laid a hand on the shoulder of her mate.

Joelle gave Carlos a dazed look, growing respect lighting her eyes.

“It could work,” Harper mused.

“It would be fun, a way to celebrate the blending of the prowls.” Theo added helpfully.

“We’ll arrange it for the day after the turnover.” Rebecca clapped. “I’ll talk to the butcher, and double our order, get the grills going, I’m excited.”

“Perfect.” Carlos stood. “Though I would say the day after to give my enforcers a day of rest after they travel.”

“Then I’d better get to work.” Jeremiah said standing. He held his hand out to Carlos. “I’m looking forward to this.”

They left Joelle’s house with business settled and a growing sense of purpose. He’d expected to have to deal with his father, but outright war with him wasn’t on the agenda.

“We came down to avoid a war,” Theo said lazily getting into the truck.

Carlos grunted. “A prowl of soldiers is no stranger to war.”