Page 28 of Chasing Savannah

Chapter 10

Baking made Savannah feel better. It always did. Which would explain why she was elbow deep in dough, listening to her son rattle on about how much fun he had last night. Jamie always enjoyed what he called ‘prowl time’. He loved running around in the country free of his mother’s rules. He was happy she would let him spend the whole weekend here after the prowl change over. Her grandmother was out prepping for another gathering, so she currently had the kitchen to herself.

Thoughts of last night chased themselves around in her head. She’d left early and selfishly, she could admit. But feeling the prowl link after so many years out was…she sighed.

It was a wonderful feeling.

But it was not for her. For the safety of her family, she would continue her self-imposed isolation. She thought about Lydia and the looks she’d shot her all night. It was best she stay away. If ever there was a reminder, her cousin was it. Lydia’s mom had been kicked out of the prowl, for reasons unknown to most. Speculation pinned it on Savannah and her own absence. Gossip moved as it did, and no amount of denial from her had stopped the talk. So now, her cousin Lydia hated her.

She tuned back in as Jamie mentioned the new Felix. “How is he?”

Asking a kid was low, but her son was very observant. He didn’t miss details, and she envied him a little with how well he used his instincts.

“I like him. Marcella says he’s a great dad.”

So he’d brought his daughter down. Laura had mentioned that he would only do so if he thought it was safe. That was a good sign. She punched down into the dough turning it over, humming for him to go on.

“After the ceremony the whole prowl was calling to the moon, you should’ve felt it, mom.” Jamie sighed and rested his chin on his hand. “They even let us run with them after. I like Felix Carlos.”

She turned to him, intrigued by the wistful tone. “What’s that tone to your voice?”

He shrugged. “I kind of wished we lived with the prowl. The link feels so awesome when we’re around the others.”

She lowered her head and shaped the cinnamon rolls unsure of how to even answer that.

“So, anyway. Grandpa Harper said there will be a tournament today.”

She stopped. “What tournament?”

That explained why her grandparents were all so busy today. It also explained why Rebecca had asked for so many baked goods. She’d been distracted and all too happy to bake away her feelings to get clarification.

“Well, because they’re blending prowls, Grandpa Jeremiah says they have to see who is stronger and form a new heir, hera, hi-arch...”

“Hierarchy?” She supplied, resting a hand on her hip, giving her son her full attention.

“Yeah, that. So they’re going to battle, but Derrick says probably minimal bloodshed.” Jamie finished stirring the icing and was now dipping his spoon in the bowl and eating it.

She snatched the bowl, because who wanted an eight year old on a sugar high? “Minimal bloodshed?”

He shrugged and walked to the sink with his spoon. “Grandpa Harper said it’s a great idea and he respects the new Felix for thinking of it.”

She growled and wiped her hands on a towel. She snatched her cellphone from the counter and dialed her grandfather’s number. It took several rings before he picked up.

“What’s this about a tournament?”

“It will fun, you should come since you’re already on property.” Jeremiah answered.

“Grandfather, it doesn’t sound appropriate for an eight-year-old.” She growled.

“An eight-year-old panther cub,” Jeremiah reminded her. He sounded neither chagrined nor alarmed by her tone. “It’s more than appropriate.”

She sighed. “He said there would be minimal bloodshed, I don’t want my son to see something violent.”

Her grandfather snorted. “It’s no more violent than a boxing or wrestling match, or the skirmishes you got into as a child.”

She ignored the not so subtle jab and drummed her fingers against the cabinet over her head. “I don’t know.”

“I’m no longer Felix, so I can’t order you, but as the cub’s grandfather, he will be here.”