Chapter Three
Dean
He hadn’t been surprised to hear from Axel before the sun had even risen in the sky. He’d woken in a sweat, knowing that something was wrong at the dragon alpha’s house. Sending his magic out, Dean was able to tell that Logan was unharmed. Even then he and Noah had still gone into the woods so that Dean could see for himself that his mate was fine.
When Dean and Noah arrived, there hadn’t been any trouble, but the lingering scent of blood had sent Dean’s magic into a tailspin. Dean had stalked around the forest for hours before settling that his mate was asleep and safe in bed.
By the time that Axel finished the explanation about the attack the previous evening, Dean had been sick to his stomach. He should have been there! With his mate. Protecting Logan and his family. Dean had wanted to demand more details but had to bide his time. He didn’t have any claim to Logan and that hurt more than it should have.
Being up at four in the morning to start his baking, Dean had been in the middle of work when Axel had phoned him. Dean finished the batch of pastries he’d been working on before dragging Noah from bed.
Noah had grumbled but agreed to finish the baking and open the shop.
Dean knew better than to arrive at the big house without bringing the boys a treat. They were some of his best customers after all and every single one of them had a sweet tooth. He filled boxes with donuts, pastries, croissants, and even some cookies. The cookies were frosted, giving Dean an idea. He hadn’t missed the way that Logan hadn’t been able to take his eyes off the heavily decorated cupcake the day before. He grabbed one of the cookies and carried it over to the table where he still had the frosting from earlier. Dean didn’t have time to make up a fresh batch, but the pale lavender coloring would suit his purposes.
As Noah worked on a batch of cinnamon rolls that were done resting, Dean expertly decorated a cookie for his boy. No, not his boy. He couldn’t be. Yet. Still, Dean made a special treat for the sweet young man.
Dean boxed up Logan’s cookie separately, not wanting for the surprise to get lost with all the other food.
“I’m off,” Dean told Noah.
Noah yawned so wide that his jaw cracked but nodded.
Dean would owe his familiar big-time. He would think about what he could do for Noah later. At that moment, Dean was anxious to go check on his boy.
Fuck! Not his boy!
It was a nice drive toward the property that Axel and his family owned. Dean had discreetly asked around to learn as much about the paranormal family in town. Not that the humans knew Axel or any of the others were paranormal. No, Axel had managed to keep their secret while endearing them to the citizens.
The businesses owned and operated by the family had helped a small town that had been slowly losing residents and money. Axel and the family had been the reason that people had started visiting the forgotten town. Situated between the state park and a university nearby. The perfect stop for tourists to come in and out.
Dean’s own bakery was doing much better than he’d expected.
He’d chosen his business because he loved to bake. Dean was able to lose himself each morning and loved talking to every customer. Noah didn’t mind the work either. Dean and his familiar were a team after all.
It was still early when Dean arrived at the big house. Dean snorted. He'd heard Sam and Ansley call the home of the alpha the big house so many times that Dean had started referring to it that way without realizing it.
With his arms full of boxes, Dean hefted them up to the front door.
He was trying to figure out how to knock when the door opened.
“Hey, Dean. Thanks for coming,” Axel greeted.
Dean grinned around the boxes. “Morning. I come bearing gifts!”
Axel laughed. “Here, let me help you. The boys are going to love you. Me…not so much.”
Dean didn’t even bother to hide his amusement. “I have to take care of my best customers.”
“Someone is going to have to mate with a dentist,” Axel muttered. He grabbed half the boxes.
Dean followed Axel through the entry and down a long hall. The house was quiet, nearly still. Passing one room, Dean spotted several people sprawled out on couches and air mattresses placed on the floor. He shuffled his feet, wondering if Logan was inside that room.
Axel paused beside him. “Late night. The boys had a movie marathon. We just left them cuddling together.”
A sharp pang of longing shocked Dean.
This was a real family. A pack. What he should have had with his coven. Instead of constant loneliness Dean had wanted this…this closeness.
“They’ll smell the sugar soon,” Axel said with amusement. He started back down the hall, so Dean followed.
They entered the kitchen and Dean gasped. This space was any baker or chef's dream. Of course, the family actually had a chef. Drake was a master in the kitchen. Dean and Noah often dined at the amazing restaurant he owned in town.
“Nice, isn’t it?” Axel asked. He placed the boxes in the middle of a huge island.
“Wow,” Dean exclaimed. “My kitchen in my shop isn’t this nice. Forget about the one in the apartment.”
“Drake was very demanding in the design. I figured since he feeds us, we better keep him happy.”
“Yeah.” Dean placed the boxes he carried on top of the ones Axel set down. He pulled the one smaller container closer to the edge. Just in case.
“Coffee, tea, juice, milk, or water?” Axel offered.
“Tea, if you don’t mind.”
“No problem. I even know how to brew it properly,” Axel told him.
Dean watched as the alpha made Dean’s tea and poured himself a mug of coffee. Axel moved like a man who knew what he was doing. That surprised Dean. Axel seemed like a nice and kind alpha, but Dean had met many men who thought they were too good to make their own drinks. Alpha assholes were a dime a dozen. Not Axel though.
There was a relief that Dean’s first impression of the alpha had been correct.
He had spent little time around Axel or anyone outside of the bakery. His magic had reached out during the first meeting between the two of them, liking what it had found.
Axel returned to the island and set a cup of tea in front of him. “Please sit with me.”
Dean climbed up onto the stool across from the one that Axel took.
His magic reached out for him even as Dean waited for Axel to tell him what Dean was doing there. He checked the room they had passed earlier. Everyone was okay. No injuries there. But Logan wasn’t in there either.
Dean pushed his magic out farther.
Several suites were occupied. He paused at one where he did find that a human was hurt. Not seriously but enough to concern Dean. He’d try to find out more. To see if he could help.
Dean kept searching for his boy.
Finally, his magic brushed over the familiar shifter. Logan was still sound asleep. Dean allowed his magic to caress over the sweet young man. Peace, happy, safe. Logan was snug and warm. Dean could finally relax.
“I’m going to tell you a story. Share the details of what we found out last night and what we suspect,” Axel said quietly. “First I want to make an offer.”
“An offer?” Dean repeated. What would the alpha have to offer him?
“If you need us, our family, me, for anything…we are here for you.”
Dean’s stomach dropped. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He had no idea what was happening, but it wasn’t good. It couldn’t be good.
He didn’t interrupt as Axel started his explanation. Dean was taking in every word. There were so many questions circling around in his head. The more he heard, the more dread filled him.
“Then he told us that he wasn’t even here for his son,” Axel said. “Finding Mason had just been a bonus to the hunters. They were here looking for you.”
“Me?” Dean asked. That couldn’t be right. Dean had never come across any of the hunter groups. Hunters had pretty much become extinct. No one believed in the paranormal any longer.
“You are the only mage we’ve come across. He didn’t use your name, but yes, we believe he was after you. He owed your old coven a favor. The favor was to return you to them.”
They hadn’t given up. His old coven was still looking for him. Dean’s mind raced. There was so much he needed to do. Wards and protection needed to be put in place. Should he leave? They had already found him. Dean should leave.
“There’s more,” Axel told him.
“What more could there be?” Dean was afraid to ask.
“The reason the hunters owed the coven was because of a past spell. A curse.”
“Black magic,” Dean guessed.
Axel nodded. He didn’t respond right away as he gulped down the remainder of his coffee.
Dean bounced his legs nervously.
Finally, Axel sighed as he pushed his empty mug away. “We believe the hunters used your coven to place the curse that stopped mates from being found.”
“What—” Dean started but wasn’t even sure what he wanted to ask. Could his coven had been involved, that involved? Were they powerful enough to accomplish it? Well yes. If they were using black magic. If they had made the right sacrifices. Holy fuck! This couldn’t be true.
“Yeah, I understand that reaction. We don’t have all the answers, not yet. Soon hopefully. We’re working on it.”
Dean nodded. The coven. If they had done what Axel suspected then Dean really should have taken them out. Torn the magic from their very cores. He needed more. Had questions. Dean couldn’t get himself to ask though. Not yet.
“Daddy?”
Dean and Axel turned as Bryce walked into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. Bryce was dressed in a dinosaur onesie and was absolutely adorable.
“Hey, baby,” Axel cooed.
Bryce dropped his hands then spotted Dean.
“Hi, Dean!” Bryce perked up. The soft sleepy boy quickly becoming excited.
“Morning, Bryce.”
“Dean brought breakfast,” Axel said. “Do you need the bathroom first?”
Bryce’s cute chubby cheeks reddened as he nodded.
“Let’s go upstairs.” Axel rose. “Can you give me a few minutes?” he asked Dean. Axel already had Bryce in his arms.
“Of course.” Dean waved his hand. “Take care of your boy.”
“But, Daddy,” Bryce whined. “Sprinkles?”
Dean wasn’t an idiot. “There’s an entire box of sprinkled donuts,” Dean promised.
Bryce grinned. “K.”
Axel lifted Bryce up as commotion from the other door caught Dean’s attention. Trevor, Shawn, and Drake entered the kitchen.
“Food!” Shawn said after taking a deep breath.
Dean snorted. This family. They were awesome. He still didn’t know what to do. How to handle the news that Axel shared with him. His first instinct was to leave and take trouble with him. Axel’s offer made him think instead of just reacting.
There wasn’t another group of paranormals as powerful as this one. This group who were shoving each other, grunting, stuffing their mouths—they were so powerful that the coven stood no chance against them. Dean had enough faith in his own magic that he wasn’t afraid for himself. Or he hadn’t been. But Logan. He was worried about the pretty lion shifter.
Dean returned greetings and smiled at the heartfelt thanks for bringing food. He liked the men in the room with him and as the kitchen slowly filled with the other occupants of the house, Dean had to wonder if he would be welcome if they knew what Logan was to him.
Was Noah right? Had Dean made a mistake hiding the bond from Logan? From the others? Dean wouldn’t blame them if they were angry.
Drake took command over the kitchen, getting everyone plates, drinks, and napkins before sending them out of the room. By the time Axel returned carrying Bryce, Drake even had Bryce’s plate ready and took the boy into the other room.
“Sorry about that,” Axel said as he sat back down. He peeked into the empty and half-empty containers. “I knew the hoard would descend on the food.” Axel picked up one of the chocolate croissants. “Mmm.”
“You never have to apologize for taking care of your boy,” Dean said sincerely.
Axel took a huge bite of the pastry. His eyes widened as he swallowed. “That is so good.”
The praise shouldn't have met that much to Dean, but it did. Made him warm and happy. No wait, there was something else. Someone else. Close.
His magic pulsed.
Logan stepped into the room.
Dean knew in that moment that he would do whatever it took to keep Logan safe. The time for running was over. Dean would take the fight to his coven. It wouldn’t be here though. Not where Logan could get hurt.
Once he found out everything that Axel knew about his coven, the hunters, and his coven, Dean was the one going on the hunt. They should have left him alone. Now Dean had someone to fight for. His mate. He just hoped that Logan would understand his sudden disappearance when he came back to explain. If he came back. And when Dean was done with his coven, he would finally lay claim to his boy.
* * * * *
Logan
Freshly showered, dressed, and hair dried, Logan stepped out of his suite. He could already hear that the others were awake. He was fully healed with no issues from the fight the night before. Although, he was hungry. After shifting, patrolling, and fighting, Logan should have eaten more than just a single cupcake. And he was sad that it was gone.
Logan wouldn’t even get the chance to look at any pretties in the bakery display since he didn’t have any plans to leave the property. First thing this morning Logan had messaged his manager that he would be unavailable for the next few days.
There was probably nothing he could do to help his family, but Logan wanted to be close to the house just in case. The ball of unease sitting in his stomach wasn’t something that Logan could explain. He just didn’t feel right.
He wasn’t paying attention to his nose or the scents around the house until he stepped into the kitchen. Logan froze with one foot past the threshold. “Uh, sorry.”
Dang! Why hadn’t he been paying attention! Logan hadn’t meant to interrupt a meeting his alpha was having with Dean. Dean. Logan wanted to sigh while thinking his name. The mage looked amazing. Dean’s bright blue eyes shone as he smiled at Logan.
“No problem.” Axel motioned him forward. “Come get some food. Dean was thoughtful enough to bring us several options.”
Logan perked up. Treats! Shuffling forward, Logan took in the boxes that his family had obviously already been through. At least there was enough for him though.
“Thank you,” Logan said to Dean quietly as he stepped beside the mage. Not too close though. Not close enough to touch.
A crash came from the other room. Logan winced. Uh-oh. Something broke.
“Daddy!” Bryce called.
“I’ll be right back.” Axel spoke so quickly that Logan barely caught the words.
“You’re very welcome,” Dean said. He picked up a plate and passed it over. “There’s plenty left. Take what you want.”
He ducked his head to hide his pink cheeks. “Yeah, thanks.”
There were so many options. Dang, Logan didn’t know what he wanted. He squirmed. What if he chose wrong? What if he took something that someone else wanted? That wouldn’t be nice. Maybe he shouldn’t eat. Or wait until everyone—
“Hey.” Dean leaned closely, his hand on Logan’s lower back. “Most of the donuts are gone but what about some fruit pastries? There’s strawberry, lemon, peach, and mixed berry.”
Okay, less options. Not as overwhelming. “Yes, lemon and mixed berry. I like those.”
“Perfect.” Dean grabbed a long white box and opened the lid. He pulled out four pastries.
Logan made a sound of protest. He couldn’t eat that many! Not right away. Someone else might want—
“There is plenty more,” Dean told him. “I know how much shifters need to eat.”
That was true. Logan could eat a lot.
“What would you like to drink? Coffee? Tea?”
He shook his head quickly. He didn’t like those. “Milk?” Was he asking? Logan didn’t know what was coming over him. Dean didn’t even live there but he was getting up and getting Logan a cup of milk. And Logan wasn’t stopping him.
“Good boy,” Dean said in his low, soothing tone.
Wow, even as his cheeks heated, his cock hardened as well. This…he wasn’t used to having anyone concentrate just on him. It was nice.
Dean returned to the island to place Logan’s milk in front of him. “Do you want to sit with us?”
He did. Logan really did. Logan shook his head no. “I’m going outside under my tree.”
“Your tree?” Dean questioned.
Logan opened his mouth to respond. To tell Dean all about his tree but he could hear his alpha coming. He took a step back.
“Wait.” Dean grabbed his arm gently. “I brought something just for you.”
“Me?” Logan wanted to do a happy dance. He loved getting presents. Not that he received many, but he still loved it.
“For you.” Dean pushed a small box toward Logan.
It was just like the one from the day before. Logan’s breath caught. His fingers shook as he popped the lid open.
“Oh!” Such a lovely, pretty, cookie. “Pretty.” So so pretty.
“I had some leftover frosting and decorated this one for you,” Dean told him.
Logan wanted to throw his arms around Dean’s neck but could never do that. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” he muttered instead. Logan closed the lid before he tucked the small box against his chest.
“Don’t forget your pastries and milk,” Dean told him.
“Dang.” He really almost just grabbed his cookie and ran.
“And again, you are very welcome. I did want to tell you something,” Dean said. He took a deep breath.
Uh-oh. Was Dean mad at him? Maybe he had noticed Logan’s crush.
“The bakery will be closed for a short time,” Dean told him.
“Closed?” No more pretty yum-yums? That was sad.
“I have to go out of town,” Dean explained. "I just didn’t want you to be worried when the bakery was closed.”
“You’re leaving?” Logan’s heart ached. Was this because of him?
“I have something that I need to take care of.”
“How long?” Logan desperately wanted to beg Dean to stay. It wasn’t his right. Dean didn’t belong to Logan. They weren’t even friends. “Sorry. It’s none of my business.”
“No, it’s okay.” Dean shook his head. “And I’m not sure when I’ll be back.”
Logan knew what those words really meant. Dean wasn’t coming back. Logan had been left behind plenty in the past. Being a brave boy, Logan lifted his chin so he could meet Dean’s gorgeous blue eyes and smile in thanks. “Thank you very much for my cookie. And the cupcake. Have a safe trip.”
Logan rushed to make his escape. Even as Dean called after him.
He might have spilt a little of his milk as he escaped from the kitchen. He slowed down once the back door was closed behind him. His tree was calling his name and he had yum-yums to eat before he took a nice long nap. Maybe he could even dream of the nice baker who Logan would miss.
This was probably better for him anyway.
Logan needed to stop thinking about Dean. He had a successful business, his family—there was no reason to be greedy and want Dean too.
Yes, this was better, he told his agitated lion side.
His lion did not agree.