“Baby, wake up.”
Agentle caress on his cheek interrupted the oblivion of sleep. Certain he was still dreaming, Mark brushed it aside and snuggled deeper into the warmth the comfortable covers provided. An insistent hand through his hair had him voicing his objections. “No…”
Caster? He shook his head. “No… I want to sleep.” He needed just a little more…
A chuckle reached past his contentment, and he dared to open his eyes.
The amused look on Caster’s face did not help. “Good dream?”
Mark couldn’t help the involuntary roll of his eyes. “Why? Why am I awake?”
Caster’s amusement disappeared, and the worry something else had happened while he slept stole his remaining contentment.
He sat up. “What?”
Caster didn’t seem fazed or worried, but his smile was gone. “I’ve been summoned by my father.”
Mark frowned, unsure why he would need to know that.
“I didn’t want to leave without telling you.” Then he pushed off the bed. “I am taking Riley and Damien. Kyle will stay here with you.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“It is.” His tone killed Mark’s resistance. “And Edie is waiting.”
His frown deepened.
“The protection spell. I’m not leaving until it’s in place.” Then he walked away.
Mark took a breath. He’d forgotten about that. What time was it? He’d promised to have breakfast with Mikey. The joy of another full night of uninterrupted sleep disappeared into the ever-present threat that was the witch, and he gasped. “Wait…”
Caster turned to him.
“You’re going after the witch!” He jumped out of bed. “You know where she is.”
Caster closed the distance and reached for his shoulders. “No. I promised your brother we would get her together, and I have every intention of keeping my promise.”
“Then why bring Riley and Damien?”
There was something akin to hurt in his eyes, but then a stern determination, almost anger, replaced it.
“My father wanted Damien there, and my mother would not let either of us go without Riley.” He turned away from Mark towards the closet.
“It’s too much to ask, I know. But trust that I will not deny you your vengeance. ”
Caster had proven that last night. Shame, rare and foreign, infected his mind. Certain nothing he could say would ease the consequences of his insecurity, Mark changed into jeans and a t-shirt and went to meet his brother.
He found both his brothers waiting at the same patio table he and Mikey had made their own that first morning he’d woken in this strange house.
“There you are…” Dean’s demeanor lacked the carefree attitude that made him Dean. He seemed impatient, and Mark could guess why.
His interrogation was imminent, and as he loaded his plate and sat across from them, he resigned himself to it.
Dean wasn’t about to give him the minute he needed to gather his strength. “How long?”
He hesitated. How could he find the words to explain something he didn’t understand?
“I can feel it, Mark. Did you forget I am Prime Alpha? How long has he been back?”
“I can feel it too.” Mikey’s voice was devoid of the anger the Prime Alpha restrained. When he dared look at his younger brother, a warm smile gave him much encouragement.
He met Dean’s unrelenting blue stare. “Since that night, we went looking for the witch.” Dean didn’t flinch, staring him down, waiting. “There was a creature there—”
“Riley told me.”
His cheeks warmed with a blush he could do nothing about. “Well… when it attacked Caster and me, he…ah… saved me, and I… felt my wolf then. He was still far away, but I healed much faster than I had before.” He cleared his throat. “He’s been growing stronger since.”
“So…you’re saying it’s him?” Some of the anger was gone from Dean’s voice and expression, concern replacing it.
Mark could only nod.
“How?” Mikey’s tone was a little reverent. He could understand the wonder in his brother’s voice. It was unthinkable for anyone or anything else to have control of the wolf when it meant they had control over the werewolf’s life force.
“I don’t know.” He glanced at Dean to find only concern. “Have you ever seen anything like it?”
The Prime Alpha shook his head. “How does it feel?”
Mark’s shrug was a casual action that belied the seriousness of the situation. “At first I couldn’t make sense of it, and when I did…”
“It was all you wanted.” Mikey found the words he couldn’t.
“And when he’s not close to you?” Dean’s discomfort was clear. They’d made fun of each other’s choice of partner before, as brothers do, but this was beyond that. It was beyond anything they’d tackled before.
“I don’t know. I haven’t been able to get away from him since that day.
” He’d meant it as a joke, to break the tension, bring back the teasing, but the effect was the opposite.
A hush fell over the table as they contemplated the effect Caster’s distance would have on his wolf.
It was only then that Caster’s need to tell him of his plans became clear. Caster worried about it as well.
“He’s leaving to visit his father,” he said when no one seemed willing to voice their thoughts. “I guess I’ll find out soon.” The concern on Dean’s expression crossed the threshold to pity and anger, however misplaced, overtook Mark. He slammed his fist on the table, startling Mikey. “Don’t.”
The Prime Alpha’s lips curved into a smile. “I’d say you’ll survive.”
“I fucking hate you sometimes.” He pushed out of the chair with more force than necessary, Dean’s laughter and Mikey’s admonishment following him through the French doors into the house.
By the time he made it to the back garden, unsure how he’d even found the secluded location, shame had replaced anger.
He should find his brother later and apologize, even if the fucker didn’t deserve it.