CHAPTER 17
Mark had felt safe enough to close his eyes and succumb to the oblivion of sleep.
The crash, catalyzed by the fear of what Zeke would do, had been epic, and Caster almost panicked, only just holding on to his control.
It would not do for him to display his fear.
Mark didn’t need him to be afraid; he needed his strength.
But the weight of the new turn their relationship had taken would scare anyone into inaction.
How had he occupied the same space as Mark’s wolf?
He’d never heard of that happening anywhere.
Maybe Riley would have answers. He should move, find Riley, get some answers, but he stood at the foot of his bed, unable to stop looking at the steady rise and fall of Mark’s chest.
Leaving him alone was too difficult. Waking him was also not a viable option.
He didn’t want to interrupt his peaceful sleep when there were hard times over the horizon.
He cursed and stepped away from the bed into the adjacent living area.
It was identical to the one in the mansion the witch had destroyed, but like everything in his father’s house, it was much larger.
It would not do to go to his father or Marcus without the necessary information, so he reached for the only two people who could help, hoping Damien was still here.
A frantic Riley materialized in front of him a second after Caster reached into his mind. He would be concerned about how disheveled his best friend looked if he hadn’t been too distracted by his own fear and Mark’s calm breaths.
“Are you OK?” Riley moved to the couch and sat, glancing into the adjoining bedroom. “Is he? That was some potent energy I felt there…”
“What?” Caster’s attention shifted from Mark to Riley, noting the deep frown on his face. “What are you talking about?” He couldn’t rein in his irritation. “And where the fuck is Damien?”
Riley’s frown deepened, even as his voice maintained its calm cadence.
“He went to find X and Cy, you know that…”
He ran a hand over his hair, disturbing the strands further, and sighed.
“Caster, please sit down and tell me what happened.”
He nodded towards the bedroom. “He’s not going anywhere. We’re both here.”
Caster released a breath and followed Riley’s instruction, even though he was now sure he would never leave Mark alone again.
Riley leaned back into the couch, his confidence and power granting Caster a modicum of security. “OK. What happened?”
“I assume Edie has told you about the resurrected Alpha’s new powers?”
Riley didn’t even flinch. “Yes. But what does that have to do with…”
“He can somehow access Mark’s wolf. He tried to, and then I was there.”
Riley frowned, leaning forward, his discomfort apparent in his movement.
Caster closed his eyes, took a breath, opened them, and then tried to explain something so monumental he was unsure he would ever have the words. “In his mind space, the one the wolf occupies. I was drawn there. Mark was in wolf form, and so was Zeke.”
The only indication of Riley’s surprise was an uptick in his heartbeat. “The protection spell.”
Caster tilted his head to the side, trying to understand Riley’s reasoning, as he maintained a close ear on Mark’s breaths.
“Mark’s protection spell is designed to call you to him. That’s what happened.”
Riley’s explanation made a lot of sense, and once again, Caster made a note to thank his mother for her foresight. He was the only one capable of protecting Mark, and that connection had been a stroke of genius, even if he’d thought it trivial when she’d suggested it.
“But I’ve never heard of anything like what you're describing,” Riley said. “What was it like?”
“Dark.”
“Yes, we’d expect that if Ethel’s power is in play.”
Riley’s confidence, his power that he seemed unwilling to rein in, permitted Caster to relax. Besides, they were in his father’s house with three of the most powerful witches in the world within its walls. Mark couldn’t be safer. “I’m fucking worried about the Alpha’s new powers, Riley.”
His best friend nodded. “Yeah. This is not good. Do you know if Dean has the same ability for sure?” He shrugged. “I mean, I always suspected. There’s this halo around him that I can feel…”
“Mark confirmed it.”
Riley smiled. “That explains the war.”
Caster couldn’t help his chuckle. The wolves had proven difficult to break during the war. Now, he understood why. They hadn’t been fighting against a werewolf army, but against Dean’s will. His once enormous respect for the Prime Alpha was now exponential in its capacity.
“But you don’t need to worry about Mark,” Riley said, his voice calm. “The protection spell will always draw you to him when he feels threatened. That’s one spell Ethel can’t override. Besides, we may have larger concerns.”
“Zeke’s new power.”
“Yeah.” Riley ran a hand through his hair. “If he’s half as good at it as Dean is…”
That was a terrifying thought. But Caster had never met anyone with a will as strong as the Prime Alpha’s. Still… “We need a plan.”
Riley nodded. “And at least ten contingencies.”
An unexpected laugh bubbled up from his chest, even though there was nothing funny about any of this.
“First, we need to tell Marcus, or he’ll kill us.” Riley smiled.
He dreaded having to leave Mark, but Riley was right.
Marcus and his father needed to know. An inevitable war was on the horizon.
They had a chance to stop it or at least avoid being drawn into a conflict among the wolves that seemed inevitable, but that was only possible if they worked with the Prime Alpha.
His connection with Mark, their love, would be tested, as would the treaty. The witch’s motives remained out of reach, but she had drawn battle lines they would all cross soon. Caster just hoped the treaty was strong enough to hold against her sustained threat.