A chuckle reached past his contentment, and he dared to open his eyes.
The amused look on Caster’s face did not help. “Gooddream?”
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.