Page 27 of Only You, No One Else

“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.

CHAPTER 18

Mark opened his eyes to let the light of the day in and shifted in the comfortable bed. His breaths were even, his body cozy, and his wolf content to remain in the relaxation of sleep. He reached for the other side of the massive bed, a slight panic invading his contentment. Caster?

He glanced around the room, its similarity to the same space where he’d given in to the impossible pull of Caster’s will giving him some of his security. Back then, only a few days ago, he had been skeptical he would ever feel safe again, not with the witch still out of reach. Yet, here he was, alone in an unfamiliar room, at the worst time of the day for him, and all he felt, all his wolf felt, was calm. He relaxed further into the bed and took a breath, taking in Caster’s unique scent. It was strong, like he was close, but he wasn’t in the room or even in the adjacent sitting area.

Mark took a second to take stock of his body. His wolf’s enthusiastic healing meant there was not even a hint of the pain that had been Caster’s gift. He reached for that memory, and arousal encroached on his relaxation. Caster had been right. He couldn’t have that every day, not without becoming completely useless, but he would try to get it at least once a week.

He smiled at his own silliness. He would never be in control of that situation. He was not in control of his own body. Even now, as his cock begged for his attention, he had little desire to give in. It, like every part of him, belonged to Caster and would only bend to his will.

That their connection went beyond the physical, beyond anything natural, had been confirmed last night. Mark had resolved to find Edie at the earliest convenience, needing to understand how Caster had been drawn into his mind space. He’d never heard of that happening, and he could already hear the chorus of objections and disapproval from the Werewolf Council. Not that they would ever find out. This was best kept between them.

He pushed out of the comfortable covers, his movements tentative, and then he saw it, the tiny card on the nightstand. His bare feet hit the floor as he reached for it, the message in perfect cursive warning him not to leave the house. Even written, the dominance in Caster’s instruction was difficult to ignore. He placed the card back on the table and walked towards the massive closet the note had directed him to. Caster had nothing to worry about. He was safe, even calm here, but he was sure the panic over Zeke and his new power would swallow him the moment he left this room, and he had no intention to revisit that feeling.

Once again, he marveled at the logistics that would ensure he had everything he needed in the space of a few hours. How had Caster done all of this without waking him? The choices were many, but he settled for a comfy t-shirt and jeans.

Another note and a full table were waiting for him in the living area. This note ordered him to eat and stay calm. Mark smiled as he selected a few options, poured a cup of coffee, and sat, placing his plate on the table. His wolf, sensing the possibility of nourishment, awoke for the first time. Like Mark, he seemed happy, calm as they both reveled in their food.

He was aware that he could not remain in this room forever, that Zeke and the witch had to be dealt with. But was it too much to hope for a few hours of peace? It was also impossible to fail to notice where he was. Caster's parents could not be ignored for too long. The Queen had been amazing, but what if the King disapproved of him for some reason?

Mark shook his head. There was no need to worry about something he couldn’t control anyway. Right now, he needed this good feeling and perhaps Edie. Out of habit, he reached into his pocket for his phone, only to remember that he must have left it at the cabin. Their exit had been hasty.

Unsure how he could reach Edie without the device, Mark rose, the comfort of the couch, of Caster’s scent all but forgotten. He reached for the ornate gold handle on the door, unaware of his actions or even his next steps until the door swung open and he nearly collided with Kyle.

He frowned.

Kyle’s face remained as stoic as always. “Do you need anything? I can get…”

“Shouldn’t you be with Caster?”