Page 29 of Only You, No One Else

She patted his hand. “Your wolf seems contented enough. How do you feel?”

“Great. I just don’t…” He took a breath and tried again. “What if Zeke comes back and Caster isn’t here?”

She shook her head. “He is. And the protection spell means that he can find you anywhere.” She leaned back into the couch. “He found you in the most impossible of places.” Her gaze moved past his shoulder and gained a faraway quality. “Perhaps it has something to do with your connection.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “It might explain why Zeke won’t leave you alone.”

“What?”

She ignored the urgency of his question, surprising him by jumping out of her seat. “We need to find Amelia.”

He followed her to a door she had already opened, ignoring the frown on Kyle’s face. “I can’t leave.”

She stopped and turned to him, her momentum already carrying her halfway through the silent hallway away from him. Kyle stood in his way, and he nodded at the bodyguard. He wasn’t about to disobey Caster’s instructions to stay in this room until he returned.

Edie stared at him for a long moment and then nodded to herself. “OK. But she won’t come here, not unless His Majesty can guarantee her safety.”

“That he can.” Kyle’s confidence was reassuring. Of course, he’d been eavesdropping. He shrugged. “But there are other moving parts. I’ll let Caster tell you all of that when he gets back.”

Mark looked at Edie, unsure if he should ask her to stay, but she beat him to it. “I’ll go gather a few things, and we can try to talk to her. Is it OK if I bring Adella?”

He nodded, and she turned to leave, her steps an echo in the silence. He looked at Kyle. “I need my phone.”

Kyle shook his head. “There is no way to get it. But I can get you a new one. I’ll have someone bring it up.” He indicated the hallway, leading to a curved staircase. “He didn’t specifically say you can’t leave. If you want to look at the grounds, I can accompany you.”

Mark considered the offer. His wolf could sense large grounds, perhaps even a forest around the property. But he shook his head. It was best to stay inside at least until he understood what was happening to him.

CHAPTER 19

“We need the Prime Alpha here, now!” Marcus was barely in control of his anger, and Caster could understand his agitation. But even as he tried to explain the considerable threat Zeke posed to his kind, Caster’s mind remained on Mark’s safety.

His father had been busy, and Caster was not comfortable leaving Mark alone, even with Riley’s reassurance that the protection spell would always work as designed. So, they tore Marcus away from the latest attempt to locate Uncle Lucien.

He shook his head. “Can you imagine what he’s dealing with?”

The tension coming off Marcus in waves was rare. “So, he always could control all other wolves?” There was a hint of pride, even admiration, shining through the anger in Marcus’s tone. Even in the midst of the enormous threat they would soon have to face, it was impossible not to admire the Prime Alpha’s impressive ability.

He nodded. “I always suspected, and Mark confirmed it.”

Marcus rose from his seat, moving around his massive desk to lean against it. “How is he?”

Caster’s heart swelled at the question. The concern Marcus didn’t try to hide shone through the three words, and Caster thanked the man who was a second father to him with a nod. “He’s fine. Zeke tried to get to him, but he couldn’t.” There was no need to reiterate that he would die first before allowing that resurrected Alpha anywhere near Mark.

Marcus nodded. “Good. He stays here until we figure this out.” He pushed off the desk, his full attention on Riley. “I need the protection spells on the house reinforced.”

“Already on it,” Riley said, the low hum that was his power distant, but ready to be deployed.

Marcus turned to Caster. “Do you think Mark can convince his brother to come here, even for a few hours? I think we need to have a formal meeting with him and the members of his Council that remain loyal.”

“It's doable. I know his priority is protecting Mark, so yes, he’ll come.”

“Good.” Marcus moved back to his chair and sat with a sigh. He glanced at his watch. “Damien should be here in a few minutes with X and Cy.” He rubbed at his eyes, and his mask slipped for a second to reveal a frustration Caster could understand. “I’ll arrange for that meeting as soon as they get here. Your mother wants everyone gathered for dinner tonight. Do you want Mark to meet your father before then? It might be less overwhelming for him.”

Caster nodded again, Marcus’s concern for Mark warming his heart. He smiled. “He’s already intimidated. A formal dinner with everyone there might not be a great way to introduce them.”

Marcus chuckled. “Yes, your father has that effect on people.”

Riley stood with a sigh, transforming the light moment into one loaded with potent tension. “I’ll go check on Ben and Mikey.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Then deal with the protection spell.”

Caster watched his powerful friend walk out of the room, each step he took towards the door heavier than the last, and he worried for him. Something was going on with Riley that he seemed unwilling or unable to share. But a friendship borne of trust over centuries told him patience was the right call. Riley would tell him when he was ready, and Caster would be here to offer his support in any way he could.