Page 10 of Cupcake

“Yeah.” Dean placed the boxes he carried on top of the ones Axel set down. He pulled the one smaller container closer to the edge. Just in case.

“Coffee, tea, juice, milk, or water?” Axel offered.

“Tea, if you don’t mind.”

“No problem. I even know how to brew it properly,” Axel told him.

Dean watched as the alpha made Dean’s tea and poured himself a mug of coffee. Axel moved like a man who knew what he was doing. That surprised Dean. Axel seemed like a nice and kind alpha, but Dean had met many men who thought they were too good to make their own drinks. Alpha assholes were a dime a dozen. Not Axel though.

There was a relief that Dean’s first impression of the alpha had been correct.

He had spent little time around Axel or anyone outside of the bakery. His magic had reached out during the first meeting between the two of them, liking what it had found.

Axel returned to the island and set a cup of tea in front of him. “Please sit with me.”

Dean climbed up onto the stool across from the one that Axel took.

His magic reached out for him even as Dean waited for Axel to tell him what Dean was doing there. He checked the room they had passed earlier. Everyone was okay. No injuries there. But Logan wasn’t in there either.

Dean pushed his magic out farther.

Several suites were occupied. He paused at one where he did find that a human was hurt. Not seriously but enough to concern Dean. He’d try to find out more. To see if he could help.

Dean kept searching for his boy.

Finally, his magic brushed over the familiar shifter. Logan was still sound asleep. Dean allowed his magic to caress over the sweet young man. Peace, happy, safe. Logan was snug and warm. Dean could finally relax.

“I’m going to tell you a story. Share the details of what we found out last night and what we suspect,” Axel said quietly. “First I want to make an offer.”

“An offer?” Dean repeated. What would the alpha have to offer him?

“If you need us, our family, me, for anything…we are here for you.”

Dean’s stomach dropped. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He had no idea what was happening, but it wasn’t good. It couldn’t be good.

He didn’t interrupt as Axel started his explanation. Dean was taking in every word. There were so many questions circling around in his head. The more he heard, the more dread filled him.

“Then he told us that he wasn’t even here for his son,” Axel said. “Finding Mason had just been a bonus to the hunters. They were here looking for you.”

“Me?” Dean asked. That couldn’t be right. Dean had never come across any of the hunter groups. Hunters had pretty much become extinct. No one believed in the paranormal any longer.

“You are the only mage we’ve come across. He didn’t use your name, but yes, we believe he was after you. He owed your old coven a favor. The favor was to return you to them.”

They hadn’t given up. His old coven was still looking for him. Dean’s mind raced. There was so much he needed to do. Wardsand protection needed to be put in place. Should he leave? They had already found him. Dean should leave.

“There’s more,” Axel told him.

“What more could there be?” Dean was afraid to ask.

“The reason the hunters owed the coven was because of a past spell. A curse.”

“Black magic,” Dean guessed.

Axel nodded. He didn’t respond right away as he gulped down the remainder of his coffee.

Dean bounced his legs nervously.

Finally, Axel sighed as he pushed his empty mug away. “We believe the hunters used your coven to place the curse that stopped mates from being found.”

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