Page 29 of Dewitched

Telling him he hadn’t done anything wrong wouldn’t make it true. Telling him he hadn’t meantit wouldn’t help, either.

“No one was hurt,” he decided after a pause. “Confused and a little scared, but no lasting damage.”

“Iliana?”

“Completely fine. She’s at her cabin resting.” At least, she had better be.

Owen bobbed his head slowly. “That’s good.” His bottom lip quivered, and he shivered visibly. “How much trouble am I in?”

“You’re not in any trouble,talei.”

Instead of reassuring him, the information triggered more tears.

“Why is this happening to me?” Owen wrapped his arms around his knees and rounded his shoulders, collapsing in on himself. “Am I being punished for something?”

“I don’t know why this happened, but it’s not your fault.”

According to Owen, no one else in his family, going back to his great-grandparents, had exhibited even an ounce of magic.Accipereswere rare, but to have only one born within several generations was nearly unheard of.

With enough digging, he could probably find the answers, but he doubted logical, mundane reasoning would bring any comfort to his mate. Hell, maybe it would be better if hehadbeen cursed by the gods. Then he would have someone to blame besides himself.

“I don’t want to be like this.”

When Owen lifted his head again, Fenix schooled his expression despite the ache in his chest. His mate was in such obvious pain, and his very soul hurt for the guy. He also felt an overwhelming sense of undirected anger when he realized there wasn’t a damn thing he could do for him.

Fenix could help him learn control. He could seek guidance from someone more experienced. It would take time, though.Maybe years. And in that time, Owen would continue to suffer as he lived in fear of his own existence.

Instead of offering false promises or weak platitudes, he decided to do something useful. “Come on,talei.On your feet.”

After a lot of coaxing, he managed to get Owen out of his hiding place and into the main part of the clubhouse. He found a tower of fluffy towels, along with a separate stack of black cotton robes on a shelf by the row of sinks. At the same time, a glint of moonlight caught his eye, drawing his attention to the nearest basin.

A clear vial laid on its side, its stopper removed, and the remnants of thick green liquid stained the rim of the drain. Well, now he knew why Owen had made a stop at the cabin first.

He didn’t mention it as he grabbed the towel on the top of the stack and unfolded it. “Come here.”

Owen shuffled closer, his head down, and his eyes on the floor.

While he wanted to get his mate dry and warm as quickly as possible, he took his time, fussing over him while he blotted his face and hair. When he finished, he stripped Owen out of his sodden clothes, patted down the rest of his body, then wrapped him in one of the robes.

Now that he had assured his mate’s safety, Fenix finally allowed himself to feel all the emotions the night had brought. Scooping Owen into his arms, he held him close and breathed in his scent. When he wrapped his arms around Fenix’s neck and burrowed into him, he realized he had needed the physical contact as much as Owen.

They stayed that way for a long time, just silently holding each other in the darkness. Even when it came time to leave the pool house, he continued to cradle Owen against his chest as he carried him out of the building.

Rather than trekking through the woods, he followed the lighted, stone path that led to the Manor. When the castle cameinto view, however, every muscle in Owen’s body went rigid, and he tightened his arms around Fenix’s neck.

Not wanting to add to his stress, he took the more expedient route, turning off the trail and cutting across the lawn to his cabin. Inside, he carried his mate to the bed, but when he tried to place him on the mattress, Owen tensed his arms again, refusing to let go of him.

“Shh, easy,talei. I’m not going anywhere.” Pulling the blankets back, he tucked Owen beneath them, then stripped out of his own clothes before joining him. He gathered him into his arms and kissed his brow. “Everything is okay now. Just rest. Things will be better in the morning.”

Exhausted, both physically and mentally, Owen fell asleep quickly, but he never fully relaxed. His fingers remained clenched around Fenix’s wrist, and worry lines marred his brow, even in slumber. It took hours for his pulse to slow and his breathing to even, but every once in a while, he would flinch and gasp.

Despite what he’d said, he didn’t honestly believe daybreak would bring relief. So, it came as no surprise when the sun rose on a despondent Owen. He hadn’t, however, anticipated the depths of his mate’s depression or how long it would last.

For two days, Owen only left the bed to use the bathroom. He didn’t shower or change his clothes. He refused to eat. He didn’t speak, and he barely slept. Instead, he curled up in his blankets like a burrito and stared off into the distance, his eyes glazed and unfocused.

When the third day dawned with no change, Fenix had reached his limit. He was bred for action, not patience, and he hated feeling so fucking helpless. No amount of cajoling, bribing, or pleading had made a difference. His frustrated commands had been met with nothing more than slow blinks and stony silence.

There had been no interruption in the activities happening at the castle. No guests had decided to check out and leave early. While none of them knew exactly what had happened or who had caused it, many hotel patrons spoke of the incident with a sense of amusement.

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