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Chapter 10

Caleb did not want to be here.

He hadn’t been back to this house since he’d run away on his sixteenth birthday. Now he stood facing the huge studded oak door, fighting down the urge to turn and run again. He held his ground. These days, he ran from nothing.

After Regan had walked out of his office, he’d sat for a while considering his next move. It occurred to him that only by finding the answers behind Regan’s attack could he make this thing go away and get his life back on track. Also, if he could discover what Ethan wanted with Regan, then maybe she would give up her search— a search that could only end badly for her. His wolf didn’t like the thought of anything bad happening to Regan.

He’d tried to tell himself it wasn’t his problem, but some inner voice plagued him constantly, whispered in his mind that she was his.

Which was stupid.

First, she was not his, and second, he’d never met anyone more capable of looking after herself than Regan. All the same, he couldn’t get rid of the nagging need to take care of her.

So, here he was.

He pushed at the door. It swung open, but he hesitated a second longer, reluctant to step inside. This was the house where he had spent much of his childhood. Being here made his skin crawl and the scars on his back burn like fire. He swallowed the loathing and stepped into the dark, wood-paneled hallway, pausing to allow his eyes to adjust to the dim light.

He found Ethan in his study, seated behind the huge oak desk. Caleb swallowed the rush of hatred and stepped inside.

“So,” Ethan said, “are you here to tell me you’ve changed your mind about my offer?”

“You mean the offer where I come in with you and we take over the world?” Caleb shrugged. “Perhaps. Why don’t you tell me a bit more about it?”

Ethan’s eyes narrowed, and his gaze ran over Caleb before returning to his face. “What are you really doing here?”

Caleb crossed the room and sat down in the chair opposite. “I want to know about the woman in the forest that night.”

Ethan’s gaze flew to his face. “Shit. I thought she’d gotten away, that maybe the charm hadn’t worked, but you took her.”

Caleb said nothing.

“I wondered if you were involved,” Ethan said. “But I told myself you wouldn’t be so stupid. Obviously, I was wrong. I suppose you took the charm off her.”

Caleb nodded. “Who is she? And what did you want her for?”

Ethan’s gaze burned into him, and curiosity filled his eyes. “What’s it to you? You want nothing to do with this world, remember?”

“Tell me.”

Ethan pursed his lips. “I might. If you tell me something first—did she change?”

Caleb nodded. “Why didn’t you go after her again? You obviously know where she lives.”

“The only reason we managed to take her the first time was because she wasn’t expecting it. It won’t be so easy next time. She might be arrogant, but she’s not stupid.” Ethan smiled. “But that’s not going to matter if she has changed. She’ll have to come to my call.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

“All new wolves must answer to their maker.”

“Maybe, but she’s strong. She already has control of her wolf. I doubt she’ll come to you.” He gave his father a cold smile. “Unless it’s to kill you.”

“You sound as though you admire her.” He looked at Caleb closely. “Don’t tell me you’ve gotten involved with this woman.”

Caleb didn’t answer.

“You’ve slept with her? Jesus, do you know what she is? She’s a witch, and not just any witch. She’s the oldest, strongest—”

“How old?”