Marked Northern Shifters 1

slowly.
Mate . He was reacting to Alec as if he was his mate. It would have been obvious if he’d stopped to think this past week, but he hadn’t had the time. Liam pulled in a long breath, wondering how Alec would respond to this development. Probably not all that well. Who wants to have a werewolf as a mate, when you’ve been marked one year and shackled in a shed the next year?
“You okay, Liam?”
“Yes, thanks.” Though Liam wasn’t feeling all that grateful. Under the circumstances, he could have done with ignoring his feelings for a while longer. “I should wake Alec to drink something. He got really dehydrated.”
They both set up a tray with different drinks, some toast and porridge. She planted a kiss on his cheek and went to the den where David and the kids were playing their card games.
Liam roused Alec simply by speaking his name twice. On the second time, Alec sat up, gulping air, a wild expression on his face.
“Hey, it’s me, Alec.” Liam liked saying his mate’s name.
If Alec’s fear didn’t completely abate, at least he looked calmer. Once Alec understood Liam wanted him to drink and eat, he was quietly obedient about it, even mechanical, which Liam found a bit disturbing. They barely spoke. Alec used the washroom, rolled back into bed and went to sleep, all while Liam watched him.
He brought the empty tray down and Veronica was pleased Alec had eaten. Alec slept most of the day, Veronica watched the kids and David, gun in hand, went to pick up Seth, Veronica’s brother, from the airport.
At suppertime Alec ate again, had another shower and barely looked up while Liam ached for him. Exhaustion, Liam told himself. Well, exhaustion and shock .
    Dark again. It was dark too much of the time, what with the shortening of days and no light in the shed. His ankle hurt and he loathed the way he cringed whenever he heard a noise. He wanted to be strong. Had to be.
    He kept staring at the shackle. Despite the darkness, he could see it change from rust to black, as did the skin it touched. He tried to look away, to not think about it, but he was weak and his gaze went back to his leg. It became black like the shackle, turning to filth. He would disappear in this foul place, turn to black dust and blow away, and no one would ever know. He had never felt so alone.
“Alec, wake up.”
    Alec bolted to sitting, chest heaving, trying to get his bearings. His breathing was noisy. Again. He didn’t want to make noise, didn’t want to move.
“Alec, it’s me, Liam.”
Christ, he was in bed, Liam’s bed, not on that dirty floor. Alec looked down to see he was fisting the duvet comforter, as if holding on to feathers and cotton would somehow save him. How had he become such an object of ridicule this past week?
Liam wasn’t laughing, didn’t even seem amused, but Alec couldn’t face the golden werewolf, the man who had rescued him from captivity, who now fed him and took care of him, and Alec wasn’t entirely certain why. He didn’t know the rules in this new land of werewolves, quads and pets.
Yet he’d dreamed about this man every night in that godawful shed.
“It’s safe here.” Liam’s slightly halting voice sounded uncertain, which puzzled Alec. Liam had all the power here, or so Alec felt. “You’re safe here.”
Alec scrubbed his face. “Good.” He didn’t know about safe, but it was an improvement over the previous night.
Liam sat on the bed, near but not quite touching, and his presence calmed Alec, oddly enough. He managed to release his death hold on the bedding.
“Bad dream,” Alec explained, because he should say something to show he was in control. “I guess I’m sleeping too much.”
“It’s good. To sleep, that is.”
Alec let out a long, shaky breath. Silence reigned and Alec didn’t know what to say to his rescuer. Thanks stuck in his throat and he was afraid he’d choke on the word.
The bed shifted. Liam was leaving. God, Alec didn’t want to be alone again. He just couldn’t stand it right now. He swallowed.
“Liam,” he said quickly, moving across the bed, and Liam stopped. Alec had to at least look at the man, the werewolf , but he had trouble lifting his gaze, worried by what he might reveal of himself. Jesus, he was tired of feeling vulnerable. He clenched his jaw.
Before their eyes met, Liam shifted, as if to rise, and Alec threw himself at him, wrapping an arm around Liam’s neck, then another under his arm to hold onto his shoulder. Alec buried his