Marked Northern Shifters 1

burning face in Liam’s neck. He didn’t know what the fuck he was doing. He didn’t even trust Liam, who had stiffened under the onslaught. But Alec couldn’t manage to let go.
Alec feared he was going to cling if Liam tried to disengage him. Instead, Liam relaxed and lay back, his strong, comforting arms coming around Alec. He held Alec, one warm hand against his ribs, while the other hand stroked his back through the thin cotton—a featherlight touch on his spine, his muscles, his shoulder blades.
Obviously Liam could hear Alec’s breath rattle in and out—it took all his energy not to break down—but it didn’t seem so bad if Liam hugged him. Nothing seemed quite so bad then. Except Alec had to ask. Had to. He didn’t want to.
“They said you told them.” He gritted out each word against Liam’s neck. “Where I was.”
Beneath him Liam went still.
“Gabriel said,” Alec forced out, in case he wasn’t making sense. “You gave me. To Gabriel.”
“ No .” The word was flat, calm and indestructible. “I would never tell Gabriel about you, Alec.”
“Said you were sick of fucking me. Gave me—”
“No, Alec.” Liam pulled him closer, when Alec was already wrapped tight around him. “That would never happen. Never . Gabriel lied to you.”
The tension leached from Alec’s body, and he sank into Liam who didn’t stop touching him, reassuring him with those hands.
“Alec, will you look at me?”
Alec shook his head against Liam.
“Okay. But let me tell you something. Gabriel hates me and I am going to kill Gabriel. Rip out his throat. That is our relationship. I do not give people to Gabriel, especially people I care about and I care about you a lot.”
They were silent, Alec breathing against Liam’s neck. Liam’s fingers dancing over Alec’s back in a reassuring pattern.
Liam’s next words seemed to come with more difficulty. “My mother gave me to Gabriel, as a werewolf, to run with his pack—I realize that was a little different than your situation—but it is the worst thing she ever did to me. I would never give anyone else to that man. Especially you.”
After a time, Alec admitted, “It was hard to hear Gabriel say that about you and me.”
Liam kissed Alec’s hair. At some point during their embrace, Liam had hardened beneath him and while it didn’t alarm Alec, he said, “No fucking, Liam. Okay?”
“No fucking,” he agreed, his fingers combing through Alec’s hair. Liam didn’t say anything else. He just held and touched Alec, whose eyelids relaxed. At some point, he didn’t know when, he fell asleep on top of Liam.
Chapter Eleven
    They slept tangled. Well, Alec did most of the sleeping, while Liam marveled that Alec now lay safely in his arms. It felt too precious, this embrace. Veronica had been right. In one of her interminable, if well-meaning, you-need-a-mate lectures, she had informed Liam that wolves required touch because they were more tactile than most normals.
“What about Trey?” Liam had asked. “You can’t get more lone wolf than that.”
    Veronica had just looked irritated. “An exception and even then, I sometimes wonder… Besides, you don’t exactly model yourself on Trey.”
Liam breathed in Alec’s scent. Hardly stress-free, but the worst of his shock had subsided. It was a good sign that Alec had asked him about Gabriel’s lies. It showed trust, even if Alec couldn’t seem to look him in the eye for any length of time. What that was about, Liam didn’t know. Before Gabriel, Alec had met his gaze no problem.
The rage began to build again. During the night, Liam had cycled through his emotions, alternating between this incredible tenderness for Alec and fury at Gabriel who had to die.
Alec shifted, Liam ran a hand down his spine and Alec jolted away, rearing back, eyes wide and confused.
Well, Alec was meeting his gaze, but terror wasn’t quite what Liam wanted.
“Morning,” Liam murmured.
Still not awake, Alec stared and Liam could hear his lover’s heart hammering. He reached out and encircled Alec’s wrist, finding the rapid pulse. Alec looked down at the contact, but did not pull his hand away, even while he disentangled his legs from Liam’s.
“Sorry if I woke you,” said Liam.
At that, Alec did retrieve his arm, and rubbed his face. Without a word, he slid off the bed and padded over to the washroom. As Liam went to take his turn, they passed each other by the door and Alec leaned away from him.
When Liam emerged, Alec sat