Marked Northern Shifters 1

from the bedroom.
“Mr. Alec!” The joyful greeting from down the hall startled Alec. He tried not to look alarmed as Ira raced towards him and screeched to a halt two feet away to stare at Alec’s stomach.
At the boy’s characteristic shyness, Alec couldn’t help but smile. “Hey, Ira.”
With that, Ira beamed up at him. “You’re here.”
“Yup.” Alec found he didn’t know what to say. Usually not a problem he had when conversing with eight-year-olds. Then again, usually he hadn’t just been rescued from psychotic werewolves by, he hoped, non-psychotic werewolves.
Ira was a werewolf.
“My friend, Alec!” came a high piping voice and, from out of the living room, Claire scrambled towards him on all fours before rising up to throw herself into his arms, giving Alec no choice but to catch her.
“Hey, Claire.”
She nuzzled into his chest.
Ira scowled at them. “Get off, Claire. I was here first.” He reached up to pull at the girl, who just clung tighter.
A woman, Veronica of the golden eyes, rounded the corner.
“I was first. It’s my turn, not hers .” Ira looked dangerously close to tears.
“Ira. Claire. Give Alec a chance to eat breakfast, okay?” She detached Claire from Alec and the young girl went to her easily, snuggling into her new caretaker. Claire seemed to just soak up physical affection.
“She has to learn about taking turns,” Ira muttered darkly. “She doesn’t know anything. Everyone has to explain the rules of a game ten thousand times and she still doesn’t get it.”
“Ira,” Veronica warned.
“And why does she act like a baby, being carried all the time?”
“Ira,” repeated Veronica. “Be nice.”
Ira stuck out his lower lip while Claire looked down through her eyelashes. Her slightly smug expression was one Alec had never seen before. Well, no doubt it had been hard for Claire to feel smug in that damned shed.
“Where’s Liam?” asked Alec, aiming for a casual tone, but his face heated up. He felt uneasy talking to Veronica, which embarrassed him. This woman had driven him away from Gabriel’s two nights ago. She was one of the good guys, surely.
“He’s with my brother,” she answered.
Gawd, not another werewolf.
She gestured backwards, thumb indicating the living room, but Alec couldn’t see anyone. “I’d also like you to meet my husband, David.”
Alec’s chest tightened. Six. There were too many of them . And only one of him. He fought against his rising panic.
As if reading his mind, or more likely his pained expression, Veronica continued, “My husband is not a werewolf. I think he’ll be a bit relieved to have another normal around.”
“Normal?” Alec just kept his voice from cracking. “Is that what I am?” His parents would be so relieved that he was no longer considered a deviant. They had longed to think of him as normal. He ran a hand over his face to collect himself. Hell, why did he have to think of his parents now?
Veronica smiled reassuringly and Alec supposed all his fears and insecurities were on display. He’d never been an expert dissembler when stressed. And make no mistake, he was stressed now. Where was Liam?
Still carrying Claire, Veronica led him across the threshold of the living room. As Alec stepped in, the space opened up and people suddenly appeared. It was with great relief that Alec saw Liam. Eyes intense, Liam strode across to him from the opposite end of the room. Despite his reaction to Liam and the comfort of his presence, Alec had a hard time holding Liam’s gaze. He had an excuse to look away because Veronica was introducing Alec to “her mate” David, a blond, compact, muscular man who appeared to be making some kind of complicated Lego castle.
David looked up. “Ira, I thought I was helping you here, not making towers on my own.”
Ira, face still red from his anger at Claire, mumbled to David, “I wanted to say hello to Alec.”
“Uh-huh. But come help me now.” Obediently, Ira crouched down and his expression lightened as he focused on the activity. Then David lifted his gaze to Alec. “Hi there. Any good with Legos?”
“Uh…” Not now. Alec’s hands still had a tremor he detested and he didn’t want the others to see it.
David rose to shake hands, smiled when Claire announced that Alec was her special friend, and took himself back to the Legos and Ira.
Another man walked over, dark haired, weirdly blue eyed. Like Gabriel. Alec suppressed a shudder. Introductions were again made.