Marked Northern Shifters 1

now.
“—about a guy before. But.” Here she appeared to lose some hope for the romantic scenario she was conjuring. “Do you have any reason to believe Alec is looking for a boyfriend?”
“He’s attracted to me,” Liam said flatly. “I can smell it.”
“That’s great.”
Liam leaned forward, serious. “I can’t like him. He’s important to Ira. His class visits the library regularly and Alec reads to them. He has a way with Ira, who doesn’t normally allow people to get close. You know you and David are exceptions and that took months of rather intensive visiting.”
Veronica popped a carrot in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. “And yet, Ira is matchmaking.”
“Perhaps it’s his way of making the world a safer place.”
“Maybe you should trust Ira’s instincts.”
Liam jerked a shoulder impatiently. She was too romantic, Ira was a child. “C’mon, Veronica. I’ll freak Alec out and that will be the end of his friendship with Ira. If Alec doesn’t call the Children’s Aid Society to boot.”
“You’re clear with Children’s Aid.”
“I am now. I wouldn’t be after that phone call. Besides, it’s not fair to Ira.”
“You could work at not freaking Alec out. It doesn’t have to be a given. Go slow.”
Liam laughed, rather hopelessly.
“I was feral, too,” Veronica said softly.
God, Liam didn’t want to think about that. Veronica understood, more than anyone, what being wolf and only wolf was like. But, still, her time in the wild had been different. “You weren’t feral for six years, Vee.”
“No.”
“During puberty.” The words were dragged out of him, despite his longing to dismiss that part of his life. Something about Veronica made him talk.
“No, I was a feral adult.” Veronica’s gaze met his and it was as if he were looking into his own eyes. The gold was a rare eye color, except among werewolves. They’d figured out a while back that he and Veronica were second cousins. Their grandfathers had been brothers. “Liam, you’re not forever tainted or whatever it is you think in that pretty head of yours.”
Liam shrugged irritably and tried to focus on the vegetables he was supposed to cut while Veronica continued, “Don’t give up on finding someone special. We werewolves need mates. You know that.”
Crossing his arms, Liam readied himself for a you-can-find-a-mate pep talk. Madly in love with her husband, Veronica couldn’t imagine life without a mate. Liam could. He lived the life. “I have Ira to raise. That’s all I need.”
She left it. “You’re a wonderful brother.”
“I’m a brother.” Liam could agree with that much. “The only one he’s got. I do my best.”
“No!” yelled Ira, and Liam jumped back before Ira started laughing.
“You do remember David is good with Ira, don’t you?” Veronica said wryly though she understood Liam’s distrust of normals. “He knows boys. He half-raised his nephew.”
Rounding the corner, Ira raced into the kitchen. “David says that in The Order of the Phoenix Harry gets turned into a fire-breathing dragon who becomes Snape’s best friend forever .”
David followed Ira in. “Hmmm, maybe I got the details wrong.”
With a roll of his eyes, Ira declared quite happily, “I know you’re wrong.”
“Ira, hon, help me set the table,” Veronica asked.
The boy obliged, picking up plates and following her into the dining room.
David held up a palm. “I swear I did not bring up The Book.”
Liam sighed. “I know. Last year I thought it wise to ban the story where Harry’s new guardian dies, but now I’ve created an obsession.”
“Won’t a classmate tell Ira about the death of Sirius?”
“Maybe.” It had yet to happen. “Ira doesn’t talk much at school.”
David hitched a hip against the counter. “But he has a new friend, Alec, who’s coming over. That’s a good development.”
Evidently David thought Alec was Ira’s classmate. Liam paused, but he just didn’t have the mental resources to talk about Alec with David.
“Come eat, you guys,” Ira called, saving Liam from the need to explain Alec was an adult.
And the only guy who had kissed Liam in a couple of years.
Chapter Two
    The following Saturday it rained all day, a chilling rain with the occasional flash of lightning—late in the season for thunderstorms. By three p.m. Ira was bouncing off the walls. Liam wrestled him for a while, which calmed Ira and distracted him from watching the clock. But at three-thirty, Alec still