Spirit Bound- Chapter Seventy-Nine by plainwalk < Submission

Keywords male 1306602, cub 321002, wolf 207926, gay 162129, magic 28159, series 5000, rottweiler 2428, akita 1770, barepawed 756, highschool 649

Chapter 79: The Legacy

     Liam leaned against the pillar on the porch, looking down at his grandson with his emotions in complete chaos.  The smells, the sights, the very feeling of the air immediately took him back one hundred and fifty years ago, to the day he walked down these stairs arm in arm with his new bride.  To the day one hundred and forty seven years ago when he carried Aedan out into brisk autumn air for the first time.  To so, so, many memories of this place.  Even looking at little Den he had trouble seeing the adult Spirit he met for the first time less than one week ago, the first time as Liam.  Instead he saw the eight year old pup who’d run down the lane, dodging horses and carts, to welcome his poppy home.  “Oh, Den.  How I’ve missed you.”
     Den ran up the few steps and pulled Liam into a tight hug, both of them crying in a welter of emotions.  “Welcome home, Poppy.  I’ve missed you, too.  You can’t believe how much I’ve missed you.”
     Liam smiled tremulously, his vision blurred by tears.  “So little and yet so much has changed, Den.  I-I see it all as I did then; the smells are so similar, lacking only the scent of the horses that trotted down this lane and the leather of the harnesses and saddles, that it is hard to separate the two times.  The sight of the trees are also different and the same.  I see the oaks across the way have died, yet the new ones are almost the same size as they were when I would lay gazing out my window upon my deathbed.”
     Den pulled back a bit, pain etched on his face.  He could barely choke out the words, “Don’t… please don’t talk about that, Poppy.  It’s been a long time, but it still hurts.”
     Liam put his paw on Den’s cheek.  “Sorry.  Your face looks the same as it did when you visited; the same expression, the same eyes, but my paw covers so little of it, now.”  Liam looked past the large wolf, out into the neighbourhood, but his eyes saw very little of the modern scenery.  “I wonder if my parcel has arrived from London, yet, Den.  I’m expecting some letters and perhaps a little something else.  Do you want to take a stroll down to see what’s at the post?  We can see if Lorie has any biscuits left when we get back, just don’t tell her.”  Liam gave his grandson a conspiratorial smile, as he placed his index finger against his nose and winked.
     Den looked almost stricken by the words.  He pulled Liam close, again, and began crying in earnest.
     Liam barely registered the wondering looks they were getting from the Spirits walking by, but Faelen noticed.  His voice was a little rough with emotion as he said, “We should bring this stuff inside and take a moment to calm down before seeing the Alpha.  We’re on a bit of a tight schedule, what with Conor’s meeting.”
     Liam wasn’t sure how much of Faelen’s emotions were the wolf’s or Liam’s, which could have spilled over through their link, but Faelen seemed very over wrought, too.  Liam patted Den’s shoulder.  “Come along, pup.  He’s right, let’s go in and have a cuppa while we sit a spell.”
     Den smiled weakly as he followed Liam into the house.  “Granny Lorena hates it when you say that.  Da sometimes says ‘cuppa’ just to rile her.”
     Liam winked again.  “So do I.  It’s one of the reasons I say it, Den.  That and all my associates in London do and sometimes it slips out when I’m home.”
     Faelen ran out to the kitchen to put the tea things on, after he gave Geoff a ‘you stay there’ look.
     Gwen was still following quietly along, and sat by Den when they got to the living room.  She looked at Liam, who was on the other side of Den, and back.  “He’s too young to be your grandda, Faeden.  And I thought we were supposed to call him ‘sensei’.  Isn’t he…” She looked around then up at Faeden.  “Um, nothing.”  Liam guessed she was going to say something about Faelen dating him.
     Geoff was sitting in an armchair nearby.  He didn’t say anything but just leaned back, amused, and waited to see what Liam would say.
     Liam raised an eyebrow at his friend and leaned forward to look past Den at Gwen.  “Yes, lass.  I am… was…”  He shook his head and pushed Lowell back.  “Indeed, young McDougal.  I am too young to be Den’s grandfather, and I am not related to the O’Conall’s.  The matter is quite complicated and I do not wish to go into it.  I do ask that you keep this secret, however.  It would raise questions amongst certain people that could cause many problems for everyone, including your father and the Alpha.”
     Gwen’s eyebrows drew together.  “Are you threatening my da, Sensei?”  Liam could feel her start to manifest.  Her bear shivered slightly in her arms and began to turn its head to face Liam.
     Den rubbed her head and pulled her into his side.  “No, darling, he isn’t.  It is complicated and it could cause a lot of problems.  It’s one of your Uncle Rolph things.”  He rubbed the tears off his cheeks and sniffled.
     “Oh.  Okay.  He needs to grow up and stop being so loud and bel… belligerent.”
     Nathanial sat up straighter, then Faelen called out from the kitchen, “Thanks, Nathanial.”  A large tea set floated out, at the same time Liam noticed their belongings start to float down the hall and toward the second floor.
     Conor and Avery walked into the living room; Dirk walked by and it sounded like he was beginning to inspect the house.  Avery looked around.  “Is everything all right?  It looks a little… weepy in here.”
     Faelen came out the kitchen and began serving the tea.  “It’s an emotional homecoming, ma’am.  It’s been a while.”
     She looked very sympathetic.  “I see.  Take your time, then.”  She walked over and put her paw on Nathanial’s shoulder.  “I saw your things go upstairs.  Do you know which rooms they go into?”
     Nathanial nodded.  “Yeah, it’s pretty obvious.  Faelen’s room must take a lot of cleaning; I’d never have thought of putting a bed inside a fog machine like thing, even if it’s all enclosed.  It must get pretty mouldy if it isn’t cleaned often, even without sheets or other fabrics .”
     Liam considered what Nathanial said.  He must mean there is an enclosed area around a bed, like a large shower stall, that had one or more humidifiers blowing into it.  For a Mist Spirit it must be a very pleasant place, but it would be very hard to recreate elsewhere.  Which was likely why Faelen’s room in Nova Scotia was not modified the same way, as they did not know how long they would remain in Canada.
     Faelen grimaced; the mould problem must have happened once or twice.  “I like sleeping with blankets, but if I’m forced to choose I prefer just the fog.  Yes, I have to wash down the whole enclosure every day or two in order to make sure no mould starts to grow… or mushrooms.  Thankfully, Geoff can warn me before it becomes a problem.”
     Nathanial tipped his head to the side before the figurative light bulb flicked on.  “Ah!  Dark Elemental!  Mould and fungus fall into your domain, don’t they, Geoff?  So you can tell when they start to grow?  That’s neat!”
     Liam took a drink of his tea and shuddered.  Of course it would be black tea.  He poured a bit of sugar in and squeezed some lemon into it.  Den looked at him quizzically, so Liam answered the unspoken question.  “I find bitter tastes are much stronger than I used to; they are quite overpowering.  I have great difficulty drinking black teas, and find coffee completely unpalatable.”
     Conor looked at the clock.  “Okay, everyone, have your cup then we must see Da.”  He looked annoyed, he must be thinking the meeting with the Canadian Spirits was an unnecessary complication added onto an already complicated weekend.  Liam would have to agree.
     “Poppy,” Faelen asked, “Do you know if Kiera is back yet?  I was hoping to get her to watch over Geoff while we’re talking to Granny Lorena.”
     Den pulled out his Blackberry and checked something on it.  “Her last class ended at four.  I told her she needs to come home this weekend, so she would’ve gotten a ride back with Iain.  That would… I guess she’s back, and has been for a few hours.  What’s the time difference, again?”
     Conor sipped his tea, then answered, “Four.  It’s a little after twenty hundred.”
     “She’ll be home having supper.  She’s starting to get out of the habit of having supper, so she’ll probably not be eating much.”
     Faelen walked over to the phone as he said, “I’ll give her a heads up, then.  This meeting with the Alpha shouldn’t take long since it’s just an introduction.”
     Liam finished off his bitter tea and put his cup and saucer on the table.  “Yet we do not know how long the work on the teleporter will take.  I should be present for that.”
     Nathanial shook his head.  “No, you go ahead and talk to the O’Conalls.  We’ll be up for several hours and I won’t be working on it tonight, I think, just looking.  I want to do a thorough analysis, then go over what I see, first.  I can do that part with you, later, or even when we wake up.”
     Liam nodded, so Faelen dialled the phone.  Avery stood up and walked to the door, pausing with her paw on the frame.  “Gwen, what do you want for supper?  Grilled cheese?”
     Dirk flinched at the same time Nathanial did.  Dirk spoke first, “Avery, no.  I’ll make something, just…”  He stood up and walked toward the kitchen.  “Da, go with Conor while I cook supper for Avery and Gwen, please.”
     Gwen watched him go, blankly.  “But I like grilled cheese.”
     Nathanial still had a slightly pained expression.  “It’s not good for you, Gwen.  Too much starch, fats, and calories, and no vegetables.  Even with a salad it’s only an okay meal.”
     Avery looked annoyed.  “It’s not like I feed her grilled cheese every night, Nathanial.  I’m not the cook you and Dirk are, but I can make some things.  I’m just not willing to put the time into cooking when there’s so much going on.”
     Liam stood up.  “Would we be going now?  Is it not time for the Alpha to sup, as well?  I do not wish to interrupt his repast.”
     Conor stood up, too, and put his half empty cup down.  “He told me to go over as soon as we got here; he probably ate a little earlier than normal.  Nathanial, Liam-sensei, follow me.”
     Geoff and Faelen froze halfway out of their seats; Faelen had just finished talking to his aunt.  Geoff seemed to speak for both of them, “What?  We’re not going?”
     Faelen glanced at Geoff, then Liam, and Conor.  “Sir?  Wouldn’t the Alpha want to see Geoff, his grandson, first?  It’s been a while since he saw him.  Even if we aren’t in the room when Liam and Nathanial are introduced, wouldn’t protocol dictate family be shown before new people?”
     Conor seemed amused.  “No, it’s the opposite, but good try.  Stay.  Da will probably send for you, or come over himself when we come back.  I bet he’ll want to watch Nathanial look at the teleporter for a bit.  Don’t worry, I’ll be there to keep Da in line, so will Faeden.”
     Nathanial looked like he was about to fall unconscious; his legs were shaking such that he was unable to stand.  Geoff moved over and pulled him into a hug; Nathanial clung to him as if Geoff were all that was keeping him from drowning.
     Liam felt a little alarmed and moved over to check Nathanial’s heart, to ensure he was not about to have an attack.
     Conor looked worried, too.  “I’m sorry, Nathanial.  Please, calm down.  Da isn’t some sort of ogre, he’s a very… he’s a bit gruff, but he’s not nearly as bad as that Knight you were with yesterday.  If you can sweet talk that guy, Da will be a cinch.”
     Nathanial’s eyes were still wide as saucers, but he relaxed his death-grip on Geoff, though he did not release him.  “Th-then why a-are you always talking about him l-like you’re all terrified of him?  You’re his f-family and you’re scared of him!”
     Geoff did not have an answer, but Avery did.  “It’s his position, not his person.  Luke is very dutiful and takes his role seriously.  It comes first, before friends, before family.  He’s also… gruff, like Conor said, and has a quick temper, like me, but he doesn’t back down or change his mind after he says something in anger.  Not very often, anyway.”
     Conor looked at Nathanial a little sternly, but kept his tone a little light, “That’s why I want you on your best behaviour, Nathanial.  Don’t goad him into saying something in anger, don’t go picking fights, and don’t light into him about anything.  He’ll rise up to your challenge and things will just escalate as fast as your first tea with Avery, but without the quick cool down.  He holds grudges for a long time.”
     Nathanial still looked terrified, but nodded slightly.
     Liam stepped back a little relieved, and nearly bumped into Snow.  “Snow, you should not appear behind people like that.  It is fortunate you are too large to trip over, but it is still an unpleasant surprise.”  Liam then addressed the room at large, “Nathanial is unharmed; his heart did not suffer additional damage, but this fright did put unwanted and unwelcome strain upon it.  Be at peace, Nathanial, I will be with you.”
   Geoff leaned back a bit so he could press his nose against Nathanial’s.  “Grandda is very serious, but he’s not a bad guy.  If you stay on his good side then he’s a very nice, if serious, person.”
     Gwen, who stopped manifesting, looked down at her bear then held it out to Nathanial.  “Here.  Do you want my bear to watch out for you, for a bit?  Grandda says she’s very scary and ferocious.”
     Nathanial smiled at her, a little shakily, and put his paw on Snow’s head.  “Thanks, Gwen, but I have my own protector.  Snow is always nearby, and can come whenever I call.”  Nathanial pulled a bit away from Geoff to rub his muzzle against Snow’s affectionately.  “Thanks, for being here, Snow.”  Snow’s tail thumped a few times, while Nathanial disengaged from Geoff and shakily stood up.
     Gwen looked at Snow with wide eyes; Liam was unsure as to how she could have not seen him earlier.  She sounded awed as she asked, “Did you make him out of darkness?  I thought only Geoff could do that.”
     Snow huffed and turned around to put his back to her.  Nathanial rubbed Snow’s flank.  “No, Snow is a person like us.  He just looks a little different and comes from the Plane of Darkness.  He’s my friend.”  Nathanial’s smile faded as he looked over at Conor with wide eyes.  “W-we should g-g-go.  Um, you have a m-meeting.”
     Gwen hugged her bear to her chest again, and resumed watching everyone with a serious and slightly curious expression.
   Geoff grabbed Nathanial’s paw; his expression was very concerned.  “You’ll be okay.  Don’t worry, I’ll be close by and Da will be with you.”
    Conor looked amused, concerned, and fond; a very odd mix, but understandable.  “Let him go, Geoff.  You’re right, so let’s get going.”
     They walked outdoors, again.  Liam found himself slowing down as the scent of the Irish landscape assaulted his nose.  It was just so powerful and familiar that it was almost impossible to keep Lowell and all of his memories back.
     They walked next door and up onto the porch of the ancient home of the Alpha of the Cork Clan.  The home, by all outward appearances, was rather modest for its importance.  He, as Lowell, was rather unimpressed the first time he ascended the few stone steps up to the single width front door.  The whole building was made of grey stone, except for the brown stones framing the windows and on the corners of the square two storey house.  It was not over large, even compared to the smaller stature of homes of the time.  Compared to the rambling mansions of the modern era, it was positively quaint.
     That did not stop the fond memories of his times here from bubbling up.  He trotted ahead of Conor and opened the door, wiping his paws on the mat.  He waved at the Spirit who walked toward him with a broad smile.  “Good evening, Tanai!  I trust we aren’t interrupting the Alpha’s meal?  I believe he’s expecting us.”  Liam clapped the shocked wolf on the shoulder.  “No worries, my good man.  I know where to find him.  Do us a favour and bring up some of that good scotch I know he keeps hidden away; I could use a dram, and I know Ruarc always can.”
     Conor stopped in his tracks and Tanai’s jaw dropped.  Tanai’s eyes were wide, almost as if he’d seen a ghost.  “L-Lowell?  Is that… is that really you?  What…?”
     “Tanai?  You look a little faint.  Go sit a spell, or join us for a spot.  Ruarc can spare a fingers worth of scotch for your health.  And why so surprised?  I’m only a touch late; I sent a letter on saying my business was running a little longer than expected.  Poor Den was a little worked up on my return, but the lad is quite fond of me.  I didn’t think you cared for me so.”  Liam looked around.  “Speaking of, where did my grandson go?  He was right behind me just a moment ago.”  He saw Den and Nathanial still outside; it looked like Nathanial was having trouble making his legs work.  He heard a thump behind him as Tanai slid down the wall to the floor.
     Conor seemed to snap out of a stunned daze.  “Liam!  Sensei, tend to Tanai while I get Nathanial in here.”
     Liam shook himself and came back to the present.  “Yes, Conor-san.  My apologies.”  He trotted over to the elderly Spirit while Conor went back outside.  He checked Tanai’s vitals and did a quick scan; the Spirit was very old, and such a shock must have taxed him greatly.  He was the manservant of the previous Alpha, Ruarc McDougal, for over a hundred years before he, as Lowell, met them.
     Tanai was in surprisingly good health, and quickly revived.  He still looked scared as he met Liam’s eyes.  “L-Lowell?  How is this possible?”
     Liam helped him to his hindpaws, then into the small receiving room of the entry hall.  “Sit, sir.  My name is not Lowell, it is Liam Smith.  You fell unconscious shortly after I stepped in.  Are you well?  Shall I fetch you some tea or other beverage?”
     Tanai’s face betrayed his confusion; the Spirit knew what he heard, but he didn’t want to believe it, and, yet, he likely did want to believe his old friends and family could return.  Tanai voice shook, the deep timbre he used to have was faded with age, “Liam… Lowell… You don’t look like Lowell at all, but I saw… I heard him.  I know I heard him.  He, you… Lowell sounded like he did every summer after he came back from a Season in London.  You’re not Lowell?”  Tanai’s voice quavered at the end.  He still sounded hopeful and scared at the same time.
     Conor cleared his throat at the doorway.  “How is he, Healer?”  An obvious reminder to hurry.
     Liam stepped back.  “He is in good health, but I recommend he rest for today and tomorrow.”  He struggled to keep Lowell from commenting on Tanai’s strong O’Conall work ethic.  Tanai was Lorena’s uncle.
     Nathanial and Den were waiting in the hall, and Nathanial peeked around Conor to look at Liam.  The akita was terrified.  It appeared no amount of reassurance was going to help calm him down, so it was best to finish this as quickly as possible.
     He clapped Tanai on the shoulder, “Buck up.  A day off will be good for you; spend some more time with the family.  When was the last time you had lunch with Lorie down in the village?  I can watch the pups for the afternoon; sweet Aoife can be a bit of a pawful, but I can manage.”  Liam hid a wince as he pushed Lowell away again.
     Tanai’s jaw dropped.  “Y-you are Lowell!  Don’t try to dissemble with me, you charlatan!  I was always on to you, with your schemes and plots!  You silver tongued demon, you had the whole Clan dancing to your tune before you up and faked your death!”
     Liam put on a pained expression and held his paws out pleadingly.  “Now, now, Tanai.  Is that any way to speak to a guest of the Alpha, Conor, and Faeden? And, really, schemes and plots?  That implies they never worked.  Has the Clan really suffered from my efforts?  Aren’t we far better off for what I’ve done?  The Clan is the richest in the world, from what I can tell.  We all have food, good housing, clothing, and some luxuries.  Did Ruarc have the means to provide that before I took over the finances?  Before I built up the businesses that made us able to support our whole Clan?  Can you really say that I manipulated… okay, yes, but can you say I ever worked against the Clan?  Ever?  Or went behind Ruarc’s back?”
     Tanai’s eyes became shiny, but he turned his head away.  “Go.  If you have business with Alpha McDougal, go.  Just leave me out of it, you hear?  And stay away from Lorie.  I don’t want you ruining her life, again.”
     Den walked into the room.  “Tanai, Poppy Lowell is dead; it wasn’t faked.  This is Poppy Liam, his reincarnation.  He’s an Ancient One.”
     Tanai shook his head.  “I know.”  He turned to glare at Liam.  “I said, go, whelp!”  He weakly swung at Liam with an open paw.
     Liam caught the paw with his own and held it tight.  “I am sorry, Tanai.  It is still good to see you.  The decision to see me is Lorena’s, not mine nor your own.  If she wishes to see me, I will meet with her.”
     “Bastard.  Get out of here.”
     Liam let the old wolf’s paw go and stepped back, before turning to follow Conor and Den out of the room.
     Nathanial moved next to Liam and began walking beside him.  “Are you okay, Liam?  He sounded pretty upset.  And, um, you’re losing yourself to Lowell a lot.  Are you going to run out of chi, soon?”
     Liam rubbed his forehead.  He was already starting to fall below a comfortable level, yet it was still far from dangerous.  “I am in good health, Nathanial.  Thank you.  My chi level is sufficient for the time being; Lowell’s emergence is not as draining as most, and would not be much of a concern if not for my need to take my medication yesterday and the stress of the last while.”  Liam put his paw on Nathanial’s shoulder and looked up at him.  “I am more concerned about you.”
     Nathanial shivered.  His heart rate was most rapid and his blood pressure was elevated.  The amount of adrenaline pouring through his system was amplifying the effects of his still yang aligned chi and was rapidly burning off all stores of energy in his body.
     Liam patted his shoulder.  “Before you do anything after this meeting, you are to eat an orange and have some of your relaxing tisane.  Once you have had two cups, you are to eat another orange and some form of starch.  Toast, with some preserves, perhaps.  Mrs. McDougal should have several types of homemade ones in the pantry.  If she has any of Mrs. Lila McKenzie’s peach preserve, I would recommend that.”
     Den cleared his throat awkwardly.  “She, uh, Lila died half a century ago, Poppy.”
     Liam sighed.  “I see.  Such things have a way of happening.  There will be no opportunity to try her preserves, then, Nathanial.”
     They were outside the Alpha’s study.  Conor was waiting for them to finish talking, before he knocked on the door.  “Da?”
     “Enter.”  Alpha Luke McDougal’s voice was deep and rumbled through the heavy wooden door.  Liam could almost feel it in the floor boards beneath his hindpaws.
    Nathanial began trembling violently as Conor opened the door and preceded them into the small room.  It was moderately well furnished, with an ancient wooden desk and chair set facing them and a few chairs and stools lining the walls.  Behind the desk were two bookshelves lined with ancient tomes; some of them gifts from Lowell, and they were very old books at that time.
     The occupant of the room was a very large wolf, he looked even taller than Dirk and, perhaps, broader and more muscular.  He had brownish-grey fur that became darker along the top of his muzzle and head, and presumably along his back.  His blue eyes were the same as his son’s, but were set in a stern and forbidding face.  Alpha McDougal motioned for them to stand in front of the desk.  The three of them did, but Den moved to stand behind the Alpha’s left shoulder, after closing the door behind him.
     The Alpha looked at Conor, who began the introductions.  “Liam-sensei, Nathanial, this is Alpha Luke McDougal.  Da, this is the Ancient One, Liam Smith, formerly Lowell O’Conall.  And this is Nathanial Marks; Mage and target of the Hunters, possibly of the Grand Inquisitor, himself.”
     “I would offer my welcome to the Clan’s lands, but I don’t know if you are welcome.  You, Nathanial, come with a host of trouble on your tail and major problems for the Clan.  You… Sensei, lived amongst us as a fraud and used us as a shield to hide behind between assassinations.”  Liam stood there impassive, but Nathanial seemed so scared and hurt he was beyond trembling; he just stood there, still.
     Conor stepped forward, his tone reproachful, “Da.  That’s completely uncalled for.  Sensei, well, I don’t know all that went on back then, but Lowell is the only reason our whole Clan isn’t living in the same poverty the other clans do.  Also, from what I heard, most, if not all, of those assassinations were done with Alpha Ruarc’s approval.  As for Nathanial, I won’t throw a pup to the Hunters.  He’s been as much help to the McDougal’s as we’ve been to him.  He’ll be far more help to the Clan as time goes on and he grows into his powers.  To throw that away to placate those monsters is damned foolish.”
     Liam almost rolled his eyes.  So much for not antagonizing him.  Conor seemed to get as protective of Nathanial as his son did.
     A tiny smile played at the corner of the Alpha’s mouth.  “Now, Son.  Who’s put a chestnut under your tail?  ‘Damned foolish’?  Are you saying that as my advisor, or Geoff’s father?”
     Liam noticed Conor’s chi beginning to churn; the question seemed to take him quite by surprise and could be taken in several ways.  Conor didn’t betray any of that, but answered, “Both.  My whole family is fond of the pup, as are the O’Conall’s, including Faeden.  Faeden, Dirk, and I all think that he’d be a great ally to the Clan, not just for his magic abilities, which have taken the Society by surprise, but his intelligence and personality.  When the pup isn’t fighting Hunters, Knights, and Demon Mages, he’s turning potential enemies into friends.  He counts two Agents as friends, along with Spirits, a Knight, an Ancient One, a pack of Dark Planar entities, and I think a Light one as well.”  He turned to ask Nathanial, “You met Micah’s grandfather, right?”
     Nathanial managed to nod and squeak out.  “Y-yeah.  He’s accepted me as family, so it’s not really a friend thing.”
     Conor arched an eyebrow, while the Alpha leaned back in his chair and rested his elbows on its arms, steepling his fingers.  Alpha McDougal asked, “Conor, this would be the same Fey that closed the Demon rift at the Markses’ house?  The knight of the Seelie Court?”
     Conor looked at Nathanial and nodded slightly, seemingly uncertain.  “From what Geoff said, yes, it would be.  Family?  That’s very unusual and an incredible honour, if a potentially double-edged one.”
     Nathanial quickly nodded his head, but when he tried to speak only a choked gasp of air came out.
     The Alpha seemed torn between amusement and contempt.  “What were you saying about me to make the pup so afraid?  It’s like he’s here asking for my daughter’s paw in marriage and meeting me for the first time.”  His brows drew down as he scowled at Nathanial.  “You aren’t, are you?”
     Nathanial shook his head quickly.  “N-no!  N-not a-at all!  Um, you have a daughter?  I thought you only had two sons.”
     “No daughters.”  Nathanial got a small smile out of the huge wolf, but his eyes still glittered dangerously.  “I do have a granddaughter… and a grandson.”
     Liam thought Nathanial was going to collapse.  He put a paw on Nathanial’s shoulder, and used the other to check his heart while he spoke, “Alpha McDougal, do not torment Nathanial.  He has a weakened heart and has been under a great deal of stress.  If he is to check on the teleporter this weekend, you may wish to not cause his heart to fail and make him bedridden.”
     Liam’s ear twitched toward a faint sound in the hall; it sounded like a large animal breathing.  Snow must be prowling around out there, as the room looked too bright and too small for him to ‘step’ into.
     Liam did succeed in drawing the attention of their host.  “What about you, little pup?  You don’t seem scared of me.  Liam, Lowell, or whoever you are today.”
     “Mr. Smith, Smith-sensei, or even just Smith, Luke.  Now, mind your manners, lad.  I gave your predecessor a paddling on a few occasions when he needed it, and I’m not above doing the same to you.”  Alpha Luke’s eyes blazed, but Liam kept talking, “I know Uallach would’ve given you a few wallops with her wooden spoon when your tongue ran away from you.  Feisty girl, your mother was.  She ever tell you the of the time she took Aoife and ran off to see how big Dublin was?  They never thought of how long a walk it was to get there, or of the terrain in between.  Hera help us, your grandmother was furious!  I had to delay my departure to London to track them down.  When I finally caught up, she said she wouldn’t go home till she got her answer.  Fought and screamed blue murder till I had enough and tied her up and gagged her.  Had to carry her back like that, and as soon as I put her down, she was trying to set off again.”  Liam laughed in amusement, though he certainly wasn’t amused at the time.  “Ah, gods.  What a temper and stubborn as a mule.  She ever get to Dublin?  She said she would’ve gone to London, but she couldn’t get her paws on a boat.”
     The Alpha had been angry at the beginning, but it quickly changed to amusement as Lowell kept talking.  “Really?  How old was she?  Mom never mentioned that, but I’m not surprised.”  He watched as Liam walked past him to the bookcase.  “No, I don’t think she’s ever been to Dublin, but she’s gone to London a few times.  We have a small boat in the harbour that we use to ferry Spirits over to London periodically for shopping trips and the like.”
     Liam pulled out a book and flipped it open to reveal a small decanter of scotch hidden in a box that was set in a cut out section of the book..  “Ah!  Lovely.”  He held it up.  “Anyone care for a dram?  Ruarc always keeps a few bottles stashed around; he won’t mind if a few gentlemen nip a taste, especially since I’m the one keeping his stock supplied.”  Liam winked at them and unstoppered the decanter.
     Everyone seemed surprised, but Den licked his chops and the Alpha murmured in awe, “Bacchus be praised.  How old is that?”  The golden liquid was still clear and smelt like a very well aged Scottish whiskey.
     Liam sniffed it before chuckling.  “I bought this one in eighteen ninety-three.  Surprised it’s still here, actually.  It was thirty years old, then, so it’s only thirty-five.  Still, a good age.”
     Conor shook his head.  “Liam-sensei.  It’s twenty eleven.  You don’t drink alcohol and you’re too young to drink scotch, even if you wanted to.”
     Den reached for it.  “He’s right, Poppy, but don’t let it go to waste.”  He took the bottle from Liam, who let it go with an expression of disgust and placed the stopper on the desk.
     The Alpha waited for Den to take a swig before taking the decanter.  “Any good?”
     Den answered with a happy sigh.  “Oh, yeah.”  He cleared his throat.  “Potent.  Any more stashes we should know about, Poppy?”
     Liam waited for the Alpha to take a drink, as he walked back to the other side of the desk.  Alpha McDougal’s was smiling as he resealed the crystal bottle.  Liam grimaced slightly.  “Almost certainly.  There were likely over one hundred secret places in this home, from books like that one, to false bottoms in drawers, or floorboards that had hidden releases to reveal enough space for a small safe.  Alpha Ruarc McDougal had various types of alcohol in half of the ones I knew of, mostly scotch.”
     Slow smiles spread across the two wolves’ faces.  Alpha Luke stood up, and smiled broadly at Conor.  “Well, Conor, you have a meeting to go to.”  He slipped the decanter into his pocket.  “I shouldn’t keep you.  Take the akita and head off.”  He walked around the desk and hugged his son, then gave Nathanial a dark look before turning to Liam.
     Conor’s back stiffened but he put his paw on Nathanial’s shoulder and ushered him out.
     Alpha McDougal’s eyes sparkled as he turned back to Liam.  “Well, how’s about you give me a tour of my own house?”

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