Page 13 of No Honor Amongst Shifters
People had gotten hurt because of that mistake.They might have even died.Roslin understood why Alcott felt guilty and why Elijah needed him to pay, but his death wouldn’t help anyone, and neither would kicking him out of the clan.He was trying to redeem himself.He just needed a chance to show that to the clan members.
“I don’t think anyone will want me to stick around once this is over,” Alcott murmured.
“Iwant you to stick around,” Roslin told him.“So does Elijah, and what about your brother?”
“Misha is too good.”
“And you’re too hard on yourself.”
Elijah cleared his throat.“As I said, I haven’t made any decision yet,” he explained.“But Roslin isn’t wrong.You’re helping the clan even though it would be easier for you not to.I know you feel guilty, Alcott, and I can’t say that you didn’t do anything wrong, but there are extenuating circumstances.You’re also helping us, and hopefully, that help means we’ll win this fight.If I have any kind of power left once all of this is over, I’ll consider allowing you to continue being a clan member.It might not be easy, but this has been your home for years.I won’t take that away from you, and I won’t take Misha’s brother from him.”
Alcott looked like he wanted to argue, so Roslin glared at him.Alcott blinked and glanced down.
He still couldn’t believe he’d be allowed to stay.Roslin didn’t like that, but there wasn’t enough time to focus on it.Hopefully, there would be plenty of it later.For now, Roslin had gotten what he wanted—Elijah was open to the idea of allowing Alcott to continue being a clan member once this mess was over.
* * * *
ALCOTT WAS CONFUSED.He didn’t understand why Elijah would agree to give him this kind of second chance, and he wanted to ask for a deeper explanation, but now that they’d decided what their next step would be, Elijah had things to do.
He left Alcott’s bedroom quickly after the conversation, and everyone but Roslin went with him.Alcott wasn’t surprised.He’d expected Roslin to stay behind, which was a good thing because he had questions.
He waited until the door was closed behind everyone else to turn to Roslin.“Why?”
Roslin frowned.“Why what?”
“I betrayed the clan.Why are you standing up for me?Why did you ask Elijah to give me a second chance?I don’t deserve it.”
Roslin cocked his head and stared at Alcott.He felt like Roslin was seeing right through him, and it made him uncomfortable.He wanted to ask Roslin to stop, but he wanted an answer even more.
“That’s where we disagree,” Roslin said eventually.“I think you do deserve a second chance.”
“I betrayed my clan.I caused people to get hurt.”When Damien had asked Alcott who was leaving the clan regularly and where they were going, Alcott hadn’t seen any problem in telling him.
He’d thought that Damien was trying to find a way to get his coven settled by reaching out to other members of their community.He’d thought they just wanted to find a home and a place where they felt like they belonged.
He understood that all too well.After being kicked out of his birth clan, it had taken him a long time to find a place that made him feel safe.A lot of the time, he still didn’t feel like he belonged with the clan, which, now that he thought about it, was probably one of the reasons he had been such easy prey for Damien.He was desperate for someone to love him.Damien had given him that.
It had all been a lie.
“That’s something you’ll have to learn to accept and deal with,” Roslin said gently.“It doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a second chance.Some people won’t agree with it, but others will.You were trying to protect someone you loved.Anyone would do that.Even the people who are pissed at you would understand if they could see past their anger.”
Alcott snorted, then quickly pressed his lips together.“I have a hard time believing that.”
Roslin shrugged.“Does what they think matter, anyway?The people who care about you understand.They want you to stay.You won’t ever have the approval of every single person in the clan, but the people who matter to you want you to stay.”
Alcott opened his mouth to say that he only cared about Misha, but that wasn’t right.Of course he cared what his brother thought, but he also cared what Elijah thought.Hell, he cared whatRoslinthought, and Roslin had made it clear that he wanted Alcott to stick around.Alcott might not understand why, but he had no doubts about that.
Alcott didn’t stop to think.He was overwhelmed by the support and the feeling that someone really cared about him beyond Misha.He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Roslin’s waist, squeezing tightly.
Roslin made a startled sound and wrapped his arms around Alcott before Alcott could think about what he was doing.He effectively trapped Alcott against him, which became a problem when Alcott realized he washugging Roslin.
What the fuck was he doing?
He stumbled back, relieved when Roslin let him go easily.He hadn’t thought Roslin wouldn’t, but he was making things awkward, which was the last thing he wanted.“Sorry about that,” he said, staring down at the floor.
“You have nothing to be sorry about.”
Alcott felt like his heart was about to race out of his chest, and he was afraid to look at Roslin.Someone needed to do something to get them out of this awkward situation, though.Alcott knew that someone wouldn’t be Roslin, which left him.
