Page 19 of No Honor Amongst Shifters
Alcott still hadn’t wrapped his mind around the fact that anyone wanted his opinion on anything, let alone something so vital for the clan.“I can tell you what I saw when I was with the coven,” he offered.
Terrence nodded.“Please.We also have to talk about where we’re going to do this.We can’t get into cockatrice territory.”
They’d talked about that last time, too, but it was good to go over everything again.“We don’t have to.I wasn’t allowed out of cockatrice territory without Damien, but I know where the cockatrices went to complain about the coven.”Alcott sat forward.“There’s a bar just outside cockatrice territory.It’s called the Red Rooster.I went there a few times, and while I didn’t talk to anyone, I noticed things and people.”
Terrence snorted.“The Red Rooster?Really?Do you think that’s where we should go?”
“I know that’s where the strongest opponents of the coven go to talk.I don’t know how much power they have, but I’m pretty sure they’ll agree not to fight for the mages.They hate them.”And with good reason.
“How do you think they’ll react to seeing you?”
“I can’t know for sure, but I think that most of them pitied me.”
Terrence grimaced.“I’m really sorry about what happened to you.”
“It was my own fault.I should’ve known better, and I’m willing to deal with the consequences of what I did.”He glanced at Elijah.“I’ll help any way I can.”
Alcott still wasn’t completely sure what he’d do once this was over—that was, if he was still alive when it was—but that was something he wouldn’t compromise on.He’d put the clan in danger.It was his duty to help get the clan out of it.
* * * *
ROSLIN STAYED SILENTfor most of the meeting.He didn’t have a reason to be there beyond wanting to stick close to Alcott.Elijah hadn’t told him to leave, and he wasn’t planning to, but it was hard not to snap at the leader when he was putting Alcott in danger.
All of them were in danger.Alcott wouldn’t be going to talk to the cockatrices alone, and that was what Roslin clung to.He’d be as safe as any other clan member when they left the house, of not more.
Besides, Alcott might be younger than Roslin, but he was an adult.He knew what he’d done and what he was doing now.He wanted to do this for the clan, and Roslin couldn’t take that away from him.He couldn’t lock Alcott up the way Elijah had.Alcott might feel like he deserved it, but he didn’t, and Roslin was willing to tell him that until he believed it.He was willing to do a lot of things to get Alcott to let him in.
In the middle of a fight with a mortal enemy wasn’t the right moment to do that, but at the same time, Roslin didn’t know if he’d get another opportunity.He didn’t think he had much to offer Alcott, but if anything happened to either of them, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to live with the regret of not saying anything.
He still hadn’t made his decision when he walked Alcott back to his bedroom after the meeting.It felt less like a jail cell now that Alcott had been out, but he’d still be locked inside.Roslin wasn’t happy with that, but at the same time, it would help keep Alcott safe.Not every clan member agreed with what Elijah was doing and the opportunity he was giving Alcott to redeem himself.
“Do you really think we have a chance of getting most of the cockatrices to stand down during the fight?”Alcott was asking, seemingly unaware of the fact that the people they walked past were staring at him.
It was a good thing.He’d been too nervous on the way to the conference room, to the point where he’d jumped when a few people had walked past him.Roslin had glared at all of them, just in case they got any strange ideas.He wouldn’t let anyone hurt Alcott.
It was a strange feeling.Roslin had never felt quite so overprotective of anyone, not even any of his boyfriends.It wasn’t that he thought Alcott was fragile—far from it since he’d survived spending time with the coven and the cockatrices—but he still wanted to protect him.
Alcott had a wounded heart.It had been broken several times, but Alcott had put it back together every time.Roslin wanted him to do the same this time around, too.He didn’t want Damien to win.
Roslin understood wanting to be loved, and he’d been loved his entire life.His parents, his brothers, and his brothers’ partners all loved him.Even when he didn’t have a boyfriend, he’d never felt alone the way Alcott had.
What Alcott had done was stupid, but it was understandable, and Roslin would fight anyone who said the opposite.Hell, he’d fight anyone who looked at Alcott in a way that made him feel guilty.Alcott was beating himself up enough.He didn’t need other people to do the same.
“Thank you,” Alcott murmured as they turned into the hallway where his bedroom was.
“What are you thanking me for?”
“For not being weird.And I’m pretty sure that your presence is what kept most of the clan away.”
“You keep talking as if you think that three-quarters of the clan hate you, but that’s not the case.”
“How can it not be?I betrayed them.”
“You did, but most people would do that for someone they loved.Besides, we all just want this mess to be over.I think that most of the clan is ready to accept anything as long as it means the fight won’t continue for much longer.They’re more than ready to go back to a normal life.”
“Are they ready enough to accept a traitor’s help?”
“People are afraid for their lives and for the people they love, Alcott.I think they’re ready to accept anything if it means putting an end to this.”Roslin hoped it meant they would also accept that Alcott wasn’t going anywhere once this was over.
