Page 2 of No Honor Amongst Shifters
“Who are you calling old?”Roslin argued.
“You.You’re the eldest, yet here you are, throwing popcorn around.Why are you wasting food to be annoying?”
“It wasn’t me,” Roslin said, even though it had been him and they all knew it.
Olsen rolled his eyes.He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to.Victor shook his head.
Roslin relaxed against the couch.Even though his life was in danger, he couldn’t regret being pulled into the mess that was the dragon clan.His brother was here, and he wasn’t going anywhere.Hell, none of them were.Victor, Donahue, and Olsen had all found love within the clan.That meant that this was their home now, which, in turn, meant that Roslin was staying, too.
Even though he was desperately single.
He didn’t mind much, or rather, he hadn’t minded until his brothers had gone and fallen in love.He was happy for them, and he didn’t really care that they didn’t have as much time for him as they did before.He was jealous, though.Would it be too much to ask the universe to throw him a bone?To give him someone to cuddle with on the couch like Victor and Tim, or to share popcorn with like Donahue and Terrence?Only Olsen was here on his own, but Roslin was ready to bet that Misha would be coming around soon.
And then, there was him, alone with his popcorn.
The living room door opened, causing all of them to turn.Misha stepped in, and from his expression, Roslin could tell that his meeting with his brother hadn’t gone well.They never did.It made Roslin want to go find Alcott and give him a good shake, but he didn’t think it would help, unfortunately.Whatever was going on between Misha and his brother, they probably needed to fix it on their own.
That didn’t mean that Roslin didn’t want to help, especially when he saw how distraught Misha was.Misha was his brother-in-law, and that meant something.It wasn’t like Roslin had anyone else to focus on anyway.
“It didn’t go well?”Olsen asked as he got to his feet.
Misha made a beeline for him, ignoring everyone else in the room.Roslin wasn’t offended.Of course Misha wanted his boyfriend to comfort him.
Misha pulled Olsen back onto the couch and pressed against him.Olsen wrapped him in his arms, and for a second, they all waited.Misha had the attention of everyone in the room, something he would probably be horrified about when he realized it.
“He doesn’t want to talk to me,” Misha eventually said.“I’m worried because he’s still so bruised, but he doesn’t want anyone to check him.I offered to call the doctor, but he said no, and that’s the only thing he said to me the entire time.I tried talking to him, but he won’t answer.”
Olsen pressed a kiss on top of Misha’s head.“I’m sorry.”
“I just don’t know how to get through to him.”
Roslin wanted to ask questions, but he knew better.He might be curious about Alcott, but he didn’t want to hurt Misha by reminding him of his brother’s behavior.
Not that it looked like he had to.
Roslin didn’t understand Alcott, although maybe that was because he didn’t know him.Alcott was Misha’s brother, but Misha and Olsen had only recently gotten together, and while Roslin had noticed Alcott around the house before then, they’d never talked.
Alcott had everything anyone could hope for.He had a home, a clan, and a brother who loved him.Why had he betrayed all of that?Why had he risked losing everything and putting people in danger?His betrayal didn’t make sense, and Roslin wasn’t sure he’d ever understand.Even Misha didn’t, and he was Alcott’s brother.
But Roslin was curious, and it didn’t look like Misha would get any answers out of his brother.Maybe Alcott would want to talk to someone who wasn’t as close to the situation as Misha.Or maybe he’d tell Roslin to fuck off if Roslin tried talking to him.He wouldn’t be wrong.The fact that their brothers were together made them kind of family, but it didn’t mean they had to be close or even talk to each other.Besides, why would Alcott talk to anyone?The entire clan knew what he’d done.He was probably terrified of what they thought of him.
That was why his betrayal didn’t make sense.It was clear that he cared deeply about Misha.Why would he want to hurt Misha’s family?Why would he want to put his brother in danger by betraying him, and what would he obtain from doing that?
This was why Misha was trying to get answers and why he was confused, and so was Roslin.Unfortunately for Misha, unless Alcott decided he was ready to tell the truth, he wouldn’t get closure.Roslin wasn’t sure what would happen once this mess was over, but he didn’t see how Alcott could be allowed to remain with the clan even if they won the fight against the cockatrices and the coven.He’d betrayed them.He’d gone straight to the enemy.
He would have to pay for that.
Chapter Two
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THE ONLY PERSON WHOvisited Alcott was his brother.Other people came around to leave him food, but they never talked to him.
It was a good thing.Alcott didn’t want to talk to them.He could tell what they wanted to say to him just by looking at them, which was why he’d made the habit of sitting by the window and staring outside as he listened to whoever was there move around the room.It wasn’t like they went far, anyway.They came inside just enough to put their tray on the dresser, picked up the one they’d left earlier, then ran.
Misha was the only one who knocked, so when the door opened without a knock announcing that someone was there, Alcott kept his attention out the window.He’d been spending a lot of time there, watching the trees and the birds and the other animals in the trees.It was kind of boring, but he felt he didn’t deserve anything more.How could he watch TV or anything like that when he’d betrayed so many people, including his brother?
“Alcott,” someone said.
