Page 29 of No Honor Amongst Shifters
ALCOTT WAS FREE.ITwas an odd sensation, but not any odder than having people see him and not yell at him for being a traitor.
It made him uncomfortable.Every time he left his room, he expected someone to come at him.Everyone was too busy getting ready for the fight, though.People were running around, packing their things and talking to their families.A lot of the clan members would be temporarily moving to other clans and supernatural groups in the area.Those who wanted to fight would be staying behind, but they’d know their families were safe.Hopefully, they’d reunite when the fight was over.
Alcott didn’t want to consider the alternative.
He had more to lose than he ever had before.Before, it had only been Misha—who, thankfully, would be staying at the house and wouldn’t be fighting.Alcott would have been hurt if he’d lost Damien, but Damien didn’t matter anymore.
Roslin did.Alcott wasn’t quite sure if they were together, but they both agreed that if they survived the fight, they would date and find out if they could be happy together.Part of him was still terrified at the thought of opening his heart to anyone after Damien, but he could see through the fear now.Roslin might hurt him, but he would never do so intentionally the way Damien had.He would never use Alcott or manipulate him.
He’d wanted Alcott when he was a prisoner and nothing more than a traitor.He still wanted him now that he was free.Alcott could only hope that the two of them would be able to build a life together after the fight.
Which meant they both had to survive it.He wasn’t sure they would, but thinking about what would be waiting for him once this mess was over made him want to fight harder.He had so much more to lose now.
After Damien, Alcott had thought his life was ruined.He’d believed he didn’t have a family or a clan anymore, and definitely not someone who loved him.He had no idea how it had happened, but he had all of that now.He would fight like hell to make sure he didn’t lose it.
Which was why he was standing in front of Elijah’s office door.The last time they’d had the opportunity to talk about something that wasn’t the coven or the cockatrices, Alcott had asked Elijah to allow him to leave once this was over.Elijah had said that Alcott didn’t have to, but Alcott hadn’t thought he’d be able to stay.He wanted another chance, but he had to talk to his leader.Elijah would decide whether or not Alcott should have it.
Alcot knocked and waited for Elijah to answer.It took him a few minutes, which Alcott didn’t think anything of until he opened the door and walked in to see that Gunther was there, too.Gunther’s cheeks were flushed, and his hair was messy, and Alcott didn’t have to ask to know what he and Elijah had been doing.
“Sorry to bother you,” he said, glancing back at the door.“I can come back later.”
Gunther waved Alcott in from the couch he was sitting on.Alcott had to resist the urge to laugh when he saw how hard Gunther was clutching the pillow strategically placed over his groin.
“What can we do for you?”Elijah asked.He was much smoother than Gunther and acting as if nothing had happened.
Alcott swallowed and decided not to take a seat.He didn’t want to drag this out.“I know that the last time we talked about it, I asked to be allowed to leave the clan once this was over.”
Elijah nodded.“I remember.Have you changed your mind?”
Alcott wasn’t surprised that Elijah already knew.“I have.I’m sure you knew I was going to.”
Elijah smiled.“You don’t want to leave your brother behind.It was either staying or dragging Misha with you, and you wouldn’t do that to him.”
“I wouldn’t, but Misha can be stubborn when he wants to.”
“He’s not the only one.So, you want to stay.”
“I want to stay, and I want to fight for the clan.I know you don’t trust me, but I won’t turn against you.I have too much to lose.I understand how stupid I was when I believed Damien loved me, and I’m never falling for something like that again.I want to do everything I can to help the clan.”
“Fighting will be dangerous.I won’t deny I’m tempted to say yes because you know the coven better than anyone here, but do you really want to put yourself in danger that way?”
“Everyone else is, and I have to protect Misha.”
“And maybe a certain psychic?”
There was a teasing tone in Elijah’s words, which made it sound like they were friends.Alcott had always viewed Elijah with a bit of distance.Elijah had welcomed him and Misha into the clan, but Alcott had been too wary of him to give him a chance.Misha had become Elijah’s assistant and his friend, but Alcott had stayed away.His old leader had hurt him, and there was no way to know if Elijah would do the same.
He wouldn’t.He was willing to give Alcott a chance to prove himself, and Alcott wanted to do it.Even more, he wanted to protect Misha and Roslin.
“I’ll try to protect all of Olsen’s family,” Alcott said, not ready to admit anything else.
Elijah nodded.“All right.You can fight and protect the people you love, and you can stay with the clan once this is over.You’ll always have a home with us, Alcott.You just needed to realize that.”
Alcott was starting to.
* * * *
ROSLIN WAS IN THE LIVINGroom with his family when Alcott walked in.For a second, he stared at him, his brain trying to make sense of what he was seeing.He was so used to Alcott being locked up in his bedroom that it would take some time for him to wrap his mind around the fact that Alcott was free now.
