Page 16 of No Honor Amongst Shifters
At least not everyone was there.Victor had been at the meeting in Alcott’s room, and he’d vanished when everyone else had left.Olsen was here, though, which was why Misha had been, too.Olsen and Donahue seemed way too interested in Roslin’s love life.
“But you want there to be ayou and Alcott,” Olsen pointed out.
Roslin didn’t see the need to deny it.“I do, but I don’t think he’s ready for anything like that.”
“Are you sure about that?You know what he did.”
Roslin glared.“So?Would that stop you from being with Misha?”
“I’m sorry, can we talk about the fact that the two of you are dating brothers?”Donahue said.
Both Olsen and Roslin turned to glare at him.He raised his hands, but Roslin didn’t think that was the last he and Olsen heard about that.Donahue didn’t know when to keep his mouth shut.
“It wouldn’t,” Olsen admitted.“But the circumstances are different.What will happen if Alcott leaves?”
“I’ll go with him.”
Olsen blinked.“You barely know him.”
He wasn’t wrong.Alcott wasn’t very talkative, even though he’d opened up a bit with Roslin.They weren’t even together, so why was Roslin thinking about leaving the clan for Alcott?He wasn’t even sure that Alcott wanted him that way.
But he didn’t think that kicking Alcott out of the clan was right.Besides, once all of this was over, he and his family could go back to the life they’d had before.Roslin wasn’t sure it was what any of them wanted, but it was an option.“It’s not like we lived together before,” he said.
“We weren’t part of the clan then.Things have changed.”
“It’s all hypothetical, anyway.I don’t think it would be right for Alcott to leave, and his decision to do so or not doesn’t have anything to do with me.”
“Are you sure about that?”Donahue muttered.
Roslin didn’t have it in him to glare at his brother again.“Alcott and I don’t know each other.I like him, but let’s face it, he could do much better than me.”
“That’s not true,” Olsen immediately said.
“Just look at the age difference.I’m not saying I’m old, but Iammuch older than him.”
“Youareold,” Donahue said, because of course he did.
“You’re only three years younger than me.”
“Which probably feels like an eternity at twenty-six.That’s how old Alcott is, right?”
Roslin nodded.He’d asked Misha to be sure.He hadn’t been shocked because he’d known Alcott was young, but maybe fourteen years were too much.
“Age doesn’t mean anything,” Olsen said.“It’s not like Alcott is eighteen.He’s old enough to decide if this is something he wants.Besides, with everything he’s gone through, I’m pretty sure he knows what he’s doing.”
Roslin wasn’t sure about that.Alcott desperately wanted someone to love him.Roslin was starting to feel like he wanted to be that person, but was that something Alcott would want, too?Would he cling to anyone as long as they give him love?Or had he learned his lesson with Damien?
Roslin wanted to find the man and kick his ass, but he wouldn’t stand a chance.Damien was a mage.He’d used Alcott’s feelings and maybe a little magic to manipulate Alcott.Alcott had thought he’d loved him, but had he really?Damien certainly hadn’t loved Alcott.
Roslin knew he could love him if he was given a chance.He just wasn’t sure he’d have the chance.Even if by some miracle Alcott felt the same way, neither of them knew if they would come out of this fight alive.They might not have the opportunity to find out if there could be anything between them.
“If he’s smart, he’ll give you a chance,” Olsen said as he patted Roslin’s shoulder.
Roslin wanted to ask why Olsen had already changed his mind since he’d been cautioning Roslin just minutes earlier, but he didn’t.He was glad for his brothers’ support.
He was going to need it.
* * * *
