Page 3 of No Honor Amongst Shifters
Alcott jumped and turned.He hadn’t expected Elijah to visit.Why was the clan leader there?Alcott didn’t think he would be kicked out of the clan so soon, especially not when the clan was still at war with the coven, but maybe Elijah had decided on a different punishment for him.Maybe he would have Alcott killed, after all.
Alcott stared at Elijah.He didn’t think he could ask.He was scared that if he opened his mouth to do it, he’d start begging, and he didn’t want that.Whatever punishment Elijah decided for him would be all right with him.
Elijah sighed and stepped deeper into the room.The door was already closed behind him, and Alcott didn’t consider trying to open it.Elijah wouldn’t be taking any chances.
“I want to talk about what happened,” Elijah said.
There was nothing Alcott wanted less, but he nodded.Of course the leader wanted to talk about what he’d done.“What do you want to know?I think I’ve already told you everything I knew about the coven, but I can go over it again.Maybe I’ll remember something.”
Elijah shook his head.“I want to talk about what happened to you.”
Alcott looked down at his hands in his lap.The scrapes on his palms were healing, but he could still see traces of them, even though the smallest ones were already almost gone.“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“Why are you apologizing?”
Alcott didn’t want to talk about what had happened to him.He’d already said enough.Elijah and probably everyone in the clan knew how much of an idiot he’d been.He didn’t need to rehash that.
But Elijah had asked a question, and Alcott owed it to him to be honest.“They beat me up.That’s all there is to it,” he explained.
“Yes, that’s obvious, and I already knew it.The beating isn’t the only thing I’m asking about, Alcott.I want to know how you ended up trusting a mage you barely knew over me and the clan.”
Alcott shook his head.“I don’t have an explanation.Sorry.”
Elijah was silent for a moment.Alcott was afraid to look at him, so he didn’t.He kept his attention on his hands and picked at one of the scabs.It would hurt if he managed to tear it out, but he deserved that pain.
“I’m worried about you, and I know I’m not the only one,” Elijah eventually said.“You don’t have to talk to me if you’re feeling uncomfortable, but I wish you’d talk to Misha.”
Alcott shook his head.He didn’t deserve for anyone to worry about him, least of all his brother.“Misha should focus on his boyfriend.They’re still in the honeymoon phase.”
Elijah snorted softly.“I don’t think they’ll be able to fully enjoy their honeymoon phase until the cockatrices and the coven are dealt with.Besides, being with Olsen doesn’t mean he’s not worried about you.He loves you.”
“And I love him.You should tell him I’m fine, though.”
“But I would be lying to him.”
“I don’t want him to worry about me.”Alcott didn’t explain that it was because he thought he didn’t deserve it, but he suspected that Elijah knew.He was a smart man.
“You’re his brother.He’s going to worry about you whether you want it or not.You don’t have to make this harder for him or for yourself.Just talk to someone, even if you don’t want to talk to him.I promise it will help.”
Alcott shrugged.Why would Elijah want to help him?He knew he could trust the leader, but at the same time, he didn’t understand.Elijah shouldn’t be here, worrying about Alcott.He should be focused on the fight that was coming for them.
But Elijah cared about Misha, and Misha cared about Alcott.Of course Elijah was worried.He wanted his assistant to be happy, and because of Alcott, he wasn’t.Elijah cared about all of his clan members, but Alcott wasn’t one anymore, was he?It might not be official, but there was no way Elijah would allow him to stay after what he’d done.Hell, he didn’tdeserveto stay.
The best thing he could do was keep the distance between him and Misha growing.That way, when he was kicked out, it wouldn’t hurt as much.Misha would be able to focus on Olsen and everything else, and he wouldn’t feel Alcott’s loss as keenly as Alcott would feel his.
Alcott deserved all the pain coming to him.Misha didn’t.
* * * *
ROSLIN WAS IN THE KITCHENto get a snack.He’d just wanted some food before dinner, which didn’t explain how he’d ended up glaring at the two people by the stove.
They knew he was there.He’d said hello when he’d walked in, and they’d waved back.Roslin didn’t know the names of every single clan member, although clearly, he should.There were just too many people who lived in the house.He didn’t know who was on cooking duty today, but considering what they were doing, he might decide to skip dinner.
“I’ve been spitting in his plate since he got locked up,” the woman on the right said.“It’s the least I can do, you know?”
“Elijah would be pissed if he found out,” the man next to her answered.
“I don’t think he cares.”
