Page 24 of No Honor Amongst Shifters
“Of course I want you to stay, but I wouldn’t want that if it made you unhappy.You’re planning on leaving just because you think you deserve it, and I’m willing to throw Roslin in your path if it means you’ll rethink that.”
“You said he mentioned he’d follow me if I left.”
Misha grinned.“He probably would, but his brothers would stop him.”His smile softened.“I know that telling you to trust him isn’t helping, but he really is a good person.Why don’t you give yourself time?Give him a chance to show you that he’s not in this to hurt you?”
“It’s not like I have any alternative,” Alcott murmured as he looked around his bedroom cell.
It still felt a bit like a prison, but having Misha and Roslin coming around regularly and being allowed to leave made him feel like he had when he and Misha had moved in with the clan.He probably shouldn’t be hopeful that he’d get a second chance, but he couldn’t help it, just like he couldn’t help but hope that Roslin would be part of that second chance.
* * * *
ROSLIN COULD TELL THAThis brothers knew something had happened.They kept glancing at him around the breakfast table, to the point where he was considering fleeing back to his room.He might have if he wasn’t starving.
He was looking forward to seeing Alcott after last night.He was a bit afraid of what Alcott would say, but he was also confident that Alcott liked him as much as he liked Alcott.That didn’t mean they would be able to figure things out, and their situation was more complicated than any new relationship should be, but they’d taken a step forward, and he couldn’t wait to see what happened next.
That was if he came out of breakfast alive.The way his brothers were staring made him feel like prey.He wouldn’t be surprised if they pounced.
“Where’s Misha?”he asked to distract Olsen.
“With Alcott.He brought him breakfast.”
Okay, maybe that wasn’t a great distraction because Alcott was the topic Roslin needed to avoid talking about.“That’s nice.”
“It is.It’s also where you were last night, isn’t it?”
Roslin cleared his throat.“I wasn’t the only one with Alcott last night.Terrence was there, too, as well as Tim, Marcel, and Leo.”
“But none of them want in Alcott’s pants.”
Roslin shook his head.“I’m not doing this with you.”He looked around the table.“With any of you.”There was no reason for him to talk about his love life with his brothers, especially in a public place where other people could hear.
There were plenty of empty tables in the dining hall, but some were occupied, and with Roslin’s luck, someone would hear that he and Alcott were together.They weren’t, but he wouldn’t be surprised if some of the dragons had a problem with him wanting to be.He didn’t care, but Alcott would, and it could create problems for Elijah.
“The two of them looked really cozy yesterday,” Donahue announced as he leaned forward.“It looked good on both of you.We just want you to be happy.”
Roslin sighed.His brothers always knew the right thing to say to make him cave.Maybe it was because they were younger, but it was annoying.“Fine.I kissed him when I walked him back to his room last night.That’s all that happened, though, so don’t start planning a wedding.”
Donahue laughed.“The fact that you’re thinking about marrying him is a sign, though.”
“I’m not thinking about marrying him.I’m thinking about kissing him again and whether or not he’ll want that.”He frowned.“The situation is delicate.He was hurt, and a lot of people don’t trust him.I don’t think he trusts himself.He’s also a lot younger than me, and with the upcoming fight, I don’t even know if both of us will make it out alive.This is the worst time to start something.”
“Or maybe it’s the best time,” Victor said.“It’ll give him something to hope for once this mess is over.”
Tim, who was sitting next to Victor, nodded.He wasn’t the only one.When Roslin glanced around the table, all of his brothers and their partners were nodding or smiling at him.
He huffed.“You’re a bunch of meddling assholes.”
“Like Donahue said, we just want you to be happy,” Victor said with a smile.“And if you think you can be happy with Alcott, then you should pursue that.He’s been hurt, but he’s young.He’ll get over it.You might have to give him time, but I’m sure things can work out.”
Roslin groaned.“Please don’t remind me how much younger he is.”
“Fourteen years isn’t that much.I wouldn’t worry about it if I were you.”
Roslin did worry that he couldn’t be what Alcott needed, but that wasn’t the main thing he was fixated on.Age difference could be dealt with, but he wasn’t sure that Alcott’s heart was ready to give love another try.If he was in Alcott’s place, he’d be terrified to open his heart to anyone, even someone he could obviously trust.Hell, howcouldhe trust anyone, including Roslin?The last person he’d trusted had betrayed and hurt him.
If Roslin ever got his hands on Damien, he’d make sure the mage knew what he thought of him.He wouldn’t even use his ghosts.His fists would be enough.
Chapter Ten
