Page 4 of No Honor Amongst Shifters
“He’s keeping Alcott in the house.Of course he cares.”
“He’s keeping him because he thinks he can use him and because of Misha.He doesn’t really care about Alcott.He definitely wouldn’t care if he found out we were spitting in his food.”
“I don’t know.It just doesn’t feel like something Elijah would be okay with.”
It wasn’t somethingRoslinwas okay with.He didn’t care what Alcott had done or what these people thought of him.No one deserved to eat food that had been spat on.Even more so, if these people were willing to do something like that, who was to say they hadn’t done worse?And if they hadn’t, maybe they would eventually.
Roslin knew Elijah well enough to be sure he wouldn’t be okay with this.No matter what these people were telling themselves, they were in the wrong.It wouldn’t be right even if Alcott had betrayed the clan because he wanted power or money, but that wasn’t why Alcott had done it.Roslin might not know all the details, but Alcott’s betrayal hadn’t been malicious.He’d been swindled by a mage.
He’d been betrayed by someone he thought cared about him, and these people weren’t helping with that feeling.They were supposed to care about Alcott.He was supposed to be part of their family.They might be angry because of what he’d done, but that still didn’t give them the right to do that.
“I’ll make up a plate for Alcott,” he snapped.
Both the man and the woman jumped and turned.The woman’s eyes were wide, but the man went on the defensive.
“We’re the ones cooking today.It’s our job to bring food upstairs.”
“Is it also your job to spit in his food?”
“We were just talking,” the woman quickly said, but the man wasn’t backing down.
He squared his shoulders and faced Roslin, and Roslin almost hoped the guy would say something bad.He wouldn’t mind using his fists.Having to stay in the house without doing much of anything was getting frustrating, but maybe Roslin could take that frustration out on someone.
The woman put her hand on the man’s arm.When he looked at her, she shook her head, and the fight leaked out of him.
Roslin sighed.He should’ve known that was how it would end.
“You want to take food to the traitor?”the man asked.“Feel free to do it.Less work for us, especially for someone who doesn’t deserve it.”
“Do you know the entire story?”Roslin wasn’t sure how many people did.He knew because of Misha, but Misha didn’t have that many friends.Gossip had been running rampant, but more often than not, it wasn’t correct.
“I don’t care about the entire story.He betrayed us.He shouldn’t be here anymore.”
Roslin shook his head and reached between them to grab a clean plate from the counter.He looked around, taking a few moments to find the trays.Once he did, he filled the plate with fresh food and placed it on it, then opened the drawer to grab a fork.He reached for a knife, too, but the man stopped him.
“He’s not to be given anything sharp.”
“It’s a butter knife.What do you think he’s going to do with that?”Although stabbing this asshole with a butter knife sounded satisfying.
“I don’t care what it is.He’s not allowed knives.”
Roslin really needed to talk to Elijah.He understood why people were angry, and he didn’t blame them for feeling that way, but he suspected that their feelings were getting to their heads, including having power over Alcott.This guy felt like he was the person in control when that couldn’t be further from the truth.
He grabbed the tray.“Fine.No butter knife for him.He’s allowed a bottle of water, though, right?”
The woman gestured at the fridge.Roslin balanced the tray on one hand while opening the fridge and grabbing a bottle of water with the other.He didn’t look back as he walked out of the kitchen.Thankfully, he’d stopped these two from spitting into Alcott’s food, but he suspected they might do it again.Elijah had asked that whoever cooked the clan’s meals bring up a plate to Alcott’s room.The only way to make sure none of them would be doing anything to that food would be to take their place.
It wasn’t only the spitting.It was that Roslin didn’t trust any of these people when it came to Misha’s brother.The spitting was disrespectful, but what if someone decided to take more drastic measures?What if they couldn’t forgive that Alcott had betrayed them?Roslin couldn’t allow anything to happen to Alcott.It wouldn’t be right, and he didn’t want Misha to be hurt.Hopefully, talking to Elijah and pointing him in the direction of the problem would help.
Roslin wasn’t sure what he’d do if it didn’t.
* * * *
WHEN ALCOTT HEARD THATsomeone was at the door, he tensed.The only one who regularly wanted to talk to him was Misha, and Alcott wasn’t okay with other people being so close to him.
He was scared.What if they decided to do something to him?He didn’t think Elijah would be okay with that, but he wasn’t here right now.Something could happen to Alcott, and Elijah wouldn’t find out until it was too late.He’d be angry, but maybe it would be worth it to the people outside the door.
Or maybe they were just here to bring Alcott his food.
