Page 17 of A Hal for my Heart

“But… but don’t you see? I don’t have a choice. Briar has no one. No one! And… you said it yourself. He’s my mate.” I pounded my fist against my chest, feeling the truth in my heart. Briar was mine, my omega, my mate, and mine to save. If I only accomplished one good thing in life, it would be to save Briar from his horrible fate. I didn’t care about myself; I only cared about him. “I need to find a way to break the curse! It’s urgent. I need to find a way before Briar’s next heat.”

Images of Briar suffering through his next heat alone flashed before me. His small body trembling in agony as he succumbed to a lonely and painful death. I couldn’t bear it.

They both stared at each other, fear and resignation in their eyes.

“Only the witch who placed the curse can break it again,” Kenneth sighed. “I’m afraid that’s the way curses work, son.”

“But—”

“It’s too dangerous.” Lord Willoughby stood. “Please promise us you won’t do anything reckless, Hal. You and Gus—” his voice broke, tears gathering in his eyes. “You boys are everything to us. We love you like you’re our own flesh and blood. We can’t lose you.”

Kenneth rose too, wrapping his arms around Lord Willoughby. “There now, my love. Don’t upset yourself. Your heart.” It was true. He shouldn’t upset himself. Lord Willoughby was born with a heart defect, and it was important that he didn’t get too upset.

“I’m sorry,” I said, holding out my hands. “But if it were you, wouldn’t you risk it? Your life. For the one you…” I swallowed, my heart speaking the word before it fell from my lips, “love.” Love. I loved Briar. How could I not? He was already a part of me.

Silence stretched between us, and eventually Kenneth nodded. “I would. Of course, I would.” Lord Willoughby smiled sadly, then said, “If you are truly serious about this, Hal, then you need to find the witch who created the curse. But it will be dangerous and difficult. You might not succeed.”

“It doesn’t matter if I don’t. I will have tried at least.” I was determined. “I need to find Briar. He needs to know he’s not alone in this. That I will fight for him, for us.”

“Yes,” Kenneth nodded. “Go, son. Go be with your mate. We love you. If there’s anything you need from us, just let us know.”

“We’ll ask around, too,” Lord Willoughby said. “If anyone knows anything about these kinds of curses and who might be responsible for it. As Kenneth said, we love you, son, and there isn’t anything we won’t do for you and Gus.”

“I love you, too,” I croaked, crushing both of them against my chest in a fierce embrace. They might not have brought me into this world, but they’d given me life. I was just a shell of a person before they took me in.

I hurried from my room. I needed to get to Briar. His days of suffering in solitude were over, as far as I was concerned. I knew he’d fight me on it, but I wouldn’t relent. As soon as I entered the hallway, a gut-wrenching scream tore through the quiet, followed by distant whimpers.

Briar! Every fiber of my body reacted to the sound of his agony. I took off in the direction of his room, and halfway there, another desperate scream sounded. Pain, unlike any other, slashed through my body, and I curled over as I breathed through it. It was Briar’s pain, I was sure of it. I felt my mate’s pain as if it were my own, and there was no doubt about the source of that all-consuming anguish. Briar was in heat, and he needed me. My omega needed his alpha.

I pushed through the pain and ran down the hallway. As I turned the corner, my body slammed into something rock solid, and I nearly lost my footing until two strong hands wrapped around my arms.

“Hey! What’s going on?” Gus looked at me, Seb beside him. “What’s the hurry?” He chuckled. “It’s not dinnertime yet.”

I pushed away from him. “Get out of my way!” I gritted, way too harshly, but I needed to get to Briar.

Gus frowned at me, an edge of worry in his voice. “Hal? What is it? What’s wrong?”

Seb eyed me suspiciously.

“I need to get to Briar. His heat started, and he’s in pain.” I squeezed my eyes tight, then blurted, “He’s my mate, and he needs me!”

“Your mate?!” Seb gasped, then whispered to himself, “Of course, I should’ve known.” I opened my eyes. “But you can’t go to him, Hal. He doesn’t… Briar spends his heats alone. You know that.”

“Not anymore!” I gritted, puffing out my chest. “Not now that I’m here.” I hurried past them, Seb calling out after me, “Hal! Stop! You can’t do this,” then followed by Gus’ mellow voice, “Briar is his mate. Let him go.”

Another scream tore through the silence, and a wave of pain slammed into me, threatening to pull me under into an ocean of darkness. I gritted my teeth, focusing on my breathing as I pushed through. I reached Briar’s door, only to find it locked. It was made from solid oak, but did nothing to muffle Briar’s desperate whimpers and moans from the other side.

I pounded my fist against the door. “Briar! Open up!”

A scream was the only answer I got.

I pounded harder, the hinges rattling. “Briar! It’s me, Hal. Open the door right now!”

“No! Go away, Hal. Please!”

“I won’t. I won’t go away. Let me in, you silly omega.” My voice softened as I spoke the words. Gods, he was silly if he thought I’d go away when he needed me the most. What kind of mate would that make me?

“I can’t. I can’t risk it. I’ll—Oh gods. I’ll kill you.”