Page 45 of A Hal for my Heart

I met his gaze, bewildered. “What do you mean?”

He blinked in astonishment. “I thought you’d figured it out by now! That it was all a lie. I mean, you have an alpha!”

“I know,” I snapped back, a tad annoyed now. “But Hal’s the only one who’s ever touched me.”

Sin was still blinking. “Briar… Father told us of your curse after finding me with Martin. He didn’t want you to end up like me, so he made the whole thing up before forcing me out of the palace.”

I gaped at my brother. Had it really been a lie all along? Had Father truly been that horrible? I touched my tender neck, the dried blood a clear reminder of what sort of man he’d been.

A sort of calm rushed over me. Right then and there, I no longer cared if I was cursed or not. Hal would be the only alpha to ever touch me anyway, but my poisonous touch hadn’t affected either Hal or that alpha who’d worked with Father. The evidence pointed to the curse being a lie. A cruel lie. But now, I could move forward with my alpha, and as the door opened, I rushed from the chair. Real curse or not, my mate needed me.

Chapter Twenty

Hal

The door swung open again, and a whirlwind of arms and legs came sprinting toward me. Briar. My sweetness. Just when he was about to fling himself at me, he paused, looking all crestfallen, biting his bottom lip.

“You can hug me,” I chuckled, then winced as the incisions pulled at my skin. “I won’t break.”

Briar approached the bed carefully, his eyes wide with worry. He looked a mess, my sweet little omega mate. His hair was a golden crown of disarray around his beloved face, his green eyes red-rimmed, the eyelids puffy from crying. Even the tip of his cute little nose was pink. He looked like a butterfly surviving a storm.

“I thought I’d lost you.” His voice broke as new tears spilled from his eyes, trailing down his cheeks.

I held out my hand, and he grasped it, clinging to it. “Never, my silly omega. You can’t lose me. I am a part of you, remember? Just like you are a part of me. We belong together.” If I hadn’t already believed that, these recent events had solidified it. The entire time, while they tried to save my life, I’d felt the bond, our bond, like a subtle throbbing in my heart. Unbreakable and strong, the bond I shared with my omega pulsed through my body, giving me a reason to live, giving me strength.

“But there was so much blood,” he whispered as he sat down carefully on the bed. “How are you even alive? This is a dream, surely, and soon I’ll wake and be alone again.”

My heart broke for my love. He’d been alone for so long. “I’m truly here, Briar, and I’m not going anywhere.” I reached for his other hand and placed it against my naked chest, over my beating heart. “Feel this. Feel how my heart beats just a little faster because you are near, sweetness. I’m alive, and I’ll be fine. Trust me. It wasn’t my time yet. I have too much to live for.”

Briar’s fingers whispered along my chest, and his voice hitched. “I was so scared, Hal.”

“I know. I was scared, too.”

His eyes snapped to mine, surprise evident on his face. “You were?”

I smiled at his silliness, which I found so adorable. “Of course I was. I…” The words died in my throat. How could I explain to Briar how those horrible minutes right after I’d been stabbed had felt? I’d been so afraid that Briar had been hurt as well. As life left my body, all I could think of was him. How I’d failed to protect him and keep him safe.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered, squeezing my hand. “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have—” What was my sweet Briar apologizing for? He’d done nothing wrong.

“If anyone should be sorry, it’s me!”

“But I didn’t obey you, Hal. I left even though you’d told me not to.”

“And I failed to protect you,” I countered, feeling the sadness and the shame in my heart like a heavy stone. “You are my omega, and my purpose is to protect you. Always.” I swallowed, feeling like an utter failure. “And I didn’t.”

“Hal…” Briar scooted closer, careful not to touch the bandage wrapped around my midsection. “Please don’t say that. You are the only one who makes me feel safe.” My heart soared at his words, and my alpha clung to each and every one of them.

“Then please do not apologize, Briar. You did what you did because you have the biggest heart and you love your brother.”

He nodded solemnly, then whispered. “Sin is safe. He was never in danger. It was all just a ploy…”

“I know, sweetness.”

“He never loved us. Father. He never loved me.” Briar bit his lip again, his eyes still immensely sad, but the tears had ceased.

“He didn’t,” I agreed. “He didn’t deserve to be a parent.” I knew Briar’s father was dead, and I was glad. My sweet Briar would never be able to find true peace if his father was still looming in the shadows.

Briar looked up, his eyes brimming with fierceness. “I’m not sad he’s dead! I’m not mourning him.”