4. Chapter Three
Chapter Three
Briar
We walked in silence, and I already missed the way I’d laughed just seconds before. It felt so good to let go like that. I felt lighter than I had in months. Hal was such a wonderful surprise, and I already longed to laugh like that again, all carefree and light.
The way to my chambers felt much shorter than usual now that I had company. I did my best to walk slower, preparing to blame my short legs if he’d ask what was wrong. It was good being short sometimes, especially when it made our time together last longer.
We passed a servant carrying some laundry, and as usual, they made a big show of walking all the way around me, giving me the space I needed.
Hal frowned as the servant disappeared around the corner, eyeing me with a quirked brow.
I noticed how there was the tiniest scar just underneath the brow line, cutting halfway into the hairs.
It looked old. I wondered if he’d gotten it as a child, running around and playing in the woods.
Or perhaps it had been a work injury. It was close to the eye, so he’d been lucky.
It made him look more… rugged, in a way.
Definitely more handsome, I decided as he kept watching me with a bemused look.
I blinked, just now realizing we’d reached my chambers. “Oh, sorry,” I said, my cheeks heating with an incoming blush.
“For staring?” he winked, confidently calling me out and not allowing me any sort of escape.
“I, um… I noticed your scar.” I raised my hand to my face, touching my own brow, so he’d know which scar I meant.
Hal nodded slowly, then something flickered in his deep brown eyes.
“If I tell you how I got it, will you tell me why all the servants walk around you like you smell bad? Which you don’t, by the way.
” His full lips curled into a crooked smile, and instantly, my heart thought it was a good time to practice somersaults in my chest.
I opened and closed my mouth a few times, at a loss for what to say. The way he’d asked so easily about something that most people would not dare ask. This alpha was so unexpected and different from what I’d been taught to believe, and I found myself murmuring, “Sure.”
His face lit up. “Cool! I got the scar helping Gus get some honey from a tree. We’d only known each other for a few days back then, and somehow we found ourselves feeling adventurous.
” His voice spilled over with fondness as he recalled the memory, and I saw how much he loved Gus.
It was still confusing, the idea that alphas had feelings just like us, and weren’t just ruthless creatures driven by instinct.
Of course, as I’d come to know Gus, I’d slowly realized he wasn’t like that, but I’d thought he was just the exception to the rule.
Since then, we’d learned the truth and realized the lies we’d been told about alphas.
“Did you get the honey?” I asked, smiling when I remembered just how much our king’s consort loved his honey.
Hal shot me a wink that did things to my insides, things I’d never felt before.
Excitement, confusion, and longing. I wanted someone to look at me like that all the time, as if I mattered and that I wasn’t invisible, someone to avoid.
“Of course we did!” He lifted his one bulky arm and flexed it, huge muscles rippling behind the fabric of his white shirt.
My mouth went dry, and I swayed on my feet. Gods, those were a lot of muscles…
“Great,” I swallowed, already eager for some alone time with that winking Hal as my visual fantasy.
Leaning closer, he hummed, “Your turn,” and his warm breath danced across my face. I shook myself before I spilled all my secrets. I couldn’t tell him the truth, not yet. Hopefully, I could someday—if he survived. Instead, I told him what everyone else had been told.
“I don’t like people touching me,” I began, hating how I had to lie to Hal’s face. “I, um… touch makes me uncomfortable. I hate it.” I made sure to really stress the word hate, hoping it would deter him from ever touching me again.
“Oh.” He blinked rapidly in confusion until it seemed to dawn on him. “So they’re being respectful of you.”
I nodded. “Yes. They’ve known me since I was a child. It started when I was in my teens. They’re used to me and my strange ways.” The lie burned on my tongue, although I’d told it a thousand times by now.
Sympathy flickered in his eyes like a subtle flame as he nodded.
“Then I’ll remember never to touch you,” he vowed solemnly, and a part of me died just then at the horrible thought of never ever feeling Hal’s touch again; the solid comfort of his huge hand, the subtle rasp of his callouses, and the heat emanating from his skin.
I’d dreamt of feeling his hand wrapped around mine again, and the possibility that he was the exception to my curse and wouldn’t die.
“Do you want to walk with me to breakfast tomorrow?” he asked, looking all casual and handsome.
“Sure,” I whispered, then turned to open my door. “Good night, Hal.”
“Good night, Briar. Sweet dreams.”
Inside, I sagged against my door, burying my face in my hands as I silently prayed to whichever god was listening, to please let Hal live. I really needed him to live.
“I want more of those buns, you know, those small ones with the sugar on top?” Hal said as he walked beside me on our way to breakfast. True to his word last night, he kept his distance, making sure not to touch me.
He gestured wildly with his hands as he spoke vividly about the taste and texture of his favorite breakfast dishes from yesterday.
I simply nodded, enjoying his smooth voice, a dopey smile plastered to my lips.
“And those sausages!” he exclaimed, followed by an exaggerated moan. “I’ve never eaten better than I do here.”
Humming in agreement, I tried to get his moan out of my head and ignore the things it did to my insides.
It wasn’t possible, though. My heat wasn’t for another month, but Hal was affecting me as if it was lurking just around the corner.
At least for this heat, I’d have a lot of material to help with my fantasies.
Hal would be with me in every single one of them.
I’d touch myself to the sound of his deep voice as I imagined his calloused hands whispering along my body, pulling pleasure from me. Oh gods, I needed to get a grip.
“There you are!” Gus came running to meet us. “We have to cancel breakfast. Lumi didn’t want to sleep at all, so Seb is taking a nap right now while Elias is taking Lumi and Ember for a stroll. I’ll be joining Seb to get some much-needed rest myself.”
“Does Elias need my help with the twins?” I asked.
Gus smiled as he shook his head. “You two should still eat; we just won’t be joining you this morning.”
As if on cue, Hal’s stomach growled loudly, which had both alphas laughing. “My stomach has spoken. I need food,” Hal declared, still chuckling.
Gus nodded, his whole face alight with humor.
“You go eat, I’ll see you two later.” He leaned in and wrapped Hal in a hug.
Envy coursed through me as I took in the two huge alphas embracing.
I thought I’d come to terms with my fate.
I really did. So why was my body suddenly rebelling against me, ready to throw itself in the middle of this huge alpha sandwich?
Eventually their hug ended, and then Gus was off to nap with our king.
“And here I thought the twins were little angels,” Hal drawled, clearly being sarcastic.
I giggled, remembering how Ember had peed on Hal the day before. Hal had offered to change the baby’s diaper, and in a matter of seconds, his shirt had been hit by a spray of pee.
Hal narrowed his eyes at me. “I sure hope you aren’t laughing on my behalf?”
That only made me giggle harder.
“Of course not.” I turned quickly, still giggling, and continued in the direction of the dining hall. I was starving, and I could smell the sausages from where we stood. I was eager to see Hal eat to his heart’s content, just like he had last night, scarfing down one dish after another.
“You are trouble, Omega,” Hal laughed behind me, and I nearly melted into a puddle on the floor. Omega.
We ate in relative silence, only Hal’s moans of pleasure could be heard, and I feared the servants would think we were up to more than just eating.
Then I remembered we were technically allowed to do more now, and that thought had me reeling.
It would take some time getting used to omegas and alphas being equals.
I cleared my throat, gesturing at the plate with the cinnamon buns. “Try the round bread with the twirls,” I suggested. It was a dish I knew Gus loved as well.
Hal’s gaze zeroed in on the plate, and without hesitating, he grabbed one and took a huge bite, eyes going wide in wonder.
“Twis is amazing!” he gushed with his mouth full of the cinnamon goodness.
“Wow.” His eyes rolled into his head with pure delight, and my heart did a happy little flip in my chest.
“Have you tried the sausages?” Hal asked, sugar smeared along his bottom lip, and it sounded like he was asking me something much more intimate than just my food preference.
“I have not,” I replied, already fearing what was coming.
Hal’s face lit up in surprise. “Then you simply must try my sausage,” he declared, taking the one from his plate and holding it out in front of me, waiting for me to take a bite.
Oh gods, I had to be dreaming or thrust into some alternate universe because surely this huge alpha wasn’t going to hand-feed me his sausage!
“Go on,” Hal smiled encouragingly.
I swallowed nervously, then leaned forward, being careful not to touch him.
Opening my mouth, I closed my teeth around the sausage, then bit down, feeling the skin snap as the juices hit my tongue.
I chewed, enjoying the taste of salted meat and spices, humming my approval as Hal eyed me, his eyes intense and dark.
“Good?” he rasped.
“Very.” I licked my lips, savoring the taste, then opened my mouth for another bite.
Hal made a choked sound, and I noticed his hand trembled just a tad.
This time, I moaned with pleasure, already anticipating the wonderful taste.
Why I hadn’t tried them before was a mystery.
They’d just always seemed like something I wouldn’t enjoy.
I decided to write it down in my journal later, and hopefully try one new thing every day from now on, broadening my palate.
A loud clang tore through the dining hall, startling both of us.
“I apologize,” Nial, one of the servants, said, looking anything but sorry as he placed more of those buns Hal adored in front of him.
Nial smiled widely, his eyes fixed on Hal.
He then leaned against my chair, making me almost fall off the damned thing as I tried to avoid his touch.
In a flash, Hal jumped from his seat, and within seconds, he was at my side, grabbing the servant and pulling him away from me.
“Careful!” Hal chided, glaring at Nial.
Nial blinked innocently, then widened his eyes as if he had some great epiphany. “Oh! I completely forgot that Briar hates all touch! Like, no one is allowed to touch him. Like at all.” His voice rose high and shrill. “Such a weird thing, don’t you think?” he asked Hal, blatantly ignoring me.
I was bending my fork, I knew I was. I hated Nial. He always went out of his way to make me feel uncomfortable. Hal’s jaw tightened, and he opened his mouth to say something, but Nial wasn’t quite done, it seemed.
“I, however,” he purred, running one finger along Hal’s chest, smiling seductively at him, “enjoy an alpha’s touch very much. And my heat is just around the corner—”
“Good for you,” Hal cut him off, his voice flat and unimpressed. “Can we please eat in peace again? I wasn’t done talking to Briar.”
Nial blinked, his expression dumbfounded, as he reluctantly withdrew his hand from Hal’s chest. His voice was sugary sweet when he spoke. “Of course, Alpha Hal.”
“Leave us,” I said, a tad snappy, but damn, read the room, Nial!
Nial left us, but my mood was ruined after that. He’d reminded me of just how broken and cursed I was. Hal deserved an omega he could touch. There simply would never be a place for me next to him, even if I’d already started liking the alpha a little too much.
“I’ve made a decision,” Seb began, staring directly at Hal and me. He’d called a meeting, and I’d figured it would just be Seb, Elias, and me, as usual, but to my surprise, Hal and Gus were present as well, and now Seb seemed ready to make an announcement.
“I want two alphas to be my royal advisors in addition to the two of you,” Seb continued, eyeing Elias, then me. “I want alphas and omegas as true equals, and that means in the palace as well.” I nodded my agreement, loving the idea of having alphas in higher positions.
“And,” Seb said, giving me a smile, before his eyes landed on Hal. “I’ve decided Hal will be my first alpha royal advisor.”
“Me?!” Hal blurted, standing up from his chair, making it fall behind him. “But I don’t know anything about being a royal advisor!”
Seb smiled even wider. “But Briar does.”
Oh gods.