21. Chapter Twenty
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.”
“But you are mourning the father you never had.”
He nodded. “Yes.”
I reached for him, cupping his chin. His eyes fluttered closed as he leaned into my touch. “But luckily I have two fathers,” I said. “And we can share them as much as you want. They already love you, Briar.”
He blinked his eyes open. “Thank you, Hal.” Then he seemed to recall something, and his face lit up. “Hal, I almost forgot! We’re uncles!”
I laughed at his happiness. “I already know that, silly omega.”
He shook his head, golden curls flying all over the place. “No, I don’t mean Ember and Lumi.” He laughed, the sound airy and happy. “My nephew. Rue. Martin, Sin’s alpha, is bringing him here now that it is safe.”
“I see. I can’t wait to meet him.”
“Me neither. I’m going to ask Seb if he’ll allow them to stay at the palace. I don’t want to be away from them again and lose more time with them than I already have.”
I nodded. “I’m sure he will. He is a kind and fair king.”
Briar gasped, his hand flying to his mouth. “Did you just compliment Seb?”
I frowned. “I think I did.” I chuckled. “I guess that’s what almost dying does to a man. Makes him soft.”
A shadow moved across Briar’s face. “How was it? Did you feel it, Hal? That you were close to dying?”
I knew what he meant, but it hadn’t been anything like that.
I pulled him into my arms, holding him close.
Burying my face in his hair, I breathed him in, and the bond once again flared to life.
“It wasn’t death I was afraid of, sweetness,” I murmured.
“It was all the things I’d never get to have in life that scared me. ”
“Like what?”
“My future with you. Children. Watching them grow up as we grew older together. It all flashed before me, and I felt… robbed.”
Briar shivered against me. “I saw it too, and I felt it. The loss and the future we so deserved but would never have.” His voice lowered to a whisper. “It was such a good life, Hal. Better than I ever imagined.”
“Sweetness.” My voice broke as I finally allowed myself to cry. “Look at me.” Briar lifted his head, his eyes locking onto mine. “We do deserve it, and we will have it. All of it. A long and good life. Together.”
He smiled tenderly, then leaned in and pressed his lips against mine. “Promise me.”
“I promise.”
“Promise me we’ll never be apart again.”
“I promise you, Briar. On my life—”
He winced, freezing in my arms.
“Too soon?” I chuckled, kissing him again, and he relaxed.
“Yes, way too soon.”
“Then on our future children. I swear it, Briar. We’ll never be apart again.”
We held each other for the longest time, until Briar went limp in my arms and exhaustion took over.
I eased him off me and placed him on the bed next to me.
He cuddled up against me, his fingers wrapped around my arm.
He looked so peaceful now, so safe, and the alpha inside me sighed with contentment.
I closed my eyes and let sleep claim me, dreaming of giggling babies with golden hair and the greenest eyes in the world.
Being a patient was a pain in my ass. I was an alpha, for the love of all the gods! I wasn’t meant to be fussed over, and gods, did my little omega fuss over me.
“Doctor Aron said at least three more days in bed, Hal!” Briar tapped his booted foot against the floor, his slim arms crossed over his chest. “And no solid food yet. We don’t want to upset your stomach unnecessarily.”
I groaned loudly. “You’re mean.”
He huffed. “I am not mean. Doctor Aron says that—ugh, will you stop that!” Briar shot me a warning glare as he caught me mimicking him. Doctor Aron this and Doctor Aron that. I was so over this!
“I’m fine!” I sighed. “Bored, but fine.” And horny. I was so damn horny, and Briar was adamant that there would be no ‘funny business’ as he put it, until the sutures had been removed. Which wasn’t for another week!
“You’re being a baby, Hal,” Briar groaned. “Even more of a baby than Rue.” His eyes glazed over with that dopey sheen he’d get whenever he thought of his nephew. “He’s so cute, Hal!” he cooed. “Isn’t he cute? Isn’t he the sweetest child ever?”
I nodded. I had to admit that Rue, the toddler, was the most adorable thing ever. He smiled all the time, and his eyes were as green as Sin and Briar’s. “Adorable,” I hummed, then beckoned Briar to come to me.
My omega furrowed his brow. “Will you behave?” Gods, his bossiness only made me hornier.
I gasped. “Of course! I’ll be good. I swear it, sweetness.”
He scowled at me as he came closer. “Because remember what happened last time. Doctor Aron had to give you more medication because you were in pain.”
I fluttered my eyelashes. “I’ll be goood. I promise.”
Briar shook his head, chuckling. “You’re lucky I love you so much, Hal.”
He sat down on the bed next to me and kissed my forehead, then my eyelids, my nose, until he finally reached my lips.
I tasted his sweetness, and my cock stirred to life again.
Groaning into Briar’s mouth, I tugged him closer as I attempted to pull him on top of me. I needed him closer; I needed friction.
“Hal.” There was a warning edge to Briar’s voice, but I felt how his small omega cock grew hard against me. I smelled it, too, how much he wanted me, longed for me, his slick building as he responded to my body. “We can’t. Not yet.”
“Just a little slip ’n’ slide,” I begged, my balls so heavy with my seed I feared they were going to explode. “Just a little. Please sweetness… I’m dying here.”
He pulled away from me, a panting mess, his eyes swimming with need. “We can’t! What if you hurt yourself?”
“Then Doctor Aron will fix me again.” I smirked, waggling my brows.
“Absolutely not! Now stop it! Or I’ll ask Seb to come sit with you instead.”
I flung myself back against the pillow dramatically. “Ugh, gods, no. He is so boring! I love Gus, but honestly, how is he not bored out of his mind?”
“Seb is not boring,” Briar laughed. “He’s just very… particular about his conversation topics.”