Queen Of His Heart ♚ | On Galatea

♚〡THIRTEEN

When Eve was checked in and her paperwork was filled out, Adalric watched the doctor painstakingly as she went over Eve's injuries.

Eve was his soulmate, it was natural for him to be on edge, but this much? His skin was literally crawling from not being able to hold her.

"Mr. Romanov, will you excuse us while I examine her? It is only to ensure confidentiality. You aren't married, correct?"

Adalric had forgotten that in his world, they were one, but in her's, they were two separate entities that had to be tied together by a silver band on their fingers. It irked him to no end, but he swallowed his anger and gestured for Eros to follow him down the hall to the vending machine. He told Eros that he could have any snack.

Eros never had a snack before, especially from this type of machine. All of this was so new to him. He tried to put on a brave facade, and he thought he was doing very well at it. Back at camp, if your masters smelt fear, they beat it out of you.

Eros slightly cringed from his gruesome memories. When this Alpha was done with him, would he send him back? Would he have to go back to being poked and prodded? Was the life he had with Eve short-lived?

Eros was doing a good job of hiding his actual feelings. Anyone who had not gone through what he had would not be able to tell, but Adalric? He knew. Not only because he had access to some of his thoughts, but because he had his own ghastly past. He recognized the skeptical glances, the planning the best exit in case things went bad, and the constant fear of being touched.

So as they sat, five feet apart, against the wall facing the vending machines, Adlaric decided to speak.

"How did you meet Eve?"

Eros stayed silent. Adlaric had a feeling he would get nowhere. The pup felt unsafe, especially with Adalric. Eros was used to the Alpha aura but Adlaric gave off something more than Alpha. The shear power made the little pup nervous. Others who had half Adlaric's dominance used to torture him...what would Adlaric do?

"Pup, I will not harm you, but that girl in there, she's my mate. Do you know what mate's are?"

Eros had heard the word a few times before, but he never quite understood it. His owner had said it a few times here and there, but Eros was always preoccupied. He shook his head to Alpha.

Adlaric nodded, continuing. "Mates are a beautiful gift bestowed upon us from Selene. They are our soulmates; every wolf has one. A soulmate is someone who has locks that fit your keys and they have keys that fit your locks. She simultaneously tames the beast within me and stirs the man who is held captive by it. My point is, I care deeply for her."

"You're very lucky," Eros mumbled, eating his snack.

Adlaric nodded. "The luckiest. Eros, I won't hurt you. I won't make you tell me, but I would like to know."

Eros stirred uncomfortably. "I ran away from home and I had hurt my paw. She helped me. She took care of me. I owe her everything."

Adlaric knew the pup was lying to him, but there had to be a reason. He decided not to push him.

"What about those scoundrels? Why did they show up at her house?"

Eros shook his head, lying. "I don't know. Eve will be okay, right?"

Adlaric smiled, softly, nodding his head. "She's gonna be fine."

"What's going to happen to me?"

"Well, you can stay with me until we find your home."

Eros eyes widened. "You aren't sending me back?"

"You ran away for a reason, even if you are lying to me. I'll investigate and do with it as I want. You are safe and you will stay safe."

"Why? Why are you protecting me?"

"Because you protected her. You're strong, I can sense it. You helped Evangeline. I owe you."

Adlaric stood up and held his hand out to help Eros up. The pup looked at his hand before standing up by himself. He didn't trust men. He didn't trust them at all.

Once Eros was standing, he spoke. "Won't the King be upset with you intervening in pack things?"

Adlaric chuckled as they walked back down the hall. He opened the door for the pup to walk through.

"The King sounds like a mean guy," Adlaric said with a twinge of humor.

"I wouldn't know. I've never met him. Before my mom died, she used to say the King was literally a God on Earth. A great King. My dad used to say the King was scary enough to make any Alpha bow before him. At," Eros stumbled over his words, as if he was regretting what he almost spilled. "My friends used to tell stories of how one day he would save us all."

"Save you all from what?" Adalric asked.

Eros looked at his feet as they neared Eve's room. "Doesn't matter. He never came."

AN

Short chapter but the next one is coming TONIGHT. Shamelessly promote your book in the comments so I can check them out! Only on this chapter, though:)

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