Queen Of His Heart ♚ | On Galatea

♚〡FOURTEEN

When Eve was released, she was still sleeping. Adlaric set her in the car with Eros beside her. The drive was silent.

"I failed you," Adlaric said, looking at the revere mirror to the young pup.

Eros glanced up at the mirror and raised an eyebrow. "What do you..."

"I know you have been lying to me, Eros. I will not make you tell me the truth until you are ready, but you slipped earlier. You said your mother died. And if your mother died, you would stay with your father, only if he survived his mate's death. And if he had survived, perhaps he became abusive and thats why you ran away. Probably not, though, you spoke fondly of him. When you are ready, you will tell me and I will help you. I will help all of you. I will save you. I failed you before, I will not now."

"You couldn't have known. Even the King had not known."

Adlaric looked through the mirror again. "I should have known. It's my job to know. As King, I will not let this happen again."

Eros' eyes widened in shock. "That's why they were so submissive to you! Oh Goddess, I met the King!"

A scarce smile graced Adlaric's face as the boy became excited.

"You said Eve was your mate that means..."

Adlaric nodded slowly. His face was vailed in seriousness, but his eyes brightened at the mention of his mate. It was a natural instinct for any mate to react lovingly when their mate was mentioned.

"I'm sorry. I never bowed to you." Eros said, very apologetically. His eyes were large and nervous, afraid of how the big bad King Alpha would punish him.

The King smiled. He knew his image painted him as a beast or a hero, determined by the perspective of the individual. Apparently, to Eros, Adlaric was both the greatest mystery and the biggest dream.

"Do you want to bow to me?"

Eros shook his head quickly.

"People bow to me out of respect. Until you respect me, you do not have to bow to me."

"I do respect you."

Adlaric nodded. "Respect stems from trust. Until you trust me, you do not have to bow to me."

The rest of the drive was silent. When they arrived at Adlaric's house, he carried Eve into the spare room. Adlaric stayed with her all night. Eros laid with her.

Both remained near their Luna until they heard her heartbeat spike and her breath stagger. Eerily fast, Adlaric picked up Eros and sprinted them out of her room.

It would be awkward if she woke up to both of them next to her.

As Adlaric and Eros stood outside her door, the King glanced to the bay window down the hall. The sun was rising. He did not sleep the night before. He stayed up guarding his mate and the pup from danger. He knew that his house was the safest for all of them, but something deep inside him felt the undeniable need to protect the little wolf and his mate.

When he heard her anxious breath leave her lips, Adlaric walked back inside. "You've woken up," Adlaric whispered, sitting beside her.

"What happened? What happened to him?" Eve asked, worry lacing her words. She trusted Adlaric. He felt safe to her.

What was he supposed to tell her? The truth, perhaps? He knew that conversation wouldn't go well. He knew him exposing his world would destroy the world she grew up in. It's why he moved to America, and she didn't move to Russia.