Chapter 46: Truth and Lies

Laurel gasped and stared at him. He couldn’t have said what she thought he said.
“W-What?”
Adolph’s face burned with embarrassment but he didn’t avert his gaze, holding her gaze and enduring the awkward quiet.
“Will you… marry me?”
Laurel couldn’t believe the gall of this man. Alice wailed in despair.
*Don’t!*
But what else could she do but reject him? Love or not, mate or not, she still had some manner of dignity!
She drew back violently, “How could you be so cruel? I will not marry you to be your dead wife’s replacement!”
Adolph looked as though he’d been slapped, shocked, and confused.
“What?” He shook his head, his brown furrowing as he stared at her. “What does she have to do with us?”
She scoffed, pushing free of him and wrapping her arms over her breast, curling into herself so her hair covered her partially, glaring at him and trying to forget the fact that she’d been curled up to his naked body.
“You sent me your dead wife’s favorite flowers, and you made me move into your dead wife's office—”
Adolph frowned, shaking his head, “It’s the luna’s office. It always has been. I just wanted you to get used to it in advance...”
She trembled as he tilted his head, “What flowers? The roses? Don't men always send roses to their beloved ones? Did I send the wrong one? Is it that you don’t like roses?”
Laurel tried to remain angry, but his confused and lost expression was stealing the fire of her anger until she felt a bit ridiculous as they stared at each other. The air was awkward between them and she shook it off. There was some misunderstanding, but she wasn’t convinced that it was on her side.
Maybe he didn’t realize that she’d been told the truth.
“Tina told me today that Luna Olivia’s favorite flower was the rose, and that by giving them to me it means that I will never be as good as her...”
Adolph jumped his feet, his face scrunched in fury, “She said that to you? That vile—“
He growled, huffing and turned, his eyes flickering back and forth before he looked at her, seething, “Then… when Basil went to you and blamed you in the office for occupying Olivia's room—you thought—”
He groaned, running his hands through his hair almost as if he wanted to tear it out in frustration. He was regretting not punching Basil in the face. Maybe he should revise his thoughts about it and sew his and Tina’s mouths shut.
It would be a fitting punishment.
Laurel turned away from her, thinking about what Basil had screamed at her. Her eyes burned with tears. Adolph and Olivia had a beautiful love story, and she didn't want to spoil it.
She swallowed the whimper of agony and spoke slowly, “I know you loved her… I know you still love her and I can never replace her place in your heart.”
Adolph turned to her, seeming stunned into silence as horror filled his expression.
She smiled, tense and fake at him. She hoped it was somewhat convincing, “You are very kind, Your Majesty. You have been kind to me, and I know I should be full of gratitude, but there is no way I can marry someone who doesn't love me again--”
“Stop!” He cried, throwing up his hands and shaking his head in distress. His voice was so pained, Laurel didn’t know what to make of it.
“I’m sorry,” He took a deep breath, keeping his tone even and gentle. “By the goddess, I’m so sorry, Laurel. None of that is true. Whatever they told you are all lies.”
“But—”
“Lies,” he said again, meeting her gaze. His eyes were clear and honest. They were pleading and earnest and she couldn’t look away. “You are my mate. My only love. My heart has never belonged to anyone else.”
He scoffed and shook his head, “As if that woman would— as if she could ever compare to you!”
Laurel watched him frown to himself. She didn’t know what to say or how to feel about it. How could it all have been a lie?
“But… But they said…”
Adolph frowned, glancing at her. He had never imagined that Olivia would be playing a role in why Laurel was rejecting him. He had never imagined that Tina and Basil would be sabotaging his happiness either. He’d have to explain it to her, but he didn’t want to talk about Olivia any more than he had to.
He didn’t want Laurel to reject him either, so he resolved himself to say whatever he had to when the time came.
“Look, Laurel, I know you probably have reservations because I'm a man who's been married once. There's no way I can deny that...” He huffed, thinking about Basil. “And obviously, there’s the matter of my… *troublesome* son…”
There was so much between them, but he was certain that the moon goddess wouldn’t have brought them together just for them to struggle against the impossible and fail to finally be together. She wasn’t a cruel deity.
“I won't force you to accept, but I'd like you to consider it.” He swallowed and met Laurel’s gaze. “To be clear, I married Olivia because I needed to marry her, and our connection is nothing like that. You're nothing like her! You are my mate and my luna. I swear I’ve only ever loved you.”
Laurel was stunned. She didn't know whether she should blush at the king's confession or doubt him. Her mind was a jumbled mess of emotions and confusion. The cold lake water wasn’t helping her clear her mind, neither was the cool breeze drifting around.
“Give me a moment...” She shook her head. “Give me some time to think about it...”
Adolph agreed, relieved a bit that she hadn’t outright said no. Too much had happened between them to make any hasty decisions. It had been hasty to ask her, but he couldn’t help it. They both needed to calm down.
“Of course, Laurel,” he nodded. “I’ll escort you back to the inn.”
She frowned, “I can…”
She looked around and felt her face burn. She thought she could find her way back, but she doubted it. Adolph shifted back to his wolf form and waited patiently. She was shocked for a moment. She had never imagined he was a black wolf. She wondered if his wolf form meant something special too. She lowered her head and shifted before following him.
They walked back through the forest in contemplative silence. She was so deep in her thoughts she didn’t realize when they had reached the city.
As they turned the corner towards the inn, Laurel saw Eden looking anxiously up and down the street.
“Eden?”
He turned and froze at the sight of the two wolves coming towards him. The large one was pitch black and looking at him with suspicion. The smaller one was an ethereal white, but that was the one who had spoken with Laurel’s voice. While he was sure he could be relieved that she’d returned, he was certainly surprised.
“Laurel?”
“What are you doing out here?” She asked looking at him.
“I… I was looking for you. I heard you run out and I was worried about you...”
He took another step back as the huge black wolf growled at him. Laurel hurried towards him, leaving the black wolf’s side. The wolf tensed as if it wanted to follow, but it remained still.
Laurel turned to look at the wolf, “Thank you for escorting me back to the city.”
Adolph forced himself to remain calm, as it was a clear request to be left alone. He’d never felt so dismissed in his life. Still, he’d promised to give her time even though he didn’t want to. He didn’t trust Eden, but he held his tongue and nodded sharply.
He took a step back, “I’ll await your answer.”
Laurel tried not to watch Adolph leave, but she watched his dark form head back towards the palace before following Eden to the inn.
Eden looked at her with a frown, “What happened? Why would the king—”
Laurel shook her head, “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Eden seemed a bit affronted but he nodded.
“I'm tired, Eden. Thank you for trying to find me caring about me, but I want to go back to sleep.”
Eden nodded and bade her goodnight, walking upstairs with her and leaving her at her door. She entered and shifted back into her human form. She washed up and grabbed the quilt to get back in bed when the sight of the picture frame stopped her. She picked it up and looked down at the portrait, more confused than ever.
Luna Olivia placed the frame of her husband on her desk. It was clear that Olivia loved Adolph. The whole kingdom was filled with tales of their romance, but Adolph had said it was all lies.
What was the truth?