Chapter 104: More Lies
??Oliver’s POV
??We ate in a quiet, heavy silence.
I kept watching her, noticing how she avoided my eyes. She was still thinking about the taste. I could see it in the way her brows would crease for a second before she forced herself to look normal again.
??After we finished eating, I led her down the long hallway to a door at the far end of the penthouse.
My hand paused on the handle for a mont. I took a slow breath.
This was my space.
My history.
Everything that made
who I am.
I pushed the door open and stepped aside.
??Aurora walked in slowly, her eyes widening as she took in the room. The walls were lined with dark wood shelves, each one filled with trophies, dals, and ancient-looking plaques. She walked toward the first shelf and reached out, her fingers grazing a heavy silver cup.
??"I was eighteen when I won that," I explained, stepping up behind her. "I broke a record at the Alpha Academy that had stood for fifty years. I was the fastest wolf to ever win a duel against a ranking officer."
She looked impressed.
"My father held a festival after that," I added quietly.
??She moved to the next section, picking up a small, intricate dal with a red ribbon.
??"That was for the border skirmishes three years ago," I continued, my voice steady as I recounted the milestones of my life. "It was awarded for strategic command. I had to lead a pack of fifty against a rogue army of two hundred. We didn’t lose a single man."
??I kept explaining the history behind each piece she touched. I told her about the hand-carved dagger I had won in a hunting trial at sixteen, and the golden seal that marked my official coronation as the King. I wanted her to know ... to know Oliver Callum, the King, so there was no room left for Raymond.
??Finally, she stopped in front of a glass case near the back. She reached inside and pulled out a small, crystal award. She ran her thumb over the engraving, her brow furrowing as she read the inscription. She turned to face , the award still held tightly in her hand. Her eyes were searching mine again, that sa sharp curiosity from the kitchen returning.
??"It says Oliver R. Callum." She held the crystal up, pointing to the middle initial. "What does the R stand for?"
??My heart stopped. The silence in the room beca tense as I stared at the tiny letter etched into the crystal. Most people only knew
as Oliver Callum, the Alpha King. Only a handful of people in my inner circle knew that my middle na was Raymond.
??"Reginald," I said, the lie slipping out easily.
??I didn’t blink. I didn’t let my heart rate spike. I kept my gaze steady, eting her curious eyes with a look of mild, boring indifference.
??"It was a na my godfather gave
at my 13th birthday," I continued, forcing a small, dismissive shrug. "I never liked the sound of it, so I never use it. It is just a formality on the older awards."
??Aurora looked at the engraving for a few more seconds, her thumb tracing the curve of the ’R.’ I held my breath, wondering if she could feel the vibration of the truth through the glass. But she simply nodded, seemingly satisfied by the explanation. She placed the crystal back into the case with a gentle click and moved on to the next shelf.
??I felt a wave of relief wash over , followed by a sharp, bitter sting of guilt. I had lied to her again. I was burying her under a mountain of lies.
??"What about this one?" she asked, her voice light as she pointed to a golden seal.
??I stepped closer to her, my hand resting on the small of her back. The warmth of her body through the thin shirt was the only thing keeping
grounded.
??"That was from my coronation," I explained, my voice regaining its strength. "The High Council gave it to
when I officially took the throne."
??She listened intently as I moved from award to award, recounting the victories and the trials that had shaped the King she saw before her. I told her about the hunt that lasted three days in the frozen north and the peace treaty I had brokered between the neighboring packs. I spoke with a passion I didn’t have to fake, hoping the weight of who I was as Oliver would drown out the quiet, persistent shadow of Raymond.
??She seed fascinated, her fingers dancing over the cold tal and polished wood. For a mont, the tension from the kitchen was forgotten, replaced by the awe of a woman learning the secrets of her King.
??"You have done so much," she whispered, looking up at
with a soft, genuine smile. "I had no idea you were so... accomplished."
??I leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, my eyes closing as I breathed her in. "There is still so much you do not know about , Aurora. But we have all the ti in the world."
??I pulled away slowly, my hands lingering on her waist as I looked down into her eyes. "Now," I said, my voice soft but serious, "I want to know everything about you, Aurora."
??I led her to a small sofa in the corner, away from the shiny awards and cold glass. I wanted us sowhere quiet—just the two of us, nothing else. I sat down and gently pulled her beside , still holding her hand. I looked at her face, trying to take in every little expression.
??"Tell
everything," I said, not looking away. "Not just what you think I want to hear. Tell
about your childhood, your dreams, and what keeps you awake at night. I want to truly know you, Aurora... every part of you."
??
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