Chapter 114: The Announcement

OLIVIA’S POV

I stared at the young man and woman who had just appeared in the dining room. They looked completely unbothered, as though teleporting into the middle of a family dinner was perfectly normal.

"James! Jasmine!" Rebecca exclaimed, shaking her head. "Must you two always make such dramatic entrances?"

The young woman laughed and walked toward her mother. "Sorry, Mom. We were running late."

"And you couldn’t use the door like normal people?" their father asked, raising an eyebrow.

"But Dad, teleporting is faster," James replied with a grin.

Everyone laughed as the two newcomers greeted their parents and took their seats. Jasmine offered me a friendly smile, while James nodded in greeting.

"Hello, Olivia," Jasmine said. "It’s nice to finally meet you."

"Hello," I replied, returning her smile.

I glanced around the table, still amazed that Rebecca and her husband had eight children. Judging by how everyone interacted, they seemed to be a very close family.

"All right, everyone," Lucas announced, drawing everyone’s attention. "I believe we’re all here now."

"Except Lucian," one of the twins pointed out.

Lucas ignored the comment. "I asked everyone to join us for dinner because there’s someone I would like to formally introduce to the family."

My heart skipped a beat when his eyes settled on me.

"Most of you already know her name," Lucas continued. "But I want you all to understand just how important she is to me."

I shifted uncomfortably as everyone turned toward me.

"Four years ago, I was involved in an attack that nearly cost me my life. I don’t think I need to remind anyone about what happened that night."

Several members of the family nodded, while Rebecca’s expression became serious.

"Well, the young woman sitting here with us tonight is the person who saved my life."

One of the twins leaned forward with a mischievous smile. "Brother, how exactly did she save your life?"

The other twin immediately burst into laughter. "Yes, Brother! We’ve heard the story, but you never told us exactly how she saved you!"

My cheeks burned as I lowered my gaze. From their laughter, it was obvious they knew more about that night than I would have liked.

"Will you two shut up?" Lucas demanded.

"But we’re only asking!" one protested innocently.

"Yes! We’re curious!"

"Keep being curious, and I’ll personally send both of you out of this dining room," Lucas threatened.

Everyone laughed, including Rebecca, while their father shook his head with an amused smile. Just then, a familiar voice came from the entrance.

"So, you’ve all started without me?"

I turned toward the doorway, and my heart fluttered. Lucian!

He stood at the entrance, dressed in a casual shirt and trousers, looking as handsome as ever. His gaze found mine, and he gave me a reassuring smile before approaching the table.

"Lucian!" Rebecca called. "You’re here!"

"Of course, Mom." He smiled at her. "Did you think I would miss dinner with my family?"

I hadn’t expected him so soon. He had promised to visit me, but I never imagined he would arrive during dinner.

"What are you doing here?" Lucas suddenly demanded.

Lucian turned toward his older brother. "Excuse me?"

"I asked what you’re doing here."

"Last time I checked, this was my family. Or have you suddenly decided that I’m no longer allowed to have dinner with my parents and siblings?"

"He’s got a point," James muttered.

"James," Rebecca warned.

"What? I’m just saying!"

Lucian pulled out an empty chair and sat down. "Besides, I haven’t had dinner with everyone in a while. I thought tonight would be a good opportunity."

"Well, it’s good to have you here," their father remarked. "You hardly visit these days."

"I’ve been busy with pack affairs, Dad," Lucian replied.

"Busy avoiding your responsibilities, you mean," James teased.

Lucian raised an eyebrow. "What responsibilities?"

"Well, for starters, you could have been sitting at the head of this table if you hadn’t refused to participate in the Alpha King’s Tournament."

I blinked in surprise. The Alpha King’s Tournament?

"James," Rebecca warned.

"What?" James shrugged. "I’m only saying what everyone knows. Lucian was supposed to compete alongside Lucas, but he refused. And we all know he would have given Lucas a serious fight for that crown."

One of the twins laughed. "A serious fight? Please! I still think Lucian would have won."

"Really?" Lucas asked coldly.

The girl immediately stopped laughing. Lucian reached for his glass of water, looking completely unbothered.

"Don’t look at me. I didn’t say anything."

"Perhaps you should have entered the tournament, then," Lucas replied.

Lucian chuckled. "And spend weeks fighting other Alphas just to sit on a throne? No, thank you. I have enough responsibilities managing my own pack."

"But you would have won," James insisted.

"James, that’s enough," their father said firmly.

James fell silent. I glanced between the brothers, intrigued. So the position of Alpha King wasn’t inherited. Alphas competed in a tournament, and the winner ruled until retirement. Lucian had apparently been considered a strong contender, yet he had refused to participate. Lucas didn’t seem pleased by the reminder, and for a moment, the brothers stared at each other across the table before Lucas looked away.

"As I was saying," he continued, "Olivia is the young woman who saved my life four years ago. I’ve spent a long time searching for her, and now that I’ve finally found her, I have no intention of losing her again."

My stomach tightened.

"She’s very important to me, and I wanted everyone to meet her properly because she’s the woman I intend to marry."

The entire dining room fell silent.

What? Marry?

I stared at Lucas, waiting for him to explain himself, but he appeared completely serious. What the hell was wrong with this man? We had never discussed marriage, yet he had just announced it to his entire family!

I clenched my hands beneath the table, fighting the urge to confront him. Then I looked at Lucian. His smile had vanished, and he sat motionless, staring at his older brother with an expression that made my chest tighten.

Lucas knew about our feelings for each other. How could he make such an announcement in front of Lucian? I wanted to say something, but with everyone watching, I forced myself to remain silent.

Their father finally cleared his throat. "All right, all right. I believe everyone has heard what Lucas has to say. Now, can we please have dinner before the food gets cold?"

Rebecca nodded quickly. "Yes, of course. Everyone, let’s eat."

The servants began serving the food, and I lowered my gaze to my plate.

"Olivia, I hope you’re comfortable here," Jasmine said.

I looked up and smiled politely. "Yes, thank you. Everyone has been very welcoming."

"Of course!" one of the twins exclaimed. "We’ve been looking forward to meeting you. We have so many things we want to ask you."

"Then perhaps you should save those questions for tomorrow," Lucas interrupted. "Olivia has had a long day."

"Oh, come on, Brother," Jasmine protested. "We’re only trying to get to know her."

"It’s all right," I assured them. "I really don’t mind."

"See?" one of the twins said triumphantly. "She likes us already!"

James chuckled. "Don’t get too excited. She’s only being polite."

"Nobody asked you!" his sister retorted, earning laughter from the others.

Despite everything, I smiled. They were surprisingly friendly, nothing like the arrogant royals I had imagined.

"Olivia, can I ask you something?" Jasmine said.

"Of course."

"I heard you used to work as a maid at Blood Moon Pack. Is that true?"

My smile faded slightly. "Yes," I admitted. "I did."

Jasmine smiled. "Well, I hope you don’t feel uncomfortable around us because of that. Your former position doesn’t change how we see you."

"Exactly," James added. "Being a maid doesn’t define who you are as a person."

"And anyone who thinks they’re better than someone else because they were born into a wealthy family needs to get over themselves," one of the twins declared.

"Well said," Rebecca remarked proudly.

Their words touched me. After years of being looked down upon because of my position, I hadn’t expected such kindness from the royal family.

"Thank you," I said sincerely. "That really means a lot to me."

"You’re welcome, Olivia," Jasmine replied.

I smiled at her before glancing toward Lucian. He had barely spoken since Lucas’s announcement. While everyone else chatted, he remained quiet, occasionally answering when someone addressed him. I noticed his tight jaw and the way he gripped his cutlery. I wished I could tell him that I hadn’t agreed to anything.

Across the table, Lucas was speaking calmly with his father, apparently unconcerned by the trouble he had caused. I looked away before my anger showed.

"Olivia, are you all right?" Jasmine asked.

"Yes. I’m fine."

"Are you sure? You’ve barely touched your food."

I glanced at my plate. She was right.

"I’m just a little tired," I admitted. "It’s been a long day."

Rebecca immediately nodded. "Of course, Olivia. You only arrived today. You must be exhausted."

"Yes, Your Majesty. If you don’t mind, I’d like to retire for the night."

"Of course. You should get some rest."

I pushed my chair back and stood. "Thank you so much for dinner, and thank you all for being so welcoming."

"You’re welcome!" one of the twins exclaimed. "We’ll see you tomorrow, right?"

I smiled. "Of course."

"Good night, Olivia," Jasmine said.

"Good night."

I bowed respectfully toward Rebecca and her husband before glancing at Lucian. Our eyes met, and he gave me a small nod. I returned it before turning toward the entrance.

"Olivia."

I stopped at Lucas’s voice. "Yes, Alpha Lucas?"

"Get some rest. We’ll talk tomorrow."

I stared at him for a moment. Tomorrow? He had some nerve.

"Good night," I replied before leaving the dining room.

The moment I stepped into the corridor, I quickened my pace toward the staircase. I couldn’t believe Lucas had announced his intention to marry me without asking for my opinion. Did he think being Alpha King gave him the right to make decisions about my life? And the worst part was that he had done it in front of Lucian.

By the time I reached the upper floor, I was furious. I wanted to confront Lucas immediately, but I decided to return to my room first. I reached my bedroom door, turned the handle, and stepped inside.

Then I stopped.

Someone was standing near the window, and my eyes widened when I recognized him.

Lucas!

He was standing there with his hands tucked into his pockets, looking completely relaxed, as though he had every right to be in my bedroom. For a moment, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Hadn’t I just left him downstairs?

Then I remembered. Teleportation. Of course! He had teleported into my bedroom!

The realization only made me angrier. First, he had arranged for my room to be beside his without explaining why. Then he had announced his intention to marry me without even discussing it with me. And now he had the audacity to enter my bedroom without knocking!

What the hell was wrong with this man? Did he honestly believe that because he was the Alpha King, he could do whatever he pleased without considering my feelings?

I had endured enough humiliation at dinner, and seeing him standing in my room as though nothing had happened was the last straw. I slammed the door behind me, and Lucas turned toward me.

"Olivia..."

But I didn’t give him a chance to finish. I marched straight toward him, raised my hand, and slapped him hard across the face.