CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The next morning, Olivia woke up with a big, goofy grin on her face. School time! She hopped out of bed, washed her face, and slipped into the new clothes someone had kindly left for her. Giving herself a final once-over in the mirror, she headed out, remembering Ryan's words from the night before: "Hey, sleepyhead! Breakfast with yours truly at seven sharp!"
Alright, Olivia knew that Ryan would never say it like that.
When she strolled into the dining room, it looked like a food festival was happening! Ryan was already there, surrounded by plates piled high with all sorts of yummy things.
"Wow, you're up bright and early, My Alpha," Olivia mumbled, still a little sleepy. But when Ryan looked up at her, his jaw practically dropped to the floor. He looked like he'd seen a ghost!
"What in the world are you wearing?" Ryan blurted out, his voice booming.
Olivia blinked, totally confused. Her heart did a little nervous flutter from his loud tone. "What do you mean, My Alpha?"
"Did you even glance in a mirror before you came out here?" Ryan asked, his eyes wide.
Olivia sighed dramatically. "Do you always have to shout to get your point across? Honestly! I spent ages doing my makeup... I think it looks pretty good, right?"
Just then, Micheal walked in, carrying a tray. He stopped dead in his tracks, nearly dropping everything. "Hold on a minute... is she among those random girls who just wander in? Alpha, I am so sorry! Should I call the guards?" He sounded genuinely alarmed.
"Why would you need to call the guards?" Olivia asked, her eyebrows shooting up. Micheal's eyes bugged out even further the moment he knew it was just Olivia.
"Why... why do you have that much makeup on your face?" Micheal stammered, blinking rapidly like he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing. He was completely speechless, just staring at Olivia's… artistic choices.
"I know, right? It's amazing! You don't have to look so shocked," Olivia said proudly, grabbing a sausage and taking a big bite. Now, let's be honest, Olivia's makeup was less "amazing" and more "whoa, what happened there?" Her face was covered in a thick layer of white foundation, making her look a bit like a friendly ghost. Her smoky eyeshadow was... well, let's just say it was very smoky, and her eyeliner had a life of its own. And the bright red lipstick? Definitely made a statement, though maybe not the one she was going for.
Micheal let out a long, suffering sigh. "No offense, but... don't you think that's a tad much for school? I mean, it's not exactly subtle, is it?"
Olivia giggled a little. The first time she'd tried this look, she'd even scared herself in the mirror! But at her old school, this much makeup was kind of like her secret superhero disguise to avoid trouble. She'd gotten so used to it, she thought it was totally normal.
"Nah, I think it's perfect! I feel really pretty like this."
Micheal almost choked on his own spit. "I think you might have the definition of 'pretty' slightly confused."
"Okay, okay, makeup discussion is over!" Olivia declared, reaching for a stack of pancakes. "Just gonna grab these and then I'm off to class." But before she could snag one, Ryan swooped in and whisked the plate away.
"Hold your horses," he said, his voice a low rumble. "I didn't ask you to have breakfast with me just so you could eat, did I?"
Olivia looked around, totally bewildered. "Then why did you ask me to breakfast at seven? It's not like we're having a pity party for someone, are we?"
Ryan really didn't want to comment on her makeup again, but he couldn't resist. "Well, we might need to plan a funeral later, because that makeup would be absolutely perfect for one."
"Oh, you're just flattering me, My Alpha!" Olivia said with a cheeky grin, grabbing another sausage.
Micheal jumped in, trying to diffuse the awkwardness. "Um, I think what the Alpha meant was... he wanted you to, uh... to feed him."
Olivia blinked. Why couldn't this guy just say what he meant? She didn't want to be late for school because of his weird requests! With a sigh, she reluctantly scooped up some oatmeal, blowing on it carefully. "Here you go. Open wide."
Ryan looked deeply unimpressed, his eyes still fixated on her makeup. But he knew better than to argue when it came to this particular task. He opened his mouth slightly, and Olivia fed him the spoonful of oatmeal. The creamy sweetness of the milk and honey mixed with the soft oats, and surprisingly, it tasted amazing.
He ate the whole bowl with a very serious expression, while Olivia just shrugged and poured herself some milk. She grabbed a doughnut and dunked it generously into her milk before taking a big, happy bite.
Ryan's eyebrows shot up. "What in the world are you doing?"
Olivia almost choked on her milky doughnut. "What do you mean? Haven't you ever done this? You just soak it until it's nice and soft and full of milk! It's the best!"
Ryan clearly had not experienced the joy of a soggy doughnut before. He stared at Olivia as she dunked another one, her eyes closed in pure bliss as she chewed. He didn't know if it was the way she looked so happy or the way the milky doughnut looked so… appealing, but suddenly, he felt a strange urge to try it himself. The moment Olivia brought the next milk-soaked doughnut to her lips, Ryan reached out and gently took her hand. He lowered his head and took a bite.
His eyes widened slightly. Okay, he had to admit, it was pretty good. He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the soft, milky sweetness. Meanwhile, Olivia sat frozen, her eyes wide with surprise. She definitely hadn't expected that.
Ryan's hand still held her wrist, and Olivia could feel the warmth of his skin. She was completely speechless. By the time she finally snapped out of her daze, the entire doughnut was gone, and her hand was free.
Olivia just couldn't figure Ryan out. Was he really going to make her feed him every single day she was here?
Did her food somehow taste better to him?
Or... could it be...?
No, no way. Was he actually... liking her?
For a split second, she couldn't help but compare him to her big, slobbery dog back home who loved to lick her face.
Once breakfast was officially over, Olivia pulled out her lipstick and added another generous layer. "Alright, well, I guess I'll head off to school now!" she said brightly.
"Do whatever you want," Ryan replied, not even looking her way. Olivia, however, had other plans. She leaned in towards his face, but before she could get close, Ryan's hand shot up and covered her mouth. "Don't you dare kiss me without permission," he warned, his voice a low growl.
Olivia felt a little deflated, but she still wanted to leave her mark. She playfully pushed his hand away. "You know, sometimes when you really like someone, you just want to call them sweet names and show them you care. But if you don't, you just stay far, far away."
Ryan sat there, looking utterly confused.
Olivia just grinned and planted a quick kiss on his cheek, leaving a bright red lipstick mark. Then, she turned and practically sprinted out of the room like a startled bunny. Ryan just stared at his beta, Micheal, a bewildered expression on his face. "When exactly did I call her sweet names?"
Beta Micheal quickly chimed in, trying not to laugh. "Uh, you didn't, Alpha. I think she might have made that part up."
Ryan rubbed his temples, a sigh escaping his lips. "This is exactly why my aunt sent her here... to drive me absolutely crazy."
Micheal couldn't help but smile. "Actually, Alpha, I think it's a good thing your aunt sent her. You haven't seemed this... well, entertained in years."
Ryan shot him a sharp look. "What did you just say?"
Micheal immediately straightened up, his smile vanishing. "I meant... your aunt is very cruel for bringing Miss Olivia here to make you feel so... uncomfortable."
"Right," Ryan said slowly, his gaze intense. "So, what exactly do you know about this murder she was supposedly involved in?"