Theo POV

Before anyone could speak again, the voices of our uncles down the hall cause us to jump. Go, I mouth to everyone and we leave Olivia's room as quickly as possible. I shove Lydia in the direction of her room and Luke and I stand to attention.

"What are you two doing?" Uncle Jeremy narrows his eyes suspiciously at us. Clearly he knew something was up.

"Going for a w-"

"Checking on the-"

Luke and I stop and look at each other. I widen my eyes to signal him to talk.

"We were looking for Uncle Felix," he nods, as if confirming it within himself.

"Oh, okay, well he's in his office," Uncle Jeremy nods at us and spins on his heel, walking away.

"Come on then," Luke says, walking ahead of me.

"What? We're not actually going to see him, are we?" I ask.

"I have to speak to him anyway so we might as well," he shrugs.

"About what?" I ask.

"He said something about getting me more involved in this royal stuff or whatever. Anyway, he'll need someone to speak to the Daltons with and it's a good training opportunity for-"

"What?" I stop. What the hell is Uncle Felix thinking?

"I said-"

"Come with me," I growl, dragging my cousin by the arm. He seemed confused, but didn't object.

Not even bothering to knock, I storm into the King's office with Luke trailing behind. I normally wouldn't do something like this, especially not to Felix, but I was angry. He looks up at us as I begin to speak, "what is wrong with you?"

"Excuse me?" Our Uncle looked taken aback at my sudden outburst, and Luke did, too.

"Why are you letting him talk to the Daltons with you? That's just going to make it worse!" I yell, causing the two of them to look even more surprised, if it were possible.

"We've been over this. Luke's going to take over from me, Theo. It's best if he-"

"You know that's not what I mean!" I cut him off, causing him to pause. He then seemed to realise what I was talking about.

"He's getting better, Theo," Uncle Felix replies, quieter.

"No he's not! Luke is just as sick as he's always been and we all know it!" I mimic his hushed tone, leaning on his large desk.

"I'm right here, stop talking about me like that," Luke frowns at the two of us, "and I thought we weren't going to talk about that anymore. I've apologised, I went to therapy. It's over."

"It's not over! Talking to the Daltons is just going to make you worse!" I insist, "Luke, trust me, it's a bad idea."

"Luke's getting better. He's been to some of our best doctors who all have said the same," Felix shakes his head, "he's perfectly in control of his- issues."

"Will you two please shut up about it!" Luke interrupts, "I'm in full control of my mental health! I always have been, and stop talking about me as if I'm not here!"

Not always, I thought to myself, shaking my head, "don't you remember that one time?"

I couldn't believe my eyes. He was strangling her. Uncle Felix had told me a few weeks prior that Luke was experiencing some "mental issues" and that he'd get over them, but that was all he'd ever tell me.

I pulled Luke off of Olivia, who began to clutch her neck. Turning away from Liv so she would hear I whispered lowly, "I told you to stick to your medicine."

He had been to doctors and psychologists and eventually he was given medicine that helped him calm down. Apparently.

He didn't reply, so I dragged him along to Uncle Felix, "I told you this would happen! There's something wrong with him! You can't deny that anymore!"

We had kept Luke's "issues" a secret from Olivia, Lydia and the younger twins for four years. It was mainly Luke's idea, but I could understand why he didn't want to tell them. He was still on medication, I wasn't sure what it was but I knew it helped. He was still denying it himself, saying he was "perfectly fine" and then not wanting to talk after that.

"That was four years ago, I'm fine now," he glares at the two of us, clearly disliking us discussing his mental health, especially in front of him.

"Well, I doubt anger issues really go away," I glare at our uncle, still furious that he would endanger his nephew's mental health so easily, "especially if he isn't taking his medication anymore, which I assume you're slowly taking him off which is an awful idea might I add."

"I don't have anger issues!" Luke yells, causing Felix and I to pause, "I never have!"

There's no point in talking to him about it. He'll deny it.

"Luke, give us a minute, will you?" Uncle Felix asks and Luke sighs, storming out of the room.

"I thought I told you to never bring that up, Theo," the King turns to me.

"Just because I can't bring it up doesn't mean I shouldn't care. He was getting better, but with all that's happened it's only a matter of time before he snaps," I frown.

"Either way Luke is taking over from me in two years and it's about time he learnt how to deal with situations like these," he shakes his head at me.

"He won't even be King if he doesn't get better!" Felix doesn't respond.

"You wouldn't actually let him, would you?" I ask. He remains quiet, "Uncle Felix, he's sick, you know that. He can't look after thousands of people!"

"He will learn," the King insists, clearly not wanting to back down on his faith in Luke.

"So what will you do when he snaps again? Believe me, he will. You will no longer have authority over him. He'll be King. No one will be able to stop him and it will be all your fault!"

He remains silent. This was the first time I had seen him at a loss for words. He finally looks me in the eye once again, "I wasn't going to tell you this, but if it'll keep you quiet then I guess it wouldn't hurt."

"What?" My mouth falls open slightly in shock. He's admitting that I'm right? Have I actually won an argument against him?

He pulls out a piece of paper from his desk and hands it to me, "read it."

My eyes skim over the page. Is this a contract? My eyes widen in shock as I read the bottom of the page.

... Olivia Maxwell shall have the authority to withdraw him from his position as King should he become unfit for the role due to mental health complications.
If she desires, she will be crowned Queen and so take her brother's role.

"No way," I was in complete and utter shock, "you were going to let her have the power to take Luke's crown!"

"Yes, but that was before the incident. I'm not sure what to do now," he sighs, "You don't actually think that I ignore Luke's mental health? I know there's a chance it won't work out."

I thought he was big on the whole "men should take the crown" thing so that the royal family will always have the last name Maxwell, I thought.

"So why is Olivia the only one that's locked up?" I reply, "Luke has some issues and he's a danger to us all. Especially Liv."

"Exactly. Olivia has to face her punishment, but she must also be protected from Luke. I won't lie, I have noticed some changes in him lately and I have no doubt at any given chance he'll take out all his anger on Olivia," I nodded at his words. Everything was becoming so much clearer to me now.

"I didn't think it was like you to keep her isolated for so long without doing anything," I mutter quietly, but know he hears me.

"I'm furious at her, but I don't want Luke to hurt her. She's been beaten, shot and is currently grieving, all which have happened in such a short space of time," he sighs.

"Luke killed the Dalton boy, yet he's not in trouble, and he stole your gun," I raise my eyebrows.

"He didn't kill him. Logan Dalton is alive, and the gun situation will be dealt with, I assure you. Luke has even admitted himself that he lost control when he fired it which will not be ignored. I will be meeting with a psychiatrist."

I slap my forehead, "why didn't you tell me he was alive?"

"Olivia must not know, Theo. If she thinks he's dead she'll stay here with us. We can't lose her again. She'll think that as part of her punishment she can't go to any more Maxwell-Dalton meetings. Ever," Felix tells me.

"But it's really so she doesn't know Logan's alive," I realise and he nods.

The room is silent for a few minutes. I look up from my feet at my uncle, "Uncle Felix?"

"Hm-?" He looks up at me.

"Do you think we could ever go back to the way things were? As a family? Where we don't hate Olivia and Lydia?" I frown.

The truth was, I didn't really want to hate either or them. I was furious at the Dalton boy, but I was just glad to have Olivia back with us. He was probably the one that took her away. Now that he's alive I'm sure Felix wouldn't mind me having a little chat with him. Minus Luke, that wouldn't end well.

"No one hates them Theo. They just need to learn their lesson and I'm sure with time they'll regain our trust," I can tell that he doesn't like it either. Our family being torn apart like this.

"Thanks," I smile and exit the office.

Olivia POV

What just happened? I thought to myself, still in shock of the previous events. What was he thinking? Why would he do that? The image of my brother's angry face lingered on my mind. I shuddered, trying to think of something else.

Wait, a thought crosses my mind and I jump up and walk to the door. I pull the handle and it opens, they forgot to lock it!

Of course, running away again would just make the situation worse. Where would I go, anyway? I couldn't go to Jessica's, that would be the first place they'd look. No, there was no point. I looked both ways before leaving the room, closing the door behind me as quietly as possible. It creaks and I cringe at how loud it was, hoping no one heard.

I looked down the hall, and two particular doors stood out to me. I walk to the nearest, not bothering to knock. Lewis was lying on his bed, his arm covering his eyes. By his breathing I can tell he isn't sleeping, just resting. I open the door further and he seems to notice because he takes his arm away and sits up.

His eyes widen when he sees me, and before he can react I run over and cover his mouth with one of my hands.

"Shh, we have to be quiet," I put a finger to my lips with my free hand. He calms down and nods, taking my hand away from his mouth.

"Come on, just follow me and I'll explain everything," I gently pull his arm towards the door.

We leave his room and approach the door of the room next to it. Once again, I open the door without knocking. Liam was on the floor, bouncing something small and round off of the wall and catching it with his other hand.

He notices us and stands up. Lewis and I shush him quickly and I close the door.

"What are you doing?" Liam whispers loudly, clearly panicking about the fact that I'm in his room.

"I really need to talk to you two. Please, just let me," I beg them. They look at each other and then back at me. I sit on Liam's bed, my legs swinging childishly, a habit that had stuck with me. The twins don't sit down but continue to stare at me.

"Liv, just hurry up you know how much trouble we'll be- wait, how did you get out?" Liam asks suspiciously.

"Luke left the door open," I laugh, idiot.

"Luke was in your room?" Lewis' eyes look as if they're going to pop out of their sockets any second, "like, Luke Luke?"

"More importantly, you're not injured?" Liam raises his eyes brows as if to say wow.

I sigh, looking at my feet, "I'm going to explain everything to the two of you. You're going to listen to what I have to say and wait until the end to ask questions, okay? I'm only telling you this because you're the only two men in this family that will actually hear me out."

They nod, and so I did. I explained absolutely everything from the very beginning, from meeting Logan Dalton for the first time, being inside his castle, the hole in the wall, the forest, the meeting, to running away, where we went and what we did. I even told them about his sister, Lydia and Jessica, and how they knew all along.

"And now he's dead and it's all my fault," I feel my eyes begin to water and I pat my fingers on the inner corners of my eyes to try and stop it.

They don't speak. I look up and notice their wide-eyed, shocked expressions.

"Whoa," Liam breathes out.

"So- so-" Lewis stutters, "you went over to that side? A-and Lydia knew? And you met his sister? And- and-" at a loss for words, he pauses.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Liam asks, but his serious tone had disappeared, "I want to go exploring in the forest and jump through a hole in the wall and go over to the other side!"

I can't help but laugh. Lewis gives a defeated smile, "yeah, I won't lie it sounds exciting. Almost worth the punishment, to be honest, though I think if the two of us did it they wouldn't care as much."

"Lewis, you know that's not true," I frown a little, knowing that although his tone was light he meant it. He shrugs.

"I can't believe you kept that a secret for so long! I would have never guessed! You got to be all cool and ninja-like and sneak around and have fun," Liam pouts.

I sniff, "so you two don't completely hate me for secretly dating a member of our family's rival family, lying about it and running away?"

"When you put it like that it sounds a lot worse," Lewis chuckles, "but no. We're not, unlike everyone else in this pathetic excuse for a family."

"I'm just angry my you didn't tell us in the first place. Do you have any idea how boring this castle is? We could've come with you! That would have been so fun!" Liam's eyes light up excitedly.

"Well, I'm sorry but it probably won't be happening again anytime soon. Or ever," I can't help but laugh at my childish brothers, you two will never change.

"Also," I stand up, "I think you two are forgetting that you're only fourteen."

"Nearly fifteen!" Liam argues, folding his arms crossly.

"That's right," I mutter.

"You didn't forget our birthday, Liv, did you?" Lewis laughs, so I can tell he's not angry.

"I didn't forget, I've just been a little, overwhelmed," I shrug, then frown sadly, "I probably won't get to see either of you then anyway."

"Don't worry, you will little sister," Liam smirks.

"I'm five years older than both of you!" I cross my arms.

"And you're still smaller than us," the twins laugh together, making me frown, "height trumps age, sis."

"Do you think you can get me out of isolation?" I ask, and they shake their heads.

"They would never listen to anything the two of us have to say," Lewis rolls his eyes, "or you, not anymore."

"I've messed up really bad," I mutter, more to myself than the two of them.

"Nah, not really," Liam replies sarcastically and his twin elbows him, whispering "not now."

"I love you two so much," I put an arm around each of their necks, each returning the hug, and a muffled an embarrassed "love you too."

"I should probably go now," I sigh, not wanting to be alone again, but I knew I had to go.

"We'll see you soon," Lewis pats my head, "don't worry."