ISABEL POV

My breath hitched in my throat. Alpha Xavier's gaze was fixed on me, unwavering, and his expression was unreadable. The weight of his scrutiny pressed down on me, a crushing burden. I felt my cheeks flush, a tide of heat surging through me. He'd been staring at me for what felt like an eternity, and I knew, with a chilling certainty, that he was going to make me the target of his amusement. He was going to humiliate me in front of everyone, a cruel jest that would leave me trembling in the wake of his laughter.

I felt a tremor of panic ripple through me, a visceral...