ALPHA XAVIER POV

My heart skipped a beat. I was calm, surprisingly calm. The old me, the one who had been held captive, the one who had been stripped of his agency, would have flung the tray of food at her, a violent outburst fueled by frustration and anger. But something had changed. I was different now. I just smiled and nodded, my voice as smooth as the velvet tablecloth beneath our plates.

"Alright then, do you want to try some of these potato pies, it's wonderful." I pointed at the food, desperately trying to change the subject, to shift the focus away from the dangerous ground we were treading....