Alice

As I stared at him, confusion washed over me, followed by a creeping sense of fear. Was he leaving me? After the baby was born, of course - I knew the contract would end after a few months. But if I calculated correctly, he wasn't supposed to be alive by then. So, what was going on?

I swallowed hard, my voice shaking. "Just before you go…? What does that mean?"

Xavier's response was a cryptic smile, one that made my skin crawl. "Nothing," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "Let's head inside. It's already late, and I'm hungry."

Without waiting for my response, Xavier turned and headed toward the...