Phoebe's POV
Dread twisted in my stomach throughout this entire lunch. Every bite felt like swallowing rocks, my nerves making it nearly impossible to get the food down. Perry was scheming something - I could sense it in the air around him, though I couldn't figure out exactly what.
The chatter around the table felt stiff and rehearsed. Like everyone was dancing around the real reason we were here, making pointless small talk to avoid the elephant in the room. That's how it struck me, anyway.
These people barely acknowledged my existence, tossing a few polite questions my way. When Perry explained that I'd injured my tongue and needed to stay quiet for faster healing, they dropped their interest in me completely.
But I still felt their stares burning into me. Some didn't even try to hide it, openly gawking in my direction. A few alphas whispered among themselves while shooting glances my way.
