Primal

Chapter Eighteen - Promises

"Aren't you hungry?"

Xavier sat across the dinner table from Vega and I, watching her stare at her food.

"It's delicious," she said, pushing a pea across the plate with her fork. "I just don't have an appetite."

I, on the other hand, was starving. I had finished the honey-glazed roasted chicken in no time but was still working on the peas and the corn.

"Do you want this?" Vega asked, handing me her bread roll.

I nodded and took it out of her hands.

"Does Adam not feed you?" Xavier asked in amusement.

"I didn't eat breakfast," I explained, eating a spoonful of peas.

Vega laughed. "I've never seen you devour peas like that."

I said nothing as I tore off a piece of bread from the roll.

Vega was trying to get on my good side, despite having neglected to apologize. It frustrated me that I could empathize with her, however. I understood the stress she was probably under after her father was kidnapped and I could see where that would cause her to potentially lash out.

Despite this, her irrational words against my relationship with my father and my relationship with Adam still cut deep.

I could understand that she was hurting, but she didn't have to take it out on me. It wasn't my fault, no matter what she believed.

"A lady would never stuff her face," Victoria said, taking a rabbit's bite of her chicken.

"Who invited you to lunch?" Vega asked her. Vega's attitude wouldn't earn her many fans in this castle.

Victoria looked aghast to be spoken to like that.

"I almost you asked the same thing," Victoria sneered.

Vega rolled her eyes.

"Cat fight," Tyler whispered under his breath.

He sat in the chair next to me, which was the only reason Vega didn't try to strangle him.

"Who is that?" She asked me.

"His name is Tyler. He's here to help us plan the Centennial, even though he hasn't been much help," I explained.

"I'm sitting right here," he reminded me.

"What is a 'Centennial'?" Vega asked.

"It's a party without balloons," Tyler mumbled. I shot him a glare.

"It's a week-long event where all the Alpha Superiors gather together for meetings and galas," I explained.

"When is it?" She asked.

"Next week."

I sighed thinking of all the planning I still had to do. I still had to approve the menus for the week, go over living arrangements, pick out a song list for the galas, and so much more.

"I need to find Liu," I said, thinking out loud.

"Can I help?" Vega asked. "I've got nothing else to do."

I nodded, finishing the food on my plate.

I looked up and caught Xavier's eye.

"Can I speak to you for a moment?" He asked me, standing from his seat.

I nodded and stood up, following him to the corner of the dining room.

"What's wrong?"

"I saw Adam in the hall earlier," he said. "He looked angry, but he wouldn't tell me what about. Is something going on?"