DANE'S POV

“It's okay; you will be fine. Trust me, I’ll make them pay for this,” I said softly to Astrid, trying to comfort her.

She smiled just a little, her eyes lighting up for a moment as she moved closer to me.

I gently held her face in my hands and pressed a light kiss on her forehead. I could see how worried and stressed she was.

Her skin looked very pale, and her lips were dry and cracked. Dark circles were visible under her tired eyes, showing how exhausted she was.

She had clearly been crying a lot, and I felt guilty for leaving her alone in the...