|| ATHENA's POV ||

As Sally burst into my chambers, her eyes wide with urgency, I could sense that something was amiss even before she spoke a word. "Athena," she gasped, her breath coming in short, frantic bursts. "You won't believe what I just overheard."

I turned to face her, my heart pounding in my chest with a mixture of fear and anticipation. "What is it, Sally?" I asked, my voice trembling with apprehension. "What did you hear?"

Sally took a deep breath, her eyes darting nervously around the room before she spoke. "I overheard Alpha Gerrat speaking to Asher," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "He suggested...