|| VIKTOR's POV ||

As I raced through the corridors of Alpha Gerrat's castle, my heart pounding with fear and rage, I felt a sense of urgency like never before. Each step echoed like a thunderclap in the silence of the castle, my mind consumed by thoughts of Athena and the danger she faced.

Finally, I reached the room where I had last seen her, my heart skipping a beat as I pushed open the door and entered. What I found inside made my blood run cold.

There she lay, crumpled on the floor, her body battered and bruised, her face pale and drawn with pain. My breath caught in...