8. (JO POV)

(JO POV)

When Dane's eyes finally flickered open, the shift was dramatic. The storm I had anticipated and prepared to weather seemed to dissipate as if it had never been. "As much as I'd relish the chance to stay like this, today isn't the day for such indulgences," he remarked.

My response, a pout, caught me off guard. My behavior mirrored something far less mature than the seriousness of our situation warranted.

"Today is pivotal, and I must prepare you for what lies ahead," he elaborated, each word underscoring the seriousness of the impending day, sending an involuntary shiver through me.

"What's wrong, kitten?" he asked as he observed my reaction.

"It's the girls... from the dorm. They shared... their experiences. It's terrifying... what they went through..." I stumbled over the words, the memories of their haunted faces and whispered fears clawing to the surface.

"Shhh, you're under my care. That won't happen to you," he soothed.

"But how can you be so sure?" My question was l