Takumi's senses gradually returned to him, the fog of sleep lifting as he became aware of his surroundings. The events of the previous day came flooding back, along with the lingering ache in his body. As he shifted on the bed, he winced at the soreness that radiated through his muscles.

The sound of breaking glass snapped his attention to the door, his heart rate quickening in response. His eyes widened as he saw Katia standing there, a look of shock and horror on her face. He felt a pang of embarrassment and shame at being seen in such a state, his vulnerability exposed.

Before he could say anything, Katia hurriedly left the room, disappearing from his view. Confusion gnawed at him as he waited, wondering what she was doing. A few minutes later, she returned with cleaning supplies and another glass of water. She handed him the glass, along with two pills, and instructed him to take them. Her voice held a mix of concern and frustration.

Takumi took the glass and the pills, his gaze never leaving Katia as she set to work cleaning the mess on the floor. He felt a mixture of gratitude and guilt for her actions—gratitude for her kindness and concern, and guilt for the trouble he had unintentionally caused.

"Katia," he managed to say, his voice hoarse from both the ordeal and his lack of use. "I… I'm sorry you had to see me like this. Thanks for the painkillers too."

Katia's expression softened as she glanced over at him, a sad smile tugging at her lips. "You have nothing to apologize for, Takumi. It's not your fault. Those doctors… they're monsters. They don't care about anyone's well-being. I wish there was more I could do to help."

Takumi nodded, his throat tightening as he tried to suppress the emotions threatening to overwhelm him. "Thank you, Katia. For being here, for helping me. It’s more than enough trust me."

Katia finished cleaning the mess and approached him, sitting on the edge of the bed. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, her touch a comforting presence. "You don't have to go through this alone, Takumi. We're in this together, and we'll find a way to escape this place."

Takumi looked into her eyes, feeling a sense of loss. "I wish I could just leave but I can’t. Dr. Setme told me I’m free to refuse her experiment whenever I want but then she put one of the kids on the chopping block next."

As Takumi revealed the dark ultimatum Dr. Setme had presented him with, Katia's expression shifted from concern to a mixture of anger and determination. Her grip on Takumi's shoulder tightened, her voice filled with a steely resolve. "No one should have to endure this, Takumi. We can't let her use innocent children as leverage to manipulate you. We have to find a way to stop her and put an end to this madness."

Takumi placed his hand on hers as she tightly gripped his shoulders and smiled. “It’s okay rather than worry about me you should worry about yourself. She and Dr. Koch both know we’re close so I’m more afraid they’ll get rid of you. If you’re planning on escaping then don’t worry about me and take as many of the children with you as possible. I’ll be fine she values me since I’m a successful experiment so I don’t think they’ll do anything to risk my life for now.”

Katia's gaze locked onto Takumi's, a fierce determination burning in her eyes. "I won't leave you behind, Takumi. We're going to get out of here together, and we're going to save those kids too. No one deserves to be ..."

Just as Katia was speaking the door to Takumi’s room opened and two guards entered. “Alpha Dr. Koch wishes to examine you so please follow us.”

Katia jumped off the bed and angrily yelled, “Can’t you see the condition he’s in right now!? He’s in no shape to be moving around!”

“Please Ms. Flecher we’re here on Dr. Koch's orders so step aside or we’ll be forced to remove you with force. You should not even be here since you’ve been transferred. Continue to stand in our way and all visitation rights shall be revoked.” said a guard in a stern voice

Takumi managed to get off the bed and drag himself over to Katia. He placed his hand on her should and said, “It’s okay” before walking past her to stand in front of the guards who grabbed him.

Katia's eyes locked onto Takumi's, her frustration evident. "Takumi..."

Takumi offered her a reassuring smile, his voice gentle. "It's all right, Katia. I'll be fine. We'll continue this later, okay?"

Katia's expression softened, and she reluctantly nodded, her concern still evident in her eyes. "Promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise," Takumi replied, his gaze never leaving hers.

With that, Takumi turned to face the guards and took a step forward. As they moved to take him away, Katia stepped aside, her fists clenched at her sides in frustration. She watched helplessly as they roughly escorted Takumi out of the room.

Soon Takumi was strapped to an examination table as Dr. Koch walked into the room. He walked over to Takumi and without a word waited until his assistant brought over five syringes.

Dr. Koch's cold demeanor sent shivers down Takumi's spine as he watched the doctor approach with the syringes. He felt a surge of anxiety and dread, knowing that whatever was about to happen wouldn't be pleasant. His muscles tensed as Dr. Koch began to prepare the syringes, his mind racing to figure out a way to mitigate the impending pain and discomfort.

Dr. Koch's assistant handed him one of the syringes, and Takumi's heart rate quickened. He braced himself, his jaw clenched, as the needle approached his arm. The doctor's cold, calculating gaze met Takumi's, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

“Calm yourself, Alpha. If you’re too agitated then the result shall be skewed and we’ll have to repeat the process all over again," Dr. Koch said in a chillingly calm voice before administering the injection.

Takumi's body tensed as the substance entered his bloodstream, a rush of sensations flooding over him. He gritted his teeth, his muscles trembling with the effort to remain composed. The pain was intense, but he forced himself to focus on breathing steadily and maintaining his mental clarity.

As the procedure continued, Takumi's mind raced. He knew that he had to find a way to endure the examination without giving away any signs of weakness. He couldn't let Dr. Koch and his twisted experiments break him down further. With every ounce of willpower, he channeled his determination to resist the pain and maintain his facade.

After what felt like an eternity, the injections were finally over. Takumi's body felt drained, his muscles aching and his mind weary. Dr. Koch stepped back, studying Takumi's reactions with a clinical detachment. "Now, Alpha. Let’s get started."