Derek paced the hallway of the Northern Pack hospital, his patience wearing thin. He had been waiting for Ella for what seemed like hours as she finished her rounds. The sterile smell of antiseptic hung in the air, and the sound of soft footsteps echoed through the nearly deserted hallway. He hated hospitals—the coldness, the desperation that lingered in the air. But for her, he would wait a lifetime.

Finally, the door to one of the patient wards opened, and Ella walked out, looking ...