Ethan POV

The scream echoed down the sterile hallway, sharp and raw, slicing through the early morning quiet. A nurse’s head snapped up from the station. I stood frozen at the foot of her bed, my hands half raised, unsure if I should approach or retreat.

Her breathing was rapid, chest rising and falling beneath the hospital gown. Eyes wide, unfocused—she looked at me like I was some kind of intruder. Which, in a way, I was.

“I—” My throat felt dry. “You’re okay. You’re ...