Ethan POV

The hospital lights were too bright.

They burned into my eyes as I paced the length of the emergency corridor, my footsteps uneven, my chest tight like a steel vice had clamped around it. Claire had been wheeled away minutes ago—no, seconds ago—time had lost all meaning the moment I felt how light she was in my arms. Too light. Terrifyingly light.

“Severe dehydration. Possible exhaustion. We’ll run tests.”

The doctor’s words replayed over and over, each ...