Chapter 174

ELORA’S POV After Aiden sent me the address of the hospital Lucian had been rushed to, the first thing I did was call Selene. I didn’t even think about it. My fingers moved on their own, trembling so badly I almost dropped my phone again after Lucas picked it up for me. I couldn’t drive right now. No, I absolutely can't. My hands were shaking, my chest tight, my vision blurred at the edges. Getting behind a wheel like this would be reckless. Lucas had asked me five times what was wrong. Five times, in five different ways, he asked. And five times, I refused to answer. I couldn’t bring myself to say Lucian’s name out loud. Saying it would make this real. “Elora?” Lucas said again. “Are you okay? Who was on the phone?” “I’m fine,” I lied, my voice hollow even to my own ears. “I just need a moment.” But I wasn’t fine. I was unraveling. “Elora!” Selene’s voice cut through the fog the moment she burst into Lucas’s office. I heard the door slam open, her heels sharp against the floor. She st