Chapter 229

Claire's POV I sped down the highway toward Westfield City, my knuckles white against the steering wheel. My baby sister needed me. The GPS said I was still forty minutes from the hospital. Too long. I pressed harder on the accelerator. "Slow down," Stella cautioned inside my head. "Getting into an accident won't help Betty." I eased off slightly, but anxiety still churned in my stomach. Betty was so young. A C-section was risky, and I worried about both her and the baby. I remembered my own labor. The pain. The fear. "She has your mother and Hank," Stella reminded me. "Susan panics easily, and Hank... he barely knows how to take care of himself, let alone Betty," I muttered. When I finally reached the hospital, I practically sprinted through the entrance. The antiseptic smell hit me immediately, making my enhanced senses recoil. I followed signs for the maternity ward, my heart pounding. I spotted my mother sitting outside the operating room, her face pale. Hank stood nearby, looking