Asher’s POV

It had been three weeks, and Marcus was still in a coma.

Three weeks of sitting by his bedside, hoping for a sign, any sign, that he was coming back to us.

I had spent most of my time at the hospital, sometimes with Ivy or Janine, but mostly alone.

The doctors gave the same updates every day, their words rehearsed, their voices carefully measured: No change. Stable but unresponsive. We just have to wait.

Wait.

Like that was something I could do.

I didn’t know how to exist outside of this hospital room anymore. My world had shrunk to this space, to the steady hum of machines,...