~ Lucian’s POV

When I woke the next morning, my head felt like it had been trampled by a stampede of wild horses. The dull, pounding ache behind my eyes was relentless, and every movement sent waves of nausea crashing through me. I groaned, pressing my palms against my temples as I tried to steady myself.

“Bella…” I croaked groggily, instinctively reaching out to the space beside me. My hand met cold sheets, and reality hit me like a slap. She wasn’t there. She hadn’t been there. And judging by the chaos of last night, it was entirely my fault.

Panic surged through my foggy mind, clearing the remnants of...