CHAPTER 130

Elijah’s POV

The emergency room lights were too bright. I felt the throbbing in my head, the sting of scratches on my arms, but the doctor assured me nothing was broken. I strained to listen amid the bustle, and then I heard her voice—Sophia.

“Hey, Sophia,” I called out weakly, trying to sit up despite the ache.

Suddenly, to my surprise, she was there rushing to me, one arm in a cast, tears streaming down her face as she enveloped me in a tight hug. Her relief was evident, overwhelming.

“I thought…” she began to say, sobbing. “I thought that you…”

“Hey, it's okay,” I murmured, holding her close. “I'm okay.”

“I thought it was you on that stretcher over there,” she finally managed to say, not able to contain her sobs. Then she couldn’t speak anymore, just burying her face into my shoulder.

Behind her, I saw Kayla and little Reese hurrying over. Reese reached me first, her eyes wide with worry. “Daddy, you're alive!”

Sophia managed a smile through her tears as she composed herself. I