Episode Three
894 Words
Claire’s POV
Warmth was the first thing I felt as I drifted back into consciousness, an environment different from the cold and brutal forest I had collapsed in. My body which was once beaten and broken, no longer throbbed with unbearable pain, instead, a dull ache beneath my skin, a pain of the wounds that had nearly ended me.
Where… was I?
Panic gripped me as my eyes opened, I was lying on a large bed, covered in thick, pink blankets, the walls around me were smooth stone, illuminated by the warm glow of the candlelight, a cool breeze fluttered in from the opened window, the scent of the room different from what I'm used to.
I tried to sit up, but my body protested. That was when I noticed my skin was clean, free of blood and dirt, white bandages wrapped around my arms, covering up my wounds, and a comfortable dress someone had put on me. A surge of fear and uncertainty crawled up my spines.
“Had… had Ethan captured me again? “I muttered in fear, my heart pounding as my breath quickened, my fingers gripped the blanket with fear twisted inside me.
No. No, that couldn’t be, the last thing I remembered was Him, the man with the sword, the one who had saved me from the rogues, my saviour, before I could think further, the door creaked open.
I froze, and my muscles tensed, prepared to fight even when I was weak, but instead of a threat, a woman entered. She was older, perhaps in her late forties, dressed in a simple but elegant black dress. Her silver hair was neatly tied back, and her eyes held a quiet kindness. She carried a small tray with a bowl of steaming broth, setting it down on a nearby table beside me.
"You’re awake," she said gently with a smile.
I swallowed, my throat dry. "Where am I?, “ I questioned. The woman gave me a reassuring smile again, "You're a safe child. You were found near the border, unconscious and severely injured, our Beta found you and thought to bring you here, “ She explained.
The Beta? That meant… I was in a pack.
My fingers trembled as I grabbed the blanket tighter, a pack, but whose? And why did they save me, many questions running through my mind which made me unsettled. The woman must have noticed my hesitation and how confused I am.
"This is the Dayes Pack, " She announced. The name didn’t immediately register, but there was something about it… something that made my wolf stir inside me, though still weak.
"You’re lucky he found you in time before the rogues have their way with you," the woman continued, adjusting my blankets. "You were barely breathing when the Beta brought you in. The Alpha ordered for you to be treated immediately, “ She added.
The Alpha? Why would an Alpha care about a lone wolf like me, because I became a lone wolf the moment I was sent out of Ethan's pack.
Before I could ask any more questions, the woman hesitated. It was subtle, but I noticed the way her fingers twitched, as if she was debating whether to say something else.
"There's…" She bit her lip, uncertainty flashing across her face. "There’s something else you should know about, “ She stuttered.
The door swung open.
The woman immediately stepped back, bowing her head, a man stepped inside, the air in the room shifted instantly, I felt it before I even saw his face, a strange pull that shifted something deep in my soul, like a flash of a memory I didn’t know I had.
And then I looked at him, and my breath caught in my throat. He was tall, dressed in dark clothes and leather boots, his presence commanding yet controlled. But what stunned me, what sent a wave of pure confusion crashing over me was his face. It was familiar, too familiar, like a reflection of my own, but in male form.
My wolf stirred weakly, “Blood”
My heart pounded, No, that wasn’t possible, His eyes locked onto mine, filled with emotions I couldn’t understand, the feeling felt strange, but before I could react, before I could even process what was happening. He dropped to his knees, his shoulders trembling, and then, to my shock, tears slipped down his face.
"Claire…" His voice broke, barely above a whisper.
A lump formed in my throat, No.
“No, it couldn’t be.
But my wolf, my instincts… they screamed the truth before he even said the words.
"My daughter," he whispered. "I have found you."
The world tilted beneath me, a rush of emotions slammed into me all at once, confusion, anger, disbelief. This man… this man was my father, the father I had believed was dead, the father who had abandoned me to suffer in a world that had never wanted me, a world of Ethan's?
My vision blurred, my hands trembling as I tried to make sense of it all. I had spent my entire life thinking I was alone, that I had no family, that I had been thrown into this cruel world to fend for myself alone.
But now, here he was., and I was in his pack, everything I knew, everything I believed.
Was a lie!
- Writer
