CLAIMED - Fated to Two Chapter 41: Lost

TORRIN’S POV:

FIVE DAYS PRIOR...

Excruciating pain erupts from every inch of my body, blood oozing from my wounds, several of my bones broken. Not even the cold can numb the agony.

I crash into a large pile of snow. My breath is shallow, my heart barely beats. If I don’t receive dical attention imdiately, I may die. The problem is... I can’t walk, let alone lift a finger to seek help.

As ti drags on, my consciousness slips away. Eventually, my heartbeat fades completely while darkness takes over .

I’m dead... or at least, I was.

Until,...

A man nad Harry Ochoa - a lumberjack from no pack, finds and brings to his small but welcoming ho, which is miles away from that snowy yet hellish place. His daughter, Andrea, is a healer. She stays by my side day and night, doing everything she can to pull back from death.

They feed , dress , and care for without questioning who I am, what happened to , or demanding any favor in return.

Not that I could tell them much, even if they ask. My mories are hazy and disorganized. I do rember that I’m an Alpha nad Torrin, and that there are werewolves who want dead for my title.

And there’s a woman, too, with a beautiful face and big blue eyes. But I don’t rember her na or who she is to . I only feel that she’s soone I need to return to. Maybe she’s the one who can answer all my questions? Or maybe there’s sothing more?

Inside, my wolf just watches with a frustrated stare. Every ti I ask him the sa questions, he either howls or growls in response. Most of the ti, he simply ignores .

I know a werewolf’s wolf counterpart can’t speak, but he could at least be more cooperative and patient with .

Part of thinks I’d be safer if I don’t go back, and just simply move on with my life. I don’t wanna waste this second life the Moon Goddess has given .

My wolf growls angrily, clearly disagreeing.

But I’m the one in charge of both our lives. So my decision is the one that must be followed no matter how fiercely and desperately he protests.

Over the next few days, once my injuries heal completely, I help Harry with his small lumberjack business, cutting wood through his machines. Sotis I help Andrea clean the house. I don’t want them thinking I’m a parasite abusing their kindness.

"I’m going to help as a way of thanking you for saving . I’d like to stay here a bit longer. I’ll leave once I find a new ho. And once I find work, I’ll pay you every penny you spent on and more," I say.

"Let’s not talk about paynt... for now," Harry chuckles playfully. "Also, we don’t mind you staying with us for as long as you want." He glances at Andrea. "Right, sweetie?"

Andrea blushes and avoids my gaze as she nods. "I have several patients tomorrow. You can help in my clinic. I-If you don’t mind."

"Sure," I reply without hesitation.

I’m blessed to have been found by such good-natured werewolves. But I can’t stay here long. If the Frostveil wolves find , Harry and Andrea will be in danger too.

Later that night, once Andrea has gone to sleep upstairs, Harry invites to share a cup of tea with him on the porch. There’s a hint of hesitation in his eyes as he studies from head to toe.

"When I found you lifeless in the forest, I imdiately thought what a sha it would be for soone so young and so fine to just die like that. I know my daughter is a great healer, but even a healer can’t bring soone dead back to life. The fact that you’re still alive ans the Moon Goddess believes you have an unfulfilled purpose. I do. That’s why I still brought you to my daughter instead of just burying you even if the odds were against you. But, whatever that purpose is, it’s none of my business," he says.

"If you’re telling to go back to where I ca from and face my past, forget it," I reply.

"Oh, no. That’s not what I an." He shakes his head. "Soone like you shouldn’t be stuck in a small, secluded place like this. What I want is... once you decide to leave, wherever you may go, take my daughter with you."

Confused, my eyes widen slightly.

He continues, "You see, I’m old and old-fashioned. I don’t wanna leave this house, not when it’s the ho my late wife and I built. Because of that, my daughter refuses to explore life outside this place too. Her dical skills could do wonders if she travels and helps more in need. And besides, she’s at the right age to find a mate now. Maybe you can choose her to be your mate? She’s quite fond of you."

This must be the paynt he said we’d discuss later. I can’t say no, not after everything they’ve done for . But I can’t say yes either, because I don’t feel a special bond with Andrea.

Harry chuckles at my silence. "Don’t force it. I’ll respect whatever decision you make."

All through the night, while lying in bed, I keep thinking about Harry’s proposal.

Andrea is a quite pretty woman. Her bright golden hair perfectly matches her hazel eyes. Her voice is soft, always soothing to the ears. And her warmth can lt worries away. Maybe I could give her a chance, get to know her more and try to turn our platonic bond into so much more.

Inside, my wolf growls angrily again, but I ignore him.

But,...

What I can’t ignore is the sudden image of the brunette woman with blue eyes flashing in my mind, pushing Andrea’s face aside.

Who is she? I don’t feel a bond with her either, so why can’t I stop thinking about her?

My wolf’s growl softens, and so does his expression.

Are you trying to tell she’s soone special to ? That I should return to her instead of trying to form a special bond with Andrea?

My wolf nods in a heartbeat.

I chuckle in disbelief. Why would I choose soone who watched die over soone who did everything to bring back to life?

My wolf sighs in defeat, slumps to the ground, and buries his face in his paws, refusing to look at .

Even if he’s angry at for dismissing that woman, there’s no way I’m going back. If she’s in danger like I was, then save herself. Why should I save her when she refused to save when I begged her to?

Frustration creeps through , making sleep impossible.

Morning cos painfully slow. I drag myself out of bed and take a quick shower.

I plan to help Andrea prepare breakfast, but by the ti I descend into the kitchen, everything is already set on the dining table: bacon, eggs, sandwiches, and coffee too.

"Papa went to his factory early because of his new client. So it’ll be just us enjoying breakfast," she says delightfully, blushing like always.

I take her plate, place so food on it, then cut everything into bite-size pieces before handing it back to her.

She gawks at . "T-Thank you. But you don’t have to do that."

Suddenly,...

A mory flashes before : I was with the brunette woman with the blue eyes. I cut her steak so she could eat easily. Just like Andrea, she looked surprised yet appreciative.

"Are you okay?" Andrea asks, snapping out of it.

"I am," I mumble. "Let’s eat."

Breakfast is awkwardly quiet. Andrea weighs every word she might say, while I don’t have much to say at all.

Once we’re done, we head to her clinic, which is just a block away from the house.

In the clinic, Andrea moves from patient to patient with gentle hands and steady focus. She treats wounds, checks pulses, and offers soothing words that calm them more than any dicine could.

What impresses even more is that she never demands paynt. Her patients give whatever they can, sotis coins, sotis food, sotis nothing at all. And she never complains.

A small smile crosses my lips. She’s not hard to like at all.

My wolf growls angrily again, and I glare at him. This ti he refuses to back down. Unfortunately, I’m the one who gives up our glaring match when Andrea suddenly snatches my attention.

"Ouch!" she hisses.

Her palm is bleeding from a small cut caused by her scalpel. So I rush toward her.

"It’s embarrassing that a doctor isn’t careful when holding a scalpel," she mutters.

I help her clean and dress the wound. For a mont, we stay still, long enough for to realize I’m still holding her hand.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t an to," I say, finally letting go.

She chuckles, blushing again. "It’s okay. I’d love you to hold it as many tis and as long as you can." She then takes my hand back to hers and intertwines our fingers. "I’ll let go once the next custor arrives."

Ignoring my wolf, who’s still grunting inside , I reply with a smile. "Sure. Why not."