Claimed by My Ex Chapter 74 Misunderstand

Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Misunderstand

Damian’s pov:

I stood outside William Lancaster’s hospital room, gifts in hand, hesitating before knocking. As Damien Sterling, Alpha of Blood Moon Pack, visiting Victoria’s grandfather was the proper thing to do. After all, pack etiquette demanded respect for elders, especially ones as influential as William Lancaster.

But before my knuckles could touch the door, laughter spilled from inside. Several voices mingled together—more visitors than I’d expected. One voice in particular caught my attention, making Arthur stir within . That young wolf, Alexander Hayes. Victoria’s supposed "perfect match."

"I know, I know, you an that Alpha, right?" Alexander’s voice carried clearly through the door.

I could almost picture the knowing look he must be giving Victoria, as if implying sothing intimate between her and whoever they were discussing. My jaw clenched involuntarily.

"What Alpha? No—he and I are just acquaintances, nothing more," Victoria’s voice replied hastily. "We barely qualify as friends. Don’t misinterpret things. There’s absolutely nothing between us."

My fingers tightened around the gift bag handles, the paper crinkling under my grip. Arthur growled low in my chest.

"I haven’t even ntioned who I’m talking about, yet you imdiately knew," Alexander teased. "Could it be you have feelings for him?"

The silence that followed was deafening. I leaned closer to the door, my heightened senses straining to catch Victoria’s response.

"How could I possibly like him? Don’t be ridiculous!" Victoria finally answered, her voice pitched slightly higher than normal.

The wolf within

recoiled as if physically struck. Arthur’s disappointnt and anger crashed through

like a wave. I’d spent the entire night by her side, had driven her to the hospital when she needed help most, had stayed when she was vulnerable—and this was how she truly felt?

"Who are you talking about?" William’s curious voice joined the conversation.

"No one important, Grandfather. Don’t listen to Alexander’s nonsense," Victoria dismissed.

No one important. Arthur’s growl rumbled through my chest, and I had to force him back. The beast wanted to burst into the room and demand explanation, to challenge this Alexander who seed to be circling what Arthur considered ours.

My lips curled into a bitter smile. Of course. To Victoria Lancaster, I was just a convenient ally, soone to use when needed and dismiss when not. Perhaps even a montary distraction after her breakup, but certainly "not important."

I stepped away from the door, my decision made. Walking to the nurses’ station, I placed the gift basket on the counter.

"Please distribute these among yourselves," I told the startled nurses, my voice colder than intended.

One of the younger nurses blinked up at , confusion clear on her face. "Sir, aren’t you here to visit soone?"

"I was mistaken," I replied simply, turning toward the elevator.

In my car, I placed my phone on the center console and gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles whitened. Arthur was pacing angrily within , pushing against my control, demanding we return and stake our claim.

What claim? The woman clearly stated I ant nothing to her. My wolf didn’t want to accept it, but I needed to be rational. Victoria Lancaster had no obligation to return my interest. We’d shared one night together—a night that clearly ant much more to

than to her.

I shouldn’t even care about Victoria’s opinion. This was rely business—a mutually beneficial alliance between our packs. If not for the contracts already signed, I’d withdraw from the entire arrangent.

Who did she find worthy of her affection, if not ? That Alexander Hayes who sat so comfortably at her bedside? Or perhaps she still harbored feelings for my worthless half-brother? What could Ethan possibly offer that made Victoria waste five years of her life on him? Her judgnt in males was seriously questionable.

I told myself I didn’t care. That her words didn’t matter. Yet "I could never like him" and "no one important" echoed in my mind like a painful mantra as I drove to Blood Moon headquarters.

Victoria’s POV::

I couldn’t bear Grandfather’s interrogation any longer. "Grandfather, please stop teasing . I really don’t have a boyfriend," I insisted, eting his knowing gaze.

Technically, I wasn’t lying. Damien and I weren’t dating—sex hardly constituted a relationship. But even as I maintained this truth aloud, Nora whined softly within , contradicting my words.

The truth was more complicated than I wanted to admit. I was beginning to realize that my feelings for Damien extended beyond the pull of our wolves. It wasn’t just Arthur’s scent calling to Nora, or the primal attraction between potential mates. I genuinely liked him.

The man I’d discovered beneath that cold, arrogant exterior was nothing like the villain I’d painted in my imagination. So many of my assumptions about him had been wrong, colored by my own prejudices and his carefully maintained facade.

But when it ca to matters of the heart, I wasn’t brave enough to acknowledge these feelings—not yet. After Ethan’s betrayal, the thought of opening myself to that kind of vulnerability again terrified . I needed more ti before I could openly admit the truth, even to myself.

"I need so air," I announced, desperate for escape. "You two chat for a while. I’ll be back soon."

It was a strategic retreat. I knew Grandfather well enough to understand that once he latched onto a subject that interested him, especially my love life, he wouldn’t let it go easily. Better to remove myself from his line of questioning than continue this uncomfortable conversation.

I had barely stepped into the corridor when a young nurse at the station called out to . "Miss Lancaster? A very handso man ca by your grandfather’s room earlier, but he left without going in."

"A handso man?" I repeated, my heart skipping despite myself.

The nurse nodded eagerly. "Yes, incredibly good-looking. He brought quite a few things, but he left them with us to distribute instead of delivering them himself."

My wolf imdiately perked up, sensing what I already suspected—it had been Damien. But why would he co all the way here only to leave without seeing us? That didn’t make sense.

I didn’t have a photo to confirm with the nurse, but Nora was already pacing anxiously within , responding to the re possibility of Arthur’s proximity.

"When did he leave?" I asked, trying to keep my voice casual.

Had he overheard sothing that made him uncomfortable? But we hadn’t been discussing anything particularly sensitive in the room. At least, I didn’t think we had.

"Just now," the nurse replied. "He can’t have gone far."

Without another thought, I rushed to the elevator and rode it down to the ground floor. My wolf urged

forward as I pushed through the doors into the hospital’s main lobby, my eyes scanning each face for Damien’s familiar features. Finding nothing, I continued outside to the entrance, the cool air carrying no trace of his distinctive smoky cedar scent.

Disappointnt settled in my chest, heavier than I wanted to admit. Perhaps it hadn’t been him at all—I could be jumping to conclusions.

I pulled out my phone and typed a quick ssage: "What are you doing right now?"

His response ca surprisingly quickly: "At the office. Why?"

The reply seed normal enough—no indication that anything was wrong. And it made sense that he’d be at work at this hour. I stared at his ssage, trying to discern any hidden aning but finding none.

"No reason, just checking. Don’t let

interrupt your work," I replied, attempting to sound casual.

If Damien was truly at his office, then whoever had co to the hospital must have been soone else. But why was Nora so convinced? My wolf rarely showed interest in any man, yet she seed certain the visitor had been Arthur’s human counterpart.

I glanced around the hospital grounds once more, searching for any sign of him.