Chapter Two

Claire woke up in a daze. Her eyelids fluttered open trying to remember the reason she was on a bed instead of a stone-cold floor. She felt renewed. All the fatigue left her body.

She couldn't remember the last time she felt this way. She took in her surroundings as a wave of memories came tumbling in. She sat up in bed with a start. Thankfully, she was still covered with the bed sheets.

She remembered there was one more person in the house with her which made her heart skip a beat. 

She came down from the bed slowly, her hair framing her little face which came to rest at her waist in a heap of a tangled mess.

Surprisingly, her leg felt better. She sat back down on the bed, lifting the bed sheets, and taking a look at her leg.

She gasped in shock. There was only a faint red line which indicated what she experienced last night wasn't a dream.

Although werewolves healed at a faster rate and she was malnourished. It would have taken a week to get her completely healed. But all that happened in a span of….. 

'How long was she out for?' She wondered to herself.

She decided to take a quick bath in the shower. She can't let whoever saved her see her in such a state. 

Checking the closet, she found some feminine wear. But it was way bigger than her. At least it's better than nothing. She shrugged as she went into the bathroom taking the clothes with her.

The bathroom was a small dirty one like it hadn't been used in ages. Maybe it hadn't. It was coated with dust and cobwebs and had a musky smell to it. 

She sneezed and shrieked in fear as a huge spider jumped from one of the numerous cobwebs and scurried away into a small hole by the window. 

She tried on the tap. It made a wheezing sound before a torrent of dirt water gushed out followed by clean water. She found a half-used soap on the window sill. No sponge. She has been through worse, she consoled herself.

She came out of the shower donning clothes three times her size. She adjusted the shirt on her barely visible flesh. But no matter how much she adjusted, it was obvious it was too big. 

She had chosen a light grey top and black leggings which looked like joggers on her. Not like she minded.

Pushing open the door with hesitant steps she made her way into the kitchen which was situated on the right side of the house.

She could smell cooking and her stomach growled in protest. She followed her nose and found herself in a small kitchen occupied by a man in his fifties or sixties, judging by his posture and greying hair at his temples. He had his back to her making it hard to guess correctly his age correctly.

"I see you've awakened. Took you long enough. Afraid you'd die on me." The man chuckled trying to lighten up the mood.

Claire was at a loss for words as she stood rooted to the doorstep. Unsure of what to do.

"You don't have to do anything. Take a seat by the door. Don't want the smoke disturbing you. Been out for a week. You need that energy as soon as possible." He said like he could read her mind occupied with peeling the potatoes. 

"A week?" Claire shouted in surprise. She didn't know where her voice came from especially the courage to even utter a word. 

She didn't know what but something about this man made her feel relaxed. He finally turned towards her, revealing a face with kind eyes and a little smile.

He reminded her of a father figure which she had never had for all she could remember. 

He suddenly started laughing while looking at her.

"I don't bite, you know. Looks like you'll bolt out the door any minute now." He raised up his hands in mock surrender.

Claire shuffled her feet slowly towards the stool and sat down. She rubbed her arms together trying to get herself to act normal. But she was failing terribly at hiding it; she was a bundle of nerves.

"I-l-l am sorry for barging into your house sir." Claire said in a barely audible voice, looking towards her feet like they were the most interesting thing in the world.

Micheal stopped what he was doing and stared at Claire waving her off.

"It's no problem young lady. You were trying to protect yourself and I understand."

Claire was stunned. She expected an outburst or a lecture about entering people's houses. And what about him understanding her situation? Has he been in the same situation as her? 

She wanted to ask but instead, she replied in a small voice,

"Thank you sir."

"Micheal." He replied

Confusion flooded Claire's face, "Sir?" She finally looked up at him and noticed he had deep blue eyes with wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. 

"Call me Michael. Sir seems too formal since you'll be staying here from onwards. You might as well get used to it now." He winked playfully at her, turned around, and continued peeling the potatoes.

"I don't want to impose on you sir - Micheal. When I have rested, I'll be on my way." Although Claire had no place to go she won't make use of Michael's kindness for her own gains.

"Do you have a place to go?" Micheal asked putting the potatoes on the fire.

"Well - well, I will find a place." 

"Do you have a place to go?" Micheal asked for the second time, ignoring her words.

"No. I don't." Shame filled Claire's being as she bowed her head pretending to squash an imaginary insect on the ground.

"It's settled then. You'll stay here."

"Sir, I appreciate your….." Claire clamped her mouth shut as Michael gave her a stern look. She corrected herself quickly.

"Micheal, I appreciate your kindness and all but I don't want to be a burden to you and your family. What if they don't approve of me? After all I am only a stranger." 

"You are no strang… I mean, I'm the only one who lives here. My family died a long time ago. But that is all in the past. I don't want you giving me that pity look." He chuckled as he tried to hide the pain in his eyes. Claire caught it but decided to stay silent instead. Everyone has their own secrets. She thought.

Micheal thanked his luck that Claire hadn't asked what he meant by his first sentence. He had almost slipped and told Claire she was no stranger to him. 

He just wasn't ready to reveal the truth yet. And he had to find out the reason the rogues were after her. But not now, he didn't want to scare her away with questions.