The Long Lost Lover

Clea would've successfully killed it if Tarik had been a second late. He jumped in at the last moment, pushing himself and the wolf away, so Clea's shot went straight out of the roof.

As she staggered to her feet, suspiciously eyeing the seemingly familiar duo that was Tarik and the wolf, Clea could still feel her heart thumping. She directed her gun again to the wolf.

"You know this thing?" She asked.

Tarik nodded in response to her. He was more occupied with calming the beast and getting it to stay away from Clea. "Her name's wolf."

"Your..." Clea couldn't believe what she heard. "Your pet?! You have a pet wolf?!" It was starting to make sense that he was an outcast.

He didn't respond, but Clea didn't want a response either. "Well, tell your goddamn pet wolf the next time it tries this shit with me, you won't be able to save it from my wrath!"

Wolf growled and wrestled against Tarik's hold. Clea took a 'threatening' stance and growled back. The beast had scared her to death and she now despised it.

She picked up her box and jacket, carried Jo and quickly exited the sitting room. Her fast walking pace didn't stop till she reached the road path. Then she dropped onto her knees and did nothing but pant for the next five minutes. She couldn't remember the last time she had been as scared as the wolf made her. She couldn't remember ever being that scared. It was one thing that it attacked her, and it was another thing that it had so much hatred in its red eyes. She didn't know animals could get so expressive, but it had been so obvious in its eyes.

Wolf hated her.

Clea could only bank on the fact that it hated everyone else it came in contact with asides from Tarik. She only wished the asshole had cared to warn her about his mad wolf.

* * * * *

The innkeeper wouldn't shut up. She started speaking the moment Clea entered, and she hadn't shut up since. Clea wanted to lodge and get to her room as soon as possible. While the woman wanted to keep Clea in the waiting room as long as possible.

Clea figured the best she could do was give polite smiles and no replies, but even that was doing nothing in getting her to shut up.

"Tell me, how long will you be here?" She was smiling and Clea thought it looked creepy.

"I'm not sure yet—"

"You should stay here for a long time!! Ohalo is a beautiful, peaceful town and you're always welcome!"

Clea forced a smile. The woman's words were ironic. The very first thing she did when Clea arrived was ramble about how she wished she was living in the city, and not a small countryside town like Ohalo.

"Oh, I am sure you're married!! You're married, right? How many kids do you have? Three? Where are they then? Don't tell me you're one of these mothers who drop their kids behind when they go on vacations. How will they see the world then?"

The woman was having a full-on conversation by herself.

"I'm only twenty-six, so, no, I'm not married."

The innkeeper, Inna, dropped the pen she was using to fill the logbook and Clea wished she hadn't answered. "Not married at twenty-six??!!" She cast a condescending look at Clea. "At that age, I had gone into the labour room six times!!"

Was that supposed to be a flex?

'Yeah, and where are all those babies you spawned.' Clea sighed, keeping her true reply to herself. "I see."

Inna smirked. "That's why you're here then? To find a husband?"

Clea chuckled. Indeed. "Already found one."

Inna was surprised. "Didn't you say you just arrived?"

"Yeah... last night. Spent the night at a beau's. He lives in the woods. You know him? Name's Tarik."

Clea was sure with the angle she just took, she would soon be getting all the tea Tarik refused to spill himself.

Inna's smile vanished. "Oh, dear. That is no man to want a husband in." She picked up her pen, her face clouded with worry and fear. "He must've harmed you overnight." The edges of her lips turned down in pity.

"Harmed me?" Clea laughed. "Do I look harmed?"

"No, but..."

"But?" Clea questioned, stepping closer to the counter.

"You should've avoided him! I don't blame you for not doing so, though. Only we the town people know he's to be avoided."

"Why should he be avoided?" Clea stepped even closer, overflowing with curiosity.

She knew his history would be spicy but this woman was making her return to her first impression that he was a dangerous man.

Inna brought her head closer and opened her mouth, but nothing came out. After a few seconds of dilly-dallying, she shook her head. "It's still early morning. Won't say something like that this early." She handed Clea a room card and keys. "Up the stairs. Last room on your right."

* * * * *

The first thing Clea did once her phone came on was to call Kali, and sure enough, Kali was worried.

"Girlll, I left home 4 AM because of you! I was preparing to hold a search once I arrived. I'm so glad I don't have to anymore."

Clea chuckled. "I had a little accident so I couldn't get into town yesterday. Jo was injured too. I met this guy who said he could help and we spent the night in his home. He lives on the outskirts and he's... but I'm in town now."

Kali released a loud sigh. "Driving past your car as I speak. That front's gonna need a whole reconstruction."

Clea rubbed her forehead. "I don't even want to think about it, it'll give me a headache." She dropped onto the bed and released a loud sigh. Not as big or comfy as her home bed but... it was something.

"The inn's just by the town entrance. When you arrive, don't bother lodging, let's stay here together. It's alright."

Kali faked a groan. "You know I can't stand your nightmar—"

There was a scream. It was so shrill and loud, and came so sharply after Kali stopped, that for a second, Clea wasn't sure Kali was the one who screamed. She had never heard Kali scream before.

"Kali!! Kali!!" Clea shouted into the phone. There was no reply and Clea saw the line had been disconnected.

She took a second to process what just happened and it dawned on her that Kali was in danger.

Clea was out of the room in another second. She didn't even know where she was running to. She rushed out and sprinted down the hallway in such a daze that she didn't see the person in her path.

She would've fallen if the person hadn't caught her. She would've continued running if she hadn't glanced at the person to say thank you. Once she saw who it was, Clea became rooted to the spot. Her mind blocked out every thought, even the fact that her friend was in danger. She couldn't move, couldn't take her eyes off the man.

He had the same reaction, so they were both staring at each other in shock. In a few seconds, tears were sliding down Clea's cheeks. Her hands went up to hold his face. She wanted to confirm that he was really there like she was seeing. That this wasn't another one of her imaginations.

The man was Tyler Forrest. The first and only man Clea had ever loved. They had broken up seven years ago. Clea's heart shattered that day, and it never fully recovered. She thought of him every single day for the past seven years. She believed she had lost him forever, that she was going to grow old with a broken heart.

Yet, somehow, that man was standing in front of her.