Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 150

Aurora’s P.O.V

I didn’t know how it happened, not really. One moment, Caleb and I were sitting there, our eyes locked, the silence between us loaded with something unspoken but palpable. Then, without a second thought, I leaned in, and his lips met mine. It was warm, electrifying, and utterly intoxicating. My entire world narrowed down to that moment—Caleb's arms wrapping around me, pulling me closer as if he never wanted to let go. The way his hand gently rested against the small of my back sent shivers racing up my spine. For the first time in forever, I felt fearless, as if nothing else mattered. 

But then, like a cruel interruption, the shrill sound of a phone ringing sliced through the quiet. It felt jarring, almost offensive, in its timing. Caleb and I broke apart, breathless, our gazes darting everywhere except at each other. Jade rose from his seat at the table, muttering something about it being an important call, and stepped away to answer it. The absence of his presence only made the awkwardness worse. Caleb, ever the gentleman, helped me back into my chair, his touch lingering on my arm a second longer than necessary. 

As I settled in my seat, reality came crashing down like a bucket of cold water. What on Earth had I done? Did I really just kiss Caleb in front of the whole cafeteria just to prove to them that I was the person who he wanted? That whatever accusation they had in their minds about me seducing or bewitching Caleb…was all false?

My cheeks burned as I avoided everyone’s eyes, but of course, Caroline wasn’t about to let this slide. She let out a laugh—loud, teasing, and filled with the kind of mischief only she could muster.

"Aurora! Oh my God, what was that? Who are you, and what did you do with my shy, meek little friend? You just went full-on bold! Honestly, I was starting to wonder if I was hallucinating." 

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “I wasn’t… bold,” I muttered, the heat in my cheeks refusing to fade.

“I was just—” I paused, fumbling for words, then let out a frustrated sigh. “I’m so tired of everyone always looking down on me, treating me like I’m this timid, insignificant thing. I just… I wanted to prove a point, okay?” 

Caroline smirked, leaning in with an exaggerated look of mock pity. “Aw, sweetie, you sure proved a point. I just don’t know if that point was ‘Look, I’m confident’ or ‘Hey, look at this losers, Caleb, belongs to me now.’ Either way, props for the show.” 

I shot her a glare, though I couldn’t suppress the nervous laugh bubbling in my throat. “You’re not helping.” 

“Who said I was trying to help?” she quipped, leaning back and crossing her arms with a grin. “I’m just here for entertainment.” 

Caleb, thankfully, didn’t tease me like Caroline. He just sat there, a faint, unreadable smile playing on his lips, his gaze occasionally flicking toward me. And as much as I wanted to melt into the floor and disappear, a tiny part of me didn’t regret it—not even a little.

As Caleb held me close, I could feel the warmth of his embrace spreading through me like a protective shield. His voice, soft yet firm, reached my ears, grounding me in the moment.

“Aurora, you don’t need to prove anything to anyone,” he murmured, his hand gently rubbing my back. “As long as I’m here, I’ll make sure you always feel loved and respected.” 

I tilted my head to look up at him, a small smile playing on my lips. “It felt... good, though,” I admitted, my voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside. “Standing up for myself, I mean. When those girls confronted me in the washroom—” 

Before I could finish, Caroline’s voice cut in, her concern evident. “Wait, what? Did they hurt you?” Her brows knitted together as she stepped closer, her protective energy palpable. 

I shook my head, a hint of pride slipping into my tone. “No, Caroline. I hurt them right back.” The words came out with more confidence than I expected, but it felt satisfying to say them aloud. 

Just then, the shrill sound of the bell echoed through the hallway, breaking the moment. Caleb sighed, glancing over my shoulder.

“We’ve got to get back to class,” he said, releasing me just enough to grab my hand. His thumb brushed over my knuckles, a reassuring gesture. “And you still need to catch up on those assignments.” 

I groaned, rolling my eyes. “Don’t remind me,” I muttered, but the corners of my mouth betrayed me with a slight curve upward. As we turned to head back, I felt a sense of newfound strength blooming within me, like I was finally stepping into my own power—and it felt incredible.

As I glanced toward Caroline, who was still seated at our usual table with her usual thoughtful gaze, I noticed something different—like a flicker of hesitation that didn’t belong on her face. She stood abruptly, brushing her hands against her jeans as if shaking off some invisible weight.

“I’ve got to go,” she said, her voice steady but unnervingly clipped. I blinked, caught off guard.

“What? Right now?” I asked, tilting my head in confusion. “We were just about to—”

“Yeah, I know,” she interrupted, forcing a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “But I have some urgent work to handle. I’ll catch up with you guys later, okay?” Her tone was casual, but I could feel an undercurrent of something she wasn’t saying, and it was enough to plant a seed of worry deep in my chest.

“Caroline, what’s going on?” I pressed, stepping closer to her. “Is everything okay? It’s not like you to skip classes all of a sudden.”

“It’s nothing serious, Aurora,” she replied, her smile softening just a little as she glanced at me. “It’s just school stuff. Remember that essay I submitted last week? Mr. Sanders wants to go over it. Probably just nitpicking my grammar or something.” She gave a small shrug like it was no big deal, but her avoidance of eye contact told me otherwise.

I frowned, my arms crossing instinctively. “You’re sure that’s all? Because if something’s bothering you—”

“Seriously, it’s fine,” she said firmly, meeting my gaze for a brief moment that felt like a wall slamming shut. “Don’t overthink it. I’ll be back before you know it.” Her words were light, but there was a finality to them that made it clear she didn’t want to discuss it any further.

Caleb, who had been standing by the door with his hands stuffed in his pockets, cleared his throat. “Hey, if she says it’s fine, it’s fine,” he said, giving me a reassuring smile. “Let’s go ahead to class. I’m sure Care will catch up in no time.”

I sighed, the weight of unease pressing against my ribs as I reluctantly nodded. “Okay,” I muttered, though my instincts screamed at me to keep asking. Turning to Caroline one last time, I added softly, “If you need anything... you know you can call me, right?”

She smiled again, and this time it felt a little more genuine. “I know. Thanks, Aurora.” And with that, she grabbed her bag and slipped out the door, leaving me and Caleb standing there in the sudden quiet.

As we started walking away, Caleb nudged me lightly with his elbow. “You’re worrying too much,” he said, his voice light but tinged with amusement. “Caroline’s got this. She’s not as fragile as you think she is.”

“Maybe,” I replied, glancing over my shoulder as if expecting her to come running back. “But something feels... off. I just can’t shake it.”

“She’s fine,” Caleb insisted. “Come on, let’s go before you spiral into full-on paranoia.”

I managed a weak smile and followed him, but my thoughts remain tethered to Caroline, and no amount of reassurance could untangle the knot in my stomach.