Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 182

Caleb’s P.O.V

I gasped awake, my whole body screaming in pain as I sucked in a sharp breath. My head throbbed, my ribs ached, and for a second, I couldn’t even tell where I was. My vision swam, and I blinked rapidly, trying to focus. The scent of something burnt lingered in the air, mixed with the sickly sweet aroma of crushed cake and spilled drinks.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry as I struggled to make sense of my surroundings. Then, like a dam breaking, the memories hit me all at once. The party. The laughter. The wind. The chaos. The moment everything turned upside down. 

“Shit…” I muttered, forcing myself to sit up despite the sharp protest of my muscles. My heart pounded as my eyes darted around, taking in the wreckage. Caroline’s birthday party was completely destroyed. Decorations were ripped apart, tangled ribbons fluttering weakly in the aftermath. Tables were overturned, food smeared across the walls, plates shattered. The string lights that had given everything a warm glow now flickered dangerously, some hanging loose while others had gone dark completely. And the people—God, the people. 

I turned, scanning the ground, and relief flooded me when I saw bodies stirring. Groans filled the air as others began to wake up, their movements slow, cautious. 

“Caleb?” A voice rasped to my right. I whipped my head around to see a senior soldier, Ryan clutching his arm, his face twisted in pain as he struggled to sit up. His glasses were missing, and his shirt was torn, but at least he was conscious. 

“I’m here,” I said quickly, crawling toward him despite the way my limbs protested. “Are you okay?” 

Ryan let out a breath, wincing. “I think—I think my arm’s messed up. But I’ll live.” He glanced around, his face paling. “Jesus… What the hell even happened?” 

I opened my mouth to answer, but I didn’t have an explanation. One second, we had been celebrating, laughing, and then…Aurora had started to scream in pain and then came that wind. That unnatural, brutal force that had come out of nowhere, knocking everything and everyone off their feet. It wasn’t just a gust—it had felt alive, like it had a purpose. 

“Caleb!” Another voice—Trisha’s this time—rang out, filled with worry. I turned to see her stumbling over the wreckage, her hair a mess, her dress stained with something dark. Her wide eyes met mine, and relief flickered across her face as she rushed toward me. 

“Trisha, are you hurt?” I asked, grabbing her arms as she nearly fell to her knees beside me. 

“No, no, I’m okay,” she said, though she was breathing hard. “But… but my parents—Caleb, I can’t find them. And—” She sucked in a shaky breath, tears welling in her eyes. “And someone’s still down. Over there.” She pointed toward the far end of the yard, where a figure lay motionless. 

My stomach twisted. 

“Ryan, stay here,” I ordered before pushing myself to my feet, ignoring the way my legs threatened to buckle. Trisha followed closely as I made my way toward the still body, my pulse hammering in my ears. I didn’t recognize who it was at first, but as I got closer, dread curled in my stomach. 

It was Mia. She wasn’t moving. 

“Shit, shit, shit,” I breathed, dropping to my knees beside her. “Mia? Hey, Mia, wake up.” My hands shook as I reached for her, pressing my fingers against her neck, searching—praying—for a pulse.

Suddenly, she gasped, coughing and spluttering as she woke up, and Trisha was beside her in an instant, gathering her in her arms as they both cried in relief.

I groaned as I turned to look around. Everything felt heavy, my limbs sluggish as I pushed myself to go further. Around me, bodies began to stir, soft groans and confused murmurs filling the air. The pack house, which had been eerily silent a moment ago, was slowly coming back to life. 

I turned my head and saw my parents lying nearby, their faces pale, eyes still closed. Panic surged through me as I scrambled toward them. "Mom! Dad!" My voice cracked as I shook them gently. "Wake up, please." For a heart-stopping second, they didn’t move, but then my mother let out a sharp breath, her eyes fluttering open. My father followed a second later, his brows furrowing as he took in his surroundings. 

"Caleb?" My mother’s voice was weak as she reached for me. "What… what happened?"

"I don’t know," I admitted, my hands shaking as I helped them sit up. "I just woke up too." My father rubbed his temple, his jaw clenched, before his eyes landed on everyone around us.

"Caleb!" My father’s voice was sharp, his expression grim. His gaze swept over the pack members who were still regaining consciousness. "What the hell happened here? Is everyone alright?" 

I swallowed hard. "I have no idea, father," I answered honestly, glancing around at the confused faces around us. "I’m still trying to figure things out." 

His jaw tightened, and he nodded before moving to check on others. But something felt… off. I couldn’t shake the unease crawling up my spine. I turned, scanning the crowd as more and more people slowly woke and stumbled out of the pack house. Something was missing—no, someone. My chest tightened as I searched the faces around me. 

Aurora. 

I pushed past people, my heart hammering as I scanned the room. Where is she? She should be here. She should be waking up with everyone else. "Aurora?" I called out, my voice sharper than I intended. No answer. I moved faster now, stepping over bodies still unconscious, shaking shoulders, searching. The dread in my gut only grew. 

And then it hit me like a punch to the stomach. Not only was Aurora missing—but so was Harmona. 

My breath caught, and I spun back toward Alpha Camden, my voice urgent now. "Alpha—Aurora and Harmona. They’re gone." 

His eyes snapped to mine, and I saw the same realization dawn in them. Something was very, very wrong.

I stormed down the hall, my heart slamming against my ribs with every step. Aurora. I had to find her. My mind was spinning with all the possibilities, and none of them were good. Harmona had taken her—she had to be the one behind this. I didn’t trust that woman, never had, and now Aurora was gone. 

As I reached the top of the stairs leading down to her room, I skidded to a stop, my breath catching in my throat. Caroline. She was sprawled at the base of the stairs, her body lifeless, her blonde hair fanned out around her like some tragic painting. 

"Caroline!" I bolted down the steps, dropping to my knees beside her. I shook her shoulder, my hands trembling. "Hey! Wake up! Come on, Caroline, open your eyes." Nothing. No response. A cold wave of panic rushed through me as I pressed my fingers to her neck. Her pulse was there, steady but weak. I clenched my jaw. What the hell had happened here? 

"Caleb!" Damien’s voice rang through the hall, sharp and urgent. I glanced up just as he stormed toward me, his expression a mixture of confusion and anger. "What the hell is going on?" 

"I don’t know!" I snapped, frustration creeping into my voice. "I just got here. I found her like this!" I gestured at Caroline’s still form in my arms. My pulse was a hammer in my ears as I looked back down at her. This wasn’t right. This whole situation reeked of something twisted. "But listen, Damien—Aurora’s missing too and so is Harmona." 

His eyes widened slightly, and for a second, I saw something flicker across his face—fear. "What do you mean, missing?" 

I pushed a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply. "I mean she’s gone. She’s not in the room, and I have a really bad feeling about this. Harmona—she might have taken her." 

Damien’s jaw tightened, and I could see the wheels turning in his head, his mind piecing things together just as mine was. He crouched down beside Caroline, checking her over. "She’s breathing. That’s something. But if Aurora’s really missing…" He met my gaze, and for the first time in a long time, I saw real concern in his eyes. "Then we have a serious problem." 

My stomach twisted painfully. Yeah. That was putting it lightly.