Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 238

Aurora’s P.O.V

The room fell silent, each of them looking at me, waiting for me to say something—anything—that could explain the rush of emotions, the overwhelming sense of confusion and fear that had taken root inside of me.

But there were no words. Just the steady pulse of something deep within, something ancient, rising to the surface, and I knew, deep down, that my life was never going to be the same again.

I sat there, frozen, listening to Maggie's words sink into me like cold stone. The air between us felt thick with tension as her voice echoed in my ears. It was like I couldn't escape it, like I was drowning in the revelation. But now, as she spoke, I felt like a stranger to the world I thought I knew.

"I didn't believe it at first," Maggie continued, her voice trembling slightly. She was nervous, but I couldn’t blame her. I wasn’t sure if I could even trust myself with what she was saying. "But one night, during the Witching Hour, I had been sneaking through the corridors of Harmona's mansion. Everything was darker, quieter. It felt wrong, but I had to see what was going on, and maybe find a way to escape. And that’s when I found it."

My heart skipped a beat. "Found what, Maggie?"

She leaned in closer, her eyes darting around like she was afraid someone might be listening. Her hand trembled as she reached for her cup, but she didn’t drink. She wasn’t thirsty, not with what she had to tell me. I could see it in her face—this wasn’t something she was meant to share. But she did, anyway, and it tore at my chest that she still had to look over her shoulder even though the worst was over.

"I found a lead board," she said quietly. "It was in Harmona’s private study. She had all these names pinned on it—women, their families... people who were marked. Lucas was supposed to go after them." Maggie paused, her eyes searching mine, as if to see if I understood. "They handpicked the most powerful families, Aurora. Powerful bloodlines, ones tied to something ancient. And your family... your family was on that list."

I felt the blood drain from my face. My mind couldn’t catch up with the weight of her words. "What do you mean? Why… why would we be on that list?"

Maggie’s gaze hardened, and she took a sip of her water before continuing. "Your family... you're descended from priests and priestesses, right? The ones who protected those shrines to the ancient god. You didn’t think it was just a story, did you? It’s real. That power is real. And Harmona knew it. As did Lucas." She sighed, wiping a hand across her forehead like the very thought of it was exhausting her. "They wanted to control that power, Aurora. They want to use it, twist it. Just like they did with the rest of us."

The world felt like it tilted sideways. My head spun, and for a moment, I thought I might pass out. But I couldn’t. Not now. All this time, I thought that I was human, and then discovering that I was half witch…

It felt too much.

Maggie nodded, her eyes soft with understanding. "It’s not a burden, though I know it may feel that way now. It’s a gift, but one that comes with responsibility. And I know that responsibility can feel overwhelming."

I swallowed, my throat tight. For so long, I had been searching for answers, feeling like a puzzle with missing pieces. Now, hearing the truth, I felt something settle within me, a quiet understanding—a strange peace that had eluded me for so long.

"Thank you," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. "For telling me the truth. For helping me understand."

Maggie reached over and squeezed my hand gently. "You deserved to know."

Sighing, I let their words sink in, feeling it in my very bones. Sometimes, I even wondered if what I had been through a month ago was even real or just a figment of my imagination. But then I remember Violet, poor Violet, and the reality would come crashing down on me.

“Hey,” Ashton reached over to place a hand on Maggie’s shoulders, proving some form of comfort. “It’s over Maggie, we’re all safe.”

“Are we really?” Maggie asked, her voice trembling slightly. “Sometimes, I wake up at night and can’t help but feel like I’m back in that dungeon once again…prisoner to two psychotic maniacs.”

I swallowed hard. "So so I. But what can we do? We escaped, that’s all that should matter." I try to sound convincing, but I hesitate as well. And it’s not until I feel Caleb’s hand on mine that I realize that mine are freezing cold.

“It’ll take time.” Caleb tells us, his gaze meeting mine before he shifts to Ashton and Harmona. “But it will get better. I hope that soon enough, you’ll see this pack as family and walk freely among us, leaving all the fears of the past behind.”

Maggie hesitated for a moment, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. "I don’t know. But I think I’m starting to get the hang of it. And I can’t thank you guys enough." She looked at her hands then, her eyes turning sad. “And I really wish that Violet could’ve seen this, experienced this with us…this freedom, this…family…”

I feel my eyes sting with unshed tears, and we all stay silent for a moment, not just for Violet, but for all the lives that had been lost to appease Harmona and Lucas’s hunger for immortality.