Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 246

Aurora’s P.O.V

That morning, as we all sat around the breakfast table, the atmosphere was light, filled with the sounds of clinking utensils and casual conversation. The warm scent of coffee mingled with the aroma of freshly made pancakes, and for once, everything felt normal. Peaceful. Caleb was beside me, stealing bites from my plate when he thought I wasn’t looking, and the others were engaged in their own chatter, laughing at some inside joke. Riley, who had joined us a little late, was happily stuffing his face, seemingly lost in his own world. 

And then, out of nowhere, he turned to me, his expression as innocent as ever, and asked, “Aurora, did you spend the morning praying?” 

I barely had time to register his words before the piece of toast I’d been chewing nearly lodged itself in my throat. Caleb, mid-sip of his coffee, choked so violently I thought he might need medical intervention. The entire table went dead silent. Forks paused mid-air. Heads turned in unison, all eyes suddenly on me, waiting for an explanation I didn’t have, while my face turned beet red. 

Caroline was the first to break the stunned silence. “What?” she asked, blinking at Riley as if he’d just spoken in an alien language. 

Riley, completely unfazed, simply shrugged and clarified, “I heard Aurora saying ‘oh my god’ a few times this morning. So, I thought she was praying or something…because the door was locked.” 

For a heartbeat, there was nothing. And then, chaos. The whole table erupted into laughter so loud it might have shaken the walls. Caleb and I sat frozen, our faces turning an unmistakable shade of red, the kind that could only be described as pure, unfiltered mortification. My brain scrambled to come up with something—anything—to say, but all I could do was gape at Riley, who still looked utterly confused, as if he had no idea why everyone was laughing like hyenas. 

“Riley,” Jade wheezed, wiping at his eyes, “I don’t think—” He cut himself off with another bout of laughter. 

I groaned, dropping my head onto the table. “I was not praying,” I mumbled, my voice barely audible over the continued laughter. 

“Oh?” Riley tilted his head. “Then why were you saying it so much?” 

Caleb nearly fell off his chair. Jade had to physically turn away, shaking with silent laughter. 

I was never going to live this down.

I watched as Caroline leaned in close to Riley, a wicked smirk playing on her lips, her voice dripping with mockery.

"Oh, they were praying, alright," she purred, her eyes flicking to me and Caleb. "Just not to God." 

Riley, with his wide, innocent eyes, scrunched up his nose in confusion. He clutched his spoon midair, his little mind working overtime to understand what she meant. "But… what else do people pray to?" he asked, his small voice barely cutting through the sound of muffled snickers from around the table. 

Caleb sighed beside me, rubbing a hand over his face, while the others—Caroline especially—continued their little game, shooting each other's looks and making exaggerated gestures. Jade clasped his hands together in fake devotion, while Caroline whispered ‘oh my god’…that made them all dissolve into laughter again.  

I felt the heat creeping up my neck, but I forced myself to keep my voice even as I turned to Riley. "If you're done with your meal, sweetheart, you can go play with the other kids," I said, offering him a gentle smile. 

Riley didn’t need to be told twice. He grinned, hopping off his chair and running off, his little feet pattering against the floor. The second he was gone, I turned sharply toward Caroline. "Can you keep it down?" I hissed. 

But Caroline, being Caroline, only leaned closer, her grin widening. Then, to my absolute horror, she puckered her lips and made a series of dramatic kissing faces at me. "Oh, Aurora," she moaned theatrically, dragging out the words, her voice breathy and exaggerated. "Oh my God." 

Laughter exploded around us, but I was already lunging at her, knocking her back against the couch. "You are the worst!" I growled, trying to pin her arms, but she was squirming and laughing too hard to fight back properly. 

Caleb groaned. "You two are insufferable." 

Caroline shrieked as I tickled her ribs in revenge, twisting and gasping for breath. "Okay, okay, I'll take it back!" she wheezed. 

"Too late," I shot back, my fingers merciless. 

We might have kept going if it weren’t for Jade, who finally got his laughter under control, arms crossed, looking at us like we were the biggest disappointments in existence. "You do realize," he drawled, unimpressed, "that we have school today, right?" 

Caroline and I froze mid-play, staring at each other, then at Jade. 

"Shit," Caroline muttered. 

I groaned, pushing myself off her. "I hate you!" 

"Love you too, babe," he shot back, winking in mischief. 

And just like that, the moment was over.