Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 259

Aurora’s P.O.V

The scent of scorched earth clung to the air, though there was no trace of smoke or fire. I stood abruptly, my breath uneven, my heart hammering against my ribs as my eyes swept over the ground around me. The once lush grass had been reduced to nothing but blackened remains, a perfect circle marking the spot where I had been sitting just moments ago. A faint glow pulsed from the pendant hanging around my neck, its warmth pressing against my skin like a silent reminder of what I had done. But I didn’t even know what that was. 

I swallowed hard, lifting my gaze. Everyone around me stood frozen, their faces a mixture of shock and something else—something that made my stomach twist. Fear. My chest tightened at the sight of their wide eyes, the way some of them instinctively took a step back, as if I were something to be wary of. As if I were dangerous. 

Except for Caleb. His eyes held nothing but concern as he took a cautious step forward, his brows furrowed in silent worry. And then there was Alice—her arms crossed, her lips curled in something terrifyingly close to pride. 

“What… what just happened?” My voice wavered as I turned to her, my fingers trembling as they curled into fists at my sides. “Did I—did I hurt anyone?” The words rushed out in a frantic whisper, my mind spiraling with every possible scenario. What if someone had been too close? What if I had burned them too? 

Alice’s expression didn’t falter. If anything, her smirk deepened. “Everything is fine,” she assured me, her voice calm, steady. “In fact, you did exceptionally well—better than I could have imagined.”

I flinched. Well? How was this good? How was this anything other than terrifying? My breath came quicker, my pulse erratic as I looked around again, hoping—praying—that no one was hurt. And yet, the way everyone still stared at me, the way some whispered amongst themselves, made my stomach churn with unease. 

Alice must have noticed the panic flickering in my eyes because she sighed, stepping closer. “Aurora, listen to me,” she said, quieter this time. “What you just did proves how strong you are. The power inside you—it’s incredible. But you need to learn how to control it.” 

Control it. I clenched my jaw, my fingers brushing over the still-warm pendant as if it held answers. As if it could explain why I felt like I was coming apart at the seams. “I didn’t even mean to do anything,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t try to—” I gestured at the scorched ground, my throat tightening. “How am I supposed to control something I don’t even understand?” 

Alice tilted her head, regarding me carefully. “That’s why I’m here,” she said, her voice carrying an unmistakable weight of certainty. “To teach you. To make sure this power doesn’t consume you before you can learn to wield it.” 

I swallowed hard, my gaze flickering to Caleb. He hadn’t spoken, but his eyes never left mine. There was no fear in them—only something deep and unwavering, something that grounded me for just a moment. 

But even with his silent reassurance, I couldn’t shake the weight pressing down on me. Because whether I wanted it or not, whether I understood it or not, something inside me had woken up. 

And it terrified me.

I watched as Alice turned to Maggie, her sharp eyes brimming with something akin to approval.

"You know, even though you aren't eighteen yet, I have to admit, I'm impressed," she said, her voice steady but laced with a rare warmth. "The way you wield your magic, the precision, the control... it's remarkable. No doubt it comes from your fae blood. It’s in your nature to command it." She crossed her arms, as if sizing Maggie up once more, but this time, there was no skepticism, only recognition.

Maggie, for all her usual composure, couldn't quite hide the small flicker of pride that passed through her expression. She lifted her chin slightly, though her voice remained even. "I’ve been practicing. It helps that magic is instinctive for me. It just... listens." Her fingers twitched at her side, as if she could call forth her power with just a thought, and I had no doubt she could. It was effortless for her in a way that sometimes made me envious, though I’d never admit it aloud.

Alice turned her gaze back to me, and there was something deeper in her expression now. A knowing. "And you, Aurora," she began, her tone shifting ever so slightly, more weight pressing into the syllables of my name. "You have the potential to be one of the greatest witches ever known." My breath caught for a moment, but she didn’t give me time to react before she pressed forward. "That’s why, for now, my focus will remain on the three of us. You, Ashton, and Maggie. There is work to be done, and we don’t have time to waste."

I nodded, though my chest felt tight with the weight of her words. It wasn’t that I doubted myself—I knew what I was capable of.