Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 260

Aurora’s P.O.V

I felt it every time magic coursed through me, every time the power surged and obeyed my will. But to hear Alice say it so plainly, to put that kind of expectation on me, made my heart pound with something close to fear. Greatness was a heavy burden to bear.

Avery let out a small huff from where she stood, arms crossed tightly over her chest. At fifteen, she was still too young to fully harness her magic. She wouldn’t get her powers until her eighteenth birthday, and only then would she be able to reach her full potential.

Until that day came, she would always be just a step behind. "I get it," she muttered, glancing away. "I’m not strong enough yet. So I just have to wait. Again."

Alice’s gaze softened just a fraction, but she didn’t offer false comfort. "When your time comes, you'll understand why it’s worth the wait. But for now, you have to trust the process."

“That’s easier said than done.” Avery’s face fell as she looked at the rest of us. “I’m the youngest, I know I won’t be able to use my magic…but how did Maggie do it? She’s seventeen as well.”

“Fae blood itself enables the user to have control over magic since birth,” Alice explained. “Combined with her witch side, she got lucky that she could yield her powers earlier. But your powers are tied to two species that both get their magic at eighteen. I’m sorry, child. But patience is going to be your virtue for now.”

Avery didn’t look convinced, but she said nothing more. I knew how much it burned, watching from the sidelines, unable to truly stand beside us as an equal yet. I had been there once, too, waiting for someone to acknowledge me, feeling like time was crawling forward just to spite me. I could still remember the frustration, the ache of wanting more before it was my time.

I reached over and gave her arm a small squeeze. "Your time will come, Avery," I told her softly. "And when it does, you’ll be more powerful than you ever imagined."

She didn’t answer right away, but the tension in her shoulders eased just slightly. Alice exhaled and straightened, her usual sharpness returning. "Enough dwelling on what hasn’t happened yet. We have a lot to do, and little time to waste. We will begin formal training from next week, so stay prepared for anything and everything."

And just like that, our ‘class’ was dismissed, and everyone slowly began to walk away from the clearing. Ashton and Maggie followed behind Alice, asking her questions, while Maya gave me a small nod before returning to the pack house.

I stood there, my breath catching in my throat as the weight of everything settled in. The stories, the revelations, the undeniable truth that I was no longer just some outsider peering into Caleb’s world—I was a part of it now. Truly, fully, irreversibly. My fingers curled around the pendant resting against my chest, its familiar coolness grounding me even as my heart raced. It had always been my tether, the one thing that connected me to my mother, to whatever lingering presence she may have left behind. And right now, I need her more than ever. 

"Are you okay?" Caleb’s voice was softer now, careful, as if he could sense the shift in me. He always did. His gaze flickered to my hand clutching the pendant, his expression unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—something that made me feel like he saw straight through me. 

I swallowed hard, nodding, but the words tumbled out before I could stop them. "I just… I don’t want to be weak anymore." My voice wavered, the confession burning my throat. "I don’t want to feel like I have to be saved all the time. I want to stand on my own. I want to help. To fight. To matter." 

Caleb’s brows furrowed, and for a moment, he didn’t say anything. Then, slowly, he reached for my hand, prying it gently from the pendant but not letting go. His grip was firm, reassuring. "You already matter, Aurora," he said, and there was something so achingly sincere in his voice that it made my chest tighten. "Power doesn’t define you. What do you do with it does." 

I looked at him, really looked at him, and for the first time, I saw my reflection in his world—not as someone fragile, not as someone who needed to be protected, but as someone who could stand beside him. As an equal. 

Closing my eyes, I pressed the pendant against my lips, whispering a silent prayer to my mother. If there’s any part of you still watching over me, guide me. Help me use what’s inside me for the right reasons. Help me never feel powerless again. 

When I opened my eyes, something had shifted. Maybe it wasn’t magic, maybe it was just me finally accepting what had always been there, but I felt it. A spark. A strength I hadn’t recognized before. 

And I knew—this was only the beginning.