Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 264

Aurora’s P.O.V

He went ahead to shower and get ready in his room, and I entered mine, before I grabbed a fresh set of clothes and disappeared into the bathroom. The hot water cascaded over my skin, melting away the day’s fatigue, and for a moment, I let myself relax. When I stepped out, wrapped in a towel, Caleb was already sitting on my bed, waiting for me. I quickly changed into fresh clothes, shaking off the way my heart stuttered at the sight of him. Even after all this time, he still had that effect on me.

Half an hour later, we headed to the elevator. Caleb leaned against the wall, hands tucked into his pockets, his gaze sweeping over me in appreciation. “You clean up nice,” he murmured, smirking as he reached out to tuck a damp strand of hair behind my ear.

“You say that as if I don’t always look nice,” I shot back, tilting my chin up at him.

He chuckled, stepping closer until there was barely any space between us. “You always look gorgeous,” he admitted, his voice lower now. “Which is exactly why I’ve been thinking… we should start moving some of our clothes into each other’s rooms. That way, in cases like these, we could’ve just showered together.”

I gasped, swatting his arm playfully. “Oh my God, Caleb!” I scolded, though I couldn’t stop the laugh bubbling up in my throat. “How can you be horny all the time?”

He shrugged shamelessly, that smug grin of his never wavering. “I can’t help it,” he said smoothly. “Have you seen my mate? She’s absolutely stunning, and I’m just a man, helplessly in love.” He leaned in, brushing his lips against my temple before whispering, “Besides, we’d be doing the world a service by saving water.”

I groaned, pushing him away, but my cheeks were already burning. “You are impossible,” I muttered, stepping into the elevator, but the warmth in my chest betrayed the fact that I secretly loved every second of it.

Caleb only grinned as he followed me in. “And yet, you love me anyway.”

I huffed, shaking my head. “Unfortunately for me, yes. I do.”

“See,” he shrugged. “I knew I was too irresistible for you.”

I chuckled, shaking my head as I watched Caleb attempt to act all nonchalant, his usual smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as if he hadn't just pulled the sneakiest move to get us out of that conversation upstairs. "You are impossible," I muttered, amusement lacing my voice, my laughter spilling freely in the small, confined space of the elevator. Caleb only shrugged, his eyes gleaming with mischief, clearly pleased with himself.

"What can I say? Some situations require a tactical retreat," he said, flashing me a grin that made it even harder to suppress my amusement. I let out another laugh, shaking my head, but just as the sound left my lips, the elevator chimed, signaling our arrival on the first floor. The doors slid open smoothly, and that was when my laughter died, freezing in my throat like ice. 

My breath caught as my gaze landed on a face I hadn’t expected to see—at least not this soon, not here, not now. The world outside the elevator seemed to shift, the once-bustling lobby suddenly feeling too small, too stifling, as recognition slammed into me with the force of a crashing wave.

My pulse pounded against my ribs, the earlier ease and lightheartedness wiped away in an instant. My fingers, which had been loosely holding onto Caleb’s sleeve, instinctively clenched as if seeking an anchor. He must have sensed the change in my demeanor because his smirk faltered, his eyes flickering between me and the person standing just beyond the threshold. 

I swallowed hard, my throat dry, my mind scrambling to process the unexpected presence in front of me. My lips parted slightly, but no words came out—because what could I possibly say? My heart pounded, the air suddenly thick with something unspoken, something heavy, something that made it impossible to move. The past had a cruel way of sneaking up on you when you least expected it, and right now, it felt like it had just walked straight through those elevator doors, dragging all its ghosts along with it.

Because standing outside the elevators, with a smile on his face…was none other than Shane Matthews…one of my biggest tormentors.