Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 271

Aurora’s P.O.V

Caleb lay beside me, his warmth a quiet comfort against the cool sheets. The dim light from my bedside lamp cast soft shadows on his face, highlighting the sharp angles of his jaw, the furrow of his brows. He looked at me with an expression I couldn’t quite name—something between concern and hesitation, like he was weighing his words before he spoke. 

“Are you okay now?” he finally asked, his voice barely above a whisper, like he was afraid to break the silence between us. 

I turned my head slightly to meet his gaze, the blue in his eyes deep and steady, searching mine for something—reassurance, maybe. He had always done that, always wanted to make sure I was okay, even when I wasn’t ready to face the truth myself. 

I let out a soft breath, staring at the ceiling for a moment before answering. “I think so.” And maybe this time, I really meant it. 

He nodded, exhaling like he’d been holding it in. His fingers twitched slightly, like he wanted to reach for my hand but wasn’t sure if he should. He hesitated, then finally said, “I know Shane did a lot of shitty things to you, Aurora. And I should’ve—” He stopped, shaking his head like he hated the words coming out of his mouth. “I should’ve been there for you. Right from the start. I should’ve handled him before things got that bad instead of just watching from the sidelines, pretending like it wasn’t my place to step in.” His jaw clenched, and there was a flicker of something like regret in his expression. “I hate that I let you go through all of that alone.” 

I turned onto my side, propping myself up on my elbow to face him fully. “You didn’t let me,” I said softly. “Caleb, you were there in the ways that mattered. Maybe not in the way you think you should have been, but… you were there.” 

His lips pressed into a tight line, and he shook his head again, like he wasn’t convinced. “I still should’ve done more.” 

I reached out then, my fingers brushing against his wrist, a silent way of telling him to stop blaming himself. His skin was warm, grounding. “What happened back then,” I murmured, “feels like it was from a lifetime ago. I can’t even remember it sometimes, even though it’s only been a few months.” I let out a small, humorless laugh. “It’s weird, isn’t it? How something that once consumed me completely now feels like it happened to someone else.” 

Caleb’s expression softened, but there was still something unreadable in his eyes. He studied me for a moment, his fingers finally moving to thread through mine, like he needed the reassurance just as much as I did. “And you’re really okay with having him around?” he asked, quieter this time. There was something vulnerable in the way he said it, like he wasn’t sure of the answer. 

I squeezed his hand lightly. “I want him around for you and your pack, Caleb.” The words felt easy, natural. “I don’t want to come between the friendship you guys once had. But that doesn’t mean I’ll be thrilled to have him around. But I’m not opposed to the idea either.” 

He exhaled, like he’d been waiting for that answer all along. “Thank you,” he murmured, a small, almost relieved smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Because Shane looks pretty fucked up and I think he needs his pack more than ever.”

I smiled back, the weight in my chest feeling lighter than it had in a long time.

I leaned back against my pillows, looking up at the ceiling. Now that I think about it, I had spent too much time dwelling on things that, in the grand scheme of everything, didn’t even matter anymore. Maybe that was why, when Caleb brought up Shane, I didn’t feel the anger, the hurt, or the humiliation that I once did. I just felt... distant from it all. Like I was talking about someone else’s life. 

I sighed, letting the words come out naturally. "Maybe it's because of everything that's happened to me lately, but when I think about Shane and all the things he did—everything people at school put me through—it just feels... insignificant now. Like, yeah, I remember it all. I haven’t forgotten a single thing. But it doesn’t hold the same weight anymore." I turned to look at Caleb, who was watching me carefully, hoping to see that I was really okay with it.

"I’ve found who I am, Caleb. I know my purpose now. And I think—I think I should just leave the past where it belongs. In the past." 

He didn’t speak right away, and I could see the way his jaw tensed slightly, like he was thinking through what I’d just said. "That’s... different," he finally admitted, tilting his head. "You used to be so caught up in it, so angry. It used to hurt you, Aurora." 

"It did," I agreed, nodding. "It really did. But I was a different person back then. I was lost. I thought that all I was ever going to be was the helpless girl who got pushed around. And maybe for a while, that was true. But not anymore." A small smile pulled at my lips, but there was no humor in it. Just certainty. "I'm not helpless now. I'm not just some human girl with no way to fight back. If Shane even thinks about going back to his old ways, I can handle it. I can deal with him myself." 

Caleb exhaled through his nose, shifting so that he was facing me completely. His hands coming around to intertwine with mine, and his expression softened, though there was still a hint of something unreadable in his eyes. "I don’t doubt that. You’re stronger now—physically, mentally. I see it." He paused, rubbing our fingers together for a moment before continuing. "But just like you’ve changed, so has Shane. He’s been through a lot too. And, honestly? I don’t think he’ll make the same mistake again." 

I raised an eyebrow at him. "You sound hopeful." 

He chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "I guess I am. He’s not the same guy who tormented you, Aurora. People grow, they learn, and sometimes, they regret. I think he regrets a lot of what he did." 

I studied him, trying to decide if I believed that. Maybe Shane had changed. Maybe he did regret it. But that didn’t erase the past. It didn’t mean I owed him anything. Still, for the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel the need to dwell on it. Caleb was right about one thing—I was stronger now. And no matter what Shane had become, I knew one thing for sure: I wasn’t afraid of him anymore.