Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 276

Caleb’s P.O.V

I watched as Shane ran a hand through his hair, his fingers clenching at the strands as if trying to ground himself. His brows were furrowed, his lips pressed into a thin line, and there was something about his posture that made me uneasy. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees as I studied him.

“What do you mean by feeling eerie about them?” I asked, my voice laced with curiosity and just a tinge of concern. Shane wasn’t the type to get worked up over nothing, and if something was bothering him, I wanted to understand.

He let out a slow breath, shaking his head slightly. “I don’t know, man. I really don’t. It’s just this… weird feeling I get when they’re near.” His voice was low, as if he was afraid to say it out loud, afraid that voicing it would somehow make it more real.

Jade, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke up, his arms crossed over his chest. “Which two are you talking about?” he asked, tilting his head slightly, brows drawn in concentration.

Shane’s eyes flicked to him before settling back on me. “Ashton and Maggie,” he said finally. “I don’t get anything from the youngest, Avery. She’s still a kid, maybe that’s why…”

I frowned, shifting in my seat as I tried to make sense of what he was saying. “Alright… but what kind of feeling are we talking about here? You’re being vague as hell, Shane,” I told him, wanting—no, needing—him to be more specific. “Eerie and weird can be interpreted in several ways and you aren’t exactly being very informative.”

He let out a short laugh, though there was no humor in it. “Trust me, if I could put it into words, I would. It’s just this… instinctual thing. The hair on my nape stands on end, my skin feels a bit prickly, and there’s this tension in my chest that I can’t shake. It’s not like they’ve done anything, not yet at least, but it’s there. Like a warning.” He sighed, rubbing at his arms as if to rid himself of the sensation. “But maybe it’s just me. I don’t know them, so maybe I’m just being paranoid.”

Jade rolled his eyes, but there was a softness to his expression, like he was trying to be patient with him. “That’s probably all it is, Shane,” he said, leaning back against the couch. “You don’t know them, so your mind is filling in the gaps with suspicion. It happens when you suddenly come back to the pack and find a few unfamiliar people in the territory. You should talk to Mia first before jumping to conclusions.”

Shane exhaled heavily, nodding, but I could see the doubt still lingering in his eyes. Whatever this feeling was, it wasn’t something he could easily brush off. And that, more than anything, made me uneasy.

I watched as Shane let out a heavy breath, his eyes darting between me and Jade before nodding in agreement. Without another word, he pushed back his chair, the legs scraping against the tiled floor of the canteen, and walked out, his footsteps echoing down the hall until they faded into silence. I didn’t move, my gaze lingering on the doorway where he had disappeared. I was trying to make sense of everything, trying to decide if anything he said was worth trusting. But I wasn’t the only one struggling with it. 

Across the table, Jade sat with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable as he stared at the half-empty cup of coffee in front of him. The tension in his shoulders told me he was deep in thought, but if I knew Jade, he wasn’t about to sit here and overanalyze things for too long. That wasn’t his style. I leaned forward slightly, my fingers tapping against the edge of my tray. “What do you think?” I asked, breaking the silence between us. 

Jade sighed, running a hand through his hair before finally looking at me. His dark eyes held something uncertain, something reluctant. “I don’t know, man,” he admitted, shaking his head.

“But after all the shit Shane has pulled over the years, I’m not exactly jumping to believe him either.” His voice was steady, but I could hear the distrust laced within it. And honestly, I couldn’t blame him. 

Shane had a history—one that wasn’t exactly in his favor. He’d lied before, manipulated situations to his benefit, and had burned more bridges than I could count. So why would this time be any different? That was the question that gnawed at both of us. 

Jade exhaled and pushed himself up from his seat. “I’ll go check on Mia and the girls,” he said, grabbing his jacket off the back of his chair. “Make sure everything’s calmed down.” His voice was a little softer now, a little more distant, like his mind was already on whatever was waiting for him outside this room. He gave me a nod before turning on his heel and walking out, leaving me alone at the table. 

I sat there for a while, staring at the surface, my thoughts spiraling in different directions. Jade’s words made sense—Shane had never exactly been a beacon of trust. But something about what he said earlier didn’t sit right with me either. What if, for once, he was telling the truth? What if this time, ignoring him would cost us something we weren’t ready to lose? 

I needed answers. 

And if there was one person who could give me some, it was my father.