Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 281

Caleb’s P.O.V

With a soft sigh, I nodded, but the unease in my chest didn’t go away. “Yeah, I’ve noticed. And maybe you’re right, maybe that’s their way of adapting. Maybe pushing it down and moving forward is what’s helping them survive.” I let out a breath, shaking my head slightly. “I just… I don’t want to assume. I don’t want to believe they’re okay just because they’re not talking about it. That’s not how this works.” I glanced at her again, searching for something in her eyes—maybe agreement, maybe understanding. “It wouldn’t hurt to be sure, right?” 

Caroline studied me for a long moment, her lips parting as if to say something, but then she closed them again. Finally, she gave me a small nod. “No, it wouldn’t,” she admitted, though there was hesitation in her voice. “But it’s late, Caleb. We should get back to our rooms.” She rubbed her arms as if trying to shake off the weight of the conversation. “We’ll talk more in the morning.” 

I was about to agree, about to push off from the tree and follow her back when something stopped me. A sound. Muffled, distant, but there. 

Laughter. 

I exchanged a quick glance with Caroline, and from the way her posture tensed, I knew she heard it too. It was coming from further down the path to the woods, faint but unmistakable. At first, I thought maybe it was just someone passing by, or even one of the patrol guards having a nice conversation, but then it came again—muffled voices, laughter that didn’t quite sound right. It was too hushed, too contained. Like someone was trying to keep it quiet.

Caroline’s eyes met mine, wide with the same unspoken question that had just formed in my own mind. 

Who was laughing this late at night? And why did it sound…so familiar?

“Let’s find out,” I told Caroline as I turned and began moving in that direction stealthily. She followed right behind me, no questions asked.

Hiding behind the thick trunk of an old oak tree, I crouched down, peering through the gaps in the leaves with Caroline right beside me. The cold bark pressed against my shoulder as I held my breath, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. Jade—of all people—was walking side by side with Maggie, their voices a soft hum in the evening air. I glanced at Caroline, who was already staring at me with the same wide-eyed disbelief that I felt bubbling inside me. 

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the rustling leaves. 

Caroline exhaled, shaking her head. "Oh, I'm definitely seeing it, but I still don’t believe it." She shifted slightly, angling herself for a better view.

"They look comfortable with each other, Caleb. Like this isn’t the first time they’ve spoken." 

I turned back, studying them closely. Jade had his hands tucked into his pockets, his head tilted slightly toward Maggie as she spoke. There was something easy in the way they walked, like they already understood each other's rhythm. Maggie was smiling—really smiling—and Jade, he wasn’t his usual reserved, almost unapproachable self. He was nodding, engaged, as though he genuinely enjoyed her company. 

"I had no idea Jade even talked to Maggie," I muttered, shaking my head in disbelief. 

Caroline let out a quiet scoff. "Clearly, they've had contact before. This isn’t a first-time thing. Look at them, Caleb. You don’t just walk like that with someone you barely know." 

I frowned, my mind racing. If Jade had been talking to Maggie all this time, why hadn’t he ever mentioned it? We told each other everything—or at least, I thought we did. Jade wasn’t the type to just casually make new friends, and yet, here he was, walking with Maggie like they’d known each other forever. 

"If he was really interested in Maggie, or even just wanted to be friends with her," I said, my voice tight, "then why didn’t he tell any of us? Why keep it a secret?" 

Caroline bit her lip, watching them intently. "Maybe he didn’t think he had to. Or maybe…" She trailed off, her expression turning thoughtful. 

I narrowed my eyes on her. "Maybe what?" 

She sighed, lowering her voice. "Maybe he didn’t want anyone to know. Maybe it’s something more than just a casual friendship." 

That thought settled heavily in my chest. I looked at Jade again, the way his body leaned just slightly toward Maggie as she spoke, the way she glanced up at him, smiling like he’d just said something funny. It felt strange, like I was watching a completely different version of Jade—one I didn’t even know existed. 

I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply. "This doesn’t make any sense." 

Caroline’s gaze flickered to me, then back to them. "It doesn’t," she agreed. "But it definitely means something."