Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 284

Aurora’s P.O.V

As soon as I heard Ashton’s words, my entire body tensed, my mind racing ahead to the worst possible scenarios. I straightened up, my eyes locked onto him with sharp urgency, my voice coming out firmer than I intended.

“N-no…”

“Did he do something? Did Shane try to hurt you in any way?” Ashton scanned my face, searching for any sign of distress, any hint of fear that I might be downplaying, while my heart pounded in my chest.

But something about the way he got defensive made my concerns grow further. Did Shane do something to Ashton? To Maggie? I wouldn’t put it past Shane, considering his past, and if he had even remotely threatened Ashton, I needed to know. Now.

“Ashton…are you asking this because something happened with Shane?” I asked urgently. “Did he do something to you or Maggie?”

Ashton blinked at me in surprise, his brows knitting together as he quickly shook his head. “No, no, that’s not what I meant,” he said, raising his hands slightly as if to calm me down. “It’s just—” He paused, exhaling through his nose, as though trying to find the right words.

“I just got this weird vibe from him. The way he looked at us, the way he acted around us. It was... off. That’s why I asked. But no, he didn’t do anything.” His expression was thoughtful, but I could see that he wasn’t scared—just wary. Still, I didn’t like the fact that Shane had made him uncomfortable. 

I let out a slow breath, my shoulders relaxing slightly, the tension ebbing just a bit. “Oh…”

“Okay. I just—I needed to be sure.” My fingers brushed through my hair as I tried to gather my thoughts. Shane had always been a part of the pack, but his behavior had been nothing short of horrible. The things he’d done, the way he treated people... it wasn’t something that could be ignored. That was why he had been sent away, forced into a correction camp for months of training and therapy, an attempt to fix whatever had been so deeply wrong with him. And now, he was back.

“They sent him away for correction, to make him better, to try and change whatever it was that made him—” I hesitated, trying to find a word that wasn’t too harsh, but there wasn’t really any way to sugarcoat it.

“Dangerous. He was a problem before, but he’s supposed to be different now. They wouldn’t have let him come back if they weren’t sure of that.” At least, I hoped that was true. 

Ashton didn’t say anything at first, just watching me, before he finally nodded slowly. “Right,” he muttered, though I could tell he wasn’t entirely convinced. “Well, let’s hope they were right.”

I watched Ashton as he hesitated for a moment, running a hand through his already messy hair before finally speaking.

“I hope you wouldn’t mind if we kept our distance from Shane,” he said, his voice firm yet careful, as if gauging my reaction. “It’s just… we don’t really like him.” 

I sighed, folding my arms across my chest as I studied his face. There was no malice in his words, just honesty, and I appreciated that. Ashton had never been one to sugarcoat things. I knew he wasn’t the type to dislike someone for no reason, and if he felt this way about Shane, there was probably something behind it. “I understand,” I replied, my voice soft but sure. “And if you ever feel uncomfortable or if Shane ever does anything… anything at all, you tell me immediately. Promise me that.” 

Ashton nodded, his gaze steady. “I promise,” he assured me. There was something reassuring about his certainty, and for a moment, I felt a weight lift off my chest. 

Before the conversation could go any further, Maggie groaned dramatically from where she was sitting on the grass. “Alright, alright, enough of this serious talk,” she announced, pushing herself up with a grimace. She dusted off her shorts, looking down at the streaks of dirt on her legs before wrinkling her nose.

“Ugh, I’m all sweaty and disgusting. I need a shower. And you two should probably do the same.” 

I let out a small laugh, shaking my head. “Yeah, I guess we could use one too,” I admitted, glancing at Ashton, who smirked. 

“Speak for yourself,” he teased. “I think I look great.” 

Maggie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, sure you do, Ashton. Now move it before I drag you both inside.” 

I agreed with a small nod, my lips curving into a polite smile as I bid Ashton and Maggie goodbye. They lingered for a second longer than necessary, their gazes searching mine as if hoping I would voice the same unease they felt. But I didn’t. Or maybe I just refused to.

It wasn’t that I didn’t trust their instincts—Ashton was one of the most perceptive people I knew, and Maggie, well, her gut feelings had always been eerily accurate. Yet, I couldn’t bring myself to acknowledge what they were trying to tell me. Not now. So, with one final wave, I turned on my heels and headed back to the packhouse, the wind rustling through the trees like a whisper I wasn’t ready to hear.

The walk back felt longer than usual, even though my steps were quick, eager to retreat into the solace of my room. But the entire way, my mind kept circling back to the same question. Why would they both feel something off about Shane? If he hadn’t done anything to them, why would their instincts flare up? It didn’t make sense. Or at least, I didn’t want it to.

I hated how their words lodged themselves in my brain, refusing to be shaken off, no matter how much I tried. And yet, as I pushed open the heavy wooden doors of the packhouse and slipped inside, my breath hitched slightly. The place was warm, welcoming, filled with the familiar scent of home—but the thought remained, an unwelcome guest in my mind.

By the time I reached my room, I was exasperated with myself. I shut the door behind me with more force than necessary, leaning against it with a sigh.

“Get a grip,” I muttered under my breath, rubbing my temple as if that would somehow erase the nagging unease. It was ridiculous. Shane hadn’t done anything to them. To anyone, as far as I knew, after he returned. He was just... off. But wasn’t that just his personality? Some people were like that—abrasive, unlikable, carrying an energy that made others uncomfortable.

And Shane, well, he had always been one of those people.

I could still remember the way my stomach would twist slightly whenever he walked into a room, how my skin would prickle as if my body knew something my mind refused to acknowledge. But that was just paranoia, right? An irrational reaction to someone with a naturally intimidating presence.

Shane had always been as asshole, but he appeared to have changed…a lot. Maybe it was nature’s way of warning people, of setting off silent alarms in their minds, even if there was no tangible proof behind it.

I exhaled slowly, forcing my thoughts to quiet as I walked further into my room. I wasn’t going to let this eat at me. Not tonight. Ashton and Maggie could have their doubts. I wasn’t going to entertain them. If something was wrong with Shane, if he was truly someone to be wary of, I would know. I would feel it. And I refused to let paranoia dictate my thoughts. I had enough to deal with already.

But even as I went for a relaxing hot shower, the weight of their words remained, pressing into my subconscious like a whisper I couldn't quite silence.

What if this wasn’t just paranoia? What if they were right?