Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 289

Caleb’s P.O.V

That evening, the air in the woods behind the packhouse carried the familiar scent of pine, damp earth, and the faint chill that always came with twilight. I stood beside Caroline, our breaths fogging slightly in the coolness as we waited. The trees swayed gently, casting long, jagged shadows that danced across the ground in a rhythmic hush. Neither of us said much. There wasn’t a need to—we both knew why we were here, what had to be said.

My arms were crossed, more out of tension than the cold, and Caroline was pacing slowly, her fingers fiddling with the ends of her sleeves, something she always did when she was trying to keep her emotions in check. The silence stretched out, only broken by the occasional rustle of leaves or the call of a bird somewhere deeper in the forest.

Then, I caught the scent first—familiar, earthy and unmistakably him. A few moments later, Jade stepped into view, his hands tucked into his jacket pockets, his stride unhurried but cautious, like he already knew something was off. His eyes darted between me and Caroline, his brow furrowing as he took in the sight of us just standing there like sentries in the middle of the damn woods.

“Okay…” he drawled, coming to a slow stop, his voice tinged with playful suspicion. “Did I just walk into an ambush? You two have been lying in wait to jump me or something?”

Normally, that would’ve earned a grin from me or a snort from Caroline—Jade was always cracking jokes like that. It was his shield, his comfort zone. But tonight, neither of us smiled. We didn’t even blink. The humor died a fast death in the air between us.

I stepped forward, just a few inches, but it was enough to let him know I wasn’t playing around. “We need to talk, Jade. This is serious.”

His grin faltered, confusion flickering in his eyes. “Talk about what?” he asked, but his voice had dipped just slightly, laced with unease.

Caroline’s voice came in steady and calm, but with that unmistakable edge that always surfaced when she was standing her ground. “About Maggie.”

And just like that, Jade froze.

His mouth opened like he was about to ask for clarification, but nothing came out. He looked between us, blinking once, twice, as if he was hoping he heard wrong. “What… what are you talking about?” he finally muttered, his voice a touch too careful, too rehearsed.

“Don’t play dumb, Jade,” I said, my tone firm. “You know exactly what we’re talking about. Maggie. The way you look at her. The way your whole damn energy shifts when she walks into a room. You think we wouldn’t notice?” I paused, letting the words settle. “Come on, man, we’ve known each other since we were in diapers. You don’t think I know when something’s going on with you? You think Caroline doesn’t catch those glances?”

Jade’s jaw tightened. He looked down at the ground for a second like the damp dirt might give him an answer he didn’t have. When he looked back up, the playfulness was completely gone.

“You guys are overthinking it,” he muttered, but his voice lacked conviction.

Caroline stepped forward then, her voice sharper now. “Are we? Because from where I’m standing, it’s like watching someone try really damn hard to pretend they’re not falling.”

Jade shook his head, almost angrily, but there was something else flickering in his expression—fear, maybe. Or shame. “She’s still a kid, still underaged,” he finally snapped. “And even if she weren’t, what difference would it make? It’s not like I’d…” He trailed off, pressing his lips together like he regretted even starting that sentence.

I exhaled slowly. “You’d what? Not risk messing up a friendship? Not admit something you’ve been feeling for who knows how long? Jade, this isn’t just about Maggie. This is about you lying to yourself. And maybe even to her.”

For a second, it felt like time held still. The only sound was the wind pushing through the trees. Jade’s expression crumpled slightly, and he rubbed the back of his neck like the weight of this conversation was pressing hard on his spine.

“I didn’t ask for this,” he said, and his voice cracked—just enough for us to hear the truth in it. “I didn’t mean to catch feelings for her, okay? It just… happened. I don’t know when. I think it was that night when she woke up with one of her nightmares, and she called me crying, and I sat with her for hours in her backyard, and she finally fell asleep on my shoulder. Or maybe it was way before that. Maybe it’s always been there and I just didn’t want to see it.”

Caroline softened slightly, stepping closer. “So why haven’t you said anything?”

Jade looked up at us, and for the first time, I saw how tired he looked. How tired he’d probably been for a long time. “Because I’m scared,” he admitted, barely above a whisper. “I’m scared that if I say something, everything will change. I don’t want to lose what we have. I don’t want her to look at me differently. And yeah, maybe I’m a coward for that, but I’d rather live with this feeling buried inside than mess things up for her.”

I stepped closer, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You’re not a coward, Jade. But you need to stop lying to yourself. Because this? This isn't sustainable. Eventually, it’s going to come out—one way or another. And when it does, you better hope it’s not too late.”

He didn’t answer right away. Just stood there, eyes closed, breathing deep like he was trying to keep something from spilling out. When he finally opened his eyes again, they were glassy.

“I’ll think about it,” he murmured. “I’ll think about what I’m supposed to do.”

And somehow, that was enough for now. Because at least we weren’t pretending anymore. But there was one more matter that needed to be discussed, and that was about to change everything.