Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 292

Caleb’s P.O.V

I saw his fingers clenched tightly into a fist before he forced them to relax. “And every time she laughed, I felt like I was hearing it for the first time. Every time she looked at me like she trusted me, it made me want to be worthy of that trust. I kept telling myself it was just friendship. That I was just being a good packmate. That I wasn’t crossing any lines. But… somewhere along the way, I did. I don’t even know when it happened, but I crossed it. And now…” His voice broke a little.

“Now I’m standing here, trying to undo feelings I shouldn’t have allowed to take root in the first place.”

That was when Caroline stepped forward, arms crossed, but not in that usual intimidating way. This was her concerned stance—the one she only used when she was speaking from a place of deep love and duty. Her expression was soft, but her words were firm, wrapped in the protective steel only a true warrior could pull off so effortlessly. “Jade,” she said, and his name carried weight, like an anchor meant to stop him from floating away in his guilt.

“You’re the most sensible one among us. You always have been. That’s why we trust you. Why does the Alpha trust you?” She took a step closer, her voice lowering slightly. “You’re our future beta. That’s not just a title—it means your choices have consequences. Not just for you, but for all of us.”

Jade lowered his gaze, and I could see the truth of her words hitting him, pressing into his spine like a burden he’d been trying not to acknowledge. Caroline softened a little, her voice gentler now. “We know you didn’t mean for this to happen. And we’re not here to judge you, Jade. But you need to be cautious with your heart. Especially when you’re in a position where people look

up to you.” She tilted her head slightly, eyes piercing. “Feelings are messy. They don’t always follow the rules. But you have to. For the sake of the pack. For the sake of your own future.”

Jade closed his eyes for a second, the muscles in his jaw working. Then he nodded slowly. “I know. You’re right.” His voice was hoarse, the edges of his words laced with regret. “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. Especially not Maggie. And definitely not myself.”

I finally stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. “You’re not alone in this, man,” I said quietly. “We’ve all been there in one way or another. But it matters that you’re being honest about it. It matters that you’re willing to face it.” He glanced at me, and I gave him a small, reassuring nod. “You’ll figure it out. We’ll help you figure it out.”

He gave me a look that said thank you without words, and for a moment, we just stood there, three friends caught in the storm of tangled emotions and unspoken longings, trying our best to stay afloat. And somehow, in the quiet that followed, I knew that this wasn’t the end of Jade’s story with Maggie—it was just the turning point where he started learning how to let go.

“But how?” He finally asked. “How do I stop myself? How do I do this without hurting her further?”

I rubbed the back of my neck, exhaling as I leaned against the edge of the porch, the night air settling quietly around us. “For now, it’s better if you just stays away from her,” I said, my voice lower than usual, more cautious than commanding. The weight of those words hung heavy between us, but I knew it was the truth. Maggie didn’t need another heartbreak, another strand of hope tangled into something that would only unravel. “If you keep hanging around her, it’s just going to give her the wrong idea.”

Jade frowned, clearly not satisfied with that reasoning. His arms were folded, jaw tight, and I could see the storm brewing behind those conflicted eyes of his. “And how exactly am I supposed to do that?” he asked, voice tinged with frustration. “Have you seen her? She looks like she needs someone. A friend. She needs someone who’s going to stay.”

I could hear the plea under the argument, and it made me sigh a little deeper, pinch the bridge of my nose. “You can start by making excuses,” I offered, trying to be logical about it even if it felt a little cruel. “You know… say you’re busy, have work or training, something—anything. And then slowly just… reduce contact. Fade out. Give her time to realize it on her own. That it was never going to happen.”

Jade shook his head, clearly still torn, but after a few seconds, he gave a reluctant nod. “Alright,” he muttered. “I don’t like it… but alright.” Then he gave Caroline a quick goodnight, nodded stiffly at me, and walked off toward his house, hands stuffed in his pockets like he was trying to hold himself together.

As soon as his silhouette disappeared down the path, I turned to Caroline. “Did you hear what I think I just heard?” I asked, not bothering to hide the sharp edge in my tone.

Caroline didn’t answer immediately. She crossed her arms, chewing on the inside of her cheek before finally glancing sideways at me. “Yeah,” she said. “Yeah, I did. And believe me, that girl’s not short on friends. Maggie’s always had people. She’s never been the pitiful type either.”

I frowned, eyebrows furrowing as I tried to make sense of it. “Then why?” I muttered, more to myself than to her, but Caroline caught it anyway. “Why would she be acting like that in front of Jade? What the hell is she trying to pull?”

Caroline leaned against the tree trunk, her face thoughtful now, her voice dipped in suspicion.

“I don’t know,” she murmured. “But whatever it is, it’s intentional. Maggie’s smart. She knows how to read people. So if she’s acting like she needs saving... it’s because she knows he wants to save someone.”

That sent a chill crawling down my spine—not because it was scary, but because it was true. Maggie want some damsel in distress. But now, it seemed like she had the ability to prey on someone’s vulnerability. To tap into what someone needed to feel, and then become that thing just long enough to make them believe it. But why now? Why Jade?

I let the silence linger between us, the night swallowing our thoughts whole. This wasn’t going to end well. Not for Jade, and sure as hell not for Maggie.