Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 299

Aurora’s P.O.V

He stepped in, calm in the way only Caleb could be. He looked around, then turned to me. “That’s a good thing.”

I stared at him, uncomprehending. “What do you mean that’s a good thing?”

“If he’s not here, it means someone came to get him,” Caleb said gently. “Someone got to him before the alarms went off. He’s with them. And if they were following the protocol, they’ll take him to the safe zone. That’s where we’ll find him.”

I wanted to believe him. I really, really did. And on some level, I understood—he was probably right. Caleb always knew how to read the chaos, always had a way of staying three steps ahead

when my world started spinning. But understanding didn’t stop the ache in my chest, the way my mind kept leaping to worst-case scenarios like it was desperate to torture me.

Caleb came to me then, both hands gripping my shoulders, his eyes searching mine with that intense, quiet certainty I had grown to lean on. “We’ll find him,” he said. “You hear me, Aurora? We’ll find him. But right now, we need to trust the system. We follow the lights. We make it to the safe zone. Then we look for Riley. You and me. Together.”

And I hated it. I hated that he was right. Hated that all I could do was trust and follow and hope. But more than anything, I hated the fear clawing at my insides, the helplessness that came with not knowing if my little brother was okay.

So I nodded. Forced my feet to move as Caleb took my hand again and led me back into the hallway. The red light was still there—less menacing now, more purposeful. We climbed the stairs, the world around us narrowing into flashes of red and dark, the air growing tighter with every step. And still, I held on to Caleb. Still, I hoped that somewhere up ahead, in the part of this twisted maze marked safe, we’d find Riley waiting. Unharmed. Smiling that same cheeky grin I missed so much already.

My legs felt numb from how fast we’d been walking—no, running—since Caleb said he got a signal. My heart pounded in rhythm with the flashing light, each step heavier than the last. The silence was loud around us, broken only by the sound of our hurried footsteps and the faint hum of the fluorescent lights above. Caleb walked just ahead of me, jaw clenched, his hand tightly wrapped around mine as he led the way.

“We’re almost there,” Caleb said without looking back, his voice strained, almost breathless.

“Top floor, the cafeteria. That’s where everyone is headed. It’s one of the safe zones and I think we’ll find everyone there.”

My stomach twisted painfully at his words. Riley. He was here. I could feel it in my chest, this quiet, aching pull that screamed in a hurry. I didn’t even realize tears had started to blur my vision until I blinked and saw the red glow smearing in my sight like blood on water.

We rounded the corner and came to a large double door, sealed with heavy steel bolts and an identification panel. Caleb stepped forward and placed his hand on the scanner, entering a sequence of codes faster than I could register. There was a mechanical hiss, then the slow groaning sound of locks disengaging.

When the doors slid open, warm light spilled out, followed by a cacophony of murmurs, hushed voices, and the unmistakable clatter of dishes. I stepped in after Caleb and was immediately hit by the smell of food. My gaze swept across the room, and my breath caught.

It was a cafeteria, large and open, filled with people. Families huddled together at long metal tables, some children wrapped in makeshift blankets, others eating with quiet gratitude. I could barely take it all in. Every face I scanned, every unfamiliar pair of eyes, all led me to the center of the room—where she stood.

Luna Maya.

She stood there like a pillar, strong and composed as ever, and in her arms—my heart stopped—was Riley. My Riley. My baby brother.

He was nestled in her embrace, sleepy but safe, his tiny fists curled up near his cheeks, and his curly hair just as wild as I remembered. For a moment, I couldn’t move. I just stood there, frozen in place, the ground beneath me spinning with the intensity of the moment.

Maya looked up and saw me. She gave me the smallest, gentlest smile, and without hesitation, she stepped toward me. I didn’t wait. I ran.

The moment Riley was in my arms again, it was like the world clicked back into place. Like a puzzle piece I’d been missing had been jammed right into my chest. I held him so close, I could feel the warmth of his skin against mine. He let out a soft noise—almost a whimper—and my tears finally fell. They streamed down my face, silent and hot, as I kissed his forehead over and over again.

“Oh my god… Riley. My sweet baby,” I whispered, voice breaking into a sob. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t with you. But I’m here now, okay? I’ve got you. Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”

He blinked up at me sleepily, and even though he was too young to understand the storm of emotions in my chest, there was this faint spark in his eyes, and he gave me a small nod and a smile. “I’m alright, Aura. Just…tired.”

My knees buckled, and I sank to the

floor, still cradling him in my arms like he was the most precious thing in the universe—because he was.

Caleb knelt beside me, one hand resting gently on my shoulder. “We got him, Aurora. We got him. He’s okay.”

I nodded through the tears, unable to speak. I could only hold Riley tighter, inhaling the scent of him, memorizing the way his small chest rose and fell with each breath. I didn’t care that we were on a hard floor or that people were watching. All that mattered was that I had him back.

Because for a split second, I had thought that I wouldn’t see my brother again, and that the rogues might have gotten to him.