Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 318

Aurora’s P.O.V

I sat there in silence, my fingers twisted together in my lap as I tried to think of how the hell I was supposed to explain this mess to Riley. My heart felt like it was caving in on itself every time I looked at him—so small, so innocent, so impossibly broken.

I had played the moment over and over in my head for the past hour, rewriting different versions of the truth, hoping that maybe one of them would soften the blow. Maybe if I said it gently enough, slowly enough, he wouldn’t cry again. Maybe if I held his hand tight enough, he’d believe me when I told him I’d never choose anyone over him. But every single time I opened my mouth, even just to rehearse in my mind, nothing felt right. It all sounded like betrayal. It all sounded like too little, too late.

I stole a glance at Ashton, who sat on the other side of Riley’s hospital bed, jaw clenched, gaze locked on Riley with a protective fire I had grown to know all too well. The only sound in the room was the soft beeping of the monitors and the occasional whir of the machines keeping everything around us sterile and painfully calm. I hated it. I hated how quiet it was—how it felt like the silence before a storm.

Then, all of a sudden, Riley stirred.

My breath caught in my throat as his little body shifted beneath the covers. His lashes fluttered like moth wings, his lips parting slightly. I could see the crease between his brows deepen as the first hints of consciousness returned. My heart thundered in my chest, and I instinctively reached out to him, my hand gently brushing through his messy hair.

“Hey, hey baby,” I whispered, my voice trembling despite my best effort to sound soothing.

“You’re okay, sweetheart. You’re safe now, I’m here… I’m right here.”

I leaned closer, pressing my lips softly against his forehead.

But then, those big, familiar blue eyes opened—and the moment they landed on me, the crying began. Again.

Not just tears. Sobs. The kind that broke something inside me. His face twisted, and he turned his head away from me, curling into himself like he didn’t want to be seen, like he couldn’t even bear to look at me.

“No, no, no,” I choked out, my hand reaching for him. “Riley, please—”

But before I could get another word in, Ashton stood up. His voice came in strong and steady—more grounded than I could ever hope to be right now.

“Riley,” he said, stepping closer to the bed. “Hey, buddy. Listen to me, okay?”

Riley didn’t look at him, but the crying slowed just a little.

“Avery’s not Aurora’s real sister,” Ashton said firmly. “She’s just someone she… sees like a sister. Because she’s got no one left. You understand? Avery isn’t family. Not really.”

My breath hitched. I looked up at Ashton, stunned that he had said it so plainly. But as I looked at Riley, I saw his little shoulders ease just a bit. His sobs faded into hiccups, and he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.

“She only said that,” Ashton continued, “because she is lonely. Not because she wants to take Aurora away from you. She’d never do that.”

I felt my throat close up as tears filled my eyes. I reached out again, this time managing to brush a few strands of hair from Riley’s damp forehead.

“I love you, Riley,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “More than anything. You are my world. Nothing and no one could ever change that.”

He finally looked at me. His bottom lip trembled, and his eyes were still red, but something in them flickered—recognition, maybe. Maybe even a little bit of hope.

“I’m sorry,” I said, barely able to hold it together. “I should’ve explained everything better. I should’ve made sure you knew how important you are to me. I never want you to feel like you have to fight for my love.”

He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t pull away either. And that… that was something. Maybe even the beginning of healing.

Ashton stepped back, giving us space, and I watched him glance away, his own eyes shining just a little too much for him to pretend this wasn’t hurting him too.

My heart was still racing from the tension that had filled the room moments ago, like an unspoken storm threatening to tear us all apart. But then he glanced at me, and despite everything, his lips curled into a soft, reassuring smile. A warmth spread through my chest. That smile—it was his way of telling me that everything would be okay, that he had this under control. I gave him the faintest nod, trusting him, even as Riley clung to my side, confused and a little shaken.

“But—but…why did Avery say it like that?” Riley asked again, looking at us for answers. “Why did she keep telling me that Aurora was her sister too?”

Ashton knelt down beside Riley, lowering himself so he was at eye level with the little boy. His voice was calm, almost too calm, considering the weight of the truth he was about to share.

“Riley,” he began gently, “Avery didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. She just… she doesn’t know how to share with people she loves. Especially not someone like Aurora.”

Riley’s brows furrowed slightly, lips puckered in confusion. “But why? I didn’t do anything. I was just with Aurora…”

“I know, buddy. I know,” Ashton said, nodding. “And it’s not your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just that… Avery had a hard life. She’s an orphan. Just like me. Just like Maggie. None of us have any family. No parents, no brothers or sisters. But then—” he glanced up at me again, his voice dipping into something more emotional, more raw— “Aurora came along. She saved us.”

My throat tightened, and I placed a hand over my heart, trying to steady it.

Ashton continued, “To Avery, Aurora isn’t just someone nice who took her in. She’s… she’s family. She’s the only real family she’s ever known. That’s why she acts so possessive. Because to her, Aurora’s not just a friend or a caretaker. She’s like a big sister.”

Riley blinked, his eyes growing wider as he listened. His little fingers gripped mine tighter, then relaxed as understanding started to seep into him. He glanced down, processing the information, before looking back at Ashton.

“So… Avery’s like you?” he asked softly, “You only have Aurora too?”

Ashton smiled again, this time a bit more wistfully. “Yeah, I do. Aurora means everything to me. And I think that’s why Avery feels so scared. She thought she was going to lose her to someone else.”

Riley’s gaze dropped, and I saw the guilt swirl in his eyes. That sweet little heart of his—so pure, so kind—it never wanted to hurt anyone. He shuffled on the bed and looked up at me with a sad frown.

“I didn’t know…” he whispered. “I didn’t know Avery was sad like that. I thought she just didn’t like me.”

I crouched down to his level and cupped his cheeks gently, brushing back a strand of his hair. “I know, sweetheart,” I said, my voice soft and soothing. “None of this is your fault.”

Riley bit his lower lip, then tugged at the hem of my shirt. “Can I… can I tell Avery I’m sorry too? And if she wants… I can play with her. I don’t mind.”

That broke me. I let out a shaky breath, then pulled him into a tight hug, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Oh, Riley…” I murmured against his hair. “Avery would love that. More than anything.”

He clung to me, nodding against my shoulder. And as I held him there, I felt the heaviness that had lingered around us begin to lift, just a little. The drama, the emotions, the misunderstandings—they had all been real, and they had hurt, but in this small, honest moment, healing had begun.