Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 321

Aurora’s P.O.V

I didn’t even hear when Caleb had arrived, his footfalls down the hallway had been near silent.

One second, I was watching as Ashton made his way to my bed, and the next—I felt the familiar, sharp tug in my chest that always came with Caleb’s presence. I whipped around, heart stuttering in my chest as I saw him standing at the door, his eyes dark and unreadable, lips pressed into a thin line. His gaze wasn’t on me—it was locked on Ashton, like he was sizing him up, trying to figure out just what the hell he was doing here.

“What is he doing in your room?”

The words echoed through our mental link, his voice low and clipped, sharp enough to cut glass. I winced. Of course, he would pick now to show up. Of all times.

I turned toward him, trying to stay calm, trying not to let my nerves show even though my pulse was thundering in my ears. “Caleb, it’s not what you think—Ashton just helped me with Riley. That’s it. Nothing more.” I tried to keep my voice even, soothing, like I could stroke away the storm building in him with just my words.

But it didn’t work.

Caleb stepped into the room, his boots making deliberate, heavy sounds on the wooden floor. Each step radiated tension. He came to stand beside me, his arm looping around my waist like it belonged there, like he was showing Ashton that I belonged to him. The message was clear. Not just to me—but to Ashton too. My cheeks burned.

I turned slightly, catching Ashton’s expression—his brow furrowed as he watched Caleb, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. Hurt? Disappointment? Annoyance? I wasn’t sure. Then, as if a switch flipped, his face softened. He let out a quiet breath and offered a small nod, like he wasn’t interested in any confrontation.

“I should get going,” Ashton said, his voice low, almost reluctant. “Avery’s going to need me soon anyway. I’ll make sure she understands that what she did was wrong.”

He didn’t look at me again. Just turned and headed for the door. Caleb didn’t move, didn’t say a word until Ashton was gone. The door clicked shut, and then Caleb stepped forward and turned the lock with a decisive snap that made me flinch.

“Don’t bring him into your room like that again.”

The words weren’t loud—but they hit harder than if he’d shouted. I turned to face him, swallowing down the frustration bubbling in my throat.

“Caleb, it wasn’t like he forced his way into my room. I asked him to help me, alright? Riley had a fight with Avery and I didn’t know what to do, and he just—he helped. That’s it.” I shook my head, my voice rising despite myself. “You can’t just barge in and act like—like you have the right to control who I talk to.”

He stared at me, jaw tight. His hand fell away from my waist, curling into a fist at his side.

“I do have the right, Aurora. You’re mine.”

That word—mine—it crashed into me like a wave. It wasn’t the first time he’d said it, but now it felt different. He was angry. Jealous. And maybe… scared.

“I’m not a possession, Caleb,” I whispered. “I’m with you because I choose to be. Not because you claimed me as some prize in a war.”

Something flickered in his expression, something like pain—but he masked it too quickly. He looked away for a second, his throat working. “I know. I know that. I just…” He let out a breath, frustrated and raw. “Seeing him here. Alone. With you. It messed with my head. You don’t know what that feels like.”

“I do,” I said softly. “Every time you disappear from my sight without a word. Every time I hear whispers about who you were with before me. I do know, Caleb.”

He didn’t speak. Just stood there, staring at the floor like it held the answers he needed. I wanted to reach out and touch him, tell him that I understood, that this—us—was worth fighting for. But I also needed him to know that I wasn’t going to live in fear of his jealousy.

“You have to trust me,” I said quietly. “Caleb, you can read my mind, you have access to my thoughts and emotions, then why are you suddenly acting like this?”

His eyes met mine then, full of shadows and vulnerability. “I’m—I honestly don’t know, Aurora. I swear I’m trying. But seeing him here all of a sudden, in our personal space—”

I found Caleb pacing again, his jaw clenched tight, shoulders tense like he was ready to rip the entire world apart. His eyes glowed faintly, a clear sign his wolf was on edge. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen him like this, and I had a sinking feeling it wouldn’t be the last. I leaned against the doorframe and crossed my arms, watching him for a few seconds before finally speaking.

“Why are you getting so angry at Ashton?” I asked quietly, but there was an edge in my voice that even I couldn’t hide. “He’s my half-brother, Caleb. It’s not like there’s anything weird going on. He’s family.”

Caleb stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to me slowly, dragging a hand through his already messy hair. The frustration didn’t leave his face, though now it mingled with something else—guilt, maybe. Or helplessness.

“I know he’s your half-brother, Aurora,” he said, his voice low, rough, like it was taking everything in him not to snap. “I know that. But you don’t understand what it’s like for wolves. We’re possessive—extremely possessive when it comes to our mates. And yeah, logically, I know he’s not a threat. But my wolf? My wolf doesn’t exactly operate with logic. All it sees is another unmated male in your space. Close to you. Too close.”

He looked away, as if ashamed to even admit that, his chest rising and falling as he tried to control himself.

“It’s…territorial,” he muttered, almost under his breath. “Instinctual. It’s not about trust or doubt. It’s about… something primal I can’t always switch off.”

I sighed, letting the breath out slow as I walked toward him. My boots made soft thuds on the floor until I stood right in front of him. “I get it,” I said gently. “I didn’t before, but now I think I do. I won’t bring Ashton to my room anymore, I promise. I don’t want to make things harder for you… or your wolf.”

Caleb’s eyes softened immediately, and he closed the space between us in a heartbeat, wrapping his arms around me so tightly like he feared I might vanish if he let go. “I’m sorry,” he whispered into my hair, his voice cracking just enough for me to hear the sincerity. “I didn’t mean to be rude or harsh earlier. I just… couldn’t handle it. The scent of him in your room— our room—it drove me insane.”

“I understand,” I murmured into his chest, even as I buried my face there to hide my own expression.

What I didn’t tell him was that I had felt it too—this strange discomfort, this unease with Ashton in the room. Not because I didn’t trust him, but because something inside me felt unsettled. Like I was sharing something sacred that wasn’t meant to be shared.

But I didn’t say that. I didn’t say anything. I just let Caleb hold me as I swallowed the truth and reminded myself that even half-truths were sometimes necessary to keep the peace.

And for now… peace was all we needed.