Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 322

Aurora’s P.O.V

The air in the training room was thick with the smell of damp earth and the sound of footsteps echoing off the walls as Maggie and I stretched, preparing for the day’s training. Ashton, standing a few paces away, was pacing, clearly irritated. It wasn’t exactly a secret that he wasn’t the biggest fan of Alice's rigorous methods.

I glanced at Maggie, and she caught my eye. Her smile was wide, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. We had been training for two weeks now, but today, Alice had promised something special. Something more... useful.

"Can you believe it?" Maggie whispered, practically bouncing on her toes. "Magic training today! Finally!"

I smiled back at her, the excitement building in my chest. My fingers tingle at the thought of finally learning how to channel my magic effectively—something more than just the basic tricks we had been practicing till now. I had been itching to learn how to defend myself with it, and today, it seemed, that dream would finally become reality.

Just then, Alice walked in, and the room fell silent. She looked as composed as ever, her dark eyes scanning the room briefly before settling on Maggie, Ashton, and me. She crossed her arms, lips curling into a tight smile. "Alright, gather up. Today, we’re starting something different."

Maggie and I exchanged an excited glance, but Ashton just frowned. "What now?" he asked, hands on his hips. "We were running laps until two days ago to build up our stamina, and now we’re... what? Using magic? Why the sudden change?"

Alice’s eyes narrowed slightly at his skepticism, but she was unfazed. "Because there was a recent rogue attack," she explained coolly. "And it’s become clear that the witches in the pack need to be able to defend themselves. It’s no longer just about physical strength or speed. You all need to know how to protect yourselves, your families, and this pack if things get out of hand again."

Maggie’s eyes widened at the mention of the rogue attack, and I could feel my pulse quicken. It was the same night I had had that horrible nightmare that still sent shivers down my spine.

"So, what exactly are we doing?" I asked, my voice a little more eager than I intended. I was trying to stay calm, but my mind was racing, already envisioning spells and protections, things I had only heard about in stories.

Alice took a step forward, looking directly at me, and I could sense the weight of her words before she even spoke. "We’re going to focus on defense and attack spells. I’ll teach you how to shield yourselves when necessary, and how to strike if you need to. You’ll be learning how to use your magic not just for offense, but for protection. Magic isn’t just about creating beauty or illusions—it’s about survival. And if you can’t defend what’s yours, then what good is it?"

Ashton scoffed, his arms folding tightly across his chest. "Sounds like a lot of power to give someone who doesn’t even know how to control it."

I couldn’t help but frown at Ashton. His mood had been significantly bad since we met here. Why was he acting like this all of a sudden?

Alice didn’t flinch at his tone, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes—maybe frustration, maybe something deeper. "That’s why we’re training. You won’t be learning anything dangerous today, Ashton. But if we don’t start now, you might regret it when the time comes to protect someone you love."

The room fell silent as her words settled in. I couldn’t stop thinking about the rogue attack that happened a few nights ago and the thought of Caleb going to the front lines alone was still horrifying to me.

Maggie was the first to speak again, her voice full of determination. "I’m ready," she said firmly, already stepping forward, her posture straightening. "Let’s get started."

I nodded, mirroring her energy. I was ready too. Not just to learn magic, but to prove that I could control it, to show that I could be useful, that I could protect those I cared about.

"Alright," Alice said, nodding in approval at our readiness. "We’ll start simple. Each of you will practice forming a shield first. A basic protective barrier that will block incoming magic or physical strikes. From what I’ve heard, you tried this before, but with the help of a circle. But today, you’ll be doing it individually. Focus on your energy, channel it through your hands, and make it a shield of light—something strong, but flexible. It doesn’t need to be perfect."

I held my breath, my hands trembling slightly as I tried to focus on the words Alice had given us. Magic. Shield. Protect. I reached deep inside, feeling for the spark of power that had always been there, but had never truly been unleashed.

For a moment, nothing happened. But then, a warmth spread through my fingertips, and before I knew it, a shimmering barrier appeared in front of me. It was faint at first, flickering like a reflection on water, but it was there—proof that I could do it, that I was capable.

"Not bad," Alice said, her voice calm but approving. "Now, let’s work on making it stronger."

I grinned, glancing over at Ashton who had also successfully formed his shield. Maggie, however, was still struggling. Her shield flickered weakly in front of her, barely holding its form.

"I told you it wouldn’t be that easy," I whispered to her sympathetically, but she didn’t seem to be listening.

Alice moved closer to her, her voice low but sharp. "Focus, Maggie. You need to believe in your ability to protect. Magic is as much about intent as it is about skill. You can’t block an attack if you’re not fully committed to it."

I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for her, but there was a part of me—just a small part—that was glad to see her struggle. For once, it wasn’t just me who was falling behind.

But no matter what, we all had to be better. We had to learn to protect ourselves. The rogue attack was a reminder of just how fragile our world was. And as the morning wore on, I could feel the weight of Alice’s words pressing down on me. Magic wasn’t just a gift. It was a responsibility. One I had to take seriously.

"Alright, let’s move on," Alice said, breaking the tension in the air. "Next, we’ll work on offensive magic. But remember, it’s all about control. Never let the magic control you."

I nodded, ready for whatever came next. This wasn’t just about learning how to fight. It was about surviving. And I would do whatever it took to protect Caleb, and my pack.

It had been days since Caleb had gone to defend the pack against the rogues, and every minute without him had felt like an eternity. I couldn’t help but feel useless. Every time I thought of how I had stayed behind, safe, while he fought, my stomach would twist with guilt. He was out there risking his life, while I was here, with nothing to offer. The thought of it consumed me more than I cared to admit, gnawing at me until I couldn’t ignore it any longer.

I needed to do something. I needed to be more than just someone waiting at home, wondering if Caleb would return safely.

"Alice," I began, my voice steady, yet edged with the uncertainty I felt. "Since the rogue attack, I’ve felt... useless. I want to learn. I want to be able to help in any way I can. I can’t just sit here and wait if something like this happens again."

My words felt heavy, but they were true. I wasn’t just asking for training—I was asking to be part of this fight, this life, in a way I hadn’t allowed myself before.