Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 324

Aurora’s P.O.V

The loud clang of the school bell jolted me awake, and I snapped my head up, blinking the sleep from my eyes just as the students around me began packing up their things and shuffling out of the classroom. I hadn’t even realized I’d fallen asleep again. My arms were still crossed on the desk, and my cheek had a faint imprint from my sleeve.

Great. Real classy, Aurora.

I slowly sat up straight and rubbed at my eyes, still heavy with fatigue. I could feel that same dull throb behind them, like the remnants of a headache that never fully formed but refused to leave either.

"Hey," Caroline’s voice pulled me out of my daze. I looked up to see her standing beside my desk, concern written all over her face. Caleb was next to her, arms folded and a similar look on his face as well. "You okay? You've been half-asleep the entire day. And I swear you nodded off in alchemy class while Professor Rayne was literally lighting the table on fire."

I gave them both a sleepy smile, stretching my arms above my head with a dramatic yawn. "I’m fine. I promise. I just… didn’t get a lot of rest last night. We were learning magic, remember? Alice had me up half the night practicing. I guess the energy stuff kind of hit me harder than I thought it would."

Caleb raised an eyebrow. “Learning magic drains your energy that much?”

I nodded, slowly gathering my books into my bag. "Apparently, yeah. It’s like… it pulls from somewhere deep inside, you know? It’s not just being tired, it’s like my soul needs a nap…I don’t know if I’m sounding coherent right now, but that’s what it feels like.”

“Is that normal?” Caleb frowned, his concern deepening.

“Alice said it’s normal in the beginning. She said the body just needs time to adjust to channeling magic like that.”

Caroline frowned, tucking a loose strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. “If it drains you like this, it’s going to be a problem, Aurora. Finals are coming up in what, two weeks? You need to be sharp, especially since you missed a bit of school in the middle of the semester.”

I sighed, putting my books into my backpack so we could head over to the next class. Even if I end up falling asleep again, at least I’ll have my attendance. “I know, I know. But Alice swears it’s only in the first couple of weeks. She said after that, your body kind of... adapts. It’s like building muscle, I guess. It just takes time.”

“You sure she’s not sugarcoating it for you?” Caleb asked, his voice low but not unkind. “Because I’ve seen you run on three hours of sleep and still win debates. But this?” He gestured toward me. “This is different.”

I stopped working and looked up at their faces. Their concern felt like a warm blanket over my weary heart, but it also made the weight of everything I was carrying feel a little heavier. I chewed on the inside of my cheek before answering. “Yeah… this is different. But I’m not weak, you guys. I can handle this. I have to handle this. You don’t get to beat the exams after nearly quitting, and be a fledgling witch without bleeding a little for it.”

Caroline gave me a skeptical look. “You know we’re worried about you, right? We just don’t want to see you burn out.”

“I won’t,” I said quickly, maybe too quickly. “I can’t afford to. If I stop now, then all of this—everything I’ve worked for—it’s for nothing. I just need to push through. Besides…” I forced a small smile, “I’ve got you guys to make sure I don’t collapse in a hallway somewhere.”

Caleb snorted. “Damn right. But don’t test me on that, Aurora. I’m not carrying you down four flights of stairs.”

We all laughed, and it felt good—because we all knew Caleb would cross mountains with me in his arms if he has to. Yet, somewhere deep in my gut, the unease lingered. The magic was only supposed to be a tool, something I learned to control. But lately, it felt like it was controlling me. The dizziness. The dreams. The shadowy figure that I saw that night that just wouldn’t leave my mind. I hadn’t told them about those yet.

But maybe I would. Maybe soon. Just… not today.

The sound of Caleb’s voice came to me like a warm breeze drifting through a fog. “Aura?” he said softly, brushing a few strands of my hair away from my face as I blinked, realizing that I had been lost in thought and had almost dozed off again.

“Do you want to sleep for a bit longer or… do you think you’ll be able to make it to the next class?” His eyes searched mine, full of that constant concern I had grown so used to—and yet still didn’t know how to handle. I hated being the reason he worried, even more so when he tried to hide just how anxious he truly was.

I pushed myself up slightly and managed a weak smile. “I’ll be able to make it,” I said, voice scratchy from the nap and maybe a little too confident for how my body actually felt. I didn’t want him to hover. I didn’t want to be the fragile girl who always needed saving. I wanted to be strong—for him, for myself. “I just need a minute.”

But the moment I swung my legs off the bench and stood, a wave of heat washed over me, then cold. My vision dimmed at the edges, and the room swayed like a ship caught in a storm. My knees gave out before I could even form the words to warn him, but I didn’t hit the floor. Caleb’s arms were already around me, strong and steady as he pulled me into his chest.

“Aura!” he exclaimed, his voice sharper now, laced with panic. “Hey, hey, I’ve got you. Just breathe. You’re okay.”

I could feel the rapid thrum of his heart under his shirt as he held me close. I hated how small I felt, how helpless. My hands clutched at his shirt without thinking, my breath coming in short, trembling gasps.