Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 344

Aurora’s P.O.V

I remembered the day it had happened, the conversation between Shane and Mia…I had been right there, sitting beside her and holding her hand while Shane finally told her the truth.

I remembered the way she had broken down after…and to think that the same could happen to Maggie not too long in the future? How could I just let this happen?

And Jade? How could he be so irresponsible? How could I even stop this train wreck form happening?

“And Mia?” I continued, hoping to speak some sense into Maggie. “She’s a broken shell of the person she used to be. She put everything into him, thinking that she had a future with him, and now—she’s left in pieces."

I could see the raw, unmistakable pain in Maggie’s eyes as she tried to absorb everything I’d just said. "Shane feels guilty, Maggie. But it doesn’t matter. He can’t fix it. No one can, because when the bond locks in, it’s forever. Mia's life will never be the same."

The room felt heavy, like the air had thickened, pressing down on my chest. I hated seeing Maggie like this. But it was necessary. I wanted her to understand the consequences of chasing after something so unstable, so fleeting, like she had been with him.

She opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it, looking down, as if she couldn’t even bring herself to speak. I hated that I had reduced her to this. But at the same time, it was the truth she needed.

"Do you get it now?" I asked, my voice softer, though the weight of the truth still lingered in the air.

She nodded slowly, her eyes glassy, and in that moment, I wasn’t sure if she was seeing the truth I’d just delivered or if it had shattered her too much for her to fully comprehend. Either way, I had done what needed to be done.

I just hoped it would make a difference.

I watched Maggie’s face, her eyes flickering with thoughts I couldn't quite read. It was like she was sorting through a maze in her mind, trying to find the right words, and for a moment, I could almost feel her hesitation in the air between us. Her gaze dropped to the floor, like she was searching for an answer in the worn wood of the cabin, the silence stretching between us until she finally spoke.

"I’ll step aside," Maggie said quietly, her voice carrying a heaviness that was both reluctant and resolute. "Once Jade finds his mate, I’ll let him go. But..." She paused, taking a breath, and I could see the struggle written all over her. "I want to have my time with him, Aurora. I want to feel this... this teenage first love before it all falls apart."

I swallowed hard, my heart sinking into my stomach. I knew what she was asking for—what she was hoping for—but I couldn't help the knot that twisted in my chest. I stared at her, trying to absorb her words, but all I could think of was how much pain she was setting herself up for. "Are you sure you can handle it, Maggie?" I asked, my voice a little sharper than I intended.

"Can you really deal with it when the heartbreak comes? Because it will come. And it's not just some passing phase—it’ll change everything."

Maggie didn’t answer immediately, and for a moment, I wondered if she even heard me. Her face, so full of quiet determination, made me want to shout, to tell her she was making a huge mistake. But I knew it wasn’t my place to make that decision for her. She had to make it herself. Still, the fear that was growing inside me couldn’t be ignored.

I could see the dream she was clinging to—the one where Jade would miraculously choose her and they would live in some fairy tale together. But deep down, I knew that wasn’t going to happen. Jade’s future wasn’t hers to hold. And once the truth of his mate hit him, she would be left with nothing but the shattered remnants of a first love that was never meant to last.

"You need to wake up," I said, more forcefully this time, stepping closer to her, my hands trembling a little. "You’re walking right into a storm and I can’t just stand by and let you crash. Do you really think you’ll be okay when he meets his true mate? When that bond pulls him away from you? When you see him with another woman, sharing the same smiles that he used to share with you? Can you live with that, Maggie?"

She didn’t meet my eyes, her gaze shifting toward the window, her fingers absently tracing the rim of the coffee mug she had been holding. The tension in her body was so palpable, so heavy, that I thought I might choke on it. She finally lifted her eyes to mine, but there was nothing but silence.

I could feel the desperation rising within me. I didn’t know what to say, how to make her see reason before she dug herself deeper into this illusion. But she was determined. I could feel it, like a quiet but stubborn force, keeping her anchored to this dream. And yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that time was running out.

“I just want this, Aurora," she whispered, the softness of her voice breaking me a little inside. "I want to have something real, even if it’s just for a little while."

And I didn’t have an answer to that, because how could I tell her that sometimes, wanting something doesn't make it right? That love, as beautiful as it could be, was cruel when it wasn’t meant to last?

I took a step back, letting out a breath that felt like it had been stuck in my chest for hours. "I don't know if you can handle it, Maggie," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. "But I’ll be here, either way. I just hope you’re ready for what comes next."

She didn’t answer. She didn’t need to. The look on her face said it all. And I knew I had to act fast. Before Jade found his mate. Before Maggie’s heart shattered beyond repair. Because the storm was coming, and I had no idea how much longer I could keep it from breaking us all.