Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 364

Aurora’s P.O.V

The auditorium buzzes with energy, a mix of hushed conversations, excited whispers, and the occasional burst of applause as another name is called. I sit between Caroline and Jade, my hands clasped together with Caroline, and Caleb sits beside Jade, his knee bouncing slightly. The four of us have spent years dreaming of this moment—of walking across the stage, receiving our certificates, and stepping into a world far beyond the walls of this school. But now that it’s here, I feel an odd heaviness in my chest, like the weight of the past pressing down on me, a reminder of everything it took to get here.

The class president is giving his speech, something about perseverance and ambition, but my mind drifts. I swallow hard, fingers tightening around the fabric of my gown as I stare at the stage. Almost a year ago, I wasn’t sure I’d make it to this moment. The obstacles, the losses, the nights I thought about giving up—they all come rushing back in a blur. But I’m here. I made it.

Caroline nudges me, bringing me back to the present. “It’s almost time,” she whispers. 

I nod, releasing a slow breath. The names begin to be called, one by one, and my heart pounds as each of my friends walks up, accepts their certificate, and grins at the crowd. When my name is announced, the sound of applause washes over me, and I force my legs to move.

Walking up the steps, I meet Mr. Scott’s gaze. The principal has always been a reserved man, but the warmth in his eyes surprises me. As he hands me the certificate, he leans in slightly and says,

“Aurora, I am incredibly proud of you. You’ve done a great job, despite everything thrown your way. Your mother would be proud of you too.” 

The words hit like a blow to the chest. My grip tightens around the certificate, my throat closing up for a moment. I blink rapidly, willing the tears away. “Thank you, sir,” I manage, my voice barely above a whisper. 

He gives me a small nod before I turn and walk off the stage, my heart hammering. The applause fades into background noise as I step down and scan the crowd. Then I see them. 

Maya, standing near the front, her eyes shining with emotion. Riley, standing beside her, offering me the softest of smiles, as if he knows exactly what I’m feeling. And then there’s Alpha Camden, arms crossed, his usual unreadable expression in place, but there’s something different in his gaze—something that almost looks like pride. 

I walk toward them, my grip on my certificate still tight. Maya reaches me first, wrapping her arms around me before I can say anything. “You did it,” she whispers against my ear. “I’m so proud of you for not giving up.”

I squeeze my eyes shut for a second before pulling back. “Yeah… I did.” 

Riley comes to hug my waist, a wide grin on his face as he looks up at me. “You made it, big sis. You did so good!” 

I couldn’t help the tear that fell down my cheeks, but I wiped it away quickly as I leaned down to give my precious brother a hug. “Thank you, sweetheart. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

Riley gave me a confused look, but returned the hug anyway, not knowing how much he had helped me in fighting on, in keeping my head high and surviving everything that had been thrown my way. And I hoped that it would stay this way. He was my only normal in this ever-changing world.

Alpha Camden steps forward then, his presence commanding as always as he gives me a small hug. He doesn’t say much, but when his gaze meets mine, I know—he’s proud. In his own quiet, Alpha way, he’s proud of me. 

And for the first time in a long time, I allow myself to believe that maybe, just maybe, I’m proud of myself too.

“Aurora.”

I turn towards the voices to find Ashton, Maggie and Avery standing behind Alpha Camden, their grins wide and their eyes shining with pride.

“You guys…you made it!” The words gushed out of me in relief. Ashton really kept his promise.

Unfortunately, they had all skipped school all thanks to Lucas being the psychopath, so now, they were grades below what they should be, but they were catching up on homeschooling fast.

“Congratulations,” Ashton said, spreading his arms wide for a hug.

I didn't even give Ashton and Maggie a chance to react before I threw my arms around them, gripping them tightly as I spun around in a circle with them. Laughter bubbled from my chest, pure and uninhibited, as I held onto my half-siblings, my heart racing with unfiltered joy.

"I did it, guys! I actually made it!" My voice wavered with emotion, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like the weight of uncertainty had finally lifted.  

Ashton chuckled, his arms securing around me to keep me steady. As soon as I moved back from him, he placed a soft kiss on my cheek, his lips lingering just long enough to make warmth bloom beneath my skin. "You did more than just make it, Aurora," he murmured, his voice rich with pride. "You were amazing." His eyes met mine, and for a brief second, I thought I saw something deeper, something unspoken in his gaze, but before I could process it, Caleb’s voice cut through our moment. 

"Alright, guys," Caleb teased, appearing beside us with his hands stuffed into his pockets, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Let’s celebrate properly. Lunch is on me—unless, of course, you'd rather stand here gazing into each other’s eyes all day?"