Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 409

***Aurora’s P.O.V***

It was eerily quiet in the woods, the kind of silence that felt like it was waiting to pounce at any moment. The air was damp, heavy with the scent of pine and earth, and the crunch of leaves under our boots seemed much louder than it should’ve been. I glanced at my watch—one forty-five AM, exactly when we had planned to slip out. Alice was walking close beside me, her breath clouding in the cool air, her voice low when she whispered.

“Are you sure no one saw you leave? Caleb can be… ridiculously observant when he wants to be.”

I gave her a quick look, pulling my jacket tighter around me. “Relax, I was careful. I waited until the guards rotated. Caleb didn’t see me, nobody did. Trust me, if he had, he’d already be blowing up my phone with questions.”

She still looked uneasy, her gaze darting back toward the faint glow of the pack house in the distance.

We stopped near the thick cluster of trees where the shadows seemed deeper, darker. My stomach tightened, and I leaned closer to her. “But, Alice… What if the wraiths spot us? You know they can see straight through hiding spots. I mean, they’re not exactly easy to fool.” My voice came out quieter than I intended, like even speaking too loud might summon them.

She didn’t answer right away, just reached for my wrist and tapped the cool, smooth surface of the jade bracelet she’d given me earlier that night. Under the faint moonlight, it looked completely ordinary, almost delicate against my skin, but there was something about the way her fingers lingered there that made me feel like it wasn’t just jewelry.

“That’s why I gave you this,” she said, her voice firm but low, like she was reminding me and herself at the same time.

“It’s not just a bracelet—it’s an amulet. For a certain amount of time, it’ll make us invisible to them. Wraiths, spirits, anything… they won’t even know we’re here.”

I blinked at her, feeling a small, nervous laugh escape me. “You could’ve mentioned the part about being invisible before we came out here instead of after I freaked myself out thinking we were basically walking into a death trap.”

She rolled her eyes, but I could see the edge of a smile tugging at her lips.

“I told you I had it covered. But there’s a catch.” She tilted her head, the seriousness returning to her expression. “It only works for three hours. After that… Well, we’d better be nowhere near these woods. We have to be back inside the pack house before it wears off.” I stared at the bracelet again, my mind racing.

“Three hours…” I repeated slowly. “So if something happens and Ashton and Maggie decide to take a scenic route through the underworld or whatever, we’re screwed.”

Alice sighed, rubbing her temples for a second. “Pretty much. That’s why we stay close, but not too close. Just enough to follow them without losing sight. And remember, no noise, no talking, no sudden movements if something feels off.”

I gave her a pointed look. “You mean if something feels off like a wraith breathing down our necks?”

She smirked just faintly. “You’ll be fine. The amulet’s good—trust me. We just have to make sure we don’t waste time. Ashton and Maggie won’t stay out here forever.”

We stood there for a moment, just listening to the night, the distant whisper of wind threading through the trees. My pulse was already quickening, and we hadn’t even spotted them yet. “Alright,” I murmured, adjusting the bracelet on my wrist like it might sit better if I made it tighter. “Let’s find them. But the second that clock hits three hours, I’m running, and you better keep up.”

Alice’s lips curved into a small, knowing grin. “Deal. Now come on… before they get too far ahead of us.”

I nodded slowly, glancing at Alice with a faint smirk. “Alright, fine, I’m in. Let’s do this.”

We crept closer to the apartment where Maggie and Ashton were placed, a few occasional guards walking past but not noticing us hiding. We were initially supposed to head out tomorrow morning, to find out where Ashton and Maggie were heading to every night, but Alice and I had decided that following them was the better idea. After all, we needed to know where exactly they were headed to search the place.

And that’s when I spotted movement from the corner of my eye.

“Wait—there they are,” I muttered, my voice dropping instantly. Sure enough, Ashton and Maggie stepped out of their apartment building, looking around cautiously before they started walking towards the beach.

Alice tilted her head, watching them closely, then turned to me. “Has Caleb’s guards been keeping an eye on them?” she asked, her tone low but sharp, like she was already piecing together some bigger puzzle.

“Yeah,” I replied, keeping my eyes locked on the pair. “Until last month, it was just once or twice a week, nothing too suspicious. But since this month started?” I let out a small scoff. “They’ve been going out every single night. No exceptions.”

Alice’s brow furrowed, but she gave a small nod. “Alright. Then we follow.” She stepped forward, but I caught the way her gaze flickered to me before she added. “Remember—spirits can’t see us, but humans can. So keep your head down. If they spot us, it’s over.”

I rolled my eyes, but kept my voice calm. “Yeah, I know. I’m not about to go waltzing up and waving at them.”

“Good,” she muttered, starting down the stone path, her steps quiet but quick. I followed just behind, keeping my breathing steady as we trailed them.

The night air was sharp, the kind that made every little sound seem louder than it was, and the only thing I could hear was the faint crunch of gravel under our shoes. Ashton and Maggie kept a steady pace, heading straight for the shoreline. I kept my eyes on their backs, watching for any sudden turns or stops, but they didn’t waver once.

“Stay close,” Alice whispered, glancing over her shoulder at me.

“I am,” I whispered back, though my pulse was picking up. Something about the way they walked felt… purposeful. Like they weren’t just taking a casual stroll.

When we finally reached the edge of the shore, I expected them to maybe meet someone or pick something up. But to my surprise, the moment they stepped into the clearing, Jade was already there, standing like he’d been waiting for them. His posture was rigid, his eyes scanning the area like a guard on duty.

“What the hell…” I breathed, my voice barely audible.

Alice’s hand shot out to stop me from stepping forward. “Shhh—look,” she whispered, nodding toward them.

I followed her gaze, just in time to see Ashton and Maggie exchange a quick look with Jade… and then…disappear…vanishing from sight as if they’d never been there at all.

My mouth went dry. “Did they just—?”

“Yeah,” Alice cut in, her voice tight. “They did.”