Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 426

Aurora’s P.O.V

I froze when I walked into the room and saw the bed. Riley’s bed.

It was untouched, the blanket perfectly smooth, the pillow exactly where it had been placed earlier. My heart jumped into my throat instantly.

“No, no, no…” I whispered to myself, clutching the doorframe like it could somehow hold me together. “Caleb!” I called out, my voice shaking.

He came running, his brows knitting as soon as he saw me standing there. “Aurora? What’s wrong?”

“His bed,” I stammered, pointing with a trembling hand. “Riley’s bed is empty. He’s not here. It looks like… like he hasn’t even been in it at all.”

Caleb stepped in, scanning the room quickly, opening the little closet, even peeking under the bed as if Riley could be hiding there. Then he turned back to me, his expression tightening. “Are you sure he’s not with a friend? Maybe a sleepover?”

I shook my head rapidly, panic clawing at my chest. “That’s why I’m asking you. Did he go to your mom’s room? Or maybe you arranged something, right? Please tell me you arranged something.”

His jaw clenched, and he shook his head firmly. “No. Nothing like that. Not after everything that’s been going on lately. We agreed—no activities, no sleepovers, no unnecessary risks. You know that.”

“Then where is he?” My voice cracked, the words breaking out like shards of glass in my throat. “Because if he doesn’t have anything planned, then…”

I couldn’t finish it. Couldn’t even think about the alternative.

Without wasting a second, Caleb pulled out his phone, his fingers moving quickly. “I’ll call my mom just to be sure. If anyone would know, it’s her. I’ll use the phone instead of the pack link, so you can hear as well.” He pressed the phone to his ear, pacing the room, his free hand rubbing at the back of his neck. After a moment he spoke, his tone low but strained. “Mom, it’s me… yeah… listen, Riley—do you know where he is? Did he come to you tonight?”

Maya’s voice sounded sleepy, but alert. “Riley? No. I saw that he had his dinner and then he went straight to bed. No activities today.”

I held my breath, clinging onto a sliver of hope. But as soon as I heard Maya’s voice, everything came crashing down all around me.

“She says he went to bed on time. He’s not with her.” Caleb repeated, even though he had put the phone on speaker.

My knees weakened, and I had to grab onto the bedpost. “Oh God… Caleb, he’s gone. He’s gone. Something’s wrong.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions,” he said, though I could hear the edge in his own voice. He was trying to be calm, but he was just as shaken. He shook his head before pressing a finger to his temple. “I’m alerting Caroline and Damien. If anyone’s going to know something, it’ll be them.”

“Caleb, what if—”

“Don’t say it,” he cut me off, raising a hand, his voice sharp. “Don’t. Let’s just… let’s find him first.” He pressed the phone to his ear again, stepping toward the hall, completely ignoring the pack link. “Caroline, it’s me. Is Riley with you? No? Damn it… Okay, I’ll check with Mia.”

I buried my face in my hands, tears already threatening to spill. My voice came out muffled. “This doesn’t make sense. He can’t just vanish.”

When Caleb hung up, his expression was grim. “Caroline hasn’t seen him. Damien either. I’ll ask Mia.” He typed quickly, sending a message, then looked at me again. “We’ll find him.”

I lifted my head, shaking it furiously. “No, Caleb, you don’t understand—he’s nowhere. I can feel it. Something happened. Something’s happening right now.”

At that, he crossed the room to me, gripping my arms tightly to steady me. “Aurora, listen to me. Don’t lose it yet. We’re not giving up until we know where he is.”

I stared at him, my voice barely a whisper. “But what if we’re already too late? I can’t…we can’t waste anymore time!”

And before Caleb could answer, I was already brushing past him, running with all my strength down the hallway.

I burst out of the packhouse so fast that my legs almost give out under me, the cold night air biting at my skin as my breath comes in sharp, shallow pulls. My heart is pounding so loudly I swear it’s shaking my ribs. I don’t even need to think, my body already knows where it’s taking me—straight into the woods, straight to the one place I’ve been terrified to check. The housing complex. Ashton’s apartment.

“Aurora, wait!” Caleb’s voice echoes behind me, but I don’t slow down. I can hear his footsteps pounding the earth, right behind me. “Aurora, damn it, I know where you’re going!”

“Then don’t waste your breath!” I shout back, my throat raw with panic.

Branches whip at my arms as I push through the trees, the fear building in my stomach until it makes me want to throw up. By the time I break through to the clearing and see the dull outline of the complex, I’m already shaking. I race up the steps two at a time, shove the door open with my shoulder, and the moment my eyes land on the inside, my worst fear hits me like a punch to the chest.