Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 448

Caleb’s P.O.V

Branches cracked under my boots as I pushed myself harder, my lungs burning, but I refused to slow down. Damien was just ahead of me, his breathing ragged but determined, and Shane trailed behind us, muttering curses under his breath until finally he snapped, his voice loud and cutting through the night air.

“Why the hell didn’t we go back to the packhouse?” he shouted, his tone sharp with frustration. “We could’ve found shelter there, maybe even regrouped. Instead, we’re out here running like fugitives.”

I threw a quick glance over my shoulder, my jaw clenched, my words harsh when I answered. “Because that would’ve been the most dangerous choice we could’ve made. You don’t get it, Shane. There’s no certainty the wraiths haven’t already managed to control the rest of the pack. And even if by some miracle they haven’t, dragging a bunch of possessed beings back into a house filled with our pack, filled with our family, with innocent lives? That’s not shelter, that’s mass murder.”

Shane’s eyes narrowed, his frustration boiling over. “You’re saying our home isn’t even safe anymore? That our family could be…”

“Yes!” I snapped, cutting him off before he could even finish. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. You think I don’t want to run back? You think I don’t want to check on them? But if we make the wrong move, if even one of those things follows us in, we’d be handing them every soul in that house on a silver platter.”

Damien’s voice joined in, low but steady, though there was a weight in it that only made the air feel heavier.

“Maybe that’s the point. Maybe this is exactly what the wraiths want. To pit us against each other. A sacrifice. They thrive on blood, on tearing bonds apart, on turning kin into enemies. Don’t you see? They need sacrifice to fuel their magic. They need us desperate, broken, willing to spill blood that should never be spilled.”

Shane shook his head, his breathing harsh as he stumbled for a second before catching himself.

“You’re saying we just…keep running? That we do nothing? That we leave our pack behind?”

I tightened my fists until my nails bit into my palms, forcing myself to stay focused, but the words tumbled out sharper than I intended.

“I’m saying we can’t run blind into a trap. If they’ve already woven themselves into the hearts of our people, then running back would be walking straight into the slaughter they want. Do you understand that? Every single step we take has to count, or we’re not saving anyone, we’re killing them faster.”

Damien gave a bitter laugh, though it lacked any real humor. “You think they’ll stop at just our pack? You think if we just stay out here, it buys us time? They’re patient, Caleb. They’ll wait until we’re weak, until we’re too tired to fight back. That’s their game. That’s their curse.”

“Then we keep moving,” I said, more to myself than to either of them, though the conviction in my voice surprised even me. “We found a way. We find a way that doesn’t mean handing them everyone we love on a silver platter.”

But even as I said it, my chest ached. My thoughts drifted to Aurora, always to her. The silence where our bond should’ve been was unbearable, like a void clawing at me from the inside out. I couldn’t hear her, couldn’t feel her, couldn’t sense the warmth that should’ve tethered me to her. My throat tightened, but I forced myself to speak, barely above a whisper. “I just need to know she’s okay.”

Damien slowed just enough to glance at me, his eyes dark, filled with something I couldn’t name. “You’re thinking about her again. About Aurora.”

“Of course I am,” I shot back, too quickly, too defensively. “She’s my mate. But right now? I can’t feel her. Nothing. It’s like the bond’s been ripped out of me. Do you have any idea how terrifying that is?”

“I do,” Damien answered, panting from the run. “Because I can’t feel Caroline either.”

Shane’s anger faltered for the first time, and he looked away, his voice dropping. “You really think the wraiths got to them?”

My heart clenched at the thought, but I forced the words out, raw and bitter. “I don’t know. And that’s the worst part. Not knowing if she’s alive, if she’s fighting, or if she’s already gone.”

Damien exhaled sharply, running a hand through his sweat-soaked hair. “Then we have to assume they’re still fighting. Because if we believe they’re gone…then we’ve already lost.”

For a moment, none of us said anything, only the sound of our feet pounding the forest floor filling the silence. Finally, Shane muttered, his voice quieter than before, almost reluctant. “So what the hell’s the plan then, Caleb? If not back to the packhouse, then where?”

I slowed my pace until I came to a complete stop, chest rising and falling, my ears filled with the sound of my own heartbeat. Damien, who had been a step ahead of me, skidded to a halt and spun around, confusion flashing in his eyes. Shane almost bumped into him before he stopped too, his brows drawn together. A few of the soldiers that hadn’t been taken by the possession stumbled to a stop behind us, their eyes darting around, waiting for orders.

“What the hell, Caleb?” Damien demanded, his voice sharp, already laced with impatience. “Why are we stopping? We don’t have time for this.”

I took in a long breath, forcing myself to meet his stare. “We need to head back to the beach,” I said firmly, trying to steady my tone even though everything in me wanted to scream.

Shane immediately threw his arms up, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “That’s brilliant. Really. The beach? You want to run right back into the slaughterhouse? Do you realize that’s where every single one of them is probably waiting for us? Just sitting there with claws and blades ready to gut us the moment we show up?”

I didn’t flinch at his words, didn’t even let his anger get to me. I just shook my head and stepped closer. “Shane, listen to me…our family is there. Our mates are there. Aurora, Caroline…they’re inside that portal. They’ll have no idea what happened to us when they come out. And if Alpha Camden finds them first…”

I didn’t even get to finish the sentence because Damien suddenly muttered, “Shit,” under his breath, spun on his heel, and bolted back in the direction we came from.

“Damien!” Shane shouted after him, his voice breaking with disbelief. “Are you serious? You’re just gonna run right into it? Are you insane?”

“Shut up and run!” Damien yelled back over his shoulder, his voice raw.

I looked at Shane, and he looked at me, and for a split second there was only silence except for the pounding of boots behind us. His jaw clenched, his nostrils flared, and then he growled low in his throat.

“You’re all out of your damn minds.”

“Then be mad while running,” I shot back, already pushing forward, forcing my legs to move faster, burning through the hesitation.

“Damn it, Caleb!” Shane cursed, but then his feet pounded the ground as he started after us anyway, unable to stay behind.

The soldiers exchanged looks among themselves, some of them pale with fear, others grim with determination. Finally, one of them shouted, “You heard them! Move!” and just like that, they surged after us, the sound of boots slamming against the dirt echoing all around.

I kept my eyes forward, the taste of iron in my mouth, every muscle screaming at me, but I didn’t care. All I could think of was Aurora, her face when she realized we weren’t there, the way her voice would break when she called my name and no one answered. That image alone was enough to keep me running, even though I knew with every step that we were heading straight into the trap waiting for us at the beach.

“Caleb!” Shane barked from behind me. “When this gets us killed, I’m haunting your ass in the afterlife, you hear me?”

“Then you’ll have plenty of company,” I shot back without slowing. “Because I’ll be right there with you.”