Claimed by My Bully Alpha (by Anna Kendra) novel Chapter 282

Claimed by My Bully Alpha

Chapter 282

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Aurora’s P.O.V

The soft knock on the door pulled me from the fragile cocoon of sleep. I blinked, disoriented, my senses slowly catching up to the morning light filtering through the curtains. Riley and Caroline were still curled up beside me, their breathing slow and peaceful. A sight that should have comforted me, yet the moment of serenity was fleeting, replaced by a quiet unease that had settled in my chest long before I closed my eyes last night.

Carefully, I slipped out from under the covers, my movements slow so as not to wake them. My feet barely made a sound against the wooden floor as I reached for the door, exhaling softly before pulling it open.

Caleb stood there, his brows furrowed, his posture tense–until his gaze met mine. A flicker of relief crossed his face, his lips twitching into a small, warm smile. “You’re awake,” he murmured, eyes scanning my face as if searching for something. “I wasn’t sure if you got any sleep.”

I hesitated before nodding. “I didn’t, at first,” I admitted, my voice still laced with sleep. “But then Riley and Caroline joined me, and somehow… it felt like I could breathe again. Like I could finally rest.” I glanced back at them for a brief moment, a lump forming in my throat. ‘It’s been so long since I’ve felt that way.”

Caleb’s expression softened, something unreadable flickering behind his eyes. He didn’t press, didn’t ask for details. Maybe he already knew. Maybe he understood without me having to say anything at all.

Instead, he tilted his head slightly, his voice dipping into something almost playful. “So… Do you want to go back to sleep? Or would you be interested in breakfast somewhere special?”

I arched my brow. “Somewhere special?”

His lips curved into a knowing smirk. “Yeah. Trust me, it’ll be worth it.”

There was something about the way he said it, a quiet assurance, a promise of something lighter than the weight I carried on my shoulders. And maybe, just maybe, I was desperate enough to take it.

“I still feel tired,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper as I leaned against the door for support. The weight of exhaustion was still heavy on my limbs, but I couldn’t bring myself to stay in bed any longer. “But I don’t want to give in to it. I’d rather go out for a bit. I just… I didn’t want to wake Caroline or Riley.”

My eyes flickered toward the bed again, the steady rhythm of their breathing from the other side of the room reminding me that they were still fast asleep. I knew they’d insist I stay in bed if they saw me up, and I didn’t want the fuss. I just needed to breathe, to feel something other than the walls of this room closing in on me.

Caleb was silent for a moment, studying me with those sharp yet patient eyes of his, and then he gave a small nod, his decision made. “I’ll let Caroline know I took you, so you don’t have to worry about them,” he assured me, his voice calm, certain. There was something so grounding about the way he spoke, like he had already taken the weight of my concerns off my shoulders before I could even feel them. He didn’t question why I wanted to go out or try to convince me to rest. He just understood.

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20:58 Wed, Sep 24

Chapter 282

I hesitated, glancing down at myself before asking, “Do I need to change out of my pajamas?‘ The oversized shirt and loose sweatpants I had on didn’t exactly scream ‘ready to go, but I wasn’t sure I had the energy to put something else on.

Caleb chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re fine. No one’s going to see you except me, and I think you look cute,” he said, his teasing laced with something softer, something meant to reassure rather than fluster.

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I rolled my eyes, but a small smile played on my lips despite myself. “Fine,” I murmured before I went back inside to get my shoes. Caleb was already at the door, waiting for me as if he knew I’d follow without needing to be told.

The air was cool when I finally stepped outside, shutting the door behind me gently so as not to wake anyone. Caleb was there, waiting, and the second I was close enough, his fingers found mine, lacing them together as he led me away from the packhouse. His touch was warm, steady, like an unspoken promise that I wasn’t alone in this.

As we stepped into the woods behind the house, the scent of damp earth and pine filled my lungs, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I let out a breath that didn’t feel heavy.

The moment we stepped into the gazebo by the lotus pond, I felt my breath hitch. The familiar scent of blooming flowers mixed with the crisp morning air, but what truly caught me off guard was the beautifully set table inside. Plates of warm, delicious–looking food, a steaming pot of coffee–everything was arranged with such care that I couldn’t help but turn to Caleb in surprise.

“You did all this?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Caleb didn’t answer right away. Instead, he pulled out a chair for me, his touch gentle as he helped me sit. Only once he took the seat beside me did he finally nod. “Yeah. Figured you could use a peaceful morning. Just us, without interruptions.”

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