Claimed by My Bully Alpha (by Anna Kendra) novel Chapter 165

Claimed by My Bully Alpha

Chapter 165

I swallowed hard, his words settling over me like a balm. “It’s just… people keep telling me how I should feel, what I should do. But I can’t mourn someone who never loved me.”

“And you don’t have to,” Caleb said softly. “You deserve to feel free, Aurora. You’ve carried so much for so long.”

For the first time that day, I let myself breathe. Caleb’s quiet understanding was all I needed, more than I thought I deserved. I wasn’t sure what came next, but with him by my side, I felt less lost.

When Caleb pulled me into his arms, his embrace was tight, almost desperate, as if he feared letting go would mean losing me all over again. For the first time in days, I felt a shred of peace wash over me, his warmth anchoring me. I finally allowed myself to exhale, a sense of relief settling into my bones.

“I think I’m ready to see my house one last time,” I murmured against his chest, my words trembling but resolute.

The shift in his body was immediate. Caleb stiffened, his arms no longer holding me with the same ease but instead rigid, almost guarded. My heart dropped into my stomach as I leaned back to look up at him.

“What is it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, dread already coiling in my chest. He didn’t respond immediately, his jaw tightening as he avoided

my gaze.

“Caleb?” I pressed, more firmly this time.

His hesitation was palpable, the silence stretching uncomfortably between us before he finally sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Aurora… there’s something I need to tell you,” he began, his voice low and edged with guilt.

“After we found your dad… after we found his body… I went to your house to try and figure out what happened.”

My pulse quickened, each word sinking like stones in my chest. “And?” I prompted, my stomach churning.

His gaze darkened, a flicker of pain crossing his features. “When I got there… the house–it caught fire. Out of nowhere. Within minutes, it was completely engulfed. There was nothing I could do.”

The weight of his confession slammed into me, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak, as if my mind had gone completely blank.

“Wh–what?” The word escaped me in a rush, disbelieving. “It burned down? Completely?”

He nodded solemnly, his eyes searching mine. “I’m sorry, Aurora. I tried to understand what was going on, but the fire–it happened so fast.”

Panic flared inside me as I grabbed his arm. “Were you hurt? Did you get out okay?” The thought of him being trapped in the blaze, risking himself, sent a wave of terror through me.

“I’m fine,” he assured me quickly, his hands coming up to hold onto my shoulders. “I got out before the fire could spread. I wasn’t hurt.”

I stared at him, my mind racing. The house, my home, the last piece of my life before everything fell apart–it was gone. But Caleb was safe, and for now, that was the only thing that mattered.

“But I managed to get something for you before it completely burned down.” He told me. “I just hope it means something to you.”

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify