Claimed by My Bully Alpha (by Anna Kendra) novel Chapter 179

Chapter 179

I shook my head, a hint of pride slipping into my tone. “No, Caroline. I hurt them right back.” The words came out with more confidence than I expected, but it felt satisfying to say them aloud.

Just then, the shrill sound of the bell echoed through the hallway, breaking the moment. Caleb sighed, glancing over my shoulder.

“We’ve got to get back to class,” he said, releasing me just enough to grab my hand. His thumb brushed over my knuckles, a reassuring gesture. “And you still need to catch up on those assignments.”

I groaned, rolling my eyes. “Don’t remind me,” I muttered, but the corners of my mouth betrayed me with a slight curve upward. As we turned to head back, I felt a sense of newfound strength blooming within me, like I was finally stepping into my own power–and it felt incredible.

As I glanced toward Caroline, who was still seated at our usual table with her usual thoughtful gaze, I noticed something different–like a flicker of hesitation that didn’t belong on her face. She stood abruptly, brushing her hands against her jeans as if shaking off some invisible weight.

“I’ve got to go,” she said, her voice steady but unnervingly clipped. I blinked, caught off guard.

“What? Right now?” I asked, tilting my head in confusion. “We were just about to-”

“Yeah, I know,” she interrupted, forcing a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “But I have some urgent work to handle. I’ll catch up with you guys later, okay?” Her tone was casual, but I could feel an undercurrent of something she wasn’t saying, and it was enough to plant a seed of worry deep in my chest.

“Caroline, what’s going on?” I pressed, stepping closer to her. “Is everything okay? It’s not like you to skip

classes all of a sudden.”

“It’s nothing serious, Aurora,” she replied, her smile softening just a little as she glanced at me. “It’s just school stuff. Remember that essay I submitted last week? Mr. Sanders wants to go over it. Probably just nitpicking my grammar or something.” She gave a small shrug like it was no big deal, but her avoidance of eye contact told me otherwise.

I frowned, my arms crossing instinctively. “You’re sure that’s all? Because if something’s bothering you-”

“Seriously, it’s fine,” she said firmly, meeting my gaze for a brief moment that felt like a wall slamming shut. “Don’t overthink it. I’ll be back before you know it.” Her words were light, but there was a finality to them that made it clear she didn’t want to discuss it any further.

Caleb, who had been standing by the door with his hands stuffed in his pockets, cleared his throat. “Hey, if she says it’s fine, it’s fine,” he said, giving me a reassuring smile. “Let’s go ahead to class. I’m sure Care will catch up in no time.”

I sighed, the weight of unease pressing against my ribs as I reluctantly nodded. “Okay,” I muttered, though my instincts screamed at me to keep asking. Turning to Caroline one last time, I added softly, “If you need anything… you know you can call me, right?”

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Chapter 179

She smiled again, and this time it felt a little more genuine. “I know. Thanks, Aurora.” And with that, she grabbed her bag and slipped out the door, leaving me and Caleb standing there in the sudden quiet.

As we started walking away, Caleb nudged me lightly with his elbow. “You’re worrying too much,” he said,– his voice light but tinged with amusement. “Caroline’s got this. She’s not as fragile as you think she is.”

“Maybe,” I replied, glancing over my shoulder as if expecting her to come running back. “But something feels… off. I just can’t shake it.”

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