Claimed by My Bully Alpha (by Anna Kendra) novel Chapter 276

Chapter 276

Aurora’s P.O.V

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The tires crunched against the gravel road as we finally pulled into the DarkWater Pack’s territory. The journey had been long, but as we neared our destination, a different kind of weight settled over me. Anxiety, relief, and a strange sense of longing tangled together, making it hard to breathe. My fingers curled into the fabric of my pants, my knuckles turning white.

As soon as the car came to a halt, Caleb was already at my side, offering his hand. I didn’t hesitate to take it, my legs slightly unsteady as I stepped out into the familiar land I once called home. The moment my feet touched the ground, a voice cut through the air, sharp and desperate.

“Aurora!”

My head snapped towards the entrance, my heart nearly leaping out of my chest. Riley.

Before my mind could even process it, my body was already moving. I broke into a run, my lungs burning as I closed the distance between us. Riley was running too, his arms wide open, his face a mixture of overwhelming relief and raw emotion. And then, we collided.

The impact nearly sent me stumbling, but he held me firm, arms locking around me in a way that felt like home, like safety. My breath hitched, and before I could stop myself, I was crying. Not the silent kind, but the full, body–wracking sobs that I had held back for too long. I gripped the back of his shirt tightly, burying my face into his tiny shoulder as if I could somehow make up for the time lost between us.

“I thought—I thought something happened to you,” Riley murmured, his voice shaking as he held me even tighter. “No one would tell me anything. They just kept saying you’d be back soon, but it wasn’t soon enough, Aurora, I was worried sick.”

I pulled back just enough to see his face, his eyes red–rimmed and glistening. My fingers trembled as I brushed a lock of hair away from his forehead, trying to steady myself through the storm of emotions raging inside me.

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Chapter 276

“I missed you too, Riley,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “So much.”

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His hands tightened on my arms as if making sure I was real, like I wouldn’t disappear

again.

“Are you okay? What happened? Where were you?”

I sucked in a breath, shaking my head slightly. “It’s… it’s a long story.”

His lips trembled, his eyes scanning my face for any signs of hurt. “Are you safe now?”

I nodded, despite the lingering shadows of everything I had endured. “I am now.”

Riley exhaled, his shoulders sagging in relief before pulling me into another tight hug. won’t let anything happen to you again, Aurora. I promise.”

And for the first time in a long while, I believed him.

Even though he was only five, even though he would never be able to guess the gravity of what I had endured…I believed him, because Riley was my only family, my little brother who had been beside me through some of the darkest moment of my life. And I knew that we would be safe now.

I watched as Riley pulled away slightly, his hands framing my face as he searched my eyes with concern.

“Are you actually alright?” His voice was low, edged with worry, as if he needed to hear it from me to believe it. I forced a small smile, though my body still ached. “I’m okay, Riley. Really.”

He didn’t seem convinced, his sharp gaze roaming over me, taking in every cut and bruise as if he could will them away just by looking at them. Only when he was satisfied -after a thorough inspection that left me feeling like I was under a microscope–did he finally let out a breath, the tension in his shoulders loosening ever so slightly.

“You scared me so much, big sis. Please…don’t ever do again, or I won’t forgive you!”

A pang of guilt struck me. “I know. I’m sorry,” I whispered, meaning every word. If it

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Chapter 276

weren’t for the pack healer in Alpha Jackson’s territory, I wasn’t sure if I would have even made it back in one piece. They had been kind enough to tend to my wounds, something I hadn’t expected but was eternally grateful for. Because if I hadn’t gotten better… Riley would have lost his mind. I saw it in the way he held me now, the desperation in his touch, the unspoken terror lingering in his eyes. He had thought he was going to lose me.

I wrapped my arms around him, holding on tightly, grounding myself in his warmth. “l here,” I murmured against his shoulder. “I’m not going anywhere.”

His grip on me tightened for just a second before he let out a heavy sigh, his head resting against mine. It was a moment of peace, a moment where we could just exist without the weight of everything else pressing down on us. But then, the moment shattered.

Riley’s body suddenly stiffened. I felt it immediately, the way his entire demeanor changed in an instant. My heart sank before I even turned around, already knowing wha or rather, who–had caught his attention. Slowly, I pulled away and followed his gaze over my shoulder.

Ashton, Maggie, and Avery stood a few feet away, silent and still, looking completely out of place. I could see it in their expressions–the uncertainty, the tension thick in the air. They didn’t belong here, and they knew it. And Riley? He definitely knew it too.

His grip on my arm tightened slightly as he asked the question I had been dreading. “Aurora… who are these people?”

My stomach twisted. I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry, my mind scrambling for an answer that wouldn’t make everything worse. But what could I say? How could I possibly explain everything in a way that wouldn’t set Riley off?

Because the truth? The truth was complicated. And judging by the look on my brother’s face, he wasn’t ready for it by a long shot.

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