Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 124

Chapter 124: 124-A Terrifying Night Ahead

Helanie:

After Kaye checked on me, he noticed that the seniors and nosy juniors had started coming out, probably to see why a professor was talking to a student alone without involving others.

“Take care and apply something on it. I’ll ask you to send me a picture of this injury in a few hours,” he warned me, gesturing slightly with his finger as he pointed at me.

Just as he was about to turn around and walk away, someone called out to him.

“Professor Kaye!”

I stepped aside to let her pass as she came running like a headless chicken. It was the senior, Sage.

She approached with a prideful expression on her face, wearing her best attire—a new tracksuit and headphones—as if she were all set for a fun run.

“Yes?” Kaye asked. He already seemed to know her. I mean, she was a top senior, so he definitely knew of her.

“I, um—wanted to—ask for a favor,” she said, her tone far gentler than it usually was when she spoke to Kaye.

“Go ahead,” Kaye replied, and she stretched out her hand to give him something.

“Can you give this to Professor Emmet for me?” she asked softly, trying to fake a gentle and kind tone.

It felt odd standing next to her. I probably should have left since I was done talking, but I didn’t know what kept me there.

Kaye stared at the package and shook it lightly. I realized it wasn’t just a piece of paper inside but something else moving too.

“It’s a chocolate bar,” she explained again. “I wanted to thank him for teaching us with so much passion.”

She was trying so hard to sound cute as she asked Kaye to give her gift to his brother. I didn’t even realize how intently I had been watching her until my eyes shifted to Kaye. I found him staring at me with intent.

He seemed a little lost or maybe just observing me—I couldn’t tell.

“Sure. You’re his favorite student, and I’m sure he’ll be very happy to receive this,” Kaye said, his tone changing as he agreed to her request.

She moved her shoulders happily, almost smugly. I didn’t know she was Emmet’s favorite student.

“I am?” she said, equally shocked, while Kaye nodded his head to confirm.

“Thank you so much, sir. It truly means a lot to me,” she exclaimed. Of course, she was ecstatic, and why the heck was I so jealous?

I shouldn’t be.

This wasn’t what my life was going to revolve around.

“Make sure you finish your run before evening, Sage. No one is allowed to stay outside late tonight,” I heard Kaye tell her.

“I’ll leave now, sir,” I said, giving him a faint nod before turning around and walking steadily back inside. I entered the elevator and pressed the button, but somehow, my eyes kept darting to the panel, hoping the tenth floor would appear magically.

“If it shows up, I’ll send this Sage to the tenth floor,” I hissed under my breath, almost like a brat, before catching myself and biting my tongue.

Once I got back to my room, I realized how lonely it was without Lamar and Lucy. Even though Lamar irritated the heck out of me, I’d been realizing he was a little less insufferable lately. But what about Lucy?

So many thoughts swirled in my mind as I tried to focus, even though I didn’t want to. I hadn’t eaten anything and was feeling incredibly sick. I managed to take a quick shower, but as soon as I got into bed, I couldn’t resist the pull of exhaustion and fell asleep.

I jolted awake when the door opened.

“I’m so sorry for bothering you like this,” Lamar said as he stepped in, noticing he had woken me up. He quickly apologized, but I couldn’t help noticing dried blood on his face.

It instantly made me realize something was wrong. It wasn’t long before memories of the tension between Gavin and Lucy came flooding back, and I sat upright.

“Where’s Lucy?” I asked groggily, guilt bubbling up inside me for having fallen asleep while my friends were out dealing with so much.

“I don’t know,” Lamar replied, sitting down on the bed and pulling his bag out from underneath. He unzipped it, and my stomach churned when I saw what he was doing.

He had drugs in his bag.

“What the heck are you doing?” I nearly shouted, rushing over to lock the door. He was so reckless sometimes, and I felt immediate guilt for thinking he was “less insufferable” just a few minutes ago.

“I don’t know shit, okay? Your friend Gavin tried to pick a fight with me, so we—” He paused before yelling, “And that other insecure friend of yours ran into the woods crying like a baby!”

His sudden change in tone and behavior stunned me. I instinctively stepped back, putting some distance between us.

This side of him—the unpredictable, erratic side—was startling, though not entirely unfamiliar. I had glimpsed it before, in the kitchen with Sydney that night. But this wasn’t the same cocky demeanor. No, this version of Lamar looked genuinely bothered.

“Insecure?” I shook my head at him in disbelief as he injected himself with something from his bag.

“Screw you, Lamar!” I hissed, determined to go after Lucy and Gavin—whichever of them I could find first.

“You probably shouldn’t go after them. You’re not well yourself. Put yourself first for once, because no one else ever will—not even your mate. Look at what happened between the two of them,” Lamar had the nerve to lecture me, his voice slurred and intoxicated as he lay sprawled on the bed.

I slammed the door shut behind me, ignoring his words. The fact that he had praised Lucy so much earlier but was now calling her insecure just proved how fake he was. And that fake person held my secret. I had to keep that in mind.

But for now, I was focused on finding my friends. It was getting dark, and the woods were no place for anyone—apart from the top seniors and alpha students who could defend themselves.

Just as I stepped out of the elevator, I spotted Gavin walking toward the staircase, alone and bloodied.

If he was here, where was Lucy?