Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 139

Chapter 139: 139-A Little Spice!

Helanie:

He had his hands under my shirt, gently reaching for my breasts. There were moments when I felt like I might freak out or repeat what I did in Emmet’s office the other day—push Kaye away and run out on him.

But his tender kisses on my lips eased my nerves, making me feel more comfortable with him. Yet, a lingering fear remained in the back of my mind.

What if some Alphas arrived and tried to touch me? Would Kaye run away like Altan did?

Would I be left on my own?

Even though I knew Kaye was far more powerful than Altan in both strength and presence, I couldn’t shake the fear that he might not step up for me. What if he was too afraid of being known as romantically associated with me?

His hand softly caressed my bare breast, and a moan escaped my lips into his mouth. Embarrassed, I quickly felt a flush of heat rise to my cheeks. Somehow, he must have noticed because he suddenly stopped and pulled his hand back from under my shirt.

“Did I do something wrong?” I asked quickly, our lips only inches apart.

“No! Absolutely not,” he smiled warmly. “I just don’t want to do anything out here in the open air. I can tell you’re a bit shy about intimacy. Take your time—I’m in no rush,” he added, his tone sweet and reassuring as he gently tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

“Thank you for being so understanding,” I uttered in disbelief. For a moment, I’d been scared he would get angry with me.

“But I do want to talk about us,” he said softly.

The moment those words left his lips, I straightened my back and turned my head to the side, avoiding his gaze.

“I—,” I began, but the words caught in my throat.

As much as I would have loved to have a mate like Kaye—an absolute dream for any she-wolf—I couldn’t accept him. Not just because of the vow I’d made to defy the Moon Goddess until I’d exacted my revenge, but because Kaye wasn’t the only one who was my mate.

How could I tell him without triggering him that his brother was also my mate?

And what about Emmet? What if he denied it altogether? I wasn’t even sure if he still remembered anything about our bond.

And then there was the Lycan—the beast I’d felt a mate bond with. I didn’t even know who he had been before he turned into that creature.

I was losing my mind, suffocated by the complexity of my life and the challenges it constantly threw at me.

“I haven’t thought about it,” I murmured in a shaky voice.

“Will you give it a thought after tonight?” Kaye asked gently, almost desperately.

My fists clenched beneath the blanket, and my lips quivered under the weight of my misery.

“I don’t know. I don’t want to think about anything right now,” I said, my voice trembling. “My mother is marrying your father, and if we got together… her relationship would be doomed.”

I wasn’t sure how she would react if she found out I was the reason they couldn’t be together.

But I was certain Lord McQuoid wouldn’t choose me over her. He would likely demand that his sons forget about me. There were too many complications.

If I stayed tied to his sons, it would spark a fight between them. And then there was the Lycan—what would happen if the truth about him came to light? I’d be questioned endlessly about why I was fated to him as well.

“Why do you keep zoning out? What’s bothering you?” Kaye asked, snapping his fingers in front of my face to grab my attention.

“Why are you worried about your mother? She never loved you. She doesn’t even care about you. She already had a mate, and my father is her chosen mate—” Kaye continued to argue, but I had to cut him off.

“Kaye, she has known your father for many years and has dated him. I don’t think it would be fair to ask her to leave him just like that. If she truly loves him, it would be incredibly difficult for her to let go,” I said, quickly lowering my gaze.

Even though my mother didn’t care about me, I still cared about her. She had been through hell with my dad, and I believed she deserved a happy ending.

“So you want me to wait for many years so we can compare our relationship to theirs? Just tell me how long,” he whispered, his voice tinged with frustration.

I stayed silent, not daring to look into his eyes.

The awkward silence lingered for a while until his phone started ringing, breaking the tension. He turned his attention to the call, and I sighed in relief while noticing how tense he looked.

I watched him talk to his brother, Norman, over the phone. I couldn’t help but wonder why Norman was calling at this hour. Was he always so involved in his brother’s business?

Once the call ended, Kaye let out a tired sigh, lowering his head.

“Do you have to go?” I asked, piecing together what I could from the one-sided conversation.

“Norman is here,” he announced, making me feel even more uncomfortable. Why was Norman here?

Would he try to cause trouble for me?

“It’s okay. You don’t have to worry about anything. I’m here to take care of you. But right now, I have to go,” Kaye said, steadily unwrapping the blanket from his body and draping it around mine instead.

It was only then I realized how small the blanket had seemed on him, yet how enormous it felt wrapped around me.

“Come on, let me drop you at the guesthouse,” he insisted as he got up.

“It’s right there—” I murmured, gesturing toward the guesthouse in the distance.

“It’ll make me feel better to see you enter through the door,” he insisted again, his words making my heart skip a beat.

I gave him a small nod and followed behind him. He led me to the guesthouse, waiting patiently until I had locked the door behind me and was safely out of his sight.

Once inside, I leaned against the door, my mind racing.

How would things go between us? How long would I have to wait?

And when would I finally put those Alphas behind bars? As I thought about all that, I hugged his blanket for comfort.