Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 141

Chapter 141: 141-By His Side And I Am On The Wrong Side

Helanie:

“The food they prepare is so good,” Jenny said, elbowing me. On my right was Jenny, and on my left was Lucy. The others were also seated around the table having breakfast, while some were lounging on the couches and sofas.

All in all, it was a cozy little setting. Thankfully, Salem and Sydney were too busy impressing their minions with grand stories about their pack and father.

We were all dressed in tracksuits and had grabbed our bags for the first mission of the day. Kaye had informed us early in the morning to get ready for the search for herbs.

I was pretty excited. Not only for the first task but also to see him again. It was odd how he had managed to spark something in my heart with his consistent showcase of care and affection. The kiss we shared last night didn’t make me regret anything. For the first time since that night, a touch didn’t freak me out.

“If Professor Kaye asks you to make teams for the search, can you please pair me with Gavin?” Lucy asked, making me turn my head toward her. I noticed how little she had eaten during the meal. She kept staring at Gavin, her eyes filling with tears whenever her gaze lingered on him.

He seemed unbothered when he wasn’t directly talking to her. But I couldn’t blame him. The betrayal must have been too much for him.

“I will,” I reassured her.

After breakfast, we all left the guesthouse and waited in the front garden for Kaye to arrive.

We didn’t have to wait long; Kaye showed up shortly after us. He was wearing a black tracksuit with matching black joggers.

His hair had started growing to the length of his neck lately. They were wet, so I assumed he’d just taken a shower–or maybe he’d used gel.

“Good morning, everyone. I hope you all had a great sleep. Today, we’re starting with an exciting mission: the search for a pink flower known as the ‘Flower of Comfort.’

“It’s said to have been used during the times of war when warriors returned to their tents, wounded and filled with despair from missing their mates and pups. The flower brought comfort to their agitated souls. Though the effect was temporary, it was enough to soothe their aching spirits,” Kaye spoke passionately about the flower, and I couldn’t help but smile at him.

He was becoming such a ray of hope in my life.

Maybe, if I could trust him, I could share my secrets with him.

However, the thought of my messy secrets instantly spoiled my mood. I looked down, trying to take a breather, when he called my name and stole my attention back.

“Helanie!”

I raised my head, noticing that everyone’s necks had turned toward me.

“Since you’ve won a similar test in my brother’s class, I expect you to show great results this time as well. Take these pictures and spread them around your group,” Kaye explained, steadily reaching out to hand me the pictures. As he did, his hand gently brushed against the back of mine, and he smiled foolishly.

“Sydney, take the rest and give them to your group. We’ll not only find these flowers but also use them today,” he added, handing the remaining pictures to Sydney without even sparing her a glance before returning to his spot at the front of the class.

I had only just started distributing the papers when someone joined us. I didn’t turn to greet her, though the students in the front row did.

It was his mother, dressed in a white tracksuit, her hair styled in a sleek bun. She still wore her signature red lipstick and bold eyeliner.

“Mom! What are you doing here?” Kaye’s voice was filled with shock.

I kept side-eyeing their interaction. After everything Kaye had told me about his relationship with his mother, I couldn’t help but feel bad for him.

I think when mates fail to save their relationship, they accuse their pups to avoid feeling too guilty themselves. They blame everyone around them except themselves.

“I heard about the task. It sounded intriguing to me,” she said softly, shoving her hands into the pockets of the white jacket she wore over her tracksuit.

“Really?” Kaye asked, his skepticism clear.

“Yes! I wanted to be part of this search. I know I’m too old to be looking for flowers alongside these kids, but how about this: you and I have our own match? I want to find this flower and see how you use it. I want to be on my son’s side today,” her voice softened further, a stark contrast to the tone I remembered from yesterday.

Even I was shocked when she gently touched his cheek and caressed it.

But what was truly shocking was Kaye’s reaction.

He was staring at her face as if he’d seen a ghost–or like how a toddler looks at their mother after she picks them up from daycare.

“But I thought you found my work useless,” he said, sounding so helpless and vulnerable. He seemed to forget he was standing in front of his students and started complaining like a lost child.

“I didn’t find your work useless. I just thought you were unable to make people respect it since you couldn’t even defend it. But after last night, I was so proud of you when your students stood up for you. That’s when I realized my son had achieved something remarkable,” she said.

Her words, spoken in such an overly sweet tone, struck me as insincere–a façade, perhaps.

Or maybe it was just my own bias. Having never experienced love like that from either of my parents, I found it hard to believe in any parent’s affection for their children.

Nonetheless, her words were enough for Kaye to happily accept her offer and allow her to tag along.

She made sure she was walking right beside him as we began our journey into the woods.

In fact, she kept talking to him the entire time, taking an interest in everything he did.