Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 296

Chapter 296: 296-Is It A Date?

Helanie:

I stormed into the mansion and straight to my room, avoiding Maximus’s face. I knew I’d ruined his mood—I could tell.

But I didn’t know where he wanted me to go, and if anyone found out about it, they’d start spreading rumors. My mother would lose it and probably kick me out of here.

I needed this place to stay. And after how I acted with Norman, I was sure he’d want the crazy girl gone too.

Staring at my reflection in the bathroom mirror after a shower, I couldn’t stop the tears from welling up. There were moments when I’d talk to myself about that night.

So many scenarios played in my head. In one, I never went out to celebrate my birthday with Altan. In another, I didn’t befriend Altan or accept his proposal. And there was the one where my father arrived in time to fight off the bad alphas.

So many possibilities—but none of them were real. The harsh truth was what I had to live with.

After drying my hair and putting on a blue dress, I stepped out of the bathroom. The practice today had left me drained, and all I wanted was to eat a good meal and rest.

I couldn’t tell if Norman would be ready to train me tomorrow. I might’ve pissed him off, or maybe he thought I was too much trouble.

I sighed, flopping onto my bed and glancing at my phone. Just as I was about to text Lamar to remind him about the academy meeting tomorrow, Maximus’s call lit up my screen.

I answered, thinking I needed to explain more clearly why I couldn’t go out with him earlier.

“Hello—” My words were cut short when I heard him breathing heavily on the other end.

“Maximus, are you okay?” I asked, sitting up, my pulse quickening.

“I got—I got in trouble. Shit! I need you—to come outside, to the road at the first curve. Helanie, I—” he stuttered, his words shaky and scattered.

“Maximus, should I call Norman or Emmet—” I started, but he cut me off with a groan of pain.

“No! I don’t want to be judged. It’s okay if you can’t come. I’ll manage something,” he said, his voice trembling.

Before I could respond, the call ended.

He didn’t want Norman to know, likely because his brother was at an important meeting. He didn’t want the others to know either. That meant he was in a really bad situation.

I couldn’t sit here and let him handle it alone. He’d done so much for me. Anytime I needed help, he was there. And even if he hadn’t been, I couldn’t stand the thought of him being in pain.

I slipped on my shoes and sprinted out of the mansion.

It was 6 p.m., and the darkness was setting in quickly, but I didn’t care. The cold air bit at me, and I wasn’t even wearing a sweater—just the knee-length dress from earlier. I walked briskly, holding my phone with the flashlight on as the storm began to roll in.

When I reached the curve he’d mentioned, I saw something red on the road—but no sign of Maximus.

Panic took over as my mind raced. I started dialing his number while following the red trail that led into the woods.

Red handprints smeared on trees and branches guided me deeper into the forest. He must’ve been hurt. But why hadn’t he come to the mansion? Why had he gone into the woods?

I didn’t even notice when tears started spilling down my face. I sniffled, wiping them away with the back of my hand as I kept going, my heart pounding with worry.

The rogue community is terrifying when the sun goes down, but I fearlessly kept searching for Maximus.

After some time, I reached a place that made me frown. Fairy lights were strung across the trees, illuminating a table and two chairs in the middle. Lanterns and decorations added an enchanting charm to the scene. My brain warned me not to panic—it was trying to tell me Maximus was fine, considering what I was seeing. But I still couldn’t believe it until I saw him.

And then I did.

He stepped out from behind a tree with a cake in his hands, the candles on top flickering gently.

“Happy birthday to you!” he sang, making me stop in my tracks, staring at him in disbelief.

“Happy birthday to you,” he continued in his beautiful voice.

“Happy birthday, my Helanie! Happy birthday to you!”

He finished the song with a smile, placing the cake on the table before walking toward me.

I was frozen, unable to move a single muscle. He came closer, leaning in near my face.

“Happiest birthday to you, Helanie,” he whispered softly before kissing me lovingly on the cheek.

“You freaking scared me!” I pushed him back but then moved closer to slap his chest.

He chuckled in response, his laughter making me pout even harder.

“At least I found out you’re ride-or-die. You silly thing, you came here following the red marks thinking they were my blood. Did it not cross your mind that some monster might’ve attacked me and dragged me into the woods? You just recklessly followed?” He looked shocked as he explained what he thought of my actions.

“You were in trouble—I couldn’t think of anything else,” I replied, still teary-eyed. The thought of him being hurt had genuinely shaken me.

“And you are so adorable,” he said, pinching my cheeks.

My attention shifted back to the table and the breathtaking setting. It looked like something out of a fairytale. The ambiance was magical, with a small fire burning nearby, casting a warm glow.

“But it’s not my birthday,” I said, hating to break it to him that he had the date wrong.

“I know, but you didn’t get to celebrate your eighteenth birthday recently,” he said softly.

It was a sweet gesture, and I appreciated it deeply. But I couldn’t help asking myself:

Do I ever want to celebrate my birthday again?