Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 344

Chapter 344: 344-Hello My Ex!

Helanie:

That night was so hard for me to get through. I couldn’t sleep well as I kept waking up at intervals. And when I eventually did fall asleep, I woke up to loud cheering outside.

It took me a minute to remember that today was the celebratory lunch. The academy students had received invitations, but they knew this day was only for Lord McQuoid’s close family friends.

So, I guess they felt out of place coming here. I told Lamar he didn’t have to come here either for me. I wanted to get out of the mansion and meet him and Gavin at Benita’s Café.

But before I could do that, I realized I would have to pass through those who were very angry with me at the moment.

I wore a red floral dress with long sleeves and red boots, rushing out of my room when I spotted the brothers walking toward the exit together.

It was all four of them.

But Emmet was the only one who stepped up to stop me. “You’re headed somewhere?”

I meekly nodded my head, avoiding direct eye contact with Maximus, who had Norman’s arm around his shoulder.

They were so lucky to have someone by their side. Even when Maximus played a game, he was still treated like a victim of my poisonous claws. And Kaye had changed entirely—not just physically.

He hadn’t even looked my way once.

Isn’t that what I wanted?

Rejection, so that I could be with his brother?

“My friends and I have a meetup at the café,” I spoke with difficulty, as standing among them and feeling their disdain for me was making me uncomfortable.

“There’s lunch at home, and you’re going out through the crowd?” Norman unwrapped his arm from Maximus’ shoulder to intervene. This time, there was a clear hint of disgust in his voice when speaking to me.

“He’s right. It’ll be hard for you to get past the cars and the guards since security is very tight today,” Emmet scratched his eyebrow, speaking in a tone nice enough for Norman to roll his eyes at me.

“Oh!” I felt so out of place.

“If you don’t want to come out, you can stay in your room. The maids will check on you every few minutes,” Emmet quickly added when he noticed I was at a loss for words.

“Thank you,” I said with a smile, and that’s when a scoff left Maximus’ mouth.

“Of course,” he commented, tilting his head but staring into space.

What did he mean by that?

Emmet’s phone rang, and he excused himself, walking to the side. Now it was just an uncomfortable moment where I had to stand with the three who thought so little of me.

“I will be in my room—,” I spoke to Norman, who shrugged, showing he couldn’t care less.

Kaye walked away after waiting for his brothers to join him, and then Maximus stepped up. Now that the others were gone, he was going to have a word.

“Would you also like a princess treatment, your highness?” That taunting tone killed me. I frowned, stepping back from him and glancing at Norman behind him.

“Don’t spin this on me. I have proof that I did text you—,” I fidgeted while looking for my phone in my bag, but it seemed like they weren’t looking for any evidence. They had already deemed me guilty.

“It doesn’t make a difference. You led me on just so you could go ahead and be with some alpha boy. And you know why?” Maximus started laughing under his breath, anger and betrayal shining in his eyes.

“You knew my parents wouldn’t agree to this marriage, and we would have to live in the woods until my business thrived. And that was something you didn’t want. You wanted luxury and—”

I had to hush him harshly with my palm.

“You have said enough. You know why I didn’t go along with ‘your plan’?” I used a firm tone this time, not backing down as I glared into his eyes.

“Because you were playing me.” As soon as I said that, I expected him to start defending himself.

It wasn’t something he didn’t already know. He must have realized that I was onto him, but of course, he wouldn’t admit it in front of his brother.

“Goddess! Do you hear her? She has the nerve to accuse me when she’s the one who played the biggest game here. You wanted an alpha—how many other alphas have you been trying to trap in your love cage before finally picking one with the biggest pack so you could get the title of Luna?” His accusations hit deep.

I turned to his brother and muttered, “He was—” but I shut up when Maximus squared up again.

“I won’t let you lie so bluntly. This conversation ends here. You fucking broke my trust and my heart, Helanie.” He punched his chest, a tear rolling down his cheek before his brother stepped in.

“Just go back to your room and spare my brothers,” Norman patted Maximus’ back to show his support while keeping his eyes on me, silently telling me to leave.

As I was about to turn around, Emmet showed up again.

“Helanie, how about meeting my father just once and congratulating him? I know he’ll notice.” He was so sweet to think of my reputation, even when his brothers looked upset that he was speaking to me.

I gave him a nod, unbothered by Norman’s harsh glare, and followed him outside. Maximus was being comforted by his big brother.

But now I was in the fresh air, feeling much better.

Much better—until my steps halted abruptly when my gaze fell on the arriving guests.

Arriving with his father was someone I thought I would never see again.

I froze, my breath quickening and my heart pounding in my temples as I watched Altan step out of the car with his dad and head toward the garden.