Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 345

Chapter 345: 345-Falling Apart

Helanie:

He looked so happy, as if he hadn’t spent a sleepless night after leaving me at the subway.

He wore a fancy black suit, all smiles and laughter while being greeted by my mother and Lord McQuoid. I couldn’t do it. His sight destroyed my mental health. The young alpha getting hugged by everyone had left me to die.

I turned around and sped up, my ears blocking out every sound except for my heartbeat. As I stormed in, I bumped into the hard chest of Maximus, stepping back before pushing him aside with force to get away and hide in my room.

“What’s wrong with her now?” I heard Norman ask Maximus, but I didn’t stay to listen and rushed inside.

After everything that had happened, now I was someone who trapped Alphas. Seeing Altan reminded me of his accusations when my father reached out to him for me.

He told his father and the council that I was trying to trap him—and the other Alphas too.

And now that Maximus, Kaye, and Norman think the same, nobody will believe me.

I sat on my bed, rubbing my eyes over and over to stop myself from crying. I even forgot to shut the door. I just knew I had to sit down before I collapsed.

There was some noise outside my door before Norman opened it and walked in with Emmet and Maximus by his side.

Emmet took the lead, pushing past Norman and reaching the bed.

“What happened?” His heavy breaths told me he was already worried something had happened to me. And, of course, it was probably because I had stopped following him and rushed back inside.

I was fighting my tears, my fists tightly clenched around the bedsheet. I lifted my face and made direct eye contact with the three of them, but my lips couldn’t utter a single word anymore.

“What happened to you?” Norman asked, looking less concerned and more annoyed that Emmet was anxiously waiting for my response.

I didn’t say anything.

Maximus rolled his eyes and then muttered, “I didn’t even say anything that bad. I said it because I was hurt too.”

The way he explained himself made it seem like he was worried I had taken offense to his words.

“Wait, you said something to her?” Emmet asked. My vision had turned blurry, and even though I was looking at them, I felt completely zoned out.

“It’s between us,” Maximus muttered back at Emmet.

“No need to argue. She’s fine,” Norman gestured for Emmet to leave with him. “She just needs some time to calm down.”

He must have noticed I was holding my breath. I was struggling to hide my tears, waiting for them to leave so I could cry my heart out.

“Let’s give her some time,” Norman suggested again.

“Okay, but let me call her friends first. Maybe she’ll feel better if they’re around,” Emmet offered, holding out his hand for me to pass him my phone since I couldn’t even say a word.

“Maybe call Rudy,” Maximus said, his hands in his pockets and an angry look on his face when mentioning Rudy.

“Maximus,” Norman gave him a gentle shake of his head.

“No, I’m serious. I know what upset her—me saying his name.” Of course, Maximus didn’t know what was truly upsetting me. But I was so overwhelmed with emotions that I didn’t want to argue with him at all.

“Wait, what is going on?” Emmet frowned, his hand clenched into a fist, resting on his thigh with his elbow raised slightly. He turned just enough to glare at Maximus.

“Call Lamar only,” I managed to say, and the silent staring contest between the brothers ended.

“You guys go ahead, I’ll join you in a minute,” Emmet told his brothers while dialing Lamar for me.

“No! I will stay,” Maximus responded stubbornly. I didn’t understand why he insisted on staying when it was clear he didn’t care about me or my well-being.

“And give her some water, maybe,” Maximus muttered, turning his face away as he spoke to Norman. Norman sighed before reaching my bedside table and pouring a glass of water for me. I took only a small sip, just to avoid any conversation or an argument over something as simple as a glass of water.

After Emmet made the call, he seemed to realize I wasn’t comfortable with them being in the room with me.

I would have been fine if it was just Emmet, since he never judged me. But with Maximus—who kept clenching his jaw and throwing subtle remarks about how I should calm down—it didn’t sit right with me.

“Lamar will be here soon,” Emmet said, standing up. “Let’s leave now.”

He spoke directly to Maximus because he knew Maximus wouldn’t leave unless they all did. Norman paced around with his hands in his pockets the entire time. He looked anxious, casually playing with his mustache and twirling it while keeping his head down.

They finally left, and I switched off the lights in my room, quickly sliding under the blanket.

I had too much on my mind. What if Altan recognizes my mother?

I mean, he had never met her before, and my mother never talks about her pack to anyone, but what if they do?

I was drowning in worry.

It broke my heart to see Altan so happy. After years of dragging me along with him and then abandoning me, he was back on his feet—happy and confident.

I couldn’t fall asleep, even though I thought it would help me feel better and pass the time. So I stayed awake for all the hours Lamar took to get here. Our mansion wasn’t right by his pack.

So when he finally arrived, he stormed into my room, turned on the lights, and locked the door instantly.

I sat up, watching him with swollen eyes. The look of horror on his face told me I had called the right person.

The person who couldn’t stand to see me in distress and truly cared about me.