Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 391

Chapter 391: 391-Like A True Leader
Helanie:

Penn looked at me and then at Rudy, who had his hands in his red jacket, looking fresher than the rest of us. It was their day off, so he had been out and about until now.

“Back off, Rudy!” Penn hissed at him.

I felt uncomfortable being the center of attention. Whenever eyes were on me, I was reminded of the day I had to walk home after that torturous night. They had examined me the same way back then, and I could never forget those eyes.

“Helanie, he didn’t really do it for you, get that,” Rudy stated, with Sage and Summit behind him while Arlo scanned the crowd.

I watched as his eyes landed on Lucy, then shifted to our group, as if noticing how we had fallen apart.

“Rudy! Penn is my friend, let’s not poke at him,” I stepped forward to defend Penn, who tilted his head at Rudy, probably smirking because I was standing up for him.

“You’re so innocent, Helanie. He did it to cause a rift between your team. Every move counts, and he has already started a war within your group,” Rudy’s words caught me off guard.

Even Penn tried stepping forward to face him, but Lamar and Gavin rushed to hold him back.

“Whoa! Easy there, Alpha boy. You might be training today, but we’ve been doing this for years,” Sage warned Penn.

I hated this war between us. It was unnecessary and uncalled for.

“He didn’t. Okay? I know Penn, and I know he would never sabotage my test or anyone else’s,” I argued, refusing to let them attack Penn, who had genuinely stepped in to defend me but was now being painted as a team breaker.

“Yet he played Riri so well. He’s capable of playing games—it’s just that you’re too good of a friend to hold any of yours accountable. They’ve been sabotaging your reputation since day one, Helanie. Every time you won a test or were praised, they would mess up your happiness, and instead of celebrating, your group would be caught up in drama,” Rudy continued, making my anger flare.

“Oi! That’s enough,” Lamar finally spoke up, stepping in front of me.

“Why? Are we lying, though? One of you has probably realized how toxic the group is. And trust me, she’s doing much better now,” Arlo added, turning his gaze to Lucy, who was rocking her body sideways just like Sydney.

“Thanks for your guidance, but I don’t need it. This is what friends do. And you lost your argument the moment you brought up Riri and tried to make Lucy look like a lesser mess,” I shot back.

The second I said that, I saw Rudy’s confidence waver, and Lucy’s body language changed.

Her hands dropped from her waist in shock, disbelief written all over her face. Then there was Rudy, swallowing hard.

“And next time, don’t come between me and my friends,” I warned him, feeling bad that he had chosen this route.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you. I was just worried they’d ruin your progress,” Rudy muttered, reaching for my hand, but I stepped back.

“Let her be. Look at how she made me look bad—that’s what she does. She’s not the naive one; in fact, she’s the messiest in the group. She loves playing the victim and is the biggest ‘pick-me’ ever.”

My heart crumbled at Lucy’s words, but I had expected them. She had been holding them in for a long time.

“Nobody is talking to you,” Sage turned to glare at her, but Sydney had her back.

“Why? She can’t have a say in a royal conversation?” Sydney hissed at Sage.

“My friends were there for me when I was lonely. There were times when I couldn’t believe anyone could cheer me up or support me, but they did. They all played their parts—except for Lucy! Who thinks I’m just an attention seeker,” I said loudly, watching Lamar and Gavin step forward in shock.

“At least Sydney gave her some confidence to say it to my face and not just whisper it when I’m alone,” I added, recalling all the times I had been in pain while Lucy only reminded me how imperfect my life was.

“I didn’t mean to—” Rudy’s expression shifted as he realized how much he had hurt me. He had been competing with Penn, but in the process, he had genuinely wounded me.

But I was done with the conversation.

“Come on, let’s go, guys,” I told my friends, who looked upset at the way Rudy and the others had tried to paint them.

They had no idea how much my friends had helped me. All of them had been there for me. Back when I didn’t have clothes, Gavin had offered me Lucy’s tracksuit. And though I had been grateful to Lucy for that, I couldn’t say it anymore—not after how she had let me down.

Every day, she stood with Sydney and made snide remarks about me whenever I passed by.

Just yesterday, as I walked past her, she had said, “I bet some girls are going to sell their million-dollar virginity.”

The fact that mine had been taken from me by force made her comment strike deep into my heart.

Our group walked away as the other students continued their open arguments.

“Thank you,” Penn’s voice broke through my thoughts as we reached the academy.

“Thank you for standing up for me.”

There was a proud shine in his eyes as he looked at me.

“No! Thank you for standing up for me back there. I didn’t know how to face Hans—he seemed intimidating,” I admitted, genuinely grateful.

And despite Rudy’s claim that Penn had only caused trouble by breaking our team apart, I knew that Hans would never have worked as a team player anyway.

“So what are you going to do about Hans?” Lamar asked, draping one arm over my shoulder and the other over Gavin’s, peeking at me from between them.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to give him power. People like him only function when they’re given responsibility,” I said.

I had no intention of becoming a leader—I just wanted to win the test. And for that, I was willing to take whatever necessary steps.

“Indeed, someone who knows everyone’s strengths and how to use them,” Jenny recalled my words, and everyone smiled proudly.