Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 481

Chapter 481: 481-My Mate Is Cursed.
Helanie:

I was ready to hear him deny it and gaslight me. He must have come here to try and convince me not to bring up his name. I knew he was a coward, and I wasn’t going to use his name anyway. He was not someone I could ever count on. I had made a fool out of myself once, but not again.

“Like you said, I was a coward,” he said quietly, not instantly brushing off the truth. “It’s not that I didn’t like you. You were pretty, and I liked having you around—” he stopped himself, trying to be honest.

“You kept me around—and I got ruined for it—” Of course, he played me big time. He didn’t even like me; he just liked having me there.

I shook my head in disbelief, sighing and laughing at my own stupidity.

“I know it’s pathetic. I know I’m a bastard for it, but trust me, I haven’t slept peacefully even for one night since that night,” he said, letting out a cry, his hands pressed together like he was begging for forgiveness.

“No! You don’t get to act like the victim who can’t sleep. You ran away—you knew what they would do to me,” I shouted, pushing him back and instantly brushing my hands over my dress like I was wiping them clean.

“I’m not acting like a victim—I called my warriors the minute I got on that train. I even tried to come back, but my father—he injected me with wolfsbane and tied me up in chains. I was even ready to admit everything and stand with you when you sent your father to my mansion to tell mine that we were dating. I was chained up all that time, asleep until you were gone,” he was crying, but still managing to speak clearly.

I stared at his face in shock. Was he telling the truth? Did he really call the warriors? Did he really try to come back?

“And that excuses you? You fucking ran away—it doesn’t matter if you ‘tried’ to come back—you didn’t,” I screamed, watching him step back and cry silently this time. Did he really think I’d be thankful just because he wanted to come back for me?

“I don’t want to see your face ever again. I don’t want to hear your excuses,” I shouted again, putting money on the counter without caring how much it was. I just wanted to get away from him and every toxic person in my life.

I pushed him aside as I walked out of the café. The fresh air really hit different. I don’t know what I would have done if he had threatened me like the rest. At least he was sorry.

See! I have such low standards. But that didn’t mean I would ever forgive him. He left me there when he was supposed to be protecting me that night. The only reason I was in that abandoned subway was because he promised he’d take care of me if anything ever happened.

Once I was nearing home, I got a notification of an incoming call popping up on my screen. My spoiled mood instantly started to lift when I saw who it was.

“Hello, Professor Emmet,” I teased, just trying to hype myself up for a happy conversation.

“Keep talking, I just want to hear your voice,” I heard his deep voice, and the way he breathed made it clear—he was drunk.

“Have you been drinking?” I asked, disappointed, but since he called for help, I didn’t want to lecture him too much.

“I am. How can I not? This is how I cope with loss,” he said softly. “I miss you.”

Even though I was worried for him—and it wasn’t really something to blush over—I felt relieved knowing he was still with me.

“I miss you too,” I whispered shyly, not going inside my house yet and deciding to take a walk. I wasn’t that girl anymore who was too cautious about her reputation. I could take a call and talk to anyone I wanted. I didn’t care who judged me.

“Helanie, what if I forget you? How will you remind me of you?” he asked, this time honestly opening up about what he was dealing with.

“I’ll do anything—but you need to talk to someone about it. Please. Why is this happening? Is it because of the alcohol?” I asked, worried.

I would hate for him to forget about me.

“It’s supposed to happen, Helanie. That’s what curses do,” he whispered, making me stop in my tracks.

“Curse? You’re cursed?” I didn’t know that. How the hell had he kept this from me for so long?

“Do you really think I was born this way? But when I’m with you, I’m a different person. I feel more alive, happier, and I can feel emotions. But when you’re away—I feel dead,” he said. “And now—my two little brothers are certain I don’t love them. What should I do? How do I fix myself? How do I show that I care, because I do,” he said, his voice shaking, and it broke my heart.

Of all people, Emmet was the last one who deserved that kind of pain.

“Emmet, we need to talk about this curse. No more secrets,” I said, and I heard him fall silent. “And Maximus will know you love him. He’s just caught up in his own feelings right now.”

The fact that Emmet’s whole world revolved around his brothers and me made him even more precious. I guess his only real problem was that he kept so much hidden that everyone assumed he didn’t care.

He needs to open up to his brothers like he does with me.

We talked about random things after that because I wanted to comfort him. He told me amazing stories, and I noticed how his voice started sounding more alive as we went on.

But then I had to say goodbye, all because I had a trial tomorrow, and Norman was getting ready to defend me. Even when he wouldn’t be allowed to speak too much, he can still get some words in.