Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 498

Chapter 498: 498-Everyone Hates Me Now
Norman:

“Kaye, it’s done already,” I said, struggling to find the words to explain what I had just done.

“What do you mean, brother?” Kaye asked, frowning. As he narrowed his eyes toward the room and saw Helanie signing the papers, he turned to look at me.

“Don’t tell me you let Alpha Diaz marry her off to someone,” he said, his tone almost threatening.

Usually, I would’ve felt disrespected—but not this time. His concern was real.

“I didn’t,” I said with a heavy groan.

“Then? Did Emmet come? Where is he?” Kaye glanced around in panic before locking eyes with me. “I don’t understand.”

Of course he didn’t. It was like he was seeing right through me.

“There’s no one here. So, who did she marry?” he asked again, this time making my chest tighten.

“Kaye—” I didn’t get how he could ask that when I was standing right here.

“Mister Norman, if you may please come and sign the marriage papers so we can all head back home before the storms settle,” Lord Vonston’s voice cut through the tension, snapping Kaye out of it.

He looked at me, pointed a finger at Vonston, then back at me.

“What?” he mouthed. “What the fuck?” he added under his breath.

“Did you—Norman, please tell me you didn’t do that. How could you step on all of your brothers?” he hissed, grabbing my shoulders and shoving me hard in the chest.

I stood still. I didn’t move. I hadn’t done anything wrong. We didn’t have a choice. Kaye came too late.

“I didn’t have a choice. It was either I marry her, or the man who showed up seconds after I accepted her,” I said, remembering the old man Alpha Diaz’s warriors brought in. He probably went off to complain to Diaz, but there was nothing that could be done now.

“Did you secretly want her or what?”

That hit me like a slap. I narrowed my eyes at him in warning, silently daring him to not say anything else like that.

He chuckled bitterly, shaking his head as he stepped back.

“Well done. You played us all.”

No matter what I said now, the sadness in my brother’s eyes would drown it out.

“Let’s leave this behind for now and take her back home—” I tried stepping toward him.

But he turned around with a grunt.

“I’m sure you can do that yourself. You won anyway.”

His words cut deep, each step he took away from me carving them further into my chest. I couldn’t call him back. I had to go inside and face Helanie—who clearly wasn’t happy with me either.

I was starting to feel like a creep who forced his way in. But I knew my heart. I did it because she needed someone at that moment.

I walked back into the office and sat down beside Helanie, who still hadn’t looked up from the floor. I could tell she was crushed—and it hurt me.

I didn’t mean to bring pain to any of them. I really didn’t have another way.

I signed the papers and turned to Helanie.

“We should head back home.”

It was definitely strange for me too. There had been moments when I told myself I’d be fine marrying Jessica—she understood me. But then, I’d slip right back into that mindset where I couldn’t see myself loving anyone or caring for any woman except my brothers.

And now, I am married.

Also, I had a fiancée… who I was going to have to face eventually.

“Hmm,” Helanie nodded and got up from her seat. Her family started swarming her like ants.

“I’m so glad you got married to someone outside the pack,” her father said, while I was busy wrapping things up with Vonston. Still, I kept one ear on them.

“Does that mean her mother can’t marry that man anymore?” her stepmother laughed, making me feel sorry for people who sit around rooting for someone else’s misery.

“Stay close,” I whispered to Helanie, keeping one eye on her.

“Helanie, you proved what kind of daughter you are—stealing your mother’s happiness,” the woman added with a cruel smile.

That was enough. I didn’t even know why Helanie was still standing there listening to this woman.

“Excuse me,” I said to Vonston, turning toward Helanie.

“At least she didn’t steal someone else’s entire marriage,” I added sharply.

My words shut them up instantly.

Larissa groaned and glanced at her husband—a useless excuse for a man—probably expecting him to defend her.

“Say one more word, and I’ll make sure you regret it. Stay away from my wife,” I hissed, leaning toward Larissa and pointing a finger at my own chest.

She swallowed hard, and only then did I straighten my back and turn to Vonston, grabbing the final documents from him.

“And for everyone who’s ever talked about Helanie—stay out of her business,” I said loud enough for the whole room to hear.

That’s when Alpha Diaz walked in, fury written all over his face.

“Too late,” I muttered under my breath as I held Helanie’s hand.

“She survived your trap.”

As we walked past him, I didn’t even care to hide the disgust in my voice.

We left the office, and as we neared my car, Helanie pulled her hand away and stormed into the backseat. I didn’t mind her attitude—she had every right to be upset.

A girl whose body had already been violated… now married off without her will.

She must’ve had so many dreams, and they were all crushed.

The silence in the car was so thick that when I cleared my throat, she actually jumped.

“You haven’t eaten anything. We should stop and—”

I shut up when I heard her sigh and saw her clutch her hands together tightly.

I knew why she wasn’t talking.

The second she opened her mouth, all those tears she was fighting to hold back would pour out.

This was just another loss for her.

I couldn’t help but wonder where Emmet was.

Then I got a message from one of my warriors, and what they told me was shocking:

Warrior: We found Emmet in a bar, drinking himself to the point where we had to carry him back to the mansion.