Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 502

Chapter 502: 502-Big Hero
Helanie:

“You two are blaming the wrong person,” I sighed, after hours of crying in front of them, wailing like an idiot.

“Why! Why is my life like this? I want to skin those Alphas alive. Why did Emmet decide to drink and abandon me… Why—” I had said all that for hours.

I was finally back to my senses. The fact that the two gave background noise—Kaye grunting and Maximus scoffing—made me feel like I wasn’t alone after all.

“Norman was getting married yesterday, but he delayed it. He knew what he was going to do. Or else, he could’ve just said—oh, I’ll get married, and so will Helanie and Emmet,” Kaye rambled, shaking his head in disbelief.

“And how are we all so sure that Norman didn’t encourage Emmet to drink—” Kaye finally went quiet, probably realizing he was being too harsh on Norman. He was taking it too far.

“Do you all ever realize you put way too much pressure on Norman? And because everyone relies on him, he ends up upsetting a few,” my words made them fall silent.

“You just got married to him and you’re already taking his side?” That little complaint came from Maximus.

“I’m just saying. I was really harsh to him at the council’s office—even when it wasn’t his fault. If anything, he was my savior last night. He knew how much everyone would hate him, yet he accepted me. Do you think he wanted this? Kaye, Maximus, go to his room and see for yourselves how he had been preparing for his wedding. I freaking stole his chance at happiness. I became his burden, so I’m asking you two not to do or say anything that would hurt him more,” I said it all in a very calm and steady voice. I had cried my heart out, but now I had to get back on my feet.

“What about that picture? You said he didn’t even let you hold those photos,” Kaye hissed, reminding me of the moment when my mate was drunk with his ex’s pictures.

“I shouldn’t have put Norman in that position. I can’t ask him to betray his brother and invade his privacy.” I want to grow up now. Accusing and blaming the wrong people wasn’t something an adult should do.

The two were staring at me with teary eyes before Maximus tapped the back of his hand against his brother’s to get his attention.

“You’re also with Kesha—why were you standing up to marry Helanie?”

Now that the target had changed, Kaye scoffed and shrugged.

“I’m not going to answer you,” he hissed, while I shook my head and smiled at the two bickering. A lonely tear slipped down the corner of my eye, and I sighed at the thought of going back to the mansion and facing Emmet again.

“I’ll head back now. My head is spinning, and I think I really need sleep. You two should rest too,” I said while getting up, accidentally losing my balance. That’s when I felt two arms steady me.

I looked up and met the beautiful eyes of Kaye. His fingers moved gently against my skin, almost twitching while he held me still, mid-air.

“Kaye!” Maximus groaned, smacking him on the back to break our eye contact. “Let’s go home.”

Kaye let go once he was sure I had my balance again.

I walked ahead of them while the two followed me like I wasn’t their student anymore—they were mine.

Once we were back home, I saw Norman at the gate, hands on his hips and eyes narrowed—not at me, but at his brothers behind me.

“Go to your room, Helanie,” Norman said as he walked past me.

“What the heck were you two thinking? Not only are you low on energy, but having her out right after what happened last night—she would became a target. I have to be there for her first public appearance—” I heard Norman yelling at his brothers. The way the two started to shrink under his tone reminded me of how they used to treat Emmet before.

“And you think we wouldn’t be able to handle anything coming at her?” It was Kaye now, standing face to face with his brother.

“I don’t need anybody standing up for me,” I said, and Norman turned, his eyes locked on me.

“I said go to your room. I’m talking to my brothers. Don’t worry—you’ll have your moment to explain yourself too,” he said in that cold, professor-like voice that really got on my nerves.

“Oh really? What about you? You couldn’t even show me those pictures. You’re a hypocrite. You even hid the truth from me and told the warriors to do the same—about Emmet being drunk and passed out in a bar!” I yelled, avoiding Kaye’s eyes because I had told him it was okay of him to not show me the pictures.

Honestly, I was just mad and looking for something to scold Norman for.

And it was crazy how the man I used to have so many reasons to argue with… now I couldn’t even come up with a real one.

“Okay, I hear you. Now go back to your room. Everyone else is waking up,” he said, pointing his whole arm toward the main gate. I stomped my foot in frustration.

“Don’t control her,” Kaye groaned.

“Yeah, don’t act like you own her now,” Maximus added with a grunt. That’s when I realized I was just being stubborn. Norman hadn’t done anything wrong, and he was getting all the heat.

“I’m going inside,” I cut in quickly, and they all went quiet.

But just as I was walking away, Norman—who couldn’t whisper to save his life—said something that made me stop in my tracks.

“We have to make sure she’s safe when she sees the news.”

“What news now? Didn’t you save her, big hero?” Kaye hissed.

I turned at that point, but Norman had his back to me.

“A video of Zellu has gone viral. He’s admitting to his part in the crime.”

Norman had no idea what he’d just told me.

I rushed toward him, catching him off guard as I shoved my hand into his pants pocket to pull out his phone. He practically jumped like I’d dropped a bomb in his pants. But I had to see that video with my own eyes.