Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 53

Chapter 53: 53-Saving Helanie

Kaye:

After I arrived in my room, a heavy sadness settled over me. I couldn’t quite understand why, but something about this night just felt wrong. I sank into the bathtub, letting countless thoughts swirl through my mind.

“That mate bond… it has to be just something from the dream prison,” I murmured to myself, trying to make sense of everything.

“Dammit!” I groaned in frustration.

Every time I closed my eyes, I recalled the words spoken by Helanie in the dream prison. Could it be?

Was she really abused?

Or was it something even worse–assault?

She had said she didn’t want to feel the same way about her body here as she did in the real world. She also mentioned some group of alphas. I sighed heavily and got out of the bathtub. Ever since I returned, I’d started seeing Helanie in a different light. I might have thought she was lying to gain sympathy… if only she was.

But she never spoke about any of this to anyone, not even a hint of abuse. I remember my brothers telling me that when she first arrived, she had been starving for days. And then there was the fact that she didn’t even want to return to her pack.

After drying off, I slipped into black boxers and went straight to bed. Tomorrow was the big exam for the new candidates, and I was the one who had created the test.

I awoke to a dim, gray light filtering through the window–dawn had arrived, though the sun barely broke through the clouds. My body felt weighed down, as if the night itself clung to me, refusing to let go. A dull, deep ache lingered in my chest, but I couldn’t understand why.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad had happened last night. I didn’t remember what, but I knew I’d woken up in the middle of the night with that same strange sadness weighing on me.

I rolled out of bed, yawning and stretching. Burying my face in the sink, I washed up and then paused, my hands gripping the edges as I stared down into the water.

“What is going on?” I groaned in frustration. I hated feeling this way. Before all this dream prison business, I’d been so focused on my goals, determined in my direction. And now, all I could think about was someone who was soon to be my stepsister.

I felt a flash of disgust, but then, just as quickly, I remembered the kiss we’d shared. It had felt so raw, so real.

My mouth was dry, and my muscles felt tight, as if I’d been clenching my fists in my sleep. Whatever had me so tense, I couldn’t quite name it. I slipped on a black coat and decided against a shirt. Wearing just black pants, I studied my reflection in the mirror. My hair was a little messy, and it seemed like it might be time for a change.

“And to impress whom?” I didn’t expect Ye to be so critical. But then again, my wolf was always like that.

“Huh? Why would I impress anyone? You know me. I do what I want. This is just for a change.” I shrugged, feeling a stab of annoyance. I hated when anyone questioned my motives.

“You used to do everything to be accepted by Dad and Mom,” Ye scoffed, “and now Helanie is added to the list?”

I shook my head at him, trying to ignore his words as I worked some gel into my hair, styling it. I finished off with a heavy chain around my neck and put on the watch my brother Norman had given me. After all that, I just wrapped my long overcoat around my arm to wear it later.

Once I was all set, I walked out of the room and was immediately greeted by Maximus. But he didn’t seem to notice me–he was lost in his own world, talking to someone on the phone. Sliding my hands into my pockets, I strolled closer, intending to greet him, but his words froze me in my tracks.

“How is Helanie? Is she recovering well?” Just hearing her name made my attention snap to his conversation.

“I get it, Norman, and I trust you and the doctors you picked for her. But her condition was so bad. I’m sure those candidates did something to her,” he said, his anxiety causing my body to tense.

Someone did something to Helanie? When?

It must have been last night. Was that why I felt so restless?

But why would I feel anxious over her? She’s not related to me by blood, so why would her situation affect me this much?

I didn’t want to consider the mate bond from the dream as a reason–I knew it was a lie.

“I saw Lamar cleaning up blood in the kitchen while Sydney answered the door and lied to me, saying Helanie wanted to quit. Those two were the only ones awake. I’m sure they did something. Are we really not going to do anything about it?” Maximus’s concern for Helanie made something twist uncomfortably inside me.

I should be glad that my brother was so responsible and caring. But why wasn’t I?

“Okay, okay. Just tell the doctors to keep her safe. I think she’ll be fine at the farmhouse,” he said, as I nodded to myself, processing everything I’d overheard.

Without alerting him that I’d heard it all, I walked away.

“What are you doing?” Ye questioned, noticing my steps had turned into a brisk walk. I made my way to the exit and quickly got into my car.

The exam was set to start at noon, and Helanie’s shelter would be the first to take it. It was only 5 a.m. now, but I knew I needed to do the right thing.

“I’m going to the farmhouse,” I said, storming into my car and gripping the steering wheel in frustration.

“Dammit!” I groaned as I hit the road, trying to process what had happened to Helanie. The worst part was that nobody seemed to be planning any action against Sydney and Lamar.

“And why should this concern us? It’s not our problem. We should stay focused on our own goals,” Ye hissed at me, but I ignored him.

All I could see was the long road ahead and my own mounting concern for Helanie. I knew, deep down, that if I didn’t check on her myself, this feeling would only get worse. I needed to see her for myself.