Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 538

Chapter 538: 538-He Came Back And I Lost My Control
Helanie:

I don’t know what had gotten into me, but I had lost my mind. I wanted to throw things and go find Norman.

“And do what?” my wolf asked, a hint of cheekiness in her voice.

“And beat him up for giving up. He should have fought and refused to go,” I cried again, stomping my feet as I paced the hallway outside Emmet’s room.

He had made me come out of the room so he could get it cleaned before I hurt myself.

I was getting annoyed with them making me their priority and not putting themselves first.

I had walked all the way to Emmet’s room, and when I turned around to head the other way, I saw Emmet coming toward me.

“He’s back,” he said from a distance, pointing his thumb over his shoulder.

“What?” I stopped dead in my tracks, eyes wide.

“They set him free,” he repeated, still walking.

And sure enough, right behind him, I saw Norman standing at the end of the hallway. For a moment, I thought about pinching myself. Maybe I had fainted and this was some kind of twisted dream where the Moon Goddess wanted to mock me.

But no! He was real. And he had come straight to where I was, to show me he was back.

I ran like crazy, smiling wide and crying tears of joy.

However, I didn’t notice—or realize—that Emmet might have misunderstood until I passed him.

He had stopped and was staring at me as I crossed him.

At that moment, I could have stopped, but I don’t know why I couldn’t. I ran until I jumped into Norman’s arms and hugged him.

He caught me as I wrapped my legs around his waist and held him tight.

“You idiot—” I started to mumble, still holding on.

His hands were in the air until he placed them on my butt when he probably noticed I was slipping.

That’s when I raised my face from his neck and smiled at him.

“You’re back!” I said. That brief moment of eye contact meant everything.

I thought he’d be upset when he came back. Norman had a huge ego, so being taken to the prison must have hurt his pride.

But no!

The way his eyes were glowing as he held me tight didn’t show even a hint of hurt pride.

I buried my face back into his neck—until I heard Jessica’s voice.

“Norman?” her soft whisper made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It was as if I had completely forgotten about her existence.

I quickly unwrapped my legs from around his waist and slipped down.

But Norman’s smile faded, and I had to pull his arms off me myself and step away from him.

Jessica, who looked shocked at the way I had hugged her fiancé, now came rushing into his arms.

I noticed Kaye and Maximus standing behind her as well.

“You are here,” Norman uttered like he was in disbelief. He must be so worried that his lover had caught him carrying another woman. And it wasn’t even his fault.

It hit me all of a sudden that I had been such a fool to forget—he wasn’t my husband at all.

And the fact that I did that… it just didn’t make sense. His hug had felt so natural. The way I held him—it hadn’t felt wrong at all.

“Norman! I’ve been so worried,” Jessica said, still holding onto him tightly.

I realized I shouldn’t be standing between them—or even around them. So, I decided to walk away.

But then I felt a hand holding mine.

It was a gentle touch, but one that screamed: I want you here.

I turned my head and saw Norman holding my hand.

As Jessica let go of the hug and smiled at him, I quickly twisted my wrist free from his grip.

I felt like such a homewrecker.

Not only had I taken her fiancé, but now I didn’t even seem to understand boundaries.

Thinking back to my history with Norman, anyone would think I’d be careful—not even a mistake, not even if I were drunk and alone with him.

Then why was it so hard now to stay within limits?

Why couldn’t I stop messing up around him?

First, I had made him lie with his head in my lap—and now this.

“You know I’ve been so worried. I called everyone and even started an investigation. If they hadn’t set you free, I would have offered to take your place,” Jessica said, smiling brightly at Norman.

The way her hands rested on his chest, the way her eyes locked with his—it was magical.

I should have never come between them.

“They said someone took the blame. Some guy who stole the weapon from Royal Beta Coombs,” Norman said, stepping back just enough that Jessica’s hands dropped from his chest.

“Helanie, you must know him, right? He’s Sydney and Salem’s father,” he added, turning to me with a lighter tone.

I only nodded.

I didn’t want to stay there, but the way Norman kept talking to me—like he didn’t want me to leave—made it hard for me to walk away.

I was desperate for a reason to leave.

“Welcome back home, brother,” Emmet’s voice came from behind me. I hadn’t even noticed he’d walked down so quietly.

“Thank you,” Norman replied, though his expression told me he saw something I should see too.

So I turned around—and saw Emmet staring at me.

His eyes held disappointment.

Shit.

He had seen me jump into Norman’s arms… along with my other mates.

And Norman’s fiancée.

I was the problem.

I felt like the reason everyone was getting hurt.

“I’ll take a walk. I was too worried about you, Norman” Emmet said, turning away and walking off quickly, not meeting anyone’s eyes.

“Emmet—” Norman tried to call after him, but Emmet didn’t stop.

I saw Kaye and Maximus share a look—like they were silently talking, trying to decide what to do next.