Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 55

Chapter 55: 55-How Sweet!

Helanie:

“Who are you picking?” My father loomed over me, towering above a small six-year-old. Every time he asked me this question, it felt like I was committing a crime just by thinking about choosing.

“I don’t want to be without Mommy,” I whimpered, clutching my teddy bear tightly.

“Helanie! You’re not a child anymore.” My father snatched the teddy bear from my hands, trying to force an answer from me.

“Now look at me and tell me, who do you pick?” he demanded, his intense gaze piercing into mine.

“Mommy!” I whispered, barely audible, choosing my mother for what felt like the hundredth time that week. And once again, his hand struck my cheek.

“You’ll never be loved like this. If you can’t choose your father, you don’t deserve to be a daughter. I’ve given you everything—even this stupid teddy bear. I work day and night for you and your mother, and yet you still choose her?” His voice shook as he yelled, making me curl up tightly, sobbing uncontrollably.

“That’s enough!” my mother’s voice broke through, saving me as she walked into the room and saw what he was doing.

“She doesn’t want to go! Why are you forcing her?” she shouted, cradling me as I melted into her arms.

“Since you cheated, Alpha Diaz allowed me to keep her until our rejection is finalized on the full moon. So back off!” My mother held me tightly, and for the first time, I felt safe in her embrace. I never told her that every time my father forced me to choose, I always picked her.

Dad had made it clear that if I chose my mother, he would be harsh with me whenever I came to stay with him. And I didn’t want my father to be cruel.

“Fine! Take her all you want, but one day, she’ll make a choice and she will choose me,” he said, his voice echoing through the air, claiming that I’d eventually have to make my choice—though he ignored the truth. I had already chosen. I had chosen my mom.

“Helanie!”

A familiar voice began to break through my dream. My mother’s presence blurred as I slowly opened my eyes, finding myself surrounded by doctors. It took a moment, but I remembered what had happened the previous night.

However, I was shocked to see my stepbrother beside me. This place was unfamiliar, and I could have sworn that I’d died last night.

“Did you… save me?” I could barely string together a full sentence. Kaye was sitting in the chair beside my bed, his expression unreadable.

He stared at me for a moment before answering, “I did.”

I was stunned. How was he always the one to find me? The one to save me?

“Why—and how did you find me?” My voice was barely a whisper. I wasn’t hurt or crying from the assault last night; I was mortified that someone had to see me like this.

“I don’t know… But tell me what happened last night, Helanie. I need you to tell me everything,” he insisted, his gaze narrowing as he spoke. The intensity in his voice made me freeze for a moment before I swallowed hard.

“Don’t think about anything else, just about last night,” he added, noticing that my mind was wandering.

“The people who did this… they belong to prestigious packs. I don’t think anyone would believe me. And even if I said their names, they’d just bully me more, if I ever made it to the academy—” I stopped, remembering why that dream might no longer be possible.

“Academy,” I repeated, attempting to sit up, but Kaye held me down.

“Hey, you’re not supposed to get up,” he said firmly, his steady gaze stopping me from moving and injuring myself further.

Why did he care so much?

“No! I can’t miss the exam. I have this one goal, this one chance, and—oh no! I’m going to miss it!” I gave up trying to leave the bed, throwing myself back onto the pillow and crying out loud for the first time. The academy was my only focus, my reason to keep going, and now it felt like that had been stolen from me.

“Helanie! I’ll have the damn exam postponed until you’re healed, do you hear me?” He grabbed my arms, leaning over me and yelling until my crying softened and I looked back at him, stunned.

“What?”

I felt confused. What did he just say?

“You would… postpone the exam?” I asked, swallowing hard. The words felt like needles in my throat.

“I will,” he replied, removing his hands from my arms as he sat back down, while I leaned against the bed, almost sitting up.

“But why? Don’t you want me out of the list? Isn’t that what your brothers want?” I recalled how Norman and Maximus seemed determined to see me fail these tests.

“No! I’m not like my brothers,” he said sharply. Then, almost to himself, he murmured under his breath, “At least, not for you.”

It was so quiet that I couldn’t be sure I’d heard it correctly.

“Now, as for the ones who hurt you—you really think I’m not capable of punishing a couple of so-called elites? Helanie, your…” he paused, clearly struggling with the words, “your stepbrother…” He practically groaned at the label, as though it pained him to describe himself that way.

So, he was still having trouble accepting a connection with me. Then why did he care so much?

“Your stepbrother is very powerful. Now, just start from the beginning, and watch how I deal with those bastards,” he said, allowing the faintest smile. For a moment, the ache I felt faded.

“It was Lamar and Sydney. I didn’t do anything. I was starving, so I went to the kitchen—and I found them… hooking up. But they got so angry. She didn’t want any rumors spreading, so she persuaded Lamar to beat me up and dump me somewhere far away, so I couldn’t make it to the exam. They wanted me out, and now they’ve won.” Just talking about the academy brought a painful lump to my throat. I felt like I’d never cared about anything as much as I did about reaching my goal.

“You didn’t lose, and they didn’t win anything. I don’t give a damn about our academy’s reputation. I care about justice, and the exam will be postponed until you’re strong enough to join it. I’ll make sure you are taken to the testing grounds myself,” he said firmly. Then, unexpectedly, he placed his hand on my forehead, gently stroking it.

What had happened to him?