Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 66

Chapter 66: 66-Are They My Friends?

Helanie:

I felt as if I’d grown wings. My heart swelled with pride and joy, a feeling so rare I couldn’t recall the last time I’d felt this way. The moment Emmet announced I had achieved the highest scores in both tests, I jumped up and hugged Lucy, who had already run toward me, arms outstretched. Gavin quickly joined, and we all shared a group hug that felt like home.

I have never had friends before or someone who would celebrate with my victory. So it meant the world when those two cheered for me.

As I looked around, I saw Kaye clapping steadily, Emmet giving me a proud smile, but Maximus and Norman stood silently, their faces unreadable. Why couldn’t they be happy for the candidate?

After we celebrated, the brothers left, while the rest of us headed back inside the shelter. The sisters didn’t stick around, though; I wasn’t sure where they went to spend their time, but I was relieved not to have to face them again.

Gavin and Lucy had ordered pizza to celebrate my victory. They were genuinely thoughtful. For the candidates who came last in this session, a pairing with those who also ranked low in other groups was in store. They would then face another exam, and finally, the candidates who ranked lowest would be let go. That’s why finishing the tests mattered so much. What surprised me most was how thrilled Gavin seemed, even though he’d come last in the academic test.

Lamar lay on his mattress, barely moving. I didn’t think he was actually asleep, but he was definitely pretending.

“Tomorrow is the final exam. It’ll be tough, but I’m certain you’ll do great,” Lucy said, holding my hand reassuringly.

“What’s the test about though?” I asked, realizing that unlike everyone else here, I hadn’t trained for months in preparation. Most of them had spent ages gearing up for these exams, while I’d decided on a whim to join the academy.

They say time flies, but for me, it felt as if it had frozen that night. It had been more than a month since that incident, yet it felt like it had only happened yesterday. The faces of those alphas were still vivid in my mind, their mocking laughter and the humiliation still haunting me, no matter how many cheers I received for passing each test.

“All the candidates will be given different colored shirts,” Gavin explained, his words making my heart race. “We’ll have one hour, and in that time, we need to avoid getting caught. If we’re able to catch at least one candidate, we’ll rank higher. The one who gets caught will be ranked last. The winner sits out, and the loser—yeah, that’s what they call them—is given one more chance. If they get caught again by someone else, they’re disqualified. But if they manage to avoid capture the second time, someone else will take their place as the lowest-ranked candidate and will be moved to another shelter to compete against the other lowest-ranked candidates. Which is a final round between all the losers of each shelter”

So all I had to do was avoid getting caught—twice.

“Hey, don’t worry; you’ve got this,” Lucy assured me with a smile. She motioned for me to lean in closer to her and Gavin. “We’ve got a plan.”

I leaned in, listening intently.

“Since I’ve already come last in the previous two exams, if you’re the first to get caught, I’ll go after Lucy—since she hasn’t ranked last before—and bring her to the finish line. That way, you won’t be disqualified. Then you and I will end up in the last round together, and I’ll help you in the physical rounds and you help me with the educational part,” Gavin flashed me a smile, brighter than any I’d seen before.

“Really? You two would do that for me?” I didn’t know what came over me, but I found myself breaking out of my shell and talking more freely.

“Of course! We’re friends, after all,” Lucy cheered, making my eyes misty.

“Thank you so much, you guys. I don’t know why you’re being so kind to me, but it means the world.” I rose and hugged them both, drawing out their laughter.

They were so full of life. Even though I knew they’d been bullied by Sydney and Salem, they still stood up for me. Kaye had told me about it. How I wished I could take a stand against the alphas, but no one would believe me. That’s why I couldn’t rely on anyone else to pass judgment.

I need to seek justice for myself.

“Now, let’s get some rest. Tomorrow is judgment day,” Gavin said, giving me a comforting pat on the head like a big brother offering strength.

I went back to my mattress, and sleep took over quickly. When I woke up, I noticed two mattresses were empty—the sisters hadn’t spent the night with us. Maybe it was nothing, or maybe it meant they’d rather avoid the sight of me altogether.

I could only imagine the humiliation Sydney must have felt, being locked up. From what her sister said, Sydney hadn’t received any special treatment in the prison.

We got ready and assembled outside the shelter, waiting for the brothers to arrive. The two sisters showed up hand in hand, swaying their ponytails as they walked past us, each shooting me a cold, unsettling glare.

Sydney stood right beside me, but Gavin slid between us, giving me some relief. I flashed Gavin a grateful smile as the brothers approached, holding shirts and reminding us of the rules.

While we waited in line, I overheard Sydney murmuring something to her sister. Her words didn’t escape my notice.

“Today will be the perfect chance to show certain ‘people’ what we’re capable of,” she said, her tone laced with malice. Goosebumps crept up my arms—I had no doubt she meant me.

“Absolutely. Let’s win this match and maybe even knock someone out of the list,” Salem replied, her gaze directly aimed at me. Their exchange made it clear: they were planning to target me in this round.