Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 81

Chapter 81: 81-Stepbrother Or A Sugar Daddy?

Helanie:

“Thank you so much for taking care of my needs all this time,” I said, expressing my gratitude to the warrior as I bid him farewell. He had just dropped me off at the entrance of the academy. It was my first day in the hostel, and a mix of excitement and apprehension bubbled within me as I wondered who my roommates might be.

“It was a pleasure. Let me know if you ever need anything,” he replied with a warm smile. His kind green eyes stood out, and I noticed the streaks of gray in his hair—likely a testament to years of hard work. He appeared to be in his late forties.

“I will, Mr. Henderson.” The moment his name left my lips, he froze, his expression flickering between surprise and gratitude.

“You’re the first person to remember my name. Most people don’t bother,” he said, visibly moved by the acknowledgement. It was actually like that. People like him and I appreciated smaller gestures.

“Best of luck,” he added before walking away. Taking a deep breath, I turned to face the huge entrance.

The academy’s entrance loomed large, flanked by two identical buildings. I stepped inside to complete the formalities, clutching the signed paperwork I needed to submit. Around me, other students milled about, many wearing wristbands of different colors. I could barely see any red.

I entered the office and spotted Maximus, Norman, and Emmet managing the registration process. Or rather, Maximus and Norman were handling the paperwork, while Emmet stood behind them, holding a register with an air of disinterest.

The moment I stepped in, Maximus cleared his throat, and Norman’s attention shifted from the documents to me. Their reactions struck me as peculiar, almost as if they were concealing something.

Avoiding their curious gazes, I gave Emmet a polite nod. He responded with a sweet smile, immediately setting the register down to take a seat.

It felt oddly flattering. He had remained uninterested while others submitted their forms, but the moment I arrived, he chose to sit and relax.

“Hello, Helanie. How are you feeling?” Emmet asked, stretching his legs out and resting them on the table. As he crossed them nonchalantly, his two brothers exchanged a disapproving glance. The energy they emitted reminded me of petty cliques.

“I’m fine,” I replied with a polite smile and extended my papers to Norman.

He snatched the forms from my hand, his harshness prompting Emmet to shake his head disapprovingly. I was kind of trying my best to forget about Norman being in my hotel room and seeing me in that state. However, he must have taken it more seriously because his mood looked worse today.

“So, you’ve signed everything. I assume you’ve purchased your uniform and supplies too?” Norman asked, skimming through the pages without meeting my gaze. It was his way of mocking my living condition and also the fact that I was jobless. That was another issue. I had nothing.

While other parents came with their kids to the academy’s hostel, I came by myself. Not even a wolf by my side.

Maximus, meanwhile, kept his eyes fixed on me. His rigid posture and piercing stare made me feel uneasy.

“I forgot. You don’t do anything yourself, do you?” Norman added, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “You just have other people pay for your things. So, has one of your sugar daddies bought everything for you?”

His words landed like a slap across my face, stinging far more than I cared to admit.

I despised the way Norman spoke to me. He always found a way to belittle me, treating me like some kind of gold digger. I badly wanted to give him back the way he was trusting me. But then I remembered I will have to face him everyday in the training ground. So I just didn’t say a word.

“Maybe you convinced someone’s mate or a rich—” Norman continued, his tone sharp and mocking. I swear, when he noticed the tears welling up in my eyes, a fleeting smirk of triumph flashed across his face.

I immediately dropped my gaze, biting my tongue to stop myself from reacting. This was my academy now. If enduring their cruelty would mean they’d tire of it sooner, I was willing to play along. I just wanted to live here peacefully, without any trouble.

“Actually—” Emmet’s voice cut through, interrupting his brother, “I’m glad you brought that up. I’ve actually bought her some stuff.”

My head snapped up in disbelief as Emmet rose from his chair and walked to the locked cupboard.

“You did what?” Maximus spoke for the first time, his voice low and incredulous.

“Stuff,” Emmet shrugged, nonchalantly opening the cupboard and retrieving a black bag.

“You can’t be serious, Emmet,” Norman said, his tone thick with disappointment.

I blinked, and a single tear escaped, tracing a warm path down my cheek.

“Why? You were worried if someone bought stuff for her. And now you are upset that someone did?” Emmet raised his thick brow to his brother in sarcasm, displaying a clear hint that he wasn’t pleased with his remarks.

“Is this how she convinces you to do things for her?” Norman sneered, noticing my tears. I hastily wiped my face with the back of my hand, swallowing the lump in my throat.

“She didn’t say anything to me and neither has she asked me to buy her anything. You need to stop thinking like we brothers are God and people beg before us in order to get anything. As for me, I know what I need to do and what I should buy for my stepsister,” there was such a harshness in Emmet’s voice that he left me shocked.

I didn’t want the brothers to be pinned against each other because of me.

“Here!” Emmet said, walking back and holding the bag out toward me. “A gift from your elder stepbrother for qualifying for admission.” His voice was light, but his eyes searched mine as he held the bag patiently.

I hesitated, my gaze darting to Maximus and Norman. Norman’s judgmental headshake was enough to make me shrink back.

“I can’t accept this,” I murmured, shaking my head. “But thanks for thinking of me.” With that, I rushed out of the office, my heart pounding.

I didn’t want his brothers thinking I was some lowlife rogue taking advantage of their kindness. I wanted to prove myself, not give them more reasons to ridicule me.

Briskly, I stepped outside, gulping down the cold evening air. The weather had turned somber—dark clouds gathered ominously, and the sharp breeze whipped at my face. I didn’t hear footsteps behind me; I thought I was alone. I was too lost in my swirling thoughts.

“And where do you go from here?” Emmet’s voice came suddenly from behind me, startling me. I spun around to face him, my heart skipping a beat.

The wind tousled his long hair, making it flow in the storm like something out of a painting. His calm demeanor, however, stood in contrast to the wild weather.

“You ran off like you had somewhere important to be,” he remarked, a hint of amusement in his tone. His words referred to my hasty exit—and the fact that I’d rushed out without even collecting my hostel key.

“Oh,” I muttered, unable to meet his gaze. Embarrassment crept into my chest, squeezing my lungs. I just wanted to dig myself a grave and hide it from everyone’s eyes.

“Helanie, are you really going to let them control your life like this?” he asked, his voice soft but heavy with meaning. A sigh escaped his lips as he waited for me to respond, the weight of his question settling over us both.

“By letting them make decisions for you, you’re only proving them right—that by bullying you, they can shape you however they please,” he said, his words laced with quiet wisdom. I watched his face closely as he spoke, noticing the spark in his eyes and the strength in his veiny hands, one holding a bag and the other clutching a folder. The bag was huge, what did he buy?

“Did you have breakfast?” he asked. I shook my head slightly.

“Well, I haven’t either. How about you come with me to a café in a nearby pack? We can talk more once we sit down.”

There was no question in his tone; he was simply telling me I was coming with him. I didn’t want his brothers to think they could control me, yet I also couldn’t think of a reason to refuse. So, I followed him to his car.

“In the passenger seat, Helanie—I’m not your driver,” he teased, his face still serious, but he held the door open for me. I slipped inside, trying to understand why he was always so kind, seemingly without any flaw.

Once I settled in, he took the driver’s seat, hands firm on the steering wheel. I sensed he truly had something important to discuss with me.