Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 85

Chapter 85: 85-The Second Girlfriend

Helanie:

“It’s alright. I’m fine now,” I said, holding Lucy’s hand to stop her from chasing after those girls and risking getting bullied. I tried to reassure her, even though my voice felt unconvincing.

“But you threw up because of them,” Lucy said, sitting down on my bed. Her hand gently rubbed my back, her concern evident.

She wasn’t exaggerating. I had actually thrown up when the closet door opened. The overwhelming emotions got to me.

“Yeah, but I’m okay now,” I nodded, trying to sound steady. Then I turned to someone I’d unintentionally ignored. “Hey, Gavin!” Guilt tinged my voice. The twins had scrambled my thoughts so much that I hadn’t even greeted him properly.

“Hey! I heard about what happened,” he replied in a hushed tone as he took a seat on Lucy’s bed. “You seriously won against Maximus.”

He whispered it with a bright smile, his voice barely audible but filled with excitement. Lucy tightened her grip on my hand, silently demanding more details. As for Gavin, if course he didn’t know much since he wasn’t present at the ground but he got the main news.

“Yeah, I didn’t want to talk about it and risk getting into more trouble,” he admitted, lowering his voice. “The final test was for Helanie to land a single punch on Maximus… but she ended up throwing two. Everyone at the backup tests was talking about it, but they kept it quiet,” Gavin explained, his tone conspiratorial.

His hushed voice made me wonder just how afraid they were of the brothers. It also made me worry whether Maximus was still angry about it.

“Anyway, be cautious around Lamar,” Gavin advised, his expression growing serious. “If he tries anything with you two, let me know.” He gave us a reassuring nod, his gentle smile a small comfort.

“Oh, and by the way, tomorrow’s the first day,” he added. “The second day is when they’ll be handing out bracelets for ranks. Just in case—”

I cut him off before he could finish. “Just in case the bullies want to identify who’s at the bottom,” I interjected, rolling my eyes in frustration.

It was disheartening because I already knew how it worked. The Alphas would receive the highest-ranking ribbons, while the rest of us would be categorized with lesser colors. The thought transported me back to the memory of that night—the Alphas’ wrists adorned with blue ribbons.

“Helanie!” The snap of fingers in front of my face pulled me from my spiraling thoughts.

“Yeah?” I blinked, focusing back on their faces.

“Go freshen up,” Gavin said with an excited grin. “Tonight’s our first official dinner in the academy hall.”

I hadn’t fully processed it—I was now part of this place, part of their traditions. All students were required to stay at the academy, only allowed to return home during vacations. It was a strange, overwhelming realization.

I nodded silently and stood up, choosing a purple dress Emmet had bought for me. Lucy, ever the helper, braided my hair, leaving soft strands to frame my face. She wore a matching purple dress, her pixie cut now grown to the nape of her neck, accentuating her delicate features.

Gavin was dashing in a tailored suit he claimed he’d been saving for a special occasion. The three of us were ready to leave, and thankfully, we didn’t run into Lamar until we were already outside the dorm.

He hurried back to his room to get ready. Without sparing us a glance, he sprinted inside.

“Seeing his face makes me want to puke,” Lucy joked, pretending to gag dramatically. I elbowed her and laughed along.

I won’t lie—my life has changed drastically. I never used to have friends. The only person I knew outside my home was Altan. Just thinking of his name sent chills down my spine, goosebumps prickling over my skin.

But I didn’t have time to dwell on those thoughts as I made my way out of the hostel toward the academy. The campus was filled with students. Some faces I recognized from the last test, while others were clearly seniors.

We were all led to the second floor, where a stunning yet enigmatic hall awaited us. The interior design matched the bedrooms and hallways of the hostel, with a cohesive color palette and elegant window frames.

The hall featured three long tables with rows of chairs, and on a raised platform at the front was a round table decorated far more lavishly. Its intricate designs and beautiful chairs suggested it was meant for someone important.

Gavin and Lucy chose seats next to each other in one row, while I ended up sitting across from them with a group of other students. The hall grew increasingly crowded as servers prepared elaborate meals in the large kitchen to the side. The mouthwatering aromas were so tempting that my patience began to wear thin.

That’s when a girl slid into the seat beside me, her friend sitting next to her. They seemed to have arrived together.

“Hey, Gavin!” the girl next to me called out suddenly, interrupting him as he leaned toward Lucy, whispering something that made her giggle. They looked like they were catching up before the interruption.

“Oh, Jenny!” Gavin greeted her with a smile. It took me a second to remember where I’d heard her name before—Lucy had mentioned that Gavin was sharing a room with Jenny and her brother, Penn.

The two siblings were unmistakably twins, with matching black hair and hazel eyes.

“You left your closet an absolute mess,” Jenny said, tilting her head playfully.

I noticed Lucy’s hand instantly tightened around Gavin’s.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” Gavin replied with a sheepish grin. “I’m pretty clumsy when it comes to unpacking.”

Lucy straightened in her chair, her posture stiff. I wondered how long Gavin would take to introduce her, and soon he did.

“Oh, by the way, this is my girlfriend, Lucy, and my best friend, Helanie.”

Wow! Me, someone’s best friend? It felt strange but good at the same time.

I gave Jenny a polite nod, which she returned with a small smile.

“And these are my roommates, Penn and Jenny,” Gavin added.

“How rude!” Jenny pouted, feigning offense. I saw Lucy take a deep breath, clearly trying to keep her cool. It was obvious—she was jealous of Jenny.

I mean, who wouldn’t be? If your mate was sharing a room with a gorgeous girl, you’d probably feel uneasy too.

Jenny leaned closer, her voice suddenly taking on a sharper edge. “I’m just your roommate?”

Her tone made me freeze. I turned slowly to observe her body language, which seemed oddly… suggestive.

“Are you afraid to tell your girlfriend that I’m also your girlfriend?”

The moment the words left her mouth, my heart sank, and my head whipped toward Lucy. She looked pale—like she’d just seen a ghost.