Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates novel Chapter 3

Chapter 3: 3-No Home For Me.

Helanie:

The woods inside the pack were intimidating, but the forest beyond the pack's borders was far more treacherous. I tightened my grip on my bag strap and took a cautious step forward.

I despised this feeling of homelessness. The sense of security I once believed was mine to cherish had now become an illusion.

I couldn't even bear to think about Altan and how he abandoned me at the subway that night. If only he had fought to protect me, I wouldn't be fleeing like a rogue now. _{freeωebnovēl.c૦m}

Every growl in the distance sent a chill through my body.

"There's only one place I can go," I muttered under my breath, biting my bottom lip as the thought of meeting my biological mother after so many years crossed my mind.

She was the only one I could turn to now. My father said the rest of the family despised me because I reminded them of her.

It was unfair, considering it wasn't like my mother had chosen to leave my father. She had no choice—especially when he came home with his second mate and children. The betrayal had been too much for her, his fated mate.

But I still remember what she said to me the last time we met.

"The betrayal of your father is nothing compared to you choosing to live with the man who hurt me. You let me down, Nie!"

I closed my eyes, swallowing back tears, and pressed on, fear gnawing at my heart. I avoided the open roads, knowing I didn't want to be spotted by creatures who weren't bound by any rules or restrictions.

I'd be an easy target for them.

I'd heard my mother had moved in with the rogue king a few years ago, and it wasn't a secret where his mansion was.

He was the wealthiest rogue and had established his own academy, where he trained warriors and alphas for high-ranking battles.

He'd been living in the mountains with his four sons—and my mother—all this time. The trek was exhausting.

I don't know how I managed not to get robbed or attacked while wandering through the wilderness, but I suppose the Moon Goddess had finally taken pity on me.

After hours of walking, just as my knees were about to give out, I looked ahead and saw the peak of the mountain and a massive building coming into view.

"Mom will be so broken when she sees me like this," I whispered in a broken voice, my existence shaken to the core, as I forced myself to continue up the trail toward the mountain's summit.

When I finally reached the top, panting and exhausted, I found an entirely new world awaiting me. The building before me was the academy, but beyond it, down the trail on the other side of the mountain, stood the grand mansion, towering over everything.

I could see people from where I stood.

"Excuse me, who are you? You cannot trespass on this land," a guard's voice startled me as he approached. Ever since that night, anyone getting too close felt like a threat to me.

"I'm here to meet my mother," I whispered so softly that he had to narrow his eyes and lean in to hear. "My mother. I'm her guest."

He pulled back, frowning. "Your mother lives here?"

He gestured toward the academy, and I quickly shook my head. Through the windows and open hallways on the second floor of the academy, I saw a few students watching curiously. They were probably wondering who I was—someone so frail and disheveled, a sight they likely hadn't seen before.

"My mother lives with the rogue king. She's his mate," I explained quietly.

The moment I said that, the guard's eyes widened in surprise. I had heard remarkable things about the rogue king, but seeing the respect his guards had for him in person was something else entirely.

"Come with me," the guard commanded, motioning for me to follow him. He led me to his SUV, and thankfully, the rest of the journey wasn't on foot. My legs were already killing me, and I hadn't eaten anything since the incident.

I wasn't even sure how I had made it this far, but perhaps the will to survive had awakened something deep within me.

The mansion behind the mountains was enormous, standing proudly amidst lush greenery, towering trees, and the dense forest behind it.

The mansion resembled a black castle, with open hallways on each floor and black stone towers flanking both sides. The guard stopped the car and helped me out, guiding me toward the main gate.

"Inform Lady Ursula that her daughter is here," the guard instructed the warrior stationed at the grand entrance.