Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates novel Chapter 313

Chapter 313: 313-The Way He Takes Off His Belt

Helanie:

Ever since Norman told me it wasn’t Emmet, my mind had been racing like crazy. I was scared of Norman in some way now. Last time, when I had hit him with the vase, he was sneaking in all covered in mud and leaves.

Could it be him?

Why did he ask me to come to the woods today?

"Ugh!" I washed my face for the fifth time to calm my nerves down.

After lunch, I was supposed to be in the woods for training. I had such a messy day working with the weapons too. Maximus noticed I was out of it, and I guess that’s why he let me leave early. I wanted to take my job seriously, but there had been so much going on that I couldn’t focus because of the crazy lycan and everything else.

"Helanie! I needed to speak with you." I sat down at the lunch table, and Lord McQuoid instantly started talking. My mother rolled her eyes and folded her arms over the table.

Charlotte and Emma weren’t around. It was only me, the couple, and Kaye, who I needed to speak with soon.

"Sure, you know you don’t need my permission," I joked, but I was serious. Even though last time he kind of took Charlotte’s side, I guess it wasn’t really me vs. Charlotte in that moment. He was upset with Maximus for interfering.

"I am sorry if I hurt your feelings last time. I actually wasn’t sure if Maximus using that tone with her was the right thing. I wasn’t taking her side—I would have spoken up for you myself, but it was too late," he explained, making my mother open her mouth and let out a tired sigh.

"I’m sure it’s fine. You gave her shelter, food, and even asked your son to give her a job. Such little things don’t need explaining after you’ve already been so generous to her," she said, her words stabbing me like a sharp dagger to the chest.

But I nodded my head and replied to Lord McQuoid, "I am truly grateful for the shelter you’ve provided me. Your kind words and understanding are new to me. It’s something even real parents aren’t always capable of." With that, I taunted my mother, who looked visibly bothered.

"You think—" she shut up when Kaye placed his spoon on his plate a little too hard.

"Shall we not make her uncomfortable by listing all the things we’ve done for her? Because, Ursula," Kaye didn’t use any title for my mother as he responded, "we are already doing too much for Charlotte and her mother. Our parents did way too much for you when you arrived at our doorstep. So, I guess it’s pretty hypocritical that now you’re reminding Helanie of what my father is doing for her as if he hadn’t done the same for you and your friends." He calmly pointed out that she was once in my position too.

"Let’s eat in peace." This time, Lord McQuoid didn’t call out his son because he realized it would just go in circles.

"Tell me, how are the engagement preparations going, my love? Did you get the gown you dreamed of?" Lord McQuoid was so gentle to my mother, who seemed way too happy whenever he spoke nicely to her.

Everyone deserves someone who praises them, compliments them, and makes them blush. I was happy for my mother because she had endured a lot of abuse from my father back home.

Now that I was older and out of that house, I was remembering things that had seemed normal—until they weren’t.