Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates novel Chapter 342

Chapter 342: 342-It Went South

Helanie:

With my shaky hands, I started to dial Maximus’s number. I needed to stop him before he got us both in trouble. Of course, it wouldn’t be bad for him because he would get out of the mess later on, but I wouldn’t be able to move past it—because of how they made the plan.

I watched him stop talking and lower his head, narrowing his eyes at his phone’s screen. Then he raised his head and found me in the crowd, excusing himself from his father. At least he hadn’t told his father anything yet.

He didn’t answer my call because he understood I wanted him to step aside so we could talk.

We both snuck to the side, reaching the backyard where no one was.

"Helanie, what is going on? Why did you call me? I was about to tell Dad—" he was speaking casually, like he could fool me, when I interrupted him.

"No!"

I watched him close his eyes and shake his head, making sure he heard me right.

"What do you mean, no?" he asked, wanting me to explain in better words.

"I don’t want to be with you anymore." I didn’t know why he didn’t understand from my text that I didn’t want him to stop the ceremony.

"What?" He almost raised his voice before holding in his anger and forcing an awkward smile. "Is this a prank? Or maybe seeing so many people has made you afraid—"

Before he could keep going, I added, "I have told you I don’t want us to be together. You asked for a chance, and I gave you that chance. I just didn’t feel like I was ready. I’m not ready yet."

I couldn’t tell him outright that I knew about his mother and his plan because that would expose them for being publicly evil to me. I didn’t want to trigger them—at least not yet.

"What are you saying, Helanie? You told me you would give me a chance, and you did. We had a date, and you confessed you liked me, so—what is this back and forth about?" He was now breathing heavily, sounding so aggressive.

"And then now you’re telling me? Now? All this time, you made me believe we were going to be together, but suddenly, Rudy shows interest in you, and you’re backing down from me?" He yelled, causing me to step back and stare at him in horror.

"Don’t you dare turn this on me. I am not the one who—"

He hushed me down as he waved his finger in my face.

"That’s enough games. You’re coming with me, and we are stopping this ceremony. I will tell everyone we are mates, and you can’t stop me," he yelled again, grabbing my arm to drag me back to the venue.

"No!" I tried to free myself, but his grasp on my skin was so tight that I had to use my full strength. And I did.

I was able to unwrap his fingers from around my arm and push him. Before my wolf’s awakening, I wouldn’t have been able to budge him, but today, he stumbled back a little and stared at me in shock.

"Your wolf is awake, isn’t she? Does she not like me? Does she want Rudy?"

I didn’t know why he kept saying his name.