Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates novel Chapter 44

Chapter 44: 44-Maybe I Did It

Helanie:

I wasn’t sure how long I had been running. Time had blurred, and the pain in my chest struck me sharply. At least, I assumed it was my lungs—it was hard to tell anymore. My whole torso burned, forcing me to slow down. I could hear my muscles cry for help. My bones were cracking too. At one point, my mouth was so dry that I stopped entirely just to lick my lips to moisten them.

Not that I had been moving quickly to begin with. I just needed a break, a moment to catch my breath. Winning? That hope had already slipped away. Now, all I wanted was to finish. Just cross the finish line and make it to the meeting point.

I sank to the ground, my legs trembling beneath me. Each breath escaped in ragged gasps as I tilted my head back, stretching my neck. A single raindrop splashed on my face. I wasn’t sure if it was a blessing or a curse. Rain would only make things more difficult. The ground would turn slick, and the cold would creep in. Still, it had been over an hour already, and I should have covered most of the distance. But I hadn’t even reached three miles yet. Three miles. My heart sank. _{fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓}

I felt so weak. I had never been active, never trained for something like this. Doing chores around the house wasn’t remotely the same as actual physical exertion. What was I thinking? After a few more deep breaths, I forced myself to stand. I couldn’t stay here forever. I had to keep moving.

The race had started late because the other candidates from different shelters had to be examined first. I had no idea how many of them had passed or how many had been disqualified. What if... what if I was the only one left? The thought crept into my mind like a shadow, filling me with a deep sense of dread. What if I failed too? What if I was the last one standing, and I couldn’t even finish?

The weight of it all made my chest feel even tighter, as if I were being crushed from the inside. I wanted to collapse. I wanted to scream. My legs felt like they might give out at any second, and it didn’t help that the world was growing darker. The night seemed to be swallowing me whole, and with it, every ounce of hope I had left.

Could I even make it twenty miles by midnight? Doubt swirled in my mind. The dark path ahead felt like it was closing in on me. Fear gnawed at me. I wasn’t the only one who would be terrified—many would give up simply because of the shadows lurking in the woods. This race was as much a test of courage as it was of endurance.

I glanced down at the red smoke bomb they’d given me. It was my escape, my signal to quit if things became too overwhelming. My fingers hovered over it, tempted to pull the pin and end this nightmare. But then I shook my head, withdrawing my hand as the memory of their smug faces resurfaced. The ones who had laughed, doubted me, said I wouldn’t make it.

"I can’t give up," I muttered through gritted teeth. Frustration, anger—it all surged inside me, driving me forward. I wasn’t going to let them win. Not like this.

By the time I was back on my feet, I was already drenched in sweat, though the rain quickly washed it away. Moving was a struggle, but I kept going. Finally, after many long hours, I could see the finish line. Lanterns lit the path, and warriors stood beside the brothers, holding umbrellas over their heads. I took a deep breath and lifted my gaze, seeing the area ahead deserted. The others must have been sent back to the shelter. The brothers were standing just outside the shelter’s grounds—the same place they had used to lecture us earlier that morning.

I reached the finish line and collapsed onto my knees, wheezing like crazy. The crowd remained silent as Norman stepped forward, crouching beside me. The warrior shifted the umbrella, ensuring the rain didn’t dare touch the rogue king’s son.

"And you think you deserve to be part of the academy?" Norman asked, lifting my chin so I had to meet his gaze.