Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates-Chapter 555-The Final Battle For Revenge

Helanie:

Darius had his father and other senior pack members with him. They never said out loud who they supported, but they had probably come with him because they thought he would win. And they didn’t want to lose such a strong alliance once he did.

I stepped into the arena, and the brothers went ahead to sit with their father. My mother hadn’t come.

Darcy and Emma were treating this battle like entertainment, with popcorn and drinks in their hands. Charlotte sat with them, but she didn’t look as mean as before. She even mouthed *’Best of luck’* to me.

The noise was deafening, but I didn’t hear it. All I could focus on was the space between me and Darius.

The arena was wide open. No walls to hide behind, no way out. Just me, him, and the eyes of everyone around us.

The heat of the sun beat down on us, making the dirt feel even hotter under my shoes.

"Darius, we believe in you!" one of the girls screamed, making me clench my jaw when his smirk showed that, even after treating women like crap, he was still being supported by them.

The crowd was huge. Some were laughing, others whispering—everyone thought I was weak.

Darius was big, his muscles flexing as he shifted into a half-transitioned state, his claws scraping the ground. The crowd seemed to hold its breath, waiting for him to make the first move.

He looked at me with a smirk, his voice full of mockery. "Ready to lose and go home as my wife?"

I wanted to scream at him, to show him how much I hated him, but I couldn’t. Not yet.

The signal to start came, and without thinking, Darius lunged at me. His claws swiped through the air so fast I barely had time to dodge. The crowd gasped. I felt the air rush past my face as I just managed to get out of the way.

I wasn’t fast enough. I could feel the weight of his power as he turned to come at me again. The anger in his eyes burned brighter. But this time, I wasn’t scared.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes for just a second. This was it. There was no going back now.

I shifted. It hurt, but I didn’t care. My bones twisted, my body changing, and I was no longer just me—I was something else. Something stronger.

He took a step back, his eyes narrowing. He seemed confused, almost like what he was seeing came straight out of a horror movie.

The audience suddenly went silent before gasping. Their reactions showed they had never seen a wolf like mine before.

With a growl, I lunged at him, claws outstretched. The force of my move hit him harder than I thought it would, and for a second, everything went quiet. The crowd was frozen.

Then, chaos...

Charlotte got up and yelled, "Helanie! We are with you."

I noticed her mother glaring at her with her jaw wide open.

"Yes, Helanie, show that jerk what you are capable of!" Lamar yelled, getting up, and my other friends joined him. The brothers looked so proud at that moment.

For a moment, I thought I had him. My claws connected with his chest, and I could see the shock in his eyes. But then, before I could land another hit, he recovered. He slammed into me, sending me flying back.

I hit the ground hard, the air knocked out of my lungs. For a second, everything went black. The roar of the crowd faded into a dull hum. My body was aching, but it was more than that—something deep inside me was unraveling.

I scrambled to my feet, my muscles shaking. Darius was grinning, enjoying every second of this. But that grin... it reminded me of everything.

Of the year he’d hunted me, tormented me. Of the nights I’d spent hiding, terrified of his touch, his damn grin. The memories flooded back in an instant—every cruel word, every painful strike, and that night.

His laugh echoed in my ears, and for a brief moment, I wasn’t in the ring anymore. I was back there, in the dark, scared and alone.

My heart raced, my breath coming in short gasps. I could feel the old fear creeping back in, just like it had so many times before. The fear I’d buried deep inside me. The fear I thought I’d gotten rid of.

Darius was closing in, and I couldn’t focus. I was frozen. Stuck in the past.

"Still weak. Of course, you could never train enough to fight me," he sneered, stepping closer. "I knew it."

I blinked, shaking my head, trying to push the memories away. But it was like I couldn’t escape them. Every scar he’d left on me—mentally, emotionally, physically—was alive again.

Darius saw the fear in my eyes, and his grin only grew wider. He knew he had me. ƒreewebɳovel.com

But then, something inside me shifted.

I was not that eighteen-year-old who he had cornered in that underground station.

Darius moved in, slashing with his claws, but this time I didn’t freeze. I moved.

I dodged, faster than I thought I could, and I felt the sting as his claws scraped my arm. But that wasn’t enough to stop me. I was angry now, not scared.

With a loud growl, I charged at him, my claws hitting his chest. He staggered back, surprised by the force. I didn’t give him a second to recover. I was on him again, my claws striking, my teeth snapping at him.

I threw him to the ground, not letting up. His eyes widened in shock, and I could feel him start to lose his confidence.

"You’re not the one in control anymore," I snarled, pushing him down harder. The crowd was roaring around us, but I barely heard it. All I could hear was my heartbeat, steady and strong.

Darius tried to fight back, but I was faster. I grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back. He gasped in pain, trying to get away, but I was too strong.

"How the hell—are you so fast—?" he yelled, almost like crying.

"How is she so strong?" That was my stepmother screaming at my father. "She is not your daughter. You’re such a loser, and look at her!"

For a moment, everyone shut up to hear her, and then Salem yelled, "Oh, shut the hell up, wench!"

The crowd laughed before their attention shifted back to me.

He looked up at me, eyes wide with fear. For the first time, I saw it. He was scared.

With one last push, I threw him to the ground, pinning him there, breathless and defeated.

"What are you?" he barely whispered, gulping, with tears running down his cheeks.

And in a very overpowering tone, I hissed, "I am your karma, bitch."