Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates-Chapter 683-Owned By Someone Else.

Helanie:

"You will always be remembered, Alpha Altan," Daltan said his final goodbye to his brother, finally giving him the burial he deserved.

He had recovered his brother’s remains and buried him in the royal garden, where the pack members and previous Alphas now rest.

His pack had finally learned the truth and came to hate Diaz for what he had done to everyone, including his own children. That man reminded me of Darcy, I will not be surprised if she ends up in the same situation.

"Mommy!"

And just like Altan had promised, all the children returned. We turned to watch the kids run into the royal graveyard toward their parents. Everyone was in tears, rushing to hug their babies.

Emmet gently patted my back for support. Finally, the pack was free of the curse. They all prayed for Altan and welcomed Daltan for who he truly is.

After the prayers, Emmet and I began heading back to my parents’ home to collect our things and leave for our mansion. I did not have time to speak with Daltan for now. He was too emotional in the moment.

As we walked the same road we had taken before, I began to notice the neighbors standing outside their homes, watching me. I stopped, it was making me uncomfortable.

Then, the same old woman who had come the other day with her granddaughter stepped forward, holding a bouquet of red roses in her hands. She offered them to me.

"We are sorry. We were so wrong about you," she began, and I instantly felt my chest tighten with emotion.

"That day you came home, all wounded—we all knew in our hearts that you were a victim. We all knew something bad had happened to you, and that there was no way it was your fault. But we also knew the pack hated you—that even your own parents didn’t treat you well. So we became numb to your pain and chose to believe the rumors and gossip. It was an easier way to avoid facing reality. We acted like everything was fine and that you were to blame. That was wrong. Instead of stepping forward to help you, we stood here and cursed you. No wonder we were cursed ourselves. Yet again, you came back as our savior, when you could have left us to suffer. We are wholeheartedly sorry. And I know it won’t undo the past, but we will always remain grateful to you, and guilty before you," she sobbed as she finished her heartfelt speech.

She was right, it wouldn’t change much. But it was also true that I needed to hear it.

I needed them to realize and apologize, so they wouldn’t do this to someone else in the future.

"We are all grateful to you, Alpha Queen," another man stepped forward and suddenly knelt, bowing to the ground. The others followed.

"All hail Alpha Queen Helanie Norman McQuoid!"

As soon as they chanted that, I noticed Emmet slowly pulling away from me. I guess the realization of who I now belonged to in the eyes of everyone hit him hard.

Everyone stepped forward and apologized for the next twenty minutes before we were finally able to get back home.

"How do you feel?" Emmet asked the minute we were inside the house.

"Much lighter," I responded.

"Good. We should pack our bags and start our journey. There will be a storm setting in the next few hours, so we must leave before that," he added in a rather dull tone.

I wasn’t sure what was bothering him, but I could tell he was deep in thoughts about something.

I watched Emmet walk back to the room when my brother stepped into my path to have a word with me.

"I’ve been thinking–and I’ve decided to mend my ways. I’m not sure when you’ll be ready to forgive me, because my sins are huge. I was supposed to be your elder brother, not your bully. But kids learn from parents. They try to follow their footsteps, hoping not to end up in their bad books like the other child. I mean, there’s no lie in the fact that I enjoyed it too. I enjoyed the horrible things I did. It was an easy life—no guilt, no responsibility, no sense of right or wrong," he laughed to himself, but it sounded more like a sad whimper.

"Anyway, I’ll make things right. And the next time I apologize, I hope you’ll be ready to forgive me," he said, making me stare at his face in disbelief. freёwebnoѵel.com

If only he had been supportive when I first returned home. But then, I wouldn’t have met the amazing mates I now have by my side.

"I hope you’ll be a better brother to Vani. She has a golden heart, she deserves the best," I reminded him that he still had a sister he could treat right.

He gave me a heartfelt nod, and next came my father and stepmother. The two of them didn’t look the least bit guilty. It’s true, some people never change.

Vani came in next, hugging me tightly and sobbing at the thought of our departure. I wished she could leave with me, but she wanted to stay here in the pack with her friends, and I understood her feelings. I promised to check on her more often. She was grateful that Emmet had come here to help the pack. She was also happy the pack members had finally apologized.

"Anyway, take care," I said after a long hug. Emmet had already loaded our bags into the car, so we were ready to leave.

"I’ll miss you," Vani said.

"I will too," I replied, getting into the car.

That’s when I noticed my father stepping forward as if to say something, so I rolled the window down. The car had just started and was about to leave when he said one last thing,

"Tell your mother, Niles said hi."

It was the creepiest smirk he gave. I frowned and stared at his face in silence. The car sped off, hitting the road, but I kept watching him with my back turned. He slowly raised his hand and waved at me— eerily.

Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m