Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates novel Chapter 188

Chapter 188: 188-And The Devil Follows

Helanie:

This café is always full of drama—or perhaps I should say, whenever I step into it, I witness a drama unfold.

We entered, and everyone bowed to us because of the wristbands, especially since Penn was an Alpha. Penn was ever the gentleman, pulling out a chair for me, helping me sit, and then taking the liberty of ordering for us.

Benita herself walked out of the kitchen with a menu card in hand. She always made it a point to personally bring the menu whenever someone special arrived. Her eyes narrowed as they landed on me, followed by a subtle shake of her head. She made sure not to let Penn see her reaction, though. He had no idea I had once come here seeking a job, only to be rejected because Benita thought I was a prostitute. Of course, the academy wouldn’t allow any scandalous jobs, so I wasn’t sure what she had been thinking.

"Alpha Penn, how are you?" she asked in a cheerful tone.

"I’m perfect. How are you, Benita?" he replied, his charm evident in every word. As he began speaking, heads turned to him—it was impossible not to notice his presence.

"I’m not well. Oh! Your parents must be so proud to have a son like you. Mine barely want to lift a finger," she said, smoothly transitioning from a simple greeting to venting about her family woes.

"Wait, what did he do now? I thought he’d changed after getting admitted to Fellmoon Academy," Penn asked, leaning in with genuine interest, as if he already knew the person in question.

"Penn! You’d think he’d care about his old mother, but no. He’s a complete mess. I thought this academy would teach him responsibility, maybe even give him some courage to stand up for himself and his family. But all he does is drink whenever he’s home on holidays. I’m so worried about him," she said, her face reflecting the deep concern of a worried mother.

"Maybe it’s just the stress of the upcoming Alpha War next year?" Penn suggested. "He’s fighting to become the Alpha of this pack, isn’t he? How’s that going? Has the current Alpha said anything? He can’t be happy knowing your son is competing with him."

I turned my head to look out the window, only half-listening to their conversation.

"The Alpha is enraged, but he’s maintaining his composure for now. Still, I’ve noticed he seems more relaxed lately. My son doesn’t seem to value the blue jacket anymore, and they can tell he’s not going to make it. And the Alpha’s son—he’s in the academy too. I’m sure he’s making my son’s life miserable over there," she said, pouring her worries out to Penn.

At this point, she was practically trauma-dumping, but Penn didn’t seem to mind. He handled the conversation with such poise and maturity that it was impressive.

"I was hoping you could meet him once?" she asked, her voice laced with desperation. "I just want to know if he’s okay, that the Alpha’s son isn’t causing him too much trouble."

Her worried expression told me that this Alpha’s son must be a troublemaker, likely bullying her son. The Alpha Wars were notoriously tricky, and the pressure they brought could break even the strongest of spirits.