Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates novel Chapter 20

Chapter 20: 20-Maybe A Little Sketchy Job

Helanie:

We were led inside the cabin, and, well, it wasn’t very fancy, but it had mattresses. I couldn’t believe I had already found a place to call home for a week. It was an open-concept room with three mattresses lined up along one wall and three more on the opposite side. Each side had its own bathroom, and there was a small kitchen in the backyard for the candidates.

"Everyone, bring your tracksuits and keep them ready. The shoes and other items listed should also be with you when you arrive at the training ground on the first day. Remember to come prepared," Maximus instructed before stepping back, providing information I wasn’t aware of.

He left the cabin, but I rushed after him to ask about the tracksuit situation.

"Maximus!" I called out from the front porch, stopping him.

He halted abruptly and turned around, his eyes seeming distant for a moment before he raised an eyebrow, silently questioning why I had called him. _{fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓}

"I don’t have any of the things you just mentioned," I said, taking steady steps down the stairs to meet him. Standing in front of him made me feel so small.

"And how is that my problem?" he replied, his tone cold and hostile.

"I mean, where can I get them from, and what exactly do I need?" I watched his jaw tighten and wondered if he hated seeing me every time I spoke.

"Go to Lamar and ask him. He’ll give you the list," he dismissed me with a wave of his hand. But before he could walk away, he paused briefly, studying my face for a moment. "Since you said you don’t have a home anymore, I would suggest not wasting money on something you’re going to fail at. We’re giving you a chance because you were persistent, but let’s face it—you won’t pass any of my tests. So why waste money on a tracksuit and the other items? Go back to your pack and find something useful to do," his words felt like a slap in the face.

So that’s how he saw me? A child given a chance just because she insisted. He didn’t even take me seriously.

"Thank you so much for your advice. I’ll find a way to earn money and buy what I need," I responded, trying not to sound rude since he was now my supervisor.

"Earn money? You don’t even have any savings?" he scoffed, leaning down slightly, bringing his face closer to mine as if daring me to repeat myself. I didn’t. My stepmother used to take away whatever I earned.

"I don’t," I admitted, and he pulled back, stretching his neck as he looked up at the sky with an exhausted sigh.

"Is anything in your life going right?" he asked, placing his hands on his hips. As much as I desperately wanted to shake my head, I didn’t want to come across as pitiful.

"No! I’m lucky enough to have this opportunity to even be a part of this test," I replied, but he narrowed his eyes slightly, clearly skeptical of my response.

"If you’ll excuse me—," I turned and walked away. He didn’t call me back, and by the time I reached the door and glanced over my shoulder, he was already walking away.

Once inside, I found the five other candidates watching me as they spread clean sheets over their mattresses.

With only a small bag in hand, I walked over to the last empty mattress and sat down on it. They had their own pillows and blankets too. But I didn’t mind using what the shelter was providing.

"And what about you?" Sydney’s attention turned to me, and I noticed how everyone paused what they were doing to look my way. At this point, I wished Sydney was as quiet as Salem.

"I don’t have a pack," I said, taking slow, steady breaths.

"Oh! A rogue!" Sydney made a gagging motion and then turned away in disgust.

"How are you going to pay the academy fees then?" Lucy asked, surprising me. It was clear they had already noticed I had very little, but her question about fees caught me off guard.

"Fees?" I echoed, confused. I didn’t know there were fees to pay.

"There’s a hefty fee for both the shelter and the academy classes," Sydney shrugged with a smug smile, clearly enjoying her upper hand.

I was speechless. How on earth was I supposed to pay fees?

As I sat there, stunned into silence, I heard a slight chuckle from the guy lying nearby. My side of the cabin had Lamar and Gavin’s mattresses and the rest were on the other side, opposite to us.

"If you want to earn some money, I can offer you a job," Lamar spoke up. It felt like my prayers had been answered, even though I hadn’t prayed.

"Meet me outside in five minutes. I’ll explain," Lamar finished, giving me a glimmer of hope in an otherwise overwhelming situation.