Chapter 118 - Branded As His
As if the universe heard the name her heart kept chanting and decided to send him a telepathic message, Hera suddenly heard Hunter’s laughter. Panicked, she shoved Nathan away, and her eyes landed on the boy standing in front of the window.Â
Hunter might have heard the thud with which Nathan fell off the chair when Hera pushed him. He looked through the window, straight into Hera’s guilty eyes and his laughter died down until the smile on his face entirely faded. Meanwhile, Nathan groaned and asked, “What the hell, Hera?” But Hera was lost in her own thoughts to process what he said.Â
‘How could Nate forget to close the fucking windows!’Â
Hera cursed inwardly. She watched terrified when Danny aimlessly threw the cigarette pack in anger and marched towards the door. Hera guessed they were here to take a smoking break. Nathan looked too scared to utter another word and scrambled to his feet in a hurry when the door slammed into the wall, revealing Hera’s brother. Danny didn’t waste another second as soon as he reached him and grabbed him with his uniform shirt collar.Â
Hera ran to her friend’s rescue, but a hand wrapping fingers around her wrist in a tight grip restricted her from taking another step forward..Â
It was Hunter’s hand, and when Hera locked her eyes with him, her mind ran empty of thoughts, looking at how the expressions on Hunter’s face changed from confused to hurt.Â
His large eyes enlarged to their full-frame, lips parted, he stared at her in stunned silence. He looked beyond shocked as he figured what just happened there. In bold capitals on his face was written disbelief for anyone to read, and he wasn’t even breathing.Â
He didn’t accuse her of anything yet, but Hera heard him loud and clear, what he couldn’t voice out. He was struggling to form words, but she read it in his eyes.Â
“It’s not what you think,” she whispered in a barely-there voice, but the way Hunter flinched, she knew he heard her and Hera immediately regretted as soon as those words left her mouth.Â
‘How cliche could it get?’Â
Her hand fell to her side as Hunter dropped it, releasing his hold on her wrist. Before Hera could offer her excuse or explain to him, he rushed towards Nathan. The murderous look he wore on his face frightened Hera, and she screamed when his fist rammed into Nathan’s face. His cheek, nose and jaw bruised to form a purplish red in no time.Â
Hunter gripped Nathan’s shirt in one hand, and he pulled his other hand back, fist ready strike again when Hera screamed again, begging him to stop. Hunter turned his head in her direction, glaring at her with his raging eyes. But something on her face or in her eyes must have compelled him to stop because he shoved Nathan away. Hera winced when she saw him colliding hard against the wall behind him.Â
She stepped back in reflex when Hunter walked to her, covering the distance in two long strides. He grabbed her wrist again and walked out of the room. She had no choice but to follow him. She was too afraid to question him and didn’t dare to ask Danny not to hurt Nathan anymore. Michael shut the door from inside once they walked out.Â
To her horror, there was already a huge crowd gathered in the old building witnessing the drama. Girls gossiped loudly about Hera’s character and boys cheering, enjoying the violent scene inside the room.Â
Hera could see, the whole school had gathered around, students surrounding everywhere, judging eyes nailed on her. They parted like an abandoned wave would in a monstrous sea when Hunter walked between them, pulling Hera along.Â
When he made it to the centre of the crowd, he stopped, pulling Hera to his side. “Listen up everyone,” he started, his booming angry voice demanded everyone’s attention. Scared, Hera’s eyes widened, and for the first time, she dared to lift her head to look at him. She was worried and confused as she couldn’t understand what Hunter intended to do at the moment.Â
“This is Hera Hunter,” he said, pointing at Hera as if introducing her to his friends. But the calm in his voice faded in the next second, and the anger returned. “She’s off-limits to every male species on this planet. So keep hands and eyes off my girl,” he said sternly, and Hera heard the gasps, immediately followed by cheers as soon as the last two words left his mouth.Â
Hera shrank back, hiding behind him.Â
“First and last warning to everyone, touch her, and I’ll kill you,” Hunter announced to the crowd. He turned around, and Hera stepped back instinctively. Still holding her hand in his, he followed until her back hit the wall. The anger was still there, clouding his eyes and replacing the warmth with cold fury. Hera didn’t know what he was trying to do, but her eyes pleaded with him anyway. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
Finally, he released her wrist and lifted his hand, bringing his forearm to her lips while Hera stared in clueless confusion.Â
The sleeve of the shirt covering his arms came in contact with her mouth as he brushed it against her lips. No doubt, now Hera knew, what he’s doing, erasing the trace of Nathan’s lips on hers.Â
Hera shook her head when Hunter placed his hands, palm flat on either side of her head.Â
“No, Hunter, please don’t,” she begged him. The tears cascading down nonstop from her eyes kept blurring her vision.Â
Hera kept blinking rapidly, to clear her vision. Hunter leaned forward, and his warm breath danced around her trembling lips. “Tell me, Hera, do you like him?” He asked. Hera shook her head frantically, denying the accusation. “He’s my friend, Hunter,” she answered.Â
Hunter scoffed, and a taunting smile followed. Hera lowered her eyes in shame. “Look at me,” he commanded, and she couldn’t disobey. “Do you like him more, or do you love me less now?” He rephrased his question. Hera sucked in a sharp breath as if struggling to inhale oxygen. His question took her breath away. He doubted her love for him, and it felt like he rammed a dagger into her heart.Â
Hera averted her eyes as she couldn’t look him in the eye.Â
Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she dared to look into the eyes of the people surrounding her. Somehow, she was able to figure a few familiar faces among the crowd through her blurry vision. Her friends were there too, looking sad, helpless and ashamed of themselves for not being able to help her.Â
All the other students in the school were cheering for him, enjoying the free show. Eric stood a few feet away, quietly witnessing everything. Hands shoved inside the pockets of his trousers he maintained a perfect poker face, not showing any sign of anger or pity to her. Hera couldn’t tell if he was judging her for cheating on his best friend or not.Â
Michael and Danny joined him, but Hera didn’t see Nathan anywhere. Samantha glared at her in disgust while Bianca, the evil captain of their gang made a puppy face, mocking pity but only for a few seconds. Soon she was smirking smugly. Hera didn’t know what was so amusing.Â
Evelyn, the angel, as usual, looked at her in worry and nudged Eric’s elbow, questioning him with her eyes. Hera guessed, even Evelyn wouldn’t dare to interrupt Hunter right at that moment.Â
Breaking the train of her thoughts, Hunter spoke. “You’re so lost, Hera. It seems like you don’t have the answer to my question,” he said, sounding disappointed. Hera stared at him. Her throat felt dry, and she swallowed her saliva to ease the discomfort. “I guess, you don’t prefer me kissing you anymore,” he said, quietly laughing. Something compelled Hera to stop him when he attempted to move away.Â
“Please don’t doubt my love for you, Hunter. Give me a chance to explain,” she whispered, begging him.Â
Hunter stared at her for a few minutes without showing any emotion.Â
“Please,” Hera uttered a single word, not knowing what she was begging for exactly.
Without warning, Hunter crashed his lips onto hers harshly with all the anger he’s seething in.Â
Michael whistled, and Bianca followed, whistling along. Danny looked away, pursing his lips tight. As the crowd hollered with excitement, Hera clamped her eyes shut, silently praying for the nightmare to end.Â
She could still feel the eyes planted on her. The whole school was witnessing the scene, and Hera couldn’t be any more ashamed. The humiliation was hard to digest.Â
That’s the day when Hunter branded her as his in front of everyone at school. She had been tagged as ‘Ace’s girl’ since then.Â
To her horror, Hunter suddenly broke the kiss, and pulling away from her, he left.Â
Hera watched helplessly, not knowing what to do. Her Hunter was walking away from her without sparing a glance at her. The crowd slowly disappeared, some casting a pitiful glance at her and some laughing at her for their own amusement.Â
Hera was too shocked to react.Â