HUNTED-Chapter 403: Ivory Tower

It had been days since the video went viral, and a few other situations where the girls Keira now knew hung around Kodi and his little gang of new students, tried to record her snapping. Fortunately she had a good public image and what the girls tried to accomplish backfired.

She didn’t have to lift a finger. She hoped Cato called off his plan.

She really did fear what it might be. Cato looked like an angel, and many were jealous of his skin and features, but they didn’t know the menace lingering beneath the surface.

"I told you nothing needed to be done," Keira said as Sora put her phone in her blazer pocket after watching the latest video, which was predominantly full of hate comments towards the user who uploaded it.

The girls, who Keira now knew were Maddy and Cass, set it up that Maddy would apologise and give Keira a coffee as a gift.

Keira saw the phone before she suspected what would happen next. The coffee spilt, and she would wear half of the contents. Fortunately, Keira had moved back in time, so only a little spilt on her, but what did cause her to hiss in pain and tug at her shirt so it didn’t stick to her skin.

Others who saw the incident rushed forward to help Keira, whose hand had a red burn mark. Maddy and Cass still uploaded the video, unaware that others on the internet would zoom in on the actions and prove that Cass let go of the cup before Keira could hold it properly, resulting in the spillage.

"You had to get hurt in order for their pranks to stop," Rhea seethed, grabbing Keira’s hand and holding it up as proof. They stopped in the middle of the hallway in between one of their classes. Many students were already rushing off, making sure they made it to their next subjects in time.

Keira ripped her arm back. "It worked. Now." She turned to Sora. "I’ve already asked Cato to call off whatever plan you two have orchestrated. Leave it be. Maddy and Cass’s profile has been taken down, and the school has already turned on them."

"If Koa was here-"

"He isn’t," Keira interrupted Sora. "And I’m glad he isn’t." They would never be seen again, or someone would discover their bodies in twenty years’ time. No, scratch that. Koa is smart. There would be no bodies.

Luckily, he was called away on a mission. Keira didn’t want him or anyone else stepping in when she was the target. She didn’t want anyone else’s public image to be damaged, especially her brothers.

They were all so high-achieving. While Koa was the best in fighting and tactics, a super warrior, Cato was a well-known surgeon, hacker, you name it, he could do anything he put his mind to; then there was Eamon, who was the Alpha heir, the next Cross, to rule and continue Aila and Damon’s legacy.

"You might be right about that, actually." Sora agreed, nodding her head. "Koa is a little… protective of you."

Rhea snorted. "Overprotective, you mean."

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

Keira didn’t comment—they all knew it—but she was just as protective of her brother. She might not be some legendary warrior and was still waiting for her wolf, but she would still defend him.

The bell rang again, and the girls parted ways. Rhea and Sora were in their next lesson together and somehow Keira was in a Special Grade with none other than Kodi. She’d ignored or avoided him altogether, turning in the opposite direction if she saw him.

Yes, it was cowardly!

But she was beginning to loathe him and his cockiness and loathe herself for the way her body reacted to his presence.

She was surrounded by hot werewolves regularly. What made him so different?!

Sitting down in class, Keira almost gasped when the empty seat beside her was filled with his overbearing presence. "This seat taken?" Kodi asked, the deep timbre of his voice vibrating through every fibre of her being, demanding attention.

The arrogant ass sat down before she could answer, purposely not taking her hints, and proving he did what he wanted.

"Yes," Keira murmured, refusing to look at him after her thighs clenched together at his closeness. She felt incredibly childish, but if she looked at him, she feared he would see the effect he had on her.

His response was a low, throaty chuckle, signalling he already knew. How could he not? He was a werewolf and could pick up on her heart rate— It spiked because of her hatred for him. The sudden heat rushing to her cheeks was again because of her boiling hatred. And if there was any arousal…

"Alright, class. Settle down," the teacher, Mr Simes, called and pressed a button. "Scores are sent to your tablets."

A loud chime followed Mr Simes’ announcement. Everyone’s tablet screens lit up, and a low hush followed. Many breathed a sigh of relief while some groaned. The class was much smaller than the others but it also meant Mr Simes would work more closely with his students.

He commented aloud to some other students about their work and how they could improve, using their work as an example on the whiteboard. He was kind, but if a student disappointed him, they would know and feel the weight of that disappointment.

Keira wasn’t paying attention to the others, though. Her score stared back at her almost mockingly.

Kodi leaned his elbow on the table, fist against his cheek, watching her like he was utterly ensnared by everything she did. Of course, it was meant to threaten her and make her feel uncomfortable. She really didn’t care at this point.

Her heart was beating like crazy, and it had nothing to do with ’dark and dangerous’ beside her. Her stomach was sinking as she fretted over the score.

"Seriously, Princess?" Kodi reached out, tugging one of her hands away from her scalp—a bad habit she’d started when her stress levels rose and she couldn’t release it quick enough. "There’s no need to rip ya hair out."

His voice was surprisingly soft, joking with her. Keira turned her head and stared at him incredulously.

"Keira," Mr Simes called, her body snapped to attention, shoulder blades pinned back. "I was disappointed in your work. I know you can do better than that."

Keira’s fingers curled around the bottom of her skirt. "Yes sir," she replied confidently while her insides coiled in on themselves.

She was an A* student. This week’s drama with Maddy and Cass must have distracted her enough to drop enough to get a.. a.. Goddess forbid.. A-.

For the rest of the lesson, none of Kodi’s little taunts or presence could disturb Keira. She was disturbingly quiet, hand playing with her hair, but not in the cutesy move girls do when they like their crush.

"Jeez, Princess. You need to chill." Kodi took her tablet near the end of the lesson, holding it slightly above him.

Keira leaned forward, trying to reach for it, but then she realised how close her chest was—almost brushing with his. She huffed and sat back.

"Give it back," she said quietly, not in the mood for his games.

"Seriously. Your grade is still plastered in the top 4 of class." He pointed his chin at the scoreboard the teacher left up on the electronic whiteboard.

"It should be in the top spot," Keira hissed beneath her breath, hands curling tightly.

Mr Simes liked to use the students’ competitiveness to keep their grades high in such a hard class.

"You don’t get it." Keira started packing her bag. "You never will. Now give me the tablet."

Kodi scoffed and brought the tablet back so it hovered before her face. Keira grabbed it, but Kodi didn’t let go. Her eyes flicked up and met his steely ones. "Life’s harder than trying to achieve a good score. But you wouldn’t understand that, and you never will. You’re the princess stuck in her ivory tower, watching over us peasants."

He released the tablet and abruptly stood up, leaving Keira to stare after him slack-jawed.