HUNTED-Chapter 414: Clingy Guard

Monday morning was an absolute blast. NOT. Rex hovered by Keira more closely, almost like a second skin if he could, acting like she might bolt any second to go make another scandal by going to Broken Fang. She was sure he was counting every single breath she took—okay, maybe that was a little dramatic, but you get the point.

He was even leaning against the wall beside the toilets, arms crossed and glaring at others who dared to enter. Keira scolded him when she discovered girls lining up outside the toilets or running off to the next ones.

"Alpha’s orders, sorry, Your Highness. I have a job to do." Rex wasn’t apologetic; he was stony-faced like a guard should be.

"Are you sitting next to me in class too?" Keira snapped, or tried to; it came out more as a tired sigh, and Rex missed her sarcasm.

"No. I’ll stay at the back of the class like normal," he answered genuinely.

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Keira pursed her lips but didn’t say anything more than that. She was lucky to still be attending school right now. Fortunately, her mum calmed her dad down and she was allowed to keep attending.

Unfortunately, her brothers weren’t the same. They didn’t have a mate to distract them and instead kept trying to interrogate her all weekend about the man who dared lay a hand on their precious younger sister.

She wanted to know who as well. Yet, she hadn’t messaged the number. It was out of principle. If this hot stranger wanted to, he would have texted her by now. He had not. So, she would not.

"I don’t know why you don’t just take a leap and message him? He might be thinking the same as you," Rhea commented in a private spot at lunch. She was looking over Keira’s shoulder and noting the contact name Hot Mystery Man, but there was a lack of messages between them.

They were currently hiding in the private garden, covered by a pergola and shrubs and behind that fencing for anyone that might peek. It was an allocated area specifically for when students got a little too riled up about their royal princesses.

After the news headline, everyone wanted to talk to them and go with them to Broken Fang next. It was almost impossible to squeeze through the halls or move a few steps before another student blocked their path. Honestly, it was one main image of the girls and ridiculous headlines pondering what their night entailed, and everyone was losing their minds.

Well, not everyone.

Kodi and his little gang appeared even more disgusted by the crowds following Keira, Rhea and Sora. She got it. He was a rogue; they all were and despised royals, whatever. Although she felt his burning stare whenever he was near, Keira didn’t look in his direction.

She may have been busted for going to Broken Fang, but it really did help with her stress levels. The weekend was full of embarrassing, torturous talks with her brothers and mother; however, it did not help that.

Cato started telling her to wait until she met her mate. Keira didn’t understand what she was meant to be ’waiting for’ until Aila sat with her in a very uncomfortable discussion about using protection. Keira swiftly dipped from that after telling her mum there really was no need.

She might have wanted to get a little frisky with Adrian Sinclair, but she would never have slept with the vampire.

"Earth to Keira." Rhea waved her hand across Keira’s face. She blinked out of her daze and looked back at Rhea and Sora.

"Sorry. Maybe. But it’s been a few days already. The guy might have been too drunk to remember what happened. I’m honestly not that bothered by it." Was she trying to lie to herself now? Quite possibly.

It was easier to say she wasn’t bothered than admitting how much it did affect her. He was a hot stranger, and it had been one hell of a kiss, one that almost burned her alive or woke her up from some sort of deep sleep. Seriously, it was like nothing she ever expected.

Keira almost wanted to message Adrian and hook up to compare. Almost. But she wasn’t that curious and she wasn’t one to use her friend. Even if that friend wouldn’t mind.

The guy never confessed to her his reason for leaving her with another man whom neither of them knew. He slyly changed the subject or distracted Keira.

The girls didn’t pester her about the stranger again. They could tell just by speaking about him was bringing Keira’s mood down. Once they were finished, Rex stood by the door, assessing the area before confirming the hallways were clear for the girls to leave their little private garden.

It wouldn’t matter anyway. They had to go to the changing rooms for their training session. Rex realised this when he had to stop at the door leading inside. Before Mrs Clarke could enter and tell them all to hurry up even though they’d only been there for less than a minute, Rex pulled her aside to discuss his positioning on the field.

Keira left him to annoy Mrs Clarke, who was far from impressed by her time being taken up about special requests. She never treated Keira differently and was always stony faced, not taking any bull from anyone. Keira cringed as her teacher told Rex in not so polite manner to clear off, figure it out and stop wasting her time with pointless discussions.

He did work it out, and he wasn’t a bother during Keira’s lesson. As usual, she trained and fought others. Many stopped and stared when Keira and Rhea fought. At first, Rhea watched her nails, uncaring, nonchalant, but as much as she put on such a snobby act, Keira knew one hit was all it took to rile Rhea up and take action.

Rhea was much quicker than Keira; her vampire blood, straight from the firstborn vampire of this world, was far purer than Keira’s. Their sparring was entertaining when one could keep up with their moves. Half of it was spent in a quick blur, wind whooshing the other girls’ hair away as they stared in awe.

Keira grinned as her back slammed into the mat, Rhea above her, fist raised as she held onto the collar of her shirt. Rhea blinked back the red specks in her eyes and released her abruptly with a dramatic sigh. "You know I don’t like to get my hands dirty," she muttered, wiping her hands on her short shorts.

"You love it, though," Keira smirked, accepting Rhea’s hand to tug her to her feet.

Rhea shook her head just as Mrs Clarke dismissed the class. "Keira, can you come over, please," Mrs Clarke called as some of the girls carried the mats back to the sports centre.

When she approached, Mrs Clarke glared at Keira’s bodyguard. "I called for Keira, not her bodyguard," she said sternly. Rex stopped walking, allowing them to have more privacy.

When Mrs Clarke’s attention was back on Keira, her irritation remained. Although the woman was stern and looked like a drill sergeant, ready to torture you at any given second, Keira liked her. She was the only teacher who treated her normally. "I understand you need extra protection as a royal, Miss Cross, but your bodyguard is a distraction to the other students!"

Keira looked at the last of the girls going in the direction of the changing rooms. They were glancing at Rex and giggling to each other. Okay, maybe she overlooked Rex’s looks. She’d grown up with him and looked at the guy as an extension of her family—like another overprotective older brother.

She totally forgot how much of a hottie he had turned into as well.

"There has already been added security to the school. There is no need for a bodyguard to act so closely to you."

"Noted. I will speak to my dad."

"Very well." Keira began turning away, pausing when Mrs Clarke called out to her again. "Oh, and Keira, good work today. I know Rhea has an advantage in speed, but she cannot match your dedication and skill level. If she did… Well, maybe she would be ruling the mats instead of you."

Keira didn’t really think she was ruling the mats, but she nodded in response and jogged back to the changing rooms. By the time she returned, most of the girls were ready and leaving in groups or rushing off to their next lesson.

"What did teach want?" Sora asked as she stepped into her pumps and slung her bag over her shoulder.

"Oh, just chastising about Rex distracting the girls."

Sora smirked. "Well, he is nice to look at. That’s not your fault, though!"

"No, but he has been ridiculous today. All because we went to Broken Fang…" Keira sighed, then realised she was holding the other two up. She waved them off. "Go, we’re not in the same lesson anyway."

"Alright, maybe I’ll have a word with Rex on the way out," Rhea winked over her shoulder, tossing her jacket over it and holding her little designer bag.

Sora snorted. "Don’t bother. Not everyone fancies you, ya know.." Their voices trailed off as the door closed behind them.

Keira shook her head and continued changing, the last few students piling out and leaving her there to tie up her boots. The door swung open with a loud thud, but she didn’t bother looking up as she put on her other boot and was finishing up. It was only when loud footsteps paused in front of her, a large shadow blacking out the light, that Keira finally looked up, and her breath caught.