FALLING IN LOVE WITH HIM - HER FIRST LOVE

Trigger Warning : Violence

Hera panicked when she saw the wheel brace in Hunter's hand and instantly jumped in front of Nathan. She stood before him, shielding him from Hunter. "What are you," before Hera could complete her question, Hunter's hand reached out and grabbed her wrist, yanking her away from his target. 

Pulling Hera to his side, Hunter glared at Nathan before his foot connected with Nathan's chest in a hard kick. 

A cry tore out of Hera's mouth at the same time when Clara screamed. Nathan stumbled back before falling on his ass. The impact of the hit was so hard his breath got stuck in his lungs, and he couldn't breathe for a few seconds. 

"Hunter, what are you doing? Stop attacking him. You've no right to get mad. You're not my boyfriend," Hera yelled, reminding him of their breakup. Hunter laughed, but there was no humour in it. It seemed more pained instead. The melodious music that she loved so much sounded nothing but a menace. 

"Hera Hunter, remember the last time you kissed him behind my back?" Hunter questioned. Hera winced at his words as they brought back the bitter memory. Unshed tears rolled down her cheeks when she squeezed her eyelids shut. Hunter's left hand moved up to touch her cheeks, and he wiped the trace of tears with the pad of his thumb. 

"I asked you, do you like him more, or do you love me less now," he repeated the exact words he had said then, reminding Hera when she didn't answer his question. "Believe me, Hera, I would've backed off without any fight if you wanted him," he announced, and Hera was shocked at the admission. 

'Would he really have done that for me if I had asked him?'

Hera wondered. 

Hunter looked away and let out a breathy laugh, a sarcastic one that felt like a slap on Hera's face. 

"But it's too late now. You've lost your golden chance, Hera Hunter," he declared. Hunter looked at Nathan, and a crooked smile made onto his lips, a look of disdain dripping from his eyes. "Kiss whoever you want, Hera. You know I'll never hurt you, but the person on the receiving end will have to suffer my wrath," he stated in a conclusive tone, his eyes fixed on his target. 

Hunter sighed, shaking his head. "I told you, whoever it is, I'll break every bone in his body," he said, shrugging as if it was nothing. Hera's eyes widened, worried for Nathan's life as Hunter tightened his grip on the tool in his hand. Well, she should've thought before giving in to the greediness of revenge. 

She grabbed Hunter's arm with both hands, hugging it to her chest, eyes pleading with him. "Please, no, don't do this," she managed to form a coherent sentence somehow amidst all the overpowering fright. It was a futile attempt at stopping him, even though she knew it already. 

Hunter didn't even spare her a look. Instead, he glanced at Danny, their eyes communicating wordlessly. His best friend nodded, and in the next instant, Hunter jerked himself off her grasp, and Hera found herself in Danny's stronghold. 

Hera struggled to free herself while her brother hugged her from behind, his hands clutching hers in a tight grip. 

Clara stood in a protective stance in front of Nathan when Hunter reached him. "Don't you dare touch him, you asshole," she spat, glaring at Hunter. Hunter turned his head to the side, his chest rising and falling as he exhaled his frustration out at the interruption. When he looked back, he raised the tool in the air as if to hit her with it. 

Hunter wasn't going to hit the girl, but he did it to scare her away, and he expected Nathan to at least try protecting his sister. He did and pushed his sister out of the way in time, coming face to face with Hunter and caught the wheel brace midway before it could reach Clara. 

Nathan's free hand came down, punching Hunter's chest. The latter let him strike again, grunting at the impact while Nathan cursed in frustration. Hunter wouldn't budge from his place, much to Nathan's discouragement. 

"Is that all you got, you shithead," Hunter said before hitting him on the face with his head. The headbutt made Nathan stagger. 

Hunter pushed his upper body down, and while turning his body, he lifted his foot, drawing a semicircle. His shoe made contact with Nathan's face. It was a well-timed perfect backspin kick that made Nathan crash into the ground, knocking one of his wisdom teeth out, and the latter coughed, spitting out the blood.

"Please, Hunter, stop hurting him. It's my fault, and I'm sorry," Hera cried, begging for mercy. However, Hunter didn't respond, much to her horror. Her plea fell on deaf ears, it seemed. So she searched for Eric and found him sliding his hands into the pockets of his loose denim pants. His body language hinted that he wouldn't come forward to her aid. 

Hera didn't give any heed to Eric's warning earlier. Why would Eric lend a helping hand to her now? Her simple act of gaining revenge escalated an already supercharged encounter into a raging inferno. Hera realised it too late. When this ridiculous notion reflected in her mind, what the hell was she thinking? 

Clara followed Hera's line of vision and noticed how Eric seemed unbothered by what his best friend did to Nathan. She tried her luck anyway and went to Eric, begging for help. He was Hunter's best friend, after all. The latter would listen if Eric spoke to him.

However, much to Clara's disappointment, Eric shook his head and wiggled a finger, signalling her to stay away as though she was a filthy rag not allowed in the vicinity of his precious self. 

"Please help my brother," Clara cried, kneeling in front of Eric. He took a step back, moving away from her reach. "He asked for it," Eric replied with a dismissive shrug while watching Hunter abuse Nathan. 

"God, can you be my brother for once in life, Danny?" Hera asked, spatting the words out in resentment. Danny only scorned in return. Hera looked at Michael and saw him sipping the beer while vibing to the music playing from the speaker as if he was at a party. "Mike, you asshole, your best friend is torturing the life out of someone. Show some humanity and stop him," Hera yelled at him, cursing helplessly. 

Michael's hand paused in the air as he was about to take another sip from the beer can. He scowled, seemingly offended by Hera's outburst. He dropped the pizza slice back into the box and put the aluminium can at his side before he got up and jogged his way to Hera. 

"Aw, baby girl, don't be so upset," Michael cooed at her, wiping her tears. "You can always kiss his boo-boos once Ace finishes his business with him," he said mockingly, resentment dripping from his tone. Jerking his head to the side in annoyance, Michael sat on the ground beside Hera's feet and whistled when Hunter kicked Nathan's side repeatedly. 

Hera was afraid that Hunter would damage Nathan's liver or kidney by the force with which he was kicking him. Nathan struggled to get up but in vain as Hunter wouldn't let him. Hera stopped breathing when Hunter lifted the wheel brace, and it came crashing down on Nathan's left leg below his knee. Nathan screamed his lungs out in agony. 

No doubt, Hunter broke his calf bone. 

"You filthy fucker, do you still remember what you said earlier?" Hunter asked. He pulled his pants legs up by grasping the material of jeans with his fingers and sat on his heels at Nathan's side, a sadistic smile playing on his lips, one hand resting on his thigh while the other used the wheel brace as a cane to support his weight. 

"I dare you, motherfucker, repeat what you said," Hunter commanded before pressing his hand on Nathan's Adam's apple, strangling him. The hold was tight enough to block his windpipe. Nathan shook his head, trying to breathe. 

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again. Let me go," Nathan begged, his voice coming out in broken stutters as the pressure on his vocal cord increased. Hunter clicked his tongue and shook his head, not impressed by the lame apology. "Wrong answer," he said before standing to his full height. He spun the L-shaped steel tool in his hand before hurling it into Nathan's ankle. 

Squeezing her eyes shut, Hera cried, cursing herself for putting Nathan's life in danger. Clara's cries of agony matched hers, and Hera couldn't dare to face her best friend. They both screamed every time Nathan did. Nathan's shrill cries struck Hera's heart like thunder hit, bringing disaster. 

Hunter grabbed Nathan's hand and forced him to spread his palm out on the ground. The mere sight of his fingers made Hunter remember how he touched his Hera and kissed her. The images flashing in his mind jolted his sanity with thousand volts of electricity, his blood boiling with rage. 

Without any second thought, Hunter brought the wheel brace down on Nathan's hand, breaking the bones in the process, and then he hammered the tool into the boy's knee, damaging his kneecap. Hera could hear the bones cracking every time Hunter attacked. 

"Hera, he's going to kill him. Please do something and stop him," Clara shouted on top of her lungs, forcing Hera to open her eyes and see what Hunter had done.. Nathan was coughing blood, his hands and legs were bleeding, the crimson colour soaking his clothes.