In the video, a group of five guys sit around a large table. They appear to be playing some kind of game.
One thing is common amongst all of them — they're all handsome-as-hell.
These guys are the movers and shakers of the NightHunters Elites College. Students call them The Mavericks of NightHunters Elites. And the group is headed by none other than my boyfriend and soon-to-be father of my unborn child, Hector Kensington.
"It's your turn, boss. Truth or dare?" One of the guys named Cole says to Hector.
He shrugs and leans back in his seat.
"Dare. What do you want me to do?"
Cole appears to be deep in thought for a while. Suddenly, he perks up and his lips curl in a devious smile.
"I dare you to trick Athena, the pack's hybrid, into falling head-over-heels in love with you. You must convince her to be your girlfriend for at least three months."
The entire table erupts into "oohs" and "aahs" as Hector obviously considers the dare while rubbing his day-old stubble.
"I don't think he can do it." One of the guys says in a mildly challenging tone.
Hector shoots him a dark look and slowly gets to his feet.
"She's not my type," he begins. "She's sloppy, ugly and contaminated with witch's blood." A pause… "but a dare's a dare. I'll do it."
All the guys jump to their feet and gather around, chanting his name and praising him for his "boldness."
"I'll trick Athena Montgomery into falling in love with me. I'll make her believe that an alpha like me can fall in love with someone like her. Then I'll break her heart after three months. You all should watch and see."
***
By the time the video comes to an end, I'm shivering with the need to puke every single thing in my stomach. My brain whirls with shock and my heart feels like I've been stabbed with a friggin' arrow.
Hot tears blur my vision as I turn around and blindly stumble down the hall. The last time I felt like this was the day I watched my parents die in front of me.
I feel like death. I feel like a loser. I feel like shit.
I can hear Jasmine scream my name but I ignore her and stumble my way into the nearest restroom. All the students are laughing at me. Everyone is mocking me.
I do not make it to a stall when the vomit comes spewing past my lips. I fall on my hands and knees and for the next two minutes, puke every single thing I had for breakfast.
Jasmine pats my back and whispers words of encouragement. By the time I'm done, I feel weak and drained.
I sink to the floor, bury my face in my hands and burst into tears.
Not minding the disgusting mess around us, Jasmine drops on her arse right next me and wraps her arms around my shoulders as I cry my eyes out.
"Wh-why did he did he do this to m-me?" I stutter heartbrokenly. "Why does th-this always h-happen to me? Why?"
"It's okay, baby." She mutters. "Cry it out. You don't have to hold it in every single time. It's okay to cry sometimes."
After what feels like an eternity of endless tears, I finally lift my head and dry my eyes.
Jasmine excuses herself to get someone to clean up the mess I made while I contemplate the real mess that is my existence.
I'm in pain, heartbroken, but deep down, a storm is brewing inside of me. A storm that comes with anger and rage.
Jasmine returns to find me trying to struggle to my feet.
"Heyyy. What are you doing?" She rushes over and helps me to stand upright.
"I'm going to confront him." I declare.
"What?! Are you crazy? Chipmunk, you should be going home to rest. Confronting Hector will only lead to more embarrassment."
I hold her gaze. "My mind is already made up, Jas. I need to know why he did this to me."
I push the door open to find a small crowd already gathered outside.
"Look, everyone. It's the pack's hybrid whore!" Someone yells.
They all burst into laughter and point their phones in my face, trying to get videos of me as I struggle to move past them.
Fingers clenched and eyes blazing with rage, I make my way to the one place I'm sure I'll find the ignoramus who made me the school's laughing stock.
I finally arrive at the music room two minutes later and pause to catch my breath before pushing the door open.
I take one step into the room and freeze, taking in the horrible sight before me with a gasp of shock.
The room is filled with students but my eyes are frozen on only two people.
Hector Kensington, my boyfriend, has his tongue down the throat of a girl I know all too well. Beverly.
The bitch is seated atop the grand piano with her legs wrapped around his waist.
The kiss appears to be wild and passionate with all the hair gripping and moaning that's going on. All the other students mind their business like two people are not nearly having sexual intercourse just a few feet away.
"What the hell is going on here?!" I scream the moment I'm able to gather my thoughts.
I expect Hector to act all guilty once he hears my voice, and push Beverly aside.
What I do not expect is for him to look over at me with a bored expression and push that bitch closer.
"I thought it was someone important." He says softly. "Let's continue, baby."
Beverly gives me the stink eye and they're about to lock lips again when my anger finally gets the best of me.
I stomp into the room and pause directly before them.
"Hector, I'm talking to you!" I snap.
"And I don't want to speak with you right now. Can't you see that I'm busy?" He snarls, his eyes darkening with annoyance.
For a second, I'm shocked to silence. During our one year relationship, Hector has only ever spoken to me with love and affection. He's never raised his voice at me.
I will not cry. I will not cry.
"Have you seen the video making rounds in school today?" I ask hoarsely.
He lifts one perfectly shaped brow.
"Yes, I have. I released it."
I finally lose the battle against my tears.
Tears of pain, anger and shame slide down my cheeks in torrents.
"So everything was really a lie? We've been together for a year, Hector. You've been deceiving me all along?"
He nods. He doesn't appear remorseful or regretful. His expression is as cold as ice. He looks untouchable… while I feel broken. Used.
"How could you do this to me? I trusted you. I loved you…"
"It's not my fault that you were so fucking blind." He growls.
"For your information, I never liked you from the start. You're not my type. Not only are you a bastard, but you have witchs' blood flowing through your veins.
We can never, ever be together. I only asked you out because my friends dared me to. We're not even destined mates. How the hell did you even think we'd be together for life?"
His lips curl in a cruel smile. "But I did enjoy taking your virginity though. The way you gave it up so easily only proves that you're really a cheap whore."
Fueled by rage, I take a threatening stop forward, my left hand already raised to deliver a stinging slap. Unfortunately, I seem to have forgotten that Hector is an alpha with lightning speed.
Within seconds, he grabs my arm in a tight, iron-like grip.
"How dare you raise your hands at me?" He snarls, a flicker of gold shining in his bright blue eyes.
My face twists in pain. "Let go. You're hurting me."
He doesn't listen.
"Apologise. Right now."
I open my mouth to speak but just then, Jasmine arrives and wrestles my arm from his painful grip.
"Let her go, you psycho."
He finally steps back, pinning me with a hate-filled stare. I'm still reeling with shock.
Hector never, ever used to hurt me. In fact, he hated seeing me in pain.
What the hell was happening?
"Take your friend away from here, Jasmine." He mutters. "I never want to set my eyes on her again."
I swallow the painful sting that his words cause my heart, deciding to be brave.
"How about our baby?" I ask boldly. "You might not want anything to do with me anymore, but the baby in my womb is yours. What are you going to do about it?"
He takes a step towards me but Jasmine steps between us, blocking his path.
"Don't you think I know by now just how much of a whore you are, Athena? You sleep around with anything that pays you the slightest attention. Everyone knows that.
That thing you're carrying is not mine. It can never be mine. I think you should go back to the streets where you belong and look for your bastard's real father because it's definitely not me…"