Page 35 of The Hunt

“Great. All the terms are right there in your copy, but we’ll email you the information anyway, just in case,” Nikki replied. “And of course, if you have any questions or concerns, you can call or email us. Or just drop by the office. I’m always happy to help out a fellow Hollingsworth girl.”

“Actually, I do have one more question,” I said. “Do you know any tech stores around here that are open right now? The sooner I get my new computer, the better.”

“Hmm.” She twisted her lips in quiet contemplation. Then her face brightened. “Oh, I think NexTek is open until nine. It’s not far from here, and they’ve usually got decent deals on stuff. Maybe try there?”

“Will do. Thanks so much.”

Nikki was right—NexTek was open until nine, so I had plenty of time to browse and find a laptop that was cheap yet still functional and light enough to carry around to my classes if necessary.

Once I was done, I headed back to campus and parked in the closest spot I could get to Ashcroft Hall. It was a well-lit area, so I usually felt safe there, even at night, but my heart sank when I spotted Rhett and Jake standing by a fountain only a few yards away from the parking lot. They were hanging out with some tall blond guy I recognized as yet another Wilder, and all three of them were looking right at me.

Instinctively, I reached into my jacket pocket, and my stomach lurched.Shit.I’d totally forgotten that the police confiscated my Taser earlier.

I gulped and took a few tentative steps forward, praying the three guys wouldn’t say or do anything. I felt naked without the Taser; totally weak and defenseless. If the guys wanted to hurt me, I wouldn’t be able to fight back. I wouldn’t even stand a chance.

As I passed them, I felt their eyes on me, the weight of their gazes making my skin crawl. My breath hitched. I kept my head down, trying not to show any sign of fear, but the slight tremble in my steps betrayed me.

My stomach tightened further when I noticed the guys moving slightly, their attention never wavering. Rhett's sharp eyes locked on me, like a predator studying its prey. Jake and the other blond guy stood still, but the look in their eyes told me they were waiting for something. A signal from Rhett, probably. He’d always seemed like the one in charge of everything.

I almost stumbled when I misjudged my next step, but I forced my body to keep moving. When I finally reached Ashcroft Hall, I breathed an enormous sigh of relief, almost tempted to hug the security guard at the door as he demanded to see my ID.

Once he’d confirmed I was a resident, he gave me a tight smile and waved me past.

I pushed the door open and quickly glanced over my shoulder, the burning question of whether the Wilders had followed me gnawing at my insides.

Jake and the other guy had already turned away, their attention moving on to something else. But Rhett… he was still staring at me.

His eyes were cold, and his lips were pressed into a tight, unforgiving line. He didn’t look away. Didn’t even blink. It felt like he was daring me to do something.

I held his stare for a few more seconds before I looked away, heart pounding in my chest. I hated how much it unsettled me that he hadn’t moved or turned away like the others. What was he thinking when he looked at me like that? Did he just hate me like everyone else, or was he planning something on behalf of Jake?

Heart still hammering, I headed to the third floor to see if the police had finished in my dorm yet. It was only half past eight, so I didn’t like my chances, and upon my arrival they confirmed that they needed a little more time.

I didn’t mind too much. On the one hand, I was eager to grab my stuff to take to my new dorm, but on the other hand, I was glad the police and university officials were being thorough.

If they could somehow prove it was Jake behind the break-in, the tide would start to turn on him without me needing to throw a single accusation his way. Then he wouldn’t be able to claim that his ‘bitter ex was trying to ruin his life’ or whatever bullshit he’d likely come up with if I openly spoke out against him.

While I waited, I sat cross-legged on the hallway floor and set up my new laptop. Once it was ready, I opened a search engine and typed in ‘The Wild Hunt’, pulse racing with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. After my unsettling experience a few minutes ago, Rhett and the other Wilders were still on my mind, lingering like a dark cloud.

The first search result involved mythology.

The Wild Hunt is a widespread mythological theme found in various European cultures, often associated with ghostly or supernatural hunts led by a powerful figure, usually a god, king, or mythical leader.

In the mythology, a group of hunters ride through the sky or across the land in pursuit of prey, usually accompanied by wolves or dogs.

The Wild Hunt is commonly seen as an omen of disaster, death, or war, and those who witness it are often believed to be marked for misfortune. It is described as a chaotic, terrifying spectacle, with ghostly riders, howling winds, and the sound of galloping hooves.

In some versions of the myth, the Wild Hunt can be seen as a type of punishment, where souls are forced to ride in the hunt forever, or it might be a symbolic transition between life and death. The hunters themselves might include figures from various realms, such as spirits of the dead, faeries, or even mortals who have been cursed.

The Wild Hunt has evolved over time, becoming entwined with seasonal festivals, particularly those that deal with themes of death, rebirth, and the passage of time, and it remains a powerful image in folklore, literature, and modern pop culture.

“Huh,” I muttered to myself, wondering why the Wilders had decided to co-opt this particular piece of ancient mythology.

I wanted to believe that Tessa was right, and the society was simply filled with deer hunters, but a more cynical part of me knew that wasn’t true. Not when they had members like Jake. Bree’s theory was probably closer to the truth.

I heard they run some sort of sex club where they hunt down women and fuck their brains out,she’d said.

If her theory was accurate, I had to wonder how many of those women were giving consent. Or if any of them were consenting at all.

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