Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

Chapter 685 152.3 - Don't Escape

Irina's teeth sank into his neck, her mind a whirlwind of sensations-heat, adrenaline, and a strange, intoxicating sweetness that filled her senses. For a fleeting moment, she reveled in the taste, the peculiar blend of lavender and salt that seemed to permeate his very being. But then, like a spark catching on dry tinder, another thought ignited in her mind.

A memory.

It hit her like a gust of wind, dragging her out of the moment and into a vivid scene she thought she had buried deep.

That time.

Irina's heart pounded as the image flashed before her-Maya, her fangs buried in Astron's neck, drinking deeply as though she owned him. Irina had been there, her body still and breath shallow, pretending to be unconscious. She had heard every word, seen every moment.

"That witch,' Irina thought, her bite on Astron's neck tightening instinctively. The image burned in her mind-Maya clinging to him, her face buried against his skin, her crimson eyes filled with hunger and desperation. She could still remember the faint sound of Maya's trembling apologies, the quiet murmurs exchanged between them.

She hadn't known why she hadn't stirred back then, why she had remained still, her chest tight with something she couldn't name. But now, as the memory played out in her mind, she felt the

smoldering embers of that emotion flare to life.

Anger. Possessiveness. Something primal.

'Me,' she thought, the word surging in her mind like a declaration. Her lips pressed harder against Astron's neck, her fangs sinking deeper as if to erase the memory of Maya's mark on him. 'Only me. Only I get to do this."

The fire inside her burned brighter, consuming her thoughts. She could see it so vividly-the way Maya had looked at him, the way he had allowed her, even comforted her. That scene, that intimacy, felt like a trespass, a violation of something that should belong solely to her.

She growled softly against his skin, her hands gripping his shoulders with a force that made him tense beneath her. A flicker of hesitation passed through her mind-what was she doing? But I was quickly drowned out by the torrent of emotions she couldn't suppress.

'She touched him like this. She tasted him like this!

Her mind conjured the image again, unbidden, and she felt her body flush with frustration. No. She wouldn't allow that. She wouldn't let anyone else have this connection with him, this closeness.

Astron stirred slightly, his voice low and steady despite the sharp sting of her bite. "Irina," he murmured, his tone calm but questioning.

His voice only fueled the fire. She pulled back, her lips stained faintly red, her breathing uneven. Her eyes locked onto his, her own burning with a mix of anger and something she didn't dare name.

"You let her," she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "You let her bite you, didn't you?"

Astron's purple eyes narrowed slightly, confusion flickering across his expression. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb," Irina snapped, her hands still gripping his shoulders. "That night. I saw it. I heard it. You let her drink your blood"

He didn't deny it, his gaze steady as he watched her. His silence only stoked the flames in her chest.

"Why?" she demanded, her voice rising, "Why did you let her? Why do you let her get so close to you?"Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Astron sighed softly, his calm demeanor infuriatingly unshaken. "She needed it,' he said simply. "It was the only way to help her regain control.

Irina's teeth clenched, her anger bubbling over. "And what about me?" she asked, her voice quieter but no less intense. "What about what I need?"

For a moment, there was silence between them, the weight of her words hanging in the air. Her breathing was ragged, her emotions raw and unfiltered.

Astron moved suddenly, his body a blur of strength and precision. Before Irina could process it, he was upright, his hands steadying her as he leaned back against the wall of the training room. Irina found herself still straddling him, her body perched on his lap, her heart hammering in her chest.

The shift in their positions left her breathless. Astron's height, even in this seated arrangement, gave him a natural advantage, his face slightly above hers, his piercing purple eyes locked onto her with an intensity that made her stomach twist. The weight of his presence was undeniable, and she hated how much it thrilled her.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence crackling with unspoken tension. Irina's gaze flickered up to meet his, her breaths shallow and uneven.

"What do you think you're doing here?" she asked, her voice sharper than she intended, a desperate attempt to break the silence and regain some semblance of control.

"No. That is the wrong question. Astron replied. "You.....What do you think, I am doing here? For what reason did I come here?"

Astron's expression remained unreadable, his eyes steady as they bore into hers. He didn't answer, and the quiet stretched on, pressing down on her like a tangible force.

Irina's jaw tightened, her frustration mounting. She wouldn't let him have the upper hand, not like this. "You're here for the reward," she said, her voice tinged with defiance. "The bet. That's why you came, isn't it? To get what you wanted. Access to the armory"

Her words hung in the air, the accusation biting. For a moment, Astron didn't respond, and she thought she had him cornered. But then, his expression shifted-a flicker of rare, unmistakable anger crossing his face.

His gaze narrowed, sharp and cutting, and his voice, when he spoke, was low and deliberate. "Do you really think I'm here just because of that?"

Irina froze, the weight of his words and the intensity of his tone catching her off guard. She opened her mouth to retort, but no words came. Her mind raced, but her body betrayed her, her cheeks flushing as she felt the raw emotion behind his question.

Astron's hands were still on her, one steadying her back, the other resting lightly at her side. His grip was firm, but not restraining a balance of control and reassurance that only made her heart race

more.

"You're not being honest," he continued, his gaze piercing through her. "If I were here only for a reward, I'd have taken it and left. Do you think I'd waste my time coming here just for a spar if that were all I cared about?"

Irina's lips parted as she tried to summon a response, but the truth he spoke left her momentarily speechless. He wasn't wrong. If all he wanted was the reward, he wouldn't have bothered coming here, wouldn't have bothered sparring with her, wouldn't have lingered like this.

But acknowledging that truth meant confronting her own feelings-feelings she wasn't ready to

name.

"I..." she started, her voice faltering. She looked up at him, her eyes locking onto his again. The depth of his gaze, the quiet anger, the unyielding resolve-it was too much, too overwhelming.

Her hands, which had been braced against his chest, trembled slightly. "Then why?"

Astron scoffed softly, the sound low and almost amused. "Isn't that obvious?" he asked, his tone carrying a mix of exasperation and certainty.

Irina's eyes snapped to his, searching for meaning behind his words. His purple eyes, narrowed with a flicker of rare emotion, caught her off guard. There was something in them she hadn't seen before -a glint that made her breath hitch, her chest tightening.

Astron continued, his voice steady and unwavering. "If I didn't want to be here, I wouldn't be here! The simplicity of his words carried an undeniable weight. Irina felt her heart warm, the quiet sincerity in his tone wrapping around her like a comforting embrace. A shiver ran through her body, and she couldn't stop the small tremble in her hands as they clutched his shirt.

Her gaze drifted to the faint mark on his neck-the mark she had made. Her fingers moved on their own, brushing over it softly, tracing the indentation her bite had left. Her lips tingled at the memory, and she couldn't resist the pull drawing her closer.

Slowly, she leaned in, her breath brushing against his skin. Her lips pressed against his neck once more, this time not in a fit of anger or possessiveness but with deliberate purpose. She kissed the mark, her lips lingering, before she sucked on it with an intensity that surprised even herself. She poured everything into the action-her confusion, her longing, her desire to hear those words again. "Say that again," she whispered against his skin, her voice trembling yet firm. Astron's response wasn't immediate. Instead, his hand moved to her head, his fingers threading through her fiery red hair with a gentleness that made her knees weak. He stroked her hair in slow, deliberate motions, his touch grounding her even as it sent a fresh wave of warmth coursing through

her.

Then, he shifted slightly, lowering his head until his chin rested lightly on the crown of her head. The move trapped her against him, his presence overwhelming in the best possible way. She felt cocooned, surrounded by his scent, his strength, his steady calm.

And then he spoke, his voice low and rich, the words a quiet whistle that sent shivers down her spine.

"I want to be here!

The moment the words reached her cars, her body reacted on its own. She trembled, the raw sincerity in his tone hitting her like a tidal wave. Her grip on his shirt tightened, and her breathing grew shallow as she struggled to process the weight of his admission.

It wasn't just the words-it was the way he said them. Rare, so rare, for him to speak with such

openness. Astron, who always carried himself with a calm detachment, now allowed her to see something deeper, something real.

Irina buried her face against his neck, unable to meet his gaze. Her lips brushed against his skin

again, softer this time, almost reverent.

"You're really unfair, you know that?"