That’s insane! Why would you reopen a case that had long been closed?" exclaimed one of the Alphas Hunter was addressing, his voice rising with frustration. The Alpha King was also present during the discussion. Hunter expresses his intention to take over the case concerning illegal smuggling, which involved an international mafia. The case had been shelved for a long time because, according to the Alphas from other packs, it didn't involve rogues or members of their kind. They were taken aback when Hunter declared his interest in reopening the case. He withheld the fact that he wanted to reopen it due to his nephew's involvement.
Another reason Hunter insisted on reopening the case was tied to a previous encounter with the mafia in Italy. He suspected that investigating the case could lead him to the missing lawyer of Aleah's grandfather. Hunter strongly believed that this case was connected to the rogues they had faced. Moreover, there was something about that lawyer thAleah's eyes fluttered open, a heavy grogginess still clouding her senses. She blinked a few times, her gaze drawn to the airplane window beside her. The soft, pale light of dawn spilled through the glass, illuminating the clouds below. For a moment, she struggled to process where she was. Then, like a jolt of electricity, it hit her. She wasn’t where she was supposed to be.Her heart raced as she shot to her feet, panic overtaking her. Just hours ago—or was it longer?—she’d been in the waiting room of the headquarters, idly scrolling through her phone, when a soldier approached her. “Miss Aleah, Mr. Hunter has sent for you. He’s already waiting in the car,” the man had said with a professional, almost robotic tone. Trusting the message without question, she followed him out to the sleek black car parked outside. The moment she stepped into the vehicle, a strange dizziness consumed her. She barely had time to register the unsettling sen
"What do you mean, he got involved with a syndicate?” Sebastian exclaimed in shock when Hunter revealed to their family what had happened to Benjamin and why he was in the hospital. Over the past few days, Benjamin’s parents had noticed that he barely came home. If Hunter hadn’t shared what happened to Benjamin, Sebastian might have organized a search party to find him.Benjamin’s parents said that Luke, his father, received a text message about his son, detailing what Benjamin had done. When Luke tried to contact Hunter, he couldn’t reach him. It wasn’t until a hospital staff member called to inform them that Benjamin was in the hospital that they rushed there.“What’s your plan now? How can we help Benjamin? If my grandson is innocent, why are these mafia people after him? And his friend who dragged him into this—do you have any updates?” the elderly man asked.“We’re still trying to find him,&r
Using the information Hunter received from an anonymous sender, he and his team carefully tracked down the remote location where Benjamin's friend was hiding. The friend was not only avoiding capture by the ruthless MAFIA but was also evading law enforcement authorities due to his involvement in questionable activities. His refuge was a dilapidated house tucked away in the farthest corners of a remote province, surrounded by overgrown vegetation and a deafening silence that suggested isolation.Upon reaching the area, Hunter's team worked strategically, positioning themselves to cover all possible exits. They ensured that no route was left uncovered, making it impossible for anyone inside the house to escape unnoticed. Hunter and Rafael volunteered to lead the search and cautiously approached the creaking wooden door of the house. As soon as they opened the door, chaos unfolded. A baseball bat came swinging toward them with frightening speed and force. Hunter’s exceptiona
"How are you?" Hunter asked Benjamin as he entered his hospital room. Benjamin was awake and out of danger. Rafael had already explained to him what had happened, including the capture of his friend, who confessed that he orchestrated the shooting to silence Benjamin."I am feeling better," Benjamin replied. "Officer Ramirez has told me everything." He added, "I never thought you would help me.""Don't get ahead of yourself. I didn't do it to help you. That was just my job," Hunter retorted, walking toward the table filled with fruits. "Your parents were worried about you. You shouldn't have made them worry," Hunter said as he picked up an apple."Were they? What's important to them is always Zane—the good, obedient son who fulfills their dreams," Benjamin remarked."You sound like a jealous ten-year-old," Hunter teased."What? Who's jealous?" Benjamin exclaimed, but he paused when Hunter threw an apple at him. He caught it effortlessly."Tell the
"I already told you! You're not gaining anything from this case. You've thrown away your efforts and achieved nothing worthwhile. You did this solely to save your family member—defying your own principles, Alpha. This behavior is so unlike you," declared another Alpha, their voice laced with disappointment and frustration, as Hunter strode into the Main Headquarters.Summoned by the Alphas, Hunter faced their stern gazes after they discovered his controversial move. The young man had reportedly manipulated the Mafia and the ongoing case, all to rescue his nephew and clear the young man's tarnished reputation.Hunter met their reproachful eyes with unwavering resolve. "I will take full responsibility for my actions," he said firmly, his tone steady and deliberate. "But I hold no regrets in taking on this case. Family or not, Benjamin is still a civilian—one of many to whom we have sworn to serve and protect. I stand by that promise."One Alpha, his expressi
"How do you like the view? It’s beautiful, isn’t it? I chose this place because it offers an unbroken panorama of the ocean,” Giovanni said, his voice smooth, almost too casual, as he strolled into the grand, opulent room. The mansion, perched precariously on the edge of a dramatic cliff, seemed to mirror Aleah’s own sense of vulnerability. The sound of waves crashing against the rocks far below served as a haunting backdrop to the unsettling atmosphere. Giovanni’s presence only magnified Aleah’s unease.“This is an ideal place for couples, don’t you think?” Giovanni continued, setting a tray of food on the ornate table near the window. His lips curved into a smile that Aleah could only describe as insincere—dripping with calculated charm and thinly veiled malice. He approached her with slow, deliberate steps, like a predator closing in on its prey. Aleah instinctively stiffened as he moved closer, dread pooling in her
"Hunter! You’re here!" Elara called out as she ran to meet him at the De Luna mansion in Italy. Her face was a mix of worry and relief. Right behind her was Antonio, sitting in his wheelchair, his sharp eyes locked on the young man.Hunter stepped closer, his expression serious but apologetic. "Sorry for just showing up out of nowhere like this."Elara quickly shook her head. "Don’t worry about that. What matters is you’re here, and we’re going to find Aleah. I’m really grateful for what you’re doing.""You don’t need to thank me. Taking care of her... that’s on me," Hunter said, his voice heavy with guilt. "I should’ve been there. I should’ve kept her safe."Elara placed a hand on his arm, her tone comforting yet firm. "Hunter, it wasn’t your fault. You didn’t want this to happen."Antonio cut in, his voice steady but filled with anger. "Any idea who’s behind this? Who took my gra
A letter arrived at the De Luna mansion, bearing Giovanni's twisted challenge for the group’s new leader. Inside, it laid out a chilling ultimatum: the safety of Antonio's only granddaughter was at stake. If the new leader refused his challenge, Giovanni threatened to kill the girl and send her severed head back to them."That bastard!" Hunter growled, his eyes blazing with fury as he read the letter. But what sent chills down his spine was the contents of the small box that accompanied it. Inside was a severed ring finger, adorned with Aleah’s engagement ring and wedding band.Elara let out a horrified gasp and staggered backward. Before anyone could react, her legs gave way, and she collapsed unconscious. Guiller rushed to her side, trying to wake her.Antonio’s hand trembled as he gripped the edge of his chair. "How could he do this? How could Giovanni stoop so low?" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper, heavy with pain and rage.Gui
Aleah had been dropping by the hospital every day to see her sister, Natasha. And every single time, it bugged her how Natasha didn’t even bother visiting her baby in the nursery. One day, when Aleah came to check on her, she noticed a man walking out of Natasha’s room. As she got closer, Natasha’s face said it all—she was scared out of her mind. “What’s going on? Who was that guy?” Aleah asked, but Natasha just shut down, refusing to say a word. The thing was, Aleah kept seeing the same guy hanging around the hospital. Something wasn’t right. One day, she overheard Natasha arguing with him in her room. She didn’t plan on listening in, but her sister sounded so shaken she couldn’t help it. “You need to give me that video!” Natasha pleaded, her voice trembling. The guy chuckled. “Why would I? That video’s making me a ton of money,” he said, completely unbothered. Aleah’s gut twisted. What was this guy talking about? She couldn’t shake the bad feeling. Then sh
Aleah and Natasha got to the hospital, and right away, Claire came up to them. Her eyes went wide as she stared. “Aleah? Natasha?” she gasped. Seeing Natasha’s round belly made her freeze for a moment. Nobody was expecting this—least of all Claire.“What’s going on?” Claire asked, still staring at Natasha, who avoided her gaze.Aleah didn’t miss a beat. “Her water broke. She needs attention,” she said firmly.Claire blinked, catching up with the situation. “Oh, right! Hold on.” She waved down a nurse and gestured for Natasha to follow them to the delivery room.When Natasha was out of sight, Claire rounded on Aleah. “What happened?” she demanded.“I saw her outside the mall. There was a hostage situation,” Aleah said, keeping her voice steady.“No, I mean… she’s pregnant!” Claire exclaimed. “How come no one knew?”Ale
For a week, Aleah stayed in Italy to accompany her mother in taking care of her grandfather, Antonio. Fortunately, he had passed the critical stage. According to the doctors, he just needed rest and would soon recover. In the meantime, Guiller temporarily took over his responsibilities. Since Aleah had to return to her country for work, her mother stayed behind in Italy to look after her grandfather, along with her husband.Currently, Aleah has been accepted into Dennis's law firm while waiting for her bar exam results. Dennis mentioned that it would be beneficial for her to be there, as he could assist her and she could gain valuable experience. She could decide later whether to continue working there or leave. Aleah didn’t turn down the opportunity, and Hunter agreed as well. However, he warned her not to trust Dennis too much, as the latter still had feelings for her. Aleah assured Hunter that he had nothing to worry about.On her way home in a taxi, Aleah noticed
The members of the Astral Guardian carefully infiltrated a cargo vessel as part of a joint mission with the Navy. They moved cautiously, ensuring that they made no noise that might alert the kidnappers inside. Within the cargo vessel, three male hostages were being held. The Navy members located a container where the captives were confined.Since the container was locked, one member had to shoot the lock to open it. Once the lock was broken, another Navy member forcefully kicked the door open. The hostages were visibly shocked to see the Navy members standing before them.One of the hostages blinked in disbelief as the Navy members appeared in the doorway."We're getting you out of here," one of the Navy officers said firmly, already moving to help the nearest man to his feet.“We need to move. Now,” another hissed, scanning the area. “They’ll know we’re here any second.”Without hesitation, their leader barked, “Hel
"He's not gonna make it, is he?" Elara asked Aleah, watching the families on the school grounds snapping pictures. Today was Aleah's graduation day, but something felt missing.Aleah glanced at the scene, her gaze lingering on the happy faces. "I don't know, Mom," she said softly, biting her lip as she scanned the crowd.“Don’t tell me your husband’s off saving the world again?” Dennis said as he walked toward them, his suit crisp and a bouquet of flowers in hand.Aleah’s eyes met his. "Dennis," she greeted quietly."For you," Dennis said, offering the bouquet with a grin. "Seriously, though. I heard he just got out of the hospital. Is he really off on another mission already? Seems like he’d rather save strangers than be here for you."Before Aleah could reply, Rafael joined them with Claire and their child in tow. "Hey, he’ll be here soon," Rafael said confidently, giving Aleah a warm smile.Seeing them, Aleah
The birthday party for Daniella and Zane’s child came to an abrupt end when a frantic call from the hospital informed them that Hunter was in the operating room. Without wasting a second, they raced to the hospital, where the Vice Admiral and two of his men were waiting.Aleah froze the moment her eyes landed on the Vice Admiral. The world around her seemed to stop, her body going icy cold—especially when she noticed the blood staining the hands and uniforms of his men.“What happened to Hunter?” Daniella and Zane demanded, their voices sharp with worry. The Vice Admiral shook his head, refusing to share any details. “The doctors have been working for almost six hours now. His injuries are... serious. Even though he should’ve been able to heal himself, the wounds are too severe this time.”He continued, his voice grim, “He was shot. One hit his body, but the worst—we think—might’ve hit his head.”
A young man was running frantically, dodging gunfire from men on motorcycles and a pickup-style jeep. Explosions erupted behind him as he sprinted, forcing him to quicken his pace to evade his relentless pursuers. The chase led to a beach, where the explosions continued to trail him. One of the men in a car aimed a rocket launcher at him, causing the young man to dive just as the rocket exploded behind him. He landed on the ground, unconscious and bleeding from a head wound.The pursuers stopped a short distance away, and one of them ordered two men to check if the young man was still alive. They approached him, turned him over with their feet, and saw blood streaming from his head, along with wounds on his side and shoulder. Noticing his faint breathing, one of them cocked his gun, ready to end the young man's life.Just as the trigger was about to be pulled, the sound of a helicopter filled the air, followed by gunfire targeting the men on motorcycles and in the car. One
Before they headed back home, Hunter and Aleah made the most of their time together on their honeymoon. After three long years apart, Hunter wanted to make sure Aleah never felt insecure, even with the new mission looming ahead. She would always be his number one—he promised her that in a letter three years ago."Morning, love," Hunter greeted with a bright smile as he walked into their room. Aleah couldn't help but beam when she saw him carrying a breakfast tray with a single white rose resting on top. When she woke up and found his side of the bed empty, she thought he’d left for his mission—gone without a word, as his top-secret missions usually demanded. The Vice Admiral’s visit had left her half-expecting it. She had even braced herself to go home alone. But there he was.Hunter set the tray on the bed, picking up the rose with a grin. "Breakfast in bed, madam."Aleah raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "What’s th
Ahem." The throat-clearing sliced through the sweet moment between the couple. Hunter and Aleah both turned to find its source. Aleah’s eyes rounded when she saw a man she didn’t recognize. He wore a spotless white uniform—the kind Navy officers wore, if Aleah had to guess. Her eyes caught on the insignia on his shoulder. Two younger men stood behind him, their stances stiff, their outfits screaming “military.”"Alpha Hunter," the man in white said as he saluted, sharp and precise. The two men behind him followed suit. Hunter helped Aleah up gently before returning the gesture."Vice Admiral Salvacion," Hunter replied, his tone calm but alert."Sorry to crash your vacation," Salvacion said, extending his hand to Hunter.Hunter hesitated, glancing at Aleah. She didn’t say anything, just quietly watched the exchange, her expression unreadable. Hunter’s gut churned—whatever the Vice Admiral was here for, it wasn’