Aleah couldn't help but smile as she watched the twins chase each other around, their laughter echoing in the open field. She sat a short distance away, enjoying the rare moment of calm after weeks of juggling work and endless cases. It had been months since she had spent uninterrupted time with her little ones. Their grandparents had taken up most of the babysitting duties, as she and Hunter were often lost in their respective careers. That’s why today felt so special—taking them out for a picnic, letting them run freely under the open sky.
In a few months, things would get even busier with a new member joining their family. Aleah knew moments like these might become more rare, so she wanted to savor every second.“Mama!” the twins called out, their bright faces lighting up as they waved at her. Aleah chuckled and waved back, her heart swelling with love. Watching them, she saw her little girl suddenly stumble and fall.“Be careful!&rdquI’m not kidding around, Alpha Hunter," Aleah said, her voice firm but trembling with emotion."And I’m not joking either," Hunter replied, his tone low but steady. "I told you I’d protect you, always. But honestly... this might be the one time I’m not sure I can pull it off. Giovanni made this thing, and it’s so damn complicated. That bastard knew exactly what he was doing.""If there’s really nothing else we can do..." Aleah whispered, her eyes flicking to the timer. Less than two minutes. Her heart pounded harder with every passing second, fear coursing through her veins."Zen," she said softly, her gaze locking onto him."What is it?" he asked, meeting her teary eyes, his own glowing gold ones filled with concern."Do you remember... when I told you I liked you?" she asked, her voice shaking but sincere."Yeah, I remember. Why are you bringing that up now?" Hunter asked, his brow furrowing as his hands worked caref
Alpha Hunter, sorry to butt in, but we’re good here. The bombs are ready to be transported to a safe spot," Rafael said, standing in front of them. The guy just looked up at Rafael while still holding Aleah close. He glanced at her for a moment, then let go, stood up, and helped her get to her feet.They watched as the SWAT team and bomb squad headed downstairs with the disarmed bombs."I’m coming with you for the transport," he said, turning to Rafael. "Guiller, what’s going on with the other locations?" Hunter asked, speaking into his earpiece to Guiller, who was down on the ground floor. He was talking about the bombs at the Shopping Mall, Guevarra Hotel, and Headquarters."They’re all being moved to safety, nice and easy," Guiller replied."Good. I’ll catch up soon. Make sure no cars pass along the bomb routes. We can’t assume we’ve completely shut this down. Giovanni’s a slippery one. Who knows what sneaky tric
The young man brought the armored car and the bombs to a remote, deserted area, along with the other explosives recovered from the shopping mall, Guevarra Hotel, and Headquarters. Hunter had a hunch Giovanni’s bomb threat wasn’t over, and he couldn’t shake it. While checking the bomb’s wires earlier, he realized it wasn’t timer-triggered, which meant they had to move fast and get everything as far away from people as possible.“Man, Alpha Hunter is something else, isn’t he? Guy’s one of a kind,” a SWAT member said, walking alongside Rafael as they moved away from the empty lot where they’d just hauled the bombs. Hunter had told them to bring everything there so he could work on disarming them. They left him with three bomb experts, trusting he’d handle it.As Rafael and the SWAT team headed back to their vehicle, a massive explosion rocked the air behind them. They whipped around to see a fireball rising fro
After 24 hours, Hunter managed to overcome his critical condition and is now under observation. However, he has yet to regain consciousness due to the events that transpired. The Alpha King learned of Hunter's actions, and to safeguard him from those who mean him harm, a group of Astral Guardians was assigned to protect the young man.The Alpha King was in disbelief when Rafael informed him that a massive international terrorist group, with connections to rogue elements, was their enemy. Rafael also revealed Hunter's original plan, but it seemed unlikely that Hunter could rejoin the group after what happened. Additionally, Rafael confessed that Kimberly was involved with that group. In response, all branches of the military were alerted to pursue the group relentlessly.Several days passed, and Hunter’s condition stabilized as his wounds healed gradually. Thanks to his Alpha blood, Hunter's recovery was much faster compared to an ordinary mortal's. He was eventually
Everyone lit up with relief when Hunter opened his eyes. After days of being out cold, the moment they’d all been waiting for finally came—he was awake. Inside the room were Sebastain, Damian, Guiller, Elara, Darylle, Rafael, and Claire, who had been taking turns keeping watch.“Where’s Aleah?” Hunter asked right away, scanning the room and frowning when he didn’t see her. No one answered, just a bunch of awkward glances. His eyes darted to Guiller and Rafael. “Seriously, where is she?” he pressed, already trying to sit up. Claire rushed over to help, steadying him.“Hunter, this… isn’t easy to say, but you’ve got to hear it,” Rafael started carefully.“Out with it,” Hunter said, his tone sharp.“She hasn’t been home for two days,” Darylle blurted out, earning a stunned look from Hunter.“What are you talking about?” Hunter demanded, confu
"How long are you planning to keep me locked up in here?” Aleah snapped as Kimberly strolled into the room. The last thing Aleah remembered was being taken by Kimberly and Giovanni to some place Kimberly claimed was their origin along with Hunter. Kimberly had made it clear she was going to take Hunter back. Then boom—everything went black after she got whacked on the back of her neck. When she woke up, she was stuck in this room, with Giovanni and Kimberly taking turns bringing her food.Escape? Not happening. The windows were barred, even the bathroom ones. And her phone? Long gone—Giovanni had snatched it before they left the country. Now Aleah had no idea where she was. Every time she peeked out the window, all she saw was a massive stretch of ocean. It reminded her of that other time Giovanni kidnapped her. He’d taken her to this cliffside house with nothing but endless water below.“When I finally get Zen back, I’ll send you home.
Kimberly couldn’t believe what she was seeing—one by one, the people around her dropped to the ground. Before she could process it, Guiller’s armed group stormed in. They closed in on Kimberly, grabbing her without hesitation.“Well, Giovanni, it’s just you now. Give it up,” Guiller ordered.“Ha! You think I’ll surrender that easily? Don’t forget, I’ve got your wife—and the lives of everyone in that hospital—under my thumb,” Giovanni shot back, smirking.Hunter stood firm. “Nice try, but you can’t scare me with that. My team’s already at the hospital, disarming your bomb as we speak,” he countered.“Oh, really?” Giovanni sneered, taking a step back with Aleah in tow. “Fine, I’ll give you that. But don’t think for a second this ends here. I always have the last laugh.”As Giovanni dragged Aleah closer to the edge of a cliff
Aleah!" Elara’s voice rang out in worry as she rushed into the hospital with Sebastian and Damian in tow. Inside the room, Aleah was perched on one bed, while Hunter snoozed on the one next to her. His wound had been treated, the bandages neatly in place. The doctor had stressed he needed proper rest. But still—why had he suddenly had complications? And who on earth discharged him without even bothering to check with his doctors?"Lei, you’re okay now. What happened to you, kiddo? Are you alright? Is anything hurting?" Elara asked, hurrying over to her daughter. Her hands fluttered to Aleah’s face, her eyes scanning her daughter like she was checking for any hidden cracks."I’m fine, Ma," Aleah said, flashing her mom a faint smile. Hearing those words, Elara let out a breath she didn’t even know she was holding and pulled Aleah into a tight hug."It’s such a relief to see you safe, Aleah," Sebastian said warmly, a gentle smile
"ALEAH!" Hunter shouted, his voice cracking with panic as he saw what those men had done to his wife. He bolted to the ship's railing, gripping it tight. Just as he was about to leap, Kimberly grabbed his arm."Zen, are you out of your mind? You really wanna die?" Kimberly said, her voice sharp with urgency. She clutched his arm, holding him back.Hunter shot a quick look at her hand, then locked eyes with her. "Who cares? Death’s gonna catch up with me anyway," he said, yanking his arm free. Without another word, he threw himself over the railing, diving into the water. At that moment, nothing else mattered. His thoughts were consumed by one thing: saving Aleah. He didn’t care what happened to him."Zen!" Kimberly yelled, clutching the ship’s railing as Hunter disappeared into the waves. Rafael and the others started toward the railing, but before they could get closer, Helen’s and Kimberly’s men swarmed in, blocking their path.Hun
"Kimberly! Dr. Helen!" Aleah's voice shot out, filled with shock, as the men who had grabbed her dragged her onto a ship. There they were—Kimberly and Dr. Helen, waiting as if they'd planned this all along. Her eyes darted between the two, disbelief clear in her expression. "What do you want from me? Why did you bring me here?"Kimberly stepped forward, her voice dripping with smugness. "The only way for Zen to be with me is if you… disappear.""Disappear?" Aleah repeated, her brows furrowing as her confusion quickly gave way to anger."Yes. If you’re out of the picture, Zen won’t have a reason to stay with his so-called family. He’ll come back to me." Kimberly’s lips curled into a sly grin. "We belong together. We’re soulmates."Aleah let out a dry laugh, her voice sharp. "Soulmates? Seriously? And ‘fake family’? Do you even hear yourself?" She took a step closer, glaring at Kimberly. "If you’re really
At Aleah's house, Rafael and Claire showed up with a couple of Hunter's old Astral Guardians crew. Rafael broke the news—Aleah was missing, and nobody had a clue where to start looking. The clock ticked into the night, but they were still stuck."You think something bad happened to her?" Elara asked, worry written all over her face."Let’s hope not," Claire said softly. "We don’t even know where Hunter is," she added, casting a glance at Rafael. "Still no word about---""Don’t mention that coward!" Antonio snapped suddenly, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. Everyone turned to him, startled. Claire shot a look at Rafael, who just shrugged. Clearly, no one had any idea why Antonio had it out for the Alpha."We should wait a bit before reporting this as a missing person case," Trisha suggested, trying to calm everyone down."While we wait, let’s hit up the spots she usually goes to," Charles said. "And get in touc
"Guiller!" Don Antonio called out as he walked back into the cell. He froze for a second, spotting Guiller with a gun aimed squarely at Hunter's head. Hearing the old man's voice, Guiller turned, and even Hunter, who seemed ready to embrace his end, glanced at him."Hold up," Antonio said, keeping his voice calm. He locked eyes with Guiller. "I'm not stopping you because I've had a change of heart. There's just something more important I need from you. Killing him can wait.""What’s up?" Guiller asked, lowering the gun slightly."My granddaughter’s missing," Antonio replied. The weight of his words hit Hunter like a truck. He blinked, then shot a look at the older man."What happened to Aleah?" Hunter said, standing and pressing a hand to his side. His voice wavered between panic and pain. Both Guiller and Antonio whipped their heads toward him, surprised."Why do you care? It’s none of your business anymore," Antonio snapped. His tone was
“These are Gio’s and my medical records,” Kimberly explained gently. “And Zen’s situation is identical.”Aleah’s heart sank as Kimberly’s words began to sink in.“As you’ll see,” the other woman chimed in, “both Gio and Kimberly developed brain tumors—side effects of the experiment. Gio passed away last year from complications. The condition is incurable. Even Kimberly, as a doctor, couldn’t do anything to stop it. And the wolf blood they carry? It’s not enough to save them.”Aleah’s breath hitched, and her mind raced. Was Hunter facing the same fate?Aleah stared at Kimberly’s files, her stomach twisting as the woman’s words sank in. Scenarios played out in her mind, each one worse than the last. If Giovanni and Kimberly had the same illness, and they were both products of the experiment, then it wasn’t hard to believe Hunter might have it too.
While Aleah was busy packing her belongings, she received a call from an unknown number. She stared at the screen of her cellphone for a few moments, wondering whether she should answer it. The thought of Hunter crossed her mind. Hoping it might be Hunter on the other end of the line, she quickly answered the call. To her disappointment, it wasn’t Hunter but Kimberly. Curiosity got the best of her when Kimberly mentioned she was in the country and wanted to meet her. Aleah felt there was nothing to discuss between them. However, her interest was piqued when Kimberly revealed she was with Zen’s mother, who wanted to meet and get to know her. Aleah was aware that Zen wasn’t Sebastian Bryant’s biological child, and she secretly wanted to meet Zen’s real parents. Previously, Giovanni and Kimberly had told her that they, along with Hunter, were products of an experiment. Aleah agreed to meet Kimberly because she was also eager to meet Hunter’s mother. When Aleah stepped out of her room,
For a month, Hunter hadn't shown himself to them. There was no news about what had happened to him. Even the members of the armed forces were clueless about the Alpha's whereabouts. They confirmed to Aleah that Hunter had taken leave before they departed and had specifically asked not to be disturbed while he was on vacation with his wife. This left them puzzled when Rafael informed them that Hunter hadn't returned yet.Aleah stayed for a week at her grandfather Antonio's mansion before deciding to return to the country, hoping she'd meet Hunter upon her return. However, when she arrived, even Rafael didn't know where his friend was. Rafael was surprised to hear that Aleah and Hunter hadn't been together, as he believed Hunter had been on a mission. The young captain then confirmed that the Alpha wasn't on any mission."Something terrible might have happened to him," Aleah remarked. She was at Hunter's house along with her grandfather Antonio, Guiller, Daryll, and Elara. W
"Zen! Is that really you?" called out an elderly woman sitting in a wheelchair. Behind her stood a nurse, gently pushing the chair forward. Her hair was pure white, her face lined with wrinkles—a classic image of someone who had seen decades of life. She looked at the young man, but no memory seemed to spark recognition."She's the researcher I told you about. Technically, she's kind of like our mother—one of the people who created us," Kimberly explained to the man."It's been years, Zen. I never thought we'd cross paths again after all this time," the old woman said, her voice warm yet tinged with something unspoken. "That soldier took care of you, didn’t he? You turned out to be such a remarkable young man.""Kimmy told me all about you," she added, smiling faintly. "A military man An Alpha of Astral guardians—a true success story. Honestly, it’s a surprise. Who would’ve thought one of you would join the armed forces after everyt
"You’re here!" said the young woman standing by the balcony. She spun around the moment she heard the door open. Her face lit up with a big smile as soon as she saw who it was. She rushed toward the man, ready to throw her arms around him, but he stopped her in her tracks. Her smile vanished."Wow, Zen. Still the same old icy guy, huh?" she teased, trying to hide her disappointment."Where is she?" Zen asked, his eyes darting around the room like he was on a mission. But much to his frustration, there was no one else there—just him and Kimberly.After touching down at Santorini Airport, Hunter got a call from Kimberly. She told him she’d tracked down one of the Iron Maiden researchers—the one who had escaped before. Apparently, this researcher wanted to meet Hunter before they passed away. Kimberly added that there were secrets about Hunter’s identity that he needed to hear.Hunter hadn’t planned on showing up, but whatever Kim