On his way home, Hunter got a strange call. The person on the other end asked if he’d received the envelope and if he remembered anything about his past. When Hunter tried to figure out who was calling, the voice just told him to ask Dr. Stuart for answers. Then the call cut off.
Not long after, his phone buzzed again—this time, it was Kimberly. She asked to meet up at a restaurant. When Hunter asked if she was alright, she didn’t give a clear answer. Still, her tone made him think she was okay. Curious about the first call and wanting to figure out how Kimberly fit into all this, he agreed to meet her.When Hunter got to the restaurant, he spotted her right away, sitting in the farthest corner. He walked up to her and asked, “How are you feeling? Are you sure you’re okay being out?”“I’m fine. Honestly, I’ve been through worse,” Kimberly said with a small shrug, but her words made Hunter frown.“SAleah headed to her house in the Compound after Rafael called her up. He told her that Hunter's wallet, phone, and gun had somehow shown up at their place. They were waiting for Hunter to come by, but as the evening dragged on, he still hadn’t shown up. Nobody had a clue how to reach him, and Kimberly wasn’t around either.“Do you have any idea where he might’ve gone?” Aleah asked Rafael once he arrived. The whole squad from Hunter's task force was there, too. Even Claire had come over to check on Kimberly, but the girl wasn’t home.“No clue,” Carlos chimed in. “But yesterday morning, Hunter got a package. Then he told me he had to go somewhere, but didn’t say where.”“You saw him yesterday?” Rafael asked.“Yeah, he dropped by Director Kim's place to see me. But we didn’t talk for long—he said he’d be back here later,” Aleah replied. She furrowed her brows
After a long flight, Hunter and Kimberly finally touched down in Scotland. They ended up in a remote area, far from civilization. As Hunter looked around, something about the place felt oddly familiar—especially the crumbling remains of a house in front of him. Without saying anything, Kimberly headed straight into the house, and Hunter followed after her.Inside, the place looked like it hadn’t been touched in years. Dust and cobwebs clung to everything.“What is this place?” Hunter asked, glancing at Kimberly.“This? It's the Iron Maiden facility,” she replied, turning to face him. “This is where you were... I don’t know, created? Or woke up? Whatever you want to call it.”“What are you talking about?” Hunter asked, his confusion growing.“Here. Drink this,” Kimberly said, holding out a tablet instead of answering his question directly. Hunter frowned, staring at the pill, then a
"Zen!" Aleah called out, her face lighting up as she spotted him outside. She’d been standing on the terrace, taking in the night sky sprinkled with stars and a bright full moon. There he was, standing in the garden, looking right at her. She didn’t know when he’d returned, but seeing him made her heart race with excitement. Without thinking twice, she dashed downstairs to greet him.As soon as she reached the garden, she ran straight into his arms and hugged him tightly."Zen, what happened to you? Where’ve you been all this time?" she asked, her voice a mix of relief and curiosity. But Zen didn’t say a word; he just stared at her in silence."Why aren’t you talking? Did something happen to you?" Aleah continued, growing more anxious. Instead of answering, Zen gently pushed her away, leaving her confused."Let’s end this," he said flatly."Wait, what?" Aleah asked, completely caught off guard."This whole act,
"Alpha Hunter!" Rafael and the rest of the task force called out in unison as Hunter stepped out of the highest-ranking General's office. It had been nearly a month, and they couldn’t believe he was finally here. They’d searched everywhere for him—even Guiller’s team came up empty-handed."Dude, what happened to you? You were gone for a week! Do you know how worried everyone was? Your family, Aleah especially," Rafael said, walking up to him."I don’t owe you an explanation for anything I do," Hunter replied coldly, catching everyone off guard."What? Are you serious right now?" Rafael asked, baffled. "Did something happen to you while you were away? Why are you acting like this?""Drop it. I’m not explaining myself to you. And for the record, I don’t need you meddling in my life. Have you forgotten I’m the Alpha, and you’re just a Beta? You shouldn’t be questioning my decisions.""But—"
Aleah didn’t believe Hunter would change so suddenly. Sure, he’d always been a bit of a grouch—even during their first meeting—but he wasn’t the type to just ditch his friends. Something must’ve happened to him when he disappeared. Deciding she couldn’t just sit around and mope, she resolved to find him. She asked Dennis for help, and together, they started their search.While looking for Hunter, they spotted Dr. Stuart at a shopping mall. Aleah figured it might be a good idea to follow him since Hunter had previously handled his case. She knew Hunter wasn’t the kind of person to walk away from something he was working on until it was solved.“Are we really doing this?” Dennis asked, munching on fries as they sat in a fast-food joint inside the mall. Across from them was a boutique where Kimberly had just walked in.“What’s the deal between you and Hunter anyway? Is he cheating on you or something
"I thought you promised to find a way to cut ties with your old friends. So why did I see you talking to your ex-wife?” Giovanni asked Hunter as they returned to the house they’d been staying in. When they arrived in the country, they all decided to live together under one roof while planning their strategies to execute their mission.When Hunter discovered his true identity and came to understand what Giovanni and Kimberly stood for, he realized that the life he thought he knew was all a lie. Joining their cause felt like the only way to piece together his fragmented sense of self. That’s why he chose to be part of their mission.Kimberly and Giovanni had been involved in the unrest in the countries they’d been to—Libya first, and then Myanmar. The chaos was a result of the falsehoods they had sown in the hearts and minds of local communist groups, inciting rebellions against the government. Though their actions went against the beliefs Hunte
"You saw what happened, right? What else does Zen need to do to prove he’s on our side?" Kimberly said as Hunter returned home after the operation. Giovanni glanced at Hunter, still unsure about his loyalty. But even he couldn’t deny the fact that Hunter had played a huge role in keeping the police and soldiers from discovering their plans. The guy had come up with the entire strategy and even set the trap that worked perfectly. "Okay, fine. You did well," Giovanni finally said. "Because of you, we managed to save a ton of money." "Exactly. So, can we drop the doubts now? I know what I’m doing," Hunter replied, leaning back confidently. "What else do I need to do to prove that I’m with you?" "You saw him shoot his former teammate, didn’t you?" Kimberly jumped in. "That should be more than enough proof that he’s with us now." "Alright, alright. But I’ve got one more task for you," Giovanni said, crossing his arms. "Do this right, and I’ll trust you—no questions as
"Z...en!" Aleah gasped, bolting upright from where she had been lying down. She blinked hard, taking in her surroundings. This was... her room? At Director Kim's house? Her eyes darted to the bloodstain on her shoulder. But there was no pain, no wound. What on earth? The last thing she remembered was Hunter pointing a gun at her head. That deafening gunshot still rang in her ears. Was this real—or was she dead and dreaming?"Lei! You're awake!" Elara’s voice broke through her confusion as she walked into the room, trailed by Guiller, Rafael, and Director Kim. "How are you feeling?"Aleah stared at them, bewildered. They all looked concerned, even... relieved? But why? What were they doing here, especially Guiller and Rafael? Her head was spinning."What’s going on?" she blurted, her voice trembling. "Where’s Zen? Is he okay? Did something happen to him?""Hey, hey, calm down," Elara said gently, sitting beside her and clasping her hand. He
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
"Wait, are you leaving?” Aleah’s voice cracked as she watched Hunter unpack at the hotel. Her heart raced. It was supposed to be their honeymoon, a dream getaway to Greece—but suddenly, it felt like a nightmare.They had landed just hours ago, her excitement bubbling over when she realized where they were. Hunter had kept the destination a secret, and Aleah had been thrilled to discover they were in a place she’d only ever seen in movies. But now, something was wrong. Very wrong.From the moment they left the airport, Aleah had felt a distance—a chill in the air that had nothing to do with the weather. Hunter had been quiet, lost in thought. She tried to brush it off. Maybe he was tired. Maybe he was overwhelmed by the trip. But no matter how much she tried to pull him out of his shell, he remained cold, distant.“Zen,” Aleah whispered as they rode in the car. Her hand reached out, gently brushing his arm. “Is everything
Aleah woke with a start, her heart racing. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dim light and felt the weight of Hunter's jacket draped over her like a soft shield. Her gaze shifted, and there he was—peacefully asleep beside her. A deep breath escaped her lips, the relief washing over her.“Hi!” a cheery voice piped up from the seat in front of her, yanking Aleah out of her trance. The woman leaned forward, kneeling on her seat as if she couldn’t contain herself. When she suddenly sat upright, Aleah flinched, caught off guard.“Oh! Sorry, did I scare you?” the woman asked, her face lighting up with amusement. Aleah forced a smile, but her attention involuntarily drifted back to Hunter. The woman’s gaze followed, and Aleah couldn’t miss the way her eyes lingered on him. Her stomach twisted.“I heard he’s an Alpha,” the woman said, her voice carrying an excited hush. “I looked him up—he&rsq