"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
Giovanni found out that the guy Hunter shot and Aleah were still alive. This made him furious. To vent his anger, he told some rogue gang members to attack Hunter’s old crew. The ambush left them beaten badly and sent them to the hospital. Hunter heard about what happened and figured out Giovanni was behind it. He stormed over to confront him. “What did you say, Zen?” Kimberly asked, surprised, after hearing Hunter accuse Giovanni of playing dirty. “You don’t like what I did? Then why did you lie to me? You made me believe you killed that guy, and even your wife’s death turned out to be fake. So yeah, I decided your men should pay for your lies. You think you can just walk away from this?” Giovanni snapped. “Zen, is Giovanni telling the truth?” Kimberly asked, her tone confused. “So what if I didn’t go all the way? Scaring them was enough to keep them in line,” Hunter replied casually. “Are you seriously going to keep lying to me? You really thought I w
He got a message from his brother, Francis, saying their mall was under siege with a bomb threat. And if that wasn’t bad enough, one of the Guevarra hotels had also been hit by guys carrying explosives. "Giovanni really planned this one out," Guiller said, shaking his head. "He didn’t just start one mess—he’s got four different disasters lined up to make sure you can’t make a move." "And this isn’t just random chaos," Rafael added, scrolling through his phone. Hunter frowned. "What are you looking at?" he asked, watching Rafael’s expression darken. "Check this out," Rafael said, holding up his phone. It was a video, already blowing up online. The clip showed Aleah, sitting down with a bomb strapped to her body. A distorted voice in the video declared that once the timer on Aleah’s bomb hit zero, all the other explosives—in the shopping mall, the hotel, and the Astral Guardians’ HQ—would go off at the same time. The video had already reached Hunter’s and Alea
Suddenly, everyone was stunned when a live stream popped up online. The video showed Hunter making his way to the roof deck of the building. At the same time, another stream showed Aleah, strapped with a bomb, with the countdown ticking away. The situation quickly caught the attention of the media, who rushed to the Bryant building for live coverage of the unfolding events.The emergency response team Guiller had called showed up right on time, while Rafael dashed inside the building with a squad of SWAT officers, ready to back up Hunter.Hunter raced up the stairs until he reached the door to the roof deck—only to find it locked tight. Heavy-duty chains wrapped around the handle, the kind specially designed to hold back people like him with enhanced abilities. Stronger than regular mortals? Sure. But breaking through these? Not so much."Aleah! Are you in there?" Hunter yelled, his voice booming through the corridor."Zen!" Aleah’s shaky voice called
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!&rdqu
I’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
"What’s going on?” Aleah asked Rafael and Claire, glancing at their companions. After patching Hunter up, they had taken him to the hospital to rest. But when Aleah returned the next day, she found Rafael and Claire looking troubled.“I’m sorry, Aleah,” Rafael began. “We don’t even know what happened to him. He just… left the hospital out of nowhere.”“He was here last night when I left him to get some rest. But then—”“I checked with headquarters,” Charles interrupted, walking in with Trisha, who was holding some papers. “Apparently, Alpha Hunter requested to be discharged.”“Discharged?” Aleah’s voice shot up in surprise. “I know I healed him, but why would he ask to leave? For what reason?”Claire shook her head as she looked over the papers. “I have no clue.”“How can they just let a wounded man leave?&rdqu
Again and again, he repeated the cycle, silently pleading. "Come on, Aleah. Wake up. Please," he whispered, his voice cracking with desperation. He couldn’t lose her—not now, not ever."Where’s the medic?" Rafael barked, turning toward Trisha, who was frantically talking on her phone. She glanced back at him and shook her head."Seriously? Of all the rescue ops, how could they miss sending a medic?" Rafael snapped, frustration spilling out in his tone.Kimberly’s smirk widened. "Looks like your so-called master strategist didn’t think this one through," she said, her words dripping with mockery.Rafael shot her an icy glare, his fists clenched tight.Kimberly’s attention shifted to Hunter, and her voice took on a bitter edge. "I told you, Zen. If I can’t have you, she won’t either. Stop wasting your breath. You’re hurt, and you’re only making it worse."Hunter didn’t even flinch, didn&rsq
"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