When Hunter came back to their room after handling the unruly guest, he spotted Aleah already asleep on the bed. He quietly placed the wine and glass on the table, a small gift from the hotel manager for his efforts earlier. Hunter moved closer, sitting beside his wife. He carefully brushed her hair off her face, smiling softly as he adjusted her blanket.
"Sleep well, my love," he whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek before standing again. He walked to the table, poured himself a glass of wine, and stepped onto the terrace."How am I supposed to sleep?" he muttered under his breath, leaning back in his chair. The wine glass and bottle sat untouched on the side table. Opening the bottle, he poured a little wine, swirled it around, and took a sip."A honeymoon under the stars, yet here I am drinking wine on my own," Hunter said, frustration coloring his voice. His thoughts drifted to the commotion earlier and the guest's horrible timing—interrupting theThe casual gesture made her feel warm and safe as they strolled toward the hotel restaurant. As they sat down to eat, the relaxed atmosphere was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a woman.“Hi! You’re the guy from the beach earlier, right?” the woman asked, her voice far too enthusiastic. Aleah and Hunter both turned toward her, startled by her abruptness.“I know this might sound weird, but... can I sit with you guys?” the woman asked directly, not even attempting subtlety.Seriously? Aleah’s brows twitched, and she had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. The woman’s boldness was almost laughable.“S-sure,” Hunter stammered, clearly caught off guard. The woman didn’t hesitate, slipping into the empty chair at their table as though she belonged there.Aleah’s eyes narrowed, her gaze boring into Hunter like lasers. Hunter gulped, clearly realizing his mistake. Yep, he’d definitely ma
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’
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
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
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.”
"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 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
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
"KIA? What do you mean KIA? Who’s KIA?” Aleah’s voice cracked as she stepped into the living room, her eyes darting to Rafael, who was mid-conversation with Sebastian. Charles and Michael were also there, but their usual easygoing demeanor was replaced with somber expressions. It was as if a dark cloud had settled in the room.Hunter hadn’t been home in two weeks. Every time she went to the camp, the soldiers would block her path, telling her the Alpha wasn’t accepting visitors—not even her, his wife. She had tried to be patient, to understand, because deep down, she knew she still had a lot to make up for. But now… this? Her chest tightened as if the air had been sucked out of the room.“Aleah, dear…” Sebastian’s voice was calm but carried the weight of something heavy, something she wasn’t ready to hear.“No, no,” Aleah said, shaking her head as she took a hesitant step forward. &l
"Zen!" Aleah called out, her voice trembling slightly as she followed him off the bus. The weight of his silence during the ride there still hung heavy between them. Even his men, usually talkative, hadn’t dared to utter a word. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife, and everyone could feel the storm brewing within their Alpha."Alpha Hunter," Aleah tried again, grabbing his hand gently to stop him. He froze at her touch, and for a moment, everyone else around them seemed to hold their breath.“We’ll head inside first,” Charles said, offering a quick salute. The rest of the Astral Guardians followed suit, their movements sharp and disciplined. Hunter returned the gesture with a curt nod, still silent."I’ll prepare the report," Rafael chimed in, saluting his friend. Hunter barely glanced his way, giving a small nod of acknowledgment before they all began filing into the camp.Aleah watched as Hunter pulled his hand from he
Aleah hunched down inside the van, trying to avoid the bullets tearing through. Two men hit the ground, lifeless. Chatles, perched on top of the bus, joined in firing at the attackers. Rafael and Hunter weren’t holding back either.Soon enough, Aleah's kidnappers started dropping one by one. The driver and his buddy in the passenger seat didn’t stand a chance either. Out of nowhere, Aleah gasped as someone yanked her out of the van."Stop! Stop firing!" a SWAT officer shouted, raising his hands. Carlos and his team noticed the man dragging Aleah and signaled for everyone to hold their fire."You piece of—!" Hunter growled, barely keeping his rage in check as he watched the man use Aleah as a human shield. The man dragged her further away from the van, pointing a gun at her head, facing off against Hunter and Rafael."What do you think you’re doing?" Aleah shot at him, her voice steady despite the fear in her chest. "You think they’re
"You’re being reckless again,” Hunter said, pushing himself off the hospital bed and letting go of Aleah’s hand. “You’re shaking, but here you are, worrying about everyone else’s safety instead of your own.”Aleah didn’t reply, but Hunter could see it—she was scared, terrified even. Yet, knowing her as well as he did, he knew she’d never ignore the injustices she witnessed.“What the hell are you doing? Get over here already!” the armed man barked at Aleah, his patience wearing thin. Aleah glanced at him briefly, then turned back to Hunter. The tension in the room was palpable; everyone inside seemed to be holding their breath.“Rafael, are you hearing me?” Hunter said into the device clipped to his ear. He’d been in the emergency room all along, tipped off that Shadow and the Iron Maiden’s operatives might target Claire after learning about Taniya. It had been days of stak
Everyone in the emergency room—doctors, patients—turned their heads in shock at the deafening sound of a gunshot. All eyes shifted to the glass door just as a security guard collapsed outside. Moments later, a man in tactical gear stormed in, dragging another guard who was clearly his hostage.The room froze. Nurses and patient companions panicked, racing toward the door leading to another section of the hospital. But their escape was short-lived as more men blocked the exits, forcing everyone back. With every way out sealed, tension filled the air.“If you don’t want this to be your last day alive, you’ll do exactly as we say,” the masked man barked. His grip on the hostage tightened as he scanned the terrified crowd. “Nobody leaves until we get what we came for. Got it? And to prove we mean business...watch this.”Without hesitation, he jammed a syringe into the neck of the hostage. The guard's eyes widened in terror a
"Claire! Watch out!" Aleah yelled as a woman suddenly dashed onto the road. Startled, Claire slammed on the brakes, sending both of them jerking forward. Luckily, their seatbelts kept them in place. Once the shock wore off, Claire turned to Aleah with wide eyes."Aleah, are you okay? Did you get hurt?" she asked, clearly worried."I’m fine," Aleah said, brushing it off. "But… I think we might’ve hit someone.""I swear, I didn’t mean to!" Claire blurted, panic creeping into her voice."Let’s go check," Aleah said, already getting out of the car. Claire followed quickly. As they rounded the front of the car, they saw a young woman sitting on the road. She looked terrified, her blonde hair and blue eyes immediately marking her as a foreigner."Are you okay? I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you—" Claire said as she approached the woman."Help me," the woman whispered, her voice shaky. Aleah and Claire exchanged une
"Alpha’s not with you?" Claire asked as Aleah walked into the hospital for her check-up. Yesterday, her cousin’s appointment got canceled because of that hostage situation. She was sure Hunter would be with Aleah this time, but seeing her alone was a surprise."He’s busy at work. Don’t worry, I’m fine. My belly’s not that big yet, so I can manage. Besides, I just came from work myself," Aleah said with a light smile before glancing over at the doctors talking to Uncle Luis. "New faces over there?""Yeah, they’re researchers from Scotland. They’re teaming up with the medical staff here to work on a new medicine," Claire explained, stealing a quick look at the doctors chatting with her dad. Just as she finished talking, the group started walking over."I’d like you to meet my doctor, Dr. Claire Ramirez," Uncle Luis said, beaming. "She’s one of the best surgeons we’ve got in this hospital. And I’m no
Oh, Alpha Hunter. Have you been here long?” Trisha asked with a curious look as she walked in, files in hand.Hunter glanced at her briefly before speaking. “No, but you're right on time. I need you to grab the test results from forensics—the one for the new case we're working on. It’s important.”Trisha nodded and headed off without hesitation. Hunter watched her leave for a moment before focusing back on the task at hand.Yesterday, he’d been pulled into an emergency meeting with the Alpha King and Navy Vice Admiral. It had been about the chilling discovery of street kids’ bodies in an abandoned building. The Vice Admiral thought the case tied into Hunter’s earlier work involving the Iron Maiden and a band of pirates.Months ago, Hunter had been sent undercover to an island suspected of being the pirates’ lair. It turned out to be much more than that. The island, dubbed “Death Island,” was actual
“Is there anything you’d like to eat?” Hunter asked, his tone soft and thoughtful as he looked at Aleah. She shook her head lightly, her lips forming a faint smile.“Please, don’t worry about me. I’m really not hungry yet,” Aleah replied, her voice gentle as she turned her gaze toward Jestina and Dave.“That’s a shame. Alpha’s cooking shouldn’t go to waste,” Dave remarked, eyeing the dishes before them.“Don’t mind me—enjoy the meal,” Aleah said simply.“Are you absolutely sure there’s nothing you’d like?” Hunter asked again, his fingers brushing hers gently as he reached for her hand. Jestina and Dave exchanged a glance, quietly noting the intimate bubble the couple seemed to share.“Tama si Alpha Hunter,” Jestina chimed in cheerfully, leaning forward slightly. “It’d be such a waste if you don’t eat. If I were