"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 asAleah's eyes fluttered open when she felt little hands gently stroking her cheek. She also heard a tiny voice calling her name. As she fully opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was the light on the ceiling of the room she was in. She could still feel the touch of those small hands against her face.“Mama,” the voice said softly. Aleah turned her head to where the voice was coming from. She jolted upright as soon as she saw the familiar face gazing at her while caressing her cheek.“Ash! What are you doing here?” Aleah asked in shock, grasping her daughter's hand. Her eyes darted around the room. From the feel of the rocking motion and the layout of the cabin, she could guess—they were at sea. Maybe in a cabin on a ship. She could even feel the waves crashing.“Mama, are you hurt?” The little girl asked, her small hand brushing against Aleah’s cheek.“No, sweetheart. I'm fine, really,” Aleah reas
Hunter’s hand clenched around the phone, his knuckles turning white. He didn’t know whether to slam it down or throw it across the room in sheer frustration.“Zen.” Hunter heard Aleah’s voice through the earpiece. He didn’t respond right away—his anger was still boiling over. “Zen!” Aleah’s voice cut through his thoughts again.“Hunter,” Rafael said as he stepped closer, gesturing to the earpiece.“A-Aleah. Yeah, I hear you,” Hunter finally answered, snapping out of it.“What’s going on? Have you found Isaac? The twins?” Aleah’s tone was sharp and anxious.“I—I’m with them,” Hunter said, glancing at Isaac and the little boy. He didn’t mention that one of the twins was still missing. When he heard Aleah let out a deep, relieved sigh, guilt hit him hard. He hated not telling her the whole truth.“You need to move
"Be careful," Aleah said, her voice steady but full of concern. Hunter just gave her a quick nod before jumping out of the van. As soon as he was gone, Aleah planted herself in front of the computer, fingers flying across the keyboard as she started hunting down the bombs the man had planted in the hotel.Inside, Hunter and Rafael wasted no time. They marched into the hotel, intent on finding the bombs and rescuing the kids trapped in the penthouse."Aleah, any chance we can call the penthouse phone?" Hunter asked through his headset, eyes flicking to Rafael as they waited for the elevator to arrive."No way," Aleah answered instantly. "That phone’s wired as a detonator. I disabled all the hotel phones just to be safe."Rafael raised an eyebrow at Aleah from across the room. "Man, are you sure you’re not some undercover tech genius? I mean, I work IT for the Armed Forces, and you’ve got me feeling like a rookie."Aleah flashed him a distrac
Fine, I’ll play along with your twisted games, but hear this—I’ll find you, and when I do, you won’t be playing anymore," Hunter growled, his voice dripping with restrained fury."Threats don’t scare me—""Don’t flatter yourself," Hunter cut him off sharply. "This isn’t about threats. Now, what’s the game? Do you want me to hunt you down? Because trust me, I’ll enjoy that," he added with a smirk that barely masked his anger.On the other end of the line, the man’s silence cracked for a moment—Hunter’s words clearly landing hard. Then came the icy voice: "I hold all the cards. There are bombs inside the Guevarra building. Each one is tied to three things that matter most to you," the man taunted. "You’d better hurry and find them before time runs out. Tick-tock, Hunter. When the clock hits zero, everything—your treasures, your building—goes up in flames."Hunter froze,
"I’ll never forget this day, Alpha Hunter. You have no idea who you’re messing with!" shouted the man, rage burning in his eyes as Hunter’s team dragged him off the Navy Vessel. They had been on a routine sea border patrol when they spotted a suspicious boat. Hunter had tagged along with the Navy because of a case he was working on—a tip about illegal activity that couldn’t be ignored. Apparently, women were being smuggled out of the country to nearby nations, only to be forced into unspeakable situations. It wasn’t the first time they’d heard of white slavery and shady dealings at the sea borders, but the team had only recently made progress after weeks of investigating.With Hunter’s new pack, the Astral Guardians, and the Navy’s special task force working together, they finally got a breakthrough. Their main catch? A young man—the one transporting the women out of the country—who turned out to be a businessman
Two Years Later…"Mama!" The twin voices rang out as the two little ones emerged from the bustling Empire Super Mall, their tiny hands clasped tightly by Isaac. The young man had a grin on his face as he tried to keep up with their boundless energy."Z!" Isaac called out as the young boy suddenly wriggled free from his hold and bolted towards Aleah, who stood just outside, waiting for her kids. She was leaning casually against the rail, her hair catching the sunlight. Her eyes lit up as she spotted the twins. With all the work on her current case, she’d asked Isaac to take care of them for the day, and now, seeing their excitement, she couldn’t help but laugh."Easy there, champ!" Aleah caught the boy in her arms as he threw himself at her, hugging her tight. She lifted him slightly, her heart swelling at the way his laughter echoed in her ears.Meanwhile, the little girl tugged at Isaac’s hand, her wide eyes fixed on her mom. "Mama!" she
"Zen," Aleah’s gentle voice broke through again, pulling him closer to reality. "Come on, wake up. We’re waiting for you, you know," she said, her tone filled with quiet warmth."If I open my eyes now... will I see you?" Hunter whispered faintly, his voice tinged with longing. Gathering his courage, he slowly opened his eyes. The sudden light above made him squint, forcing them shut again. But he tried once more, blinking until his vision adjusted. The first thing he saw was the white ceiling.Turning his head slightly, he noticed an IV attached to his hand, along with casts on his neck and leg. His body felt heavy and weak. Then, just as doubt began creeping in, he heard a soft cry nearby. His eyes darted to the source of the sound—and there she was. Aleah, gently swaying one of their babies in her arms, while the other slept soundly in a crib.A smile broke across Hunter’s face, lighting up his tired features. He’d made it. This was rea
"Hunter?!" Francis blurted out, his voice a mix of shock and worry, as Hunter stumbled into the hospital, blood soaking through his clothes. Nurses and doctors trailed behind him from the emergency room, trying to keep up. He had arrived in an ambulance after being found struggling to walk along a dimly lit road. A kind-hearted motorist had called for help, alarmed at the sight of the injured young man.The moment Hunter stepped inside, he ignored the stretcher entirely, pushing past it with determination. His destination was clear. He made his way straight to the delivery room where Francis and Aurora stood frozen, their faces mirroring their disbelief at the Alpha's condition."What the hell happened to you?!" Francis asked, rushing up to him.But Hunter barely glanced at him. "Where’s Aleah? Where’s our baby?" His voice cracked as desperation clung to every word.Francis grabbed his arm, trying to steady him. "Hunter, look at yourself! You need hel
"I’ll call you as soon as we get there,” Hunter said to Aleah, standing with her at the gate of their home. Aleah walked him outside, hand in hand, with Isaac by their side. The President’s car was parked nearby, ready to take Hunter to the airport.“Take it easy on your mom while I’m gone, okay? Be her little angel,” Hunter said softly, resting his hand on Aleah's belly. He leaned down and kissed it gently, making Aleah laugh at his sweetness.“Was that a little kick?” Hunter chuckled, feeling the baby’s movement against his palm. His gaze shifted to Aleah, filled with love and admiration. “Our little one’s already saying goodbye. Makes it harder for me to leave.”“You’re doing what you need to do,” Aleah replied, her voice tender. “I’ll be fine—I’ve got Isaac here, Mom’s coming soon, and if anything happens, I can call Grandpa or the Bryants. We&rs