"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"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
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
"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
When they arrived at the airport, Aleah was the first to board the plane, accompanied by Elara and Daryll. They mentioned that they needed to purchase something and would follow her later. Aleah didn't object and simply urged them to hurry before proceeding to the boarding gate. Once she was seated on the plane, a feeling of weakness washed over her. She silently wished for her heart to stop beating, just so she wouldn't have to feel the overwhelming pain she was experiencing. Although she tried to appear strong in front of her family and friends, she couldn't hide from herself that she wasn't okay.She closed her eyes in an attempt to sleep while waiting for her mother and Daryll, putting on her earphones to listen to music. While her eyes were shut, tears began to flow. Thoughts of Hunter filled her mind as the gentle music played."Zen, stupid Alpha," Aleah whispered softly as her tears continued. Lost in her emotions, she failed to notice the plane's take-off and remai
“Just sit,” Hunter said, his voice quieter this time as he gently guided her back into her seat. He switched places with her, sitting where she had been, making sure to keep close. Aleah didn’t fight him—she could feel the curious eyes of the other passengers on them. Still, she refused to look at him, fixing her gaze elsewhere.“You know we need to talk,” Hunter murmured, his tone soft yet insistent.“I’m not saying anything,” Aleah muttered sharply, shutting her eyes tightly. “The moment this plane lands, I’m boarding one to Italy.”Hunter sighed, his voice calm but tinged with frustration. “You’re angry. I get it. You have every right to be. But… aren’t you even going to ask me why?” His words hung in the air, and for a moment, she remained still. Then, her eyes snapped open, and she shot him a glare sharp enough to make him flinch.“What for?” Al
I wonder why he only left a bruise on your cheek this time? Last time, he beat you like he wanted you dead,” Aleah said, her voice tinged with concern. “And I heard you were ready to die, even.”“It was those times when I was so—” Hunter stopped mid-sentence as he saw tears welling up in his wife's eyes. “Hey,” he said softly, reaching out to touch her cheek. Aleah blocked his hand before it got there.“I made you cry again,” Hunter murmured, gently taking her hand. “I’m sorry, Aleah. I messed up big time. I was stupid, and yeah, a coward. I deserve your anger—curse me, yell at me—I’ll take it all. I’ll do—”“No.” Aleah cut him off, her voice firm. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Zen. You’re draining to deal with. I was trying to move on, you know? I wanted to live without you, even though I still found myself looking for
"Alpha Hunter!" exclaimed the hotel manager, warmly welcoming them as they stepped out of the van. Aleah glanced at Hunter and then at the man greeting them. Behind him stood several staff members. Earlier, at the airport, they had also been met by hotel staff, as if their arrival had been eagerly awaited. Aleah, puzzled, looked at her husband, but Hunter offered no explanation."Welcome back, Alpha," the man said, shaking Hunter's hand. "And this must be the famous Alpha's Luna," he added, turning his gaze to Aleah. She frowned at the mention of "Luna," her confusion evident as she glanced at Hunter."Wife. I mean, wife," the man quickly corrected himself."Yes, this is my wife, Aleah," Hunter affirmed, draping his arm over her shoulders and pulling her closer."It's wonderful to finally meet you. We've heard so much about you," the man continued as he extended his hand to Aleah. Still stunned, Aleah hesitantly returned the handshake. How could they possibly kno
"Then why?" Aleah demanded, her tone mixed with hurt and urgency. "Why did you leave? You didn’t just disappear—you had yourself discharged from the hospital and hid from us. From me."Hunter’s expression softened further. "I had to," he said simply. "Helen’s minions were ready to strike. If I stayed with you, they would’ve attacked you and our family. I couldn’t take that risk, Aleah. Keeping you safe meant keeping my distance."Aleah’s lips parted as she took in his explanation. "So… you kept away on purpose? You thought it was better for me?"Hunter nodded slowly. "At first, yes. I wanted to stay away forever. I was so full of doubts. I didn’t think I could ever make you happy in the state I was in. I was scared, angry, and felt so lost, knowing death could come for me at any time. I didn’t see a future for us. But…" His voice grew softer, his gaze more intense. "I couldn’t keep myself from t
"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
You’re the first person to say that. I remember someone once saying this house screams way too much of—” Hunter stopped mid-sentence as his eyes landed on Aleah. Her sharp glare was all it took to silence him. For a moment, he froze, then bit back a grin at the fierce expression on her face. She looked adorable when she was mad, though he didn’t dare say that out loud.“Really?” Aleah chimed in, her voice sweet but with a subtle edge. “Sounds like that person didn’t know the first thing about good interior design,” she said, her smile polite but pointed.“Think so?” Hunter replied, a playful smirk tugging at his lips as he glanced at Aleah, who was trying hard to keep her irritation under wraps.“Can we check out the second floor?” Dave cut in, breaking the exchange between the two.“Sure, let’s go,” Hunter said, motioning toward the stairs. But as Aleah moved to lead
Hunter's voice cut through the quiet hum of the yard. "Hey, what are you up to?" he asked, his brows furrowing as he spotted Aleah crouched among the grass, trimming away.She paused mid-snip, turning to him with a sheepish smile. "Just cutting some grass. It’s gotten too wild. Mang Ponce called earlier—his wife is sick, so they can’t make it today. I figured I’d handle it. It’s not a big deal."Hunter sighed, shaking his head as he walked closer. "Aleah," he said, his tone soft but firm, "you shouldn’t be doing this, not when you’re carrying our baby." He gently took the trimmer from her hands and helped her to her feet, his touch warm and protective. "Your body isn’t just yours right now, you know," he added, his hand settling lovingly over her belly.Aleah rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress a smile. "You always worry too much," she teased. "It’s just a bit of grass. I’m fine—"Before sh
When Aleah stepped into Hunter's house, she was greeted by all their friends, including Francis, whose face lit up at the sight of her.“Aunt Aleah! You’re safe! I’m so sorry I couldn’t do anything to protect you,” Isaac said, his voice laced with guilt. “But I promise, I’ll start learning martial arts right away. Next time, I’ll be the one keeping you safe.”Aleah smiled warmly, holding his hand. “That’s so sweet of you, Isaac. I’m just glad we’re all okay.”Francis approached them, his gratitude shining through his words. “Aleah, because of your courage, my family and I are safe. I owe you more than I could ever repay.”“Thank you for everything, Aleah,” Aurora added, stepping closer with a bright smile. Aleah nodded at them, her heart full of gratitude.“Some things never change, huh?” Elara teased with a knowing smile as she looked at h