"I guess Benj has a point. "So who will it be?” Zane asked, looking at the two elders at the head of the table. Daniella looked at Aleah and gave a small smile, as if to say that she had won this game. “Well, for me, I don’t have anything against who Hunter marries. "What I am after is the promise I made,” Damian said. “But personally, I want to follow the order of their age.I am an old man; of course, I want to see my eldest granddaughter’s child first,” he added. “You have a point there, and besides, Aleah is still young. They have an eight-year age gap with Hunter. That might be a problem for their marriage if I think about it,” Sebastian remarked. “I guess the elders have spoken. I should be the bride of-----” “Permission to speak, sir,” Hunter interjected, cutting off Daniella. He looked at the two elders and then at Aleah, who was surprised when Hunter suddenly took her hand. “Trust me on this,” he whispered to her, leaning in close. He then stepped back and turned to face
"What are you doing?" Aleah exclaimed in shock as she arrived at her grandfather's mansion, where her father's first family lived. She found her father's wife hitting her mother on the back. Aleah had just finished dinner with Hunter's family and was late coming home because she had accompanied Hunter to drop off his father. She never expected to witness such mistreatment of her mother.When Aleah saw what her Aunt Melissa was doing to her mother, while Daniella and Natasha just watched, she immediately rushed to her mother's side, helped her up, and moved her away from her father's wife. Aleah shot a sharp glare at the three women."How dare you---" Aunt Melissa began, raising her hand to strike Aleah, but Aleah caught it, surprising the three women. This was the first time Aleah had stood up to their bullying."See, Mom? She thinks too highly of herself just because she's going to marry the Alpha," Daniella said to her mother."Of course not!" Aleah retorted, releasing Melissa's hand
He’s so early,” Aleah muttered while looking at the young man standing outside the car. As she gazed at him, she couldn't help but admire his stance. The young man's charm was unmistakable, and she noticed that passing young women couldn't resist glancing at him, clearly attracted by his good looks.“Who?” Elara asked, turning to look at the young man waiting for them. It was evident that Elara was taken aback upon seeing the young man, and it seemed to dawn on her that her beloved daughter was truly growing up.“Good morning,” Hunter greeted Elara politely as he and Aleah approached the young man.“Good morning. "You look busy; you could have asked someone else to pick up Aleah,” Elara remarked while watching Hunter load Aleah's luggage into the car's compartment one by one.Hunter gave Elara a warm smile as he closed the compartment. “It’s my pleasure to pick her up, Ma’am. I wouldn't wan
"Let's go," Luke said as he took the lead. Francis followed his brother, leaving Hunter standing there with clenched fists. Hunter wondered how he could ever forget his role in the Bryant family, as his brothers always reminded him of who and what he was. He knew they never liked him.Hunter was eight years old when he met Sebastian Bryant. At that time, he was in Japan, held by a group of yakuza. He didn't know who he was or where he came from. The yakuza who took him in called him "Zen." They were involved in illegal activities and were brutal, but they treated him well, especially the leader, who even considered passing the group on to him. However, due to a betrayal by one of the members, the leader was killed, and the group was captured by UN special forces. One of the UN special force leaders at that time was Sebastian. In addition to being the Alpha of the Silver Luminaries and the Leader of the Astral Guardian, Sebastian was also a member of the UN Special Forces, whi
Sir!” a young man greeted Hunter and saluted him. The young man who greeted him was tall and handsome. Hunter also returned the salute to the young man. “They are waiting inside,” the young man said. Hunter had just arrived at the Camp after dropping off Aleah at the University.“The Alpha King has also arrived,” the young man said, causing Hunter to stop walking. “It seems like you have something important to discuss since the Alpha King himself came here. Some of the Alphas from other Packs are also with him,” he added.“How’s the training going?” Hunter asked, ignoring what the young man said.“Some of the newcomers are having a hard time. They said our training course is brutal,” the young man said.“It’s brutal for those weaklings,” Andrew said and stopped in front of a door. “Continue to monitor their training,” Hunter said before entering the door
"How will I return to the mansion? I didn't ask Zen for directions or what vehicle to take. If I take a taxi, I don't know the address. I also can't call him because I don't know his number. So much for being Alpha's Bride. I know nothing about him. Why did I forget to ask for his number?" Aleah said while standing at the university gate. She had been standing there for almost half an hour, thinking about how to get back to the Bryant mansion. Hunter also didn't tell her if he would pick her up."I guess I don’t have a choice," Aleah said as she walked toward the bus stop. She thought about going to her mother's house instead. She didn't have any other options. Besides, she liked the idea of going to her mom's house because she wasn't comfortable at Hunter's house. As Aleah walked to the bus stop, she suddenly stopped because of the loud honk of a car. She was startled by the loud sound. The car stopped in front of her. She looked at it curiously as the blinds of the wi
"What's happening?" Aleah asked in confusion as she arrived at her mother's flower shop and saw police officers and an ambulance. There were also many reporters and media around. Upon seeing this, she hurried to her mother's flower shop to see what was going on. But the police suddenly stopped her. She tried to get closer, but the police prevented her from crossing the yellow line."Wait a minute. I want to know what happened. I'm the daughter of the flower shop owner. My mother is inside," Aleah said while struggling to get in. As Aleah continued to insist on entering, she noticed her mother lying on a stretcher being carried into the ambulance. She froze upon seeing her mother. She covered her mouth when she saw her mother's condition."Mom," Aleah said, immediately approaching her mother. She covered her mouth when she saw her mother's bleeding head and the cast on her neck. Aleah didn't know what to do; she attempted to touch her mother's head but was scared. Tears
Miss Aleah?” asked a nurse who approached the young woman. Aleah looked up as the nurse approached her.“This is for you.” The nurse handed Aleah an envelope. With trembling hands, Aleah took the envelope and opened it. Upon reading the contents of the letter, she dropped it immediately.“Why?” asked Alfredo, noticing his daughter's reaction. Hunter quickly picked up the letter and read its contents. It contained words cut out from a newspaper and a picture of the young woman with a large X drawn across her face. The message read: “This is just the beginning of your life in hell with the Demon.”“Who gave you this?” Hunter asked the female nurse.“A child,” the nurse replied. Hunter immediately stood up, ready to leave, but before he could go, Aleah grabbed his hand. Hunter turned to look at her.“It’s okay. I’ll be back,” Hunter said, gently taking Aleah&rsqu
"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
"What are you saying?!" Aster exclaimed as Rafael and Trisha entered the safe house. They had come to escort her to a new location—a place where she could stay until the case they were working on reached its conclusion. Her eyes found Hunter, full of uncertainty and frustration. He had also mentioned that a different team would now be responsible for her safety, leaving her feeling even more adrift."Alpha Hunter? You promised you wouldn't leave me," she said softly, almost pleading. "What if I… try to take my life again?"Hunter met her gaze, his face unreadable but his voice steady. "That’s your choice, Aster," he replied.The room fell silent as everyone turned to look at him, their Alpha. Aster's heart sank at the weight of his words."I’m sorry for everything that’s happened," Hunter said, his voice gentler now. "I’ve done everything I can to protect you, to give you another chance at life. But if you can’t take eve
When he arrived, the house felt empty. Aleah wasn’t there. Concerned, he asked Charles if Aleah had called or returned to the rest house, but Charles shook his head, saying she hadn’t been back since earlier. Unease settled deep in Hunter’s chest as he recalled Aleah clutching her stomach that morning. He didn’t want to think the worst, but his mind raced with possibilities.He tried calling Dennis’ firm, hoping Aleah might still be there, but Dennis’ response didn’t help ease his worry. “She hasn’t been back since she left,” the lawyer said, his tone clipped.“You’re not looking after your wife, Captain,” Dennis added coldly.“I don’t need advice from you,” Hunter snapped, his frustration spilling over.“If you can’t take care of her, then let her go,” Dennis fired back. “Stop hurting her. She deserves better than you.”“Just s
"Z..en?!” Aleah blurted out in shock as she caught sight of her husband walking into Dennis’ law firm office. What truly made her jaw drop was the young woman clinging to his arm. Just recently, Hunter had saved her from a dangerous businessman, and he’d shared her tragic story with Aleah. Now, it seemed, the woman was under military protection.“She’s our new client,” Dennis interjected, clearly picking up on the surprise plastered across Aleah’s face.“Thanks for taking this on. You’re the only guy I trust to stand firm, even against a brick wall,” Hunter said, his tone light yet full of confidence in the younger man.“Should I feel flattered or cornered?” Dennis quipped back.“Take it however you want,” Hunter replied with a small smirk, but he subtly shrugged off Aster’s hand when he caught the sharp daggers Aleah was throwing his way.“Let’s move this i
Bursting into the room, Hunter froze. On the bed lay Aster, bruised and battered, her face pale and terrified. She was clutching the sheets desperately, trying to cover herself. Hunter looked away immediately, scanning the room for something she could wear. His eyes landed on a cabinet. He crossed the room, flinging it open to grab one of the polo shirts folded neatly inside.“Here,” he said softly, holding it out to her.Her trembling hands reached for the shirt, but before she could put it on, she collapsed into him, her sobs breaking the silence. Hunter’s chest tightened as he hugged her close, his hand rubbing soothing circles on her back.“You’re safe now,” he murmured, his voice as steady as he could manage. “I’ve got you.” Aster’s sobs started to calm down, though her body still shook. “Can you stand?” Hunter asked gently. She nodded weakly and slipped on the shirt, but as soon as she tried