"What are you two doing here?" Melissa snapped as she found Aleah and Elara in the living room. She noticed the flowers and fruits they brought. "Who let you in? You have the nerve to come here. Aren't you ashamed?"
"Aunt Melissa, we heard that Grandpa Damian is sick, so----""Don't call me Aunt!" the woman shouted. "We are not related. I allowed you into this house before because of my husband. But now, seeing you both is something I can't tolerate, especially since you are the reason my daughter is marrying a man she doesn't love," she said. "Are you happy to see my daughter's life ruined?""It's not like that. I had no intention----""Stop it," she said, slapping Aleah. "How dare you talk back to me?" She then turned to Elara. "Is this how you raised your daughter? No manners. Then again, what can she learn from a mistress?" She was about to slap Elara, but Aleah caught her hand, causing the woman to look at her in astonishment."EnougThey arrived at the site where the incident was happening. SWAT and police were stationed outside the building, along with rescue trucks and ambulances, which they had seen earlier. Yellow police lines surrounded the entire building, preventing civilians and reporters from getting close. As Aleah and Hunter got out of the car, Rafael and the seven other members of the Astral Guardians immediately approached them."Sir," all eight said simultaneously, saluting the young man. Hunter also saluted them."Fill me in," said Hunter, taking off his shirt before accepting the black vest Rafael handed him."There are several suspected terrorists inside the apartment. They are heavily armed with high-powered firearms. No one has come out of the apartment; everyone is held captive inside," Rafael said while helping Hunter put on his vest and earpiece. "It looks like rogues are behind this," Rafael whispered to the young Alpha. Hunter nodded upon hearing his friend's words.
He also instructed them to be the ones to operate it.“Sir, we should enter the building to disable the bombs around it,” Carlos suggested to the young man.“No, we can't,” Aleah interjected suddenly, drawing Hunter's attention to her. “I mean, it’s too dangerous. They’ve installed improvised explosive devices which are remote-controlled. They’re also monitoring the whole building. If they detect anyone besides them, they might detonate the explosives,” she explained. Aleah paused when she noticed Hunter and his team looking at her with puzzled expressions, as if they couldn't believe what she was saying.“Here, see this?” Aleah pointed to a man on the monitor holding a laptop, which was the reason Hunter's team couldn’t connect to the CCTV earlier.“Who are you, really?” Trish asked abruptly.“Huh?” Aleah responded, confused by the Captain's question.“Alpha Hunter, aren’t we doing anything? The longer we wait, the more the hostages' lives
"Mama!” exclaimed Aleah as she arrived at their unit and saw her mother being forcibly evicted by some men. She also noticed some of their belongings outside the unit. She saw one of the men push her mother, causing her to fall. Upon seeing this, Aleah immediately ran towards them.She approached her mother and helped her stand up. "What's happening here? Who are these men?" Aleah asked her mother. But she received no response, as her mother was still in shock from the incident. Aleah decided to approach one of the men who were taking out their belongings."Wait a minute. You can't do this. We own this unit," Aleah said, grabbing the man's arm."You?" said a familiar voice. Aleah turned to see a woman inside the condo. She let go of the man's arm when she saw the woman walking out of their unit."Daniella," Aleah whispered, recognizing the woman. She wasn't surprised to see her sister there. If anyone would do something like this, she knew it would
Aleah exclaimed, "Dalia! Tom---- Ah!" as a man bumped into her while running out of the siblings' house. The impact caused her to drop the grocery bag she was carrying, scattering canned goods and vegetables at the doorway."What was that? Why is he in such a rush, like he's being chased?" Aleah muttered in frustration as she bent down to pick up the scattered groceries. That day, she had visited the two children who had become her close friends. Since she and her mother moved to the flower shop, she befriended the two kids. She often saw them outside the shop, staring longingly. She noticed how frail they looked, as if they hadn't been eating properly.When she got to know them, she learned that their father was an alcoholic who spent all their money on drinking and gambling, leaving them with little to no food. She also found out that their older sibling were often beaten when they couldn't provide money. Feeling deeply sorry for the siblings, Aleah decided to buy them food that day.
"Why are there so many cars parked outside your shop? Are you and Aunt Elara expecting any visitors?" Hunter asked Aleah as they arrived from the hospital. After successfully arranging for Ramil's transfer to a private hospital room, Hunter decided to drop Aleah off at their family shop so she could get some rest. He left Rafael to look after the two children, ensuring someone was there to care for them.As they approached the shop, the first thing they noticed was the unusual number of cars outside, along with several men in suits standing by the entrance. Aleah glanced at Hunter, puzzled. They weren’t expecting any visitors, and her mother hadn’t been in contact with her old colleagues from the entertainment industry in years. The Guevarra family wouldn't dare come either; her father’s side of the family had kept their distance from them for a long time. But a sinking feeling crossed her mind—it could be her Aunt Melissa causing trouble for her mother again."Maybe someone’s harassi
They were taken in by the elderly man in a grand mansion that resembled a palace. There, Aleah noticed numerous men in suits surrounding the estate. She discovered that her grandfather was no ordinary businessman—he was the leader of a powerful mafia group in Italy. His real name was Antonio De Luna.At the mansion, Antonio recounted the reason he hadn't been with Aleah's mother for 20 years. He was once the Alpha of a pack, but an unexpected tragedy struck, leading to the death of most of his pack members. He was blamed for failing to protect them from a deadly epidemic. The only ones he had managed to save were his own family. This incident was why he never formed another wolf pack, nor was he accepted by any other. Left with no choice, he lived with only his family, became a businessman, and established a powerful mafia group.As for what happened between Antonio and Elara, it was a different story. Antonio couldn’t accept that his daughter wanted to become an actre
"M-marriage?!" exclaimed Aleah in shock when her grandfather told her that before they returned to Italy, he planned for her to marry Giovanni. She looked at the man her grandfather mentioned. She had no complaints about him and saw that her grandfather trusted him completely, but she couldn't understand why the old man wanted her to marry a man she barely knew. She had just met him, and now her grandfather had decided on their marriage. She had avoided one arranged marriage, and now here came another one she needed to escape."Why?" Rafael asked Hunter as the latter suddenly froze at the door and looked at the table where Aleah, Elara, her grandfather, and a young man, whom Rafael had never seen before, were seated. He also heard what Aleah said, which made him stop in his tracks. Hunter's eyes narrowed at what he overheard. Did he hear it correctly? Were they discussing marriage? His gaze shifted to the young man with them. Hunter couldn't understand, but he felt an energy
As her grandfather exited the restaurant, Aleah let go of the young man's hand and sighed deeply. Thankfully, her grandfather believed her and didn’t ask further questions. She wasn’t surprised though—after all, her grandfather wouldn’t object. Hunter was, undoubtedly, an excellent choice: not only did he come from a reputable family, but he was also an Alpha leader.“That was close. Thank you,” Aleah said, turning to the young man.“So now you’re using me to reject a marriage proposal?” Hunter said, his gaze shifting back to her.“I didn’t know you were that bold,” Claire’s friend remarked. “You’ve accepted his rejection, and now you—”“I know I was impulsive,” Aleah cut in, admitting, “I didn’t think things through. All I know is—I don’t want to be trapped in another messy arranged marriage.” She turned to Hunte
"Alpha?!" exclaimed a task force member, including Rafael, as Hunter and the Vice Admiral arrived at their headquarters. Everyone was visibly shocked and confused. Just last week, the Vice Admiral had informed them that their Alpha was KIA (Killed in Action). But now, standing before them was Alpha—unharmed and very much alive. Their shock was such that it was as if they'd seen a ghost."You're alive?" Rafael asked in astonishment, staring at his friend in disbelief. Hunter responded with a restrained smile."Later. This isn't the time to be stunned. We still have work to do," Hunter said, walking inside. He turned to Charles and added, "Charles, set up everything in the conference room. We have something to discuss." He then approached Charles, tapping his shoulder. Unlike the rest, Charles was the only one unsurprised by the return of the man they had believed to be long gone."Yes, Sir!" Charles responded enthusiastically as he stood up."Hunter, wait!"
"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