Claimed by the FALCON

Chapter 17

AZRAEL’S POV

The café was quiet, save for the occasional clink of a coffee cup or the soft hum of a conversation. I sat in a corner, my hands wrapped around a steaming cup of black coffee, though I wasn’t really drinking it. My eyes were scanning, calculating, observing every passerby outside the large glass windows.

I didn’t come here for leisure. I didn’t come here to taste coffee. Nagpunta ako rito upang panoorin at bantayan si Haliyah.

Kakarating ko lang kanina sa mansyon ay agad akong bumyahe patungo rito... nang malaman kong binigyan sila ng day-off, at lima silang lumabas.

She had to be around somewhere. I didn’t know exactly why my instincts insisted she’d appear here today, but the feeling in my gut was sharp.

Minutes passed. People moved in and out. And then I saw her. Not directly at first. I noticed the movement at the mall entrance across the street first. The way she walked, the sway of her hair, the subtle elegance in the way she carried herself even in simple clothes... it was unmistakable.

Four other women, laughing, chattering, tugging her along into the mall. They were close. Protective. Familiar with her.

I stayed low, my eyes narrowing as I took mental notes of every step she took. Every small gesture. Every laugh that escaped her. That laugh… it cut sharper than any blade I’ve wielded.

And just like what I was expecting, her husband is here. The man she was running away from was here, and he's with his mistress.

The moment my gaze landed on him, my blood chilled, not from fear, but from recognition. I already knew him.

Not personally, but through files, through surveillance, through careful, meticulous background checks. I knew who he was, what he represented. And most importantly… I knew he would be trouble for her.

I could feel the heat rising in my chest, not anger, not just possessiveness… but a warn!ng.

Hindi niya dapat muling makita si Haliyah, hindi maaari hangga't hindi pa naa-approved ang annulment ng kanilang kasal.

"Should I just k*ll this motherf*cker?" mahina kong sambit habang sinusundan ito ng tingin.

I didn’t move immediately. I sipped the coffee slowly, masking the tension coiling inside me. I let them disappear into the mall, letting my eyes follow their movement like a predator tracking its prey.

And then I stood.

I left the cup on the table, slid my jacket over my shoulder, and walked toward the exit. My footsteps were quiet, calculated. My gaze fixed ahead, locked on the group that had no idea I was following.

Malakas ang pakiramdam ko na may mangyayaring hindi maganda. Kaya dapat agad kong mahanap si Haliyah, bago pa man siya makita ng g*go niyang asawa.

Hindi pa naman sobrang daming tao sa loob ng mall, kaya tiyak akong mahahanap ko rin siya kaagad, lalo pa at matangkad ako. Kaya madali lang sa akin ang paghahanap sa kanya.

As I stepped into the flow of shoppers, my eyes never wavered from the targets ahead.

I followed them at a distance, moving through the crowd with deliberate steps, my senses tuned to every sound, every movement. Samuel and the girl he was with slipped into a cosmetics store, disappearing momentarily behind the glass display cases and bright shelves.

I slowed my pace just enough to let the angle line up, letting my eyes scan the crowd, mapping every possible escape route... or threat. And then I saw her.

Haliyah.

She was standing in the corner, a little behind the others, carrying the paper bags of all their purchases. Her posture stiffened the moment she noticed the direction my gaze swept, though she didn’t know it was me. She started to take a small step back.

A w@rning flare ignited in my chest. Her fingers gripped the bags tighter, and I could see her knuckles whitening. Her friends were distracted, laughing and testing lipsticks, completely oblivious to the danger only a few feet away.

Napailing ako at pinakawalan ang mababang halakhak sa aking bibig.

Mabilis akong humakbang papalapit sa kanya. At habang naglalakad ako ay kitang-kita ko ang unti-unting pagbaling sa kanya ni Samuel, pero bago pa man mangyari iyon ay nakatayo na ako sa harapan ni Haliyah.

My back was on her now...my posture was deliberate, commanding. Broad shoulders squared. Chin lifted. Eyes sharp, scanning every inch of the man in front of me.

Nagsalubong ang tingin naming dalawa ni Samuel, at agad na kumunot ang kanyang noo nang biglang umangat ang sulok ng aking labi, nakapalood sa magkabilang bulsa ng slacks ang aking mga kamay at kalmadong nakatingin sa kanya.

I didn’t flinch. I didn’t blink. My presence was enough. Every inch of me radiated the warning she didn’t even need to hear.

“You should be more careful from now on,” I said, my voice low, deep, and cold enough to cut through the hum of the cosmetics store.

I glanced out of the corner of my eyes, catching Haliyah’s gaze lifting slowly. Her wide eyes, the quick intake of breath, the subtle tremor in her hands…

I saw it all. And I felt the thrum of possession tighten around my chest. She was mine. Not for anyone else to claim.

Nakipagtitigan pa rin ako kay Samuel... na hanggang ngayon ay nakatingin pa rin sa direksyon ni Haliyah. Hindi ako nag-iwas ng tingin sa kanya hanggang sa hinila ng kasama niyang babae ang kanyang balikat.

At kasunod niyon ay nagsimula na ang mga itong humakbang papalayo.

Bumuntong-hininga ako at saka dahan-dahang gumalaw... paharap kay Haliyah. Yumuko ako upang salubong ang tingin niya, kinunutan ko siya ng noo. Habang sa gilid ng paningin ko ay kitang-kita ko pa rin ang gulat ng apat na babaeng kasama niya.

Her lips parted slightly, a small whisper escaping before she could stop herself.

“S-Sir Azra…?”

Nagsalubong ang kilay ko at dumukwang nang bahagya, agad niyang inilayo ang kanyang mukha sa akin nang mapansin niyang papalapit ako nang papalapit sa kanya.

"What should I do with you, Haliyah?" naguguluhang tanong ko sa kanya.

Nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata, at hindi nakatakas sa aking paningin ang sunod-sunod niyang paglunok.

"Kung puwede lang sana na ikulong at ibulsa kita ay gagawin ko. I've been trying my best to protect you, and not to be seen by that b*stard.... but still it happened."

Ang mga salitang iyon ay umikot-ikot lamang sa utak ko, hindi ko masabi sa kanya dahil ayaw kong isipin niya na Wal aking pinagkaiba sa lalaking kinakatakutan niya.

So I just let out a deep breath, as my eyes lowered into her trembling hands. Ilang segundo akong nakatitig doon, bago ko iginalaw ang balikat ko upang abutin ang kanyang kamay.

"Let's go home..." sambit ko, hindi ko na hinintay ang kanyang sagot at basta-basta na lamang siyang hinala papalayo sa lugar na iyon.

TO BE CONTINUED......