She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 643

A guard hiding behind a massive African wood carving saw his window of opportunity. Hank was mid-reload, and Loyce’s back was turned as she focused on suppressing fire from the left flank.

A vicious glint flashed in the man’s eyes. He raised his rifle, aiming directly at Loyce’s exposed back.

Right as the breach happened, he had received a notification from his boss offering a massive bonus: a million dollars to whoever put a bullet in the girl.

"Die!" He sneered, his finger pulling the trigger.

In that split second, a heavy, suffocating growl vibrated right behind him.

A wave of hot, damp air hit the back of his neck, carrying the distinct, musky stench of an apex predator.

The man froze, his face going slack with horror. His hands started to shake, and he slowly lowered his weapon. The moment he tried to twist around to shoot whatever was behind him—

Loyce turned her head.

*Crunch.*

The sickening sound of snapping bone echoed over the gunfire.

The guard’s scream was cut brutally short.

Saba’s massive paws pinned the twitching body to the floor. The lion lifted his majestic head, his blood-matted mane rustling in the smoke-filled room. His golden eyes swept across the chaotic lobby.

The sudden, terrifying presence of the beast brought the entire firefight to a screeching halt.

Both the Costa operatives and the surviving guards were completely paralyzed by the raw, untamed power standing before them.

The guard stopped moving. The lion casually tossed the body aside.

Saba had zero interest in eating his prey. Instead, he locked eyes on the next closest guard and lunged.

The elite Costa operatives panicked, raising their weapons to fire at the beast.

Realizing this was a targeted revenge spree, Loyce screamed, "Don't shoot the lion!"

Her words held no weight with the Costa men, but Hank instantly echoed her command without hesitation. "Hold your fire!"

Left with no other choice, the operatives scrambled out of the way.

But they quickly realized something astounding: the lion was hunting with a terrifying level of intelligence. It seemed to perfectly understand the battle lines drawn in the room.

The patrol helicopters running the hunting game had realized things had gone catastrophically wrong and called the authorities. Dozens of police cruisers and ambulances swarmed the property.

Ayla was immediately loaded into an ambulance for emergency treatment. The sheer number of vehicles and flashing lights made Saba uneasy. He refused to follow Sagan out to the driveway, instead retreating back into the villa, finding his way to Loyce.

Having zero experience surviving in the wild, the outside world was entirely foreign to him. The only comforting thing left was the faint scent of Ayla on Loyce’s clothes. He pressed himself against her side, guarding her as if she were his own pride.

It was Loyce's first time being this close to a predator that wasn't trying to kill her. She hesitantly reached out and stroked his thick coat. Saba just looked back at her, exhaling a heavy puff of air from his nostrils, and accepted the touch.

She marveled internally. *What a magnificent creature.*

Dozens of armed police officers stormed the villa. Even as seasoned veterans, the sight before them made their blood run cold.

The marble floors were covered in shell casings, blood, groaning wounded, dead bodies—and a massive, fully grown male lion.

Hearing the sirens, the Costa operatives holding down the study upstairs finally released their hostages. The billionaire elites immediately scrambled downstairs, dragging their injured friends and screaming for help.

Despite being covered in dirt and blood, their expensive designer clothes made it very easy for the police to recognize their high-profile status.

Upon verifying their identities, the officers broke out in a cold sweat.