1929 Book(s) Related to edgar award for best first novel by an american author

Abandoned in the forest as a baby and raised by the Dark Light Pack, Elara grows up invisible. Overlooked. Maltreated. Treated like she was never meant to exist.

Until the mate bond awakens.

Bound to the Alpha, she expects a new beginning. Instead, she is rejected. Broken. Put through cruelty and torture that nearly destroys her.

But instead of breaking... she snaps.

In a moment that should have been impossible, Elara takes control of the mate bond and shatters it.

And then she runs.

What she doesn't know is that her breaking point was only the beginning.

Because Elara is not just a wolf.

She is something far older. A rebirth. A power that once walked the world three thousand years ago... and vanished after sealing away a force that threatened to destroy everything.

Now, that power is rising again.

As her abilities awaken and memories begin to surface, Elara is drawn to a truth she cannot escape and a man she cannot ignore.

Beros.

Powerful. Mysterious. And bound to her in a way she cannot understand.

Their connection is deeper than fate. Older than time. A love that has waited centuries for her return... and refuses to let her go again.

But just as she begins to step into her true strength, the past she tried to leave behind comes crawling back.

The Alpha who rejected her now wants her.

Desperate. Obsessed. Determined to have her back at all costs.

Now caught between a love that once broke her, a love that has endured lifetimes, and a power that could change the fate of the world, Elara must rise into who she truly is.

Because the same darkness she once destroyed is rising again.

And this time...

It knows she's back.

I was nothing. A rejected mate. A worthless omega. A slave forced to endure the cruelty of my pack. Alpha Ryker, the man destined to love me, cast me aside without a second thought. I wasn’t just betrayed by him but I was also betrayed by him and my step sister. I was left to suffer, to break, to fade into nothingness. Until he came. Kaiden. The rogue. The monster. The man whispered about in nightmares and spoken of in fear. They say he’s cursed, that his very existence is a death sentence. Packs tremble at his name. Alphas bow to his wrath. And now… I belong to him. I was stolen in the dead of night, ripped from one prison and thrown into another. But Kaiden doesn’t just want a captive. He wants a wife. A mate. Me.

Three years after returning to the Duke's estate, I finally admit the truth: the phoenix I poured my heart into raising doesn't love me. He only spreads his brilliant tail feathers for the replacement.

I was six when traffickers took me, stuck in the slums for twenty years. A year after losing me, the Duke and Duchess adopted an infant from the church.

That girl became the new daughter, enjoying everything that should have been mine.

When they found me at twenty-six, my parents looked at me with guilt, yes, but mostly like I was a stranger. They loved the daughter they raised more.

I don't blame them.

Twenty years in the slums taught me: don't count on anyone's love. Only power and gold won't betray you.

So when he refused me for the third time, I went to the black market auction and bought a battered wolf slave.

The phoenix finally panicked, feathers flaring, voice shaking:

"Master, you promised you'd only keep one magical beast..."

"She’s the woman he wants, but will he win her heart before he loses himself?"

In the glamorous world of Monaco, Lila De Laurent, a sweet and stunning heiress, finds herself bound to the dangerously handsome billionaire, Damien Vasilis, in a marriage neither of them wants. But as sparks fly between them, their fierce attraction becomes impossible to ignore.

Damien is a man with a dark past and a burning desire to claim Lila as his own. Can this brooding playboy with a hidden secret truly win her heart? Or will his twisted secrets tear them apart before love has a chance?

In this whirlwind of forbidden passion, heart-stopping desire, and second chances, Lila and Damien must fight for a future neither expected. Will their love conquer all, or will it be their downfall?

Wyatt’s eyes met mine, and I swear I saw them flash gold for a brief moment. The sunshine was coming through the window harshly though, so it was probably just a trick of the light.


Wyatt smiled and for a moment, it was like my heart leapt right out of my chest. He looked like a movie star standing there with the early morning sun behind him. His brown hair was styled a bit more than usual, with more prominent curls throughout and it was up and away from his face. His beard, which was usually more like a thick stubble across his cheeks and chin, had grown out a bit more, and I wondered how I hadn’t noticed that this morning.

That was when I realized I never really let myself look at him for more than a few moments. If I had, I would have noticed the full sleeve of tattoos he had on his left arm– especially when he was shirtless this morning. Or I would have noticed that yes, he was sexy. Yes he was gorgeous. But he was also quite handsome and seemed to have a sweet air about him…


Wrenlee "Lucky" Jones wanted to keep a low profile. Hell, her life depended on it. But when she turned 18 and discovered that a long-time crush of hers was actually her fated werewolf mate, things get complicated fast. Within weeks, she finds herself the victim of an ancient curse and has to battle against both magickal entities and her stubborn, authoritative mate, who happened to be the Alpha King of the Appalachian Dominion. Suddenly caught between fate, fear, and love, Wrenlee must navigate the curse surrounding her and make decisions that will not only cost her... but will cost her mate.

This is the story of the most powerful warlock, Alexander's who has set himself on a mission to find his father's twin brother Arthur who cruelly killed his whole family along with his lover to become the most powerful warlock. Alexander is set on finding the mythical 18 relics of Goddess which are hidden somewhere in this world so he could revive his dead lover Daniel and his both elder siblings. His overly possessive elder brother Aadam and his overly protective and caring, sister Aleena. Trying to find the secret of Arthur's death which only his parents and elder siblings knew he stumbled upon a growling mutt who was claiming him to be his mate? A mate which Alexander never wanted and ran off at the sight of. He never believed in mates, as in the world of witches they choose their life partner themselves. The overly protective, hell possessive and crazy Alpha Damian wants nothing in the world but his mate only. Who has been waiting for his mate since he turned 18. Alexander tried hard to run away from this growling mutt but somehow destiny always made him stumble across the domineering alpha. Alexander was broken and Damian wanted to mend him but how will he do that when his mate isn't ready to give him a chance. Alexander had decided there's no place in his heart for anyone else except for his dead lover Daniel whom he wants to bring back to life. No one can take his place, be it mate or not, while the mutt seems to can't keep his hands to himself. Alexander was a total spoiled brat who was in for nothing more than a one night stand while Damien wanted him all for himself. Now how will their story bloom?

Trigger/Content Warning:
This story contains mature themes and explicit content intended for adult audiences(18+). Reader discretion is advised.
It includes elements such as BDSM dynamics, explicit sexual content, toxic family relationships, occasional violence and strong language.
This is not a fluffy romance. It is intense, raw and messy, and explores the darker side of desire.


“Take off your dress, Meadow.”

“Why?”

“Because your ex is watching,” he said, leaning back into his seat. “And I want him to see what he lost.”

••••••••••••*
Meadow Russell was supposed to get married to the love of her life in Vegas. Instead, she walked in on her twin sister riding her fiance.

One drink at the bar turned to ten. One drunken mistake turned into reality. And one stranger’s offer turned into a contract that she signed with shaking hands and a diamond ring.

Alaric Ashford is the devil in a tailored Tom Ford suit. Billionaire CEO, brutal, possessive. A man born into an empire of blood and steel.
He also suffers from a neurological condition—he can’t feel. Not objects, not pain, not even human touch.

Until Meadow touches him, and he feels everything. And now he owns her. On paper and in his bed.
She wants him to ruin her. Take what no one else could have. He wants control, obedience… revenge.
But what starts as a transaction slowly turns into something Meadow never saw coming.

Obsession, secrets that were never meant to surface, and a pain from the past that threatens to break everything.

Alaric doesn’t share what’s his.
Not his company.
Not his wife.
And definitely not his vengeance.

She was his fated mate… and his wife in name only.
Every night, Damien claimed her body, while his heart belonged to another woman. Elias endured it all, playing the perfect Luna, holding together a marriage filled with desire, but no love.
Then she became pregnant.
She believed the child would finally soften him, that the mate bond might at last mean something.
Instead, her mate personally sent her to the operating table.
"Elias," he said coldly, "you and the baby—only one can survive."
Her world shattered.
Her love meant nothing.
Her pleas meant nothing.
Completely broken, Elias vanished from his world without a trace.
Years later, she returned, no longer the obedient Luna he discarded, but a radiant, untouchable woman who stunned the entire pack. Only then did Damien realize what he had destroyed.
He fell to his knees, desperate.
"Come home, Elias."
She smiled calmly.
"Sorry. I'm no longer interested in mates."
His eyes darkened as he stepped closer.
"Then explain why you begged me to stop last night."

He made sure he protected her, till she got on her feet again.

“My brother would kill you, Roman. Hell, I shouldn’t even be here!”

He moves closer, blocking the exit. “He’s not here, and you’re not telling me to stop, Nikki. So, why don’t we stop lying to each other and admit the truth?"

I glare at him. My heart’s slamming against my chest. “Which is what exactly?”

A wicked smirk curves his lips. “That we want each other. Always have. No matter how badly we shouldn’t.”


Ten years ago, I almost kissed the one guy I should’ve stayed away from, my brother’s best friend, Roman Hayes. But then he vanished from our lives and has somehow become the person my brother hates the most. I haven’t seen him in years.

The last place I expect to find him is at a high-end gala where I’m meeting potential sponsors for my charity, dressed in a ridiculously expensive suit and reeking of sin—and somehow, he might be the answer to all my prayers. But there’s a catch:

I’m not supposed to be anywhere near him, and the moment our eyes lock, I know I’ve made the biggest mistake of my entire life.

He’s my brother’s ex-best friend, after all, and there’s a spark between us that’s never been extinguished, and a truth neither of us wants to admit.

But some truths are darker than I could have possibly imagined, and some games are too wicked and wild to be entertained. This man might just destroy my life in ways I never saw coming…

And the worst part?

I’ll enjoy every second of it.

Sofia Jones is a seventeen-year-old human who has never met her father. Her mother is never around because she would rather spend her time at the club than with her daughter. She isn't the most popular girl in school and only has one friend, Ella. Sofia has been in love with her best friend's twin brother since middle school, but she knows they can never be together, not only because he is the most popular boy who has been bullying her since freshman year but also because he is her best friends brother.

Ethan Black is the most popular boy in school. He is the Quarterback of the football team, and he can have any girl he wants, except for the one he has been in love with since the fifth grade, Sofia. She is his twin sister's best friend, but that is not the only reason he can't have her. Ethan Black is a werewolf, along with his twin sister and the rest of his family, and Sofia is a human who knows nothing about werewolves. Ethan has been bullying her since freshman year. He feels it is better to push her away than to stay close to her. He knows he will meet his Mate soon since his eighteenth birthday is coming up, but something shocking happens. He discovers that Sofia is his Mate.

Now, he is determined to make Sofia his, but will he be able to do that after the way he has been treating her? How will Sofia react when she discovers werewolves and other supernatural beings exist? What happens when the Vampire King takes a liking to Sofia and wants to make her his? Who will Sofia end up with?

You will have to read to find out!

The fake love Enzo and Mia started with was all becoming too real, and Mia has to ask if this is what she really wants?
When I moved to Paris, it was supposed to be a fresh start. A new city, a fashion dream ahead of me, and my stalker ex firmly in the past.
But then my new boss turns out to be Enzo Renault, my brother's best friend, the man who rejected me ten years ago. And now he wants me to fake-date him to keep his meddling mother out of his love life.
So here I am, pretending to be the girlfriend of the cold, infuriatingly handsome man I once swore I'd never forgive.
I've never really dated, and Enzo swears he'll never fall in love. Perfect match, right? Soon, we're practicing it all in secret: dates, kisses, even sharing a bed. The only rule? My brother can never find out.
But Enzo buys me dresses, praises my designs, and looks at me like I'm not just his friend's little sister anymore. And when he touches me, I can't tell what's pretend… and what's not.
Because the more we practice being in love, the more it feels dangerously real.

I take a deep breath as I step out of the car, and Kyle's sandalwood scent hits me like a ton of bricks.

My wolf growls in my mind, "Mate."

Kyle strides toward me with his arms outstretched, but before he can reach me, Atticus gets out of the car behind me. A low growl rumbles in Atticus's chest, serving as a reminder that I belong to him. 

I clear my throat awkwardly, "Alpha Kyle, this is Alpha Atticus of the Warrior Pack."  


Eryn's life was going according to plan. She had the man of her dreams and received a prestigious invitation to the Warrior Academy. What she didn't plan on was the immediate betrayal from Kyle as soon as she left the Twilight Pack. 

Heartbroken from the betrayal, she turns to Atticus, the gruff Alpha of the Warrior Pack and the head professor. As she finds comfort in Atticus's unwavering support, an unexpected bond forms between them. 

However, when the three- Eryn, Kyle, and Atticus- are brought together, emotions run high, and things become even more complicated. While Kyle fights to win back Eryn, Atticus fights to keep her. 

Who will Eryn finally choose? Her Brother's Best Friend or Her Alpha Professor?

"Aspen" I hear someone whisper from faraway. I ignore it and just pass it off as the wind since I left my window open last night.

"Aspen" I hear again except it's louder this time. I ignore it again.

A couple of minutes later a sweet smell fills my nostrils. It reminds me of pineapples and vanilla.

"If you don't wake up, I'm going to burn your favorite book" I hear a familiar voice say which causes my eyes to snap open as I jolt up in bed so that I'm facing my best friend

Layla's POV :Little did I think my world would be turned upside down. Dean and Aleck my best friends who who protected me ever since kindergarten and had always remained by my side, truly were nothing like I remembered. Ever since I was eighteen I knew and I kept it hidden, I hid it so well until it wasn't. Falling in love with your Best friends isn't something you should do especially when they're twin brothers. Our friendship was good until I ditched them for my Own sanity. Disappearing did the trick however a spur of the moment
get together with the rest of our college friends,led me to reveal some of my secrets. And some of theirs. From being accused by friends I gave up. Little did I know the get together was just a ruse for them to get back into my life and they were playing the long game, making sure I belonged to them and them only.
Dean's POV : The minute we I opened the door and saw her ,so beautiful, I knew it was either going to go our way or she ran. We fell in love with her at Eighteen,she was seventeen and off limits,she saw us as brother so we waited, when she disappeared we let her ,she thought we had no idea where she was ,she as absolutely fucking wrong. We watch her every move and knew how to make her cave to our wishes.
Aleck's POV : Little Layla had become so fucking beautiful, Dean and I decided she would be ours. She walked around the island unaware if what was coming her way.one way or the other Our best friend would end up under us in our bed and she would ask for it too.

I hate Lucas very much, even though he is my brother's best friend.

Everyone else looked at Lucas and saw a righteous gentleman. But all I looked at him and saw a malicious, self-righteous jerk.

I had proposed my feelings to him whom I had fallen in love with the moment I set my eyes on him.

However, he had crushed my feelings and went abroad the next day.

Now, he's back and undeniably, I couldn't believe that my heart still beats for the man who had crushed me so hard after several years.

Can I let go of the love I had for him or it seems like it has come to stay?

“W—we shouldn’t be doing this…”
I tried to whisper the lie, but Dominic was already on me, his mouth on my throat, hands claiming my body like he paid for the right to ruin me.
His fingers slid deep and stars danced at the back of my eyes. Dominic chuckles against my skin, “That’s Daddy’s good girl,”
and every boundary I ever believed in shattered.
No contract. No marriage vow. No lie I told could stop what happened next.


Lily thought it would be simple: marry her best friend’s husband under a false name, save her family, and uncover why her friend vanished without a trace.
But the moment she sees Dominic at the altar—dangerous, possessive and devastating—everything collapses.
Because Lily is hiding the one truth that could burn her new life to the ground:
Dominic is her daughter’s real father…
and her best friend’s missing husband.
Now she must survive a marriage built on secrets with a man who won’t stop until he owns every part of her.

For six years, Cassandra poured her heart into raising her husband’s son, Rowan. Her world shatters when his first love, Nadia, returns and is revealed as Rowan's biological mother.
Her Alpha husband blatantly sleeps with Nadia in their marital bed and ruthlessly severs his mate bond with Cassandra.
Stripped of her Luna title, she is publicly humiliated as her husband declares, "My son doesn't need a murderer for a mother."

Even worse, the six-year-old boy she saved completely rejects her. Shouting, "You're not my mom," he ignores her heavy chains and desperate pleas, running to hug Nadia instead.
Banished and disgraced, Cassandra barely survives a fatal car crash, only to discover she is carrying her traitorous ex-husband's child.

Five years later, she rises from the ashes as the elite physician, "Dr. Frost." When the once-arrogant Alpha is poisoned and dying, he begs for her help and forgiveness. But she simply turns and walks away.

How will Cassandra exact her ultimate revenge? And when their five-year-old daughter is struck by a severe illness, will this tragic twist force a turning point in their deadly entanglement?

Karina Wilson and Ethan Whitmore had been college sweethearts, who had promised to spend eternity together to prove the strength of their love. Karina has sacrificed her own career and an arranged match by her family to be with Ethan through thick and thin, but all that changes in one night when Ethan’s first love, Katharine, returns to the country and Karina realizes that for five years, Ethan had only considered Karina as a placeholder while he waited for his true love to return.

Heartbroken and devastated, Karina returns to her home, agreeing to marry the man that her family had chosen for her. With her fiancé, Michael Hudson, she finally begins to understand the meaning of selfless love and starts to build her life anew. But with Ethan’s life crumpling, he finally realizes that Karina had been the reason he has managed to become who he was today. What happens when Ethan comes back into Karina’s life, begging for a second chance? Will Karina make the same mistake twice or will she finally choose to live for herself and the person who truly loves her?

My heart raced as Alaric spoke, excitement coursing through my entire body. I turned to look at Delilah, who was standing next to me. Our gazes met, and she gave me a cold stare.

"With you all as my witnesses, I present to you my Luna, Delilah Fairchild."

Wait! What? Delilah, not Daisy? What's going on here? Is this some kind of mistake?

Alaric avoided my gaze as I turned to look at him, seeking confirmation if what I heard was indeed true.

He then walked to the end of the stage where Delilah and I stood, reaching out to take Delilah's hands and help her onto the stage.

"I told you not to try too hard, sis. He has always been mine. Do you get it now?" Delilah whispered to me before she ascended the stage.


Daisy and Delilah, twin sisters, shared everything and loved each other deeply until they both developed feelings for the same man- Alaric Blackwood, the Alpha of the Blackwood pack.

The happiest day of Daisy's life was when she discovered that Alaric was her mate. "I will declare you as my Luna after my coronation as the Alpha of the Blackwood Pack," Alaric had assured her.

Filled with anticipation, Daisy looked forward to Alaric's coronation, when he would publicly declare her as his Luna. However, the situation took a dramatic turn when, in front of all pack members, Alaric chose Delilah over Daisy, despite their fated bond.

Unable to bear the rejection, Daisy fled and was subsequently attacked by a beast. Fortunately, she was rescued by the mysterious Draco, who showed her nothing but kindness...

The night Araya was born, the Moon refused her. Marked as wolfless, mocked and forgotten, she grew up as prey in her own pack. Even her fated mate broke the bond with a smirk and left her bleeding at the border — for rogues to finish.

But they forgot one thing:
Ash remembers.
And so does the throne buried beneath it.

The forest did not devour her. It bowed.
The flame did not die. It waited.
Until, in the silence between heartbeats, something older than gods whispered:

“She is not blessed. She is not chosen. She is the reckoning the moon tried to silence.”

Now Araya walks again — no longer mortal, no longer meek. She is Hollow-Blood reborn, daughter of the fire that swallowed fate, heir to a throne no god dares name.

And fate has bound her to Dorian—Azrien—the exiled god chained to shadow and ruin. He expected to crave nothing but vengeance. Until her. Araya is the mate his immortal soul demands, the salvation he denies, and the spark that could either set him free… or burn the world to ash.

But enemies stir in silence.
Adira, the Luna who would claim the Alpha prince at any cost, forges a pact with a creature older than gods, a monster chained in rot and darkness. The price she pays will rip fate itself open.

Betrayals. Forbidden desire. Gods who bleed. Wolves who kneel.
And at the heart of it, one truth no prophecy can silence:

The gods will end.
She will not.

And the last prophecy carved into stone whispers:
“The Flame That Walks Returns.
Let the gods burn first.”

Eleanor's younger brother's reckless romance drags her into the world of wealth, power, and scandal, Eleanor finds herself face-to-face with the man she loves to hate, Marcus Green, who portrayed like he had no room for emotions until Eleanor stormed into his life like a hurricane. She challenged him, defied him, and somehow got under his skin like no one ever had.
He frustrates Eleanor into getting married to him after a one-off intense and passionate love-making. But, Eleanor gave one shocking condition, no physical intimacy--both must confront the walls they've built around their hearts.
The Beast of Green Manor is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers story filled with tension, emotion, and the kind of love that changes lives, because sometimes, the person you hate the most… is the only one who truly sees you.

“I saved you, Shekina,” Azi appeared in front of me, standing tall as he looked down at me. “Now you live to serve me. Your life depends on me.”

I smiled back. “Serve who?” I winced when my vision spun.

“Can’t you just be glad I saved your life?”

I laughed. “I didn’t want to be saved.”

He froze but got himself together quickly. “Unfortunately, you’re still alive. And as long as you are, you’re tied to me. I decide when you’re free. As long as I have you, you have to do what I want. You are nothing but a pet of mine that I can get rid of anytime I want.”

Tears fell from my eyes.

“You turned me into a monster!” I screamed. “I’ll never forgive you.”

He tilted his head. “Monster?” he laughed. “Just because we drink blood doesn’t mean we’re monsters. And I don’t care if you don’t forgive me. Anyway, forget this dramatic talk. No matter what you do, you’ll serve me. You won’t die until I say so.”

With my last breath, I screamed, “You can have my life, not my choices, you beast! You can turn me into a monster like you, but someday you’ll regret it. You’ll regret that you saved me. You’ll regret that you met me!”

I sniffed… I couldn’t feel my body anymore.

“I have been living for centuries now, Shekina. That threat doesn’t work.”

I laughed even though I was confused, in pain, and angry.

“That’s because… you didn’t have me in those years.”

When Sadie Greer gets into an arranged marriage with a Crypto developer, an evil wrapped in a pretty thousand-dollar suit, she only agrees to escape the family trap with a hefty price tag.

With an ulterior motive, Cenric Wollf marries the daughter of his enemy until they fall deeper into their own trap.


Adley Kross does something beyond imaginable—proposing marriage to the stranger for her inheritance.

Mykel Creed’s only priority is making himself filthy rich with a bit of fun along the way.

It doesn’t take long enough for them to realize they married for the wrong reason.


Princess Carlott lost everything in a blink of an eye with one mistake.

She has built herself as Carly Storm and promised no more foolish mistakes until she stumbles with a grumpy but irresistible CEO, Rome Langston— her boss.

Rome is new in the business, but maybe a distraction is all he needs. What can go wrong with a bit of fun?


London Vanderford is never a rule-breaker until the god-like returns as her temporary bodyguard.

When her father threatens to shut down her clothing line, Striker volunteers to help— marrying her.

The more they spend time together, the more they realize they can’t live without each other.


Estelle Bladwyn bumps into a hot thirty-ish man on her not-so-romantic-getaway. Their growing attraction is overwhelming, but her life is already complicated. But who can deny someone like Linden?

Gabe Linden is getting old and still single and done with hookups and doing favors until it comes from someone he looks up to.

With one look at Estelle, he knows he’s already in deep trouble.

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.” --Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone) From #1 bestselling mystery author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense: CAUSE TO HIDE (An Avery Black Mystery—Book 3).Bodies are being found in the outskirts of Boston, their corpses burned beyond recognition, as the police realize a new serial killer is roaming the streets. As the media converges and the pressure is upped, the Boston Police Department must turn to its most brilliant—and controversial—homicide detective: Avery Black.Avery, still trying to pick up the pieces of her own life—her budding relationship with Ramirez, her reconciliation with Rose—suddenly finds herself thrown into the most challenging case of her career. With scant evidence to follow, she must enter the mind of a psychotic killer, try to understand his obsession with fire, and what clues that offers into his personality. Her trail leads her deep into Boston’s worst neighborhoods, to confrontations with its worst psychopaths—and finally, to a twist she could never possibly imagine.In a game of psychological cat and mouse, a frantic race against time, Avery is led too deep into the maze of a killer’s mind, and to places darker than she’d ever wish to see.A psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, CAUSE TO HIDE is book #3 of a riveting new series—with a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #4 in the Avery Black series will be available soon. “A masterpiece of thriller and mystery. Pierce did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side, so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.” --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.” --Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone) From #1 bestselling mystery author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense. In CAUSE TO RUN (An Avery Black Mystery—Book 2), a new serial killer is stalking Boston, killing his victims in bizarre ways, taunting the police with mysterious puzzles that reference the stars. As the stakes are upped and the pressure is on, the Boston Police Department is forced to call in its most brilliant—and most controversial—homicide detective: Avery Black.Avery, still reeling from her last case, finds herself up against a rival precinct and a brilliant, cunning killer who is always one step ahead of her. She is forced to enter his dark, twisted mind as he lays clues for his next killing, and forced to look into places in her own mind she would rather not go. She finds herself compelled to seek the counsel of Howard Randall, the twisted serial killer she’d put behind bars years ago, all while her new burgeoning life with Rose and Ramirez is falling apart.And just as things cannot get any worse, she finds out something else: she herself may be the target.In a game of psychological cat and mouse, a frantic race against time leads Avery through a series of shocking and unexpected twists—culminating in climax that even Avery could not imagine. A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, CAUSE TO RUN is book #2 of a riveting new series—with a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #3 in the Avery Black series will be available soon. “A masterpiece of thriller and mystery. Pierce did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side, so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.” --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.” --Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone) From #1 bestselling author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense: CAUSE TO SAVE (An Avery Black Mystery—Book 5)—the final installment in the Avery Black series.In the epic finale of the Avery Black series, serial killer Howard Randall has escaped, and the entire city of Boston is on edge. Women are turning up gruesomely murdered, and everyone suspects Howard is at it again. When Boston’s most brilliant and controversial homicide detective—Avery Black—is herself stalked—and when people close to her are brutally killed, one by one—it seems the city’s worst fears are confirmed.But Avery is not so sure. The murders remind her of something she once saw in her past. They remind her of something too close to her heart—something that had to do with a secret she thought she had buried long ago….The most riveting and shocking book of the series, a psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, CAUSE TO SAVE is the finale that will leave you turning pages late into the night. “A masterpiece of thriller and mystery. Pierce did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side, so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.” --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)

No matter how far I ran, no matter how deep I hid, I knew one truth… He would always find me.

Knock. Knock.

I jolted up from my sitting position, with my heart hammering in my chest.

Just as I was saying... He had found me.

But by the time he broke down the rickety door, I was already standing and facing him with a knife to my wrist.

I'd rather die than return home with him as his mate.


Eve thought she and her mother had successfully escaped her abusive father by getting married to the former Alpha of a pack far away from where they lived.

But all her hopes were cut short the moment she realized her new stepbrother, Alpha Saint, who was also the current Alpha of her new pack, was the same man she had a one-night stand with eight months ago, along with his best friend, Beta Kyrie. And on that fateful night, she had stolen very valuable items from these men.

Hated and controlled by her stepbrother, who saw her as nothing but a thieving whore, Eve decided to find solace in Kyrie, who was already falling madly in love with her. But Saint would rather fight his bestfriend to the death than let him anywhere close to the woman he was secretly obsessed with from the day he set eyes on her.

All hell was let loose when Eve turned twenty-one and found out that not only was she mated to the man she loved and desired – Kyrie. She was also mated to her overly possessive stepbrother, whom she dreaded with her life.


TRIGGER WARNING!

This is a dark romance novel, which might contain some unsettling themes rated 18+. It is everything dark and forbidden. Please, be guided.

Vanessa, an omega in the Blood Moon Pack, suffered a devastating blow when the Alpha's son spurned her in favor of another. Seeking solace elsewhere, she eventually returns to her pack, only to be greeted by tragedy: the untimely passing of the beloved Luna, the woman who raised her.

In the midst of grief and upheaval, Vanessa’s world is further rocked when she discovers she's been chosen as the Alpha's second chance mate. Alpha Alexander, grappling with unexpected emotions and the significant age gap between them, struggles to come to terms with this twist of fate especially considering Vanessa was once rejected by his own son.

As tensions rise and emotions run high, Alpha Alexander’s conflicted feelings lead him to make a rash decision: to punish Vanessa for a drunken mistake made in the heat of the moment. But as the lines blur between duty, desire, and resentment, both Vanessa and Alpha Alexander find themselves on a collision course with destiny.

My first love was adopted by our family, and he promised he would always be there for me.
But after my dad passed away in a car accident, I found him with another woman in our bedroom.
He told everyone Caroline was his true love—that he only saw me as a sister—and claimed I was the one who was pestering him.
I was shamed by everyone. The stress gave my mother a stroke, and Caroline even had someone run me over, costing me an eye.
Seven years later, holding flowers, I ran into them outside a convenience store.
Arthur's son looked at me pityingly. "Dad, this lady lost an eye… Is she selling flowers? Should we buy some?"

"This marriage cannot happen," Coty's voice rang through the hall.
"She's pregnant with someone else's child."
"I hate her too much to ever share a bed with her," Damien said coldly.
"Then who is the father?"
"The child is mine."
Ryker Stones—the dreaded Alpha of the Silvercrest Pack.
Damien's uncle.
Her fiancé's blood.
And her father's sworn enemy.
Jenna Spears, the legitimate daughter of the Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack, never wanted to marry Damien Stones. But she is forced into a ruthless alliance marriage arranged by their fathers.
One week before the wedding, she catches Damien in bed with her stepsister, Coty—and he cruelly rejects their mate bond without remorse.
Broken, humiliated, and drunk, Jenna spends one reckless night with a stranger.
What she never expects is to carry his child.
Determined to protect the pack's reputation, her father insists the wedding go on. But on the day she's meant to become Damien's Luna, Coty exposes her pregnancy in front of everyone—out of spite.
Just as Jenna is condemned, the stranger steps forward to claim his pup.
What happens when she discovers that her one-night stand is none other than Ryker Stones, the feared Alpha of the Silvercrest Pack—her fiancé's uncle and the man her father has sworn to destroy?

Are you single? Or married?

I’m single ma’am

Why would a beautiful girl like you be single?

Well, I’d say it’s because I have to work hard to fend for myself so I could meet up with my bills. So I really wouldn’t have time for relationships.

Well, I want to offer you a contract.

What contract ma’am?

I want you to get married to my son and produce heirs for my family, he’s the only child I have and I wouldn’t want our name to be dragged to the mud because of his refusal to get married.

I’m a dying woman, I’m battling with cancer and I have just one year left for me and I wouldn’t want him to be unmarried while I leave this earth.

I’m ready to pay you five hundred thousand dollars monthly (500,000 USD) for staying with my son and a million dollars when you produce an heir.

What?

On her 18th birthday, Aria Grey is humiliated and rejected by her fated mate, the cruel and powerful Alpha Dominic Blackthorn. Heartbroken and cast out, she runs—only to wake up with no memory in the Manhattan penthouse of Damien Blackthorn, Dominic’s reclusive billionaire twin no one knew existed. He's powerful. He's dangerous. And for some reason, he's claiming her as his mate.
What Aria doesn’t know is that Damien has a vendetta against his brother—and she’s the perfect pawn. But the longer Damien pretends to be her mate, the more real it becomes.
Aria starts unlocking dark memories of her past, ones that might reveal a terrifying truth: she was never supposed to be just a mate—she was bred for something much, much darker…
Setting:

Two years ago, at the Mating Ceremony, my fated mate, Alpha Jason, rejected me in front of the entire pack. He chose my stepsister, Maggie, simply because she had pure blood, and I was just a "Wolfless" waste.
Two years later, I returned to the Blackwater Territory with my new mate.
I met Jason at the forest entrance bordering the territory. For the sake of his pack’s "interests," he dared to order me to warm my stepfather’s bed and serve his new mate as a maid.
He had no idea that the "Wolfless" waste he was sneering at was now the most revered woman in North America—the Luna Queen.

She was not his first choice.
But he is her Alpha.


Rose Williams presented as an Omega and has been hated by everyone around her for that. She's also reminded that she's worthless, a toy for Alphas every single day. Her only hope was to turn twenty-one and settle down with Zain, an Alpha who promised to love and cherish her.

Aiden Russo is a Pack Alpha-the cruellest one the Moonlight Pack has ever seen. If rumours were to believe he's ruthless, cold and doesn't care for omegas. To complete his ownership, he needs a Luna.

By some unfortunate turn of events, Rose is married to the Alpha Aiden, who doesn't show any interest in her. Will she be able to win over his heart? Or forever be loathed by the Alpha?

The little wolf series Ashley was the future Beta to the Red Ridge pack that's until his own mother turns the pack against him and leaves him no choice but to run for his life with his father by his side. All Ashley has ever wanted is to meet his mate and have a family but now he's faced with trying to simply survive.

Can he and his father make it to somewhere safe or will more heartbreak stand in their way? Gamma Jack has a great life including friends that are more like family but the pain at the loss of his parents is never far away.
With no other blood family he dreams of finding his mate and starting a new family but his mate is being hunted and only Jack can save him. Will Jack get to his mate in time or is he destined to forever be alone?

The Little Wolf series recommended reading order Loved by the Gamma ~ Jack and Ashley's story His little wolf ~ Liam and Bethany's story.

What should have been the happiest day of Emma Dane's life turned into a nightmare as she was kidnapped by a tall masculine brooding man who claim her to be his mate.

Despite her pleas and cries, she was shipped away into a world she had no idea of, a world she thought she would never accept but of course, Emma was bent on escaping the stranger who had kidnapped her and claiming her to be his soul mate.

On the other hand, Emma's fiance a powerful Italian mafia set out to get his kidnapped bride back.

Two worlds will clash, an Alpha Lycan prince and a Mafia human Don, fighting for not only dominance but also the power to claim her as their own.

Unbeknownst to Emma, she's much more than she thought, what happened when a new enemy is aroused from the past and wanted her dead? Who is the enemy and Why? torn between love, duty, and war, how will She survive the worlds she's thrown into?

Find out!

Audrey's seventeen years in the Grey Blood pack were like a caged animal. She lived each day dreading the next unexpected thing the Alpha could punish her for.
Audrey tried hard to understand the mysterious dream she'd been having, but nothing made sense to her, she was lost.
She wished to be freed from the Grey Blood pack, but she lost all hope of survival when she found herself locked and chained in the cold dark dungeon. She hated him, she cursed him as her blood drained from her. She was happy to die and go away from that monster-alpha. Audrey awoke in a magical world where she learned everything about herself, she cultivated herself to become the strongest wolf and witch alive. One item though, led her back to the last place she wanted to be.
Alpha Aloha Lake ruled the Grey Blood pack, the largest and strongest pack in the States. He was known to be brutal, even the mafia feared him. Nothing or anyone bothered him, except one; the damned bitch Audrey. He hated her, and he would make her pay for her mother's sins. But he could not kill her...yet.
Alpha Lake emotionlessly stared at Audrey's bleeding body that lay on the cold dungeon floor, he ordered his beta to dispose of her without a second thought.
One year later the enemies met again. Will hatred be the only emotion they share? Could they resist the fatal attraction they felt for each other?

Thorvald gripped my hips firmly, pressing his cock dick against me as he began to thrust violently. He gnawed at my jaw, leaving a trail of sticky saliva that made my skin crawl with each contact.

Growing more excited, he roughly pulled my leg up around his hip, trapping me. I felt my body no longer belonged to me, as if my soul were floating above, looking down at this nightmare.

"Won't be too hard to possess you." He thrust harder. "Fuck, Elsa. I'm going to fuck you until you learn your place, understand?"

Deep within the territory of the werewolf pack, 18-year-old Elsa is the eternal shame of her family. During the coming-of-age ceremony, she failed to awaken the werewolf spirit within her. When the entire pack regards her as a defective being and bullies her, working part-time at a coffee shop and saving money becomes her only hope to escape from this living hell. However, an abrupt order from her father pushes her towards a werewolf gathering, and it is there that she has a forbidden encounter that will turn her destiny upside down.

Can the wolfless she-wolf escape from the ferocious wolf pack and find a new life?

"Leave or stay? Choose! If you really want to leave, then go on. I'll make sure your life will be hell when you choose to leave and avoid me."

OMG! I'm in the arms of the lead singer of my favorite band! His tongue moved swiftly and precisely, leaving the delight surging within me.

And he’s my… stepbrother?!


Between vibrant chords and passionate autographs, Lily experiences a fleeting encounter with Samuel, the lead singer of her favorite band. However, the promising night turns into a maze of surprises when she returns to reality. Answering her father's call, Lily is dragged into a new chapter of her life, where destiny weaves the threads of an unusual plot.

Upon returning home, Lily encounters the mysterious Victoria, soon to become her stepmother. Between forced cohabitation and waiting for a child who never arrives, secrets begin to emerge. In the whirlwind of emotions, Lily decides to confide in her best friend, who warns her about Samuel's past as an irresistible charmer.

Despite the warning, destiny plays with the cards of love, bringing Lily and Samuel together once again. An intense connection reignites, but when the truth is revealed on the wedding day, Lily discovers that her stepbrother is the man behind those fiery nights. Between passionate melodies and family secrets, they must face the consequences of a forbidden relationship, where love intertwines with blood ties.

[Reverse Harem] Anila's uncle tried to control her life in every possible aspect. But one day, a hot stranger Xaden appeared and handed Anila an offer from a university on the mysterious "Were-land". On the plane there, Xaden surprisingly revealed his true identity as a werewolf and introduced himself as Anila's "fated mate". Before Anila could process all the crazy news, she realized Xaden wasn't her only mate.....

Then I felt it, all over my flesh, that undeniable connection, the same one I felt when I first met Xaden.
My eyes gravitated down the hall, I have found them.
That’s right. Them.

Rafael Achilles Cordova is the notoriously cold CEO of Cordova Industries, unrivaled in the business world. Raised as the successor of his father's company, he poured his life into preparing to inherit the company and grew up with no other interests. No care for women, money, or life in general. For all 29 years of his life, he lived purely for the sake of carrying out his duty without divulging into a single frivolity.

And yet, why couldn't he get his mind off of the bright violet eyes of a particular little lady who randomly entered his life one day? Why was there a fuzzy feeling in his chest at a mere glimpse of her? Why did it feel like his entire world was collapsing with only a single tear running down her cheek? Where were all these feelings coming from? Unfamiliar feelings that he had not once ever felt before in his entire life.

Little did he know that those were the feelings of a king who finally found his queen, one who he would lay his entire empire down to stay by her side.

"You should be scared," I whispered, brushing my fingertips along her spine, slow and teasing, then down over the swell of her ass. My palm lingered, gripping one cheek possessively. "Because you've just given yourself to the devil."

I leaned down, my lips brushing her ear.

“And the devil? He doesn’t believe in mercy."
....

I should have known better than to sign his contract.

My new husband was never meant to be real. He was supposed to be a name on paper, a shield against the vultures circling my late husband's empire. An arrangement with an expiration date.

But Killian Cross doesn't let go.

He's ruthless, obsessive, and dangerously possessive. The kind of man who doesn't just own his empire. He owns everything in his grasp. And now, that includes me.

I thought I could play his game and walk away unscathed.

I was wrong.

Because my contract husband has made one thing clear. I belong to him now.

But what happens when the shadows surrounding him become my prison? What if love isn’t enough for the hell awaiting us? Will I be able to save him when he needs me? Or will we both drown in the raging tempest?

Story Of a Mysterious Professor, a girl full of life and Mr Stranger.
** "Now you'll just follow my command." As he told me, I nodded my head meekly, sitting on the desk. "Professor wants his favourite student to stand up and come to him." As he commanded, I stood up and sauntered to him. My heartbeat is accelerating with every step which I'm taking toward him.
"Now remove your top for your professor, my favourite student." As he ordered, I flushed, moving my eyelashes down.
"Do it fast, Princess. I'm waiting." As he spoke, I moved my eyes up at him shyly. He pointed his finger at my top. I held the hem of my green top and pulled it over my head, gazing at his handsome face sheepishly.
"Now give it to me." As he said, I instantly gave my top to him, and he inhaled my scent from the top, closing his eyes.
"Your scent is exquisite, Princess." He whispered after opening his eyes. He kept my top on the table.
"Now this." He pointed his finger at my bra, asking me take it off. I blushed hard before taking my hands behind and unlocking it. This is really increasing my excitement. As I removed it, he moved his eyes down at my twins and then up at me.
"You're really beautiful, Princess." He complimented me, touching my heart. He pulled out his hand, and I gave my bra to him. Then like this, I pulled out my jeans and undies too and gave them to him. This is arousing my desires more. He is gazing at my body like he's gazing at the stars. "I like you like this. You are so beautiful, Princess. For me, your body is perfect from every corner." I smiled at him.

Elara, a broken Omega werewolf tormented for years of slavery by the Nightfang pack for her treasonous parents' sins, is forced into the deadly Bloodmoon Hunt as prey. Her repressed, seductive siren pheromones, made dysfunctional under torture, call forth the stoic and unattached Silverfang Alpha trinity; Ronan, Kieran and Talon. They take her in the brutal chaos of the hunt, shattering her chains and unleashing a primal, all-consuming hunger. Torn between age-old trauma and the all-encompassing, erotic force of the mate bond, Elara must learn to trust her Alphas' savage fidelity and discover her own emerging strength. As a trio, they must confront sadistic Nightfang Alpha Kael and shatter the pattern of hate, elevating Elara from a shattered slave to a respected Luna whose strength is one of spirit, empathy, and the indomitable, lust-infused bond with her three Alphas.

BETRAYED BY MY OWN
PLOT SUMMARY

Jemima Luciana Valerian is a cold blooded teenager.
But you really can't blame her, can you?
She was raped at a tender age of twelve by her own father, scorned by her only sister and finally sold to a mafia gang that kills and sells body part by her own mother....
Now at eighteen, she's a trained assassin and the only thing keeping her going is revenge.
But plans changed as she comes across the most feared Mafia, Jay Black!
They shared a one night stand which caused animosity between them. They are however assigned to a task and they must both put their differences aside to work on it. Tension rises as sparks fly between these two but one person ends up with a broken heart.

What will happen if the most feared assassin and most revered Mafia go head to head?

Will it be the beginning of new feelings or the end of past hatred?

Find out in Betrayed By My Own

Disclaimer: This is a book filled with so much anger, hatred, revenge, lust, desire and so much more. It contains explicit language and very matured scenes. If you're reading this, you're doing so solely at your own risk

Orphaned servant, Lyra– a girl born under the cursed moon with silver eyes and a crescent birthmark has always been an outcast in her pack due to the prophecy surrounding her birth.

On the night of her eighteenth birthday, she is publicly rejected by Alpha Kade.

Desperate to save her face and avoid further embarrassment, she runs into the unbound lands and is attacked by a stray rogue, only to be saved by a mysterious wolf with silver fur who marks her after discovering their mate's bond.

But that should have been the end of it, until Kade comes running back to her, she discovers she has a third mate, and secrets surrounding her birth arise, making her the enemy's target.

Stuck with three men who are desperate to lay claim to her, she has to choose between one– but he might just be her downfall as he’s working for the enemy.

Sneak peek:

“I’m going to have a maid prepare a bath for you. You will get dressed. And tonight, we will have our mating ceremony. I am not giving you room to reject me,” he said firmly.

“But I—”

“Shh,” he said, placing his fingers on my lips. “I have found a bond with you, and I found you..." He trailed off, as if not knowing the words to use. "You are the most beautiful woman in this world I have seen. I want you to be my Luna, and I don't want anyone else near you,” he said.

“I know you are scared and do not have any experience, but that is not a problem. I will guide you. I will be your head. I will love you. And we shall live together happily."

"I'm not—"

"It is not up for debate.”

"I had a perfect life, I had the perfect boyfriend who told me, even if we are not mated, I will be with you forever."
I believed him, every word that came from his mouth, I believed it. Until one day, my world came crumbling when the truth was revealed. 
So I left him without shedding a tear, I was determined to be the strong Cassie from that day onward. 
Two years later, I came back with another man. 
Not too long, my ex fell on his knees realizing how much he loved me.

She was never supposed to be his.

Freya had spent her life invisible, surviving high school by keeping her head down. But everything shatters the moment she crosses paths with Casey, the school’s golden boy… and something far more dangerous than human.

Casey isn’t just the Alpha’s son. He’s a Lycan, born to lead, trained to dominate, and bound by laws that could destroy them both. One careless kiss in the locker room ignited a mate bond Freya never asked for.

Their bond is instant, and it doesn't forgive.

But Freya is human… or at least, she’s supposed to be.

With the threat of the Elders looming, secrets unraveling, and a connection that refuses to be denied, Casey must decide:

Protect her from his world…
Or drag her into it and risk losing her forever.

Because once a Lycan claims his mate…
There is no going back.