1724 Book(s) Related to romance good books to read

“Morgan Rice has come up with what promises to be another brilliant series, immersing us in a fantasy of valor, honor, courage, magic and faith in your destiny. Morgan has managed again to produce a strong set of characters that make us cheer for them on every page.…Recommended for the permanent library of all readers that love a well-written fantasy.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (regarding Rise of the Dragons)From #1 Bestseller Morgan Rice comes an unforgettable new fantasy series. In A COURT FOR THIEVES (A Throne for Sisters—Book Two), Sophia, 17, finds her world upside down as she is cast from the romantic world of aristocracy and back to the horrors of the orphanage. This time the nuns seem intent on killing her. Yet that doesn’t pain her as much as her broken heart. Will Sebastian realize his mistake and come back for her?Her younger sister Kate, 15, embarks on her training with the witch, coming of age under her auspices, mastering the sword, gaining more power than she ever imagined possible—and determined to embark on a quest to save her sister. She finds herself immersed in a world of violence and combat, of a magic she craves—and yet one that may consume her.A secret is revealed about Sophia and Kate’s lost parents, and all may not be what it seems for the sisters. Fate, indeed, may be turned on its head. A COURT FOR THIEVES (A Throne for Sisters—Book Two) is the second book in a dazzling new fantasy series rife with love, heartbreak, tragedy, action, adventure, magic, sorcery, dragons, fate and heart-pounding suspense. A page turner, it is filled with characters that will make you fall in love, and a world you will never forget. Book #3 in the series—A SONG FOR ORPHANS—will be released soon.“An action packed fantasy sure to please fans of Morgan Rice’s previous novels, along with fans of works such as The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini…. Fans of Young Adult Fiction will devour this latest work by Rice and beg for more.” --The Wanderer, A Literary Journal (regarding Rise of the Dragons)

“Morgan Rice's imagination is limitless. In another series that promises to be as entertaining as the previous ones, A THRONE OF SISTERS presents us with the tale of two sisters (Sophia and Kate), orphans, fighting to survive in a cruel and demanding world of an orphanage. An instant success. I can hardly wait to put my hands on the second and third books!”--Books and Movie Reviews (Roberto Mattos)From #1 Bestseller Morgan Rice comes an unforgettable new fantasy series. In A JEWEL FOR ROYALS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Five), Sophia, 17, gets word that Sebastian, her love, is imprisoned and set to be executed. Will she risk it all for love?Her sister Kate, 15, struggles to escape the witch’s power—but it may be too strong. Kate may be forced to pay the price for the deal she made—and to live a life she doesn’t want to.The Queen is furious at Lady D’Angelica for failing to woo her son, Sebastian. She is prepared to sentence her to the Lead Mask. But Lady D’Angelica has her own plans, and she won’t go down so easily.Cora and Emeline finally reach Stonehome—and what they find there shocks them.Most shocking of all, though, is Sophia and Kate’s brother, a man who will change their destinies forever. What secrets does he hold about their long-lost parents?A JEWEL FOR ROYALS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Five) is the fifth book in a dazzling new fantasy series rife with love, heartbreak, tragedy, action, adventure, magic, swords, sorcery, dragons, fate and heart-pounding suspense. A page turner, it is filled with characters that will make you fall in love, and a world you will never forget. Book #6 in the series will be released soon.“[A Throne for Sisters is a] powerful opener to a series [that] will produce a combination of feisty protagonists and challenging circumstances to thoroughly involve not just young adults, but adult fantasy fans who seek epic stories fueled by powerful friendships and adversaries.”--Midwest Book Review (Diane Donovan)

“Morgan Rice's imagination is limitless. In another series that promises to be as entertaining as the previous ones, A THRONE OF SISTERS presents us with the tale of two sisters (Sophia and Kate), orphans, fighting to survive in a cruel and demanding world of an orphanage. An instant success. I can hardly wait to put my hands on the second and third books!”--Books and Movie Reviews (Roberto Mattos)The new #1 Bestselling epic fantasy series by Morgan Rice!In A KISS FOR QUEENS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Six), it is time for Sophia to come into her own. It is time for her to lead an army, to lead a nation, to step up and be the commander of the most epic battle the realm may ever see. Her love, Sebastian, remains imprisoned and set to be executed. Will they reunite in time?Kate has finally freed herself from the witch’s power, and is free to become the warrior she was meant to be. Her skills will be tested in the battle of her life, as she fights at her sister’s side. Will the sisters save each other?The Queen, furious at Rupert and Lady D’Angelica, exiles him and sentences her to execution. But they just may have their own agenda.And all of this converges in an epic battle that will decide the future of the crown—and the fate of the realm—forever.A KISS FOR QUEENS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Six) is book #6 in a dazzling new fantasy series rife with love, heartbreak, tragedy, action, adventure, magic, swords, sorcery, dragons, fate and heart-pounding suspense. A page turner, it is filled with characters that will make you fall in love, and a world you will never forget. Book #7 in the series will be released soon.“[A Throne for Sisters is a] powerful opener to a series [that] will produce a combination of feisty protagonists and challenging circumstances to thoroughly involve not just young adults, but adult fantasy fans who seek epic stories fueled by powerful friendships and adversaries.”--Midwest Book Review (Diane Donovan)

“TRANSMISSION is riveting, unexpected, and firmly rooted in strong psychological profiles backed with thriller and sci-fi elements: what more could readers wish for? (Just the quick publication of Book Two, Arrival.)”--Midwest Book ReviewFrom #1 worldwide bestselling fantasy author Morgan Rice comes RETURN, book #4 in a long-anticipated science fiction series. Can Kevin and Chloe survive alone in outer space? Can Luna, alone on planet Earth, avoid capture?All hope seems lost for Kevin and Chloe as their escape pod hurtles into nothingness, as they run out of rations and supplies.All hope seems lost for Luna as the aliens outnumber and encircle her.If there any hope left for humanity?“Action-packed …. Rice’s writing is solid and the premise intriguing.”–Publishers Weekly, re A Quest of Heroes“A superior fantasy… A recommended winner for any who enjoy epic fantasy writing fueled by powerful, believable young adult protagonists.”–Midwest Book Review, re Rise of the Dragons“An action packed fantasy sure to please fans of Morgan Rice’s previous novels, along with fans of works such as THE INHERITANCE CYCLE by Christopher Paolini…. Fans of Young Adult Fiction will devour this latest work by Rice and beg for more.”–The Wanderer, A Literary Journal (regarding Rise of the Dragons)Also available are Morgan Rice’s many series in the fantasy genre, including A QUEST OF HEROES (BOOK #1 IN THE SORCERER’S RING), a free download with over 1,300 five star reviews!

“Jaden Skye creates a set of characters that are very well developed, and makes you cheer for our heroine on every page. The environment and the overall description of scenes are superb, making you feel the suspense in the air the whole time.”--Books and Movie Reviews (Roberto Mattos) (re No Place to Die)NO PLACE FOR MARRIAGE is book #4 in a new romantic suspense series by #1 bestselling author Jaden Skye, which begins with Book #1, NO PLACE TO DIE, a free download!When Tyron Barr, a rich, old tycoon confined to a wheelchair, is found dead at the bottom of his staircase, his stunning 32 year old wife is immediately suspect. But she protests her innocence—and calls Olivia and Wayne in to prove it.In a world where nothing is as it seems, a world of incredible wealth and charm, of intense greed and jealousy, loneliness and secrets, Olivia discovers, lurk behind the scenes. Perhaps just enough to murder someone.Is the young wife playing Olivia? Or did someone else want him dead?NO PLACE FOR MARRIAGE is book #4 in an explosive new romantic suspense series filled with love, tragedy, heartbreak, betrayal and suspense, one that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #5 will be released soon.Jaden is also author of the #1 Bestselling series MURDER IN THE CARIBBEAN, which begins with DEATH BY HONEYMOON (Book #1), a free download with over 200 five star reviews!

“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.Keri Locke, Missing Persons Detective in the Homicide division of the LAPD, remains haunted by the abduction of her own daughter, years before, never found. Still obsessed with finding her, Keri buries her grief the only way she knows how: by throwing herself into the cases of missing persons in Los Angeles.A routine phone call from a worried mother of a high-schooler, only two hours missing, should be ignored. Yet something about the mother’s voice strikes a chord, and Keri decides to investigate.What she finds shocks her. The missing daughter—of a prominent senator—was hiding secrets no one knew. When all evidence points to a runaway, Keri is ordered off the case. And yet, despite pressure from her superiors, from the media, despite all trails going cold, the brilliant and obsessed Keri refuses to let it go. She knows she has but 48 hours if she has any chance of bringing this girl back alive.A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, A TRACE OF DEATH marks the debut of a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is 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)Book #2 in the Keri Locke series will be available soon.

DEATH BY TEMPTATION is Book #14 in the #1 Bestselling Caribbean Murder series, which begins with DEATH BY HONEYMOON (Book #1)—a free download! It is also a stand-alone novel.In DEATH BY TEMPTATION, Cindy and Mattheus arrive for a vacation at St. Lucia. The island has been recommended by Mattheus’s friend Rod, whose daughter is honeymooning there. But when Rod’s daughter, Kara, suddenly goes missing after going for a swim alone one afternoon, a frantic search grips the island. Swept up in the horror, Cindy and Mattheus immediately join in. When Kara’s overbearing father, Rod, arrives at the island, Matheus is torn away from the case to comfort his friend. And when the dead body of another young woman turns up a few days later at the same beach, Cindy is convinced the cases are connected. Alone, Cindy delves deeper into the investigation, but what she may find, is what she may never suspect…

Death by Seduction (Book #13 in the Caribbean Murder series)

DEATH BY DEVOTION is Book #9 in the Bestselling Caribbean Murder series, which begins with the free book DEATH BY HONEYMOON (Book #1)--a #1 Bestseller with over 100 five star reviews on Amazon! Before they get engaged, Cindy urges Mattheus to meet his long-lost Caribbean daughter, whom he has never met. Sixteen years ago, after a one night stand, the woman became pregnant, and Mattheus quickly left. Mattheus’ beautiful, volatile, fifteen year old daughter, Andrea, badly needs him, and she wants him to come to Anguilla, where she lives, so they can get to know each other. One caveat, though: he has to come without Cindy. Andrea has a mother, and one mother is enough. Mattheus feels his daughter is in trouble, feels compelled to go, and abruptly leaves Cindy behind. Convinced that her relationship with Mattheus is over, Cindy returns to the States, ready to start her life again. A few days after she gets back, amidst the excitement and a wonderful job offer, she receives a startling call from Mattheus down in Anguilla: Andrea’s stepfather has been killed and Andrea was found beside him, covered in his blood. Mattheus, desperate, begs Cindy to come down and help. Not only has his daughter been taken into custody—but now he is a suspect as well. Unable to say no, Cindy returns to the Caribbean to help find the true killer and to attempt to free both Mattheus and his daughter—but she soon finds that she’s up against an underground web of danger on the island, and it may be too late to save all of them—including herself. DEATH BY DEVOTION is both a stand-alone novel, and is also Book #9 in the Caribbean Murder series.

DEATH BY ENGAGEMENT is Book #12 in the #1 Bestselling Caribbean Murder series, which begins with DEATH BY HONEYMOON (Book #1)—a free download! It is also a standalone novel.In Death by Engagement (Book #12 of the Caribbean Murder Series), Cindy and Mattheus joyously head to Aruba to search for a wedding venue for their destination wedding. Thrilled, they enter the magical, romantic world of wedding planning and along the way, meet another recently engaged couple, also looking for a place to be wed. But the beauty of Cindy and Mattheus’s time together is suddenly interrupted, when they learn that the young woman they had just met has plunged to her death at a nearby cliff.Although she left a suicide note, the girl’s devastated father refuses to believe she took her own life. He begs Cindy and Mattheus to investigate and see if foul play was at work. Although Mattheus refuses, Cindy is compelled to give it a chance, a decision which causes increasing tension in Cindy and Mattheus’s relationship, and which brings out aspects of each of them never seen before.As Cindy explores the inner workings of the young woman’s life and family, many shocking surprises also take place in her relationship with Mattheus. Not only does Cindy have to remain strong and persistent in uncovering the cause of the death, she must go through many personal changes to deal with what’s happening in her own life.A surprise end on all fronts turns all expectations upside down.

DEATH BY BETRAYAL is Book #10 in the #1 Bestselling Caribbean Murder series, which begins with DEATH BY HONEYMOON (Book #1)--a FREE download on Amazon! Cindy and Mattheus part ways, and while he stays in the Caribbean to protect his daughter and her mother, she returns home. Cindy’s sister, Ann, meets her at the airport to welcome her back to this new chapter of her life. Cindy starts to settle back in, to meet old friends and make plans to take on a new job—when a shocking call suddenly comes. It is a call Cindy never could have expected in her wildest dreams, a call that rips her world apart. Someone close to her—too close—has been found murdered in Bermuda. Cindy has no choice but to get on the next plane to Bermuda and hunt for the killer. Before long, Cindy finds herself enmeshed in an underworld of big business and crime. Beside herself, hitting dead ends, Cindy is forced to call Mattheus to help. Once again, their stormy relationship deepens and takes a new turn, as they plunge into solving this crime together. But it all may be too late….

In the small, snow-covered town of Evergreen, Christmas preparations are in full swing, but far up in the surrounding mountains, a heartbreaking discovery is made forcing Melanie to return to the town that her parents called home.
Amidst the festive cheer, Morgan, a lonely Alpha with a difficult past, struggles with the weight of his loneliness. He yearns for companionship and family, watching enviously as others come together during the holidays yet he refuses to allow any of the humans that inhabit the town to get close to him, instead, watching from a distance.
After a second tragedy strikes as Melanie travels back to her parent's home, she finds herself trapped in a snowstorm with the lonely Alpha, forced to hole up in his isolated Cabin to wait out the storm.
As they find themselves growing closer, Morgan faces a difficult decision with the woman who refuses to let anything dampen her spirit and seems determined to bring a ray of sunshine back into his life.
Will he keep her at a distance or will he finally allow her to break down the barriers he constructed around his heart long ago?

When an old friend’s husband goes missing, she calls Cindy for help. Fresh from her own tragedy, Cindy returns to the Caribbean, this time to the gorgeous, lush island of Grenada, to find him.Cindy, still grieving her own husband’s death, stays at her friend’s incredible villa on the ocean, as she does her best to help track down her friend’s husband, Ames. As Cindy investigates, she meets the different characters on the island, some local, some fantastically rich, all of whom seem to be involved with each other, either romantically or in shady business dealings. As Cindy uncovers secret affairs, odd money dealings and drugs, she realizes there is a complex web on the island, hidden from public view. And as she digs deeper into Ames’ life, she is shocked to discover how many secrets he had been hiding from his wife—and that she never really knew the man she loved. The police at first refuse to take her seriously, but they soon gain respect for her tough intelligence, courage and determination. Cindy’s relationship with one cop in particular, Mattheus, develops in unexpected ways, as they give each other solace from their losses.But Cindy digs too deep. Soon, she finds her own life in peril, as she heads into the dark underside of the island. Startling developments in the investigation lead to a shocking ending, as a body is discovered, and Cindy alone must find out if they’ve convicted the wrong person…DEATH BY DIVORCE is Book #2 in the Caribbean Murder series, following DEATH BY HONEYMOON (Book #1).Book #3 in the series--DEATH BY MARRIAGE--and Book #4 in the series--DEATH BY DESIRE--are now also available.

A romantic, mystical tale of healing, sacrifice, and rediscovery. Set in a landscape where myth still stirs the earth, the story follows those brave enough to restore what was broken. The atmosphere is lyrical and ancient, steeped in fog, stones, and the pulse of forgotten magic.
In Regency England, where powdered wigs, whispered alliances, and ancestral estates shape destinies, Isabelle Greystone is content to remain on the fringes—more scholar than debutante. But when she meets the enigmatic Lucien Fenwick at the Farthingale Ball, something ancient stirs. A memory. A recognition. A bond forged long before their first glance.
Lucien is no ordinary man. An Alpha heir to a hidden bloodline of werewolves, he’s haunted by visions of a woman he vowed to find—even if it took centuries. When fate places Isabelle in his path, the threads of the past tighten, revealing a secret buried beneath generations: the Accord—a magical covenant forged by eight ancient bloodlines to protect the balance between worlds.
But the Accord is breaking.
Together with Isabelle’s cousin Lydia, a seer awakening to her own Fae legacy, and a sea-bound prince tied to the forgotten kings of Dál Riata, they begin a perilous journey to uncover the truth of their origins, unlock sacred stones, and battle a rising darkness led by the immortal and corrupted Duval.
Spanning windswept moors, forgotten ruins, and enchanted dreams, Veilbound weaves real history with myth and romance. It is a story of love lost and found, of ancient magic buried beneath reason, and of souls bound by destiny across lifetimes.
The worlds are merging. The blood remembers.

Two sisters. One man. A love neither can afford to lose.

Isabella and Mariah couldn't be more different. Isabella, the elder sister, lives a life of privilege polished, poised, and married into wealth. Mariah, on the other hand, knows the taste of struggle. She works double shifts, counts coins at the end of every month, and dreams of a love that will finally make her feel seen.

Their worlds collide when they both meet Eli, a mysterious homeless man who carries himself with quiet strength and eyes that seem to hold centuries of pain. To Isabella, he’s a forbidden thrill raw, real, and far from the sterile perfection of her husband’s mansion. To Mariah, he’s salvation someone who understands her loneliness and fights his own silent battles.

Neither sister knows that Eli hides a truth powerful enough to destroy them both. He’s not a drifter; he’s the estranged heir of a powerful billionaire, cast out after rejecting his family’s empire. As the sisters fall deeper into his orbit, secrets unravel, and loyalties are tested.

When the truth comes to light, love turns to rivalry, and desire turns to war. The sisters will learn that sometimes love isn’t measured by what you have but by what you’re willing to lose.

🌟 Main Characters

Isabella Rivera

Married coffee-shop owner, mother of Luca (7) and Sofia (5). Charismatic, creative—but harboring childhood trauma (abandoned by her artist father). She’s striving to reignite passion in her life and marriage but spirals into after-hours affairs to feel desired again.

Marco Rivera

Isabella’s hardworking husband, successful attorney. Deeply loving and committed to family, yet emotionally distant. He’s oblivious to her inner turmoil. His own secret: guilt over not being there for Isabella when she needed him most as a child.

Jason Carter

Isabella’s high‑school sweetheart, a journalist-turned-consultant, who reappears unexpectedly. He carries his own secrets: he’s haunted by a tragedy that pushed him away years ago.

Beginning

Isabella’s marriage is defined by routine and fatigue. While running The Mocha Mist, she neglects her needs. When Jason unexpectedly returns with her teenage poetry, Isabella is struck by nostalgic longing—catalyzing her first secret encounter after hours.

Middle

Affairs escalate: each man unmasks her emotional void, while Marco, engulfed in work, remains unaware. Jason’s return deepens—he sparks hope but triggers buried trauma from Isabella’s neglectful upbringing and fosters jealousy. Marco finds out something’s wrong. Monica’s jealousy grows. Detective Harper begins uncovering staff rumors. Isabella plays out lustful freedom against creeping guilt, and secrets—like Jason’s tragedy, Marco’s remorse over past neglect—surface in firestorm revelations.

End

Climactic crescendo: Marco confronts Isabella; Jason must decide if he’s worth rupturing her family. Isabella realizes she’s been running—from her childhood pain. In a harrowing night-time confrontation at the café, she admits the full truth. The story concludes not with platitude, but with choice: repair her marriage, follow passion with Jason, or forge a self-defined path. The final chapter closes on her stepping through the shop’s front door—with fresh resolve, leaving readers breathless for what comes next.

Ashley had it all—raised in privilege as the daughter of an Alpha and heir to her pack. But her world was shattered when her pack was attacked, her parents killed, and she was taken captive. Beaten, humiliated, and stripped of her long hair, she was forced into servitude. At the Alpha Prince's coronation, she was recognized as his mate, but he publicly rejected her, deeming her unworthy, and cast her out as a rogue.

Now on the run, starving and desperate, Ashley stumbles upon a prestigious all-boys school. With no other choice, she disguises herself as a boy to hide among the Alpha students. But fate isn't done with her yet. Her new roommates—three Alpha triplets—are all her destined mates.

Everett, the cocky hockey player, finds amusement in pushing Ashley's buttons. Ethan, the easygoing band member, is intrigued by his new roommate. And Elias, the cold and domineering biker, seems completely indifferent—until he’s not. As Ashley tries to keep her identity hidden and control her growing attraction to her mates, her past looms ever closer.

Will she be able to rise from the ashes of her old life, reclaim her birthright, and embrace her destiny with her mates by her side? Or will her secrets destroy her before she can?

The day my son called another woman "Mom," I signed the divorce papers and left.

Five years later, now a top scientist, my ex-husband cornered me at a gala. I tried to push him away, but he gripped my waist tighter, his hot breath against my ear sending shivers down my spine.

"Stop pretending," he rasped. "Your body still remembers me."

I scoffed. "Ex-husband, have some dignity."

Just then, my phone rang with my son's desperate sobs. "Mommy! The bad woman hurt me... Please come save me! Daddy said you don't want us anymore..."

I felt my heart tighten in my chest as I watched with horror, my fiancé and my best friend having sex in the hotel. They were so engrossed and couldn’t even care less that they were half naked and anyone who cared, could see them from the glass wall of the building’s fourth floor. Sonia was pressed to the wall while Dennis worked her insides from behind. I couldn’t hear her moans but with every second that I imagined it, my heart sank the more.
Tears flooded my face as I flashed into the last two years of my life when I met Dennis. He was everything I wanted and more. Tall, handsome, broad shoulders and chest, I couldn’t stop drooling as he pulled me into a hug. For a moment there, my heart forgot how to beat, and the moment he smiled and introduced himself, I knew I was going to marry him. I had fallen hard in love with him.
Freya decided to try love again after several heartbreaks, she thought Dennis was different but reality dawned on her when she caught him cheating with her best friend, Sonia, the same person who matchmade them in the first place.
Actually, Dennis wasn’t cheating on her with Sonia, he was cheating on Sonia with her! The two have been dating over five years, and she never knew. She was the third wheel in their relationship…
What will happen now that Freya has found out? Find out in the story!

Betrayed. Beaten. Buried.
Until she wakes up - alive, angry, and done being obedient.
This time, Sabrina won't beg for love. She'll take back her pride, expose their lies, and burn every bridge that once held her down.
But her cold, controlling husband Cassian doesn't plan to let go.
A diamond mine? Hers. A fortune? Hers. Freedom? Never.
When she demands a divorce, he offers power. When she says he's not enough, he shows her just how wrong she is.
She was once their victim. Now, she's their reckoning.

Once the tub is filled, I slide in and get comfortable.

I must doze off because instead of warm water lapping at my pale, soft skin there are three very skilled and hot tongues following the few curves of my body that I do have.

Despite not being able to see who are giving me great pleasure, I feel all of my body begin to shake. One mouth claims mine as a second one sucks one of my nipples while the third mouth envelops my clit.


After fleeing from an orphanage that was the source of constant torment, you find yourself in the land of dragons, the most feared and merciless beings around. You count down the days until you are an adult and can run away. You thought that you caught a break when you were offered a job in the palace until you learned that you were working for the Royal Trio, group of 3 brothers who torment you. However, your life takes an unexpected turn during the Trio’s Grand Ceremony, a coming-of-age party where dragons learn their destiny and mate. Does your life improve or spiral more out of control when your tormentors’ eyes become fixated on you?

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!

MATURE CONTENT DISCLAIMER
This story is strictly intended for adults (18+ only).
This story contains explicit adult content, themes of power imbalance, themes of dominance and possessive relationship.
Reader discretion is advised!
°°°°°°°°°°
Thalia Emerson didn’t just beg for help—
she humiliated herself for it.
After a minor accident involving a luxury car, she tries to swindle the owner for money… and fails. But walking away isn’t an option. Not when her aunt is dying and she has nothing left to lose.
So she does the unthinkable.
She asks him to lend her the money.
She promises to pay him back.
And when that isn’t enough to convince him… she offers herself as a slave.
The man she’s begging isn’t just rich—he’s Alpha Cassian Frostclaw, heir to the royal Alpha family. Dangerous enough to crush her without effort.
Instead of rejecting her, he agrees to lend her the money—but under one condition: a three-year contract marriage.
Driven by desperation, Thalia signs without reading, convincing herself she can survive anything for three years.
But the moment the deal is sealed, Cassian disappears—leaving her with silence… and the illusion that she got away cheaply.
For nearly three years, she lives as though she has escaped the consequences of her choice. She rebuilds her life, clings to her freedom, and counts down the days until everything will end. But he returns.
And to Alpha Cassian, Thalia was never someone he could let go. He intends to collect every second she owes him.
What follows is not peace—but chaos.

“Sia, this is my son, Kai. The King of Lycans.”

The introduction hit me like a physical blow, freezing the blood in my veins. The man standing before me—tall, with unruly dark hair and stormy gray eyes—wasn’t a stranger.

He was Vape. The man I met in a shady hotel room at the black market. The man whose scent of smoke and cedar still haunted my dreams. The man who took my virginity during my heat and left a bite mark on my neck.

And now, he was my future stepson.

I clutched my stomach instinctively. Inside me, a tiny life was growing—his life.

Kai’s jaw clenched as his gaze swept over me, lingering on the spot where he had marked me. His wolf flashed dangerously in his eyes, a mix of desire and fury. Lucas, my older fiancé and Kai’s father, stood beside me, oblivious, his hand resting possessively on my waist.

“Kai, meet your future mother-in-law,” Lucas said proudly.

The air in the room vanished. Kai didn’t say a word. He just stared at me with that cold, predatory look, as if he wanted to tear me apart right there. Later that night, he cornered me in the garden, his body pressing me against the cold stone wall.

“You have bigger problems than keeping your secret,” he whispered, his voice a dangerous growl against my ear. “Because I know what you’re hiding.”


Sia, a mute and abused omega, is brutally rejected by her fated mate, Rio, and sold off to a rogue pack by her own sister. Just as she thinks her life is over, she encounters a mysterious stranger during her heat in a black market hotel—a night of passion that leaves her pregnant.
But fate isn't done with her. She is bought by Alpha Lucas, a powerful leader who takes her as his mate. Sia must navigate a dangerous web of lies: pretending to be mute, hiding her pregnancy, and dealing with the jealousy of the pack. The twist? The stranger who fathered her child is none other than Kai, the Lycan King—and Lucas's son.

Aria Thorne was born into a pack where she was treated like dirt beneath their paws. Born as a StillBlood - a wolf who could not shift, she was mocked, beaten, and branded "broken."
Her only chance at escape? An arranged marriage to a fallen and crippled Alpha whose scars ran deeper than flesh.
Lucien Vine was once a man of legend. A ruthless warrior. A king among Alphas. Now he’s a shadow of his former self, crippled and discarded by the very pack he had once led and bled for.
Lucien saw nothing but another chain when the new alpha, his brother, forced him to mate with a StillBlood. He considered her as nothing more than one more curse.
However, fate has a perverse sense of humor. Because the Broken Luna possesses a hidden ability that she is unaware of, and the only person who might be able to awaken it is the Crippled Alpha.
Will they ruin one another? Or rise together and set the world on fire?

“Mate is back,” Cyan retorted with excitement in her voice. “Let's go see mate, Evie; let's go see him.” She urged.

“We'll see him tomorrow during the ceremony,” I replied.

“What if he doesn't know you anymore? Aren't you at least curious about his looks?” she retorted.

She had a point, though; it's been ten whole years since I last saw him, and I'll be turning eighteen tomorrow, which is the perfect time to get a mate. I stood there contemplating between going to bed or satisfying my curiosity.

After much thought, Cyan won. I turned sharply, heading for Kieran's room. Even though it was just a glimpse of him as he slept, that would be okay, I thought.

I climbed through the walls, peeping through the window, but was met with great darkness. I stepped into the room, scrutinizing through the darkness until I found the switch, taking back my full shape, leaving me with ripped and torn clothes. I turned on the lights as my eyes danced through every corner of the room.

I felt my shoulders slump in defeat as nothing had changed; the room remained untouched, as the surfaces were filled with dust. The only thing that changed was the sheets. The beautifully colored sheets I had placed the last time I came here to clean had been changed into a sparkling white one.

I turned around in disappointment about leaving when I felt an intimidating presence behind me.

“Looking for someone?” A husky voice echoed, making me freeze. “You're trespassing, little wolf; care to explain why?” he added in a stern voice. I inhaled sharply, the rich scent of Bourbon filling my lungs. My eyes widened in shock.

Betrayal.

A young woman, Elena Mendez, was deceived and murdered by her fiancé and her best friend. However, instead of dying, her soul was sent back to the day before her wedding, giving her the chance to relive her life. Only this time, with enough knowledge about the future to change her destiny. Now she seeks revenge against those who have wronged her, and she approaches her ex-fiancé's rival to help her take revenge on her ex-fiancé and best friend but in the process of vengeance spirals into a different web of emotions and now they see their self falling for each other but won't admit.

Will their relationship be all about vengeance or will something magical come out of it?

Off to the human world, I could pretend to be just an ordinary girl with ordinary hormonal girl problems.


As everyone knew, I would be the one to replace my father as the future Luna and leader of the underground workings of the city. I had a front-row seat to the back-alley politics of the city.

The reality is for a wolf at seventeen, your world is never the same. It can be a lot of pressure. Even more so when you are the daughter of the alpha and are the future Luna of the pack.


Off to the human world where I could forget about all the mating stuff and pretend to be just an ordinary girl with ordinary hormonal girl problems.


Jackson Douglas was the town's bad boy, right down to his slick black hair, leather jacket, and boots. Pulling right up on the sidewalk was a primer black muscle car. Clearly, it had a lot of time, but into the motor and parts under the hood. V8 from the sound of the engine even in Idol.


"Thanks, but I think I’ll just call an Uber.” I turned to walk away but he caught my arm. “First off I have your phone, secondly you really do want to get in the car with me so I can get you home safely.” All of a sudden, looking in his eyes I wanted to do exactly that. All the irritation and creeps I was getting off our city’s bad boy were gone. I felt relaxed. Whatever was happening it didn’t seem to have complete control over my mouth though. “Fine, anywhere but home though and I will find something to stab you with.” With a huge smile now plastered on his face he simply said “Deal.” and we walked to his car. I opened the door so I could slide in. Oddly gentleman-like for the bad boy I thought, and it made me giggle. This was not good at all.


Darkness fell around us. The danger creeped in like a fog making it almost impossible to see a way out. This was it I thought, the end. The end of everything I know, everything I want. At that thought anger like I had never felt before burned within me like the fires of hell willing me to unleash them. To allow them to burn this world to the ground and everyone who dares to harm those that I loved. I no longer wanted to hold the fire back. I wanted to let it loose. Allow it to consume me. Looking around at those who were my friends and family, those who were here to fight with me who barely knew me, just believed in what we were here to fight for. I let go. I released the flames of rage. I felt the burn as they took over my thoughts and body doing what had to be done...

“You want to betray your husband-to-be?”
Rhaedon asked lazily as he pulled on his shirt, covering the last of his scarred, toned torso.
His golden gaze settled on me.
“Why should I trust a woman like you?”
I met his eyes without hesitation.
“Because I’m the only one who can put you on the throne.”
☆
Aveline Thorne was killed by the man she loved and the sister she trusted—only to wake up five years before her death.
On the night of her wedding anniversary, she’s betrayed by Lucien Ashbourne, her husband who chose her sister over her, used her silence to climb toward the throne, framed her, and had her killed the moment she became an inconvenience.
Given a second chance at life, one thing is painfully clear to Aveline: her life was never meant to be about love. It was about power—and this time, she refused to be the one sacrificed for it.
Instead of marrying the man who would destroy her, Aveline allied herself with the feared Crown Prince Alpha whose name alone made the realm shake—and Lucien’s most hated cousin—Rhaedon Ashkaar.
In exchange for power, status, protection, and revenge, she offered him something no one else could: knowledge that could help him win the Alpha Selection—a brutal competition to crown the next Alpha of Alphas—and a chance to cure the sickness slowly killing him.
As she helps Rhaedon rise and take revenge on those who betrayed her, the man who once believed she was useless finally realizes what he has lost. But by the time regret takes hold of Lucien, Aveline is already standing somewhere he can never reach.
With her second chance at life, she isn’t living for love or forgiveness.
She’s surviving to take back everything they stole from her—including the throne!

After years of bloodshed and power, Alpha Marcel leaves the ruthless world of werewolves behind to build a quiet life with his beloved wife, Ella, and their innocent daughter, Evelyn. In a remote town, they find fleeting peace—until whispers turn to accusations. Locals call Marcel the devil and brand Evelyn as his cursed offspring. As fear spreads, violence brews, forcing Marcel to flee with his family to protect what matters most.
But peace is short-lived.
Just when they think they’ve outrun the hate, a shadow from Marcel’s past resurfaces—an enemy cloaked in vengeance, determined to destroy everything Marcel holds dear. With his family in the crosshairs, Marcel must embrace the beast within once more. Because this time, survival isn't just about running. It's about fighting back.
Can a former Alpha escape the past—or will it come for his blood and his daughter's soul?
Note: This is book 2 of the Series, Sold To The Notorious Mafia Alpha- His Pleasure Thing

Some things can't be mended. Born into the shifter world he hates, Alpha Hades finds his destiny on the same road used to avoid it. The air of danger that surrounds him is felt by humans and werewolves alike. He's both a beast and a genius.

With a Bratva Prince at his side, Hades and Kazimir find themselves thriving in the shadows of the underworld, but the Moon Goddess seems to have other plans for them. This bad boy never wanted a mate but now that he's found her, he wants to possess her. Odessa Theodorus may just be his redemption, though it's not redemption he seeks but retribution. From cage fights in Moscow to the shores of Cyprus, all roads lead back home to Greece.

CALI
Drrrhhhhh! My alarm blared, shattering the silence of my small room. I shot upright, heart racing. Today was no ordinary day it was the day of my interview at B&S Incorporate, the company that could finally change everything for Edward and me. I had dreamt of this moment for weeks, yet now that it was here, a nervous flutter danced in my stomach. I couldn’t afford to be late. Not today.

I leapt out of bed and darted into the bathroom. The cold water on my face jolted me fully awake, washing away the last traces of sleep. I brushed my teeth swiftly, tied my hair into a neat ponytail, and secured it with a red ribbon the same ribbon I wore during my first presentation at college. It felt like a charm, a tiny talisman for luck. I threw on a simple white gown and slid my feet into red slippers, a splash of color against the plain fabric.

Once dressed, I opened my file and carefully arranged my CV, certificates, and other documents, placing them in my red bag. Each paper felt heavy with hope and expectation. One misstep today could cost me the opportunity I had worked so hard for.

The kitchen was next. I cooked cheese and macaroni, a quick breakfast for both Edward and me. I poured a portion into a flask for him—he had a doctor’s appointment later, and he hated missing meals. I ate quickly, swallowing each bite as if it contained my future. When I was done, I gently knocked on Edward’s bedroom door.

“Edward,” I called softly.
“Huuhh…” he mumbled, burying his face in his pillow.
I tapped him lightly again, then harder when he didn’t respond. His head popped up, eyes squinting against the morning light.
“We are on holidays, sis, for crying out loud!” he groaned, rubbing his eyes. Then he suddenly realized he’d shouted and covered his mouth. I fought back a laugh, but the morning urgency left no room for play.

“Don’t you know you have an appointment with the doctor?” I asked, exasperation creeping into my voice.
He bowed his head, muttering, “Okay…” then quickly smirked and ran back into his room, locking the d

Alicia's life takes an unexpected turn when she is forced to marry Tobias Wilton, the mysterious brother of the powerful Alpha of the Golden Moon Pack. But their marriage is anything but conventional. Alicia never sees Tobias, and her life remains the same, except for her new status as a married woman. She wonders if she is doomed to a loveless, lonely life.
But one fateful night changes everything. Alicia accidentally sleeps with her mate, Damian Howard, and suddenly, her whole world is turned upside down. But little does she know, Damian is actually her husband Tobias, who has been living a double life in his quest for revenge against his uncle and grandfather.
Tobias’ past is shrouded in secrets and intrigue. All he did was to take revenge, including choosing an ordinary girl as his wife in his old role. For him, the fact that his wife is his mate is just an entertaining game beyond revenge, because he never believes in love and mate things.
As they navigate the treacherous waters of love and betrayal, secrets and lies threaten to tear them apart. Can they overcome the obstacles in their path and build a future together? Or will the forces working against them keep them apart forever?
This is a story of passion, loyalty, and love filled with lies. Join Alicia and Tobias on their journey and it will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

"Lily," he growled one evening as I helped adjust his pillows. "Why are you still here?" His eyes were hard, and angry when I turned to face him. The accident had taken so much from him, and he hated feeling helpless. He still hadn't accepted it. "Because I care about you, I'm not going to leave you like everyone else." "You're wasting your time!" He snapped. "Look at me! I'm a broken man. I can't walk, I can't even take care of myself. What do you expect to accomplish by staying here?" "I expect you to fight! I... I expect you to try and get better, Marcus. You're not done yet. You still have a chance." He let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "There's no chance Lily. The doctors said-" "I don't care what the doctors said! I believe in you, Marcus. I know you can recover. You just have to try." For a moment those eyes softened, and in that split second, I thought maybe, just maybe, I'd gotten through to him. But then his face darkened and he turned away. "I don't want your pity, just... leave me alone."

[WARNING: MATURE CONTENT] "Each time you break a rule; I'll claim a part of your body as mine"
Forced to marry the heir of the largest mafia syndicate to pay for her parent's debt and her grandmother's hospital bills. "Live with my son for 30 days, if you don't fall in love with him, I'll cancel this contract."
Can Malissa live with the handsome, hot and dominating Hayden for 30 days without falling for his charms? However, there are rules to living with this lusty monster and as Malissa breaks them, she learns of pleasures that she never knew existed.
As his touches set her on fire, her heart starts to melt. But does the two have a future together when Hayden is in love with someone else and Malissa cannot get over her ex-boyfriend? READ NOW to find out!

"Ten years of atonement, and you flee?"

His fangs glinted as he gripped my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. Dragon scales shimmered along his neck, breath scorching my skin.

"Your Majesty... I beg—" He shoved me onto the bed. Silk tore with a sharp rip, cold air rushing over my exposed body.

"Scared?" He smirked, palm sliding down my waist, fingers tracing slow, burning circles. "Yet you shiver... not from cold."

I lunged for the candlestick, but he caught my wrist, pinning it overhead. His knee forced my legs apart.

"When your father gave you to me," his lips brushed my ear, voice a dark rumble, "you were already mine."

On the eve of freedom after ten years of servitude, Lina Valeria stood one night away from reuniting with her betrothed. But Dragon King Augustus condemned her to the Abyss Mines on false charges—a trap forged from obsessive desire.

Augustus Ashenwing, Supreme Sovereign of Skyhold Citadel, is ruthless and feared by all races. His obsession stems from ancient grudges and dragonkind's most dangerous instinct: possessive desire. He demands her submission, binding her to his throne as his consort.

From prisoner to queen, Lina battles him through court intrigue and twisted passion—fighting for her mother, her freedom, her dignity.

Yet this cold-blooded tyrant reserves all tenderness for her alone. He indulges her temper, bends his pride, compromises without limit—anything to see her smile. Gradually, her heart wavers. But loving him means betraying Kain, who waited eleven years. Torn between duty and desire, she drowns in agonizing guilt.

Love and hatred intertwined—a forbidden dragon romance in a realm of oppression.

"You think I'm the devil for wanting my wife's baby sister spread open and begging. But you came here, Felicia. You texted me back and you ran here. You let me finger fck you against a hotel wall like a desperate little whre while Eva's probably acting like the perfect wife at home."
Felicia Lawson thought college would be her escape but nothing prepared her for Ian, her sister's husband or for Jake, the charming upperclassman who made her believe in something real again.
While Felicia battles guilt and longing, her roommate Zara hides secrets darker than love, a mafia lineage that's about to pull her into a marriage with a dangerous don.
"You're going to marry me, little sunflower."
Zara's eyes snap open, the water sloshes as she jerks against my grip, but the chain on her ankle rattles like a laugh. She can't go far. She can't go anywhere.
"Fuck you," she spits, voice raw from screaming at the ceiling all night. "I'd rather die."
He smiled. It was small and polite, the kind he used to give people who betrayed him right before he buried them in the ground. "That can be arranged. But first…"
Massimo curled his fingers inside her. "You're going to come on my hand," he said calmly, "and then you're going to say yes."

I am Harper, the wife who loved too deeply in a marriage built on a lie. For three years, I endured my husband Brandon Martinez’s cold indifference, knowing I was merely a pawn in his gamble against his first love. But when she returned, shattering my last illusions with her presence and his undeniable devotion to her, I finally woke up.
After a car accident left me injured and alone, while he comforted her, I realized my love was nothing but a one-sided tragedy. I chose to leave, signing a divorce agreement and walking away with nothing but my dignity. Now, as he desperately tries to win me back with belated tenderness and possessive demands, I stand firm. My heart, once broken by his neglect, has hardened. I am no longer the submissive wife waiting in the shadows; I am reclaiming my life, my career, and my future.

Chained in a dark basement and abused for three years, Evie finally escaped. Returning home, she saw her sister, Vivian, surrounded by a crowd, blowing out candles on a five-layer cake.

——

Kidnapped by a gang, Evie endured three years of hell. She discovered that it was all orchestrated by Vivian, whose goal was to make her completely disappear from this world.

Heaven-rending hatred outweighed despair. Having cheated death and returned to the Vance family, her adoptive parents avoided her like the plague, and her fiancé was already with Vivian.

Evie didn't care at all. She would return the suffering she endured twofold. With careful planning at every step, she took over the Vance Group, transforming from someone universally loathed into a universally worshipped multi-faceted boss—she possessed countless hidden identities.

Even the fiancé who had once betrayed her knelt before her, begging for forgiveness.

Evie gave a seductive smile, "My apologies. I am already with your CEO cousin. You should call me your cousin-in-law now."

As soon as he made sure the door was locked, he slammed his lips on mine again, devouring me and punishing me. He bit my lips hard and a metallic taste filled my mouth.

I don't want to think about the blood now as I try to match his needy pace.

He cupped my breast with his free hand and pinched my nipple. Hard.

This man doesn't have a single patient bone in his body. The way he dominated me made me feel so good that I came faster than usual.

He removed his finger and undid his belt. He sat me on a table and thrusted in me in one go.

I gasped at the sudden movement and wrapped my legs around his torso, taking in his full length.

He fucked me for a long time that I forgot all about my problems and was moaning loudly.

I am sure all the guards standing outside heard my moans because I didn't even attempt to keep it low. . . . After finding out about her boyfriend's betrayal, Iris decided to drown her sorrow in booze.

One thing led to the other and she ended up having a one night stand with a stranger. Days after Iris's reckless decision, she found out that her one night stand was her twin sister's fiance.

he was also her mate. Iris must choose between making her family happy or going after her heart. After being forced into an engagement with one of the Smith twins, Darius Acrux was determined to destroy the entire White Rock pack and its Alpha.

But things took a different turn when he found out that his future sister-in-law was his mate. Two people faced with the decisions of their family's happiness or their own heart desires.

Sienna Cruz thought being forced into a cold marriage with Biker Don Kanan Maddox was the worst fate imaginable, until she was slaughtered alongside her family and unborn child by her own husband.
But fate decides to give her a second chance and she’s transmigrated into the body of a lethal street fighter known as Siren. Sienna now has the skills to match her vengeance and she returns underworld with a simple mission: find her ex-husband. Gain his trust. Destroy him from the inside out.
Kanan becomes obsessed with Siren the moment she enters his world, never suspecting she’s the ghost of the woman he failed to love, the wife he murdered.
But as Siren tears through his criminal empire, she begins to uncover cracks in the carefully constructed lie of his cruelty. The massacre was professional, cold, and flawless... too flawless for a monster driven by simple greed.
She came back to kill her enemy, but she might be playing right into the hands of a monster.

Sophie Bennett is a ghost. A scholarship student at Crestview Academy, her only goal is to stay invisible and get close to Daniel Vale, the golden heir her family desperately needs her to befriend. Daniel is perfect, kind, and safe. But on her first day, a wrong turn puts her in the path of the "Wrong Brother."

Harrison Vale is the school’s shadow. He’s dangerous, silent, and feared. While the world sees Daniel’s light, Sophie is inexplicably drawn to Harrison’s darkness. As Serena Cole and the elite "Royals" of the school target Sophie for her low-income roots, Sophie finds herself caught between two brothers: the one who can save her future, and the one who might destroy her heart.

Jack was a man who lived by the numbers—and the numbers were always at zero. After a lifetime of being overlooked as a disgraced accountant, he welcomed the silence of death. But a self-righteous deity he calls Being X had other plans.
Reincarnated into the cooling corpse of Killian, the E-Rank "stain" of a royal bloodline, Jack is thrust into a world of magic, monsters, and a ruthless System. To the King, he is nothing but a biological battery—a vessel for a Void Core. To his brother, he is a target for assassination. To his fiancée, he is a stepping stone to power.
But Being X made a fatal error. By granting a man who hates life the tools to "level up," he gave an accountant the power to audit reality itself. Now, armed with a hidden System and a cold indifference to fate, Killian will climb from the gutter and hunt down the God who won't let him rest.
The books must be balanced. And in Killian's ledger, the Gods are in the red.

Elena, a strong-willed She-wolf is forcefully sold by her father to the cruel Alpha Damien; they tell her that once she bears the Alpha an heir she would be set free.

What she doesn’t know is the cruel Alpha is her mate yet he remains oblivious to their mate bond, he torments her everyday and when Elena discovers she is pregnant she runs away from the abusive grasp of Alpha Damien.

Alpha Damien swore to find her and bring her back but what he doesn't know is Elena is now a well sought out healer.

Will Alpha Damien be able to get back his healer mate? Or will she end up in the hands of a second Alpha?

Find out in the gripping twist ahead!!

The doctors gave me three days. And my husband Donald used that time to beg me to give my uterus to Hailey, the "sister" I'd rescued from the streets.
"Her need is greater," he said.
So I smiled and signed over the design empire I'd spent fifteen years building to the girl who once shivered in my doorway.
My daughter Flora curled in Hailey's lap. "I love Hailey Mommy best!"
I nodded. "Be good for Mommy Hailey."
My parents squeezed Hailey's hands. "Sometimes, she feels more like a daughter to us than you ever did."
Even Donald looked at me with soft eyes. "This is the Audrey I always hoped you could be."
Dying, I had finally become their perfect woman—quiet, generous, and uncomplaining.
With the clock ticking down, I stitched the final thread into a wedding gown. Let them have their perfect ending. They'll discover, when the last breath leaves my body, that some gifts are curses in disguise.
Was it a devoted wife's final sacrifice... or a dead woman's ultimate revenge? The answer will unravel in the silence after my heart stops.

I was hospitalized with a high fever, and my boyfriend stayed by my side 24/7.
The nurses all praised him as the "perfect boyfriend," and 5 million live stream viewers were green with envy.
He looked into the camera and poured his heart out: "She's my entire world. I could never leave her, not in this lifetime."
Tears streamed down my face as I felt like the luckiest woman alive.
Until 2 AM, when his phone buzzed with a message:
"Miss you 💋"
He thought I was fast asleep.
I wished I was just dreaming.

Ever since Her Majesty the Queen fell gravely ill, the entire dragon realm had been teetering on the brink of collapse.
In that precarious moment, it was I who held the throne together, heartbroken yet unyielding.
I depleted my magic without reservation to repair the realm's protective barriers, working through endless nights to brew life-sustaining elixirs for the Queen.
Yet when the Dragon Legion finally drove back the abyssal demons, what awaited me wasn't victory—it was a fatal blade.
My magic was shredded apart. The soul core in my chest was ripped out by a pair of familiar hands.
In my final moments, I saw the face of the one holding the knife.
My newly wedded husband, Drystan.
And beside him, pulled tight against his chest, was my half-sister Vespera.
"You're brilliant, Vespera." Drystan turned the faintly glowing core over in his palm. "A single forged love letter, and this fool willingly died defending our dying realm. Now even her core is mine."
Vespera nestled against him, emerald eyes glittering with greed. "Once you absorb this power, we'll return to the throne together. You'll still be the Empire's Crown Prince, and I'll wear the Crown Princess's coronet. As is only right."
Amid this sickening pledge of betrayal, I drew my last breath.
When I opened my eyes again, cold gray stone vaulting stared back at me.
I had returned to the day news of Drystan's death in battle reached the capital.
One glance toward the corner of the great hall told me everything.
That man stood there wearing a cold iron mask, posing as my dear sister Vespera's sworn personal knight.
You want to drain me dry? Steal my soul core?
Dream on.

I died the day I caught my fiancé cheating.

I had walked in on my cousin and my fiancé, completely naked in the backseat of a brand-new Porsche. It was a car bought with stolen money—embezzled from the estate of my recently deceased grandmother, Margaret.

Panic had set in the moment I discovered them. To stop me from calling the cops, he slammed his foot on the gas.

As a pool of warm blood spread beneath my head, I heard him lying to the first responders: "She’s mentally unstable. She threw herself right in front of the car."

I died exactly like that—labeled a hysterical, suicidal woman.

But just when I thought it was all over, my eyes snapped open.

The hot blood that had just blurred my vision, the shattering agony in my bones—it was all gone.

I've been married to my husband Jake for three years. In that time, I've been pregnant twice.

But each time, I lost the baby.

What took my children wasn't a medical condition, but a painting.

A black bird, painted by Jake's ten-year-old blind brother, Billy.

My in-laws claimed he had the gift—a psychic born with sight beyond sight. And the black bird was an omen. It marked my baby as cursed, a threat to the family.

To save my second child, I got the best amniocentesis report money could buy, proving the baby had no genetic defects.

It happened again anyway.

At three in the morning, I woke to the agony of another miscarriage and stumbled to the studio door.

That's when I found out the truth.

Married to Declan Hargrove for three years, I kept my past locked away tight. I let no one near Greybell, and I never, ever mentioned the name Calloway.
Until Piper excitedly dug up the "incest scandal" between me and my own brother. The Hargrove family booked their flights that very night, vowing to fly to Greybell and tear my "white-trash" parents to shreds.
I knelt on the carpet, shaking and sobbing.
But hiding behind the curtain of my long hair, no one saw the truth. I wasn’t begging for my own life.
I was begging for theirs.
Because my brother, Reid, had already gotten the news. He was in Greybell right now, preparing an unforgettable "feast" for our arrogant guests.