4180 Book(s) Related to kidnapped by my mate belle and grayson read online

Entangled With The Mafia

Entangled With The Mafia

1.5k Views · Ongoing · Bella Silva
Amelia George is given an irresistible offer.

Devon Tyler, her brother's best friend and her old crush, offers her the opportunity of a lifetime. A favor for a favor.

His offer is simple enough. He needs a name, a single name. The only problem is she'll have to infiltrate the formidable Keller Family and get close and personal with the boss, the condescending Damien Keller.

She doesn't expect her life to change so drastically, nor for her ruthless boss to fall in love with her. Desperate, she uses his love for her to extract the information she needs, but everything comes tumbling down when a secret is uncovered that ruins everything.
The Vampire King's Feeder

The Vampire King's Feeder

10.1k Views · Ongoing · Bella Moondragon
"Kane stays unmoving, and I realize he’s barely breathing. I don’t think he needs oxygen to stay alive, so that’s not too surprising, but I can’t’ figure out why he is so still. His hand at my waist is so very close to my breastbone, the longing for him to slide it up only a few inches, to touch me in places no one ever has before, has a gasp leaving my lips. I have to bite down again to keep from moaning, and he hasn’t even kissed me yet."
Emory: I was born to be the Alpha of my pack, my father's first born daughter. But now... I am here, in the castle of our greatest enemy, the Vampire King. I should hate Kane Alexander, but the more time I spend with him, the more I long for him in ways I cannot understand. I am not here to be his lover, though. I am here to be his feeder. But even before his lips graze my skin the first time, I know I would give myself to him in every way imaginable if only he should ask. Kane: I long to taste the wolf shifter, but not her blood, her body... her essence. I want her in every way imaginable. But I'm already betrothed to marry another blood-born vampire, and if I call that off, I have resigned my kingdom to yet another war. There has to be a way to keep Emory Moonraker as my feeder but not claim her in my bed. I just haven't figured it out yet, and every time I look into her jade eyes, I forget everything and everyone but her. But I have enemies, and every moment she spends here in my home, Castle Graystone, she's in danger.
The Clandestine Saga

The Clandestine Saga

1.3k Views · Ongoing · Bella Moondragon
"Aaron, just kiss me already...."


She never planned to fall in love with a vampire hunter--and she never planned on being one either.
Cadence Findley didn't even know that vampires existed until she found one killing her friend. Then, with an enormous surge of power, she realized she was ripping the head off of a vampire!
Swept into a world full of creatures she never dreamed existed, Cadence is left with a choice. Can she outrun the clan of vampires who've marked her for death, or should she follow the advice of the sexy man in black who warned her in the woods and now insists she transform into a vampire hunter?
Will Cadence escape the bloodsuckers on her tail as she enters the secret world of vampires and guardians, hunters and hybrids?
Reaper's Hollow

Reaper's Hollow

11.8k Views · Ongoing · Bella Moondragon
Someone is killing unmarked souls, and Ru is the only one that can stop them. That's a bit of a problem, though, since she has no idea she's a Keeper.

Adopted as a child, Ru knows nothing about her birth parents. Her new mom insists she was given up because she "ruins everything." Hence, her name-Ruin. Yet, Ru has managed to make a life for herself in the town of Reaper's Hollow, working as a fourth grade teacher, which she loves. If it wasn't for her inability to touch anything electrical without starting a fire, she'd be the happiest girl in Upstate New York.

That is, until the charming and devastatingly handsome Cutter Michaels moves into the classroom across the hallway and starts filling her head with all sorts of unbelievable fantasies. He claims she is the lost Keeper, the daughter of a half-angel and a half-demon, and she is the only one who can help him locate three portals the Reapers, as in Grim Reaper, are using to ferry souls away to the Underworld. Ru knows he's lost his mind, and yet she finds herself being sucked into his delusions more each day. The fact that he can shoot fire out of his hands might have something to do with that.

Once she begins having dreams where she comes face to face with Thanatos, the most powerful Reaper of all, Ru begins to think there might be more to story than she's been giving him credit for. Will joining Cutter lead her to find her biological parents and discover her powers, or will Thanatos claim her for his own?
Will the Keepers close the portals, or will the Reaper's continue to claim unmarked souls whose names are not yet written in The Book of the Dead?
The Alpha King's Lost Princess

The Alpha King's Lost Princess

22.1k Views · Ongoing · Bella Moondragon
"Come!" I jerk back at the harshness in the male tone.

Fear bubbles up in the back of my throat as I creep toward what feels like instant death. I swallow it down and will my stick legs forward until I’m within six feet of his desk.

The chair slowly turns to reveal a man with sculpted muscle ripples beneath his black shirt, and his blue eyes burn like sapphires.

I try to picture him naked in a bed with just a thin white sheet over his midsection, and that picture forms perfectly. His glare is now a pair of bedroom eyes….

But then the sneer on his face registers in my lust-filled mind.

Whoever the hell he is. I’m not gonna like it.

Alpha Ronan

It's supposed to be fucking easy. Find the girl. Get the girl. Trade the girl. Or kill the girl, whichever needed to be done.

But then, Hezzlie Stone walks in here, smelling like freshly fallen rain and evergreen trees, and I know everything just went off the rails.

I have to keep my wits and I’m an expert at hiding my true feelings behind this mask of disdain. But this time it's hard.

That Hezzlie Stone is my MATE!


Hezzlie thinks she's going insane when she starts to dream that she's a werewolf. Her mother has no choice but to take her to an asylum for troubled teens. But when a new doctor takes her case and brings her to a strange castle in the mountains, she's not sure if she's found her only chance at getting help or lost her life altogether.

Alpha Rowan has been looking for the lost princess from his enemy's lands for years. When Hezzlie Stone shows up, he thinks he's finally found her. With Hezzlie as leverage, he can finally make his enemies pay.

There's just one problem--he never counted on Hezzlie being his mate!

Will he keep her or use her to get back at the Alpha who tried to rip his kingdom apart?
Meant to Marry Me

Meant to Marry Me

1.6k Views · Ongoing · Bella Moondragon
Bree remembers the time in high school when Trent almost kissed her. Now, years later, she's still thinking about what could've been. She graduates from college and becomes a successful musician, but when she's hired to sing at a wedding, she has no idea what she's walking into.
Trent fell in love with Bree when they were just kids, but the timing was never right. So... he's with someone else, and he loves her. But when Bree is hired to sing at his wedding, all of those old feelings come back. How can he break off what he has with his fiancee for what might be with Bree?
Will the two of them ever get together?
The One

The One

1.3k Views · Ongoing · Bella Moondragon
All fae have a One--One person who strengthens their magic and enriches their life. A perfect mate. So why can't I find mine?

What is a fae princess to do when she can’t find the prince she’s meant to spend the rest of her life with? I have to find him now, for the sake of my kingdom. Evil forces are moving in, and the only way I can come into my full power is to find my perfect mate. If I don't, the magical barrier that protects us will crumble because my magic won't be strong enough to hold it.
But... I feel this strange pull to not one, but four, different men! What in the world is going on? Can I be mated to all four of these men and still save my kingdom, or will what seems to be an asset turn out to be our undoing?

The One is the first in a new reverse harem series by the author of Realm of the Chosen and Ember’s Flames. You must read all three books in the series to get the complete story.
The Alpha Prince's Temptation

The Alpha Prince's Temptation

849 Views · Ongoing · Bella Silva
Opal Hart is trapped by duty, forced into an arranged marriage to the Alpha Prince—a man she’s never met, never wanted, and can’t imagine loving, who has a terrible and cruel reputation. The night before her wedding, desperate for one fleeting taste of freedom, she shares a passionate encounter with a stranger who promises her a sliver of the connection she craves.

The next day, she’s meant to stand at the altar to meet her husband and resign herself to a life of sacrifice. But her new world is far more dangerous than she imagined. Whispers of betrayal and schemes swirl around her, and she soon realizes she’s not just a wife—she’s a pawn in a twisted game.

And somewhere in the shadows, the man who once held her so intimately isn’t ready to let her go.

In a dark and cruel world, will Opal end up a pawn, or will she find a way to claim her own destiny?
The Last Halfblood

The Last Halfblood

955 Views · Ongoing · Bella Silva
In the Werewolf Republic of Eron, Lyrianne Swanson is marked for death.

She’s a halfblood.

For years, her kind has been hunted to near extinction out of fear that their nature could destroy full-blooded werewolves. But something about Lyrianne makes her stand out from the other halfbloods: She displays a wolf nature more powerful than any halfblood before her. For that reason, her life is spared and as is customary, she is supposed to attend Crescent Hollow Academy, a place where young wolves discover their true selves.

At the academy, Lyrianne becomes a target for scorn and unimaginable cruelty. The worst betrayal comes from Finn Zicco, a man who was once her best friend and the boy she had loved her whole life, who now treats her like the outcast everyone says she is. The only person who sees beyond her halfblood label is Lorcan Delacourt, Eron’s future Alpha Leader. A man bound by duty to another who should despise everything Lyrianne represents.

Forced to stand alone, Lyrianne starts uncovering truths about herself that shatter everything she once believed. Her bloodline holds secrets. Her power runs deeper than anyone could have ever imagined. And when an ancient, evil threat emerges that could destroy both humans and werewolves, the girl everyone wanted dead becomes the only one who can save them all.
Mermaid Halloween Prophecy

Mermaid Halloween Prophecy

50 Views · Ongoing · Bella Lakshmi
On a dark and eerie Halloween night, Phoebe's story comes to life once again. Seventeen years ago, on her 27th birthday, the young mermaid was killed in a tragic accident involving Salomé, the witch of the mermaids, consumed by envy and power. But fate has a different plan. Her fairy godmother Agalope, determined to seek justice, casts a powerful spell: Phoebe will return to the world of the living when a human with the soul of a mermaid loses her virginity on Halloween night. Furthermore, Phoebe will return with the gift of being able to see the past and the future, and the human who hosts her soul will be one with psychic abilities.

Time passes, and Antonella, a young human who has always felt an inexplicable connection to the ocean, becomes the vessel of revenge. When that prophetic night arrives and Antonella loses her virginity, Phoebe returns from the dead and takes over her body, awakening from a long and dark sleep. Aware of her mission, Phoebe confronts her former life and the ghosts of the past, and there she encounters a Triton demon—her lost love from the past: Colle, now a 44-year-old demon man of the ocean, marked by the pain of her departure. He has now joined Salomé, the witch of the ocean.
Delving into a world full of magic and betrayal, Phoebe must face Salomé, who has intensified her reign of terror over the mermaid kingdom. With Antonella's help and the allies she will make along the way, Phoebe will fight to reclaim her place and enact her revenge, all while striving to reconnect with her true love in a climax that could change their destinies forever.
Arranged To The Beast Alpha

Arranged To The Beast Alpha

1.9k Views · Ongoing · Elizabeth Bello
He is fearless and makes everyone shake at the sight of him, of admiration or fear.

He is a beast! He is ruthless and overpowering but all that changes when a debt is paid with a young, innocent virgin.
The Water Goddess Daughter

The Water Goddess Daughter

70 Views · Ongoing · Bella Lakshmi
Esmeralda, the daughter of the powerful Moon Goddess, finds herself trapped in a life controlled by her controversial and selfish mother, who possesses the title of the Bird Rain Queen. Despite her mother's disapproval, Esmeralda falls deeply in love with a humble and kind-hearted young man, against all societal expectations. The pained path they must tread becomes a quest for true happiness, as Esmeralda yearns to break free from her mother's hold and find her own destiny.
It's Pucking Complicated

It's Pucking Complicated

1.2k Views · Ongoing · Bella Silva
For Isadora Halvick, life has never been easy, as she’s been marked by scandal since birth for being the illegitimate daughter of a billionaire. Her half-brother, Justin, makes her life worse at every possible opportunity, and things become even more complicated now that they’re enrolled in the same university.

But when Justin’s biggest rival on the ice, Knox Mohrelian, the captain of the Black Reapers of Hartwell U, suggests they “fake date” to get back at Justin, Isadora jumps at the offer, not knowing that their “relationship” will lead to a disastrous series of events that cause her first year to go awfully, and that she’ll lose so many parts of herself along the way that she’ll end up dropping out.

A year later, she’s back, completely different from the rebellious girl she was in her first year, but one thing about Hartwell U? It never forgets. And so, Isadora is plunged right back into the world of scandals, secrets as black as sin, and a complicated relationship that traps her in the cycle of being unraveled and stitched together by the same twisted love.

This time, the question is simple: How will it end? And if so, will she survive until then?
Love in a New Allien Form

Love in a New Allien Form

50 Views · Ongoing · Bella Lakshmi
In a tragic accident during a swimming competition, a beautiful woman named Serena dies. Her husband, a renowned scientist obsessed with bringing her back to life, creates a humanoid robot with the same characteristics and traits as his late wife. The robot is named Blair, after his deceased spouse. As Daniel realizes that Blair begins to act, think, and even move on her own without receiving commands, he suspects that perhaps his wife's spirit truly lives on in Blair, just as he had programmed at the time of her creation. Daniel starts a secret romance with the robot Blair, hidden from his ex-girlfriend and lover, Line, who finds herself drawn to him again now that he is a widower. Meanwhile, the alien race known as the Nerax has their own plans and desires to abduct Blair for their mysterious purposes.
One Weekend with the Billionaire

One Weekend with the Billionaire

387.5k Views · Ongoing · Bella Moondragon
“When done properly, this position can be most satisfying for a woman because it allows deep penetration."
I open my mouth to respond, but all that comes out is a staggered breath and a small sigh. He chuckles, a low, rough rumble and then leans down and kisses the middle of my back.
I feel the tip of him again at my entryway. He pushes in slightly, and my body comes to life again. My muscles react to his presence, contracting and loosening, as if my body is trying to suck him deep inside.
He's my husband's boss, so this is supposed to be wrong.
So why does it feel so right?


Braxton Merriweather always gets what he wants. Now, he wants her--Julia Thompson, the wife of one of his workers. From the moment he first laid eyes on her, he knew he had to possess her in every way.
When Jeff Thompson takes him up on the bargain he proposes, Braxton is shocked. He's even more surprised when Mrs. Thompson agrees.
But now that he's had a taste of her, he wants more. How can he possess a woman who's already married to someone else?

Julia feels trapped by her marriage to her high school sweetheart. In the two years since they've been married, he's changed, and not for the better. When billionaire Braxton Merriweather shows interest in her, she's flattered. And intrigued. Is it possible that one of the richest men in the world could really want her?
And if so... what does she do about her husband?
One Weekend with the Billionaire is a sexy story for mature readers.
Realm of the Chosen: A Reverse Harem Romance

Realm of the Chosen: A Reverse Harem Romance

23.2k Views · Ongoing · Bella Moondragon
Do you want to touch it?"

Princess Katrinetta gasped and nodded, her hand reaching out to stroke him.

He shifted on top of her, coming up onto his elbows so that she was straddled beneath him. His hips were wide, and the powerful muscles beneath her hands had her yearning for him more than ever. She rocked her lower body up in an attempt to meet him, never dreaming her fist time would be like this!


Why choose just one man when she can have them all?

Cassius is strong and bold.
Jate is passionate and loyal.
Reeve is mysterious and brave.
And then there's Eliason... the man she's loved since she was a young teen.
How can she pick just one?

Princess Katrinetta will be queen of Yewforia one day. At the age of 21, embarks upon her Choosing, a time when Representatives from every realm will travel to Castle Wrenbrook to prove to the princess they are worthy of her love. But as Kit gets to know the men, she realizes it will be impossible for her to only choose one of them to rule Yewforia with her.

When she discovers that her mother, Queen Rona, isn't just cruel to her, she's mistreating the citizens of the land, Kit and her men work together to stop her mother and her sinister plan.

Will Kit's plans to keep all seven of the men she loves and still become queen work?

Full of steamy bedroom scenes, Realm of the Chosen: A Reverse Harem Romance, is for mature readers.
So You Think Your Sister's a Vampire?

So You Think Your Sister's a Vampire?

1.7k Views · Ongoing · Bella Moondragon
Don’t trust anyone, not even yourself….
You think you know someone pretty well, until you’re awoken in the middle of the night to the sound of unfamiliar voices and realize your sister’s being swept away by some supernatural creatures who climb in and out of windows and leap from two-story houses like it’s nothing.

My parents tried to tell me everything was fine, but when Cadence finally did come back from wherever they’d taken her, I knew there was something unusual about my older sister.

Now, her best friend is dead.

Her ex-boyfriend is acting bizarre.

And I’m afraid I might be next.

My name is Cassidy Findley, and I’m pretty sure my sister is a vampire, despite her “co-worker” making every effort to brainwash me into believing otherwise. With the help of my two best friends, we vow to get to the bottom of this before it’s too late, and my sister starts to claim other victims. I love her, but I won’t be turned, nor will I just sit by without doing everything I can to stop her. I can only hope that I’m not too late and that I can trust my own memories.

Because I’m pretty sure my sister’s friends are coming for me next.
The Alpha King's Breeder

The Alpha King's Breeder

135.4k Views · Ongoing · Bella Moondragon
I just arrived at the Alpha King's castle, but I have no idea why I'm here. I think it's to pay off my family's debt, but when I'm taken to a fancy bedroom, I have the feeling I'm not going to be his maid....

Isla

I'm a nobody from a distant pack. My family owes a lot for medical expenses for my brother. I'll do what I can to help them, but when I find out I've been sold to Alpha King Maddox as his breeder, I'm not sure I can do that.

The king is cold and standoffish, and rumor has it he killed his first wife. But he's also sexy and alluring. My mind might be telling me no, but my body wants him in every way possible.

How am I going to survive as the Alpha King's breeder when I've never even been with a man before? Will he kill again?

Maddox

Ever since my Luna Queen died, I've sworn to never love again. I didn't go looking for a breeder, but I only have a year until I must produce an heir or lose my throne. This beautiful girl, Isla, showed up on my doorstep just in time. Is it fate? Is she my second chance mate? No, I don't want one of those.

All I need is a kid.

But the more time I spend with Isla, the more I want not just any old breeder--I want her.

Over one million reads on Radish--one click this steamy wolf shifter romance right now!
Indebted to the Mafia King

Indebted to the Mafia King

14.5k Views · Ongoing · Bella Moondragon
She went to the virginity auction to save her family--but can she save herself?

“Well, are you going to do it or not?” I keep my chin held high, but inside, I’m trembling.
“Do what?’ the mafia king asks me, a smug look on his face.
“What you paid for.” I bite my bottom lip, wondering if I can handle him. I am a virgin, after all.
He snickers at me, and then, his mouth is on mine, and he’s taking every penny’s worth.


Eleni

I’d do anything to keep my family safe. When I find out a mobster is trying to kill everyone I love because of a debt, I sacrifice myself and end up on an auction block. When I find myself owned by Dante Cattaneo, I don’t know if I’ve been saved or sent straight to hell.

Dante

She’s gorgeous and scares as hell, even though she’s trying not to show it. My number one rule is to never let my weakness show, but from the moment I see her face, I know I have to have her. And if anyone finds out how I feel about her, I’m screwed.

Dive into this steamy, dark, mafia romance now!
A Vampire Hunter's Tale

A Vampire Hunter's Tale

1k Views · Ongoing · Bella Moondragon
Four men, four hunters, four lives transformed through encounters with vampires....

Aaron never wanted to be a vampire hunter, but when he’s faced with protecting his family in an Ireland affected by the potato famine, he’ll do what he has to in order to keep them safe. Follow his journey from a simple farmer, to learning to control his powers, hunting Jack the Ripper, sinking with the Titanic, and witnessing the bombing at Pearl Harbor.

Jamie wants to be a surgeon and nothing more, but when he is forced to save his sister’s life, he’ll transform into the greatest healer the vampire hunters have ever known. Unlucky in love, he feels like he’ll always be alone until he meets a beautiful blonde. Can he save her from the undead?

Elliott knows he’s got special powers long before he sees his first bloodsucker. When tragedy strikes his life yet again, he’ll be faced with a choice. Give up everything he’s ever known to fight the paranormal forces influencing his life—or do his best to hide.

Christian is the man we all love to hate. Find out the mysteries surrounding his first love and his journey through the most famous portal of all of them.

A Vampire Hunter’s Tale follows three of our favorite characters from The Clandestine Saga and takes a closer look at how they got their starts. Perfect for lovers of the paranormal and alternate history. If you like the kind of characters you can cheer for and the sort of story that will keep you up late into the night, then this is the journey for you.
Ghosts of Southampton: Titanic

Ghosts of Southampton: Titanic

1.1k Views · Ongoing · Bella Moondragon
You can't outrun your past, not even aboard the Ship of Dreams....
Meg never dreamt she would find herself aboard Titanic, dressed in the borrowed clothes of her lady-in-waiting, hiding from her family, running from her haunting past. Now that she finally has the opportunity to escape it all, she realizes the man she has been engaged to for three years is also aboard the ship. Their marriage was arranged by their fathers long ago, and since they've always had the Atlantic Ocean between them, Meg is able to continue her charade. However, if Charlie discovers her true identity, she will end up breaking his heart all over again. And the more time Meg spends with Charlie, the more she realizes she's made a terrible mistake; she never should have ran away from him to begin with.
Will Meg find a way to reveal her true identity without destroying their blossoming relationship, or will her last chance at true love end up in the abyss?
Also includes the sequel, Residuum, about life in New York City after Titanic, and a prequel, Prelude, about Meg and Charlie's life before they boarded that fateful ship!
Author's Note: The ghosts are metaphorical and refer to the female lead, Meg, and her haunting past.
The Luna's Vampire Prince

The Luna's Vampire Prince

394k Views · Ongoing · Bella Moondragon
Prince Rafe leans over me, holding himself up on one elbow as he gazes at my face. I feel his eyes wandering over every surface from my brow to my eyes, down my nose, to my lips and chin, and then returning to hold my gaze for a second. The small smile at the corner of his mouth makes me think he likes what he sees.
His hand is cool when it brushes a loose curl from my cheek, but I don’t jerk away from him. I have no idea what’s going on. I don’t understand why I’m here. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow. It seems like a lot of powerful people want me—dead or alive. And yet, all I can think about right now is how badly I want this vampire’s hands on my body.


I live in a desolate village on the edge of the Vampire King’s lands. This used to be wolf shifter territory, but now, we are just trying to survive.
When I mess up and find myself in a culling, I know I’m dead. No wolf shifters ever survive these events.
And after the stunt I pulled in the middle of the village, Prince Rafe probably wants me dead.
Is it a good thing or a bad thing when a vampire looks at you like you’re a snack?
Something tells me, once I reach the castle, I’ll be missing my miserable existence in the village.
But then—it turns out I have no freaking idea who I even am, and when the royals start referring to me as Princess Ainslee, I realize my life is about to take a turn—for better or worse.
Night Slayer

Night Slayer

1.5k Views · Ongoing · Bella Moondragon
The odds are stacked against her--just how she like it....

After the Revelation, when Vampires around the world came forward and disclosed themselves to the world, the Hunters and Guardians that had fought in the shadows to defend humanity were also exposed—and hunted down, enslaved, destroyed, and sent into hiding.

Jo McReynolds, the daughter of the most powerful Vampire Hunter to ever live, continues to slay bloodsuckers in the night. After the mysterious disappearance of her mother and a series of conflicts with the rest of her family, Jo is out on her own, and that’s fine with her. Because she doesn’t need anyone but herself.

But the others need her. When her team gets a tip as to the whereabouts of the Vampire responsible for the disappearance of Jo’s mom, her family wants her back. No one can kill bloodsuckers like Jo McReynolds. Saying she’s sorry and coming back to the fold will be difficult, and she’s not sure she even wants to go—but finding this Vampire might reveal what really happened to her mother, so Jo accepts.

With Jo as part of the team, can they track down the Vampire and discover what happened to her mother? Is it possible to rid the earth of Vampires once and for all and restore the Hunters and Guardians to their former glory—or will Jo and her team end up captured or destroyed like so many of their colleagues?
His Regret Began When She Let Go

His Regret Began When She Let Go

402 Views · Ongoing · Bella Amanda
"I want to know," Marissa said, one hand resting on her stomach, her smile dripping with triumph, "if you'll be here to watch me give Bryce the child you never could."
Rachel's world shattered.
For three years, she had been the perfect Mrs. Voss, gentle, obedient, and endlessly devoted. She believed love could soften Bryce's cold heart... until he walked in with his pregnant mistress and erased her without a second thought.
Declared infertile. Branded a burden. Cast aside like she meant nothing.
When Bryce demanded a divorce, Rachel asked for just fourteen days. Fourteen days to hold onto the life she had built, to pretend her marriage hadn't already died.
He didn't hesitate. He didn't care.
But the moment she hit rock bottom, another man stepped in.
"A contract marriage," he said, his gaze dark with intent. "One year. You become my wife... and I'll make him beg for the woman he threw away."
Dangerous. Ruthless. A man who doesn't love, only claims.
"Unlike Bryce," he murmured, stepping closer, "I don't discard what belongs to me."
This time, Rachel won't beg to be chosen.
She'll rise. She'll take everything they stripped from her. And she'll become a woman Bryce Voss can never touch again.
So when he finally realizes the truth... when he's the one begging at her feet...
Will she walk away or make him suffer the way he made her break?
Sold To The Mafia Don

Sold To The Mafia Don

2.8k Views · Ongoing · Pretty Bella
"My gift has finally arrived, a perfect specimen, perfect for an heir."


If only I had known that I wouldn't ever return to my house. Never see my mother, my siblings, or Violet... I never would have gotten in that car.

My father remarked, "She's all yours,"

"Dad? Dad? Dad?! " I yelled. I squirmed as tears began to stream, attempting to break free.


Years have passed...

"My gift has finally arrived," said a voice I recognized. That voice was the catalyst for my downfall.

"Well, now that we're acquainted, I think we can go see my son." You know, I purchased you for him. "A perfect specimen, perfect for an heir," he murmured, a nasty smirk on his face.


"Son!" Antonio applauded.

"What do you want, father?" I felt a little chill at the sound of the fresh voice. The Italian accent in the words, together with how deep, velvety, and dominating it was, shook me to my very core. I was a little pleased that he spoke so harshly about his father.

He had midnight-black hair that fell in a part of his onyx eyes, which was lengthy in the center but short on the sides. Deeply tanned complexion, full pink lips, and a jawline with a five o'clock shadow.

He was dressed in a black suit with a white shirt beneath that had the first three buttons undone, revealing some tattoos. His hands were encrusted with silver rings, some of which had black jewels. Both hands and backs of both had tattoos.

I was intrigued by the creative swirls since I was ignorant of the whole tattoo.

Not if he made the decision to remove his shirt.


Lucy was sold to Antonio Martinelli, the former boss of the biggest Italian mafia when she was 14 years old. After spending years in the "safe house," Lucy is delivered to his son Luca Martinelli, the new leader, as a birthday gift. Luca fights the urge to fall in love with the ebony beauty as Lucy attempts to keep a promise she made and regain her former self. Will they endure all the deceit, lust, murder, and betrayal committed in the name of love together?
The Luna's Claws of Revenge

The Luna's Claws of Revenge

887 Views · Ongoing · Bella Moondragon
Framed for murder and exiled, I’m left alone in the wilderness, chained to a tree. But Jorin, my older mentor, finds me and helps me survive. Still, I’m done just surviving. I want revenge.

When Bram, my best friend, tracks me down, everything changes. The heat between us is undeniable, a simmering tension we’ve always ignored but can’t deny any longer. As we hunt down Alpha Kaelen, the fire between us blazes hotter with every passing second.

I’ll get back what’s mine. I’ll tear down anyone who stands in my way. And if Bram wants to follow me into the flames, he’d better be ready to burn as hot as I do.
Fate

Fate

173 Views · Ongoing · Ameenah Bello
Afraah is an eighteen-year-old girl that lives with her stepmother, her three step-siblings, and her biological brother who is a cancer patient. After high school her stepmother couldn’t afford both her school fees and her brother's hospital fees, she had to forsake her college for Khalil to have good medication.

She meets Rayan whose life is hidden, all he cares about is his brother when he finds out that Afraah is his only hope to get his brother to get better, will he toy with her emotions and use her for his selfish needs or will he eventually fall in love with her?
One Night Stand With The Alpha King

One Night Stand With The Alpha King

3.4k Views · Ongoing · safina bello
“A fucking submissive, I love the way she obeyed me.
Her legs were against her chest while I thrust into her.
“You never listen to me until my dick is in you.” I thrust harder and she lets out series of curses, “answer me princess."
“Fuck.” She whispers, she is unable to make any sentence. I pushed her leg down thirsting harder into her, the way she moaned, the way her fingers found it place on my back, I know I would be waking up with bruises on my skin.
Victoria Sanchez decides to take revenge on her cheating boyfriend by sleeping with his associate.
Kelvin Ricci has no desire to find his mate, what happens when he finds his mate in a one night stand.
She leans in and whispers “I know your punishment, you don’t get to cum”

Rated 18
Sold to the Cruel Alpha

Sold to the Cruel Alpha

537 Views · Ongoing · Bella Moondragon
She was raised to stay hidden.
He was born to rule through fear.

Sierra Lark is the last heir of a fallen wolf pack, forced into hiding to survive—and sold into servitude to the very pack that helped destroy her family. The Dravens are powerful, ruthless, and untouchable.

Kaelen Draven was never meant to question his fate. As heir to the most feared pack in existence, obedience is expected… until he meets the girl his family wants erased.

Drawn together by secrets, danger, and a bond neither of them should claim, Sierra and Kaelen must decide what they’re willing to sacrifice—because loving each other could ignite a war neither pack survives.

A forbidden wolf shifter romance filled with secrets, betrayal, and rebellion.
To Tame A Monster

To Tame A Monster

303 Views · Ongoing · Bella Cupid
She was supposed to be an Alpha. Instead, she was sold to a monster on the night of her coronation.


Rue Lowell spent all her life preparing to be Alpha of Bloodhound Pack. After her parents' mysterious death, the Alpha position automatically fell on her.

But on the night she was meant to be crowned, she was sold as a slave to the Alpha Beast, Alpha Thane, the cursed Lycan King who was rumoured to have murdered his own mate.



People called him a monster. A beast. His name was whispered with fear, and his presence sent terror into every heart.

Alpha Thane Lockwood carried a curse from birth, a curse that killed his emotions, turning him heartless and cold.

The first time he saw Rue, he was spellbound, his frozen heart stirring for the first time in centuries. He found himself inexplicably drawn to her, craving her presence, her scent, her soul.

Until everything changed on the night of a bloodmoon. Secrets were unraveled, and Thane discovered Rue was his mate.

The one in the prophecy.
The one meant to destroy him.
His curse.
His Ruthless Vows

His Ruthless Vows

959 Views · Ongoing · Mabel Ann
Oliver Haywood never wanted love—only control. But his grandfather’s will leaves him no choice: marry or lose everything. His solution? A cold contract. No emotions. No weakness. No escape.

Nuella Allen is nothing like the polished socialites he rejected. She’s quiet, determined—and the one woman bold enough to stand against him. What begins as a deal soon ignites into a war of wills, where every look burns, every word cuts, and every touch tempts.

But when Nuella dares to defy him—both in private and in public—Oliver learns that the vows binding them aren’t just legal… they’re explosive.

In a marriage built on power, passion, and ruthless control, only one question remains:
Who will break first—the billionaire who swore never to love, or the woman who refuses to bow?
The dragon king’s slaved  alpha

The dragon king’s slaved alpha

7.4k Views · Ongoing · Anamika Ana
Once upon a time, when a kingdom fought for the dominance between the werewolves and the dragons, Alessia Lovato, the first female Alpha of the largest pack faced the harsh reality with her tears and pain. Right after her own eyes, Alessia watched her mate dying, her entire pack demolished and those who loved her all getting killed. When she came out to face her biggest enemy, the king of the dragons, RAVEN GROOVES, the moon goddess had showered her greatest cruelty on her. The man who was the sole reason behind her misery turned out to be her second chance mate. He yanked her with her hair, asking with the pure hated voice, brimming from his eyes,

" Tell me, what will I get in return in exchange for saving your pack?"

Alessia fought with her tears, blurted without bowing her head in front of the man that he loathed,

" My virginity! Let's fuck each others with hatred, King Raven."
The Baby Was Never Mine, But the Pain Was

The Baby Was Never Mine, But the Pain Was

484 Views · Ongoing · Thư Anh
"I gave you a life… and you took mine with it."

She woke up in a sterile hospital room, her body aching, her womb empty.
The child she carried—gone.
No name. No face. No goodbye.

To him, it was just a transaction. A contract. A child born of benefit.
To her, it was the beginning of everything—and the end of herself.

Years passed. Her heart hardened. But fate, cruel and poetic, dragged him back into her orbit.
Only this time, there are secrets.
And bloodlines.
And a storm of revenge, waiting to unravel them both.

In a world where love is a luxury and hatred is inherited, how do you survive the one man who cost you everything… yet still makes your heart ache?
Ashes in Her mouth

Ashes in Her mouth

281 Views · Ongoing · Olabode Anu
Ashes in Her Mouth

The fire took more than walls. It took names. Faces. Pieces of me I’ll never get back.

Now it’s back. Different street, same smoke. Same teeth in the dark.

The brass call it arson. I call it unfinished business.

Every blaze leaves a mark a body, a whisper, a threat carved in soot. Someone wants me chasing. Someone wants me choking on the past.

I should walk away. Let the flames eat the city clean. But the next fire is already lit. And I know where it’s burning.

Not a matter of if I get there in time. Just what I’ll lose when I do.
The Villainess Won't Die

The Villainess Won't Die

3.8k Views · Ongoing · Ann Guslavia
After learning the hard truth of how her twin sister Dalilah brainwashed and manipulated her mind during thirteen years, turning her into a ruthless assassin who killed hundreds of innocents including her youngest brother and best friend Valerian, twenty-seven-year-old Princess Natasha Nicholai, is executed in front of the Imperial Palace.
Somehow, she gets sent back to the past right before Dalilah started putting her evil string on her mind, to when she was about to turn fourteen, and uses that as an opportunity to not let the past repeat itself, by getting her revenge on her sister and all the people who backed her, and saving her younger brother as well as protecting the innocents she knows will be Dalilah's targets.
But while also going after the truth about who stole her magic when she was 4yo, who sent her back and why did they do that, she will cross paths with Ethan Theodore, a dangerous and full of secrets guy, with ruby-red-eyes and who's destiny is directly linked to Natasha's
Once Upon A Magical Saga

Once Upon A Magical Saga

656 Views · Ongoing · ANI EMELDA
In the enchanted world of Netherland, fairies and elves live peacefully, protected from their enemies by their pure hearts and magical powers. But when the jealous and scheming Eliza falls into the trap of the black witch, the fragile peace is threatened. The witch escapes to Earth, where she plans to carry out her evil schemes.

The God of Fairy sends three powerful student fairies, Charlie, Roman, and Brielle, to capture the witch and bring her back to Netherland. But their mission is complicated by the rule that they must not fall in love on Earth and avoid getting distracted.

Charlie, the most gifted and respected fairy in Netherland, falls into a LAFS (Love At First Sight) with a popular band leader in the school where the witch is hiding. As Charlie tries to balance her feelings for her newfound love and her duty to stop the witch, she also attracts unknown enemies who threaten her and her mission.

Meanwhile, Eliza continues to scheme and manipulate, putting herself and her fellow fairies in danger. Will the three fairies be able to capture the witch and save their world? Can Charlie resist the pull of love and focus on her mission? And what consequences will Eliza's actions have on the fragile peace of Netherland?

Once Upon A Magical Saga is a captivating tale of love, magic, and adventure that will transport readers to a world of wonder and danger.
Storm pack 1

Storm pack 1

417 Views · Ongoing · Ane Coetzee
Dillion and Nash knew each other since they were little. Then Nash went away for almost 10 years and when he came back, he then found his mate. They were somewhat happy and then just before they mate Dillion ran away.

It's been 2 years since Dillion and Nash saw each other, will they ever see each other again or will they forever be apart. Will Nash find out Dillion's secret or will it be hidden forever.
Sold to the Best Bidder

Sold to the Best Bidder

3.4k Views · Ongoing · Andy Whitte
Can you imagine being sold by your boyfriend at auction to the highest bidder for a debt that could kill him and, to sweeten the pot, you are bought by his extremely handsome, multi-millionaire older brother, heir to a chain of hotels in Italy, who is obsessed with you?

Yeah, why not me.

In my situation as an illusionary reader with a thousand stories in her head, I realized that wishing also had serious consequences.

And I knew it the moment I became the most valuable treasure of a powerful man who had the world in his hands.

And I never noticed it, until he managed to bring down a whole black market trade of young women, in which I fell for an idiot.

However, there was more, what was he hiding?
Seducing The President

Seducing The President

1k Views · Ongoing · Anamika_ Ana
[ WARNING!! Novel Features Mature Contents! ]

[ UPDATES ARE AVAILABLE ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY ]

Xavier Gray, the youngest president of USK state and a billionaire CEO coming from the most powerful, ruling family in the whole country.The founder of Eden International Limited, an international company who has been ruling over all the companies for the last decade in the state.A 29 years old, the most wanted, attractive and alluring bachelor that the nation girls are dying to be in his arms. Despite being domineering, cold and ruthless, he has another spilt personality that is asexual. A rare psychological trauma of not having sexual desires for any person.
Naturally he always keeps his safe distance from women.But what will happen to all his restrictions when his life will encounter a multi-talented, undeniable beauty, smart and creepy characteristic, 22 years old, Iris Young who enters in his life only the purpose of seducing the dominant president?Will the bridge burn finally? Or a planned mission will turn into an unplanned Love?

To Watch The Trailer, Visit Author's Instagram account: anamika_author
Or Official Facebook Page: Books Of Anamika Ana
Girl, Alone (An Ella Dark FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 1)

Girl, Alone (An Ella Dark FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 1)

366 Views · Ongoing · Blake Pierce
“A MASTERPIECE OF THRILLER AND MYSTERY. Blake 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. 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) GIRL, ALONE (An Ella Dark FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 1) is the debut novel in a long-anticipated new series by #1 bestseller and USA Today bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose bestseller Once Gone (a free download) has received over 1,000 five star reviews. FBI Agent Ella Dark, 29, is given her big chance to achieve her life’s dream: to join the Behavorial Crimes Unit. Ella has a hidden obsession: she has studied serial killers from the time she could read, devastated by the murder of her own sister. With her photographic memory, she has obtained an encyclopedic knowledge of every serial killer, every victim and every case. Singled out for her brilliant mind, Ella is invited to join the big leagues.But when a killer strikes in the swamps of Louisiana, Ella soon comes to learn that the real thing is nothing she could expect. Face to face with a real murder, a real killer, and a real ticking clock, Ella realizes she can’t rely on her knowledge. She must learn to trust her instinct, and allow herself to enter the dark canals of a real killer’s mind. If she gets it wrong, her career is at stake.And so is the next victim’s life.Will Ella’s talent be an asset? Or the source of her downfall?A page-turning and harrowing crime thriller featuring a brilliant and tortured FBI agent, the ELLA DARK series is a riveting mystery, packed with suspense, twists and turns, revelations, and driven by a breakneck pace that will keep you flipping pages late into the night.Books #2 and #3 in the series—GIRL, TAKEN and GIRL, HUNTED—are also available.
The daily life of an otaku in a fantasy world

The daily life of an otaku in a fantasy world

261 Views · Ongoing · ALAB NG APOY OFFICIAL
For most, anime is just a hobby. For others, it is a sanctuary—the only escape from a harsh, disappointing, and often depressing reality. This is the story of a devoted fan, a "Shut-in NEET" who has turned their back on the real world to find life and meaning in the stories of 2D characters, manga, and games.
​But the lines between fiction and reality are about to vanish forever.

​When a mysterious Angel appears with a divine decree, our protagonist is plucked from their room and thrust into a literal Fantasy World. This isn't just a dream come true; it is a Mission. Given a second chance to truly live, they must now navigate a land filled with magic, peril, and wonder—armed only with the knowledge of countless anime tropes and a will to survive.
​Can a person who spent their life hiding in stories finally become the hero of their own? In a world where the stakes are real and the magic is dangerous, the ultimate challenge isn't just completing the mission—it’s learning how to finally belong.

​The story follows the life of a dedicated Anime fan (an Otaku) who feels disconnected from the harsh realities of the real world. Seeking an escape from depression and personal problems, the protagonist finds solace in anime and dreams of experiencing magical or extraordinary events. It explores the psychological boundary between fiction and reality, reflecting on people who isolate themselves to live within their imagination
He'd let the world burn for her : An unhealthy obsession

He'd let the world burn for her : An unhealthy obsession

1.1k Views · Ongoing · iyamuwealth435
"That man will be the end of you Charlotte!

Her whole life used to revolve around her family, but she was abused, treated like a slave, given away like some sacrificial lamb.

Until she met him, Damien Davenport, a ruthless man who never showed his face in society.

And now...her life will remain the same!

Content Warning.
This book is R18+
Pure sex scenes, no fade to black.
It contains contents or themes that some might find disturbing or distressing.
DARKLY YOURS

DARKLY YOURS

23.1k Views · Ongoing · Anamika_ Ana
**** SNEAK PEAK ****

" Ah! " I moaned into his mouth as I felt him entering through me.

He chuckled in my ears,
" Did you feel that, baby girl?"

I whimpered again as he entered into me with intense force. I knew that he was ruining me but I wanted him as mine.

I moaned in ecasty as I felt him pounding inside me,
" I am forever yours, wholly yours and last of all Darkly Yours always."


Veronica Knight, an young adult and promising star of modeling industry whose eyes were full of dreams to become the supermodel like her elder sister, Victoria Knight. Surrounded by passion and compassion,idolizing her big sister as her mentor,her path was bound to smooth but one accident brought misfortune in her joyous life. Accused to become the murderer of her elder sister,she was blamed and screwed by everyone including her stone hearted,wife-shipping billionaire brother-in-law, Blake Davidson,the biggest tycoon of the country. He was a firm believer on the fact that Veronica had caused to loose his dear wife. A journey started from revenge was going to make her life completely hell until lust, irresistible attraction crawled between them. Will Veronica ever be able to prove herself innocent? How will she deny the attraction that she felt for Blake but isn't it a sin to fall in love with her brother-in-law? Will she put a boundary between their feelings?

*** Join the journey of two sisters whose fates are entangled with one single man, the posseive devil, Blake Davison ***
Deadly Grace

Deadly Grace

624 Views · Ongoing · Olabode Anu
Detective Grace Marlowe has built her career on precision and grit, carving her place in the department without owing anyone favors. But when she’s called to the scene of a murdered tech heiress in a penthouse suite, the case feels wrong from the start every detail too deliberate, too staged.

The body is laid out like an art installation: silk gown, perfectly applied lipstick, a single drop of blood at the corner of her mouth. No sign of forced entry. No defensive wounds. And tucked under the bed, hidden in a place only a meticulous search would find—an envelope.

It isn’t addressed to the victim. It’s addressed to Grace.

Inside: a photo of her sister, taken the year she disappeared
Luna For Sale

Luna For Sale

465 Views · Ongoing · Ana Winter
A Luna or a Slave?
Edwina Quinley had nothing to offer in her life after her father being the sole enemy of Alpha King, Hades Lysander. Hades, renowned for being a beast in nature goes mad in rage after losing his beloved Luna. Hades wants nothing but revenge for the love of his life even if destroying a whole pack.Hades wanted to destroy her pack including her. As a loyal Luna to her pack, Edwina had nothing to offer except herself as his slave. Even though the Moon Goddess has blessed her with a mate, she had to leave her dignity to satisfy the king's hatred and ego. From being a Female Alpha, she becomes the no-class slave overnight.Edwina wants nothing but to save her pack and her father.Between revenge and hatred, will Hades and Edwina find their way back or are they meant to destroy each other?
The Forest's Secret

The Forest's Secret

660 Views · Ongoing · Ana Jenić
Lily, a young woman from a world where vampires and werewolves are nothing but legends, finds herself drawn into a mysterious forest.

As the days go by, Lily discovers that her life is about to change forever. In the forest, she uncovers the dark world of vampires and werewolves, where nothing is as it seems. The werewolves, once thought to be nothing more than myth, are revealed as enemies of the vampires, and Lily finds herself caught in the middle of a war she doesn’t understand.

As she gets closer to Alex, the vampire who saved her life, she also begins to discover more about her own hidden abilities.

The deeper Lily delves into this supernatural world, the more she realizes that she may be connected to it in ways she never imagined. As alliances are formed and broken, Lily faces impossible choices.

Will she stay loyal to Alex, or will she be forced to choose a side?

And in the end, will she survive the battle between vampires and werewolves?
Married To An Old Billionaire, In Love With His Son

Married To An Old Billionaire, In Love With His Son

401 Views · Ongoing · Wunmi Ijaola
TITLE: MARRIED TO AN OLD BILLIONAIRE, IN LOVE WITH HIS SON.

Eve has no choice but to give up her own dreams and marry the old billionaire who could even be her grandfather ...due to her father's illness and the expensive operational costs.
Despite the sex harassment she faces on a regular basis, the humiliation she receives from the old man's son, Liam is another source of pain for Eve. Then, Eve's only thought is to make as much money as she can and get away from the family.
Nevertheless, as Liam works with Eve, he gradually falls in love with the girl he used to loathe.
What will he do about his hidden feelings for his stepmother?
One Night Stand With The Enemy Alpha: An MxM Romance

One Night Stand With The Enemy Alpha: An MxM Romance

1.3k Views · Ongoing · Ebere Nwawulu
The masked stranger slammed into him with one devastating thrust, stretching Carter so perfectly he sobbed against the desk. “Fuck—yes, just like that!” he begged, hips slamming back as the masked alpha set a brutal rhythm, fisting his hair and stroking his cock in time.

“Finally mine, after all this time,” the man growled, then sank razor-sharp teeth into his neck and pleasure exploded through him like lightning.

Until the mask slipped and Dallas Cross, his childhood bully and bane of his existence, stared back with a vicious, satisfied smirk.

On the day Carter was supposed to propose to the love of his life, Carter walked in to find her in bed with his mortal enemy, Dallas Cross, wealthy heir of the Cross Group global empire.

One week later, a drunken club hookup leaves him marked, mated, and impossibly, pregnant with Dallas’s heir. The ruthless werewolf storms back into his life, demanding Carter pack his bags and move into the luxurious pack mansion to accept their unbreakable bond and carry his son… or watch his bankrupt family lose everything.

Trapped between red-hot hate, an unexpected pregnancy, and the tiny life already growing inside him, Carter faces an impossible choice.

His strict parents are pressuring him to forgive the cheating fiancée and save them from ruin. Meanwhile, Dallas’s possessive alpha instincts won’t let him go, blocking every escape, and whispering dark promises of protection, pleasure, and forever.

With every heated glare turning into uncontrollable lust and every denial crumbling under the mate bond, Carter must decide: run from the enemy who destroyed him… or surrender completely to the powerful alpha who now owns his body, his heart, and his fate.
Substitute Groom For The Mafia Boss

Substitute Groom For The Mafia Boss

29.7k Views · Ongoing · Precious Onyinye
“He showed up for his sister’s wedding. He left wearing the dress.”

When Liam LaRosa returns to New York, he expects his sister's wedding, not his wedding. But after his twin sister takes her own life hours before her forced mafia wedding, Liam is given an impossible ultimatum: take her place at the altar… or watch his family fall.

Now bound to Donatello Moranno, the city’s most feared mafia boss, Liam becomes a pawn in a bloodstained game of power, loyalty, and twisted desire. But what starts as survival turns into something far more dangerous.

Because Donatello isn’t just the devil in a tailored suit. He’s the man Liam can’t stop thinking about.
And in a world where love is a liability… falling for the enemy might be a death sentence.
The Forbidden Second Marriage

The Forbidden Second Marriage

1.1k Views · Ongoing · Onyinye Vivian
“If our marriage were already claimed before the whole pack, I would make sure your ex-mate was watching as I make you moan my name, showing him the male who can take you past the moon… and make you beg for more until your voice breaks, Elena,” he whispered slowly.

"But… we should stop before someone walks in and sees us like this," Elena murmured, as she pressed back against him.


Elena Monroe once poured her entire soul into helping her mate, Drake Hamilton, the proud Beta of the Crescent Moon Pack, to remember the bond they shared before the accident stole his memories. Instead of returning to her, Drake chose Cassandra Travers, a glittering celebrity with a noble name and a perfect smile.

Then everything exploded.

At Drake's birthday party, Elena faced allegations of drugging and sleeping with him. Humiliated and mocked in front of the whole pack, she was on the brink of disaster when her protector, the male everyone believed was her guardian, pulled her away from the chaos.

The mate bond was cut, and Elena walked away in pieces.

But loss followed her. Two of the people she loved most were taken from her by her ex-mate and his family while she fought to clear her name.

Sorrow transformed into rage.

A reckless night with the man she previously referred to as her guardian sparked an illicit fire neither could extinguish.

Now hidden in a city far from her pack, she is no longer the broken omega they underestimated. She is ready to reclaim her life—and destroy those who dared to ruin it.

But when her ex-mate's memories finally come back, Elena finds herself torn between revenge and a love she ought to avoid.

And this time, her children’s lives hang in the balance.