488 Book(s) Related to cherry blossoms after winter

Juggling her career and family, Thea fought to keep her marriage alive after her husband lost his job. She hired a nanny to help—never guessing she was welcoming her own replacement.
"The three of us look more like a family than with you, mommy."
That was the final nail.
She walked away. No custody battle. No tearful goodbyes. Just silence. And from that silence, she rose—stronger, sharper, and impossible to break.
Enter Ezra Harrington.
Billionaire. CEO. Her boss.
Cold-blooded in more ways than one.
He wants Thea—but not just in the boardroom. He's hungry for more.
Her blood sings to him.
Her strength tempts him.
Her fire threatens to consume him.
But Thea doesn't kneel.
Not for love. Not for monsters.
Not even for the devil in a custom Armani suit.
Now her past is clawing back—
A husband begging for a second chance. A child she ne er stopped loving. And a vampire boss who'd destroy the world to keep her.
T.W: Dub-con, vampirism/alpha dominance, workplace relationship, dark romance etc.

"Take your things and leave, Mira. I never want to see you again. The guard will bring the divorce papers. Sign them. I have already done my part. Now it is your turn."
Mira, a princess of the Silver Claw Pack, was labeled a weak omega and abandoned by her father when her wolf never appeared. Heartbroken and humiliated, she ran away and found love in the arms of Alpha Adrien of another pack. Their marriage fell apart when Mira could not conceive, and Adrien's betrayal cut deeper than any wound.
Framed, banished, and left to hit rock bottom, Mira's suffering awakened the powerful, long-dormant wolf within her. Now stronger, fiercer, and unrecognizable, she returns to her home pack not as a broken princess but as a force to be reckoned with.
At the homecoming celebration organized by her father, Adrien, the man who once discarded her, is stunned. The woman he betrayed now commands respect and fear as a dominant leader. He begs for her back, but Mira is no longer the woman he left behind. This time, she is taking everything he once stole from her and more.

He stared down at me, his dark eyes burning with desire. His touch was electric, sending shivers through my body as his fingers teased me, leaving me breathless and aching for more.

"You want this?" he murmured, his voice rough with need.

I could barely think, barely speak—all I knew was that I needed him. "Yes..." I gasped, arching against him as his touch grew bolder, more demanding.

Every stroke, every whispered word pushed me closer to the edge. I was lost in him, in the way he claimed me without hesitation.

"Who are you?" he demanded, his grip tightening.”

"I am your dirty little slut."

I gasped...

A month after her dad died, she moved to L.A.—to live with his best friend. A man rich enough to own the city, and powerful enough to stay untouchable.

She thought it’d be awkward. Quiet. Maybe even safe. But then came the night.

One mistake. One touch. And everything changed.

Now they’re caught in something they can’t control. It’s wrong. It’s dangerous. And it feels way too good to stop.

She knows this can’t last. He knows it too.

But the more they try to stay away, the harder it gets to breathe without each other. And if anyone finds out— It won’t just break hearts. It’ll ruin lives.

This story is rated 18+...

"You new?" His voice was a low growl that made her stomach tighten.
"Yes, sir." She whispered, and his fingers tightened around her wrist.
"You always this clumsy, Catalina?" He drew out her name like tasting it, like claiming it.
"I can be better," she breathed. He didn't blink. Then he let go.
She should've moved back, stood up, collected the broken glass. She didn't. Her eyes drifted over his torso, the scars etched into his ribs, the steady rise and fall of his chest.
"Then show me," he said, and the words lingered between them like fire.
Valentina Cruz was born to avenge. Her father was executed on the orders of Lucien Torres's cartel family. Her plan was simple: seduce Lucien, earn his trust, and destroy him from within.
But Lucien isn't just the devil's heir. He's dangerous. Damaged. Irresistibly, devastatingly charming. Their attraction ignites too fast, too hot—and when Valentina discovers she's pregnant, everything changes.
Lucien isn't supposed to love. She isn't supposed to fall. And the deeper she goes, the darker the secrets she uncovers: a faked death, a missing child, a truth that could make her the next target.
When revenge collides with obsession, and love clashes with legacy—who walks away unscathed? One thing is certain: sleeping with the devil's son means you either claim the kingdom... or burn with it.

"I, Atticus Fawn, reject you as my mate and future Luna, Autumn River," he shattered my heart. But then I realized he didn't say my last name, right? He said River, not Rivera. I felt pain, but we still connected with our bond because rejecting someone only works if you say their name right.

So, I nodded and stood there in the dark. My mate didn't want me and told me I was not his mate, and there must be a mistake that the moon goddess made putting us together as mates. But I wasn't replying, so I remained motionless and tried to wake up from this awful dream.

This is different from what is supposed to happen. It should be him kissing me and marking me as his forever. But that's not what happened. When I lifted my head, he was already gone. He left me and returned to Anya, my best friend.

Atticus Fawn is petrified when he finds out he has to marry the best friend of his mate. He tries to escape the wedding but eventually realizes that it is useless to do so. He knows that he can never love another woman like he loves Anya, and not Autumn Rivera. He's, however, unprepared for her gentleness and caring nature. Before he knows it, she's forcing her way into his life, and if he's not careful, his heart may be at risk. That is why his nerdy mate is coming her way.

Rubby Sandwood, a 20-year-old orphan, lost her parents at a young age and was taken by her by Alex Manchester, a werewolf slave driver. Alex was not kind to Rubby and maltreated her. Chelse, a blind and sensitive girl, saved Rubby twice and they began looking out for each other.

What happened when Silver Airstong, a powerful Alpha, come to Ruby’s rescue only to neglect her in his pack because she was a mare Omega

With silvers twin brother hot on his tale willing to capture Rubby to use as a leverage against him, will Silver finally put his mate above everything else?…

Her downfall came hours after her birthday when she found out that she was the mate of the very monster she hunted.

A father, tormented by the grief of the past, could do nothing until he found someone like-minded and formed the Alliance to fight those who took away the love of his life. He fought behind the screen while his daughter did what he never could - she killed the big bad wolf.

The years passed, and she followed her father's vision until an ill-advised mission led her to imprisonment under the command of an Alpha. Little did Enya know that misfortune would reveal too many secrets. Will Enya ever find herself in a tangle of lies, or will she perish with those who led her astray?

"Look at me!", husky voice, coming from the man, who stood in front of me, ordered. I'm not ready to face my death, not just yet.

He placed the tips of his fingers below my chin and forced my eyes to meet his. Suddenly his eyes became pitch-black; his face still wouldn't give in any of his emotions.

"Mine!" he growled in his Alpha voice.

My head instantly hung low, be growled once again, obviously irritated by my actions. Goodbye, cruel world.
•••
Feared by all, wanted by many. He is an Alpha, just like others - cold, heartless, ruthless.
He has built himself an empire of chaos and destruction.

She's deadly afraid of him.

Little did she knew he is the last person she should be afraid.

WARNING: daddy kink MENTIONED, read at your own risk!!!

WARNING:
Adult content, recommended for readers 18 and older only.
Contains BDSM relationship, erotic content, violence.
The book excerpt:
"Here, I have a key to your heart," she left the key in her palm, metal and skin together. Ocean stumbled upon the ancient artwork in the locker rooms. It caught her attention because of its resemblance to a dagger, so she took it and waited for the perfect opportunity.
"Silly girl, that is not the key to my heart. Pathetic attempt." Vladimir growled in disgust. If she is lucky, she'd be unleashed by the end of the night.
Taking the first step toward her destruction, Ocean grins and moves her hips in time with the slow music in the background. Vladimir swallows, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. The vampire's eyes focus on the crook of her neck as she stops directly in front of him. Ocean places her palm on his chest, guides her fingertips down to his abdominal muscles, a corner of her lip twitches in disgust. When he closes his eyes, the woman takes the opportunity to plunge the key directly into his heart, smiling as his eyes shoot open and he looks down at her in horror. "Are you still convinced I don't have the key to your heart?" she asks, grabs him by the collar, and pulls him closer, her lips lightly stroke his ear as she whispers, "It fits."

Sold like a circus animal.
Collared, forced into misery and self-hatred.
With a single blow, she hopes to change her life, only to find herself trapped again.
Ocean has no idea what freedom means, but she desires nothing more than a taste of it.
The secrets hidden from her will unfold before her eyes, no one can escape the truth.

Her father broke her ribs. Her sister stole her powers. And her fated mate?
"You are worthless now. I can reject you and have you thrown out of my pack. I am sure your father would not want a rejected child back in his pack, would he?"
Hayley, the most powerful hybrid ever, discovers that her extraordinary abilities cannot earn her love or respect. Her older sister Elena, consumed by jealousy, steals her powers just after she becomes mated to the Alpha. Lance, who once rejoiced at being mated to such a powerful hybrid, is now disappointed when he sees Hayley powerless. He perceives her as weak and wants nothing to do with her.
But Hayley is far stronger than anyone realizes. As she faces betrayal, jealousy, and dangerous enemies—including vampires and witches—her courage and power grow. Lance begins to see the depth of strength and love within his mate. Can he overcome his pride and finally give Hayley the love and recognition she deserves before it is too late?

It's about Avery Williams, who is special as she is not just a wolf/witch, but she got two sides: her wolf- Angelstar, and her Veela-Anglica.
She is a nerd, loser, and whom everyone made fun of, even her friends called her Wallflower.

Usually, when the Moon Goddess finds you your other half, one or two mates the most there will be for you. But Avery is a different werewolf, she does not have one or two mates but four mates.

She fated to the four most dangerous, most popular, and most arrogant boys in school, the four horsemen Alphas: Elijah Woods, Jake Stone, Andrew Bradford, and Matthew Steele.

The four bad boys knew the whole time that she is their mate but doesn't want anyone to know, instead they hide their feelings about Avery. Avery finally finds out her mates are her bullies and torturer, but when she turns 19 on her birthday, that is when it all changes. That is when she finds out she is a Veela.

Will Avery forgive them about they make a bet to see how to get her to fall in love with them? What if someone in her family's past wants her too and they kidnap her right at the dance.?

What if the guys find her in time but she is married off the Vampire Prince: The Duke Conway...? Will the Quads break everything in their path to get to Avery including the walls she has built around her heart? It all remains to be seen in The Wallflower And The Alphas.

❤️‍🔥This Month's Editorial Obsession: She wanted revenge. She found something far more dangerous: herself.❤️‍🔥
When betrayal shatters everything, revenge becomes the only answer. Until it doesn't.
Ava thought she knew love. Four years with Gabriel felt like forever—comfortable, safe, predictable. But when date nights fade and late-night "work emergencies" pile up, she ignores the warning signs. Until she can't anymore.
One glance at his phone changes everything. Explicit messages. Photos from another woman. Proof that the man she trusted has been living a lie.
Heartbroken and furious, Ava wants payback. Her best friend Emma has the perfect plan: sleep with Gabriel's best friend, Liam—the one man Gabriel envies. Handsome, successful, and dangerously charming, Liam is everything Gabriel pretends to be.
It's supposed to be simple. One night. One act of revenge. Then she walks away. But nothing about Liam is simple.
When Ava shows up at his door, Liam sees past her anger to the woman underneath—vulnerable, electric, captivating. What begins as revenge transforms into something neither of them expected. In Liam's arms, Ava discovers a passion she never knew existed. A connection that terrifies her. Feelings that complicate everything.
Now she's caught between the revenge she planned and the man she never meant to fall for.
Because the line between payback and real emotion is dangerously thin.
And once you cross it, there's no going back.

Nineteen-year-old Mila has no room for dreams. She only has room for survival.

In a cramped Brooklyn apartment, Mila plays a dangerous game of pretend. She pretends to her younger sisters that they aren't three days away from the lights going out. She pretends to her exhausted parents that she doesn’t mind being the "third parent." And she pretends to herself that the scholarship to the city's most elite university will be her ticket out of the gutter.

But the elite world doesn't welcome outsiders; it devours them.

Enter Nathaniel Salvatore. Cold, untouchable, and heir to a shipping empire that owns half the city. To Nate, Mila is a "fixture"—a charity case whose presence at his university is an insult to his legacy. He sets out to make her regret every step she takes on his campus.

But when a devastating accident binds their lives together, Nate's cruelty turns into something much more dangerous: obsession.

As Mila’s parents descend into a world of gambling debts and disappearances, leaving her to protect her sisters alone, Nate makes an offer she can't refuse. He will pay for their safety. He will pay for the lights to stay on. But the price is Mila herself.

From the gritty streets of Brooklyn to the mahogany-lined libraries of the elite, Mila finds herself trapped between two worlds. One man wants to save her, another wants to own her, and Mila is just trying to survive the man who wants both.

In a world where everything has a price, what happens when the Heir decides to claim the only thing he can't buy?

In the year 2100, the Moon is humanity's greatest frontier—where its people no longer look entirely human.

And one soldier, bound to a hidden organization called Men of Moon—a cabal of ultra-wealthy elites, is turned into a weapon. Tasked with eliminating the leaders of four rising nations fighting for Moon's independence.

If he refuses, his greatest secrets will be exposed giving him a real name. He has to choose between his survival and his soul.

But what bounds him now is someone that shouldn't exist on the Moon...

Ten years of rules built her whole life. One boy she should never have looked at twice tears it all down.

Elena Hart believes every loss of control comes with a price. She watched her mother gamble everything on love—and she watched that gamble lose, completely. So, since the age of eighteen, she has trusted exactly one thing: rules. Rules carried her from scholarship girl to a tenure-track seat in Calloway University's psychology department, the kind of position people claw each other apart to get. Three more years through review, and she'll finally have a life no one can take from her.
She just can't make a single mistake.

Then, on the first day of the semester, a name appears on her roster—Eli Bennet.

Her best friend's little brother. The boy she's watched grow up since he was fifteen. Now twenty-one, sitting in the back row of her lecture hall, cap pulled low, eyes fixed on her without a flicker of hesitation. He enrolled in her course. He applied to her research program. Every single thing he does "happens" to place him directly in front of her.

"You can't be serious. Him? Of all the Alphas, the Moon Goddess chose him for you? The cursed one with the bastard child?"
Those were the words that echoed in Haera Mycroft's ears the moment her fate was sealed.
Her entire life, she'd been nothing more than a shadow — a maid in her own pack, mocked, hated, and forgotten. The only reason anyone even remembered her name was because she shared a birthday with the Alpha princess. That was her one and only claim to significance.
But all of that changes the night she's mated to Alpha Zachary of the Imperial Pack. A man feared across the territories. A man with a dark past, a dangerous reputation, and a child born of a forbidden affair.
Everyone says he's mad. Cursed. A mistake the Moon Goddess never should've made.
But Haera would rather take her chances with a feared Alpha than remain invisible in a place that never saw her worth.
What she doesn’t expect is to find strength in herself. Power she never knew she had. And a bond that’s far more complicated — and dangerous — than she could’ve imagined.
Her story was never meant to be normal.
And being mated to Alpha Zachary? That’s just the beginning of a fate that will shake the entire werewolf world.

It's about Avery Williams, who is special as she is not just a wolf/witch, but she got two sides: her wolf- Angelstar, and her Veela-Anglica.
She is a nerd, loser, and whom everyone made fun of, even her friends called her Wallflower.
Usually, when the Moon Goddess finds you your other half, one or two mates the most there will be for you. But Avery is a different werewolf, she does not have one or two mates but four mates.
She fated to the four most dangerous, most popular, and most arrogant boys in school, the four horsemen Alphas: Elijah Woods, Jake Stone, Andrew Bradford, and Matthew Steele.
The four bad boys knew the whole time that she is their mate but doesn't want anyone to know, instead they hide their feelings about Avery. Avery finally finds out her mates are her bullies and torturer, but when she turns 19 on her birthday, that is when it all changes. That is when she finds out she is a Veela.
Will Avery forgive them about they make a bet to see how to get her to fall in love with them? What if someone in her family's past wants her too and they kidnap her right at the dance.?What if the guys find her in time but she is married off the Vampire Prince: The Duke Conway...? Will the Quads break everything in their path to get to Avery including the walls she has built around her heart? It all remains to be seen in The Wallflower And The Alphas.

Cecilia has planned a night of raw passion with her oblivious boyfriend, Julian, on his 21st birthday. Shy and a virgin, Cecilia plans to gift him her virginity. However, a case of mistaken identity in the dark leads her to a passionate, unexpected encounter with Julian's roommate and her own long-time best friend, Asher.

The intense, raw intimacy with Asher awakens a confusing mix of guilt and undeniable arousal within Cecilia. The hot night leads to more spicy encounters, as she navigates her feelings for her best friend and her oblivious boyfriend.

"I, Carl Roger, reject you, Morgan, from being my future Luna and mate."
“If you're sensible, you'll find a quiet place to die on your own, instead of tarnishing our people's glory.
“You're just an ugly toad. Stay in the mud quietly, and don't burden our pack.”
On Morgan's Seventeenth birthday, she discovers that Carl Roger, her destined mate, chooses to endure pain rather than accept her. Each word he utters pierces her heart, leaving her trembling with devastation. Seeking solace, she turns to alcohol and finds herself lost in the depths of the woods. It is there that she encounters Alpha Damien Blackwood, a mysterious and feared leader known for his ruthless demeanor. Haunted by the loss of his first love, Damien has become bitter, cold, and closed off to the prospect of opening his heart again.
In the midst of their shared vulnerability, Morgan and Damien share a passionate one-night stand, unaware of the life-changing consequences it will bring. Soon after, Morgan discovers she is pregnant, and the weight of rejection from her pack forces her into exile. Determined to raise her child alone, she embarks on a journey of resilience and self-discovery.
Years later, fate intervenes and Luna, Morgan's triplets, unknowingly leads her back into Damien's world. Their paths collide once more, bringing to the surface the pain, desire, and unresolved emotions they had buried deep within. As Luna's innocence and unconditional love become the catalyst, Morgan and Damien must confront their painful past and navigate the intricate complexities of shared parenthood.
Will Morgan's unwavering love and the purity of their triplet's heart be enough to break through Damien's hardened exterior? Can they find redemption, forgiveness, and a second chance at happiness amidst the tangled web of their past?

"I'll marry Laura. She'll be my Luna... and you, Kyra, will be our breeder and concubine."
On the night Kyra is meant to find her fated mate, her life takes a brutal turn.
Instead of love, she is summoned by Draven, the most feared Alpha in the region. In front of everyone, he makes a decision that seals her fate.
Her twin sister Laura will be his Luna. And Kyra? She will belong to them as a breeder and concubine, a woman chosen not for love, but for the strength of her blood.
Taken to Draven's territory and trapped in a ruthless pack where power and bloodlines rule everything, Kyra quickly learns one thing: in Draven's world, women are not asked what they want.
They are given a role. And expected to obey.
Cold, powerful, and dangerously possessive, Draven treats her like property meant to serve his legacy. Yet the more he tries to control her, the more the tension between them grows—dark, forbidden, and impossible to ignore.
Because Kyra was never meant to be his.
But in a world ruled by Alphas...the most dangerous man may decide she is his anyway.

Eleanor Shaw came to the Sterling estate with a sole and fiery intention-revenge. Disguised as a shy maid, she aimed to take down the person who gave the final orders to her parents' murder-The Sterling family.

The man she encounters, however, is a complex and calculating monarch, rather than a straightforward monster- Alexander Sterling, a cold and cunning mafia boss nicknamed 'The Ghost.' He also recognizes the intelligent mind that lurks beneath the servile facade that Eleanor has adopted.

Caught up in a deadly game of chess and politics, Eleanor’s mission becomes further clouded with a dangerous and rising passion for her sworn nemesis, who is deeply embroiled with the most prominent political family in New York - the Van Horns.

The white ivory queen, Alexander, gives Eleanor the start of their perilous waltz on a checkerboard.

These matches, like their real-life battles, become a reflection of their struggle for power. Every move uncovers another layer of her brilliant mind; every checkmate brings him closer to a truth that could ruin them both.

When Eleanor discovers that her parents' deaths are part of a broader conspiracy reaching the highest levels of both the mafia and the government, she must choose between her lifelong aim for vengeance and the man she set out to destroy.

Alexander, in turn, must choose between the empire he has built and the player who has become crucial to his endgame, even if she now represents his downfall.

Where there is love and revenge, they will understand that their game isn't determined by pieces, but rather through the power of hearts and souls. Whether they separate themselves or create a new future from the past will depend on their final move.

Read on for the final Checkmate!!

In the rain-slicked underworld of the North End, some secrets are meant to stay buried. Others are meant to be hunted.
Sloane Vance is the 4th Precinct’s best detective—sharp, cynical, and dangerously observant. When a routine stakeout at a coastal warehouse turns into a bloodbath, she finds herself staring into the eyes of a monster. But the man standing amidst the carnage isn't a common criminal. He is Fenris Volkov, the "Enforcer" of the city’s most brutal Syndicate, and a creature out of a dark, predatory myth.
Fenris’s orders were simple: Leave no witnesses. But the moment he catches Sloane’s scent, his inner wolf snaps its leash. For the first time in a century, the legendary Scent Lock is triggered. Instead of ending her life, Fenris abducts her, dragging her into a world of silver-laced glass, primal politics, and ancient blood-feuds.
Trapped in Fenris’s high-tech penthouse, Sloane becomes a "confiscation" of the Volkov line. As a detective, she tries to profile her captor. As a woman, she finds her body betraying her to the "current"—a magnetic, biological pull that demands she submit to the man who holds her key.
But Sloane is no ordinary human. She carries the dormant "Null" gene—a genetic anomaly that makes her the ultimate stabilizer for a Lycan on the edge of madness. As the city descends into a "Red Market" war and Fenris’s father, the Alpha Primus, demands her execution, Sloane must choose her side.
From the claustrophobia of a penthouse to the ritualistic fires of a Lycan coup, Sloane and Fenris forge a bond of blood and ash. To survive the Syndicate, the detective must become an accomplice, and the enforcer must become a king.
One scent to bind them. One crown to break them. One empire to burn it all down.

BLURB:

After getting caught up in a divorce plot by his in laws who accused him or rape just to get his wife to divorce him, Jacob's real identity gets revealed as no one else but Jacob Grey Hennessy; the son of the country's most dangerous and wealthiest mafia lord; Grey Hennessy. Following this, Jacob is forced to return to his old life of dirty mafia business, deciets, lies and secrets. With his wife; Amber by his side, his resentful in-laws who would do anything to break him and Amber apart, his power thirsty step mother and step brothers, and Jacob's thirst to uncover the secrets behind his mother and his grandparents' death, Jacob life is barely any safe and he knows that. Would he be ending his life by venturing into the lion's death or would this be a victory for him?

"Do it! Rape me!" She screamed, from the top of her lungs, challenging the beast in him.

He laughed, genuinely, loudly.
"You have no idea what you're doing to me, right, kitten?" he asked, reaching for his belt.

"That little biting your lip thingy, you do, whenever you check me out- it's driving me crazy.

The shivers traveling over your body, when I spanked you- turned me on so bad, I had to restrain myself from pinning your body against the wall, and fucking you in the hall.

And now, your scent, it's literally inviting me. I could smell your arousal from miles away, the scent making my mouth water and beast go crazy.

And your body- holy Moon Goddess- that body of yours is divine. Without a doubt, I could praise and savour it day after day, and never get tired."

***Evangeline is a simple human girl, born and raised in shifter dominated town. One day she is captured by a group of shifters and almost get raped, but she is saved by a masked man.

Doubts about the stranger's identity and fear of shifter remain in her mind until the night of human mating games when she's captured by her savior. The man who never took off the mask, a powerful shifter-Eros.

***PLEASE NOTE: This is a complete series collection for The Unwanted Alpha Series by  K. K. Winter. This includes and . Seperate books from the series are available on the author page.

°M°A°T°U°R°E° /R18+/

What is war, but the slaughter of the finest at the Devil's command?
An unfortunate turn of events turned both Sloth's and Bea's life upside down- left at the mercy of fate, written in blood.
For the apocalyptic battles, the rebellion sent in the dark Angel, unfolding the secret that would of better be left buried.
The Princess was cursed.

『The book excerpt:』
"Wherever I went, I was followed by a shadow. I knew the time was near but couldn't accept it. I dared not look at the being itself but tried to slowly figure it out by taking in glimpses of its shadows. Magnificent wings were extending from its back. I saw its glowing eyes in the shadow. The Angel of death was here, and I was about to die. Funny enough, despite the fear- I welcomed it more than I've ever welcomed anything before."

The second book in the "Alpha" series, you CAN read it as a stand-alone book, yet I highly recommend to read the first book to understand characters and events happening better.
•••
I'll explain, on one condition," it was him. The man, who could give me all answers I've been terrified of, yet weirdly excited to hear out loud.

"What's your condition, then?" I asked, already intrigued in what is it. I mean, he can ask for a lot of things, yet since I haven't taken responsibility for the pack, I'm still nothing more than the Alphas daughter. I'm broke; I don't have a job, I don't own anything, except the motorcycle I've gotten for my birthday. Technically I'll be broke until I take over the pack, that is IF I will decide to.

"Reject me," he stated.
•••

“Not so fast, carrot head. The party just started,” Alex said. “You're like a little pest… why are we always drawn to you?” Austin asked.
“I sure am,” Alex smiled. Now I was sandwiched between them, my heart racing so fast I felt like I was going to pass out.
“Leave me alone!” I screamed and tried to run. But I was trapped. Before I realized it, Austin crashed his lips into mine. My mind almost exploded. I had never kissed anyone before.
I felt Alex, who was behind me, shove his hand beneath my chest, cupping my breast with his large hand while he moaned. I fought with all my might.
What was going on? Why were they doing this? Didn't they hate me?


Stormi, once a nobody-wants omega, found herself at the center of a tale spun by the moon goddess.Four notorious wolves known for their bad-boy antics and her bullies, were destined to be her mates.

. “Now come here.” He says as he grabs my hands pulling me to my feet, he guides me to his desk and placing me in front of his chair lifts me up and sits me on top of his desk facing his chair, he than sits down in the chair. Sliding his hands up my legs to my panties he firmly grabs the edges and pulls them off me, spreading my legs wide he then leans his face towards the entrance to my pussy in which he then starts to eat me out. Moaning loudly, I pulled at his hair to get him to stop, but he will not.
Without knowing that between me moaning and pulling at his hair is turning him on even more, he does stop only to line his cock up with the sentence of my pussy before slamming hard and deep into my virgin pushy causing me to scream. The got the attention of two of the boys in the locker room and it just happened to be my brother Rocky and his best friend Fabio. After releasing his seed into me he turns me over and proceeds to continue banging me from behind as the two boys' watch. Rocky trying to break the door down while Fabio tried breaking the window. Not paying attention to what was going on outside of the door, when was done releasing into me again he turned me lifting me onto his hips and then sitting down with me on top of him. “I love you Bella, I will divorce my wife so we can be together, I should anyway for the fact you are going to have my baby.” He states matter of fatly as I am freak out even more. “YOUR MARRIED!!!

"You fucking still love her!" I yelled, holding back my tears. "All you do is see what she wants you to see" I poked his chest.

"Vanessa, I don't..."

"You don't what?" I dared him.

"I don't... I don't know what you're saying" He stuttered.

"You're not even sure." I shook my head. "Would you choose me over her?"

"Vanessa..." Richard called out

"Answer me!" I yelled

"I don't know okay? I don't know!" He yelled back.

"That's what I thought" I laughed painfully, grabbing my things and running out of the house.


Vanessa Willow, a well known event planner in her city crossed path with Richard Blackwood, a CEO of a Tech Invention Company. They didn't start on good footing since Richard portrayed himself initially as an egoistical, perverted and annoying client. All Vanessa wanted was to be done with the project that brought them to be together but Richard wanted more.

A night together leads to a tragic event in the life of Vanessa. Vanessa lost everything including herself but she had only one reason to keep pushing. She knew she wouldn't have trusted the Rich Billionaire. She thought she knew him better but it turned out she didn't. Where does she go from here? Will there be a light at the end of the tunnel? Will she be able to heal? Will she overcome this phase? Is she willing to forgive despite the fact that she has forgotten?

But first of all, What exactly happened between them?

I guess we'll read to find out.

"I want to play a game. With hands and legs tied down- you can't rush, force, or stop things.

Now. Close your eyes.” The Alpha commanded. Seth shivered at his words.

For a little while, the room fell quiet.
All Seth could hear was her rapid breathing.
She still felt excited yet scared.

"Luciano, please," She moaned out,

"Yes, kitten?"

"Stop, I want to feel you. The teasing is killing me.”

"That is not how it works."
The man laid his hand on her bottom and put her over his knees.

"You beg one more time. Your ass will be spanked to red.”

🌶🐺🌶🐺🌶🐺🌶🐺

Seth had one rule- no Alphas: the possessive, dominant, and territorial Alphas could break and bend themselves, but they could never end up in her bed, nor drag her in theirs.

Until the day of Alpha ceremonial games came along: all she had to do was serve guests and run as far as possible whenever she got the chance.

Seth didn't expect meeting an Alpha a day before leaving the new town, nor did she expect facing another attempting to show off his interest- not just one, two, or three, but four Alpha males.

None of them is willing to give up or step aside. The men wanted to claim her, and none would stop till the woman was his or theirs.

Warning: This is a reverse harem book which contains A LOT of mature content and sensitive themes. (Kinks/ BDSM/ strong language etc.) Strongly advised for mature readers only. !!! 18+ !!!

•••
The third book in the Alpha series.
CAN BE READ AS A STAND-ALONE BOOK.
•••

Zane Snow- rumored to be a womanizer, reckless teen, bully, and all things above that, but more importantly, this irresponsible young male was Alpha to be of the Blood Warrior pack.
Life seemed simple; he was having a lot of fun, more than enough attention, and respect without doing anything.
It all came to an end when his eyes landed on a particular she-wolf.
He shrugged the feeling away and ignored her existence, having no idea about what is to come his way.
Soon enough, he might change his mind because he had to put effort into earning someone's trust and respect for the first time in his life. For the first time, he met someone who dared to defy him- the love story of a stubborn Alpha and his careless Luna-to-be.

•••
The Alpha series:
• Alpha Azrael
• The Alphas Daughter
• The Blood Warriors
•••

Her future was set in stone; in just three months, she would become the first Alpha female of her bloodline.

Life felt like a dream until one day, it turned into a nightmare. That day, Aife learned that the vicious beast elders brought up as a way to scare children wasn’t just a fruit of someone’s imagination.

He came out of the shadows to prove he was real: the pack was under attack, warriors fell at her feet and she was forced to make a choice that would shatter her reality. “Her. Give me her and I will let the remaining ones live. Give her willingly or I will take her after I finish slaughtering the few pack members you have left.”

To save them, Aife agreed to leave with the man who slaughtered her pack. Little did she know her life would be at his mercy from the moment he threw her over his shoulder. In a matter of hours, Aife lost the title of the future Alpha and became the beast’s possession.

"You can do more than saying sorry." He raised my chin up, his eyes boring into mine.

"H..how?"

His lips lifted up into a cocky smirk. "By showing action."

My face squeezed into a small frown, then a scoff followed suit. "You mean by getting down on my knees?"

"Sounds better coming from you." He brushed his thumb on my lips, startling me a bit. My heart picked up its pace.

His eyes flickered between my eyes and lips, "sure I want you to get on your knees, Kinky, and use your pretty mouth...but not to apologize." He pushed his thumb forward, parting my lips open.

_

‎Deprived of parental love. ‎Subjected to being her sister's shadow. What Uriel didn't expect was to be a pawn in Ryder Connell's sick game.
‎
‎What started as a bully relationship because 'the golden boy' couldn't take rejection, pivoted into something dangerously emotional only to crash because it wasn't mutual.
‎
A bet. That was all it was to Ryder.
‎
‎Uriel is devastated but that's not all. Her sister was going to stop at nothing until Uriel burned to the ground. Uriel has reached rock bottom and is ready to fight back. But what if she was bound to fail from the beginning?

‎"By next week, your heart should fetch me my money. But I'd like for you to do something for me first... sign the consent form, Madison Turner."
‎
‎It wasn't a question. It was an order.
‎
‎*_*
‎
‎Not all devils had tails and horns.
‎
‎Alessandro Bianchi was the perfect example - a devil wrapped in the body of a Greek God. He is breathtakingly beautiful on the outside, but ruthless in his dealings.
‎
‎One debt. One reckless deal.
‎
‎Now, my soul was tied to a monster who refuses to let me go. A man who wants to own every inch of me, my blood and my body.
‎
‎Until -
‎
‎I became his worst nightmare. The daughter of the man he swore to wipe out his entire lineage. I was the blood of his greatest enemy.
‎
‎-
‎
‎What were the odds he’d spare her life when he found out her true identity? Or would he eventually realize that the only thing more dangerous than his hate... was the way he craved his enemy's daughter?
‎
‎Dive into a world of obsession, blood feuds, and forbidden desire. A journey of secrets, lies and deadly truths.
‎

We both ran towards each other, when we got face to face, we smashed our lips together, kissing passionately. Then pulling at each other's clothes until we are naked, I gently lay her down in the grass. I could not control myself, or should I say my wolf could not. My hands roamed all over her sexy curvy body. I got one hand on her breast playing with her nipple, while with the other I inserted my finger inside of her and moved it in and out of her wet pussy. My thumb is going nuts on her clit, I look up into her mesmerizing emerald, green eyes. My wolf surfaces and I guess Her’s did too, because the next thing I know is that my cock is inside of her thrusting hard into her and we are both marking one another.

I was about to cum inside of her, when I heard several growls coming from behind us. We looked behind us and there were three wolves standing there ready to attack. We finally stood after being frozen in place, I grabbed the towels that I brought with me and handed her one so she could cover herself, I took the other one for myself.
Pulling her into a protective embrace, I kissed the top of her head and put her behind me. I then growled in a very dominant voice at the three wolves standing there. When out of nowhere my mate yelled to them.

"You three shift back"!

I was shocked when they listened. As they were dressing themselves, they did the same.

"Tell me to stop, and I will," he murmured against my ear. "But if you don't..."
He didn't finish. He didn't need to.
I didn't tell him to stop.
Instead, my fingers curled into his shirt, clutching the fabric as though it was my only anchor. Something in him snapped—something he had been holding back for too long. His mouth found mine in a kiss that wasn't tender, but hungry, desperate.
I gasped into him, his hand sliding up to cup my jaw, holding me as if afraid I might vanish.
"You drive me insane," he breathed against my mouth, his lips trailing to my throat. "I can't lose you, Ella. Not you."
My head fell back, a soft sound escaping me as his fingers memorized my waist. My anger melted beneath his desperation.
"James..." I whispered, more plea than protest.
His hand caught mine, fingers threading together tightly. "I'll bring him back. I swear it. Just... don't turn away from me. Please."
The word please—low, ragged, almost broken—undid me more than anything else could have.


Ella never imagined she would marry the man she had secretly loved for years in such a way.
When her brother Theo faced twenty-five years in prison for massive embezzlement, the ruthless business tycoon James Lancaster offered her a deal: marry him in exchange for her brother's freedom.
This wasn't a fairy tale proposal, but a carefully orchestrated revenge. Because in James's heart, Ella was the culprit who had killed his sister Cecilia. He wanted her to pay the price—to atone with a lifetime of suffering.

He chuckled, low and dark, as my hands betrayed me, reaching out to trace the lines of his tattoos. The ink was warm beneath my fingertips, the patterns intricate-some sharp and angular, others flowing like water. I followed the path down his chest, my nails scraping lightly over his abs, feeling the way they tensed under my touch. My fingers fumbled with the button of his jeans, my movements clumsy with need. The zipper gave way with a sharp snik, and I pushed the
denim and the briefs down his hips, my breath hitching as his cock sprang free.

Thick. Heavy. Veined. The head was already slick with pre-cum, glistening under the dim light. I swallowed hard, my thighs pressing together involuntarily,trying to quell the ache between my legs, but it only intensified, a throbbing reminder of my body's betrayal.

It was larger than she'd imagined, There's no way that's fitting inside me. The thought alone sent a fresh wave of heat pooling between my legs, my pussy throbbing in anticipation.

He noticed. Of course he did. His gaze darkened, his lips curling as he kicked his jeans the rest of the way off.

"Like what you see, little hybrid?”


Lyra Soren is a rare vampire-wolf hybrid, hunted and alone… until the deadly Alpha King, Darius Kade, claims her as his mate. Their bond is fierce, forbidden, and irresistible, pulling them into a web of desire, betrayal, and blood-soaked secrets. Survival will mean facing enemies, uncovering dark family truths, and surrendering to the man she hates—and wants.

For eight years, Riana Regalia played the perfect Luna.
Loyal wife. Elegant hostess. The silent shadow behind the powerful Alpha Wesley Winters.
When she walked down the aisle, it was for duty, not love.
Her husband gave his heart to another, his fated mate, and her half-sister.
Her own daughter grew to adore the woman who stole her place.


The day she signed our divorce papers, she stopped hiding.
The struggling fashion label he mocked? Now a global empire.
The lonely Luna he had ignored became his most powerful rival.
Alpha Wesley thought he was freeing himself from a gold-digger.
He never imagined she'd become the number one threat to his empire.


Now, he wants a second chance. His pack is in chaos. And his so-called fated mate is scrambling to salvage his reputation.
But this Luna doesn’t answer his calls anymore. She’s too busy counting her billions.
He underestimated the quiet wolf.
Now the world will learn who the true Queen is.

“I have wanted so long for this.” He says as he then slides my underwear off and sticks his finger inside of me, keeping his eyes on me. “You are so beautiful Jaycee.” He breathed out causing his hot breath to snake over my naked body. He leans his face towards my breasts and taking one into his mouth began to suck on it.
“Ahhhhh, Ahhhhhhh, Ricco don’t you dare stop.” I breathed out.
“What if I want to do this?” He questioned as he then lowers his face to the entrance of my pussy. With a smirk he began to lick and suck on my clit, with a devilish smile he then enters his tongue into my pussy probing around in the most delightful way.
“Oh yes, pleases continue!!! I yell out beside myself in pleasure.
“Now for what I have been waiting the most for.” He says this as he hovers over me again lining his cock even with the entrance to my pussy, then with the most lustful look that I have ever seen on anyone’s face he plunges into me hard and deep making moan out. Because at this point I am at a total loss for words. He then pulls out only to slam into me again this time he yelled. ‘COME FOR ME BABY!!!!” And I did at the exact same time Ricco did.

"We entered the room right after Analina opened the door to her bedroom. She's dressed alluring in a silk bathrobe tied loosely at her waist. As we walk in, I go up behind her as Zander and Pablo stand in front of her, I wrap my hands around her waist and slowly untie her robe, taking it off of her, and I then drop it to the floor. From the back, the short nightgown that is draped over her curves instantly got me hard, you can see every curve being hugged by the white silky fabric. It has thin straps and comes to stop at the lower back; I took both of my hands and slowly slid the nightgown off her shoulders and down the length of her body, letting it fall to the floor around her feet.
      I positioned her legs a good width apart and enter my index finger into her going in and out of her, Seeing this Zander and Pablo comes over each taking a breast and sucking hard you can hear her loud moans through the room. "feels good, aby girl?" I asked. She only replied with "UMMM, huh." I then started to lick her pussy and suck on her clit, after having my fill and lick her dry we unattached ourselves from her. Picking her up in a princess carry, I went to bed, and my two men pulled down the covers, and I placed her on the bed.
      Continuing where Pablo left off at sucking on her breast, Zander took upon himself to start making out with our girl. I undressed as so were they, and got my cock ready to enter her beautiful, extremely wet overflowing pussy, then I slammed into her, I could hear her moaning against Zander's lips."

“I refuse to stay here with you.” Analina said with anger. “I don’t care you are my wife now, so accept your fate this is your destiny.” Draven said to her confidently. As he told her about his feelings on the matter he went up to her grabbing by the waist and throwing her onto the bed. Getting on top of her he rips of her dress and panties as he does the same with his clothes. “You are my wife, and we are going to consummate our marriage every morning, day and night. Wherever I want and any time I want.” He told her. “NO DON’T TOUCH ME!!!” “I would stop fighting it if I were you, it will be a lot worst if you do.” “I AM NOT YOUR WIFE, THIS IS ILLEGAL, YOU FORCCED ME.”.
Flashback To That Night
“Let us get started, shall we? Do you Draven Chavez take Analina Stratton to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love to hold through good times and bad, sickness and in health and to cherish till death you part?” “I do.” Analina, do you take Draven Chavez to be your lawfully wedded husband to love and hold through good times and bad, sickness and health and cherish her till death do you part?” “N…OOO.” Something metal shoved into my back, and it could only be one thing. “Y…...S…...I…...O…” I studder out scared to death of what may happen if I don’t. “I now pronounce you husband and wife you may kiss the bride. “Finally.” Draven says as he pulls me to him and kisses me on the lips with passion that I didn’t know that he had.

Roxy Elliot is fed up with her non-existent love life. She is dying to turn in her V-card, but no matter how often she throws herself at a man, it never goes anywhere. If she didn't know any better, she might think she was cursed. Now, though, she's just been tapped to take her turn as the caretaker of the family business--a safehouse that caters to paranormal beings. She knows nothing about their next client, but the minute she sees him, she knows she's in trouble.Donovan Warren is a battle-worn dragon who has danger on his trail. He needs a safehouse, and he needs it now, but the minute he meets the caretaker, he recognizes the risk. She's a maiden, and everyone knows dragons can't resist maidens. What everyone doesn't know--it's a dragon's lust that makes him lose control. Now, he has to resist the beautiful temptation of a woman who drives him to distraction in order to keep them both safe.Yet, when someone…or something…threatens Roxy, Donovan soon finds himself embroiled in a situation he never saw coming. Thanks to a promise to a purple-haired pixie, he will fight to the death to protect the maiden who could be his destruction...or his salvation…as he becomes the Dragon Next Door.

He says as he runs a finger up and down my arm. “I have genuine feelings for you and would like to start a real relationship with you.”
“Sorry, what did you say?” I said with shock and surprise in my voice.
“I think that I am falling in love with you.” He says just as he leans into me claiming my lips with his own. Returning the kiss of the man that I not only admired from afar but also developed feelings for. The kiss became deep and full of passion in which we then started to undress each other. He then placing me on is desk started to eat me out while his hands and fingers explored the rest of my body. When he was satisfied, he then slammed into me.
“AHHH, OH YES, PLEASE DON’T STOP!!!”

Aston obeyed my command and didn’t in any way shape or form stop viciously banging the living day lights right out of me. To me this was the best sex that I have ever had. “YOU ARE MINE REMY, DO HEAR ME, MINE AND NO ONE ELSES. NO ONE CAN EVER HAVE YOU. YOU…... ARE……MIME!!!” He said the last three words slamming into as he said each word. After releasing into me, which I then just noticed that he wasn’t wearing a condemn and not to mention that the is a married man, I thought that he was a happily married man. Whenever his wife came into the bar to visit him to either bring him dinner or to help out wherever she could. I guess with what just happened and his confession I was dead wrong... “Remy?” I turned around with my hand still on the doorknob. “Remember you are MINE, and no other man better touch you!!!”

She hides behind ugly suits and fake names. He's done trusting women. When they meet in a masked sex club, neither realizes they've been fighting each other across boardroom tables for eighteen months. At Taylor Industries, she's Joy Smith—the frumpy CFO who drowns her curves in shapeless polyester and wearing a wig. At home, she's the forgotten wife of a cheating lawyer who hasn't touched her in so long she's starting to wonder if she's broken. When she finds hot pink lace panties stuffed in her couch cushions...definitely not hers, it's not heartbreak she feels. It's freedom. Grayson Taylor doesn't do relationships anymore. Not after walking in on his actress fiancée with another woman. Now he channels everything into hostile takeovers and board meetings, especially the ones where his overcautious CFO fights him on every goddamn acquisition. Joy Smith is brilliant, infuriating, and funny when he pushes all her buttons. But Honey is tired of being invisible. Tired of never having felt real pleasure. So, when her best friend gives her the details of The Velvet Room—Manhattan's most exclusive masked club—she promises herself just one night. One night to find out if her husband's right, if she really is frigid, or if she's just never been touched by the right hands. She doesn't expect the masked stranger who claims her the second she walks in. Doesn't expect the chemistry that ignites between them, the way he makes her body sing, or the orgasms that leave her shaking. Doesn't expect him to hand her an email address with one command: "Only me. No one else touches you."

He escaped being a deceased and was saved by a girl at the brink of death, three years later he’s back to protect this girl and revenge on those that made him who he is.

Read now to find out about Avon’s journey.

She was sold to her greatest enemies…four ruthless Lycans who ruled with power, danger, and desire.
But fate had a cruel twist… they were her fated mates.

Mira was never meant to be theirs. Traded by her father as nothing more than a breeder, she vowed to destroy the monsters who took everything from her. Yet the moment their eyes met, the bond ignited—a connection that burned hotter than hatred itself.

They were cursed kings, trapped by a dark spell only her blood could break. The cruel irony? The curse demanded her death as the price for their freedom.

Torn between vengeance and the magnetic pull of their touch, Mira battles the very destiny that ties them together.
But secrets run deep in the Lycan world. Her father’s betrayal hides a truth darker than she could ever imagine…and the line between love and destruction blurs when the enemies she swore to kill become the only ones who can save her.

In a war of blood, magic, and forbidden desire, one question remains:
Will she destroy them… or will she become their obsession?

In a world where shapeshifters live under rigid hierarchies, Maya learned early on to hide. Among a race considered inferior, she camouflages her true identity: a wolf descended from a powerful and ancient lineage. To protect herself, she maintains the lie that she cannot transform—a trick that keeps her away from prying eyes, but also isolates her from who she truly is.

Everything begins to spiral out of control when Conrad, the alpha king, arrives in her region. Cold, imposing, and respected, he is there to investigate a series of events linked to black magic—something that threatens to destabilize the fragile balance between the races. Upon meeting Maya, he immediately recognizes the rare and profound bond between souls linked by destiny: she is his mate. But Maya doesn't want to be found, nor claimed. Maya fears what Conrad will see when he truly looks at her.

With the dark threat intensifying and her past beginning to surface, Maya finds herself trapped between the instinct to flee and the need to protect herself. Conrad, torn between his duty as king and the bond that ties him to Maya, will have to decide whether to trust a woman who hides more than she reveals.

Because when the truth comes to light, nothing will be the same—and not everyone will survive what is to come.

"He's our mate."
The world around me seemed empty at that moment. I froze. The way he walked, his posture—there was something hauntingly familiar about him.
I stood without thinking as I tried to catch up with him. The closer I got to him, the more the pull increased. It was like he was magneting me.
And then I saw his face. I was instantly knocked out of breath.
"Nathan………"
Evelyn Miller, the next Alpha of the Nightshade Pack, has spent years believing the love of her life, Nathan, died in a war. To move forward, she agrees to an arranged marriage, accepting her duty over her heart.
But something happened one fateful day after seven years, her wolf senses something impossible—her fated mate is near. And to her shock, it's Nathan. Alive.
Yet Nathan doesn't recognize her as his mate. He's changed, hardened by betrayal and loss. Unknown to them, lies and deception tore them apart seven years ago. Now, with Evelyn bound to another and Nathan consumed by hatred, the truth is buried deep.
Can they unravel the past before it's too late? Or has fate already sealed their tragic ending?

Rebirth with a twist.
Fawn Jones doesn’t get a chance to resolve the issues with her marriage. No, she gets murdered in her own bathtub. Drowned by the husband she hated after he had moved his mistress into their bed, Fawn’s last lucid thought is a promise before death. "I will not stay weak. I will make you pay. If not in this life, then the next." Then she wakes up. Different room. Different body. Different life. Cassandra Huntington – rich, infamous, beautiful in a way Fawn never had been. Cassie had been in a coma for six months after a car crash. Her billionaire husband, Blake, had just signed the paperwork to turn off her life support when she suddenly started breathing on her own. Now everyone thinks Fawn is Cassandra. The media calls it a miracle. Blake calls it complicated. The woman wearing his wife’s face is softer, sharper, funnier… and so tempting he hates himself for wanting her. Fawn calls it an opportunity for revenge. Her killers are still out there. Her old body is in the ground under a lie. And the only weapons she has now are Cassandra’s money, Cassandra’s reputation… and Cassandra’s husband. So, she plays the role. Learns to walk in six-inch heels. Smiles for the cameras. Seduces a man who once couldn’t stand his wife and now can’t seem to stay away from her. While she quietly buys into the company that ruined her old life. While she gets close enough to the man who killed her to watch him crack. They drowned the wrong woman. Now she’s awake. And she’s not done.

MATURED SCENE) WARNING, (THIS BOOK CONTAINS WORDS LIKE RAPE.)
You can swipe to another book if you aren't comfortable) Miriam Alexander is a boulevard gorgeous woman who became the apple of the eyes of a wealthy millionaire son Christain Robert, the two love birds managed to pass through all obstacles and decided to get married but all too soon the biggest and richest billionaire who left his pack because of enemies who attacked and burned down it's members got entangled in the two love birds' relationship. Soon, the sweet fairytale romance between Miriam and Christain soon jeopardize under the mud. ****. He gradually pulled her into a hug. Miriam began to breathe heavily when he began to place soft kisses around her neck, she shivered under every kiss placed at the crook of the neck! Miriam opened her mouth to say something but words eluded her. She had nothing to say, he was her husband now. It was just like yesterday when they first met when he saved her life and today, she was in his arms. A tiny metal around their both fingers and a title of Mr and Mrs had been granted to them. Miriam couldn't ask for more because Carlos was the one she had been waiting for. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me!" His voice came out hot and spicy.