"See, she is totally disobedient. You are gonna regret, if you take her." his old man said again. He didn't answer him. He bent down, little bit closer to me and pulled some strands of my hair away, to get a better look at me. My eyes were shut tight. Please, not me, not me. I was chanting in my head. He curved his smooth fingers around my chin and pulled it lightly, in attempt to make face him. As I did not, he took a stronger hold of it and forcefully made me finally look at him. "I said, look at me!" his voice was more threatening than before. I opened my blue, teary eyes and finally looked at the boy, who was bugging me.
Edmund - fortunate protector, wealthy guardian
Thea - God's gift
It was cold. My skin was freezing under my torn and dirty tunic. I could feel fine raindrops falling on me. It was more like a fog, making everything look gloomy and grey and making me shiver in my humid clothing. I suppose it was midday. I don't know. I haven't lifted my eyes for hours. The only thing that indicated it, was constantly growing chatting and shouting around me. People were coming to the marketplace to get some goods - vegetables, fruits, tools, and slaves. And I was one of them. A slave. I think that is the only purpose for me in my short life. Since I can remember, I have been working as a slave. I think it will be for seven years. Though, sometimes I am not even sure about it. I have never attended a school or learned anything useful, reading, counting. Just basic stuff, but not enough to function on my own. Right now I was sitting on a tiny stack of hay, waiting for somebody to buy me. I didn't want to go to another place. I just wanted to not exist. No one has ever taken care of me. I had to endure the hard work, everywhere I went. Different owners, different rich people houses. But the attitude everywhere was the same - cold and cruel. Like I was not a human. They beat me, gave me food, just enough for me to stay alive. I was living worse than a dog. I just wanted to die. There is nothing in my life, that keeps me here. I will not survive in another place. This time I will not last.
I could hear some people talking near me, discussing the prices for other ones, that were here with me. I hold my head low and made no eye contact with anyone. I didn't want to be chosen.
I felt someone's hand examining my black, greasy hair. I didn't bother to look up. I just wanted them to leave.
"We are buying this one!" I heard the voice of a young boy.
"Why! Look, she is tiny, just skin and bones. She will not last long. You don't need her. We can find someone better if you need." a low man's voice responded to him.
"Dad, I said I want her."
A boy sounded so confident. Like he held some power over everyone else. Even over his father, I assumed. His statement was clear, his voice stern and demanding. I felt his small hand touch my shoulder, as he shook me to get my attention, but I gave him none. I just didn't want to be chosen.
"Hey, look at me!" he ordered.
I didn't budge.
"See, she is totally disobedient. You are gonna regret if you take her." his old man said again.
A boy didn't answer him. He bent down, a little bit closer to me and pulled some strands of my hair away, to get a better look at me. My eyes were shut tight. Please, not me, not me. I was chanting in my head. He curved his smooth fingers around my chin and pulled it lightly, in an attempt to make me face him. As I did not, he took a stronger hold of it and forcefully made me finally look at him.
"I said, look at me!" his voice was more threatening than before.
I opened my blue, teary eyes and finally looked at the boy, who was bugging me.
He looked not older than 10 or 12 years old, with dark brown hair, perfectly combed backward. His clothing was those of the rich. The white shirt was enclosing his neck, a dark, thick, blue jacked was cowering his slim body and keeping it warm. And a black, silky scarf was loosely around his neck. But the most striking thing about him was his eyes. They were almost white, with a hint of purple in it. It looked so bizarre and strange. I have never seen anything like it. My eyes couldn't leave his. Suddenly I got back to reality and turned away from him. I am not supposed to look at him, not like that. I curled back in a ball and starred at the ground in front of me.
"What is your name?"
....
"What is y...."
"Thea, " I said quietly, barely audible.
"Good. That's better. Better get used to obeying my commands."
"Edmund, are you really going to buy her? annoyed said his father.
"Yes, I will. She will be my personal slave. Only mine."
My eyes have made their way back to both of them. I couldn't believe they will buy me. This boy is going to be my master?
Thea's dreams have come true. She has her new love, new husband and a new life, but not everything is perfect. Being thrown in to a world so different, than she had ever experienced, brings new problems in her life, more worries, which will need to be overcome to keep her happiness and her family together. Becoming a queen is the complete opposite of what she was before. She is happy, but for how long will it last? Thea will have to endure - with help of others or completely alone. Will this be a journey of her life, that will break or make her stronger?
I felt a slight pressure applied around my waist. First, I didn't pay attention to it, as my whole focus was on nearly dying girl in front of me. It got tighter and I felt a warmth of air hit my abs through fabric. My gaze fell on the unknown source nearly under me. Laura. Her hands wrapped around me, her face buried in to the fabric covering my stomach. I felt her hot breath hitting me hard, her small form shaking. It appeared to me, that she was crying, her sobs - silent. "Please! Let her go.... Don't be sad......" she squeezed me tighter. Sad? I was not..... My head moved up. In the dark brown glass decor, I saw my face. I felt mad, angry and all kind of other emotions, but the only one visible was the sorrow and pain. The expression I have never seen on myself before. It looked so foreign, I looked so strange in my own eyes. "Please don't kill my friend, Bryce! ..... Please.....please..... please stop it...." From the shock, I released Sharlene's ...
After a traumatic, virus infected, robot attack, Kyra has to live with her father's purchased android bodyguard. Her life long fear of robots does not make it any easier, as she have to spend all her time with this strange 'man'. He is perfect. Everyone seems to fall in love with him. But there is something more to him. What if he is not just a simple machine. Kyra notices, he is not so perfect as everyone thinks. He is acting strange and does weird things, that Kyra cannot rationalize. Time passes and it seems he is getting worse. Is she safe from her own bodyguard? What is happening to her robot? And what meaning she has in his life?
Miakoda is a young werewolf, but so different from all others in her pack and not in a good way. She have not been able to shift ever before, have not been able to find her mate nor companionship from others. But it all changes, when her working colleague offers her her friendship and a chance to go on a 'risky' trip with other youngsters. Their journey takes them to the far edge of the pack's territory, where Miakoda finally gets her answers. It should be a happiest day of her life, but it turns out for worst - a nightmare she will never be able to erase from her memory, nor probably, from her future life. She have become a part of an old tale and a part of a doom for her own pack.
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."
Three years ago, Cecilia was left battered and alone by the man she loved most, Alston, yet she bravely completed the wedding ceremony while pregnant. Three years later, although they were married, they grew apart over time. Cecilia focused on her career, no longer foolishly believing in love. But her transformation instantly threw Alston into a panic... And what is the secret from 11 years ago that Cecilia has always been reluctant to reveal? *** "She went to a law firm, met with a lawyer..." A lawyer? Is Cecilia suing someone? Who? Is there any recent litigation against the company? Alston suddenly chuckled coldly, "Who could she sue? I'm the CEO of this company. How come such a matter doesn't come to me first?" The assistant swallowed nervously, speaking softly, "Sir, there's no litigation against the company. She met with... a divorce lawyer."
For three years, Shane and Yvonne were wed, sharing heated nights, while his devotion clung to his ex. Yvonne strove to be a dutiful wife, yet their marriage felt hollow, built on desire rather than real warmth. All changed when she became pregnant, only for Shane to thrust her onto the operating table, warning, “Either you or the baby survives!” Broken by his cruelty, she vanished in grief and later returned, radiantly accomplished, leaving everyone awestruck. Haunted by remorse, Shane begged for another chance, but Yvonne only smiled and replied, “I’m sorry, men no longer interest me.”
My name is Katia, and I am just trying to survive until my fated mate arrives. Which may be easier said than done. Rejectection is the last straw. Whispering my acceptance of his rejection. I run through the pack house, out across the manicured lawn into the forest. "I'm sorry, my sweet girl," I say to my wolf. I'm sorry you have been stuck with me and have had to suffer everything I have. She whispers," it's not your fault, Katia. We came to a cliff with a waterfall. The hurt keeps pounding at me. I need it to stop. My sweet girl, and I just want peace, I keep running and leap off the cliff. Spreading my arms wide, with tears streaming down my face, I fall, not making a sound, waiting for sweet oblivion where we feel nothing ever again. "I love you, my sweet girl! Until we meet again, "My wolf replied just before we hit the water, "I love you too, Katia. I have never regretted a moment with you." The Snow Moon pack is having their last barbecue of the summer next to the waterfall on their land. The adults are laughing and joking while watching the pups play. The alpha, beta, and gamma are swimming with some of the older children and playing a game of Marco Polo. Someone yells, "Oh my goddess, someone just jumped over the waterfall!" Everyone is frozen as they watch what looks to be a child falling arms spread wide, no one makes a sound. The small body hits the water like a plane crashing into the side of a mountain. The alpha, beta, and gamma, spring into action, swimming towards the area the person went under. The alpha is screaming his wolf is going crazy repeating, "Find her. Find her...find her!" They dive and the beta surfaces with a small person in his arms. Alpha takes the girl from his beta, laying her on the ground. The men are shocked by what they see. She is covered in scars and injuries. Her body is twisted and broken. The Beta asks, "Who could have done this to someone so defenseless?" Alpha drops to his knees, repeating, "MATE...MATE...MATE!"
On their wedding night, Rogelio wrapped his fingers around Marian's neck and spat at her, "Congratulations! From now on, you live in hell!" The reason for his wrath was that he believed she was responsible for the death of his elder brother. So, he married her but refused to touch her, determined to make her suffer for the rest of her pitiful life! However, due to an unforeseen accident, Marian was forced to sleep with Rogelio in order to save him, and she ended up getting pregnant. Concealing her pregnancy, Marian lived cautiously under Rogelio's watchful eyes. He hated her and relentlessly humiliated her, yet he would never allow anyone else to lay a finger on her— "Mr. Bailey, your wife got into a fight with someone!" Rogelio secretly took action, eliminating that person completely. "Sir, your wife claimed that all of your family's wealth belongs to her!" Rogelio quietly transferred all the shares to her. Unaware of all this, Marian only wanted to escape, but Rogelio pulled her into his warm embrace, whispering, "Mrs. Bailey, where do you intend to go with our unborn child?"
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.