He embraces Mary, something about their embrace so random, so intense and passionate, that I stumble back, threatening to fall. This can't be happening. Row catches me, my butcher friend already reeked with the smell of rotten meat but it doesn't faze me, it doesn't affect me like seeing Luke take another woman into his arms. They kiss, Row having to turn me around and hold to his chest as I hold back sobs. Luke has found his mate and it isn't me. "Oh no," Ann sighs, her hand patting my back. "Well, I guess that is settled," Paul murmurs. "Let's get out of here, Aurora. We should let Luke be with his new mate." I sniffle a cry into Row's shirt, feeling him embrace me tighter at the mention of Luke's mate. It's real. It can't be. It wasn't supposed to be like this and yet it's happening. Pulling myself together, I refuse to look back at my best friend, the man I thought I would be with forever, the only man I pictured having as my mate, while he embraces another woman.
Aurora
"Run," Luke whispers, his rough tone leaving little room to argue. "Run and don't look back."
My heart is practically beating out of my chest, watching the royals ransack my pack lands, breaking through doors and letting themselves into every home that might conceal an unmated female. Being a commoner is bad enough, we're hardly strong enough to fight a royal, and we are about half their stature alone.
Luke, my best friend since I was born, tries to push me into the woods behind our neighboring homes, but I'm too frightened. What if they smell me? What if they chase me? I won't be able to outrun a royal and even more, what if his wolf tries to violate mine? I'll be impure before my own twentieth birthday and that's a sure way to be sent to the palace as a sex slave for the royals. Either that, or their personal punching bags.
I've never seen a commoner female return from the palace and the only time is have heard about what happens there is when a young girl, Callie from my North Woods pack, had tried to escape. She was seen taking a beating in the streets outside the palace, the stain of her blood still on the cobblestone. Everyone knew then what happens to commoners in the place, and I know better than to find myself stuck there one day.
My parents taught me a lot of things growing up, but the main point was to always be careful when a royal is present. One wrong look, one mumbled insult, and you will end up dead. They run the world, they make the rules, and they are brutal when they don't get exactly what they want. All I can do is hope that they don't want me. If they do, I'm already dead.
I'm unmated, only a year and half away from turning twenty to feel my mating pull, and until I'm claimed as a commoner, I run the risk of being taken by a royal and subjected to the same cruel treatment that Callie received.
The fear keeps my feet frozen, seeing the royals bust out of the house just two doors down from my parent's home. They'll be here soon.
Luke shoves me to move, his once cold eyes now dark and solid gray, begging for me to run.
"What-What if they see me, Luke? I could be killed if found running away from a royal."
"Then I'll try to get in there way," he growls, his teeth clenched shut. "Please, Aurora, you have to run. They'll take you away. Go."
I finally feel my wolf whimpering, tired but willing as I shift, my clothes tearing off and left in the ground as I sprint behind my family home, ducking into the woods just before I hear another door slammed in by a forceful kick.
I worry they have seen me take off, prompting them to follow, hearing heavy steps pace behind me. I know they would have caught me already and I look back to see Luke's wolf keeping pace behind me. He is running the same path as I am, trying to mask my scent with his own, but we won't know for sure if the royals have my scent until it is too late. Their senses are even more heightened than ours, everything about their powerful bodies stronger than anything we could ever hope to be.
Faster! Luke barks into my mind, speaking quick into the mind link and making me wonder if they have already found our trail. Go, Aurora, hurry up!
I try my best to sprint faster, pushing myself further, but it's still so early in the morning and I haven't exactly prepped for a full sprint, uphill, while my heart palpitates with utter terror.
My wolf is too weak, too tired, and I collapse near the waterfall, the halfway point between our homes and the peak of the mountain range. I shift, tumbling mid-sprint, and fall straight into the edge of the shallow water. My elbows blister, bleeding as I try to catch myself and protect my head at the same time, scraping my knees and feet when I finally skid to a stop.
"No, no, no," Luke breathes, shifting, standing in the shallow end of the water with me. He laps water over my body, wiping away the blood, and I realize soon he is trying to mask the scent of it with the dirty, clouded water. "They will smell your blood downwind," he grumbles, working to cover me in water and get rid of any trace of blood.
I cover my face, the water temperature colder than I would prefer, but I know it's better than being taken by the warriors back to the palace or having one of them claim me out here in the woods. I want to cry at the level of fear that pangs in my chest, innately doomed as a female commoner without a mate.
Luke stops, kneeling down beside me, his eyes darting all over the woods, both of us seemingly afraid that we are being watched from the woods, taunted before we will inevitably be ambushed. They'll kill Luke, the man I've always felt would be my mate, and I'll either be taken to the palace or abused and ravished right here in the woods far behind my family home.
"I'm scared," I say, shivering both in terror and at the cold bite of the falls water.
"I know," Luke says, whispering, trying to make himself small as he cages an arm over my side, looking around frantically, the sight of his worry only making me more scared.
Are you okay? My mom calls through the link, her voice just as hysterical. Royals just came through the house, tore everything up. They found your bedroom and demanded to know where you were, Aurora, they're taking unmated females again!
I know, I reply somberly. Luke had me run and he came with me. He tried to run behind me to mask my scent. Did the royals take off behind the house and into the woods?
The pause of silence in my mind makes me weep harder.
No, they moved on. They went through Luke's home and his parents said they didn't know where he was. They vouched for you as well.
What did you tell them?
I said that royals had come through a few weeks ago and already took you. Luke parent's thankfully heard me link over and said the same thing, she says simply but something in her voice worries me.
Did they hurt you?
Again, silence plagues the link before my mother gives into my question. One of them grabbed my neck and threw me across the room. They saw my mating mark, though, and your father ran home just in time for them to leave me alone.
So, you're both okay?
We're fine, she replies. Stay out there for a little while longer, just incase they wait to see if you come home, Aurora. There's too many for us to barter with if they find out.
I agree, sitting up as my wounds still leak blood, the thought of the warriors of the royal pack sticking around to find me making my stomach churn. In the past we have been able to bribe one or two royal warriors with gold pieces or homemade tapestry from my mother's shop in town, but if there are too many to barter with, they make take it as a refusal and royals do not appreciate being told they can't have what they want.
I shiver in the breeze, Luke pulling himself closer to my hip, wrapping an arm around my back and pulling me into his side. I steal his warmth, curled up in a meek ball, both of us watching the hills below, waiting to see if we were tracked down or not.
"It's your birthday tomorrow," I remind him, trying to lighten the mood.
His cold eyes don't move away from the trees surrounding us. "Being twenty isn't nearly as special as it sounds, little one."
"You'll get to find out who your mate is," I breathe, hopeful that the outcome benefits us both.
He finally breaks, his grin small but effective, pulling his focus off of the woods and down onto me. His eyes scan my long, wet hair, white in color where the blood didn't soak into my scalp from another mark made when I stumbled. He looks into my eyes, the feeling making me shudder, and he must assume I am cold because it forces him to hold me closer.
I nuzzle into his warm, familiar side.
No matter what happens today with the royal warriors, whether they find me or not, I plead to the moon goddess in the heavens above that I at least get the one thing I've ever yearned for. We are commoners, poor and weak. We aren't given many options for clothes, and we don't earn a fraction of gold compared to what the royals have in excess, but the one thing we sometimes get to enjoy is the mating pull.
I just want to enjoy it with Luke.
A deep, growling howl is set loose below and a series of high-pitched screams follow shortly after. I jump at the sound, listening as a young woman begs for it to stop. Luke looks aside, cringing as I do, hearing the utter sounds of helplessness flood the valley below.
I press my hands over my ears to make it stop. It needs to stop.
I need the protection of a mate. I just pray that I am Luke's.
When I woke up, my mom's body was cold. The color was drained from her half-opened eyes, and I could see no signs of life. My father told me that she purposely drank poison to kill herself. But that was a lie. My mother would never kill herself; she would never leave me. That night imprisoned me. “It wasn’t a mistake,” “What are you talking about, Jonathan?” I asked him. “Arina, you are my mate. You were born to be my luna,” he said. His face showed no signs of humor. “I wasn’t born to be anybody’s luna,” I shot back. “Arina, I love you…” he spoke softly, still staring into my eyes. I could feel the wolf in me stirring; something that I had never felt before. She was awakening; the fire that burned so deep inside of me was beginning to flare. “Love?” I heard myself saying. “There’s no such thing as love…” After everything I knew about “love”, what my mother went through when she married my father, love didn’t exist. “Give me a chance to prove you wrong. Marry me.” WARNING This story will contain: Strong Sexual Content, Strong Language and Domestic Violence Scenes that may be triggering. Adult viewers only.
WARNING This story will contain. Strong sexual content, strong language, dark scenes about human trafficking. Everything was shaking all around me as if I was in the back of a moving car. An unpleasant smell that could have woken me from even my darkest dreams filled the air and convinced me that I was wide awake. Fear instantly overcame my senses. Where was I? What was I doing here? Who took me? “Help…” I tried to shout. My torn throat wouldn’t allow it. In my mind, images flashed of barbaric shifters standing outside that door. Big, tall and rough creatures that knew no manners and only wanted to claim things. I’d heard stories since I was old enough to understand that they favored pretty human girls and plucked them off the roads as if they were all free for the taking. Patara tried to move back away from the handsome young man, but he held her firm. Squeezing her chin a little harder to keep her in place. His blue-grey, beautiful eyes looked over her every feature as if he wanted to burn the image in his mind. “Would you like me to take you away?” He asked in a husky voice. His words made her skin litter in goosebumps. She couldn’t speak, only nod desperately. “And what do you offer me in exchange for your rescue? Would you like to follow me?” Slowly, she nodded her head and put her hand in his. “Remember your promises,” he said against her ear. She held her breath. “The last person who betrayed me got to see what his insides looked like before I slit his throat.”
On my 18th Birthday, My twin sister married my mate, Alpha Jacob, in my name. I was Alisa Clark, the she-wolf with the purest blood. The Alphas must feed on my blood. They were blessed with great power while they were cursed. The greater their abilities, the shorter their lives. My blood protected them from their curse Yet, my twin Jennifer took away my glory and had me tortured for 6 years! Worse still, My mate allowed it "You've been like a pig for us. He can smell you down here. He's known this whole time." She took out a mirror and held it up to my face. " You think he would ever accept such an ugly mate like this pig." I hadn't seen myself since I was twelve, vibrant and healthy. I was a child then, and now I looked like a ghost. My face was hollow and pale like a sick person. I saw the scar on my face, it burned and had inflamed my cheek so that it was swollen. My eyes were red from the tears. My hair was dull and limp over my skull. My purple eyes were the only piece of me that still held some semblance of life. I could see scars even on my neck, and I knew that my body was even more scarred, and even more pathetic... "How dare you be so stupid." Jennifer said. "How dare you think the Alpha wants you for more than your blood. Imagine him mating with you, when he could have me."
3 years ago, I faked a pregnancy to steal half a million dollars from my mate. I felt as if I didn’t have any other choice as I had to pay my brother’s ransom or let him die. Now, I would rather die than spend another day being treated with icy, bitter resentment. My name is Rachel Flores and I rejected my alpha mate because I’m ready to live, not just survive! "Who are you?" I came awake with a jerk, disoriented and aching all over. A heavy male body lay beside me---we were both naked except for the sheet covering our bodies. I searched my memories of the night before, trying to figure out how I had gotten here while attempting to wrap the sheet around my body. I stopped when I realized I'd leave my bed partner totally nude. I remembered myself saying over and over, "I'm your mate!" I eased myself off the bed to look for clothes. I tried to be as quiet as I could so I didn't wake up the stranger. His scent was all over me, all over everything really. Rich and masculine...
I'm a witch. I saw the future. Alpha Xavier will rule the kingdom and kill my whole family. He's taking revenge on us since my grandfather chose to align with his enemy. I can't just sit back and let that happen. So I decided to propose to him and get him killed before our fate's set. Yet, the moon goddess says otherwise... “Will you marry me, Alpha Xavier?” I asked and bowed slightly. Lord Xavier is currently the Alpha of the Leonard family. Apparently, he’s been hailed as one of the strongest men on the continent—and the most handsome. Not like that matters to me but I guess it’s a plus. “Excuse me?” The man stared at me in disbelief. “If have to repeat myself, will you marry me?” I looked up at Xavier who hadn’t moved a muscle nor taken his eyes off of me. He just needs to accept my proposal already! This silence and waiting is unbearable! I’m offering you money and power. What more could you possibly— “I accept your marriage proposal.” Xavier interrupted my thoughts and released his hold on me. I’ve succeeded! Another step closer to your death, my Lord… I accepted the witch girl’s proposal and walked out of the parlor without looking back at her. How could I? My heart raced inside of my chest, though I knew that these beats weren’t my own. Throughout the entire ordeal, something itched in the back of my mind. I knew what it was. “Lyon!” I commanded through thought. “What was that all about? What happened?” A howl echoed through my mind. “She’s our mate!” Lyon exclaimed. Mate?! The daughter of the Wisdom family was supposed to be my Luna? I couldn’t believe that the Moon Goddess was capable of such jokes and trickery.
*Warning* Explicit Content Included. Adults only. My fated mate is the son of the murder who smashed my family and life. I was sold to a brothel and my body was turned into a commodity. And my sister, she's still being raped by those pedophiles, over and over, over and over. I need to revenge. - “Showtime, ladies!” I rolled my shoulder and walked to the back of the line. There were ten of us. Each of us dressed in a sparkling evening gown, ready to introduce ourselves to the crowd. I barely listened to the women ahead of me. Then, it was my turn. I took a deep breath and lifted my head as the woman ahead of me stepped aside. The stage light was so bright my eyes burned, but I kept my eyes open, scanning the VIP room windows for the man in question. There, sitting in the front row of the VIP room just to the right of the stage, was Matt Wallber, surrounded by various women. His collar was undone and he wore what looked to be a deconstructed tuxedo. His hair was raked and a bit windswept as if he had been running his hand through it. “We’ll open the bidding now!” A few breaths passed before the screen lit up. Round 1 Bidding Open. I watched my headshot shoot ahead of the other nine and over the blue line that signified my requested starting bid. Someone had bid on me in the first round well over my opening bid. My heart leaped. Had he taken the bait so soon?
On her wedding night, Natalie's stepmother set her up to marry Jarvis, a disfigured and disabled man. Fortunately, she managed to escape, but little did she know that later she would fall for the man she was betrothed to.Jarvis pretended to be a poor man, but he didn't think that he'd fall head over heels for this woman.Their life went on until one day, Natalie found out her boyfriend's little secret."Huh? How could you have billions of dollars' worth of assets?" she asked in disbelief.Jarvis didn’t know how to respond.Being met with silence, she gritted her teeth angrily. "They said that you couldn't walk, but as far as I can see, you're strong enough to run a marathon."Still, he remained silent.Natalie continued, "They even said that you only have a few years to live. What about now?"Finally, Jarvis opened his mouth to explain. "Honey, this is all just a misunderstanding. Please calm down. Think about the baby.""Jarvis Braxton!"The man knelt down immediately.
Katie was forced to marry Dillan, a notorious ruffian. Her younger sister mocked her, "You're just an adopted daughter. Count your blessings for marrying him!" The world anticipated Katie's tribulations, but her married life unfurled with unexpected serenity. She even snagged a lavish mansion in a raffle! Katie jumped into Dillan's arms, credited him as her lucky charm. "No, Katie, it's you who brings me all this luck," Dillan replied. Then, one fateful day, Dillan's childhood friend came to her. "You're not worthy of him. Take this 50 million and leave him!" Katie finally grasped Dillan's true stature—the wealthiest man on the planet. That night, trembling with trepidation, she broached the subject of divorce with Dillan. However, with a domineering embrace, he told her, "I'd give you everything I have. Divorce is off the table!"
Sara Mae Xavier is living every Omega's dream--she is the Alpha King's mate! That's until he betrays and rejects her. He also accuses her falsely, and she is sentenced to two years at the notorious North Academy, a campus made specifically for delinquent werewolves. She has no idea how she'll survive, being a weak Omega, but she soon realises that's the least of her problems. Her roommates are three Alphas, each with a notorious reputation of his own. But that's not the worst part...why on earth does she have a mate bond to all of them?
Three years ago, the Moore family opposed Charles Moore's choice to marry his beloved woman and selected Scarlett Riley as his bride. Charles didn't love her. In fact, he hated her. Not long after they got married, Scarlett received an offer from her dream university and jumped on it. Three years later, Charles's beloved woman fell terribly ill. In order to fulfill her last wish, he called Scarlett back and presented her with a divorce agreement. Scarlett was deeply hurt by Charles's abrupt decision, but she chose to let him go and agreed to sign the divorce papers. However, Charles seemed to delay the process deliberately, leaving Scarlett confused and frustrated. Now, Scarlett was trapped between the consequences of Charles's indecision. Would she be able to break free from him? Would Charles eventually come to his senses and face his true feelings?
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?