Left with no choice, I gave in to the enemy's demand. I agreed to dance with the alpha's daughter from Midwinter's pack on the night of my mating ceremony. I swayed with her. Spin her gracefully around the dance floor. The horrified eyes of my entire pack burn on me, demanding an explanation. I didn't just break the sacred rule we held on to for generations. I also ripped my mate's heart apart. Not giving her the honor of that last dance could mean one thing – it's over between us. .
"Alpha, the Midwinter warriors had installed the garnet rings last night."
My eyes dart wide at Beta Jess while my entire body stiffens. And it takes some time before my body relaxes, only to feel the fine tremors rocking every fiber in my system.
"The Spessartine Garnet Rings are facing on the north and south borders. The Pyrope Garnets on the east and south."
Damn it!
I know that no amount of ammunition or talisman can go against the power of these cursed garnet stones. Folklores have it that these garnet rings hold the moon goddess's anger that has accumulated over a millennium. Already flammable in its normal state, it is expected to dissolve an entire city of 355 square miles in its cursed nature.
I close my eyes, imagining the goddess spreading her right arms in the air. She then aims her hands towards the gigantic Spessartine, and Pyrope Garnet rings. Tendrils of golden light then emanate from the tips of her fingers, setting the gemstones into a blazing fire. But how do these destructive rings go into the hands of my greatest enemy?
"What are we going to do, Alpha?" My beta's scared look is never better than mine.
Before I can think of an answer, my head patroller mind links me. "Alpha, a messenger from Midwinter's pack requests to see you."
During the pack meetings, we agree to spare pack messengers. They carry out essential tasks, and that is mainly to negotiate or to announce.
"Let him in, Warrior Roman."
"He wants to hear your declaration, Alpha."
I pull out my phone, but it vibrates before entering the password. Warrior Roman's code then dances on the screen.
"Speak, Alpha," he says, and I bite my lower lip in defeat. They are already here indeed, about to announce their warning.
"I, Alpha Alex of the Pink Moon's Pack, swear before the moon goddess's name that I and my subordinates shall let the Midwinter Pack's messenger come and leave our territory unharmed."
I haven't even blinked twice yet, but the messenger in his wolf form has already sprung before us. He bows in respect before handing over a white envelope. The gesture catches my attention. How can someone from a rival pack do that?
I pull out the envelope from his hand while my eyes remain plastered on him. I am known for my massive wolf size, but this one before me threatens my superiority. My intuition told me I should be careful despite the interpack rule for messengers. All because there will always be traitors.
I tear the envelope and pull out the white sheet of paper. I don't understand, but my heartbeats instantly do rapid somersaults at the familiar handwriting. I stare at the neat and beautiful strokes, thinking about where I had seen them in the past. However, I can't figure it out.
Dear Alpha Alex,
I have been patient about your cruel attacks on my pack. But since you have my cup filled up to the brim, even taking my father down in his helpless state, I am sorry to tell you this. I can't let your cruelty harm any of my people anymore.
As you see, the garnet rings have enclosed your territory already. One signal from us, and it can burn your entire pack into ashes. You know that very well, don't you? However, I'm offering you the last chance at redemption – take it or leave it.
Before you hang my father in front of your entire pack tonight and proceed to your mating ceremony, grant me this request. Let me have the last dance with you.
Respectfully yours,
Sue, the Future Alpha of Midwinter Pack
Waves of shivers run up and down my spine. Cold drops of sweat start trickling down the sides of my face. The Midwinter Pack is finally making a move. They are here to avenge their alpha! My pack will never shy away from brutal fights, but we have nothing against the power of the garnet rings.
This request may save my entire pack from doom, but not my chosen mate. A few hours from now will be our mating ceremony, an event to present her formally to the pack. And there will be the last dance – entitled only to her, as the coming Luna of the pack. But I don't know what will happen after that. The enemy knows where to paralyze not only my people but my heart.
Perhaps reading my conflicted emotion, Beta Jess moves to my side. I hand him the letter, but my mind flies back to Sue. I feel my nerves tingle all over as my muscle flinch in anger. Now acting as the alpha of her pack, she leaves my people and me helpless against these garnet rings.
That's maybe why they have been silent on our surprise attacks on their packs. We may not be successful as there were no casualties, but we have captured the highest rank holder of their pack – their alpha, who stood undefeated before.
"Alpha, our Luna, and the entire pack will understand. I know you want to stand by your word and abide by the pack's rules, but this situation is already about our people's life and death."
I look into the distance and see the moon rising from the horizon. Her radiance fills the entire stretch of land and forest that my eyes can see. Her brightness should have been something to celebrate because this signals the big night, the end of my singleness. A few hours later, I will be mating with Vrianna through a ceremony that a hundred members of my pack will witness.
"Tell Sue that her wish is granted."
I walk away without looking at my beta's reaction. I didn't even watch how the messenger fled from my presence. My mind is now on Vrianna and how I will explain it to her. She believes that she will be my first choice whatever happens, even if it costs the safety of my entire pack.
Most of all, she believes that I can always find the solution to any problem that comes our way. That is how she and my people know me. Even the sound of my name on anybody's lips is their source of strength. Sadly, not anymore tonight. The most-feared alpha of the Pink Moon Pack will soon submit to the enemy's demand.
Racing to the pack's house in my tailored suit, I demand to see my chosen mate. The pack elders who attend to her attempt to refuse, but seeing the scowl on my face has them moving to the side.
"What's wrong, Alpha?"
"Not seeing her now also means the ceremony's cancellation! Our enemy already surrounds us, and they are ready to strike any moment from now."
"I have heard about the installation of the cursed Spessartine and Pyrope Garnet Rings," one of the elders echoes my fear, her lips quivering.
I nod sadly. Those gemstones are supposedly the source of healing and good vibes, but they are now more dangerous than atomic bombs in their cursed state.
"Alex, what shall we do?" I look up to the sweet sound of Vrianna's voice piercing into my ear.
"I will have the last dance with Midwinter Alpha's daughter."
My heart drops down in pity as I watch the color leave her face. She runs away, but I still hear her muffled cry. She knows that depriving her of that last dance can mean she's no longer my mate.
We're both heartbroken. Ella lost a fiancé, and I lost a wife. Our paths crossed when I was trying to move on, and she in her denial stage. I thought we could help each other heal our broken hearts, so I tried to remove the guards I had been trying to secure around myself. And before I knew who she really was, I found myself falling in love again. However, fate always slaps me with its irony. Because I found out that all along, she was the secret enemy that had set out to destroy me. All because I was the one who caused her heartaches — the one who killed her fiancé.
Yen found out that she had been into a traumatic incident five years ago that caused her to forget a huge part of her past. And that past included her marriage to Kim, the CEO of the company she was working for. She may not have recognized him right away, but there was something about Kim that drew her emotionally to him. But having already married Zed, an almost perfect husband to her except for his sexual flaw, Yen found it hard to let him go. She tried to convince her boss to move on and let her live in peace with Zed, but Kim wasn't the kind to concede. What would happen then? Who would win the fight? And who would she choose in the end?
Indebted to Jim who accepted and loved her unconditionally despite her dark past, Jia vowed to forever give her life to him. She had no reason not to; Jim loved her and her son like his own. She thought she was over with Anthon, the man who caused her so much pain. Yet one day, their paths crossed again, and her heart began beating for him again. Torn between the sense of indebtedness and her own heart's desire, choosing then became so complicated. As both men were fighting for her love, who would she choose? Would she listen to her heart's desire, or would she keep her gratitude?
I stepped out of the prison doors towards the road of freedom. I should be happy because I had been here for five wretched years. All the pieces of evidence that my fiancee's lover set up to drive me out of her life pointed to me as the murderer. Little did I know that behind those bars inside the cell, my heart remained trapped. I stopped and turned to take a final glimpse of the building that had been my home for a long time. My lips twisted into a bitter smile, mocking at life's irony. All because of the truth that I no longer wanted to be free.
After marrying Zed, Yen soon realized that her perfect life was not what she expected. Zed harbored a dark flaw, a disorder that impacted their lives, creating insecurities and emotional turmoil. Committed to her marriage, Yen set about trying to solve their issues but this was soon challenged when she found herself having recurring dreams about another man. This man in her dreams was her boss but to Yen, they seemed more like memories than actual dreams, causing her to question her life and her very marriage to Zed. Did Yen have a forgotten past with her boss? If she were to search for answers, could they cause conflict or could it lead to happiness?
I learned about his secret, and my revenge began. I didn't care anymore about the consequences of my decision; I was too blinded by all the lies. I thought I'd laugh hard to see him crawling on the ground, but to my surprise, I didn't. Perhaps because the truth prevailed that this stubborn heart of mine still loved this man that I now despised. I lied to myself, denying this feeling for him. All because of my stupid revenge. Just when I thought I couldn't fool myself anymore, I realized I was too late. And I just couldn't cry hard enough.
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.
At the office, Samantha is mouthy AF and hellbent on testing my patience. So you can imagine my surprise when my new personal assistant walks into my club with a very specific fantasy. When the man Samantha's paired with doesn't stick to the rules, I step in to take his place. Wearing a mask protects my identity, and soon the little wildcat from the office is telling me all her darkest secrets and fantasies. During the day, she gives me hell, but at night, she becomes my wounded kitten. I know I'm playing a dangerous game. She doesn't know I'm one of the heads of the Cosa Nostra. She doesn't know her boss and her nightly visitor is the same person. With my enemy on the attack and her past coming to haunt her, our secrets come out in the most explosive way possible, threatening to rip Samantha away from me. But my wildcat has another thing coming if she thinks I'll ever let go.
"I'm going to tell you what I have in mind," he murmured. "First you're going to strip down until you're completely naked," he whispered against her ear. "Then I'm going to tie you up so you're completely powerless and subject to my every whim." "Mmm, sounds good so far," she murmured. "Then I'm going to insert a plug to prepare you for me. After that I'm going to spank that sweet ass of yours until it's rosy with my marks." She shivered uncontrollably, her mind exploding with the images he evoked. She let out a small whimper as he sucked the lobe of her ear into his mouth. God, she could cum with just his words. She was already aching with need. Her nipples tingled and hardened to painful points. Her clit pulsed and twitched between her legs until she clamped her thighs together to alleviate the burn. "And then I'm going to f**k your mouth. But I won't cum. Not yet. When I'm close, I'll flog you again until your ass is burning and you're on fire with the need for relief. And then I'm going to f**k that ass. I'm going to take you hard and rough, to the very limits of what you can withstand. I won't be gentle. Not tonight. I'm going to take you as roughly as you can stand. And then I'm going to cum all over your ass. Are you ready to be completely and utterly dominated?"
Stella Richard married Rene Kingston in the place of her sister Sophia due to some reasons. But from the beginning, she knows that her marriage was just a time-limit contract and once the time was up she had to go. For RK, this marriage was just a burden but for her, it was a gift from God. Because RK was the man who she had loved all her Youth... So, in the meantime of her marriage, Stella did her best so that this marriage may work out. But on the day she found she was pregnant, her husband gives her the divorce paper and said... "I don't want this child. Don't forget to abort." These words come out of his mouth, like a bomb for Stella, and changed her life... She signed her name on the divorce paper and left the house... Because she doesn't want to be with such a cold-hearted man... Five years later... RK bought the company In which Stella worked. But Stella did her best not to have anything to do with him... Because she had a child and she didn't want him to find out about him... But one day When Stella picked up her son from school he saw her... RK, "How dare you had a child with another man?" Stella, "I don't think it has anything to do with you." RK was about to say more when his gaze fell on the child beside her... His face looked as same as when he was young...
Melanie married Ashton out of gratitude, but she quickly found herself entangled in a web of relentless challenges. Despite these struggles, she stayed true to her commitment to the marriage. In the hospital room, Ashton indifferently attempted to draw her blood, disregarding her discomfort. This callous act was a harsh revelation for Melanie, awakening her to the grim reality of their relationship. Resolved to prioritize her own welfare, she decided to sever ties. With newfound resolve, Melanie filed for divorce. In the process, she unveiled her concealed identities, leaving everyone in shock. Throughout these turbulent times, Melanie realized that Derek, Ashton’s uncle, had been discreetly protecting her all along.
The dream of everyone with regards to marriage is to be able to find that special someone and settle down with them. Even arranged marriages grant you an opportunity to meet your partner briefly before the wedding. How will you feel about waking up in the morning with someone sleeping next to you who is not just anyone but your legally married partner yet with no memory of how that had happened in just a few hours of going out the previous day? This is the story of Jason Haward and Julia Harrison, two strangers trapped in a marriage they never planned. The quest to find out why led to the unfolding of a mystery which made them realize they are both living a lie. To find out more, read this amazing story of love, betrayal, revenge and murder.