🥀 1st book in 'The Alpha's Hated Mate' series 🥀 All her life, Gisella Odette has been running from an unknown force her father feared with their lives. Until one atrocious night she's taken. Lost and troubled, she finds herself in the arms of a daunting man who hates her with his guts and won't stop until she has known pain. Hades Desmond Vilkas is a man of vengeance. Scarred by his agonizing past, he is set out to inflict torment into the ones' soul that wrecked havoc in his perfect childhood. However, fate plays a cruel joke on them when they turn out to be mates. Will Hades be able to leash his inner beast and recognize his one true soulmate before fate carries him through the same deprivation again, or will he fall prey to his own demons?
A loud pounding on the door woke me up in the middle of the night.
Squinting my eyes open, I turned on the lamp on my bedside table and glanced at the clock.
It was 2:45 in the morning.
Who could that be at this late?
The pounding increased, sending a shiver crawling down my back. My heartbeat raised, and fear gripped my soul as I got out of the bed. In cautious steps, I approached the front door and grabbed the baseball bat.
"Wh-Who's that?" I asked.
No reply came.
"If you don't speak, I'm not opening the door," I threatened.
The banging stopped suddenly, making me frown.
I waited for a few more seconds, but nothing happened.
Maybe they were bored and gone.
Putting down the bat, I let out a sigh of relief, my hand habitually going to the necklace in my neck.
What the hell? Did someone prank? Could be those idiotic neighboring teens. Perhaps avenging their lost dignity for being bullies which I revealed to their parents.
Looked like they preferred another round of lesson teaching.
Shaking my head, I turned around when a jingling sound perked my ears. Whipping around, I glanced at the door lock to see it moving.
A chilling sensation ran through my heart as my eyes widened. With shaky hands I raised the bat in my hands again and stood there.
If I died tonight, I'd make sure to go down with a fight.
The lock clicked, and my grip tightened around my weapon. Just as the door opened, I charged forward with a battle cry.
"Ella!" My father's voice stopped me in my tracks, right before the bat hit his shiny bald head.
What the...
"Papa?" I squealed, shocked. "What is this? Why were you-" I stopped mid-sentence, finally noticing the worried look on his face. His bushy brows were drawn together while his brown eyes seemed to hold the pressure of the whole universe. "Papa, what's wrong? Is everything okay?"
Putting down the bat, I rushed towards him, only for him to push past me inside. "Pack everything you need. We're leaving," he said, rushing to my room.
"What?" I blinked. I thought I didn't hear him right.
"There's no time, Elle. Bag only the things we need. We're moving right now."
"Again? At this hour?"
I couldn't believe this was happening again. All my life since I could remember, we had been running from some invisible threat that my father refused to disclose to me. No matter how hard I tried to find out, he'd try even harder to block the opportunities.
There was even one time when I eavesdropped to his and uncle Ryan's conversation, but somehow that memory disappeared from my mind like it never happened. Everytime I tried to remember, I came out blank. I couldn't remember even a word from that moment.
"No," I uttered. "I'm not moving a muscle until I know what we are running from. You have to answer me this time."
"Ella, this is not the time."
"It is, Papa! I'm tired, okay? I'm tired of running from one place to another like I got no roots."
He stopped doing what he was doing and stared at me for a second. My expression must have been concerning because he let out a sigh and walked to me. Holding my cheeks in his warm palms, he looked me in the eye.
"Okay. Ok, I'll tell you this time. But not right now. We've to hurry up, darling. Please."
The pleading look of my father and the intense fear behind it, melted my heart, and I nodded.
Rushing to my bedroom, I pulled out two bags from the drawers and handed one to him. While he bagged foods and necessary items from the kitchen, I packed my clothes and sanitary necessities. Padding to the south wall of my small bedroom, I took the photoframe of my mother and stuffed it inside as well.
Unintentionally, a tear rolled down my eyes. It's been nineteen years since she died in that treacherous night. It was the last day I slept sound like a baby. That was the last day of our lives being normal.
Everything changed since then. I saw my father breaking little by little without his beloved before my very eyes. He even picked up drinking habits, gradually developing kidney diseases.
"Are you done?" Papa hurried inside with a loaded bag and began dragging me out with him. Stopping, he grabbed our jackets and gave mine to me. "Here. Put this on. This is going to be a long cold night."
Exiting the house, the first thing that caught my eyes were the white fluffiness that landed on my coat, melting gradually. A thin blanket of whiteness covered the whole neighborhood.
I didn't even notice when it snowed. It was a rare thing in the month of May to snow in Chicago, considering it began to feel the heat of summer already.
As Papa halted the car before me, I took one last look at the house and its surroundings. The peng that set its paws on my heart since the word move out left Papa's mouth, moderately spread throughout my veins to my stomach. I suddenly felt sick.
How many more times would I have to settle into a place only to get up and leave everything behind the next moment? How many more people would I have to befriend only to forget them the next day?
I was tired, no, downright exhausted.
"Come on, Elle. Hurry up."
With a heavy sigh, I climbed into the car and let the tear drop.
When would my life ever be normal?
The next half an hour I stayed silent while papa drove through the dark forest-road, yelling at his phone from time to time. Whatever it was that kept my father at his toes all the time, it must be something terrifying, something that haunted even a grown man in his nightmares.
Even me.
I always imagined it was a monster. An ugly monster with red eyes, long, sharp teeth and two horns, that could impale your soul at its slightest glare.
But then it was merely my teenage assumption. Monsters weren't real. They only existed in books and nightmares.
Right?
"It'll be okay, my darling. I promise you."
Papa's comforting voice snatched my attention towards him. He had placed a hand over my shaking ones, sending me a look of pity and apology. The sense of helplessness behind those emotions didn't manage to escape my attention. I could see just how upset he was as well to repeat the same process again and again.
Sighing, I sent him a tiny smile of understanding through the sadness. "I trust you, Papa."
His smile resembled mine. He opened his mouth to say something when from the corner of our vision, something dark and enormous flashed right across the road.
Both our heads whipped forward, and I think I saw the color from my father's face receding.
"What was that?" I asked, my eyes widened.
"N-Nothing," he said, before accelerating the car.
"P-Papa?" I sank into my seat, clutching the fabric tight, my heartbeat raising. "Papa, slow down. What are you doing? The road is slippery."
He didn't reply, nor did he slow down. His knuckles were turning white from how tight he was holding the wheel as though he was frightened out of his skull.
But why?
It could just be a wild animal.
'Or the Monster,' the voice at the back of my head spoke.
No. No, it couldn't be. It wasn't real.
Over the sound of the roaring engine, something else caught my ears, something bone-chilling.
A ferocious growl.
It was such high-pitched, it managed to pierce through the other sounds, dominating those.
What animal could that be?
A lion? A jaguar even?
But there lived none of those in these woods in the first place.
I turned to my father. "Papa, what is it?"
Again, no reply.
"You know what this is, don't you? Tell me."
This time, he gazed at me, his eyes strained with fear. "Darling, know that no matter what happens, papa will always protect y-"
He didn't even get to finish his words, before something hit our car in the back, forcing it off the track.
I watched with horror as my body swept to the window. The tires screeched against the asphalt as the car swiveled round and round.
Everything seemed to slow down as I saw my death and possibly my father's, dangling before my very eyes.
Then I saw it.
The reddish-gold eyes.
Like two saprkling rubies on fire, glaring from the cracks of the woods.
I didn't even hear my scream, nor my father's as everything around suddenly lost the touch of gravity, flipping in the air before me.
They crashed.
Flipped.
Crashed.
Flipped.
Finally coming to a cease.
I felt something warm trickling down my skull as a ringing sound buzzed through my ears. My hands proceeded to move, feeling no valor in them. The smell of gasoline mixed with burnt rubber almost sent me in the verge of choking.
"Papa," I whispered.
I tried to open my eyes, my vision too blurred to make out the upside down world outside.
"Papa?" I wanted to scream, but all that came out was a rush of air.
I was afraid something happened to him, yet I couldn't help.
I coerced my eyes to open wider, but black dots began to appear in my vision as I felt myself fading.
No, no, no...
Right before everything went dark, the blood-curdling scream of my father echoed throughout the air.
"Gisella!"
Followed by a gun shot.
Hazel Green's late mother's business of housing seniors is now in control of her wicked stepfather. With her loved ones under his hostile care, she is eager to obey his demands to keep them safe. Including acting as a spy in the Kingston Corporation for intel that will dismantle his rival's empire. But, entangling herself with the infamous billionaire, Dimitri Kingston, throws a wrench in her plan. Intrigued by his ruthless desire for her, she runs the risk of her stepfather following through on his threat to murder her beloved seniors one by one. With Hazel deeply involved with Dimitri, she risks far more than she had expected. Love. Loyalty. And lives.
Ember Collins is on the lookout for jobs when a marriage proposition arises with NY's renowned billionaire Hunter William King. While she is kind, brave and quirky, he is heartless, cold and dangerous. She is like water calming souls when touches, and he is like a tornado destroying everything on his way when passes. They are like the opposite sides of a knife; one is harmless and another cuts. What happens when they're bound in an unholy matrimony? What happens when the secret behind the marriage is revealed? Will love bloom in the most unexpected place or will it wither away in the labyrinthine of lies and deception? Join Ember's journey through love and hate, danger and despair to see what happens.
Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?
“Drive this woman out!” "Throw this woman into the sea!” When he doesn’t know Debbie Nelson’s true identity, Carlos Hilton cold-shoulders her. “Mr. Hilton, she is your wife,” Carlos’ secretary reminded him. Hearing that, Carlos gives him a cold stare and complained, “why didn’t you tell me earlier?” From then on, Carlos spoils her rotten. Little did everyone expect that they would get a divorce.
After a devastating divorce with the man she had been married to for over three years, Rachel thought her life was over. Her family disowned her, they wanted nothing to do with her anymore and she couldn't blame them. She had just divorced David Hart, one of the top successful bachelors in the country and heir to the Hart industries. But they would never understand that she didn't divorce him, he divorced her after she caught him cheating on her with her god-damned best friend! Rachel was just about to end everything by jumping off a bridge when she was saved by the most unexpected person. The boy she once bullied severally in highschool because he always wore ugly glass and was from a poor background, how come that glass make him so hot now? Why was he helping her get revenge on ex-husband who is trying to make her life even more miserable? And most important how did he get so handsome? What exactly does he want from her? ... No, you must want something, anything. If you can really help me get revenge on David and Lana, I can't just let you do it for free". Ethan went quiet for a while. I held my breath waiting for what his request might be. If it was something money could buy, I'll try my best to get it for him even though I was somehow broke right now. "You're right I do want something". He said after thinking for few minutes "What?" I asked slowly. " Until you get your revenge on David, Lana and every other person you want, you will live here". Live here as in...? " Wha... What are you saying? ". I stammered hoping he wasn't saying what I thought he was saying. I tried to step back but I missed a step and almost fell on the bed but Ethan caught me holding me in his muscular arms. Ethan moved his face closer to mine be was so close, our nose almost touched. " I want you to be with me! ".
When they were kids, Derek saved Norah's life. Years later, after Derek ended up in a vegetative state from a car crash, Norah married him without a second thought and even used her medical knowledge to heal him. For two years, Norah was devoted, seeking his affection and looking to settle her life-saving debt. But when Derek's first love returned, Norah, faced with divorce, didn't hesitate to sign. Despite being labeled as forsaken, few knew of her true talents. She was a race car driver, a famed designer, a genius hacker, and a renowned doctor. Regretting his decision, Derek begged for her forgiveness. Just then, a charming CEO intervened, embracing Norah and declaring, "Back off! She's my wife!" Taken aback, Norah blurted out, "What did you say?"
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
Renea was trying the wedding dress, when suddenly the man rushed in the dressing room and held her neck tightly... “Bitch! Are you still trying to pretend innocent!” Jasper said as he tightened his grip on her neck and choked her harder. Then he used his other hand and took out the phone from his suit pocket and played the video of two people having sex in front of Renea… However, what was even more shocking, was that the woman in the video was, Renea Morris, however, the man in the video was not Jasper. Renea struggled to take a phone away from Jasper’s hand and tried to explain, “Jasper, it was not what you think… I… I can…” Jasper looked at Renea with his eyes full of disgust, as he said, “Let’s call of the wedding. I can’t marry a woman like you.” After saying that Jasper walked out of the shop Renea chase after Jasper... But then she sees Jasper passionately kissing her sister Kailey. And she hears everything, that her sleeping with strange men was all a plan of the vipers of the last two days, and that their goal was to get out of this stupid marriage. Even her adopted parents were also involved in this matter... They all do this with her because of the inheritance left by her grandfather... Renea heart was filled with anger and she wanted to expose their true colors to the public... However before she could do anything, Kailey had pushed her in front of the car and she got killed... However, when Renea open her eyes, she found herself sitting in the car with Kailey... She realized that she was reborn and went at the time when everything started... Renea looked at the people who had hurt her in her previous life and her lips curled up in a cold smile... She was back... However, this time... she was back for revenge...