Alex, a young literary graduate, has given up on love. Her boyfriend's betrayal left her heart cold and cautious, then one day, when she's filling in for her brother at his shop, in walks a silver-haired fox of a man and all of a sudden, she's willing to try one more time.
It had been months since Alex graduated from Cosgrove University. She now had the power to read, to write, to become the best-selling author she always thought she'd be. She had the power to shape minds and send them on voyages they otherwise would never know. She had all that and yet, there she sat on a high chair, surveying her domain of chips, chocolates, sweets and breads.
She peeled her eyes away from the cat videos on her brother's computer and looked down at the brown leather bracelet on her left wrist. She studied and admired the craftsmanship of the ornamental wolf head at the centre of the bracelet. With a wince, she rubbed it and closed her eyes, willing herself to breathe long and deep.
"Don't panic. He can't hurt you anymore. You need to forget him," she thought to herself. But forget him she could not. As much as she claimed to hate him, she couldn't bring herself to part with the bracelet. She remembered the time, the place and even the smell in the air when he had given her that bracelet and promised his heart and body to her.
She remembered how he had kissed her oh, so gently again and again, in front of everyone, not caring who saw. She remembered the feel of his fingers brushing her cheek, tracing along the edge of her ear and then her jaw. She remembered how he had cupped the back of her head and whispered, "You're the only one for me." She remembered...
"Excuse me! How much for the chocolate milk?"
It was a lady with her little boy in tow. They'd come into the shop while her eyes were closed in that masochistic reverie. Alex shook it off and rose to see what the customer was referring to.
"Oh, that's $2. We also have a bigger one for $3.50, if you'd like."
"In this economy? I'll stick to this one thanks," responded the customer. "You like this small one, don't you Jonah?" The boy nodded and grabbed the carton of milk as his mother paid. She was a little frumpy, but her son was dressed impeccably. He had new shoes, a perfectly ironed shirt and shorts and his little face glowed with health.
"Where's the big guy who used to be here, by the way?"
"Who, my brother? He's a little busy right now, so he asked me to man the shop for him."
"Your brother? You look nothing alike!"
Alex pulled the protective mask off her face and smiled next to the portrait of her brother mounted behind the counter.
"Okay, I see it now. You have the same smile. Same eyes too," said the customer. She went on to introduce herself as Shelly. She'd been a regular at the shop since it opened up at the height of the global lockdown.
"COVID really messed us up, for sure, but the one thing it did is it brought everything closer to us through your brother. Tell him I said hi, yeah?"
With that, she bundled up her son and left through the glass doors to the right of the counter.
Alex watched them from her perch and almost instantly fell back into her depressing reverie as her eyes followed the little boy's tiny steps. She remembered imagining what her and Darren's son would look like.
"Darren, that lying bastard." Shocked, she realised that she had shouted that out loud. She was now at the feminine products aisle arranging the lotion bottles. In the aisle across from her, she noticed another customer, Brian, looking at her amused.
"To hell with Darren. You'll get someone better, Alex." He hopped around to where she busied herself with the bottles and said, "Someone like me."
Alex laughed and looked at Brian's youthful face with the love of an elder sister.
"Brian, I'm too young to be a cougar, but I'm old enough to be arrested for cradle-robbing." Brian rolled his eyes at this. "Is that what you want? To come visit me in jail?"
Alex was laughing now, but Brian was dead serious.
"I'll be eighteen in less than two years, Alex. And you keep telling me I'm mature for my age. Why don't you give me a chance and see just how mature I can be."
He followed her to the meat refrigerator. "You know I like older women. My mother is an older woman. All my sisters are older women."
Alex frowned at this, but he persisted.
"As someone who has sixteen years and four months of experience with older women, I am more than qualified to be with a woman as mature, as beautiful and as exotic as you. To be with you, Alex."
They were at the cheese refrigerator now.
"Oh, Brian. I'm 22. By the time you're 22, you'll think of me as an old hag and you'll start chasing younger, prettier women," her face hardened, "like that lying prick, Darren."
"No! I am nothing like him."
Realising that she had hurt his feelings, she said, "Of course not. You're a good guy, Brian. I know you are, but you have to realise that as much as I love you and your family, and as much as your mom and sisters love me right now, they would kill me if I so much as entertained your advances."
She looked him straight in the eye. He caved. Together they walked towards the counter.
"Still, I'll never give up on you, Alex. Never."
He paid for the bottle of soda in his hand and started to leave. With a short pause, he looked back towards the counter where Alex remained, sad and gorgeous. Nothing in the world would ever make him hurt her like Darren did. Determined to try again when she wasn't quite so forlorn, Brian dashed out as the glass doors swung open. Already, he had a plan to make her see him as more than a boy.
As Brian walked away, he nearly knocked down a man at the curb by the main road. The man was surveying the store's signage and after a second's consideration, walked up towards the other sliding glass doors that read "ENTRANCE".
In her mind, Alex was convinced that she would be alone forever. She couldn't imagine trusting anyone ever again. As she heard the glass doors slide open, she held on to the feeling of betrayal that Darren had caused in her. Determined to protect her fragile heart, she looked up to serve the newcomer, even as she vowed under her breath that she would never love again.
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What’s worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn’t thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn’t seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he’s different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
"Carroll Brown is dead! But you have to marry him in your sister's name." My mother said to me in a cold tone. My sister was engaged to the hottest billionaire. It should have been a perfect marriage. Unexpectedly, Carroll was dead in an accident. My sister didn't want to become a widow, so she forced me to marry her dead fiance. And I had no right to refuse her. Actually, I was the biological daughter of the Smith family. My sister was an adoptive one. My sister and I had been swapped at the hospital when we were just born. My parents had already had a deep relationship with her. So they chose to sacrifice me. On the wedding day, I was taken to the mourning hall. "Ma'am, please keep Master company and let him feel warm." The housekeeper said with a cold expression. I couldn't help but look up at the portrait above the coffin, and my heart skipped a beat at this glance. The man in the portrait was more handsome than the superstars in Hollywood. Carroll Brown? My dead husband? Wow, he was really handsome! I didn't know how long had passed when my stomach began to rebel. After one glance at the coffin, I swallowed my saliva and then begged with my fingers crossed. "Mr. Carroll, I'm starving! May I eat your pastries? You don't mind, do you?" "I do." "Ah!" Scared, I broke out in a cold sweat. My legs went limp, and I fell to the ground. I shouted, "Ghost!" Carroll curled his lips, leaned over, and touched the black coffin. "Mr. Carroll has risen from the dead. What do you think of this headline tomorrow?"
Janice, the long-forgotten legitimate heiress, made her way back to her family, pouring her heart into winning their hearts. Yet, she had to relinquish her very identity, her academic credentials, and her creative works to her foster sister. In return for her sacrifices, she found no warmth, only deeper neglect. Resolute, Janice vowed to cut off all emotional bonds. Transformed, she now stood as a master of martial arts, adept in eight languages, an esteemed medical expert, and a celebrated designer. With newfound resolve, she declared, "From this day forward, no one in this family shall cross me."
Allison fell in love with Ethan Iversen, the soon-to-be Alpha of the Moonlight Crown pack. She always wanted him to notice her. Meanwhile, Ethan was an arrogant Alpha who thought a weak Omega could not be his companion. Ethan's cousin, Ryan Iversen, who came back from abroad and was the actual heir of the pack, never tried to get the position nor did he show any interest in it. He was a popular playboy Alpha but when he came back to the pack, one thing captured his eyes and that was Allison.
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."