MINE TO PROTECT. MINE TO PUNISH. MINE. I'm a lone wolf, and I like it that way. Banished from my birth pack after a bloodbath, I never wanted a mate. Then I meet Kylie. My temptation. We're trapped in an elevator together, and her panic almost makes her pass out in my arms. She's strong, but broken. And she's hiding something. My wolf wants to claim her. But she's human, and her delicate flesh won't survive a wolf's mark. I'm too dangerous. I should stay away. But when I discover she's the hacker who nearly took down my company, I demand she submit to my punishment. And she will. Kylie belongs to me.
The Alpha's Temptation
MINE TO PROTECT. MINE TO PUNISH. MINE.
I'm a lone wolf, and I like it that way. Banished from my birth pack after a bloodbath, I never wanted a mate.
Then I meet Kylie. My temptation. We're trapped in an elevator together, and her panic almost makes her pass out in my arms. She's strong, but broken. And she's hiding something.
My wolf wants to claim her. But she's human, and her delicate flesh won't survive a wolf's mark.
I'm too dangerous. I should stay away. But when I discover she's the hacker who nearly took down my company, I demand she submit to my punishment. And she will.
Kylie belongs to me.
Kylie
Holy irony, Batman.
As a teen, I hacked into a company and waved a virtual victory flag in the founder and CEO's face. Nine years later, I'm interviewing for a job there. And not just any job-one in infosec. Information systems security, that is. If I get the job, I'll be defending the company against hackers. Like Catgirl-my old DefCon identity.
So here I sit, in the opulent lobby of SeCure's international headquarters, wondering if they'll somehow recognize me and send me out in handcuffs.
A group of employees stroll past me, laughing and talking. They look relaxed and happy, like they're headed into a resort, not their nine-to-five grind.
Damn, I want this job.
I changed my outfit approximately ninety-seven times this morning-and I usually don't care what I wear. But this is the interview of a lifetime, and I've obsessed over getting every detail right. In the end, I chose a sleek black suit, the kind with a fitted jacket and short, tight skirt. I opted for no hose, going bare-legged, but stuffed my feet in a pair of sexy heels. Underneath the suit jacket went my favorite Batgirl shirt. It fits tight around my breasts, and the hot pink glittery bat nestles perfectly between the lapels of my jacket.
The outfit screams "young and hip" IT genius, while the suit flips a nod to the conservative corporate thing. I debated over heels or Chucks, but, in the end, the heels won out. Which is too bad, because when Stu, my contact, comes down for me, I'll have to stand up in them. And walk.
If my teenage hacker self saw me now, she would laugh in my face and call me a sellout. But even she shared my obsession with SeCure's billionaire founder/owner, Jackson King. An obsession that's morphed into admiration with a heavy dose of sexual attraction.
Okay, it's a crush. But Jackson is totally crush worthy. Billionaire philanthropist, he's endlessly impressive. Not to mention smoking hot. Especially for a geek.
And the one moment we shared-the moment when I made it past all his security measures and found myself face-to-face with him-well, cursor to cursor-is branded in my memory as the hottest encounter of my youth. I didn't steal anything from him. I simply wanted to see if I could get in-crack the genius code. I backed out after he found me, and never risked going back.
Now, I might have another shot at cyber sparring with King, and the thought thrills me.
Especially since, this time, my actions wouldn't be illegal.
"Ms. McDaniel?"
I shoot to my feet, hand already extended, ready to shake. I only wobble a little on the heels. "Hi." Damn, I sound breathless. I force my shoulders down and smile as I grip the offered palm.
"Hi, I'm Stu Daniel, infosec manager here at SeCure." He looks like a proper nerd, glasses, collared shirt, slacks. Thirty or so. His eyes flick to the pink bat in the middle of my boobs and then away. Maybe the T-shirt was a mistake.
I keep pumping his hand, probably for too long. I read five business books to prep for today, but can't remember what Interviewing For Dummies said about the proper length of time to shake a hand. "Nice to meet you."
Fortunately, Stu is just as awkward as I am. His eyes keep detouring downward. Not like he's trying to perv, but like he's too shy to maintain eye contact. "If you'll follow me, we'll head to the sixth floor for the interview."
In addition to unbreakable cyber security, SeCure's physical fortress is also well-protected. When I walked in across the gleaming marble floors and checked in at main reception desk, they told me to wait in the lobby for an "escort" to my interview.
I trail after my escort. "Beautiful building you have here."
Okay, that was lame. I suck at small talk. Like, really suck. Maybe I shouldn't have spent the last eight years hiding from all social interaction. IT geeks shouldn't have to interview like normal people. They should just have to take a test or hack something. But, presumably, SeCure already knows about my code-cracking abilities, or so the headhunter said. I nearly choked on my coffee when she called me up out of the blue. I thought it was a prank by one of my old online compatriots-the Clean Clan. But, no, it was legit.
Besides, the chances of anyone from my old life finding me now are nil. At least, I hope so.
Stu leads me to the elevator bank and hits the up arrow. The doors of one elevator swing open to reveal a man in an elegant suit, his head bent over his phone. Tall and broad-shouldered, he takes up more than his fair share of the elevator. Without looking up, he moves to the side to make room for us.
Stu lets me step on first, and I push down panic. It's a small elevator, but not too small. I can handle it. If I get the job, I'll find out where the stairwells are.
I focus on the bright buttons and hope it's a fast ride.
Before my escort can board, someone calls his name.
"One sec," Stu says as a young woman bustles over, followed by two other people. "Stu, the Galileo server shut down this morning..."
Great. Just what I need-extra time in an elevator. I swallow, ignoring the prickling on my skin. A panic attack will not make a good impression.
Stu takes his foot out of the door as the young woman opens her laptop to show him something.
The door snicks closed, and the elevator ascends. Just like that, I've lost my escort. So much for tight security.
I punch the number six button. I know where I'm going. The sooner I'm off this tiny box of death, the better.
We're halfway up when the lights flicker. Once, twice, then off.
"What the..." I trail off to focus on breathing. I have about a ten second window before full on freak out.
The suit next to me mutters something. The light from his phone casts an eerie blue light on the walls.
The elevator car grinds to a stop.
Oh no. Here it comes. My heart slams in my chest; my lungs grab for breath.
Stop, I tell my panic. It's nothing. The elevator will start up again in a second. You're not stuck here.
A Reverse Harem (MFMM) Alien Romance The Zandians have taken back their planet. Now they need brides. All human females have been assigned to mates. Yes, mates, multiple. I've been given to three handsome males--cousins. Huge, purple and horned, they act like they want to eat me for breakfast. After what I've been through with previous slave masters, I don't know how I'll survive this. But I have to. It's adapt or be sent off-planet, which would mean my death, considering I'm wanted for murder. My mates cannot find out I'm not able to reproduce. I need to keep my secret, figure out a way to survive, stay focused. But when the Zandian warriors claim me, they make me forget my past and scream with pleasure. I can't let myself fall for them. If they learn my secret, I'll lose more than my life. I'll lose my heart.
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
"Is it considered betrayal to develop feelings for your best friend's boyfriend? What about when fate intervenes, and he turns out to be your destined mate? You might think it's luck and thank the moon goddess for such a twist of fate. That's what I believed until the love of my life uttered those dreaded words: 'I want a divorce!' As I stared at the pregnancy test in my hands, I realized it was better to keep my secret to myself. My name is Violet, and this is my story."
The day Raina gave birth should have been the happiest of her life. Instead, it became her worst nightmare. Moments after delivering their twins, Alexander shattered her heart-divorcing her and forcing her to sign away custody of their son, Liam. With nothing but betrayal and heartbreak to her name, Raina disappeared, raising their daughter, Ava, on her own.Years later, fate comes knocking when Liam falls gravely ill. Desperate to save his son, Alexander is forced to seek out the one person he once cast aside. Alexander finds himself face to face with the woman he underestimated, pleading for a second chance-not just for himself, but for their son. But Raina is no longer the same broken woman who once loved him.No longer the woman he left behind. She has carved out a new life-one built on strength, wealth, and a long-buried legacy she expected to uncover.Raina has spent years learning to live without him.The question is... Will she risk reopening old wounds to save the son she never got to love? or has Alexander lost her forever?
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."
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."