Norah Reed, the headstrong and resilient daughter of the family, discovers herself entangled in a mesmerising and dangerous world when she becomes the target of a fateful werewolf bite. As she grapples with her newfound identity, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to Liam Prescott, a charismatic and enigmatic figure who conceals a captivating secret of his own.
Dear diary:25 August
It has been three long, agonizing months since my father's passing, and now my mother has made the decision to uproot our lives and move to a completely new place. The thought of leaving my father's memories behind breaks my heart. I pleaded with my mother, desperately trying to convince her not to sell our house, but my efforts were in vain. Ryan, my dear friend, is furious at the idea of me leaving her behind as well. I can't believe I'm abandoning my own best friend in this tumultuous time.
Yet, deep down, I hope that this new beginning will bring a sense of joy back into our shattered family. In just one week, we will bid farewell to this familiar place that holds so many cherished memories. Oh, how I will miss it. And I miss you, Dad, more than words can express.
As I continue packing, my mother intrudes into my sanctuary, opening the door to my bedroom.
"Norah, are you finished packing?" she asks, concern etched in her voice.
"Almost," I reply curtly. The anger I harbor towards my mother for making this decision without consulting me still burns within. My father would never have suggested such a drastic change. She knows very well that I am still furious with her.
"Hey, baby, I'm sorry, but we need to move on. Your father would have wanted that," she says, her voice filled with sorrow.
"Yes, but he wouldn't have wanted us to move to an entirely new town!"
"Don't you dare raise your voice at me, young lady! We will be fine, remember that we are a family."
"Well, we were a family before you decided to uproot us. You didn't even give us a chance to share our opinions."
"I'm doing this for all of us. You'll understand one day, trust me," she says, her words hanging in the air before she exits my room.
My mother and I have been at odds for weeks now, a stark contrast to the closeness we once shared before my father's passing.
Once I finish packing, I make my way to Ryan's house, our childhood sanctuary located just opposite ours. Ryan and I have been inseparable since kindergarten, dreaming of attending UCLA together, forging an unbreakable bond.
"Hey, Lilian," I greet Ryan's mother as she opens the door. "Is Ryan home?"
"Hey, Norah. Oh, she's upstairs. How's your mother holding up?"
"She's pretending to be fine, but deep down, we both know she's not."
"Oh my goodness, I'll check in on her later today," Lilian promises. She has been my mother's dear friend since Ryan and I were little, and her concern for us runs deep.
I ascend the stairs to Ryan's bedroom, bursting through the door. "Hey, stranger," I exclaim, flinging myself onto her bed while she remains engrossed in her computer.
"Ow, you're hurting me!" Ryan playfully protests.
"Apologies. What are you up to?" I inquire.
"I'm researching SML College, the one Jason wants to attend."
"What? Why?" I ask, baffled by this sudden change of plans.
"He doesn't want to join us at UCLA, so I'm exploring other options in case I don't get accepted there."
"That's absurd! They'll definitely accept you. You're an A student. 'In case they don't accept you'-come on! Let's get off that computer and go have some fun."
"Alright, fine. Let's head to Oman's," she suggests, referring to the diner we frequent. "I'll call Jason and the gang."
"Sounds good. Now get up. I'll be the driver," I declare as I rise from her bed.
[20 minutes later]
"So, Norah, you'll be leaving us in a week?" Jason remarks.
"Yeah," I reply, a hint of sadness permeating my voice.
"We're going to miss you, girl," one of Jason's friends chimes in with a cheeky grin, adding, "and that amazing ass of yours." Laughter and playful banter fill the room. It seems my slightly curvier figure and hourglass shape have become a source of amusement for some at school. In truth, I inherited this physique from my mother, who also possesses a similar figure.
"Well, you better cherish it now because you won't be seeing it anymore once I'm gone," I retort, a smirk playing on my lips. The room erupts in playful 'oohs' and 'ahs,' effectively silencing the joker.
Jason and Ryan have been together since eighth grade, with Jason now leading the basketball team as its captain. As for me, I've never been in a relationship. I've harbored crushes along the way, but true romance has eluded me thus far.
"We'll miss you, Norah," Jason says, his voice filled with sincerity. He has always been my secret crush, a fact I have carefully guarded, even from my closest friend. Jason is an idol at school, adored by everyone.
After our gathering at Jason's house, where we enjoyed snacks and indulged in casual conversations, I couldn't help but notice the opulence surrounding his family's extravagant mansion. Jason may have it all, but he remains a solitary soul, being an only child. It's the reason he constantly invites friends over, craving the companionship he so often lacks.
_________________________________
Chapter concluded.
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
"Love is blind!" Lucinda abandoned her beautiful and comfortable life because of a man. She married him and slaved off for him for three long years. One day, the scales finally fell off her eyes. She realized that all her efforts were in vain. Her husband, Nathaniel still treated her like shit. All he cared about was his lover. "Enough is enough! I quit wasting my years with an ungrateful man!" Lucinda's heart was shattered into many pieces, but she summoned up the courage to ask for a divorce. The news caused a stir online! A filthy rich young woman recently got divorced? She was a good catch! Countless CEOs and handsome young men immediately swarmed to her like bees to honey! Nathaniel couldn't take it anymore. He held a press conference and begged with teary eyes, "I love you, Lucinda. I can't live without you. Please come back to me." Would Lucinda give him a second chance? Read to find out!
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”
"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?"
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”