"Who are you? You don't even know me. Why are you helping me?" I asked, and he just went back to his straight, expressionless face. "I'm D..... You are?" he asked, and suddenly, I felt a chill run down my spine. It must be because he looked like a cold-hearted person; maybe the chills were coming from him. Or maybe because I couldn't even get past the first letter of his name. Why won't I remember his name? What happened to me? What did my brother do? Why won't I remember the name of my mate?! Mated to the Beta of her pack, Diana struggles with sleepless nights as a Stranger visits her dreams every night showing her proofs that her life in the pack might be a lie and her mate may not be her true mate.
Chapter 1
Rage blazed in her eyes like a furious river as she stared at them. Her anger knew no bounds as she inhaled the air, tainted with the horrid stench of betrayal. Their eyes held no remorse for their treachery; they gazed at her with mocking glares that felt as though they could peel the skin from her body with scorching lava.
Her wolf growled fiercely, her pure white eyes gleaming brighter in the darkness. She dared them to come closer, knowing they wouldn't, for they understood the consequences. Diana, though soft and gentle, wouldn't hesitate to tear anyone apart, especially when they threatened her mate.
"Don't," he whispered softly into her ears the moment she felt her first bone break. She was about to shift, but he halted her, holding her firmly and embracing her from behind to soothe her frayed nerves and anger.
Armed with wooden stakes, they stood ready to eliminate the one chosen by the Moon Goddess to be her soulmate. Hundreds of them, trapped in their fears, hesitated, for they dreaded her wrath and the consequences. She would annihilate them, tearing them apart limb by limb, as her crazed expression suggested. They would pay for daring to use her to lure him into their trap. She would ensure they all tasted her unrelenting fury, but he restrained her with his melodic voice, though it no longer had the same effect on her.
They had lured him to the plains using her as bait so they could kill him without her knowledge, but she would die before they succeeded.
"Don't tell me you want to fight us because of him?" Her brother, a word she now despised, spoke through the mind link with equal disgust in his tone, especially in his last words.
"This vile creature?" He yelled, further fueling her rage as the tension thickened, suffocating the pack warriors who were already fearful. He feared her and her wolf's capabilities but loathed the man standing behind her enough to betray his own sister and sacrifice her happiness to rid the world of him.
"My, my, dear brother. How about I show you what happens to traitors?" She proudly flaunted her ability to converse with others in her wolf form.
"You may be powerful, but I am still your Alpha," he shouted, glaring at his pack members who were already terrified by the unfolding situation. This situation was not part of their plan; she was not supposed to be there. However, they had underestimated her abilities, and now they faced a powerful Vampire king who would tear them apart if they harmed a hair on her head, and she would do the same for him.
He watched in silence, not because he was weak or lacked power, but because his little one's rage had no bounds. If he didn't stop her before it was too late, she would annihilate the entire werewolf race that night.
He observed as she drew a line in the dirt with her paw, daring the entire enemy battalion to take a step forward and face the consequences.
"Attack!" The Alpha commanded, and a rain of silver arrows descended upon them. With their extraordinary speed, they evaded each arrow unscathed, even sharing a brief kiss while dodging the projectiles.
The wolf army charged at them with great force, but it felt like child's play to both of them as they fought side by side, slashing through their foes. Diana fought fiercely in her wolf form, killing with a single swipe of her claws or a bite to the jugular before moving on to the next victim. She pleaded with him through her eyes to find a way to escape, but he wouldn't leave her side.
"Darryl, please, I will take care of them. Just go," she mind-linked him, but he remained resolute on the battlefield.
"They have stakes, my love. I beg of you, just go."
"I won't leave this plain without you," he replied as he dispatched a rogue wolf with his claws.
The Alpha seethed as his sister continued to slay his pack members alongside her mate. He shifted immediately, and the wolves parted, allowing him to rush to the front, ready to face her alone.
"Finally! I was starting to think you'd keep being a coward," she said, even in her wolf form, as she lunged at him. He evaded her using his smaller wolf form to his advantage.
"I am never a coward!" he barked through the mind link. He attempted to claw her abdomen, but she was quicker. He knew his attacks would be futile against her, which was why he had another plan in case she thwarted their scheme to assassinate the vampire king.
"Well, you started acting like one when you brought an entire army against one man," she said, catching his forelimb with her teeth and biting down hard before tossing him away. He howled in pain, fearing she might release her toxic venom through her bite. Other wolves shifted back, hoping to retreat to the pack house with their heads intact.
"How about we invite the vampires too? At least that would bring some balance to the battlefield," she roared, seizing him again, but he rolled away before she could land on him. He rose to his feet, limping on his injured limb as they circled each other. He struck first, but she evaded his attack, swatting him away as if he were a mere fly.
"So disrespectful," Darryl smirked, baring his sharp fangs.
She crouched low, preparing to pounce, but the cunning Alpha shifted and grabbed a silver spear, stabbing her in the abdomen the moment she landed on him. She howled in agony as the silver seared her from within, but it was the sadistic gleam in her brother's eyes that pained her the most. She shifted back and removed the weapon from her body, but the silver had taken its toll. Despite her silver immunity, her body couldn't withstand such concentrated silver. A normal werewolf would have perished instantly, but she managed to slice her brother's eyes with her partially shifted claws.
Darryl was instantly at her side, cradling her as she slumped to the ground. He hadn't expected that, and he felt as though his heart had been torn from his chest, though he didn't possess one. He carried her, disregarding the Alpha's cries of agony as a result of the poison-laden claws.
Some brave wolves attempted to corner them, but he dispatched them while holding his wounded mate, fighting through the sea of wolves to reach safety. Some were successful in stabbing him with stakes but never came close to his heart. Hell! He would choose a stake to his heart that seeing his mate wounded severely. With his heightened speed, he departed the plains, leaving a trail of both lifeless bodies and living ones in search of them.
"Diana! Please, look at me!" he implored as he gently laid her on the bark of a tree upon entering the woods.
"You didn't call me 'little one,'" she smiled weakly, her strength fading. His cheeks flushed with red as tears stained his face.
"Little one," he said, kissing her forehead.
"Go. Leave me alone. It's just silver; I'll survive. Decanal won't recognize you once the silver reacts with the sealed poison in my body," she murmured, her skin growing paler as she touched his face with her cold hands. Her poison was taking over, ready to release the one she had sealed to prevent harm or bloodlust. Once unleashed, the legendary black Wolf would awaken and show no mercy.
"No. I will find a witch; we'll seal the poison again, and Decanal will never take control," he whispered, feeling her body weaken in his arms.
"It's too late, my love. I'll live. Just go; they know what to do," she cried, summoning her remaining strength to kiss him.
"No, little one," he said after the kiss, but she pushed him away.
"Promise you'll visit my dreams?" she asked, and he shook his head in refusal. Both of them tensed as they sensed the wolves entering the forest, closing in on them.
" Let me seal the malevolent part of decanal again. I can..." she cut him off. " And lose half of your lifespan again? No" She said.
"Go, Darryl. We'll meet again," she said for the last time, kissing him before using her last strength to blast him away from her. He landed on a tree forcefully far away from where she was or where the werewolves could find him, his shoulder caught on one of the branch painfully as he watch that man, Howard carry his unconscious mate away from his sight.
He removed his arm from the tree branch with a painful before he sped out of the forest in the opposite direction. He felt the mate bond weakening as he fought back the urge to scream. His mate would survive!
“ I don't see the reason why you won't sign the fucking divorce papers!” He said after taking a deep breath, he placed the papers on the table. She only shrugged her shoulders in response. His mind was everything but stable. “ Oh I will” She said with a cheeky smile and he sighed in relief. “ Really?” His eyes lit up. “ One one condition” She raised a finger at him with a shit eating grin. “ I'll do anything to go back to being a bachelor” He said almost desperately. “ Sleep with me” Marriage has always being a bad news to the number one playboy billionaire, Daniel Smith He hated the idea of commitment, what will happen when his father signs a deal to get a bride for him? A crazy one at that.
"Why do you think this ugly woman is my queen, Annalise?" he blurted out, his tone indifferent. Instantly, a pang of regret coursed through him, but he refused to retract his words. His petty side took over, and he couldn't bring himself to admit how her beauty enchanted him. Marilyn remained silent, her hazel eyes revealing the hurt he had inflicted. "No! Natalí would never choose such an unworthy queen for me. She looks so old," he scoffed, casting Marilyn another disgusted look. Only the goddess chooses the true queen, and only chosen can wield the power of her tears. But an Oath to the goddess must be fulfilled no matter what. After being in a loveless and a childless marriage for eight years, Marilyn suddenly found out that her husband wasn't her true husband and she must marry the King of Nayak if she wants a child of her own. Will she follow her path as the goddess chosen? Or will she stay in an abusive marriage and continue to endure insult because she is barren?
“ What do you want us to be? Sophie your friends pointed it out clearly that I'm obviously too old for you” He ran his hand through his hair. Frustrated, he took a deep breath so he won't scare the only piece of sanity in his life. “ But do you want to be more than my sugar daddy?” she asked again. After being thrown to debt by her father, Sophie was forced to look for a way out for herself which lead her to finding a sugar daddy. But what do you think will happen when an inexperienced virgin cross paths with a recently divorced billionaire in her city?
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
Elodie took a deep breath and knocked, the sound echoing in the quiet corridor. A moment of silence passed, broken only by the pounding of her heart. Finally, the door snicked open, revealing a surprised Dashiell. 'Can't you see the Do Not Disturb sign? We don't want-' His initial frown quickly morphed into confusion at the sight of his wife. 'What are you doing here?' he demanded. 'Your girlfriend invited me,' Elodie replied, her voice laced with icy calm. She tried to peer past him, but his broad frame blocked the view. A saccharine voice chimed in from within the room. 'Elodie? Oh dear, we didn't mean for you to find out this way. It's just that-' Elodie cut her short. 'Oh please, Selene. Spare me the fake apologies. You wouldn't have sent me all those texts if you didn't want me to know.' Dashiell shifted uncomfortably, his face a mask of annoyance. 'What texts?' Elodie stepped past him, taking in the luxurious suite with a sardonic smile. The king-sized bed, the scattered rose petals, the lingering scent of sex – it all painted a vivid picture of their betrayal. She looked up at Dashiell, her gaze unwavering. 'I want a divorce.' ****** Dashiell lived a life of luxury, surrounded by the best things money could buy. But when a car accident left him vulnerable, he met Elodie, a seemingly ordinary woman who nursed him back to health. Mistaking her for just another employee, Dashiell entered into a loveless marriage with her solely for convenience. However, fate had a different script in store. Elodie, the 'ordinary nurse,' held a secret more precious than any diamond: she was the sole heiress to Northstar, a vast and powerful enterprise. Unaware of her true identity, Dashiell cast her aside when his ex-girlfriend returned, leaving Elodie humiliated. But Elodie was not one to be easily broken. She shed the facade of the meek nurse, reclaiming her rightful inheritance and stepping into the role of Northstar's CEO. Now, the woman Dashiell discarded was the one holding the reins of power. As Elodie thrives in her new role, Dashiell is consumed by regret. He finally sees Elodie for the extraordinary woman she truly is, realising the depth of his mistake. But will his remorse be enough to win back the heart he so carelessly discarded?
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."
Kaelyn devoted three years tending to her husband after a terrible accident. But once he was fully recovered, he cast her aside and brought his first love back from abroad. Devastated, Kaelyn decided on a divorce as people mocked her for being discarded. She went on to reinvent herself, becoming a highly sought-after doctor, a champion racer, and an internationally renowned architectural designer. Even then, the traitors sneered in disdain, believing Kaelyn would never find someone. But then the ex-husband’s uncle, a powerful warlord, returned with his army to ask for Kaelyn’s hand in marriage.
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."
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"