She is running for her life from her abusive brother when she finally finds a house deep in the woods. Without thinking, she opens the door to see more than 20 men watching a football game. They turn to look at her, amused and alarmed. "Please help." Stella is an 18-year-old teenager who was abused for about eight years by her brother. He would hit her whenever he felt like it. She was lucky if he was in a good mood because he would only punch her in the stomach. He claims to have a reason for his abuse. Julian Woods is the soon-to-be alpha of the Graymod pack. He's 20 years old and has been looking for his mate for about two years now. What will he do when he sees his abused mate in his house?
Stella
(Edited once)
I woke up to my brother's annoying, yelling voice, as per usual. Sadly and conveniently, I got accustomed to his screams. However, I would never ever get used to the abuse.
It physically and mentally hurt just thinking about his punches to my back last night. At one point during his rampage, he got tired from using his fists and decided to switch to the whip. I just bit my lip until he was done.
I did not do anything to upset him yesterday.
I rubbed my eyes and stretched my aching and bruised body. I was too exhausted since I did not get enough sleep last night. I never do.
I got out of my small bed, which was basically an old dirty mattress, and walked to the cramped bathroom at the end of the hall. When I finished my very quick shower, I wore a casual black shirt that matched my hair, my old blue jeans, and my worn-out boots.
I took a deep breath after returning to my room and was ready for the last day of high school. I was mentally unprepared to end this stage of my life mainly because school was a shelter from Raymond.
I got out of my room, and I walked towards the stairs as quietly as possible. I did not want to see Raymond first thing in the morning, yet I knew it was useless to try and do so. It was an inevitable thing.
I was eighteen, and by law, I could leave the house. The only obstacle was Raymond. His grip on me was too tight to free myself from it. The same grip that almost choked me to death multiple times, and I was terrified.
I did try to run away on my eighteenth birthday, but Raymond predicted my escape plan and locked me in the attic for a week without water or food. I did not know how I survived for that long, yet I remember praying to die. I wanted to meet my parents again and be at ease, living a tranquil life.
On multiple occasions, I wanted to die and never see my abuser ever again, though I never thought of committing suicide. I would not end my life with my own hands. I would rather be killed or die naturally than disappoint my parents. I was holding on, but I did not know for how long.
Life isn't fair sometimes.
I looked at the bottom of the stairs and saw Raymond waiting for me with a frown on his always constipated face. I hated him. I hoped for the minimum punishment today, or at least this morning, because I wanted to attend my last day of school with a decent appearance.
"Where do you think you're going?" he asked coldly, which made me wonder if he knew how to smile. I did not remember the last time I saw his happy face. His fierce green eyes were filled with hostility toward me, and my gray ones were filled with fear and dread.
"School," I replied in a muffled tone while maintaining eye contact. He hated it when I averted my gaze from his, and I learned that the very hard way. I earned another scar on my back from that day.
He scoffed. "You will come home as fast as you can when school is over. I will have guests in the evening, so I want you to make a good dinner, understand?" he demanded, and I paled. Guests...
"Yes, brother," I answered instantly, and he returned to his room. It could have been worse, he did not lay a hand on me, and I did not want to jinx my luck. I ran from the house like my feet were on fire in case he decided to change his mind.
I saw my old bike parked near the side road, and I finally smiled, taking in the fresh air. It was a peaceful morning, and it had been years since I felt this refreshed. The chilly weather was perfect for me since my body was always warm. I loved this feeling, the cold breeze was like drinking a cold cup of water in summer.
I glanced at the children escorted by their loving parents to their school and sighed. I missed being this small, where my parents were still alive. They were the sun that guided me around. However, an unexpected plane crash extinguished the light from my life.
I had Raymond by my side at first. He took good care of me, considering he was only sixteen with no relatives to help, and I was only eight. Money was never a problem because our parents saved money for us in case of an emergency. He took custody of me after a social worker, who constantly visited us, saw that he was fit for the job.
He loved me and showed me how a good older brother should be until he flipped. Everything turned upside down one day, and I did not know why he became abusive and cruel. I got loathed without an explanation.
"Stella, stop!" I was knocked out of my thoughts by someone's voice. I focused back on the road and saw that I was about to crash into my school entrance. I swiftly slammed my hand on the brakes and completely stopped the bike with my legs' aid. I was about to bump into my teacher because of my stupidity.
"Are you okay? I'm so sorry, Ms. Rodriguez, I wasn't paying attention, I'm sorr-" she cut off my babbling with a small tap on my arm.
"Stella, I am okay, you didn't hit me. Are you okay, though?"
I smiled." Yes, and good morning."
"Good morning, dear. Ready for the last day?" she asked with a grin, and I chuckled. She was reasonably in desperate need of a vacation.
"No, I don't want to finish high school. It's my second home." I genuinely admitted. If I were more precise, it was my first home because I did not view the house that Raymond and I lived in as a home. I could not say this out loud.
No one knew what happened behind closed curtains, and I wanted to keep it that way. No one knew, not even my best friend, because I did not want to be a burden and drag them into my dark world.
I looked around and saw Skye walking toward me with a smile. "Hey, Stella, excited?" she asked, her wide black eyes were dancing with excitement, and her brown hair was bouncing up and down since she was jumping. I adored her enthusiasm and wished to be this carefree one day.
"Good morning, Skye," I greeted her with a hug, then headed to class. I was welcomed by other students and teachers as we walked through the hallways. I was not the popular student with an extraordinary look or excellent grades. I considered myself good-looking, with good grades.
I was merely known for being a good athlete or for winning the gold medal in sprinting and swimming in my first year of high school. I loved sports, it was the only activity I could practice without Raymond disapproving because it was within the school borders, and he did not see.
As soon as we entered the last music class, Joana, as our teacher liked to be called, cleared his throat. "Good morning, fellas, please take your seat. We have some talking to do."
"Are we in trouble?" Thomas, the class clown, asked. We laughed, and Jaona chuckled at the spontaneous response.
"No, you are not. Unless there's something I should know about!" Joana remarked, and Thomas shook his head. "Okay then, let's get to the point. Since it's your last day here, I want every one of you, ladies and gentlemen, to discuss your thoughts about your future," he announced, and most students groaned. It was a challenge to talk about ourselves, but I was excited to share my feelings with them since I rarely speak in class, and I want someone to listen. I was never given the opportunity with Raymond.
As students took turns to talk, my mind drifted back to Raymond's words. He would be having guests, and I needed to think of a very good meal to make. I did not want to disrespect them, as he put it, with 'burnt' food.
I once received a beating that got me to lose consciousness for hours because the food was slightly overheated. He broke some of my rips and my index finger. I had bruises on my stomach, which lasted for more than a month. I was a mess, and yet he refused to take me to the hospital, saying that I would expose him. I could not dare do such a thing. He would hurt me even more.
"Stella... Stella!" Skye called as she touched my shoulder, where I got a punch from Raymond the other day. I almost winced but endured the pain and looked at her.
"Yes?"
"You're up," she pointed at Joana. I looked at him and saw that he was waiting for me to stand up and talk. On second thought, talking was not that fun.
"Oh... thanks."
"Stella, could you please share your thoughts or future plan with us?" he asked with a comforting smile.
I nodded, giving up. "Of course," I turned my gaze to the rest of the class and smiled. "High school was great," I began speaking, everyone was giving me their full attention, and it felt nice.
"I truly like all teachers and students, they were amazing with me, at least. Some treated me like a sister and a friend, and some like a daughter or even a granddaughter. Most of you don't love school. Heck, you even hate it!" they chuckled, and I beamed, feeling more confident. "But I am grateful for it," I said. It was my safe haven from Raymond. "Joana, you are one of my favorite teachers, and everyone knows that your classes are incredible. You would always say that to have the rainbow, we have to love the rain. Thank you because this phrase was on my mind whenever I was upset," or in physical pain. "As for my future plan, I might be a dancer or a ballerina or a teacher. I am not sure yet. The universe is baking a great plan for all of us, so have faith and keep going." I finished my short speech with tears in my eyes, remembering what I missed in life because of my brother.
I will miss feeling at home in school.
« It's you and me. Together, » he says, his voice soft yet unwavering. « Us against the world. » In that moment, I want to believe him. I want to believe that someone like him - untouchable, adored, the golden boy of our school - could really mean those words. That the universe could be kind enough to let someone like me hold on to someone like him. But life isn't a fairy tale. I know that better than anyone. Growing up, I learned to fear men. To distrust their words, their smiles, and their promises. My stepfather was my first lesson - a cruel man who used his fists and his words to break my mother and me into pieces too small to repair. I watched her endure him, and I told myself I'd never give anyone that power over me. I would never let anyone get close enough to hurt me. And then came that morning. The day Jake Spencer - star quarterback, school heartthrob, a boy who lives in a world so far from mine it might as well be another galaxy - saw me. Not just looked at me, but *saw* me. It was the day he saved me. Maybe he didn't realize what he was doing, but it didn't matter. That small act of kindness cracked something open inside me, like sunlight slipping through the shutters of a locked room. But Jake Spencer doesn't remember that day. How could he ? To him, it was nothing - a fleeting moment in a life full of glory and victories. But to me, it was everything. It was a lifeline, a flicker of hope in a world I thought would always be dark. It doesn't matter. I tell myself that every day. He's the golden boy. I'm the invisible girl. We belong in two different stories, and I'm better off blending into the background. It's safer there. For both of us. But fate has never cared about what I want. When it brings us together again, it isn't gentle. It strikes like lightning - sudden, fierce, and utterly unstoppable. He crashes into my life, turning everything I thought I knew into chaos. He tears down my walls, breaks through my defenses, and leaves me exposed in ways I never thought possible. He destroys me. And just like the first time, I'm the only one who remembers. But what I don't realize is that this time, he's breaking too.
Declan Stone was the very definition of certainty. Known for his devastating charm and his ability to make anyone fall for his smile with a single blink, he had always believed himself to be the master of the game. Emotions were for others. He preferred simple pleasures, easy conquests, and above all, no attachments. His life, perfectly controlled, ran on tracks he had laid out with precision. Until Kai Coachman entered the scene. Kai was no mere pawn to be moved. He was a storm, unpredictable and captivating, sweeping everything in his path. His voice carried a sharp humor, and his gaze-piercing, bold-seemed to see beyond the carefully constructed facades of Declan. Kai expected nothing from him, and that was what made the irresistible Declan Stone completely crazy. From their first encounter, Declan had felt something, a shiver, a faint alarm ringing that warned him. Kai was not like the others. He wasn't someone you could seduce and forget. Yet, Declan had always been clear with himself : he only played games he knew he could win. But with Kai, it wasn't a game. It was a growing obsession, a need he couldn't control. He wanted him-not for a night or a week, but for everything. Kai had awakened something within him he hadn't known existed : a burning, unshakable desire, something deep, dangerous. Kai, however, was not one to be captured. The closer Declan got, the more he seemed to slip away, leaving behind a trail of sly smiles and sharp remarks. It was frustrating, exhilarating, terrifying. But Declan Stone never gave up on what he wanted. And what he wanted was Kai Coachman.
Killian King is cold, distant, dominant, and possessive of what's his. He is the undisputed top dog at school, the one everyone fears and admires, known as the bad boy. His piercing gaze and unwavering attitude guarantee him a place at the top among his peers. But everything changes the day Finnick Green, a shy, socially awkward, and reserved boy, accidentally stumbles into his life. A simple misstep, a chance encounter, and suddenly Killian's perfect world begins to tremble. Finnick, unknowingly, causes an uproar, an unexpected chaos. The bad boy, who has never shown weakness, finds himself in a situation he can't control. Because what he feels for this uncertain boy is far more disturbing than he could have ever imagined. An alpha trembling in the face of a fragile soul... What will happen when Killian realizes he might be the most vulnerable in front of the one he considers an intruder ?
Niklaus Wade is a quiet, shy, and mute young man, carrying with him a dark and painful past that haunts him every moment, preventing him from uttering a single word. Every silence he keeps is an invisible scar, a mark of everything he has lived through and lost. His world is one of isolation and introspection, where words escape his lips and emotions hide behind a facade of calmness. On the other side is Gnashton Wade, a violent, reckless man dominated by raw instincts. His anger management issues and distorted view of life make him an uncontrollable man, an enraged alpha, often willing to do anything to satisfy his desires. His explosive temper makes those who cross his path tremble, but everything changes the day Niklaus enters his life. Gnashton cannot take his eyes off this fragile boy, this living silence that intrigues him and pushes him to cross boundaries. More than just an attraction, an obsession is born within him. He has decided that Niklaus will be his, that he will do anything to subdue him, to have him under his control. He knows the mute young man is frightened, and that fear only excites his dominant urges further. Through his violence, Gnashton believes he can transform Niklaus, make him his own and his only. But beneath this facade of authority, will Gnashton realize that love and possession can blur together? And that behind Niklaus's silence, there may be answers he never imagined?
Nathaniel lives a life marked by bad luck, a series of never-ending events. Working as a library assistant for a minimum wage, he doesn't have much reason to hope for anything better. His parents have been dead for years, and since then, he's just been getting by. No love, no wealth, not even an appearance that might catch anyone's eye. He's invisible to the world. Society leaves him in the shadows, an ordinary man with nothing remarkable. Nathaniel's daily life is a long string of monotonous days, a sequence of small disappointments and big struggles. But life, even in its cruelty, does not give him a break. No, it has other plans for him. One night, while he's on his night shift at the library, something unexpected happens. Nathaniel, sticking to his routine, slips between the dusty shelves, solitary and lost in his thoughts. But little does he know that the night will take a turn that will change his life forever. Unknowingly, he's stepped into a much more dangerous place than the quiet aisles of the library. He's crossed paths with the most feared of all mafias, a man who can break anyone with just a glance, a man whose icy eyes can make the toughest of people tremble like puppies. This mafia boss, with his crushing aura of power, has no intention of letting Nathaniel go so easily. And here's the kicker: Nathaniel starts feeling strangely drawn to this man, to this force that dominates him. The invisible boy with no future now finds himself chained to a reality he doesn't understand, and he's about to discover just how intoxicating bad luck can sometimes be.
Carrie’s pack life was going perfectly. Chosen mate to the alpha, acting luna to her pack, and in love with her fiancé, she had nothing to complain about. Until the alpha found his mate and everything Carrie loved and worked for quickly unravels before her eyes. Banished from her pack, she works to build a life as a rogue among the humans until the unexpected happens.
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
Five years ago, Alessia La Rosa's life took a drastic turn when, suffering from memory loss, she wed to Dominic Carter under her grandfather's mysterious arrangement. But their marriage was a facade, bringing her only humiliation and heartache as Dominic showed no love, and she couldn't conceive. Upon discovering Dominic's infidelity, Alessia sought liberation through divorce. Yet, fate had more in store for her. Five years later, spurred by an anonymous email hinting at her lost child's whereabouts, she returns to the city with her twin babies in tow, determined to uncover the truth. As she navigates the tangled web of her past, a surprising twist awaits. Dominic, upon meeting her again, finds himself drawn to the woman she has become, unaware of her true identity as his former wife. Little does he know, the woman he's falling for is not only his ex-wife but also a powerful Doctor and Master Hacker.
"There will be no falling in love, we will only act as a loving couple when we are in public, we will share a room to make it believable, but no intimacy, touching is off-limits. We'll only have sex once a month, and that's solely to produce an heir. You won't interfere in my business, and I won't interfere in yours. You will be my wife in every sense and you will not be involved with any other man," he said, arrogance seeping from every word. I watch his mouth move, I'm not ready to fall in love with any man, especially not one as arrogant and egoistic as him. I can handle acting as a loving couple, and as for intimacy once a month. I can agree to that just to satisfy my sexual cravings with no strings attached. "Where can I sign?" I asked since I had nothing to lose. *** Nadine's wedding dreams turned to nightmares when she caught her sister and fiancé cheating! With a secret recording, she's ready for revenge. But then mysterious billionaire Logan West offers a deal: A Contract Marriage to take down her ex's empire. But what Nadine doesn't know is her life is getting complicated as she takes her chance to get revenge or risks everything for a chance at love?"
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.
After being kicked out of her home, Harlee learned she wasn't the biological daughter of her family. Rumors had it that her impoverished biological family favored sons and planned to profit from her return. Unexpectedly, her real father was a zillionaire, catapulting her into immense wealth and making her the most cherished member of the family. While they anticipated her disgrace, Harlee secretly held design patents worth billions. Celebrated for her brilliance, she was invited to mentor in a national astronomy group, drew interest from wealthy suitors, and caught the eye of a mysterious figure, ascending to legendary status.
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!”