Kayla had looked forward to turning eighteen for as long as she had known. In the abusive hands of their Alpha King and at his mercy, she craves for freedom. What happens when she finds herself in the hands of another Alpha who steals her heart from just a look?
"No! Please, no. Leave my mother alone" I begged on my knees and wept furiously as I latched on to the man's legs.
He looked down at me and cocked a thoughtful brow that almost gave me hope. Every shred of hope I had disappeared when he turned to my crying mother, who his guards were holding and in one swift movement, snapped her neck.
Someone screamed. It took a second for me to realize it was me. I watched helplessly as she fell to the ground and ran to her side.
I shook her shoulders but she didn't open her eyes. I begged her to come back to me but nothing. I turned to look at the evil man who killed my mother but he and his guards were just laughing sinisterly. I was confused and angry and I got up on my feet and wanted to talk but I could not. My lips felt stuck together and I started to panic. What was going on? I kept trying as my breath quickened and my vision started to blur.
Just as it felt like I was going to faint, I screamed and I woke up, immediately sitting up. It was a dream. It was a dream, Kayla.
I wiped off the tears that streamed down my face and wondered if anyone heard me scream but then reminded myself that every room was sound proof including the rooms in the slave quarters.
I was in one of those rooms. It had a mattress that was so small, it was barely enough for me and without a bed frame. My body was covered in cold sweat and I pushed aside stray hair that was matted to my forehead and sighed in frustration. This happened almost every night. I always had nightmares and the sad part was that part of it was something that had actually happened.
Nine years ago, my mother was killed by the same man I saw in my dream, the same man whose palace I now lived in. Crazy, I know.
Alpha Dexter killed my mother right in front of my eyes and there was nothing I could do about it. He was an Alpha King after all. My heart ached as I remembered how he barely allowed me to touch my mother's body and had his guards drag me away, leaving her body on the cold ground in front of where I called home.
All the anger I had in me has been at bay for the past eight years after trying endlessly to escape the first year I spent here. No matter how hard I tried, he always found me. So, I eventually gave up.
The only shred of hope I had left was because he promised to let me go when I turned eighteen. He said it would be enough to pay my mother's debt. I hope for the best as I remembered I turn eighteen in a few days.
I thought of a better life out there, just waiting for me. I prayed to the moon goddess to let me out of this hell hole.
It was near dawn and I knew I needed to get ready for the day. I immediately cleaned up and changed to an old gown whose color was already fading. Almost all my clothes were like this. The rest were worse. I quickly tied the auburn mass of curls on my head into a bun and made my way to the kitchen where some other maids were already at.
I greeted them "Good morning" but as usual, I got ignored. I was the youngest one and they hated me for reasons I did not know but I dared not greet them. The last and only time I tried that, they cornered me and left bruises that lasted for days on my body. I shivered involuntarily from the memory. I got to work immediately. I started cooking and most of the others just relaxed and chatted. Although we were many, most of the work load was left for me while they had fun but I was used to it.
By the time I was done, it was thirty minutes to the time for the royal breakfast, so I was rushing. I quickly dished out the food onto plates and saucers and placed them on the trolleys the waiters would used to serve them. I sighed in relief as I managed to beat the time yet again. My arms were exhausted from kneading dough and I rolled them to provide some relief. The royal family was to have brunch today and I had to make food for the other palace workers as well. I started with the breakfast for the workers which included myself. No matter how much I cooked, they would leave little or nothing for me and I was to be the last to dish my food. I sighed as I increased the portion again today and cooked. As usual, they served themselves heaps and left nothing for me. I wished they left little for me but today's not my lucky day. My stomach growled in hunger as they ate and I noted that I needed to get started with brunch for the royal family.
I was done earlier than expected, leaving some of the food less hot. Not cold, not even warm, hot but not steaming hot. I prayed that they'd overlook this because it was too late to start again. The waiters did their jobs and by the time they were back, my heart was pounding in fear.
I almost sunk when one of them pointed at me "You"
My heart skipped a beat as I gave him my attention.
"The King summons you" he said.
I swallowed and my feet felt rooted to the spot.
One of the maids, Vera, spoke up, mockery seeping into her voice "Are you deaf? Alpha called on you. What did you do this time?" She barely contained a giggle.
I braced myself and walked out of the kitchen, making my way to the royal dining. Goosebumps erupted on my skin as I reached the grand doors. I sucked in a breath as the guards opened the doors.
I walked into the big space, my eyes zeroing in on the family seated at the table. As soon as they noticed me, I diverted my eyes to my feet and walked to where the king sat, placing myself at a safe distance from him.
"Good morning Your Majesties, Your Highnesses" I said as I curtsied with my head still bowed.
I could feel the heavy glare of the family on me.
The King, Alpha Dexter, finally spoke up "You sure have grown some balls recently, Kayla"
I almost stammered "I'm not sure what you mean, Your Majesty"
He chuckled humorlessly "Oh, I'm sure you know exactly what I mean"
My palms grew sweaty. He was most definitely referring to the food. I fell to my knees immediately "I am so sorry, Alpha. I made brunch too early and I couldn't start from scratch because I didn't want you to miss brunch. It was a mistake, it would never repeat itself. Please, forgive me"
His wife's vile laughter pierced the air "What a foolish child"
The King hummed in agreement "Well, now, I have another reason to punish you"
Another? Did I just dig my own grave? Fuck.
But then, what was the first reason?
My body trembled with fear as I heard a chair scrape backwards and Alpha Dexter walked towards me, stopping right in front of me. I dared not move an inch.
I'm so screwed.
"Now, listen to me" he commanded and I instantly looked up at him. "Rule number one, no screaming. No matter what I do to you, I must not hear a single noise. If I do, it would most definitely get worse" he said and my heart hammered in my chest. "Rule number two, when I tell you to do something, you do it, or else, I will whip you repeatedly and make sure you're on the brink of death but just enough to keep you alive." He said with a wicked grin on his face. "Rule number three, follow those two rules" he said and got up. Out of the blue, he whipped me again and I screamed. I had never felt that much pain in my entire life. "Tsk tsk, you're a slow one" he said and I held my breath as I awaited the next whip. He whipped me again and I managed to stifle a scream. "Good girl" he said and went back to sit on his bed. "Now, strip." He ordered and I shakily got up and began to pull my clothes off my body. … Kieran had a regular life until a ruthless Alpha turned it all upside down. She suffers and even gets rejected. What happens when she has a better second chance mate who is protective and the ruthless Alpha who made her life hell is butting into her life again?
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?
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.
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
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."
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
"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?"