"After what you did, I'd like you to know that I can't stand you, but this marriage cuts across our hateful feelings for each other. It's something you will never understand." His eyes turned dark and vengeful immediately, causing me to take a step back. "This is my life, Dexter. You won't ruin it for me with your so-called marriage contract." I protested. He shook his head, and immediately the vengeful glints I saw were replaced with an unreadable expression. "If you don't marry me, then your life will be completely ruined, dear Lorraine. And don't forget that you have a lot of enemies, especially your step father. ************** Fate brings two former high school enemies back together in an unreasonable situation and for some reasons, Lorraine has to marry Dexter, the man she despises. But when she signs the contract, she discovers that there are several secrets that are hidden from her and it becomes worse when her husband isn't who she thinks him to be. Amidst the trials and challenges, they'll find themselves falling for each other again even though reality keeps reminding them why they shouldn't. Will their love conquer all? Will Lorraine be able to forgive Dexter despite knowing his hideous past? Will she be able to survive all the deadly arrows thrown at her by her stepfather?
Chapter 1
Lorraine
"No! it can't be true," I tried to ignore the words I heard from the anonymous caller as I stormed towards the church.
Dressed in my silky black nightgown, with my hair packed in a messy bun, I didn't look like I belonged here and it could be seen by how people kept glancing at me. I was just woken from sleep with words I never expected to hear--not in a million years though.
We are in love for Christ's sake! Or were.
I blinked for the fifth time wondering if my eyes were deceiving me because there was no way Eden could have used the same venue we booked for our wedding..
"Now it's time to exchange the rings..." The priest announced and I gulped. He was the same priest I had booked!
"What is going on here?" I thundered as I advanced towards Iris and Eden who stood facing each other with bright smiles on their faces in front of everyone, my presence interrupting their happy moment.
Surprise and shock were evident in their expressions as I was probably the last person they expected to see in their wedding, at least not when they were about to exchange the rings and become a couple.
"I-I can explain, Lorraine." Iris pleaded, stuttering and palming her hands while loud whispers went round in the congregation.
I stared at the two people who meant everything to me with my eyes turning misty, but I willed myself not to cry or give them the satisfaction that they had broken me.
My lips curled in a smirk as I flashed a deep glare at her. "Now you stutter, but you didn't while you were declaring your vows without shame. What the hell did I do wrong to deserve this, Eden? I thought you loved me. We were supposed to get married next week....." My voice didn't come out sounding as confident as I wanted it to, but it didn't matter anymore.
I needed clarity.
Eden's expression switched from apologetic to stoic and nonchalant within a fleeting second.
"What makes you think that I can get married to a woman like you? You are timid and lack foresight. I do every single thing for you and with the baggage of your step father, I don't think I'll be able to deal with that in marriage." He spurted out.
The tears I'd been trying to keep in finally rolled down my eyes, but I wiped them off without hesitating, seeing that I was only making a fool of myself.
My stepfather was one of the reasons I turned out the way I did. After my mother died while I was nine years old, he treated me well for sometime but the moment I turned thirteen he began to make strange advances towards me.
I ignored it all, and stayed in school later than usual just to avoid him but when I returned home he'd hit me and tell me never to return late from school.
"After everything I've done for you, Iris, you saw no one else to be with but my fiancé?" I yelled at her, clenching my fist to punch the annoying expression off her face but she snorted then cocked her head to the side.
"It's not my fault that you were stupid and dumb and allowed him to do whatever he wanted with you. He never loved you from the onset, it was just some deep sympathy he felt for you because no one wanted to date a timid and needy girl like you. To him, you are the case of a lost puppy found under the rain, so leave here before we call the security to throw you out." She snarled, hissing like she couldn't stand my presence anymore.
My lips parted and I didn't bother to shut it. Here I was thinking that I'd gotten a family, but they just showed me that it was all an illusion. I inclined my head and touched my stomach, I couldn't even tell him that I was pregnant.
"You don't need to go that far, but I want you to remember that a stolen property never lasts. It will be taken from you the same way you took it."
Her face turned pale at my words but I'd said everything that needed to be said. As I walked through the aisle with my shoulders hanging loosely and my face lowered, the sad memories of my life began to replay in my head. I made sure not to look sideways or the sight of the guests flashing pitiful looks at me would make me cry harder.
Now I was pregnant and alone; no boyfriend or even a best friend. I hadn't seen my stepfather in a few years as he was my worst nightmare, but now that I was left with no house or property to myself there was only one choice left but to run away.
On my way out of the church, I sighted someone who looked just like my stepfather. I darted my eyes away from the man chewing his burger and taking a sip from the bottle of water on the wooden chair he sat on and looked around.
'It can't be him.' I muttered under my breath and trudged away from the church.
I scrolled through my phone and dialed the number of the person who had called anonymously to inform me about the wedding but it was unreachable. Goosebumps rose on my skin as I felt someone following me.
I turned around sharply, the action causing a wave of dizziness to hit me hard but I shook it off and searched for who might be following me and I found no one.
Unnerved by the eerie feeling, I increased my pace and began a sprint. Footsteps sounded behind me but I didn't bother looking back again as it was confirmed that I was being followed. The dizziness continued but I kept running till I got to the main road.
I glanced at the traffic lights which signified that it wasn't time for me to cross yet, but seeing that I had a stalker, I threw caution to the wind and ran across the road.
Cars honked their horns, the drivers throwing snide remarks at me but I kept running, gasping for breath at the same time. I paused my race then summoned the courage to check if I was still being followed but that was the worst mistake I'd ever made, as a black jeep which was coming with uncontrollable speed collided into me.
The force of the hit sent me flying in the air, and when my head connected to the ground, everything turned pitch black.
One casual visit to her father's study; an unplanned collision with the malevolent Russian Bratva mafia boss plunged her life into a downward spiral. Forced to marry him for an alliance that bordered on keeping her family's business stronger, she had no choice but to accept her fate after an unsuccessful attempt at absconding right before the wedding. But with each new discovery about him, she realized that the masked husband she despised so much had several layers that tugged at her heartstrings, giving her no choice but to fall deeply for him. However, what happens when the dreary and dark secrets from his past resurfaces and threatens to disrupt not just their blooming relationship and his position as Capo, but their existence as well?
"Tell me, how much do you want me?" "I... I don't know, Prince Gradel." I couldn't think straight, my body ached and my soul sang with an overwhelming need for one thing. His touch. ***** Iris Damine had the whole universe conspiring against her. From being a wolfless omega, to being framed for theft and eventually being sentenced for taking the Prince's heirloom, she had sins stacked against her like a pack of cards. Gradel, prodigal prince of Grey Rock pack and son of Alpha Cronus, has zero interests in anything that concerns the pack. But with his father's health declining and the pack on the verge of collapse, he's charged with new responsibilities. And only the wolfless omega he despises can help him. What happens when their forced union threatens to unravel the other feelings they struggle to hide? Would the moon goddess step in and save them from themselves or would the end of this forbidden romance be filled with heartache and sadness?
Returning from work to discover that her parents were murdered by a dead Capo, Aurora seeks answers from her uncle. He tells her the truth and that strengthens her resolve to get revenge from the children of her parent's murderers. Finally she gets to the Capo's house to get Vendetta from his children, especially Matteo the first son and Capo of the Outfit. But is it possible when she realizes that the man she wants to kill might be the only man she could ever love?
Compelled by her dad's dilemma and the looming fate of their business, Irene agreed to become Braydon's lover. To outsiders, Braydon seemed invulnerable, yet only Irene was privy to the tempestuous passions he unleashed behind closed doors. Gradually, Irene found herself tangled in the intricate emotional snare Braydon had woven, her heart craving more, only to be shattered by the revelation of his engagement. Devastated, she left and soon encountered Braydon's archrival. It was then that the formidable Braydon confronted the esteemed surgeon Dr. Mitchell, all in a fierce struggle over Irene.
Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he never gave a damn about rules and laws, as he only liked to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and lan begged her not to leave him?
"It was just one night stand, and now I'm pregnant with triplets? Gosh!" Josephine Jade never thought that she would have to run away from her own family while pregnant. She was alone, without money, without connections, with three fetuses in her stomach. How can she survive? However, Josephine couldn't give up now, until she managed to reclaim her arbitrarily seized property and get back at everyone who tried to get rid of her. A sick child, a past crush that comes back, a mysterious eccentric man, and a family that hates her, will weave together the journey of Josephine Jade's new life. "You have no right to separate me from my children, you bastard! I will survive and you will submit to me. Just watch!"
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."
The day Lilah found out that she was pregnant, she caught her fiancé cheating on her. Her remorseless fiancé and his mistress almost killed her. Lilah fled for her dear life. When she returned to her hometown five years later, she happened to save a little boy's life. The boy's father turned out to be the world's richest man. Everything changed for Lilah from that moment. The man didn't let her experience any inconvenience. When her ex-fiancé bullied her, he crushed the scumbag's family and also rented out an entire island just to give Lilah a break from all the drama. He also taught Lilah's hateful father a lesson. He crushed all her enemies before she even asked. When Lilah's vile sister threw herself at him, he showed her a marriage certificate and said, "I'm happily married and my wife is much more beautiful than you are!" Lilah was shocked. "When did we ever get married? Last I checked, I was still single." With a wicked smile, he said, "Honey, we've been married for five years. Isn't it about time we had another child together?" Lilah's jaw dropped to the floor. What the hell was he talking about?
"You're the moon wolf, Lola. You're the wolf with the power of the Moon goddess", Serena said and collective gasps were heard in the room. After being rejected by her mate in Moonlit pack, Lola escaped on a full moon only to enter the territory of the next Alpha King who also happened to be her second chance mate. Adrian is the next Alpha King but he hasn't been able to assume his role because he needed a Luna by his side. A rogue that trespassed on his territory, whom he ordered be killed turned out to be his mate leaving him in a dilemma. Will Adrian reject Lola because she came into his territory as a rogue? Will he overcome what happened to him in the past and give Lola a chance or reject her and go ahead with Fay as his chosen Luna? What will happen when everyone finds out just how much power Lola wields and how she's supposed to protect her kind in an oncoming war? Find out in Lola - The Moon Wolf!