Lily Trevor was an ordinary girl who knew how to stay out of people's way, and she had never really had any trouble, bit even when her mother married Alex Rodger's father, a millionaire who had a bank. Lily and her stepbrother hit it off quite well, being friends, even best friends, until Alex started to avoid her and she had no idea what she did. On her 18th birthday, she heard Alex growl the word "mate" and she wondered what it was, and when she did, everything was just so confusing to her human mind. Would she accept what the moon goddess had planned for her, or would she run the other direction to college and never look back?
Lily's POV
As I walked into Alex's room after knocking on the door, he suddenly grabbed me by the waist and pushed me out of his room so that I was now standing in front of it.
"I told you never to come into my room again, haven't I?" he asked me as he licked his lips. Those plump lips that I would like to lick myself...
What the hell was that? I asked myself as the thought randomly came in. Maybe it was because he looked so gorgeous, and those lips looked like a strawberry fruit.
"What the hell is your problem?" I asked as I stared at Alex, my eyes laced with tears I didn't want to drop. "You're just been an ass for no reason. I want to go with you and your friends to the lake, but you're acting like I'm a flu or something."
Alex stood there watching me, as he stood in front of his room without a T-shirt on, his chest out on display.
"You can't follow us, Lily. Just stay at home and try baking or something. You love that, right?" he asked and I grunted.
The tension in the hallway was thick enough to cut with a knife. My heart was pounding, and my confusion and hurt stirred into so many emotions I couldn't quite understand. "Why are you treating me like this, Alex? What did I ever do to you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Alex's gaze flickered, and for a moment, I thought he saw a hint of regret flash across his face. "Lily, you've done nothing wrong. It's not you, okay? It's me. It's all me," he said, his voice low and strained.
Wasn't that something that was said in the movie when a man was lying to a woman just so he could break up with her? Alex and I were siblings, well, step-siblings, so there was no way he was using that stupid line on me.
I felt a lump form in her throat. "Then why can't I come with you to the lake? I don't see why I should miss out on all the fun just because you say so!" I said, suddenly angry that he was making my throat burn with tears, tears I didn't want to shed in front of him.
I watched him as he ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident, but I wasn't quite sure what he was frustrated about. I should be the frustrated one. "Look, last time we went, I saw how they were looking at you. My friends, they... they stared, and I hated it, Lily. I can't stand it. It's just..." He trailed off, his jaw set tight.
My eyes widened as she processed his words. It was almost touching, in a weird, overprotective way, but it didn't make me feel any better.
Why was that such a bother for him anyway? This wasn't such a big deal, I didn't even mind. It wasn't as if they were pervert or they were groping me.
I folded my arms across my chest and then I said. "So, what? You're my keeper now? I can take care of myself, you know," I retorted, my spirit unyielding.
He sighed, looking away. "I know you can. But I can't help it. It's just how I feel." There was a stance to him I don't quite understand, but I wasn't going to talk about that.
I was too furious to even point anything out about his stance. What I wanted to talk about was his silly reasons for acting this way to me.
I mean, don't get me wrong, Alex hadn't always been a jerk, at least, not until recently. I remembered how different things used to be.
After the tragedy that took my mother's family, she found love again with Alex's father. It had been a chance for a new beginning. We had all moved into a big house where Alex and I had plenty of space.
We had gotten along so well, bonding over video games and late-night snacks. I had been so grateful not to be alone, to have Alex as a friend, as a stepbrother. But lately, things have changed, and I didn't even know why.
"Alex, we used to be friends. What happened to us?" I asked, a single tear rolling down my cheek.
Damn, I hated this, and it was starting to suffocate me. Why was he acting like I was some flu he didn't want to catch? He was treating me like I had killed his dog and run it over, but I hadn't.
Maybe he suddenly stopped liking me and started to hate me. Maybe he just didn't want me near him or close to me as we used to be.
Alex's expression softened, and for a moment, he looked like the brother I used to know. "I don't know, Lil. There's nothing. It's just... things change, I guess, as we grew up. I'm sorry." He said.
Lily shook her head, wiping away the tear. "Maybe we shouldn't grow up. I don't want things to change, not like this."
"I know. I'm sorry," he repeated, his voice almost a whisper.
There was a long silence before I finally spoke up again. "I still want to go to the lake. I want to be included. Can't we just try to have a good time like we used to?"
Alex hesitated, then after what felt like an eternity, he nodded slowly. "Okay, Lily. Okay. We'll try. Just... let me talk to them first, alright? I'll make sure they treat you with respect." He said and I managed a small smile, feeling a little bit better. "Thanks, Alex. That's all I'm asking for."
I went back into my room to have the fastest shower I have ever had, then I got dressed in a pair of blue jeans shorts and a white shirt, my blue one-piece swimsuit underneath. I grabbed my sandals and wore them, then I grabbed my phone and my bag.
As fast as my toned long legs could carry me, I ran as fast as I could downstairs, and out the front door, but by the time I got outside, my brother was already gone.
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The dream of everyone with regards to marriage is to be able to find that special someone and settle down with them. Even arranged marriages grant you an opportunity to meet your partner briefly before the wedding. How will you feel about waking up in the morning with someone sleeping next to you who is not just anyone but your legally married partner yet with no memory of how that had happened in just a few hours of going out the previous day? This is the story of Jason Haward and Julia Harrison, two strangers trapped in a marriage they never planned. The quest to find out why led to the unfolding of a mystery which made them realize they are both living a lie. To find out more, read this amazing story of love, betrayal, revenge and murder.
Life was a bed of roses for Debra, the daughter of Alpha. That was until she had a one-night stand with Caleb. She was sure he was her mate as determined by Moon Goddess. But this hateful man refused to accept her. Weeks passed before Debra discovered that she was pregnant. Her pregnancy brought shame to her and everyone she loved. Not only was she driven out, but her father was also hunted down by usurpers. Fortunately, she survived with the help of the mysterious Thorn Edge Pack. Five years passed and Debra didn't hear anything from Caleb. One day, their paths crossed again. They were both on the same mission—carrying out secret investigations in the dangerous Roz Town for the safety and posterity of their respective packs. Caleb was still cold toward her. But as time went on, he fell head over heels in love with her. He tried to make up for abandoning her, but Debra wasn't having any of it. She was hell-bent on hiding her daughter from him and also making a clean break. What did the future hold for the two as they journeyed in Roz Town? What kind of secrets would they find? Would Caleb win Debra's heart and get to know his lovely daughter? Find out!
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."
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
Kallie, a mute who had been ignored by her husband for five years since their wedding, also suffered the loss of her pregnancy due to her cruel mother-in-law. After the divorce, she learned that her ex-husband had quickly gotten engaged to the woman he truly loved. Holding her slightly rounded belly, she realized that he had never really cared for her. Determined, she left him behind, treating him as a stranger. Yet, after she left, he scoured the globe in search of her. When their paths crossed once more, Kallie had already found new happiness. For the first time, he pleaded humbly, "Please don't leave me..." But Kallie's response was firm and dismissive, cutting through any lingering ties. "Get lost!"