A rogue's life becomes miserable when her community is attacked. She escapes off only to be enslaved by the ruthless Alpha of the Shadow pack whose hatred for her supersedes all things. Now bearing a new identity and name, Astrid turns out to be the only way the Alpha can break an unknown curse which leaves him in a disaster, making him re-live century after Century of pain with no possible escape. How do things even turn out differently, when he discovers she is his mate? What happens when the quest to reject her backfires on him? What more is there for him to find out about her as her life hangs on a loose thread? And what assurance does the Alpha have that he will live happily with his new found forbidden love after the curse is broken? What are the odds? Tag along on this intriguing adventure to the mystical Forest of Dark Sapphire to uncover the story of a once cursed Alpha.
•CENTURIES AGO•
¶ Dark Sapphire Forest ¶
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Ophelia's POV
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"Run Ophelia, run".
I whispered to myself clutching my baby closely to my chest, as I ran past the numerous trees lined up orderly in the forest.
I didn't know where I was headed but I just kept running.
I had to. For the safety of my baby.
The werewolf enforcers were after me and I looked behind to see how far away from me they were.
"Oww". I yelped coming to a halt immediately as I stared at my feet. Then I peered closely and looked under my foot at what had penetrated it.
I quickly pored behind me again. "We have to hurry, Magnolia".
I told my baby and closed my eyes reaching down to pull out the sharp object without hesitation and I threw it aside running again. But this time, limping as I did.
I dragged ahead trying my best to keep running as tears suddenly started spilling from my eyes. I looked at my poor baby, she was also crying and on the other hand, I was starving, I felt weak, I was injured, about to be caught and killed alongside her.
"They already killed Magnus".
I mumbled, his death replaying in my head.
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An agonizing scream erupted from my throat as Magnus fell lifelessly beside me. I clutched down with the baby in my arms.
"No, Magus please, come back to me". I cried. "You can't leave us like this".
I soon felt the tears cease and something stronger evolved.
"I will avenge your death, Magnus. I promise".
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I shook the memory out of my head and continued running. I needed to get to the coven and fast. I remember Magnus said I would see a hut if I ran towards this direction.
Eventually, a hut came into view and I stopped briefly to catch my breath, a smile lurking at the corners of my lips.
The enforcers had stopped chasing after my daughter and me.
I guessed they had given up.
"Ophelia".
I heard a lady call at the door and I walked towards the hut and went inside.
"Are you thirsty?". She asked immediately I stepped in and didn't wait for my reply before she turned to a younger girl. "Get her the drink".
I won't lie, I felt a certain way. What did she mean by the drink? But all that went straight out of my mind when the glass of liquid was presented to me.
I was thirsty. Maybe I just realized it.
"Get the baby, Kira".
"You...". I started, staring at the girl before my eyes fell on the lady.
"Lydia". She called her name with a small smile. "My name is Lydia and her name is Kira. Kira will take the baby and feed her, she must be hungry".
I smiled in return and gave my daughter to Kira who walked away with her, I then looked at the liquid inside the glass.
"Magnus said you would be teaching me about the basics of witchcraft, although he did teach me some things".
Calling his name while knowing I would never see him again hurt me badly.
"Drink up". Lydia urged ignoring what I had said.
As I lifted the glass to my lips, she took a step towards me.
"Just remember that as a witch, you gain your hidden powers by connecting with your inner spirit and believing anything will happen if you command it".
Then the liquid touched my tongue and I felt a burning sensation. It went down my throat and I immediately held onto my neck.
"Remember...". I overheard her say before my vision became blurry. I would have sworn I saw someone...maybe a male behind her before I slipped from the stool and collapsed to the floor with the glass of liquid shattering next to me.
I might have heard the sound of a sword slicing through something before Lydia came crashing onto the floor next to me. She fell onto the wooden floorboard with a painful thud.
I would've gasped if not for the pain I was going through myself. So the sound of a sword did slice something, and that something was Lydia's neck. I thought back to my baby, Magnolia, I panicked at the thought of leaving her alone.
"I'm sorry". I guess I heard Lydia whisper before I suddenly felt electricity jolt through my veins like velvet smoke then everything went pitch black.
I opened my eyes again and took in my surroundings. I blinked several times before my vision became clear. I was somewhere different. I was in...
"The shadow pack territory". I gasped covering a hand over my mouth. I tried to get up but slumped back to the ground. I still felt so weak. What had Lydia even given me?
"She seems to be awake, Alpha". A guard informed.
"Oh, I see". Alpha Zefiro said moving towards the wooden prison I was locked in. "The rogue has finally been captured".
"Please". I found myself saying. "I am still a pack member". I tried to sit up.
Alpha Zefiro suddenly cackled watching me as I struggled to sit up. But I knew that wasn't why he was laughing.
"Nonsense!". He yelled putting on the cold expression once more. "You rejected your pack when you decided to flee and get involved with those in the coven".
No one knew exactly why I ran away from the pack. If only they knew, if only they found out what it was...
I soon felt another surge in my body.
I don't know what it was about that wooden prison but I felt like energy was being drawn out of me. Was the prison made specifically with Witch Power Repellent or something?
I peered around again, happy that my baby wasn't with them. I hoped she was somewhere safe.
"I loved...no, I love Magnus". I managed to say. I didn't want to ask about my baby, I didn't want them to know about her.
"Love you say". Alpha Zefiro hissed in disgust. "Love with an enemy. I am sensing a betrayal from you".
"I would never..."
"You never know". He interrupted. "You would subsequently scheme against us with the witches".
"You make me feel like I made the right decision joining them". I found myself saying confidently.
Alpha Zefiro laughed again. I wonder what amused him so much.
"The coven of witches you say...the ones that led you straight into our claws".
I gasped thinking back to the drink Lydia gave to me.
That was why she said she was sorry when she fell beside me. Suddenly, I hoped my daughter was indeed safe, I hoped they hadn't got a hold of Kira since she had her. Or, would she give my baby away just like they did me?
Anger started to boil inside of me. Why would they do such a thing to me?
I was distracted and I didn't listen to any other thing the Alpha was saying. I closed my eyes feeling something strange surge through my body just like the electric jolt I felt after taking that drink...Whatever it was...
"You all cannot treat me like this". I found myself saying with my eyes still closed. I knew it was me but I still felt like a different person, like I was being possessed.
Suddenly, there was tension in the atmosphere and the wind grew fierce.
The prison collapsed to the ground and I started rising in the air.
"What is happening?". I heard a feminine voice and my eyes flattered open.
"You shouldn't be here, Luna Emberlynn".
I could sense worry in the Alpha's voice.
The corners of my mouth lifted in a smile as I took notice of the child beside the Luna. He had his face buried in Luna's dress as she rubbed his hair.
"Ah!". I exclaimed. My voice sounded like an echo. "Another forbidden romance I'm sensing".
"What are you talking about?". The Alpha asked in between gritted teeth.
"Guards! Attack!". He commanded.
At once, the guards charged towards me but with a wave of my hand, they all flew backwards, crashing to the ground.
"Listen, because you have committed an atrocity against a moon-blessed wolf". I said raising higher in the air with my hands stretched slightly beside me and my palms facing upwards. "Your child shall be cursed".
I liked the look of terror I deciphered from Alpha Zefiro and Luna Emberlynn's faces.
"He will suffer all his life". I concluded.
"Zefiro". I heard the Luna cry out. "Our baby boy, our little Alpha".
"Don't cry, Luna. The curse will not work". He said not even sounding sure of himself.
"Oh, it will". I said my voice becoming less of an echo. I slowly fell to the ground, with my body feeling immense pain.
"Your child...will be known as a once cursed Alpha...by everyone".
I whispered closing my eyes and answering the call of Hades.
Tallulah's life comes crashing down when she is given off to Mateo Hernando, a ruthless Spanish Mafia lord in an arranged marriage which would secure a loan for her father. She goes to live with Mateo and things get rocky especially when she starts falling in love with him. What then happens when his old flame, Annika reappears after several years of being away and is hell bent on separating them? And what lengths will Annika go to and which extreme measures will she take to get her lover back? How then does it end for both Mateo and Tallulah? Ride along on this intriguing rollercoaster to follow up on their love story.
Bailey seems to be never destined to fit in, a little geeky, but under it all, a hidden beauty that so many seem to miss, but still not what her pack Alpha is looking for in a fated mate... so he is determined to reject her and make her life hell. Bailey, knowing her life will likely never be the same focuses on what she can control, her future, and heads off to study; becoming a teacher. Asher is the Beta of Autumn Valley Pack, a neighbouring pack. A broken man having suffered the loss of his mate after a rogue attack, Asher is slowly crumbling. Falling to pieces. A shadow of his former self, and not a man that anyone wants to be around anymore... Until, Autumn Valley Pack require a new teacher, and Bailey finds herself there and pushed together with the Beta. Is there a connection building or is that in their imaginations? And what will happen when Bailey's mate comes back to claim what is his?
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."
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