"I, Alec Tawr of Lunar Crest pack, reject you, Elara Wildewood, of Lunar Crest pack," he utters, his voice cutting through the silence. The words sear into my soul, and my heart shatters, broken pieces scattering within me. The pain consumes me, wrapping its icy tendrils around my spirit. "Why?" I ask, letting out a painful cry as my knees give away and I collapse to the floor. Does he think that I agreed to marry Prince Magnus willingly? That I don't wish to be with him? "Why?" I repeat. He blinks and I see him shiver as he clenches his jaw. "Just accept the rejection, El. Make it stop," he says, his voice sharp and hard. I allow myself to cry, letting the tears cascade down my cheeks until I'm a sobbing mess. "I can't. I want you." He clutches his chest and I hate to see him hurting. "It's not possible. Please accept the reception." And so I do it. "I, Elara Wildewood of Lunar Crest pack, accept your rejection." ---- Elara Wildewood knows her life is doomed when she is forced to step in as the substitute bride for Magnus Blackwell, the disabled and cruel Prince of Caelondor. After she is rejected by her mate, she has no choice but to accept her fate. However, after she's wed, she finds out that the truth is not as it seems and the grand palace of Caelondor holds a lot more intrigue and secrecy than she anticipated earlier. Trapped in a web or lies and deception, Elara decides to take control of her life and trains to become stronger. As she gains the admiration of her court, she also attracts the Prince attention's who will stop at nothing to keep her safe.
The wind whispers through the open window, carrying a faint scent of jasmine that mingles with the pounding of my heart.
"Alina can't marry him, Alpha. She's weak," my father begins, his trembling voice resounding in the pack's courtroom.
Beta Collis smirks at him from where he stands beside Alpha Zander before he comments, "A weakling for a weakling. What can be a better match for the twisted Prince of Caelondor?"
I grit my teeth, suppressing a curse. Beta Collis has never been kind towards my family but his remark was unnecessary.
"Alpha Zander," my father continues, ignoring his fellow Beta's words. His shoulders are slumped and he looks older than his years. "The pack healer says she might not live long."
My stepmother stifles a sob as she clutches the sides of her robe.
A rush of whispers arise from the pack members bearing witness to this meeting.
I nervously glance around and hear people talk sympathetically about my stepsister, Alina. It's unfortunate what happened to her. She was always healthy and happy but recently she fell sick and now she stands at the door of death.
Alpha Zander stands from his regal chair and the whispers die in an instant. "I agree with you, Beta Reginald. We can't let Alina marry Prince Magnus anymore. King Eldric won't like it. We don't want to mock him more than the world already does. I want to make myself clear : this alliance is important to me. So we need to find a substitute."
A moment of silence lingers as the Alpha looks around-likely searching for potential candidates-before his eyes finally settle on me.
"Elara Wildewood," he begins, my name clear in his voice. My heart stops beating for a moment. "You'll marry Prince Magnus Blackwell in place of your stepsister, Alina. That is my command. I understand that you'll not disobey me."
'But I already have a mate!' I want to scream at him, but I'm kept down by the Alpha's power over me. I'm forced to oblige his command being a beta, even though my heart is already starting to break. All I manage to mumble is, "Yes, Alpha."
***
Elara Wildewood, that's who I am. My carefree and headstrong life is about to be shattered as I am forced to step into the role of the substitute bride for my stepsister, Alina, to appease our pack and promise our fealty to King Eldric of Caelondor.
It all started with a fateful meeting beneath the silver moonlight. I met him, my mate, within the dense forest that surrounds our pack territory. I had sneaked out of the packhouse on one of my explorations, and that's when my wolf, Lila, had sniffed him out. She called him 'our mate'. The air sparked with an electric connection and an unbreakable bond formed between us. His eyes are the most magnificent things I have ever held. His name is Alec, a powerful beta werewolf just like me, and a member of our pack. Together, we dreamed of a life filled with love and endless possibilities.
We took the blessings of my father and stepmother and were soon to be married...
But fate, cruel and unyielding, has other plans.
Alina's health deteriorated recently, rendering her unfit to fulfill her duty as the chosen bride. The responsibility, like an anchor weighing heavy on my shoulders, fell upon me.
The alpha of our pack, Alpha Zander, couldn't bear the thought of losing this alliance. He needed to prove to the king that he had the support and loyalty of our pack. So, he demanded that I marry Magnus Blackwell, the infamous werewolf Prince of Caelondor. His reputation is tarnished by rumors of his wickedness. Despite my protests, and my pleas for an alternative, the pack saw no other option but to offer me as the substitute.
Since then, the news of it has spread like wildfire through our territory. I'm offered condolences by some as I'm to spend the rest of my life with a disabled, wicked man-they pity me, giving me sympathetic glances. And the others offer me congratulations as I'm to become a part of royalty. All of this is happening while my stepsister toils in the other room, fighting against death.
All I want to do is tell them off, but my stepmother would love to use that as an excuse to strike me. So I don't give her the chance.
The thought of running away with Alec crosses my mind. If we succeed to get past the border, we can make a life together, away from the responsibilities of our pack. We will become rogues, but with Alec by my side, I believe I can be happy regardless.
But he's an honorable man. He will never go against the Alpha's choices. And it will be treason. If we're caught, we'll be shamed and executed.
And I? How can I betray my father? He has loved me and cared for me all my life. And this is the only thing he has asked for in return. Cruel as it may seem, he asked me to give up Alec and marry the Prince.
I denied. I pleaded. I argued. That's when Celeste, my stepmother, struck me. A tight slap across my cheek for denying to give up my love. My father scolded her but she did not apologize. Instead, she said, "Do your duty to your pack."
Ever since that day, I cry myself to sleep every night. Even now, the tears fall down as I look at my reflection helplessly.
A sudden knock on the door startles me. I get to my feet and mumble, "Come inside."
My stepmother enters, draped in a long turquoise gown, her favorite color. Her dark hair is tousled down her back and she has a habit of running her fingers through it repeatedly. A maid is by her side, a frightened look plastered on her face. "Your lover is here to meet you," she tells me.
I scowl at the bitterness in her voice, but my voice is composed when I reply, "Let him inside."
She fixes a stern look on me and then crossing the distance between us, she holds my face in her hand, her fingernails digging in my cheeks. "Don't even try anything foolish, girl. I have all of my eyes and ears on you."
"Yes, Mother," I speak through gritted teeth, bearing the pain of her tortuous grip. She lets go of me and I growl, creating distance between us.
"I pity you. Everyone wants to marry a prince. But a weak and deformed one? How unfortunate you are," she mocks me, a sinister smile growing on her pale face.
With that she leaves me, the maid trails behind her but not before giving me another sympathetic look.
I hold my breath as the door opens again and my wolf, Lila picks my mate's scent. She gets excited, ignoring the misery I feel upon seeing him again.
Alec stands before me, his gaze distant and devoid of the warmth that had once consumed his eyes. I want to wrap my arms around him and drown myself in the familiar warmth of his body. I want to pull him into a mind numbing kiss so I can forget the truth for at least some time. I move closer to touch his face, but with every step I take toward him, he takes one back until he's at the door. Before I can say a word, he speaks, his words are unexpected and disastrous.
"I, Alec Tawr of Lunar Crest pack, reject you, Elara Wildewood, of Lunar Crest pack," he utters, his voice cutting through the silence. The words sear into my soul, and my heart shatters, broken pieces scattering within me.
"No!" I yell. How could he reject me? The one he claimed to love, the one we believed to be inseparable. The pain consumes me, wrapping its icy tendrils around my spirit. "Why?" I ask, letting out a painful cry as my knees give away and I collapse to the floor.
Does he think that I agreed to marry Prince Magnus willingly? That I don't wish to be with him? I know he can read my thoughts or at least he could before he rejected me.
"Why?" I repeat, groaning due to the pain of the broken mate bond.
He blinks and I see him shiver as he clenches his jaw. I watch him struggle to stand still. "Just accept the rejection, El. Make it stop," he says, his voice sharp and hard.
I allow myself to cry, letting the tears cascade down my cheeks until I'm a sobbing mess. "I can't. I want you."
He clutches his chest and I hate to see him hurting. "It's not possible. Please accept the rejection. It hurts. Make it stop."
And so I do it. "I, Elara Wildewood of Lunar Crest pack, accept your rejection."
Something is sucked out of me and I'm convinced it's my soul because once the words are out, I feel empty. Absolutely and utterly hollow on the inside.
Alec takes in a shaky breath and stumbles right where he's standing. He's likely feeling the same. His eyes are lowered to the ground as he says in a whisper dismissively, "It was good knowing you, El. Thank you for loving me."
Camilla Dawson never expected to see the sinfully hot stranger she once hooked up with in a public washroom ever again. But fate-or rather, a father she never knew existed-has other plans. Now, she's bound and delivered as payment for a debt, straight into the hands of none other than Zeke Russell-the ruthless kingpin who always gets what he wants. Zeke built his empire on power and control, and he never takes no for an answer. Business or pleasure, the rules are his. It's been years, but he's never forgotten the woman who left him wanting more. Now, with Camilla thrust into his world as a replacement for his promised bride, everything spirals into chaos. She was never supposed to matter. Yet somehow, she's slipping past his defenses, unearthing secrets he's buried deep-and igniting a dangerous obsession. And when enemies close in, there's nothing he won't do to keep her. After all, what's one more crime in the name of love?
"I'm not a little girl," I snap. "I'm twenty-five." "And I'm almost twice your age, Natalie," he says, almost like he's giving up. "But that didn't stop you from coming to me." In a second, he has me pinned against the wall. His hands trail up the sides of my body. "Do you want me to stop?" he whispers, his breath hot against my neck. *** On the brink of her second wedding anniversary, Natalie Jones finds her husband, Michael Cooper, embraced passionately with his mistress. Confronting him in a dimly lit restaurant, Nat exposes his scheme to marry her for her father's fortune and storms out. Ric Steward, on the other hand - billionaire and philanthropist - never expected his evening to ignite with scandal. When he sees Natalie-radiant, powerful, and on the edge of a breakdown-he's immediately captivated. Only for him to learn that she's the daughter of a longtime friend. But that doesn't stop Nat. It only makes her want Ric more...
Caden Miller is Willowbrook High School's notorious rebel, known for his devil-may-care attitude, grey hoodies, and a reputation that precedes him. Ruby Norman, on the other hand, is Willowbrook's epitome of sweetness and innocence. She excels academically, volunteers at the local shelter, and dreams of a life beyond the confines of her small town. When their paths cross, sparks fly, igniting a rollercoaster of emotions that neither Caden nor Ruby saw coming. Underneath their heated exchanges and antagonistic banter, a deep-rooted attraction simmers. The more they try to deny it, the stronger their feelings become. Drawn to each other like magnets, they embark on a forbidden romance that challenges societal norms and tests their own personal boundaries.
The island of Bellpond is a welcoming place for tourists—and a home to werewolves. Vanessa Martin, a member of the Silver Crescent pack knows that Jordan Hale is the forbidden fruit—someone off limits. He belongs to the rival pack. And yet, she's attracted to him in ways she cannot explain. When a tragedy befalls him, Nessa wants to be there in some way to comfort him. She goes out of her way, ignoring all words of advice and warnings from her peers and her grandma and soon, a friendship blossoms between them. The smooth wheel rolling down breaks when they find a body washed up on the shore, and soon a couple more follow, piling up. Nessa and Jordan pair up, vowing to get to the bottom of this, but as they investigate more, they realise the matter is more sinister than they expected. Will they stop and expose those involved in these gruesome murders or fall down the rabbit hole trying to uncover the mystery?
“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."
Kara Martin was known as Miss Perfect. She was a beauty with good personality and successful career. Unfortunately, her life changed at one night. She was accused of adultery, losing her job, and abandoned by her fiance. The arrogant man who slept with her did not want to take responsibility. He even threatened to kill her if they met again. What's worse, Kara was pregnant with twins and she chose to give birth to them. Four and a half years later, Kara returned to work at a large company. As the secretary, she would frequently face their notorious CEO. Kara thought it wouldn't be a problem, but as it turned out ... the CEO was the father of the twins!
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
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."
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.