An Artist's Deadly Masquerade Eighteen-year-old Lucy Abrams dreamed of being an artist, but her talent was constantly trampled on by cruel bullies. When a twist of fate leads to her tragic death, Lucy awakens in the body of Brianne Karen - a rich, spoiled heiress who was her former tormentor. Trapped in Brianne's privileged life, Lucy vows revenge on those who made her life miserable. But as she gets closer to billionaire Daren Salvatore, who was betrothed to Brianne, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to him. Lucy must keep up the masquerade while hunting for her own killer. When the truth is finally exposed, Lucy realizes the devastating betrayal behind her death comes from the person she trusted most. In a world of vast wealth and dark secrets, will Lucy's passion for art and justice survive? Or will her pursuer's malice permanently extinguish her creative spirit?
"Ugh, see who decided to grace us with her presence." Brittany's voice cut through the air like a pin. "The loser herself."
I felt every pair of eyes burning into me as that insufferable harpy gestured dramatically in my direction.
Just keep walking, Lucy. Don't react.
"What's wrong, Lucy? Cat got your tongue?" Brittany let out one of her shrill cackles that just makes you want to strangle her, you know? "Or are you just too braindead to string a few words together?"
Then her squad of mean girl minion began to giggle and snicker like hyenas.
I looked straight ahead as I focused on watching my steps.
I wasn't going to give them that satisfaction.
"I'm speaking to you,you freak!"
Before I could blink, Brittany's fake-nailed talons shot out and yanked my backpack right off my shoulder.
I yelped in surprise as my books and papers went flying everywhere.
"Oops, my bad!" She covered her mouth in an over-exaggerated shocked expression, those beady eyes of hers glittering with pure evil. "I guess those sausage fingers of yours can't even hold onto a bag properly."
The little witches surrounding her absolutely lost it at that, bending over and clutching their sides like it was the funniest thing they'd ever heard.
I felt the mortification burning my cheeks as I crouched down to gather my scattered things.
"Need some help?"
Mark's voice made my heart skip a beat.
Our eyes met for the briefest second as he knelt beside me, and just like that, the whole cruel world seemed to fade into the background.
His kind smile was like a lifeline.
I opened my mouth, ready to finally speak to him after all this time, but of course Brittany had to open her big trap again.
"Oh my god, please don't tell me you're actually talking to this loser, Mark!" She clutched Troy's arm all dramatically, staring at Mark like he'd just grown a third eyeball. "Even someone as pathetic as you has to have standards."
You could actually see Mark's face just crumple as the coven started screeching with laughter again.
He shoved my books back into my arms without a word and scrambled to his feet, muttering a feeble "sorry" under his breath before bolting.
"Aw, what's the matter, Markie?" Brittany crooned in that shrill baby voice that makes me want to rip my ears off. "Did I hurt your little feelings by insulting your girlfriend?"
More hyena cackles from the peanut gallery.
I sighed as I packed the last og my things from the floor wanting to disappear into thin air so desperately.
Or perhaps for the ground to open and then swallow me whole.
Anything to get away from their shrieking.
"Lucy and Mark, sitting in a tree!"
Oh god, here comes the pièce de résistance - Troy joining in with the kiddie romance taunts, wrapping his arms around Brittany in a crude mockery of a loving embrace.
"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
I squeezed my books tighter, struggling not to cry. I will not give them that power over me.
"Oh my god, can you imagine?" Brittany spun in Troy's arms, her eyes lighting up with pure sadistic glee. "Their poor, deformed babies would be such fervent disappointments!"
That did it - I could feel the hot burn of tears prickling my eyes as their mocking laughter crashed over me in waves.
Why me? Why am I constantly their punching bag for cruelty?
"Leave her alone already."
The slightly accented voice was soft, but it cut through the din like a whisper in a quiet library.
We all turned to see Chase, the new foreign exchange student none of us had really gotten to know yet, watching the scene with an inscrutable expression.
A tiny flicker of hope sparked in my chest as his calm green eyes met mine, giving the smallest of nods.
For the few weeks he'd been here, Chase just had this...presence about him that demanded respect.
Even the doziest bullies seemed to instinctively back down when he was around.
But of course, Brittany sneered at him like he was something gross she'd stepped in.
"Stay out of this, Transfer," she spat, her pretty features twisting into an ugly mask. "This is a Westbrook matter. It doesn't concern drifters like you."
To Chase's credit, he didn't so much as blink. "I would consider basic human decency to be a matter concerning us all."
You could actually see Brittany's nostrils flare at that calm rebuttal, like she was a raging bull and he was the matador's red cape.
An awkward tension settled over the whole group as they sized each other up through narrowed eyes.
For a minute there, I actually thought fists might start flying.
Then Troy had to open his big dumb mouth and snicker, burying his face in Brittany's hair to stifle his laughter.
And just like that, the spell was broken as the whole gaggle of harpies joined in, their shrill braying echoing loud enough to rattle the lockers.
"Ooh, listen to Mr. World Citizen over here!" Brittany rolled her eyes so hard, I thought they might get stuck. "Sorry, Transfer, but the rest of us aren't obligated to play nice with the school's resident bottom-feeder."
With one last look of pure disdain in my direction, she turned on her designer heel and strode off, her little minions scurrying along behind her like a trail of ugly ducklings.
Their cawing laughter seemed to ricochet from every surface, bouncing back into my ears in a torturous cacophony I couldn't escape.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Chase's voice finally pulled me out of my daze.
His handsome features were all pinched with concern as he reached down to help gather the last of my books.
I could only give him a jerky nod, not trusting my voice in that moment.
What could I possibly say?
That this soul-crushing ritual was just another day in the life of Loser Lucy, the school's favorite humiliation punching bag?
That each fresh insult and degrading taunt from Brittany chipped away another tiny piece of my spirit until I could scarcely recognize myself in the mirror anymore?
Until the sad, hollow person staring back at me was a complete stranger?
Chase studied me in silence for a beat, then sighed heavily through his nose.
"I'm sorry you have to endure such mindless cruelty," he murmured, handing me back my books with surprising gentleness.
"High school...it can truly bring out the worst in people sometimes."
I clutched my things tightly to my chest, catching his deep green gaze with what I hoped was a reassuring look.
No more pity, please - I've had my lifetime's supply of that.
"Thanks for trying to help," I replied, my voice coming out in a scratchy rasp.
Christ, how long had it been since I'd last spoken out loud?
A sad little smile played across his lips as he gave a slight shrug, like he'd expected nothing less from our backward little school.
"I merely sought to uphold some semblance of human decency," he said simply. "Sadly, it would seem such a virtue is in short supply in this place."
With that ominous little statement, he turned and continued on his way, leaving me alone in the now-deserted hallway.
I watched his retreating form for a long moment, feeling like the last sane person left on an asylum ward.
How in the hell did it ever get this bad?
This daily torment, this cruel, endless cycle of humiliation and anguish that had become my life - when did I become such an easy goddamn target for the Brittany's of the world to take their frustrations out on?
I didn't even have the energy left to cry anymore.
The tears came far too frequently these days, each fresh wave of emotional agony leaving me more and more hollowed out inside.
What few teardrops I had remaining were reserved for the moments I was utterly alone, when I could finally let the full, crushing weight of my desolation crash over me in peace.
The loud trill of the warning bell cut through the heavy silence, jolting me out of my misery spiral.
I straightened up with a shuddering sigh, squaring my shoulders as I mentally prepared to brave another endless day in this unrelenting hell.
Just keep your head down, Lucy, I told myself firmly.
"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!
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What’s worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn’t thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn’t seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he’s different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
Sheila had her back against the wall when her family tried to force her to marry an awful old man. In a fit of rage, she hired a gigolo to act as her husband. She thought the gigolo needed money and did this for a living. Little did she know that he was nothing like that. One day, he pulled off his mask and revealed himself to be the world's top magnate. This marked the beginning of their love. He showered her with everything she could ever want. They were happy. However, unexpected circumstances soon posed a threat to their love. Would Sheila and her husband make it through the storm? Find out!
Her hands moved down his broad back, beckoning him to keep going as kissed her deeply. She detangled her tongue from his, to enable her to fully undress him. He released her and undressed when she tried to pull down his pants. Her gaze was fixed on his body, but she was taken aback when she noticed his huge member. "You're huge, Gabby. This is my first time, so please be careful," she said gently, looking a little scared. He chuckled. "Don't worry my love; the pain will be as little as possible, I'll be gentle." He paused, the he asked, "Are you sure you want this my love?" Her eyes widened; there was no way he was going to back down from this. "Don't even give it a second thought, honey, You belong to me." She ordered, "Come here, let me show you." She wrapped her legs tightly around him and moved to rub herself seductively against his massive cock when he climed back on top of her. She dug her hands in his hair and her tongue moved down his neck, leaving a wet trail. "Fuck, Rosy, yes, I'm yours and you are fucking mine." He growled. After that, he pinned her to the bed and began to explore her body. ********* In a pack that produced almost all the Lunas in the region, where most of the females were mated to Alphas lived Rosalie Creed. Rosalie discovers that her sister's boyfriend is her mate, Alpha Tristan. Her sister refuses to let go of him because she wants to become Luna of his pack. Alpha Tristan rejects Rosalie and she accepts his rejection, sacrificing her mate to keep peace in the family and the pack. She meets Alpha Gabriel who saves her life from rogues who tried to kill her. The son of the supreme Lycan King and next in line. They're not fated but are madly in love. What happens when Rosalie finds her second chance mate or Gabriel finds his fated? Will the moon goddess acknowledge their love and grant them a miracle or will their love be only but a sweet memory?
"She didn't transform! Everyone was transforming, except her!" "She's a Stealer, and she doesn't have a wolf!" My destiny took a dark turn on the night of the awakening. I was an adopted daughter and have always been maltreated by my parents and elder sister, Maya. All I wanted was to turn 18 and live an independent life with my dear soon-to-be mate, Arthur, far from the clutches of my family. However, on my 18th birthday, I discovered my despicable nature as a 'Stealer,' a scent luring widowed and lone werewolves to mate with me. What's more, there was no wolf appeared in me. Knowing this, Arthur swiftly renounced our bond, selling me to the formidable Alpha Wolfe in exchange for something valuable. But when Wolfe first met me in the dungeon and perceived my scent, he could feel his wolf panicking and howling. It was the scent of his fated mate! But why did Maya also have the same scent? Sisters may share the same scent, but we were just adoptive sisters. Something was amiss. Despite the potential bond, Alpha Wolfe had ulterior motives, refusing to acknowledge me as his mate, regardless of our shared destiny."
Sophie and Gavin's relationship progressed from their first encounter to exchanging vows in less than half a day. However, after their nuptials, Sophie stumbled upon a startling revelation about her husband. Sophie's sister-in-law once requested a hefty sum of money, which Gavin provided without hesitation. One morning, she mentioned wanting a new car. By the afternoon, she had won a lottery that awarded her the very car she had wished for. Additionally, after enduring bullying from a superior at work, she learned the next day that the superior had been unexpectedly fired. Was it possible that Sophie had married a man who was a harbinger of incredible fortune? The true extent of her situation dawned on Sophie only when she came across a photograph of herself tagged as "Mrs. Hewitt" on social media. It was at that moment she realized she had married one of the wealthiest men in the world!