Ava Goldington lost her parents in a brutal accident that happened right in front of her eyes. With an unstable werewolf form and a burning desire to know the truth, she falls into a series of traps that bring her one step closer to death's door. Horland Green, handsome to the brim with a beautiful smile and a powerful werewolf is the mate she has been blessed with. But instead of the amazing love story she had always imagined, she is faced with rejection and hatred that stems from the blood from him and the rest of the pack. When Ava runs from the pack to save her life, she runs into the hands of a powerful Alpha. Charming, gorgeous, and charismatic Grindley Horninglow proposes to little Ava with the deal to become his mate. With the thought that he would keep her safe and help her unravel the mysteries surrounding her, Ava soon finds out he is no less than a devil in disguise. If Ava will escape her ill fate, unravel the secret behind her parent's death, and protect her life rests in a secret amulet that no one seems to know the whereabouts of.
Ava's POV
It was pouring. Heavily.
My peach-colored dress was soaked, and my phone kept vibrating in my pocket.
I stood there, watching from a distance as the blood of my parents mixed with the rainwater that filled the streets. My eyes drifted to the car, still open. I could see my mom's hand, limp, hanging from the side. I started walking toward it, my legs feeling like lead. I didn't dare get too close. My voice came out as a whisper, shaky, barely audible, "Mom, mommy... are you... are you okay?"
My dad's lifeless body lay flat on the floor, his eyes wide in shock as blood from his severed head pooled beneath him. My heart raced, terror creeping through me, but I couldn't shift into my wolf form. I just kept mumbling, "Daddy, Dad... please wake up! Mom! Don't leave me! Somebody, anybody, help!"
But my heart remained calm. Too calm. My body felt numb, detached from everything. I blinked twice, hoping-praying-that I was hallucinating. Maybe this was just some twisted illusion. The popcorn in my hand had long since gone soggy, the paper probably melting into the wet mess. Without thinking, I shoved a handful of the soggy popcorn into my mouth.
Bitter.
The exact taste of what my future now held.
"Mom... Dad, why aren't you coming over?" My voice cracked, a sharp pain stabbing my heart for a few moments.
I wondered, deep down, if I felt numb because I didn't love them enough or because the pain was too much for me to handle after witnessing everything. I had watched as a wolf ripped into my father's neck and tore his head clean off. Then it sniffed the car, like it was searching for something.
It was supposed to be a normal Saturday movie night. I remembered just an hour earlier, smiling in the mirror, dressed in my short off-shoulder black gown. Mom had been laughing, helping me tie my blonde hair into a ponytail.
"Mommy," I'd called.
"Yes, honey?" she answered.
"Do you think I'll find a mate, like you and Dad?"
She laughed, planting a kiss on my forehead. "Of course, sweetie. You're mommy and daddy's little princess, and you're a beautiful gem. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
"Thanks, mommy." I blushed.
"You're welcome, honey. Now, let's go before Dad gets upset."
We never missed our Saturday movie tradition... except for tonight. And now, I hated that tradition.
I couldn't even remember how I got to the hospital. I must have stood there long enough for my body to go numb under the rain. The last thing I recalled was Aunt Janet's voice, pleading with the doctor: "Doc, please save her, she's all I've got!" And then the red lights of the ambulance... before I blacked out.
When I woke up, three hours had passed. I found Aunt Janet huddled in the corner of the hospital room, silently crying. Her body curled into a ball, her hand patting her chest as if trying to calm herself.
Suddenly, everything came rushing back to me, like a movie replaying in my head. Every single detail.
"Ahhhh!" I screamed, jumping out of the bed and yanking the drip from my arm.
Aunt Janet rushed to my side, trying to hug me, trying to comfort me. But I pushed her away, screaming louder. They were gone. Dead. And I would never see them again.
"Bring them back! Bring them back to me!" I screamed until my throat felt raw.
The doctors and nurses flooded into the room, trying to calm me, but I hurled everything I could get my hands on at them.
"Don't touch me! Bring them back! I want my momma back!" My wolf was on the verge of breaking free. If I'd had a smooth first shift, I might've let her go. Let her tear apart anyone like they'd done to my father. Let them feel the same pain that now coursed through my veins.
"Bring them..." I felt something sharp prick my arm. My vision blurred, and I couldn't make out the doctor's face before my consciousness slipped away. I vaguely heard the doctor's slurred words to my aunt.
"She's too shocked to process what happened. She'll need help."
Two months later.
Grieving isn't something that can be fixed with a magic wand.
If it were, I'd have chosen that option in a heartbeat.
As I crossed the street to our house, I wiped my nose and pulled my coat tighter around me. The past two months had been filled with therapy sessions, helping me come to terms with the loss. It wasn't easy, but it was helping, at least a little.
"Aunt?" I called out as I stepped inside the house. The smell of something delicious wafted from the kitchen. I followed it, finding Aunt Janet fussing with the oven. "What magical concoction are you making?"
"Just cake. I found this amazing recipe online." She finally turned toward me, concern in her eyes. "How was therapy?"
I forced a smile, nodding. "It's working. You were right; therapy helps."
"Good. That's progress." She smiled softly. "Go change and come help me."
"I'll be back in a minute."
Aunt Janet had been incredible since I lost my parents. She stayed with me at the hospital, helped me through the darkest nights, and introduced me to therapy. I was grateful, but nothing seemed to truly help.
Well, it helped me build a facade. One I wore for her and for my therapist.
As I headed to my room, I passed my dad's study. I couldn't resist stepping inside. Aunt Janet had kept everything spotless, as if Dad would return any moment. I ran my fingers over the papers on his desk.
My dad had been a journalist, and my mom had stayed home because of her health. My eyes landed on his journal, the one he always kept close. Smiling, I picked it up and flipped through it. Some notes were too cryptic, but others I understood.
Then, I stopped on a page.
The word Lyconia was circled, surrounded by missing persons reports and mentions of 'unnatural deaths.' Dad's conclusion was clear: there were more werewolves in the city than anyone knew.
I remembered the stories my parents used to tell me about Lyconia, their hometown. Dad was an Alpha before they moved to Alabama. That place had always intrigued me.
Suddenly, an idea popped into my head. If Lyconia was my father's origin, then maybe I should visit. Maybe that would help me heal. And maybe, just maybe, I could find answers about their deaths.
I closed the journal, tucking it into my bag. Aunt Janet would never let me go, so I kept it to myself. After dinner, I pretended to go to bed, then snuck out with a few essentials.
Five hours later, I arrived in Lyconia. My heart pounded. This was my father's home. The town where he had been an Alpha. The place where I might find answers.
I checked Dad's journal again. Clawcrest. That's where we belonged. With a bit of help, I made my way to Clawcrest Ville.
As I approached the sign, I saw a man standing nearby. I walked up to him, trying to mask my nervousness with a smile.
"Good morning."
The man gave me a once-over, his gaze sharp. "And you are?"
"Ava. Ava Goldington. My father used to be Alpha here."
His expression darkened. He called out loudly, "Yo, Matthew! We've got another one."
A bulky man appeared from a nearby house. "Who is she?"
"Goldington something. Says her father was Alpha here."
Matthew stepped closer, sniffing the air around me. "Definitely one of us, though her scent is weak."
I took a step back, deciding not to mention that I wasn't in control of my wolf yet. "Can I meet the Alpha?"
Matthew nodded. "Sure."
The first man looked surprised. "Just like that?"
"There's no harm in her meeting the Alpha, right?" Matthew gestured for me to get in his car.
Even though he was being polite, something felt off. Had I just walked into a trap?
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - 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 doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes 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 Ian begged her not to leave him?
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."
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?