When Elena Cross is snatched from her life and forced into the dark world of the Blackstone Pack, she learns the ruthless truth about Alpha Kael Thorn a man as dangerous as he is powerful, and as captivating as he is cruel. Bound to him by a primal mate bond she never asked for, Elena finds herself trapped in a twisted battle of wills, where her humanity is both her shield and her curse. Kael despises everything about her. To him, she's a weakness, a threat to his pack, and a constant reminder of a past betrayal. Yet no matter how he tries to deny it, the bond keeps pulling him back to her, fueling an obsession he cannot escape. She's his mate, his property yet she defies him at every turn. In a world where freedom seems impossible, Elena is determined to resist him and break free. But as the tension between them blurs the line between hate and desire, she realizes that Kael's hold on her is far more dangerous than she ever imagined. Can Elena find the strength to escape, or will she be bound forever to a man who might be her worst nightmare... and her only salvation?
Elena Cross was only halfway down the alleyway behind the bar when she heard footsteps. Heavy, deliberate, and just far enough behind that she couldn't dismiss it as coincidence.
She wrapped her fingers tighter around the small can of pepper spray she always carried and kept walking, keeping her pace steady. Faster would mean giving in to fear, letting whoever was behind her know she'd noticed. Instead, she took a calming breath, eyes fixed ahead on the glimmer of streetlight spilling from the main road.
But the steps quickened.
Elena's heart stuttered, then leapt into a frantic rhythm, thundering in her ears. Every self-defense class, every late-night warning her mom had ever given her came rushing back in flashes. Don't run. Stay calm. Don't show fear.
The footsteps gained on her, and as she tightened her grip on the spray, she finally broke her own rule. She ran.
The sudden burst of movement shattered the silence of the alley, her shoes pounding against the pavement, echoing off the narrow brick walls. She could hear him following her, relentless, gaining ground faster than should have been possible. The few late-night sounds of the city blurred in her mind; all she could hear was her own ragged breath, her heart drumming wildly, and the nightmare pounding of his boots.
She skidded out of the alley and onto the open street, her eyes frantically searching for anyone, anyone who could help. But this part of town had always been empty by midnight. Even the bars a few blocks away felt like an eternity to reach.
A hand gripped her shoulder, hard enough to yank her back, nearly off her feet.
Elena spun, swinging the pepper spray toward his face, her finger pressed down on the trigger before she'd even gotten a good look at him. But it didn't hit. He moved with inhuman speed, grabbing her wrist and twisting it just enough to make her fingers go numb. The canister fell to the ground, a tiny, useless sound that felt final.
She finally looked up at him-and that's when she noticed his eyes. Dark, like polished onyx, and cold, devoid of any trace of humanity.
"Well, that was cute," he said, voice low and mocking. His hand on her wrist was painfully strong, his fingers like iron around her skin.
"Let go of me." Her voice shook, and she hated herself for it, but she didn't dare look away. Fear clawed up her spine, paralyzing and absolute.
"Oh, I don't think so." He pulled her closer, his face inches from hers. "See, I've been looking for you, Elena."
Her breath caught. "How... How do you know my name?"
He tilted his head, and there was a strange intensity in his gaze, something dark and unyielding. "Oh, I know more than just your name. I know you've been working in that dingy bar for nearly a year now. I know you walk home alone most nights, cutting through that alley to save a few minutes. I know you think you're smarter than most of the people around here." He leaned even closer, his breath hot against her ear. "And I know you belong to me."
The words were a blow, as if he'd reached inside her chest and squeezed her heart until it was nothing more than a shuddering fragment. She tried to pull back, but his grip tightened, his nails biting into her skin. "Let me go, or I swear, I'll-"
"You'll what?" he interrupted, his voice laced with cold amusement. "Scream? Run? Fight?" He laughed softly, the sound dark and cutting. "I don't think you understand, Elena. There's nowhere you can go where I won't find you. Nowhere you can hide from me."
Her mind raced, grasping for anything, any way out, but his hold was unbreakable. His face was unreadable, a mask of cold control, but something dark lurked beneath, a hunger that terrified her.
"Why are you doing this?" Her voice was barely a whisper, thick with panic.
His gaze flicked over her face, lingering on her trembling lips, her wide eyes. "Because you're mine," he said simply, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. And before she could react, he pulled her closer, pressing his mouth to hers in a bruising, possessive kiss.
The shock rooted her in place. His lips were hard, relentless, as if he were staking some dark claim on her very soul. She twisted in his grip, but it was like fighting against steel; his hold was immovable, unbreakable.
When he finally pulled back, his eyes were darker than before, an intense, almost feral gleam in their depths. "Consider that your warning, Elena. You're coming with me. And there's no escape."
Every part of her screamed to fight, to resist, but the look in his eyes, the brutal strength in his grip, told her one thing: he wouldn't hesitate to hurt her if she defied him.
Her heart thundered, but she lifted her chin, meeting his gaze with as much defiance as she could muster. "I don't know who you think you are, but I don't belong to you. I don't belong to anyone."
His lips curved into a chilling smile. "You're wrong. You belong to me, whether you like it or not."
She barely had time to draw breath before he hoisted her over his shoulder as if she weighed nothing at all, ignoring her fists as they beat against his back. She screamed, kicked, twisted, but his grip was relentless
Caroline Forbes never imagined her life would lead her here sold by her own father to a man the kingdom whispers about in fear. Damon Morningstar, the ruthless and enigmatic werewolf king, has buried three wives already, each one dying under mysterious circumstances. Now, Caroline is forced to become his fourth bride, trapped in a castle where secrets linger in every shadow. Rumors say he's cursed; that any woman he claims as his queen is doomed. Caroline knows that escape is her only chance at survival, yet she can't deny the magnetic pull she feels whenever Damon is near. To her horror, she discovers the truth Damon is her fated mate, her one bond that could either destroy her or break the curse haunting him. But Damon is possessive, and he's willing to risk everything to keep her in his grasp. As desire and danger intertwine, Caroline must decide whether to flee for her life or surrender to the call of a man who might just be her undoing. Will she escape his dark hold, or will she become the queen who saves him and herself?
Isabella Cruz never asked for a fairy tale romance especially not with Rafael DeLuca, Manila's most ruthless CEO and heir to a powerful mafia empire. Thrown into an engagement she didn't choose, Bella tries to keep her heart safe from the cold, arrogant man who believes she's nothing but a gold-digger. But when she finds herself falling for him, her world shatters as Rafael's true intentions are revealed: he never wanted her, and he certainly never loved her. After signing their divorce papers with a broken heart and a secret child on the way Bella disappears from Rafael's life, determined to start anew. But when she reappears months later as the dazzling heiress of a wealthy business tycoon, Rafael's world is turned upside down. She's no longer the timid woman he underestimated she's now the queen of the city's elite, and everyone wants her. As Rafael grapples with the loss of the only woman who truly saw him, he realizes he might have thrown away the only love that ever mattered. But will he be able to win her back in a world that won't easily forgive his mistakes, or has Bella finally slipped beyond his reach?
It was a big day for Camilla. She looked forward to marrying her handsome groom. Unfortunately, he abandoned her at the altar. He never showed up throughout the wedding. She was made a laughingstock in front of all the guests. In a fit of rage, she went and slept with a strange man on her wedding night. It was supposed to be a one-night stand. To her dismay, the man refused to let her be. He pestered her like she had stolen his heart on that night. Camilla didn't know what to do. Should she give him a chance? Or just stay away from men?
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."
Sandra Hill, the long-lost real heiress of the Hill family, was shunned by her own kin. Instead of embracing her, they bestowed their affection upon an impostor. They even arranged her to marry a vegetative man in place of her so-called “sister”. Sandra sneered, refusing to put up with this humiliation, cut off ties with the Hill family immediately and ran into the flash marriage with Wesley Cooper, her unconscious billionaire husband. With her incredible medical skills, she defied the odds and revived him. Little did she expect that her husband spoiled her with all his love... A medical genius, a computer prodigy, a national treasure in painting, and a racing legend... Her husband revealed her various identities, leaving the Hill family regretful. Her father came pleading, "It's Dad's fault. Please come back." Her mother wept, "Mom will protect you from now on. Please come back." Even her five brothers knelt before he, begging for forgiveness. Yet, Sandra's smile held a hint of mockery as she vowed, “Never!”
As a simple assistant, messaging the CEO in the dead of night to request shares of adult films was a bold move. Bethany, unsurprisingly, didn't receive any films. However, the CEO responded that, while he had no films to share, he could offer a live demonstration. After a night filled with passion, Bethany was certain she'd lose her job. But instead, her boss proposed, "Marry me. Please consider it." "Mr. Bates, you're kidding me, right?"
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?
Jennifer Bennett, the rightful heiress to the Bennett legacy, fought hard for her family's recognition, only to be eclipsed by an impostor. Faced with false accusations, bullying, and public humiliation, Jennifer eventually gave up trying to win their approval. Vowing to rise above the injustice, she became the bane of those who wronged her. The Bennett family's efforts to break her only fueled her success, leading her to heights her rivals could only dream of. Someone asked, "Do you feel let down by your parents?" With a calm smile, Jennifer said, "It doesn't matter. In the end, power prevails."