Trigger Warning: This is a dark, intense romance with a few scenes of psychological manipulation, violence, and non-con. Recommended for mature readers. ***EXCERPT*** "I could burn the world to ashes, and you would still be the only thing worth destroying," he whispered, his lips just close enough to feel my desperate, trembling breath, tears leaking down my eyes. "Your pain is beautiful, Tera," he whispered with a chilling smile. "It shows you're still trying to fight what you know you've already lost." *** Dr. Tera Williams thought her life couldn't sink any lower after signing the divorce papers her husband's mistress threw in her face. But when a twist of fate puts her in a prison cell, stripping her of her career and reputation, she realizes she hasn't even begun to fall. After spending three years in prison, she struggles to get her life back on track again by starting from her lowest. Despite all the hurdles she had to endure from her current boss, she finds love again with Ryan, a single father, who is madly in love with her. But just as she's about to marry him, her worst nightmare resurfaces: She finds out that she is still legally married to her obsessive ex-husband, Logan, who has been doing everything possible to win her back. How does she navigate her life when she is now trapped between two possessive men who are not willing to give her up for the other?
Blood. Everywhere. My wide eyes took in the sight of my trembling hands, which were covered in blood. I couldn't breathe. Tears flooded my vision. Panic surged through me, leaving a trail of dreadful chills in its wake.
"Why are you doing this to me?" I shuddered, taking desperate steps backward. I couldn't recognize the man before me. This is not the man I once loved.
No.
"Tera," His lips curled into a menacing smile, "You think you can just walk into my life, ruin it, shatter me, and walk off to be with another man as if nothing happened? I almost lost my life because of you, damn it!" He charged towards me as I whimpered, my back hitting the wall behind me.
"No, my love." He reached up, tracing his fingers down my cheek. The touch was both gentle and horrifyingly possessive. "You are mine," His thumb brushed my lower lip, the caress almost tender but loaded with a threat that made my stomach twist.
I could feel his breath against my skin, could smell the faint hint of cologne that lingered on his shirt. It brought back memories I wanted desperately to forget.
I felt my heart pounding faster now, my fear mingling with a terrible, residual longing that disgusted me.
I closed my eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath as I fought to keep my composure.
"You don't own me. You have to let me go!"
He kept grazing my cheek in an almost tender gesture, but his grip turned hard as he held my face, tilting my chin up so I couldn't look away. "That's where you're wrong, Tera. You'll always be mine. As long as I breathe, you'll never be free of me."
He leaned closer, his lips just an inch away from mine, "I. Will. Never. Sign. Those. Papers." He counted his words, and the look in his eyes told me everything I needed to know.
I would never be free of this man.
Not in this lifetime.
HOW IT ALL STARTED.
***
Chapter 1
TERA'S POV.
A tear fell from my large sapphire eyes, landing with a soft plop on the papers in front of me. My vision blurred, and my heart tightened in my chest.
After three years of being together, my husband, Logan, didn't even have the decency to serve me the divorce papers himself. He sent his mistress to do it.
"Why is it taking so long, Tera? You still want to cling to something that's long dead?" Latasha, Logan's mistress, mocked, her tone dripping with superiority.
"He says he doesn't want to see your ugly face anymore. Don't you get it? Sign the papers and be on your way. This house is no longer yours. I and..." she paused, rubbing her stomach lovingly, "...our baby will be moving in tomorrow."
That was all it took for me to break. For three years, Logan refused to have children with me, always saying he wasn't ready. And now, here was his mistress, carrying his child?
I picked up the pen from the dining table, my hands trembling slightly as I scribbled my signature on the papers. Just like that, I severed every tie binding me to Logan-my ex-husband.
But one thing's for sure-I will never forget this day. The day the man I loved with my entire life divorced me through his mistress.
***
"There is an emergency! Where the hell is the Doctor?" A man yelled as nurses swarmed around an unconscious man covered in a pool of blood.
There had been a ghastly motor accident, and the patient was in critical condition.
"Doctor! Doctor!" The urgency in the nurse's voice snapped me out of my daze. "There's an emergency!" she announced.
The word 'emergency' jolted me from my plush office chair, and I hurried out toward the emergency ward.
"What's the situation?" I asked, almost breathless.
This was my job-saving lives. It didn't matter that my own life was in pieces, that I had just signed my divorce papers last night. Here I was, doing my job as the all-famous Doctor Tera-one of the best in my field.
My name is known and respected all across Illinois. I'd never lost a patient before. As one of the top doctors at the renowned Varitas Hospital, I always had to stay on top of my game.
"He needs to be taken in for surgery immediately, Doctor. His internal organs are in bad shape. He's suffering from internal bleeding," the nurse said, giving me a quick breakdown of the patient's condition.
"Be specific, Kate," I urged her.
"He'll need an Aortic Dissection Repair."
My heart skipped a beat. That surgery was risky-extremely risky. It's a procedure to repair a tear in the aorta, the main artery that carries blood from the heart. A life-threatening condition.
"Have you contacted his family? Friends? A wife?" I asked, knowing we couldn't proceed without consent.
"We're still trying. His parents are in Washington, but they'll be here as soon as..." Kate trailed off as we reached the emergency ward.
I swung the door open, and chaos greeted me-blood on the floor, the medical team awaiting my orders. But I froze when my gaze landed on the figure lying on the bed.
My vision blurred with tears.
Pain. Shock. Anger. Hurt. All of it clouded my sense of reasoning.
"Logan?" His name escaped my lips like a prayer as if he could somehow hear me. A lone tear rolled down my cheek.
What was fate doing to me? How am I supposed to save the life of the man who had destroyed mine? This has to be some kind of a cruel joke.
"Doctor Tera! We're losing him!" One of the doctors shouted, pulling me back to reality.
I was disoriented, but I forced myself to stay calm. I'd just act normal. He was nothing but a stranger to me now.
"We can't perform the surgery without family consent," I said, my voice steady as I examined Logan, gluing my teeth together as I fought the burn in my eyes.
"He'll die if we don't operate in the next fifteen minutes, Tera," another doctor pressed.
"What am I supposed to do? Lose my job and license?" I snapped, surprising everyone.
No one knew the man lying on that bed used to be my husband. If only they knew...
Looking at Logan-almost lifeless, at my mercy-my heart sank. Just yesterday, I was his wife. But today, I'm his ex-wife. Maybe if this had happened yesterday, I could've signed the consent papers myself and saved him.
But now? Now, I'm just a stranger to him. I can't meddle in his life.
Logan's body started convulsing.
"We're losing him! Tera! Do something!" One of the nurses pleaded. "We're going to lose him!"
Panic surged through me. No matter how much he'd hurt me, I couldn't just let him die. I wasn't that kind of person. No. I wasn't a monster.
"Get the papers. I'll sign them," I instructed the nurse.
They were relieved I made the call. Even though the surgery was risky, they trusted me. And they were certain that whoever Logan's family were, they'd be grateful for the favor I just did them.
***
I stood at the entrance of the private ward where Logan lay, watching him with a heavy heart. The hurt was still fresh. Somehow, I wished things hadn't gone so wrong between us.
I still loved him. I couldn't deny that. I had been there for him when Latasha abandoned him four years ago. He almost died of a heart attack, and I was the one who held him through it all.
And now, Latasha had come back from God-knows-where, and Logan hadn't even hesitated. He jumped right back into her arms-so much so that he divorced me without a second thought.
I wiped a tear that slipped from my eye.
Where was Latasha, anyway? Shouldn't she be here by now? Unlike Logan's parents, who were far away in another state, Latasha was in town. Hadn't anyone called her about the accident?
Just as I turned to leave, I saw a small group approaching me.
At first, confusion set in as I tried to wrap my head around the scene. Why were the cops here? In the private ward, of all places? Were they here to arrest a sick person or what?
But then I noticed the familiar faces behind the policemen, all charging toward me.
And the next words I heard froze me in place.
"Arrest her! She tried to kill my fiancé!"
TRIGGER WARNING!!! This book is a very dark romance. Alpha Keegan is everything 18+ and he enjoys being bad without craving repentance. So, please, if you're not into dark romance, in the name of everything holy, do not read this!!! **** He had no intentions of keeping her forever. But while it lasted, he wanted to do the worst things to her. ... Alpha Keegan, a ruthless man who carries the anger of a thousand men, was feared and respected by even Alphas older than him. He prided in being evil and held no desire for redemption. He took extreme pleasure in executing witches as they were a stain to the world. Sheera, an extremely beautiful lady, wanted nothing but a happy life. But her beauty became her curse when she was brought to serve a man whose icy heart craved only the taste of her innocence. She wished to get far away from him, because she knew for sure he'd have her killed the moment he discovered her biggest secret. But he wouldn't let her go. Not when he wasn't done tainting her very soul. Keegan's dark heart had no place for love. Pleasured by three mistresses, he never knew that one of them was THE CURSE while another was THE BLOOD. What happens when he found himself obsessed with Sheera beyond comprehension? And what happens when he finds out Sheera's secret, which unleashed his worst nightmare? This would be the most twisted, suspenseful book you'd ever come across!
Warning! Mature Contents! ***Excerpt*** "I fell for you because you loved me when I didn't have the courage to love myself. You captured my heart and walked straight into my soul," He rasped possessively, his warm breath tickling the back of her neck as hot tears stung the sides of her eyes. He leaned closer, his lips brushing her ear, "And now, I am going to make you mine. Mine alone." He meant every word he just breathed out. *** He was her balance, while she was his support. He was her wild, while she was his calm. He was her anchor, while she was his wings. Betrayed. Murdered. Denied a final goodbye, Naya, a fearless witch, and Luna is ripped from the loving warmth of her Alpha's embrace. But fate offers her a twisted bargain. A bargain that turns out to be a curse for her. After his mate's death, Alpha Cezar, who almost died of heartache, finally finds love with a strange young girl, Sephora, the same girl his Beta was madly in love with. What happens when Naya mysteriously returns home to her mate, and Cezar discovers that Sephora isn't the strange, helpless girl he thought she was? How would he survive the reality of having to lose his mate for the second time just the exact moment he found out that she was alive? Steamy romance. Painful betrayal. Heart-wrenching discoveries. Obsession. Vengeance. All in one. Brace yourselves. This will be one of the most twisted, mind-blowing stories you'll ever come across.
Warning! Mature Contents! ***Excerpt*** "You belong to me, Sheila. I alone am capable of making you feel this way. Your moans and body belong to me. Your soul and your body are all mine!" *** Alpha Killian Reid, the most dreaded Alpha in all of the North, wealthy, powerful and widely feared in the supernatural world, was the envy of all other packs. He was thought to have it all... power, fame, wealth and favour from the moon goddess, little was it known to his rivals that he has been under a curse, which has been kept a secret for so many years, and only the one with the gift of the moon goddess can lift the curse. Sheila, the daughter of Alpha Lucius who was an arch enemy to Killian, had grown up with so much hatred, detest and maltreatment from her father. She was the fated mate to Alpha Killian. He refused to reject her, yet he loathed her and treated her poorly, because he was in love with another woman, Thea. But one of these two women was the cure to his curse, while the other was an enemy within. How would he find out? Let's find out in this heart racing piece, filled with suspense, steamy romance and betrayal.
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.
We've been married for three years, but I've never truly had his love. When his childhood sweetheart returned, just as promised, all I was met with were the cold, glaring divorce papers. "If I were carrying our child, would you still choose to divorce?" I asked, holding onto the faintest glimmer of hope, making one last desperate plea. His response, as expected, was just as cold as ever. "Yes." I closed my eyes, choking back tears, and finally chose to let go-to honor his decision. Years later, my heart had turned to ash. Lying in a hospital bed, I trembled as I signed the divorce papers. "Alexander, from this moment on, we owe each other nothing..." What I never saw coming was the ruthless, decisive CEO kneeling at my bedside, his voice hoarse, almost broken, as he pleaded, "Vivienne, don't divorce me... please."
It took only a second for a person's world to come crashing down. This was what happened in Hannah's case. For four years, she gave her husband her all, but one day, he said emotionlessly, "Let's get divorced." Hannah's heart broke into a million pieces as she signed the divorce papers, marking the end of her role as a devoted wife. Within Hannah, a strong woman awakened, vowing never to be beholden to any man again. Embracing her new life, she embarked on a journey to find herself and command her own destiny. By the time she returned, she had experienced so much growth and was now completely different from the docile wife everyone once knew. "Is this your latest trick to get my attention?" Hannah's ever-so-arrogant husband asked. Before she could retort, a handsome and domineering CEO pulled her into his embrace. He smiled down at her and said boldly to her ex, "Just a little heads-up, mister. This is my beloved wife. Keep off!"
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. "It's time to reveal your true identity, darling."
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
Eveline married Shane, an obstetrician, at the age of 24. Two years later, when she was five months pregnant, Shane aborted the baby himself and proceeded to divorce her. It was during these dark times that Eveline met Derek. He treated her tenderly and gave her warmth like she had never known before. He also caused her the greatest pain she ever had to endure. Eveline only grew stronger after everything she experienced, but would she be able to bear the truth when it was finally revealed? Who was Derek behind his charismatic facade? And what would Eveline do once she found out the answer?