Gwen harbours a little secret. Okay, not exactly so little if it has the potential to pit important factions against each other and result in bloody wars. When Malcolm Blaine, the king of all werewolves, is captured, she's thrust into the limelight and the Hunters decide she's more than just a shy, unassuming scientist who works for them. She's put in charge of gaining his trust. But Gwen has never met someone so powerful, so intense, and wildly passionate as he is cold and callous. He constantly pushes her boundaries and although his hardened exterior might tell otherwise, she suspects she affects him just the same. In a wicked twist of fate, he escapes Mount Pyre, the seat of the Hunters, and takes her as his prisoner. As they battle dangerous enemies and strive to escape the Hunters, Loyalties are tested and sparks fly in this tale of forbidden love. When the threat of a more malicious enemy rises, Malcolm has to decide if he'll stay true to his kingdom, or risk it all just to have the woman he's coming to crave mind, body, and soul...
It sounded like an explosion.
A roar tears through the metal ward, quickly followed by wild, erratic bangings. The immortal shifter throwing himself repeatedly against the enclosures. If I were to only walk further in the direction of the sound, I'd see the gruesome smears of blood painting the unbreakable glass.
But like always, I stifle down bile and turn away. Armed men rush past me, going to subdue the man, speakers blaring out commands.
"Hold him down!" one of them orders harshly.
"He's too strong! We need reinforcement."
I make my way down the linoleum floors, making sure to keep my gaze down and away from the transparent prisons. White LED light shines down, the air rife with the cloying scent of antiseptic, death, and decay. I clutch my logbook closer to me, my chest constricting with each breath I pull in.
Rounding into the clinic, I head toward Dr. Sarah's cubicle.
She looks up when I drop the book in front of her. "Here. All done," I say with a forced chirp.
She grabs it immediately. Her eyes scan the report rapidly from behind her glasses. "Odd," she muses under her breath. "Experiment 107 doesn't seem to be reacting to the substance."
My throat tightens and I have to stop myself from shuffling on my feet. I hate the way they refer to the Shifters as experiments. I stop my musings abruptly once I realize the pronoun I'd used. They.
As the months progress, I realize I've started to see myself apart from them. Which is a dangerous thing, because I am a Hunter. Will be until I die.
Anything to protect him.
"Why is that?" I ask, bringing myself back to the present.
She looks up at me as if only realizing I am still in the office with her. "I have no idea. Either he's too strong or has developed a mutation from the previous shots that allows his system to be immune. Anyway, we move on to phase 2. Iridium."
My breaths seize and without thinking I blurt, "But that could kill him."
The office goes deathly quiet.
I had shown consideration for the enemy.
What the hell was that Gwen? I fire internally.
Dr. Sarah seems to also be thinking the same thing because the eyes on me narrow. "And? What is one more death?" Her palms land smack down on the table, causing me to jump. "They've caused countless of ours!"
"I--"
"Am I right in thinking you're becoming a liability, Miss Owens? You know we don't hesitate to cut our losses."
I swallow, looking down at my feet. "I'm sorry, Dr. Sarah."
She sits back, throwing the logbook back at me. "Experiment 487. Check his vitals so we can begin working on him."
I have a bit of a struggle catching the book and after it dances precariously on my open palms, it lands on the floor. The picture staring back at me is his.
'Experiment 487.'
The organization's latest conquest. The Alpha king himself, Malcolm Blaine.
My heart slams against my chest and I pick up the book, palms clammy. Steel grey eyes stare up at me, seeming piercing and life-like even in the inanimate pages. A cold face peers through. So do a pair of high cheekbones, a proud aristocratic nose, and a strong jaw. The expression on his face is fierce, but that does nothing to distract away from his otherworldly beauty.
Locks of hair fall across his stern brows. They're midnight black and look so soft that I find my fingers itching for a feel of them.
I realize I'm staring and worse, Dr. Sarah's gaze is trained on me. My blood cools when I meet her eyes. With an awkward, "I'll be back soon," I leave her office.
My heels click against the vinyl floors. The fighters give me a nod of acknowledgment as I pass through, recognizing me as one of their own. I suddenly feel uncomfortable, like my button-down and pencil skirt are a size too tight. I feel like I'm harbouring a dirty secret.
Which, in reality, I am.
I turn into endless white hallways and soon find myself in an elevator. The ride up is long. Understandably. Mount Pyre has got like a hundred floors.
My first memory as a Hunter flits in. It was two years ago, they were in need of more scientists and I was looking for a way to get into the organization. But just as I got in, I wanted out. This place was filled with murderous fanatics and people who believed the Shifters were the ones responsible for the worst things that ever happened to humanity.
As if humans were the saints.
The glass partitions slide open in front me and I step into a different part of the building. I feel the first threads of dread slide into my stomach. It's always like this. The fear, the uncertainty. I know that before testing the immortals they were sedated out of their minds. But that never stops me from worrying. What if one of them wakes up and decides to be the scourge of the human race the fanatics pipe about?
"Evening," a fighter standing post greets.
"Good evening," I say back.
Taking out my card, I slide the chip into the side of the door. It whirs open, letting me entry.
I walk in. The doors slide close behind me with a finality that has the hairs on my nape rising.
Loosening my shoulders, I tell myself I'm being irrational and draw closer to the large hospital bed.
It is my first time seeing Malcolm.
I wonder how in hell the hunters had managed to capture him. The thought leaves my mind once I get a full view of him.
"Woah..." My face colours at how breathy I sound.
The man is large.
His tan skin stands out amidst the white linens. He is naked from the waist up and I get an eyeful of huge shoulders, corded muscles, rounded pectorals, and a ripped abdomen.
I move closer and check his temperature, recording it. Werewolves have a normal body temperature of what humans consider sick. It still amazes me how different we are from the Shifters. I move the sheets away in an attempt to reach for his wrist and I pause when I see he's naked safe for a pair of boxer briefs.
His lower torso is also uncovered and I make out black ink. What is written there is indecipherable.
I catch myself staring for too long and redden. Really, Gwen. A new low? Ogling a man who's knocked out cold?
I get back to work and stiffen when a low mumble escapes from him. My head snaps up, but my racing heart calms when I see his eyes are still closed shut.
Tired, I lumber home later that evening, taking a cab. Once we round into my lane, I pay the driver and head down the hard concrete. This part of town is industrial, with buildings lumped together and rundown warehouses dotting the street.
Sliding my gaze around, I grip my keys and fit one into the lock. The sound of workers unloading cargo along the harbour fill the night.
Once the door comes open, an excited shriek meets my ears and soon a small body barrels through the living room, leaping into my arms. I giggle, catching him. Pulling back, I stare into his slitted eyes. Gradually they morph back to normal rounded pupils and I smile.
In my arms is the very reason for my existence.
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
[Cute Baby + Secret Identity + Powerful hero and heroine!] Caroline loved Damian with all her heart for five whole years. She devoted herself to him and lived humbly for his sake. However, when the couple faced a crisis, she hoped that the news of her pregnancy would fix their marriage, but what she got in return was just a divorce agreement. And to make things worse, while she was about to give birth, she had fallen into someone's trap and her life was in danger. After managing to survive such a harrowing experience, she was determined to cut all ties with the man. Five years later, she re-emerged with her head held high, being the CEO of a famous company. Those who used to bully her now got a taste of their own medicine. And the truth about the past gradually surfaced... Dazzled by Caroline's newfound confidence, her ex-husband wanted to get back together with her, but she just turned a blind eye to his advances. Damian pleaded desperately, "Honey, our baby needs both his parents. Please remarry me!"
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”
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!
"Is it considered betrayal to develop feelings for your best friend's boyfriend? What about when fate intervenes, and he turns out to be your destined mate? You might think it's luck and thank the moon goddess for such a twist of fate. That's what I believed until the love of my life uttered those dreaded words: 'I want a divorce!' As I stared at the pregnancy test in my hands, I realized it was better to keep my secret to myself. My name is Violet, and this is my story."
My name is Katia, and I am just trying to survive until my fated mate arrives. Which may be easier said than done. Rejectection is the last straw. Whispering my acceptance of his rejection. I run through the pack house, out across the manicured lawn into the forest. "I'm sorry, my sweet girl," I say to my wolf. I'm sorry you have been stuck with me and have had to suffer everything I have. She whispers," it's not your fault, Katia. We came to a cliff with a waterfall. The hurt keeps pounding at me. I need it to stop. My sweet girl, and I just want peace, I keep running and leap off the cliff. Spreading my arms wide, with tears streaming down my face, I fall, not making a sound, waiting for sweet oblivion where we feel nothing ever again. "I love you, my sweet girl! Until we meet again, "My wolf replied just before we hit the water, "I love you too, Katia. I have never regretted a moment with you." The Snow Moon pack is having their last barbecue of the summer next to the waterfall on their land. The adults are laughing and joking while watching the pups play. The alpha, beta, and gamma are swimming with some of the older children and playing a game of Marco Polo. Someone yells, "Oh my goddess, someone just jumped over the waterfall!" Everyone is frozen as they watch what looks to be a child falling arms spread wide, no one makes a sound. The small body hits the water like a plane crashing into the side of a mountain. The alpha, beta, and gamma, spring into action, swimming towards the area the person went under. The alpha is screaming his wolf is going crazy repeating, "Find her. Find her...find her!" They dive and the beta surfaces with a small person in his arms. Alpha takes the girl from his beta, laying her on the ground. The men are shocked by what they see. She is covered in scars and injuries. Her body is twisted and broken. The Beta asks, "Who could have done this to someone so defenseless?" Alpha drops to his knees, repeating, "MATE...MATE...MATE!"