Maddie had trained all her life to succeed her father as the Alpha, but her dreams were shattered when she was taken away by her mate. Several months had passed and there had been no significant changes in their relationship, and with nothing to hold on to, Maddie decided it was time to return home to claim her throne with her mate beside her. Toby was the head warrior of the rogue pack, and to everyone, he was friendly and easygoing with a smile that brightened the whole room. But when Maddie informs him of her decision to leave the pack, he will hear of no such thing. He gave her an ultimatum: she would either have to stay in the pack and be his mate or leave and never see him again. Between a father that had no regard for her and was determined to mate her off to a widower, twin siblings eager to claim her birthright, and an adamant mate that had no intention of leaving his pack for hers. Maddie has her work cut out for her. Torn between love and power, Maddie must decide what is more important. Will she follow her heart or fight for her throne? Or will Toby sacrifice everything to be with her?
"I am leaving." I said in a small voice, my body angled towards Ariel as I watched her facial expression.
We were sitting side by side on the only piece of furniture in my room, staring vacantly into space. It was the only furniture I could allow without feeling like I was blood sucking leech out to wreck the pack.
I was an outsider after all; I didn't deserve to enjoy any benefits from them if I wasn't contributing to the growth of the pack.
Ariel was very easy to read as she wore her heart on her sleeve, and it was interesting to watch the way her brows furrowed and the right one arched high, then her lips curled downwards, and she snapped her head to look at me with squinted eyes.
"What?" She exclaimed, almost jumping out of her seat, and I had to hold her down before she attempted such actions.
"Be careful, Ari, the baby." I chastised her in a soft voice, because goddess forbid she had an accident while she was with me.
Kane would never forgive me, and it would destroy whatever truce we had.
"What did you just say?" Ariel asked again, glaring at me with squinted eyes as if it would get me to answer. But I wasn't Kane; such things don't work on me. "Maddie!" She groaned, annoyed by my silence, and I rolled my eyes.
"You heard me, Ariel; I have to go. I can't stay here anymore. There is nothing for me." I sighed, and it was the truth.
Ariel had managed to find her footing in her relationship, which was pretty ironic seeing that I had watched it crumble; I even helped her escape. But somehow, they had found a way to fix their relationship, and they were going stronger than ever. The oblong stomach, growing bigger every day, was proof enough.
And the green monster that was envy reared its ugly head.
Within those months, I have managed to gain nothing. I was still as I came.
I can't say I have made any progress with my mate, as we still lived in separate rooms, and the only relationship I had with him was cordial except the kisses, which were as infrequent as ever.
I don't hold any position in the pack-it is not like I would agree. But I was stagnant as it is, and the very thought irked me.
It was time to move on, to make progress, and the only way I could do so was to leave.
"And what did Toby say? Did he let you go? Is he leaving with you?" Her pitch increased with every word, and her pupils widened so much that they looked like a full moon.
"Ariel!" I took her hands in mine, squeezing it gently before she would tire herself with worry. All this wasn't good for the baby.
"Maddie, you can't do this. Toby can't leave." She croaked, her voice breaking as she spoke, and I could tell the first sign of an outburst.
"Toby is not leaving." Yet, it was still a probability.
"But y..you..." Ariel tried to come up with words, but her vocabulary failed her, and she had no choice but to give up, directing those dewy orbs at me for help. I slowly shook my head, and it was comical to see her eyes widening even more as she understood what I was trying to convey. "Toby doesn't have any idea?"
"Not yet."
Her gasps echoed through the near-empty room, and she slapped her palm over her mouth. "Are you planning to run away? Maddie! that will kill him."
I only had to take a look at her face before I burst into laughter, throwing my head back and my shoulders vibrating as I laughed. "Ariel, you are such a delight to be with."
She shrugged her shoulders, but her brows were still pulled tight in confusion. "Thanks, I guess."
I raised my head to look at her, but I was not prepared to see the genuine fear in her eyes. I don't know if it was for me or Toby, but it feels good to know that someone was going to miss me.
"I am not planning on running away; I will tell Toby, but I wanted you to know first."
"Awww, Maddie." Ariel cooed, blinking her eyes as it started getting red, and I released a short sigh, rolling my eyes.
Pregnancy was really a bitch.
"Fine, have at it." I closed my eyes, stretching my arms open as wide as they could, and Ariel needed no further prompting as she slammed into me for a hug, a rather awkward one as the protruding stomach made it difficult for us to make full contact.
We settled on a side hug, my palm gently tapping her shoulder in a soft rhythm until her sniffles reduced and she left the hug.
"Do you need tissues?"
"Yes please." Her voice was hoarse from the cry, yet she managed to sound lovely, if it were I... Some things were better left unsaid. Instead, I stretched my hands, reaching for the box of Kleenex that sat on the nightstand, and I grabbed it, offering it to Ariel, who took a piece and blew into it. "I am really glad you are telling me this, Maddie. You know I don't like to intrude, but why are you really leaving?"
I couldn't begin to tell Ariel that one of the reasons I was leaving was because I was envious of her and how well her life seemed to be going, while mine was nowhere near starting.
I had to settle for half truth.
"There is nothing for me here, Ari. I have been the same since I came, and I can't even do anything in the pack. I can't stay here anymore."
"I understand you, Maddie; I have noticed how hard you have tried to fit in with us, but it must be exhausting."
I shook my head as the thoughts began to flood into my memories. "You have no idea."
"What are you going to do when you leave here?" Ariel asked me, and I know she was only saying it from a place of concern.
"I will go back to my pack. It is time for my parents to handover, and I will go and fight for the alpha's position."
"Will you be okay? I am still learning about the werewolf world, but I know they are not exactly accepting of a female Alpha."
"I know; that is why I have to make a difference. It is going to be a tough one, but I can do it."
"Maddie." Ariel whined as she reached out for another of those arm hugs. "You are so strong. I will miss you when you go."
"I will miss you too. I will try to visit whenever I have the chance, probably when everything is settled." I told her, trying to soothe the pain, and she nodded her head as she sat down.
"Although I am honored you told me first, I think Toby deserved to know."
"Of course." I replied, although right now, I think running away may be the best option. We carried on with light conversation, and then without warning, Ariel stood up abruptly.
"I would love to continue, but I have to go now." I nodded my head; no doubt the mate was already getting antsy.
I followed her out of the room and made for Toby's room while she headed for their shared room. I stood in front of Toby's room, my hand wrapped around the doorknob, and I pressed it down, slowly opening the door and letting myself inside.
No matter how long I have been sleeping here, it still feels strange. It could as well be because I only slept there at night, and at the crack of dawn, I was back in my room the next morning like a thief.
I know it was a little stressful, but Toby would always hunt me if I didn't sleep in the room, so I had to settle for a compromise.
But this time I sat on the bed and waited for his arrival, and like a dutiful alarm, the door opened at exactly 2 p.m. and he entered inside.
His eyes connected with mine, and his eyes widened-the only indication that he was surprised to see me. "Maddie, is something wrong?" Toby asked, his brows furrowed in concern, and he rushed towards me, his eyes racking over my body as he looked for signs.
I folded my arms, unable to withstand his scrutiny, but I nodded my head. "Yes." The only time I entered his room was at night and to sleep so I could understand his concerns.
"I have to tell you something."
"We need to talk."
We said at the same time, and his lips widened, revealing that hint of smile that always made me go crazy. Toby was just so easy to love; he made everything seem easy. The way he could smile or laugh with ease or form bonds with literal strangers was amazing, and that was one of the things I love about him.
"You go first." Toby said, and I shook my head.
"No, you first."
"I insist, ladies first." He probes ever so gently that it doesn't feel like he is forcing you, and I was nodding my head before I realized it. That was another thing he was good at.
Manipulation.
I looked up to meet his eyes, his brown eyes that were so dark it was often mistaken to be black, but I knew better because I was the only one that had seen it up close.
I took a deep breath to steady myself before I shattered his fragile heart, then I opened my mouth and said those dreadful words.
"I am leaving."
Synopsis He is a demon! He is ruthless! He is bloodthirsty! He sold his heart to the devil! These were the words you would hear when you asked who the rogue alpha was. Kane Miller was the formidable rogue alpha who had built his empire on the blood of his enemies. His pack was made of only the strongest of warriors, as he believed the weak shouldn't survive, and all he aimed to do was conquer and destroy. He wasn't a small name in the human world either, as he was one of the feared mafia that deals in the sales and distribution of ammunition. He had gotten a contract to raid one of the packs, killing and burning everything to the ground until he heard the cries of his mate. Kane was distraught to learn of his mate and couldn't come to terms with it, so he decided that sending her out of the country was the best decision. Seven years have passed, and Ariel was set to return to the place she had known as home, but that was only the beginning of her problem. She has lived all her life believing she was a human, but hell seemed to let loose when she found out the truth and that everything she had known about herself was a lie. Ariel's return is marked by lies and untold pain that threaten to tear them apart. How much can she endure for love, or will she be able to love her father's killer?
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."
"You're mine, little puppy," Kylan growled against my neck. A soft gasp escaped my lips as his lips brushed my skin. My mind screamed at me to push him away-the Lycan Prince who had humiliated me again and again, but my body betrayed me, leaning into him before I could stop myself. He pressed his lips against mine, and his kiss grew more aggressive, more possessive as I felt my legs weaken. What was I doing? In a split-second, I pulled away and slapped him hard across the face. Kylan's eyes darkened, but the smirk on his lips exposed his amusement. "You and I both know we can't fight this, Violet," he said, gripping my wrist. "You're my mate." "And yet you don't want me," I replied. "You told me you were ashamed of me, that l'd never be your queen, that you'd never love me. So please, accept my rejection and let me go." "Never," he whispered, his grip tightening as he pulled me closer. "Soon enough, you'll be begging for me. and when you do-I'll use you as I see fit and then I'll reject you."
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!"
"I heard you're going to marry Marcelo. Is this perhaps your revenge against me? It's very laughable, Renee. That man can barely function." Her foster family, her cheating ex, everyone thought Renee was going to live in pure hell after getting married to a disabled and cruel man. She didn't know if anything good would ever come out of it after all, she had always thought it would be hard for anyone to love her but this cruel man with dark secrets is never going to grant her a divorce because she makes him forget how to breathe.
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
Kaelyn devoted three years tending to her husband after a terrible accident. But once he was fully recovered, he cast her aside and brought his first love back from abroad. Devastated, Kaelyn decided on a divorce as people mocked her for being discarded. She went on to reinvent herself, becoming a highly sought-after doctor, a champion racer, and an internationally renowned architectural designer. Even then, the traitors sneered in disdain, believing Kaelyn would never find someone. But then the ex-husband’s uncle, a powerful warlord, returned with his army to ask for Kaelyn’s hand in marriage.