Being dumped by my mate, Ethan, on my dream New Year cruise tour was bad enough. Watching him swap spit with Vanessa? Absolute hell. Enter Lucas-the cocky, sinfully hot hockey Alpha-who claims I'm his mate. But he doesn't want love; he wants revenge, proposing a fake relationship to rile Ethan. Now I'm stuck sharing a suite with the guy who has secrets of his own. Christmas and New Year on a luxury ship was supposed to be magical...not a steamy, chaotic mess. What could go wrong?
Aria
It's so fucking beautiful! I spin around in the middle of the suite Ethan booked for us. The luxurious carpet, velvet curtains, sparkling chandeliers-is something straight out of a magazine.
The annual New Year cruise ship tour hosted by my school, Crescent Wolves Academy, is everything I've ever dreamed of but never thought I'd experience.
Me, Aria Whitlock, standing here on a freaking cruise ship? No way. I'm an eighteen-year-old, lowly omega scraping by in a world that couldn't care less about me. But tonight? Tonight, I'm not a nobody.
Nope. Tonight, I'm Alpha Ethan's mate. My Ethan, the future Alpha of the Full Moon Pack, my personal knight in shining armor.
The Moon Goddess must've finally stopped ignoring me.
"Aria, move your ass! We're going to miss the welcome party at this point." Mia's voice yanks me out of my thoughts. She barges in, her wild auburn curls bouncing, looking like a fiery storm in her emerald-green dress. Right behind her is Lily, the complete opposite with her soft, blonde hair and shy smile, rocking a simple blue gown.
They're my best friends... the only ones in the entire damn pack who treat me like a fucking person instead of crap.
"Wow," Lily's blue eyes widen as she takes in the suite. "You and Alpha Ethan's room is so much prettier than ours."
"That's because Ethan wanted me to experience the absolute best," I squeal, practically bouncing on my toes.
Mia gags dramatically. "Ugh, you sound like you're in some cringy rom-com. Stop it before I puke."
"Shut up, Mia," I shoot back, grinning.
She flops onto the bed like she owns the damn place. "Look, I'm just saying, Alpha Ethan better step up tonight. You've been waiting forever for him to stop hiding your ass. If he pulls some crap, I'm kicking his Alpha-wannabe face."
"Mia!" Lily gasps, looking scandalized. "Be nice! This is a big night for Aria."
"I am being nice," Mia shrugs. "Just stating facts. Alpha Ethan's been dragging his feet for months. And I don't know how far I can trust him."
"Stop," I sigh, trying to keep my voice steady. "He promised me, okay? He said tonight, he's telling everyone. It's finally happening."
Mia raises an eyebrow, like she wants to argue, but Lily grabs her arm. "Leave it, Mia. Let Aria enjoy her night."
Mia rolls her eyes but holds her tongue. I turn back to the mirror, fluffing my long black hair and adjusting my floral dress. It's not anything fancy-just the nicest thing I own. Ethan knows I don't care about flashy clothes, and besides, he's already paid for me and my friends to come on this cruise. That's more than enough.
----
The party hall is like something straight out of a movie. Christmas lights sparkle from every angle. The air smells like cinnamon pine trees. And everyone's dressed to kill.
And I mean everyone. These are the elite kids from all the top werewolf academies. Future Alphas and Betas, their perfectly dressed selves, and their annoyingly perfect lives.
Me, Mia, and Lily? We don't belong here.
"Maybe we should've stayed in the suite," Lily murmurs, her wide eyes darting around the room.
"Nope," Mia says firmly. "We're here, so we're owning it. Stand tall, ladies. Don't let these stuck-up assholes make you feel small."
Lily nods hesitantly. And I try to do the same. But the whispers, stares, and judgmental glares... it's all fucking too much.
"I'm gonna find Ethan now," I throw quickly. "You guys grab some drinks. I'll catch up with you later."
"Good luck," Lily says, her soft smile making me feel a little braver.
"You got this, future Luna," Mia adds with a smirk, but I can tell she means it.
Future Luna. The words make my heart flip.
I wander through the party, scanning the crowd for Ethan. My wolf stirs nervously, the back of my mind itching like something's off. I try to shake it off. Ethan's here somewhere, probably waiting for me.
A few minutes later, I spot his hockey teammates relaxing in a corner and laughing about something... Relief floods me as I approach.
"Hey, guys. Have you seen Ethan?" I manage an awkward smile.
The laughter stops. The way they look at me... Like I'm some fucking crap under their shoes. It makes my skin crawl.
"Why don't you check over there?" One of them nods towards a dark corner of the hall.
The others snicker. All except one.
Alpha Lucas of the Shadow Pang pack.
He's leaning against the wall, arms crossed. His intense gray eyes fixed on me with an unreadable expression. Lucas Russo, captain of the hockey team. Notorious playboy, and Ethan's arch enemy. He doesn't laugh or smile... just looks at me like he knows something I don't.
My wolf, Gail, shifts uncomfortably under his gaze. But I ignore her. "Thanks," I force a smile, turning toward the corner.
I make my way through the crowd, my stomach suddenly twisting in knots.
And then I see him.
Ethan.
My Ethan... his hands are on Vanessa, the Academy's head cheerleader, most popular girl in school, and my personal nightmare. One hand gripping her ass... squeezing it, the other hand fondling her boobs as he kisses her like she's the air he needs to breathe.
My heart fucking shatters.
Chelsea Knights once thought to be dead, returns to the city she once called home, her heart still bearing the scars of betrayal. With her mischievous son in tow, she seeks revenge against Liam and those who caused her untold suffering. However, she discovers a harrowing secret. On the other hand, Liam Knights, once the love of her life, grapples with the harrowing realization of his mistakes and resolves to win back Chelsea's trust and love at any cost. How will Liam react when he uncovers the brutal truth from five years ago? And will Chelsea ever find it in her heart to love Liam again?
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What’s worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn’t thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn’t seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he’s different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
Sheila had her back against the wall when her family tried to force her to marry an awful old man. In a fit of rage, she hired a gigolo to act as her husband. She thought the gigolo needed money and did this for a living. Little did she know that he was nothing like that. One day, he pulled off his mask and revealed himself to be the world's top magnate. This marked the beginning of their love. He showered her with everything she could ever want. They were happy. However, unexpected circumstances soon posed a threat to their love. Would Sheila and her husband make it through the storm? Find out!
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."
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?
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.
Eliza Greer was abandoned by her mother, raised in an orphanage, and sold to the Burns family at 19. Even though she marries Mason Burns, the other people in the Burns family look down on her for her poor identity and want to try every way to bully her. Unexpectedly, they all failed. Eliza's hidden identities are gradually revealed in one incident after another, which astonishes everyone.