BLURB:I had hate in my heart when I died. The Moon Goddess herself linked me to a guy who was meant to adore me, but he betrayed me. I was alive and complete five years ago when I opened my eyes once again. I vowed that this time would be different. My so-called fated mate, Darius Blackthorn, would never be allowed to come near me close enough to ruin me once again. Before he could attack, I would forge my own route, guard my heart, and discover the truth about his treachery. However, it seems that destiny is difficult to change. Killian Draven comes in. Perilous, enraged, and all too alluring, he makes me an offer: if I act like his mate, he would shield me from Darius. I shouldn't play that game since it would only lead to heartache. But the longer I'm in Killian's embrace, the more I question if my fate isn't bound to him. Darius then comes after me and says I've been duped and that the betrayal I believed I saw wasn't what it seemed to be. He is battling not just for me but also for our pack's future. And I am really shaken by the facts he exposes. Because if Darius wasn't the one who betrayed me, then who was it? And why does it seem like I could lose more than my heart in this second chance?
CHAPTER 1 : Death and Rebirth
ARIA POV
"You'll die before the next moonrise."
The words reverberated in my head, icy and definitive. His golden eyes, which had before been warm, pierced through the fog of anguish that obscured my vision and took on a ruthless, cutting look. The blood pooling under me while I lay on the chilly ground served as a sobering reminder of his treachery.
"Darius." I could hardly raise my head and croaked.
With no remorse in his voice, he replied, "You brought this on yourself, Aria." Under the faint moonlight, the sword in his palm shone, its edge still slippery from my blood.
Around me, the world became darker, and as my power diminished, I could see just the outlines of what was there. Even though I could feel death's cold grasp pulling at my spirit, I clung to my hatred and rage.
With my dying breath, I cursed him.
The Moon Goddess was cursed by me.
Then-nothing.
I gasped as oxygen flooded my lungs like fire as I opened my eyes again. Expecting to see the deadly wound, my hands sprang to my chest, but nothing was there. No blood. No discomfort.
Rather, I was in my former bedroom, surrounded by artifacts from a past life that I hadn't seen in a long time.
My heart thumping, I leaped to my feet. The room looked just as I remembered it, with old drapes that hardly blocked the moonlight and a broken mirror over the dresser. I dangled my legs over the edge, bare feet touching the old floors as my bed groaned under me.
"This isn't possible," I said, my voice shaking.
I needed to be sure I wasn't going crazy, so I looked in the mirror. Young and untouched by the atrocities I had experienced, my mirror gazed back at me. I recognized the face for the first time in years-smooth skin, sparkling eyes, untarnished by death or treachery.
Then I noticed it.
The mate mark on my neck, glowing faintly.
"No," I stammered back, choking. When Darius turned me down, that mark ought to have disappeared. It ought to have remained a bitter, faraway memory.
A bitter reminder of the relationship that had doomed me was there, however.
My breath came in short, irregular gasps as I held on to the edge of the dresser. The treachery, the sorrow, and the icy finality of his words brought back memories of my dying.
"How?" With my voice cracking, I whispered.
I was startled by a knock at the door.
"Aria? Are you ok in there?
The voice of Cassie. Her voice seemed younger, less weighed down by the catastrophes that were yet to come.
I forced myself to regulate my breathing and swallowed hard. Yes, I called back in a tremulous voice. "Just a nightmare."
Cassie entered as the door creaked open. She wore her favorite oversized sweater, the same one she wore every day as a teenager, and her brown hair was pulled back in a loose braid.
"You appear pale," she said, her eyes glimmering with worry. "Are you certain you're alright?"
I forced a grin as I nodded. "I'm all right. Give me a minute, please.
After a moment of hesitation and staring at me, Cassie nodded. "Don't be too slow. Alpha Marcus becomes irritated when individuals arrive late, and the pack meeting is about to begin.
The meeting of the pack. My stomach turned over. I had first met Darius's gaze there, and that was when it all began.
I dropped to the floor with my back to the wall as the door snapped shut behind Cassie. I was trying to piece together the inconceivable facts while my thoughts raced.
I wasn't only living. I had returned.
Five years ago, before my world collapsed and before I died, the Moon Goddess had transported me back in time.
However, why?
My gut churned with dread as I saw the mate mark's faint glimmer once again. Darius was here, too, if I was. I was suddenly seized with cold horror at the prospect of seeing him again and those golden eyes that had previously made my pulse beat.
I said, "No," and shook my head. "This time, no."
Grasping the edge of the dresser with quivering hands, I forced myself to stand. I looked back at my mirror, but this time I didn't see the girl who had put her blind faith in destiny. I saw a person who was resolute in their survival and had been hardened by betrayal.
To the girl in the mirror, I said, "This time, I'll destroy you before you destroy me."
However, a chill went down my spine even as I was speaking. Was I destined to make the same errors again, or could I alter my destiny?
My thoughts were again disturbed by a gentle tap.
Cassie cried out through the door, her voice muffled, "Aria." "The Moonshine Pack arrived just now."
My blood became icy.
The Moonshine Pack. Darius's pack.
My nails dug into my hands as I clinched my fists. Already, fate was at work, drawing me back to the guy who had broken me.
Not now.
I took a long breath to regain my composure before grabbing a coat off the back of the chair and throwing it on.
I inhaled deeply to steady myself before snatching a coat from the chair's back and putting it on.
As I stepped out of the room and into the hallway, I could hear the soft whispers of voices from the assembly beneath. Each step I took accelerated my heartbeat, yet I compelled myself to continue.
I wouldn't run. I wouldn't back down.
I would confront him.
I froze as I got to the top of the stairs. Wolves from the Moonshine and Golden Claw packs crowded the main hall. I looked around, fearing, scouring the crowd.
Then I caught sight of him.
Blackthorn, Darius.
His golden eyes scanned the throng as he stood in the middle of the room. As I recalled, his presence was authoritative and fascinating. However, a peculiar glimmer of recognition appeared on his face as we locked eyes.
A slow, piercing, and rapacious grin appeared on his lips.
"Aria," he continued, his voice low and tinged with an unidentified substance.
My heart stopped beating.
He recalled.
BLURB:I had hate in my heart when I died. The Moon Goddess herself linked me to a guy who was meant to adore me, but he betrayed me. I was alive and complete five years ago when I opened my eyes once again. I vowed that this time would be different. My so-called fated mate, Darius Blackthorn, would never be allowed to come near me close enough to ruin me once again. Before he could attack, I would forge my own route, guard my heart, and discover the truth about his treachery. However, it seems that destiny is difficult to change. Killian Draven comes in. Perilous, enraged, and all too alluring, he makes me an offer: if I act like his mate, he would shield me from Darius. I shouldn't play that game since it would only lead to heartache. But the longer I'm in Killian's embrace, the more I question if my fate isn't bound to him. Darius then comes after me and says I've been duped and that the betrayal I believed I saw wasn't what it seemed to be. He is battling not just for me but also for our pack's future. And I am really shaken by the facts he exposes. Because if Darius wasn't the one who betrayed me, then who was it? And why does it seem like I could lose more than my heart in this second chance?
The guy I vowed to love till the end deceived me, and I died once. The Moon Goddess, however, wasn't finished with me. She brought me back to life, reincarnating me as a rogue with no identity or memories, just the burning pain of a past I can't quite recall and a blood-thirsty need for revenge. Then I got to know him. Marcus John. The vicious Nightfang Pack's Alpha. Chilly. Without mercy. Dangerously addictive. I despise him. Nevertheless, my wolf awakens when he is close as if she has discovered something she has long since lost. His touch has a quality that seems to be both a blessing and a curse. I'm not sure whether I'm falling for him or if the connection that is bringing us together is what will break me. Because my recollections grow clearer the closer I go to him. And I'll have to choose between kissing him and killing him when I eventually realize who he is.
SYNOPSIS:I thought meeting my mate would be the start of my happily ever after. For a moment, it was. Jacob Jude, the powerful heir of the Golden Claw Pack, ignited a fire in me that I'd never known. Then, in one cruel twist, he shattered my world. With my sight newly restored, I opened my eyes to betrayal-false accusations, heartbreak, and the lifeless body of my twin sister. Losing them both on the same day nearly destroyed me. But someone pulled me back from the edge. Four years later, I'm no longer the fragile, blind girl who was cast aside. I've rebuilt myself, stronger and sharper than ever. Returning to the Golden Claw Pack wasn't in my plans, but fate has a cruel sense of humor. Because standing at the altar is the man who broke me... and the sister I buried. Now, I have one question-will love or vengeance claim me first?
BLURB:I never imagined that everything might change in a single night. However, I didn't anticipate that Alexander Stone, the mysterious millionaire with the wicked grin, would be the one to haunt both my life and my dreams. We intended for our night together to be a one-time event, a little getaway. I never would have thought that it would result in a secret that would haunt me for five years. My life now involves striking a cautious balance between parenting my daughter, Mia, by myself and apart from a guy who is unaware that he is a father. But I have to deal with him once again once his business purchases my art gallery. All of the memories from that evening flood back as our eyes contact, along with the unmistakable chemistry. I can feel him getting beyond my barriers as he gets closer, but I can't tell him the truth. Not right now. Not when everything I've fought so hard to achieve is in jeopardy. However, when Alexander gives me that resolute look, I understand that I may not be able to maintain my secret for very long. Then he asks me the one thing I'm afraid to respond to: Lena, what happened to you and me? If I told him the truth, would I lose him forever? Or is this my second-our second-chance at a love that can destroy all I've worked so hard to keep safe?
BLURB: I believed that I had moved on from my past. I resolved to keep my children safe at all means after spending a careless night with a stranger wearing a mask five years ago. I established a peaceful life in a new city, raising my triplets and their younger sister. However, my world starts to fall apart when my sons come back from the bathroom talking about a guy who has a tattoo of a wolf-the same tattoo I will always remember. The next day, destiny puts me face to face with him: the vicious CEO who doesn't know who I am but seems to be strangely attracted to my kids. I lie and deny everything out of a desperate attempt to protect my family. However, secrets tend to sneak through gaps, and his intense stare makes me question if he's already piecing things together. I'm stuck now, working for him, battling my emotions, and avoiding adversaries who seem out to bring me down. But nothing scares me more than the reality: what will he do if he finds out the children I vowed to safeguard are really his?
BLURB:I came to Moonshadow chasing folklore and found a mystery far greater than I bargained for. One night with Ethan Blackwood-a man as dangerous as he is alluring-was supposed to be a fleeting indulgence. But when he turned his back on me, cold and distant, I vowed to forget him. I failed. Now, I'm back in Moonshadow with secrets of my own-two growing lives tied to the man who rejected me. But something sinister stalks the shadows of this town, and my investigation is drawing me into a world I never believed existed. Ethan is hiding something, and no matter how hard he tries to keep me away, fate keeps pulling us closer. His icy facade cracks when the danger circles too near, and I discover his truth-a truth that explains everything. Ethan Blackwood isn't just a man. He's a beast bound by laws older than the moon. And now, those laws threaten to destroy us both. When the rogue wolf finally reveals its true target, I'll have to decide: can I trust Ethan to save me and the children he doesn't even know he's fighting for? Or has he already doomed us all?
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.
After spending a night with a strange man on the day before her wedding, Arianna left the country to start her life afresh. The 22-year-old Arianna Jason lived her life pleasing those she loved the most, without knowing that she was simply a prey being nurtured for the day of her ruin. Her life has tasted the butter pill of betrayal. She wants to give back to the world what she's got but how can she change her good, innocent personality to fit into a cruel society and world? Can her sweet nature be contaminated, or will she make it through, paddling on the right path?
Lucia Balstone thought she had chosen the right man to spend the rest of her life with, but he was the one who ended her life. Their ten-year marriage seemed like a joke when her husband stabbed her with a dagger. Fortunately, God is never blind to people's tears. Lucia got a second chance. She was reborn at the age of 22, before all the terrible things had happened. This time, she was determined to avenge herself and let those who hurt her pay! She made an elaborate list of her goals, and the first thing on her list was to marry her ex-husband's enemy, Alonso Callen!
Kallie, a mute who had been ignored by her husband for five years since their wedding, also suffered the loss of her pregnancy due to her cruel mother-in-law. After the divorce, she learned that her ex-husband had quickly gotten engaged to the woman he truly loved. Holding her slightly rounded belly, she realized that he had never really cared for her. Determined, she left him behind, treating him as a stranger. Yet, after she left, he scoured the globe in search of her. When their paths crossed once more, Kallie had already found new happiness. For the first time, he pleaded humbly, "Please don't leave me..." But Kallie's response was firm and dismissive, cutting through any lingering ties. "Get lost!"
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"