"You're mine now," he says, his voice low, commanding. I shouldn't be thrilled by his words. I shouldn't even be standing here, in the cold shadows of a life I never chose. But here I am, torn between the man who shattered my heart and the one who calls me his, though I'm nothing like what he wants. When my chosen mate abandoned me for a woman who had once rejected him, I thought nothing could hurt worse. But I was wrong. He came back for her, leaving me with nothing but memories and a hollow ache. And just when I thought I had nothing left, Alpha Adeoye stepped into my life-a king without a throne, a man feared by all, including the wolves who once stood by my side. He's chilly. He is merciless. He's not my type, either. However, whenever he calls my name, I get a real and dangerous sensation. I ought to resist it. I ought to battle him. However, I see a darkness-an anguish similar to mine-when I look into his eyes. And the reality hit me harder than any betrayal just when I thought I had understood my place in this world and could move on from my past. The affection I assumed was long gone is still there. But there's one question I can't ignore: If I let myself fall for Adeoye, will it be the salvation I'm desperate for? Or will it destroy everything I thought I knew about love? As the final battle approaches, I'm left standing at a crossroads, knowing one wrong move could change everything. And then, he whispers, "You'll choose me... won't you?" But the truth is, I don't know if I can trust him.
"You're not my mate anymore, Lola," The forest's silence was broken by Declan's voice, which hit my heart like a hammer with every word. His eyes, which had previously been warm and full of hope for the future, now were icy and far away. "I've discovered another person. It's finished.
With strained gasps of breath, I stumbled backward. As though the earth itself were plotting to drag me down, the ground under me felt shaky. My mouth opened, but nothing came out. How is this possible? How could the man who had promised that we were destined to be together, the man I had dedicated my heart to, simply leave?
With a sour chuckle, he took a step forward, his eyes unblinking. "I apologize, but it's time. I no longer love you. I didn't.
The words hit me more forcefully than I could have ever imagined. Staring up at him as though I could will the reality to alter, my knees gave way and I fell to the chilly ground. This was not taking place. I couldn't be rejected by Declan. Not in this manner. Not after all that we had endured.
I said, "You're lying," with the words hardly coming out. "You can't be."
Declan did not recoil. He didn't appear guilty at all. He had a determined, set face, as though the choice had been made long before we were standing there.
"Do you think I wanted this?" His voice grew softer, but it was filled with the coldness of finality rather than regret. "Lola, it's over. I've moved on.
I felt like screaming. I wanted to destroy the forest and the entire earth, but I refrained from doing so. I was unable to. I sat there instead, broken, looking up at the man who had been my whole world.
The aroma of dirt and pine was carried by a chilly air that blew across the clearing. It should have been comforting, but instead it made my chest feel even more empty. Declan had been my soulmate, my partner, and my lifelong companion. He wasn't now, though. None of that applied to him.
My heart broke into fragments I couldn't even begin to gather. The fact that he had left me was not the worst part. He had done it so effortlessly, like though I were but a fleeting recollection.
I was no longer able to look at him. I turned aside, making my legs move so I could go somewhere other than here. But I was stopped by his voice.
He yelled, "Don't run, Lola," in a tone that I couldn't quite place-perhaps resentment? "You need to hear this."
Despite my refusal to turn around, I froze with my back to him. I was unable to. Not with the rawness of the agony.
"You think this was easy for me?" Declan went on, his footsteps becoming closer, but I remained motionless. "But I was at a loss. She is now my partner. And I'm unable to-" Then, as though his next words were sour, he stopped. "I can't keep living a lie."
We were silent, and I felt a burden pressing down on my chest. Despite my inability to breathe, my heart continued to beat brutally, each thump serving as a reminder that it was still attempting to cling on. I was unable to think.
At last, I said, "Who is she?" in a calm but tremulous voice.
He paused, and I briefly believed I saw a flash of shame in his eyes, but it vanished before I could fully notice it. "It doesn't matter," he was saying. "The important thing is that I'm finished. And you must come to terms with that. Proceed."
Proceed. Like a cruel joke, the words replayed in my head. How was I going to get over this? How was it possible for me to let go of the one person I had always imagined being with? The one person I had trusted through all of the difficulties, battles, and obstacles.
As Declan turned to walk away, his footfall became softer, but I was able to speak again before he could.
"Did you ever love me?" The question lingered between us like a slender thread. I had to know. Even though it would break my heart, I had to hear the truth.
He didn't respond immediately, and for a little, excruciating minute, I believed he would leave without answering. Then his voice came, dejected and low.
"No," he replied plainly. "Not in the way you needed me to."
The ground underneath me seemed to have broken apart. It was as though the universe itself was lamenting the loss of something valuable as the sky grew dimmer and the globe grew darker.
I wanted to yell and scream at him for his callousness, but instead I just stood there and gazed at the empty spot where Declan used to be. Without thinking twice, he had left. And I had trouble breathing for a while. I was unable to think. The only sensation I had was the excruciating pain in my chest, the void that now characterized who I was.
A figure suddenly appeared in the clearing, and I felt a chill run down my spine. I knew who it was without turning around. His cologne was clearly odorous as the air changed.
Adeoye Alpha.
Even though he hadn't said anything yet, I winced at the sound of his voice. Everything around me seemed to feel smaller because of his commanding presence. Despite his cool, collected tone, there was a hint of anxiety in it.
Adeoye said coolly, "I see you've been abandoned," his eyes darting momentarily to where Declan had recently been standing.
I didn't answer. What could be said? I was by myself. All by myself.
"I'm not here to comfort you," Adeoye added, his voice containing a hint of authority but also something deeper and more perilous. "But I will not let you wallow in your misery."
Slowly, I raised my eyes to meet his. "What do you want from me?" I hardly got a whisper out.
He said, "To remind you," his eyes meeting mine, "that occasionally, those who are supposed to leave you will do so for a cause. and that not every conclusion is final.
His meaning was not quite clear to me. But my heart was pounding from the intensity of his stare. Something flickered inside of me for the first time since Declan's treachery. I was unaware that I still possessed that spark.
However, Adeoye's face stiffened before I could respond. He said, "You'll come with me,"
"What?" I couldn't hide my bewilderment. "Why?"
"You'll understand soon enough," he stated in a quiet but decisive tone. He reached out and took hold of my arm, dragging me along behind him before I could object or raise any more concerns.
I had no idea what Alpha Adeoye would bring, but for the first time in what seemed like forever, I felt a glimmer of optimism. I was already being pulled into something dangerous that was about to happen, whether I was prepared for it or not.
Then I realized that nothing in my life would ever be the same again as I took one last look at the vacant spot where Declan had left me.
"You're marrying Mike Rowling. There's no choice." That's what my mother said, her words as cold as ever. I never imagined my life would come to this-trapped in a marriage to a man I've never wanted. Mike is a bitter, broken billionaire, his heart sealed off after an accident that changed everything. He's a stranger in his own home, and now, I'm his reluctant wife. But there's something no one knows, not even Mike: my daughter Mia isn't just my little girl-she's his, too. A secret I've kept buried for years. As the days pass, I can't help but feel the pull between us. He's changing, softening, and my heart begins to betray me. But every smile, every touch, feels like a lie because of the truth I can never tell. Then one night, Mike looks at me with eyes full of questions, and I realize-he knows. Everything is about to unravel. Will the truth destroy us, or will it be the key to our future?
"I never thought he'd cast me out." As I stood beyond the pack boundaries, the words replayed in my head, the life I knew vanishing minute by moment. She, the lady from his past, had been picked over me by Roland Crown, the man I loved, the Alpha I was meant to be by his side. For a deception, he turned away his true mate, me. I was carrying a secret that no one could ever know: I was expecting his children, as the wind whispered through the woods. I really did not want him to know, but life has a way of bringing everything you've worked so hard to hide back to haunt you. I believed I might get away from being alone in a human world that doesn't comprehend me. However, someone is observing. Someone who is fully aware of what I'm concealing and who will not give up until they achieve their goals. I was mistaken to believe that the worst aspect of this nightmare was the anguish of losing Roland. I don't know who I can trust, and the real danger is just getting started. Will it be too late when Roland arrives at my door with regret in his eyes? Will I be able to shield my kids from the darkness that is encroaching on us when the truth is ultimately exposed? I'll just have to find out. One thing, though, caught me off guard: someone from my past is prepared to ruin everything, starting with me.
"You don't belong here." The people I believed I could trust threw those comments at me, and they rang in my ears for years. My foes, my packmates, and my tormentors are Cassian and Kade. They turned every action I took into something improper and out of character, making my life a living misery. And perhaps I did believe them for a while. But when I turn 19, everything is different. My abilities come to life, more potent and terrifying than I could have ever dreamed. All of a sudden, they are pulled to me as my destined partners rather than as adversaries. The icy Alpha-in-waiting Cassian is troubled by the thought of his future. The vicious Beta Kade is constantly engaged in a game of control and domination. Then there is Alaric, the enigmatic outsider with a secret that has the potential to ruin us all. Destiny created our unshakable bond, but I never wanted to be a pawn in someone else's game. I'm becoming more and more aware that nothing is as it seems. I am at the center of several mysteries that are deeply ingrained in the history of our pack. It's this bond that I wish to resist. I want to despise everyone. However, there is no denying the draw between us. I feel like my heart and soul are breaking apart piece by piece with every touch and look. However, as the prophecy starts to come to pass, I learn that there are other things in danger besides the pack's fate. I'm risking my own life. I'll have to make a decision that will either save us or ruin everything I've ever known. As the full moon rises, I find myself standing on the edge of all my fears. Then I hear it-the one fact for which I could have been unprepared. "Tonight, one of you will pass away." Who will it be? Is it possible for me to halt it before it is too late?
"You will never see your mother again if you don't marry him." My fate was sealed as the words replayed in my head. As the forgotten daughter of a wealthy and influential man, I, Adebola, was thrown into a world of riches, power, and perilous secrets that I never wanted to be a part of. I was forced, not chosen, to be married to the mysterious billionaire in a wheelchair, Yemi Coker. But beyond his icy exterior and scathing remarks, I caught glimmers of a guy who yearned for affection and to be understood. The distinction between obligation and desire started to get hazy as the days stretched into weeks. I wasn't meant to fall for him, but I was drawn to him because of his power, intelligence, and concealed suffering. I had just begun to think that love could blossom from the ashes of betrayal when the ghosts of my past came roaring back. The ideal daughter, Temitope, came returned to take back everything she thought was hers, including Yemi. Her threats became more pointed, her schemes more sinister, and her secrets-oh, the secrets she kept-had the potential to ruin everything. I learned the truth about my own father just when I believed I had faced the worst; it was so startling that it caused me to reevaluate all I had assumed. When treachery is ingrained in your DNA, how do you battle for love? When a man has every reason to doubt you, how can you trust him? The one secret that has the power to either permanently unite us or tear us apart has the answer. Will I find out before it's too late, though?
Natalie used to think she could melt Connor’s icy heart, but she was sorely mistaken. When at last she decided to leave, she discovered that she was pregnant. Even so, she chose to quietly leave his world, prompting Connor to mobilize all of his resources and expand his business to a global scale—all in a bid to find her. But there was no trace of Natalie. Connor slowly spiraled into madness, turning the city upside down and leaving chaos in his wake. Natalie finally surfaced years later, with wealth and power of her own, only to find herself entangled with Connor once again.
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.”
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."
"There will be no falling in love, we will only act as a loving couple when we are in public, we will share a room to make it believable, but no intimacy, touching is off-limits. We'll only have sex once a month, and that's solely to produce an heir. You won't interfere in my business, and I won't interfere in yours. You will be my wife in every sense and you will not be involved with any other man," he said, arrogance seeping from every word. I watch his mouth move, I'm not ready to fall in love with any man, especially not one as arrogant and egoistic as him. I can handle acting as a loving couple, and as for intimacy once a month. I can agree to that just to satisfy my sexual cravings with no strings attached. "Where can I sign?" I asked since I had nothing to lose. *** Nadine's wedding dreams turned to nightmares when she caught her sister and fiancé cheating! With a secret recording, she's ready for revenge. But then mysterious billionaire Logan West offers a deal: A Contract Marriage to take down her ex's empire. But what Nadine doesn't know is her life is getting complicated as she takes her chance to get revenge or risks everything for a chance at love?"
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?
6 years ago, Lydia suffered a brutal betrayal orchestrated by her own husband and step-sister, who drugged her and framed her. In a twist of fate, she ended up having a one-night stand with a stranger. Don't even remember what he looked like. Later, in the throes of death, she discovered the truth about her mother's death all those years ago. In the blink of an eye, she lost everything. 6 years later, Lydia returned with her genius son, vowing to exact revenge on all her enemies! Little did she know, she encountered an incredibly familiar man at the airport! *** The man was briskly pushing open the door to the restroom, heading to the urinal. Even with such a mundane action, he did it with unparalleled elegance and grace. Lydia, following him in a daze, saw his fierce lower body and suddenly snapped back to reality. She let out a high-pitched scream, instinctively covering her eyes with her hands, her cheeks flushed, and stood there stiffly, unsure of what to do. Lambert furrowed his brows slightly but remained calm as he continued to relieve himself. The sound of water hitting the urinal made Lydia's face even redder. She angrily shouted, "You pervert!" Little did Lydia know that Lambert, seeing her in this state, had a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Memories from many years ago flashed through his mind, and his heart couldn't help but stir. It was her!