"Welcome to Blackstone Lodge, where secrets lurk in every shadow, and the moon never sets. Luna Hart only wanted a fresh start, but what she found was a dark, magnetic billionaire with a secret that could cost her life. Kael Blackstone is no ordinary man-he's an alpha werewolf cursed to lose control every full moon. When Luna uncovers the truth, she discovers she's the only one who can save him. Bound by a blood pact, Luna must embrace a destiny she never asked for. But falling for Kael means facing a pack of deadly rivals, unraveling her own mysterious lineage, and risking everything for a love that defies fate itself. Can she break his curse-or will she lose herself in the darkness?"
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Chapter 1: The Stranger at Blackstone Lodge
The cold wind clawed at Luna Hart's face as she stepped off the rickety bus, her boots sinking into a fresh layer of snow. The driver gave her a curt nod before pulling away, leaving her alone on the narrow mountain road. Ahead, the trail to Blackstone Lodge wound upward, disappearing into the shadowy embrace of the forest.
Luna adjusted the strap of her duffel bag, a single reminder of her old life, and stared into the dense woods. The job listing had been vague, but the pay was more than generous. After losing her apartment and burning through what little savings she had, Luna didn't have the luxury of being picky.
"Just a lodge," she muttered, trying to steel her nerves. "Just some rich guy's fancy retreat."
The forest swallowed her whole as she started up the trail. The air was sharp, each breath a biting reminder of how far she'd come from the noisy, crowded city. Here, the silence was almost deafening. No birds, no distant hum of traffic-only the crunch of her boots and the occasional creak of branches swaying in the wind.
She tightened her scarf, the unease settling over her like a second skin. Something about the forest felt ancient, as though it had been standing long before humans dared to carve paths through it.
It was nearly dark when the lodge came into view. The sight made her stop in her tracks.
Blackstone Lodge wasn't what she'd expected. Perched on a ridge overlooking the valley, the massive structure was equal parts imposing and beautiful. Its dark wood and glass façade gleamed against the backdrop of the snow-covered mountains. But the lodge didn't radiate warmth-it loomed like a watchful predator, its lights flickering faintly in the encroaching night.
"Miss Hart?"
The deep, resonant voice startled her. Luna whipped around to find a man standing on the stone steps leading to the entrance.
He was tall, with the kind of presence that demanded attention. His black coat, tailored to perfection, did little to hide the strength in his broad shoulders. Tousled dark hair framed a face that looked as though it had been sculpted by a master artist. His silver-gray eyes met hers, sharp and unreadable, and for a moment, Luna forgot how to breathe.
"Yes, I'm... Luna Hart," she managed, clutching the strap of her bag like a lifeline.
The man descended the steps with a quiet, almost predatory grace. He extended a gloved hand. "Kael Blackstone. Welcome to my lodge."
Luna hesitated before taking his hand. His grip was firm, his palm warm despite the frigid air. A strange current ran through her at his touch, and she quickly pulled her hand back.
"Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Blackstone," she said, her voice steadier than she felt.
His lips twitched into what might have been a smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm glad you made it safely. Not many are brave enough to take the trek up here at this time of year."
The weight of his gaze made her shift uncomfortably. Before she could respond, the heavy front doors creaked open, and an older woman stepped out.
She was tall and severe, her gray-streaked hair pulled into a tight bun. Her sharp eyes swept over Luna with the precision of a blade, lingering on her worn boots and wind-chapped face.
"You're late," the woman said curtly.
"Agatha," Kael interjected, his tone smooth but firm, "our new hire has had a long journey. Let's not frighten her off on her first day."
Agatha sniffed but stepped aside, motioning for Luna to enter. "Follow me," she said briskly.
The lodge's interior was as grand as its exterior, yet no less intimidating. The foyer was vast, with vaulted ceilings and walls paneled in dark wood. A roaring fire crackled in a massive stone hearth, casting flickering shadows across the room. The scent of cedar and something faintly metallic filled the air, teasing at Luna's senses.
Agatha led her through the space with quick, precise steps, barely pausing to point out the key areas. "Dining hall is through there. Staff quarters are in the east wing. You'll start tomorrow morning-5 a.m. sharp. We run a tight ship here, Miss Hart."
"Of course," Luna said, trying to keep up with the older woman's pace.
"And one more thing," Agatha said, stopping abruptly. She turned to face Luna, her expression unreadable. "Do not wander the halls at night."
Luna frowned. "Why not?"
Agatha's lips pressed into a thin line. "The lodge is old. It's easy to get lost."
Before Luna could press further, Agatha handed her a small iron key and motioned toward a narrow hallway. "Your room is at the end. Goodnight, Miss Hart."
The air grew heavier as Luna walked down the hall alone. Her room was small but cozy, with a single bed, a wardrobe, and a window that overlooked the dark forest. She dropped her bag onto the bed and sat down, exhaustion settling over her like a blanket.
She tried to tell herself that Agatha's warning was nothing more than eccentricity, but the unease lingered. There was something about this place-something she couldn't quite put her finger on.
That night, sleep came fitfully. The wind outside howled like a living thing, and the lodge groaned as though settling into its ancient bones. Just as she began to drift off, a sound broke through the silence.
A low, mournful howl.
Luna bolted upright, her heart hammering in her chest. She hurried to the window, but the forest below was still, bathed in silvery moonlight.
"It's just a wolf," she whispered, trying to calm herself. "Nothing to be scared of."
But the sound came again, louder this time, and far too close.
Her breath caught as she noticed movement near the edge of the forest. A massive, shadowy figure slipped between the trees, too large to be any ordinary wolf.
She stumbled back from the window, her pulse pounding in her ears. For a moment, she considered running to find Agatha-or even Kael. But something stopped her.
The figure paused, turning its head toward her window. Even from a distance, she could feel its gaze, as though it could see her through the glass.
Then, just as quickly as it had appeared, the creature melted back into the shadows.
Luna sank onto the bed, her hands trembling. Whatever was out there wasn't just a wolf.
And she had the sinking feeling that Blackstone Lodge was hiding far more than she'd bargained for.
The story features Leila, a young lady with alluring beauty who was molested by her step father and neglected by her mother who was blinded by love. Broken by the scars of her past, Leila became a heartless lady, killing for fun and money. She finds love in the most unlikely place but refuses to accept and when she finally yields, fate comes knocking.
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
"I, Riccardo Saviano, future Alpha of the Grey Shadow Moon Pack, reject you, Artemisia Guerrieri, Daughter of Alpha Franco of the Blood Moon Pack, as my mate and future Luna." One single sentence. One stupid single sentence was all it took to disintegrate my life. And the day of my birthday, on which this sentence was audaciously uttered to me, I lost the love of my life, my future mate, and my wolf, all at once. As I'm still assembling the pieces of my shattered heart years later, there they come. Like lightning out of a crystal blue sky. My Mates. But wait... If I am mated to triplets, how come I'm about to be mated to 5 gorgeous men? *** TW: explicit and foul language; spicy content; explicit sex scenes ***
"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."
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”
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."
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?