Maria believed escaping her past meant true freedom, but fate had a different path in mind. As the daughter of the woman who cursed an entire kingdom, she never anticipated her future would be bound to its most powerful leader-the Alpha. Cruel, vengeful, and, worse yet, her destined mate, the Alpha made her life unbearable. After enduring unimaginable suffering, Maria ran, determined to start over, far beyond his reach. But when he hunts her down, insisting that she's the only one capable of breaking the curse, Maria faces an agonizing decision: aid the man who broke her or allow the kingdom to perish. Driven by vengeance, Maria schemes her every move, but the clock is ticking. The Alpha wants her back, and he'll stop at nothing to reclaim her-no matter the cost. Will Maria sacrifice her freedom, or will she choose to end the Alpha's reign once and for all?
Noleen's POV
"Please..." she whispered, her voice wavering and pleading, eyes wide with fear.
The silence shattered as the door swung open. I spun around, anger bubbling up, but the sight of Adel standing there stalled my reaction.
I clenched my jaw, stepping back from Shivani, who stumbled forward with palpable relief, clutching her clothes as she struggled to her feet.
"Hah!" she gasped, breaths uneven as she scrambled to cover herself. Without a second look, she fled, her hurried footsteps echoing down the hall.
I pulled on my trousers, anger simmering beneath the surface.
"Next time, knock, Adel," I snapped, pouring a drink, ice clinking as it hit the glass. "You know I don't tolerate interruptions."
Adel stepped in, shutting the door behind him.
"You almost killed her," he noted, his voice calm but with a quiet undertone of judgment, his steady gaze unfazed by my glare.
"None of your business adel." I drained the whiskey in one go, feeling its burn settle, though it did little to ease the irritation gnawing inside me, one I didn't care to understand.
Adel's calmness bordered on insolence. He was the only one who could speak to me like this and live.
Anyone else wouldn't be so lucky. But he knew how to push just enough - a trait I admired, occasionally.
"Are you aware," he began, his tone steady, "that your pack was attacked last night? Two of your betas are missing."
I didn't react. "Of course I know." My voice came out harsher than intended, but I forced a smirk, deflecting the tension gnawing beneath the surface. "I'm already handling it."
Adel remained unmoved. "It's Melinda again. She won't stop, Noleen. Her mission is to see you fall."
"She's been trying for years," I muttered, a cold smile tugging at my lips. "Let her try. I've prepared a surprise for her."
Adel raised an eyebrow, intrigued but smart enough not to ask further. We both understood there were things he'd rather not know. He paused, then crossed his arms.
"I'm actually here for another reason today."
I raised an eyebrow, waiting. He rarely wasted time, but something was different, something he was holding back.
"Time's running out, Noleen," he said quietly. "You need an heir. Someone to continue the line after you're gone."
The absurdity of it almost made me laugh. An heir? I'd avoided that idea for years, yet now it was staring me down, heavy with inevitability.
"You think I don't know that?" My voice dropped, tinged with bitterness. "What do you suggest? You know none of the she-wolves here can give birth. The curse made sure of that."
Adel met my gaze, unwavering.
"That's why we need to go somewhere else. A place where the curse doesn't touch the women. A bride."
The word felt foreign, even absurd, yet... something in it held a strange allure, though I resisted the pull.
"A bride," I echoed sarcastically, turning away as I finished my whiskey. The idea of letting anyone that close - of sharing my life, even temporarily - was something I'd cast aside long ago. But if it meant an heir...
"And where exactly would I find this bride?"
"There's a place," he replied, his tone calm, but his gaze held a warning, daring me to dismiss it.
"The Brothel Hotel. The women there aren't bound by our curse."
I froze, the name jarring me, disdain flickering across my face.
"A brothel?" I repeated incredulously.
"Yes Alpha." He said
"You think I'd father a child with a prostitute?"
He met my gaze, unshaken.
"You nearly killed one tonight," Adel replied, steady, his jaw clenched and his words tight..
He wasn't just my friend right now; he was challenging me, something no one dared to do.
But the truth of it struck harder than I wanted to admit.
"Adel," I warned, voice low and dangerous.
He didn't flinch, but inclined his head slightly.
"Apologies, Alpha." A pause hung between us, acknowledging the line he'd crossed, yet he held his ground.
"But consider it. You don't have to keep her. Just long enough to secure an heir. After that, you're free to do as you please."
The silence that followed his words dared me to deny the practicality of it.
I tightened my grip on the glass, envisioning it - bringing someone in just long enough to serve my purpose, then letting her go once she'd fulfilled her role. No ties. No vulnerabilities. Just a body, a vessel.
I'd never intended to share my life with anyone, but if this could mean the survival of my pack, one less weakness for Melinda to exploit... maybe Adel's plan had some merit.
"I'll be leaving for Australia tomorrow," Adel continued, his voice now calm, his usual edge absent. "We can stop by the hotel first thing in the morning."
I let the silence linger, the whiskey's burn still on my tongue. My mind raced. A bride. An heir. The pack's future. It all balanced on this, demanding something I'd sworn never to give.
Finally, I nodded slowly, a cold smile curving my lips. "Fine. We leave in the morning."
Adel inclined his head, perhaps relieved, before he turned toward the door. Just before leaving, he glanced back, something lingering in his eyes - a silent understanding, maybe even pity.
I met his gaze, unflinching.
"Be ready." And with that, he left.
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Part B
Melinda's POV
"We've located her, Alpha," he announced, voice low and reverberating off the high stone walls.
Joshua entered, head down, shoulders slouched, a hint of fear rippling through him - a reaction I savored.
I felt a spark of excitement. "Then bring her here," I replied, a grin tugging at my lips, though I kept my tone measured.
He hesitated, his gaze flickering as he remained bowed. "Alpha Noleen is already on his way to claim her."
A surge of anger flared up, and I was on my feet before he could react. My fury must have been evident because he stumbled back, nearly tripping.
"Are you dense, Joshua?" I growled, my voice low but forceful enough to make him flinch. "If Noleen takes her, you're as good as dead. Understand?"
He swallowed hard, Adam's apple bobbing. "I won't fail you, Alpha. I swear-"
"Save it." I cut him off, dismissing him with a wave. "Now go. And don't come back without her."
He bolted, the door slamming shut behind him, but silence didn't last long.
Morris burst in, breathing heavily, his face pale and streaked with dried blood. He dropped to his knees, urgency clear in his movements.
"Alpha... It's Landon," he said, voice strained, body hunched under the weight of his words. "He's dead."
A coldness settled over me, freezing me in place. "What did you just say?" My voice was a venomous whisper.
"Landon is dead," he repeated, voice trembling.
Landon. Loyal, skilled, my best warrior. Gone. The finality of it crashed over me like a wave, and under the grief, anger simmered, growing hotter with each moment. I narrowed my gaze, seeking answers in Morris's eyes.
"Who did this?" My tone was icy, deliberate, brimming with barely restrained fury.
"The rogues - they ambushed us on the training grounds. They attacked ruthlessly, but we managed to capture one," Morris said, desperation clear in his face. His shoulders shook, barely upheld by the pride he once wore like armor.
I narrowed my eyes, calculating, anticipating.
My hands clenched into fists.
"Take me to him."
Aurora Sterndale is heartbroken and heartbroken when her lover abandons her at the altar of her best friend. In a desperate attempt to save face and get revenge, he kills his worst enemy, Brandon Blackwood on the spot. Brandon, who has always hated Aurora and abandoned her in the past, has his own mysterious reasons for agreeing to the quick union. As Aurora grapples with her new reality, she must navigate a marriage filled with tension, power struggles, and an unresolved relationship with Brandon. The question remains: Can Aurora really trust Brandon, especially since he has a secret child of a woman he had one night stand with at the club? On what should be the happiest day of her life, Aurora Sterndale's life comes crashing down when her boyfriend leaves her for her best friend. In a dramatic attempt to regain her pride, she married her sworn enemy, Brandon Blackwood, who she had been estranged from for two years, accusing her of being immature, on the spot. But what does Brandon really want? And can Aurora trust him, even with her ex-lover still around? It's a story of intrigue, revenge, and unexpected alliances as Aurora fights to regain control of her life.
Due to the plight of her family, Phoebe had no choice but to embark on the path of selling herself. In an accident, she had a tangled night with Alexander. Everything began to derail, and even if she fled to the ends of the earth, she would still be found by him and entangled... *** Phoebe screamed in frustration, "What do you want from me?" What was this supposed to be? He raised an eyebrow wickedly. "What do I want? You'll find out soon enough." With that, he hoisted her up and carried her back into the office. The door slammed shut with a kick, and he cleared the desk with a sweep of his arm before laying her down on it, his body pinning hers in place, completely trapping her in his grasp. Every cell in his body was telling him he wanted her. He wanted to claim her again. This time, there would be no escape for her-he wouldn't let her slip away. Never again. If he had suffered for five years, then this woman wouldn't get off easily either!
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?
Dear readers, this book has resumed daily updates. It took Sabrina three whole years to realize that her husband, Tyrone didn't have a heart. He was the coldest and most indifferent man she had ever met. He never smiled at her, let alone treated her like his wife. To make matters worse, the return of the woman he had eyes for brought Sabrina nothing but divorce papers. Sabrina's heart broke. Hoping that there was still a chance for them to work on their marriage, she asked, "Quick question,Tyrone. Would you still divorce me if I told you that I was pregnant?" "Absolutely!" he responded. Realizing that she didn't mean shit to him, Sabrina decided to let go. She signed the divorce agreement while lying on her sickbed with a broken heart. Surprisingly, that wasn't the end for the couple. It was as if scales fell off Tyrone's eyes after she signed the divorce agreement. The once so heartless man groveled at her bedside and pleaded, "Sabrina, I made a big mistake. Please don't divorce me. I promise to change." Sabrina smiled weakly, not knowing what to do...
Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it all—from standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didn’t return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachel’s terminal illness and realized she didn’t have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."
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!”
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.”