After a string of failed relationships, Mia Hart agrees to a "friends with benefits" arrangement with her best friend, Colton Hayes, a powerful Alpha and billionaire. But when Mia's feelings deepen, she's torn as Colton grows closer to his manipulative ex, Sabrina Lane. "You said this was just physical," Colton says coldly, arms crossed, his intense hazel eyes locked on hers. "It was," Mia replies, her voice breaking as her heart aches. "But things have changed. I can't pretend it means nothing anymore." Colton's jaw tightens. "We had an agreement. I thought you understood." "Did I?" Mia's voice trembles with frustration. "Or was I just fooling myself into thinking I could handle this? Do you think I wanted to fall for you?" For a fleeting moment, his gaze softens, but he quickly masks it. "That pull? It's just lust, Mia. Nothing more." "Is it?" she retorts, her voice rising. "Or are you too afraid to admit you feel it too?" Colton runs a hand through his hair, tension radiating from him as he wrestles with emotions he's not ready to face.
Mia's POV
The sound of laughter filled the crowded rooftop bar, mingling with the low hum of music and the faint clinking of glasses. Mia Hart shifted uncomfortably in her seat, the soft leather of the booth pressing into her back. Across from her, Colton Hayes leaned against the table with a casual confidence only he could pull off. His dark hair was slightly tousled, as if he had run a hand through it one too many times, and his hazel eyes sparkled with amusement as he recounted another one of his ridiculous stories.
Everyone at the table hung on his every word. They always did.
Mia sipped her cocktail, the tart taste of lime and vodka barely registering on her tongue. She forced a smile at the appropriate moments, nodding along, but her thoughts were a thousand miles away. Or, rather, directly across the table.
Colton. Her best friend. Her partner in crime. The man she'd somehow stupidly, recklessly, fallen for.
He caught her staring.
"What?" he asked, one eyebrow quirking in that way that made her stomach flip. "You're looking at me like I've got something on my face."
Heat rushed to her cheeks. "Nothing. I was just... zoning out." She waved a hand dismissively.
"Zoning out?" His grin widened, revealing perfect white teeth. "Am I boring you, Hart?"
"No, just tired." She gave a half-hearted shrug. "Long day."
Colton's expression softened, just for a second. "You work too hard. Remind me again why you insist on managing that whole department solo?"
"It's called being competent, Hayes," she shot back, grateful for the distraction.
His laughter rolled out easily, warm and familiar, drawing the attention of the others. Mia pretended not to notice the curious glances aimed at her. Colton had that effect on people-a gravitational pull that seemed to pull her in no matter how hard she fought against it.
The night dragged on, and Mia found herself retreating into her thoughts again. The casual touches Colton gave her- his knee brushing hers under the table, the way his arm rested across the back of her chair-were enough to send her heart racing. She knew better than to let herself feel this way. Their arrangement was clear. No strings, no expectations. Just an outlet for their mutual frustrations and the chemistry they couldn't deny.
But lately, her heart hadn't gotten the memo.
By the time the group decided to call it a night, Mia's head was spinning-not from alcohol, but from the weight of everything unsaid. Colton offered to walk her to her car, as he always did, and she let him, knowing it was a mistake.
The crisp night air hit her like a welcome slap, cooling her heated cheeks. Colton's hands were shoved into his pockets, his stride easy and unhurried beside her.
"You've been quiet tonight," he said finally, breaking the silence. "Everything okay?"
Mia hesitated. "Yeah. Just tired, like I said."
He stopped walking and turned to face her, blocking her path. His hazel eyes searched hers, and for a moment, she thought he could see everything she was trying to hide.
"Bullshit," he said softly.
Her breath hitched. "What are you talking about?"
"You're not okay, Mia. I know you better than that."
The vulnerability in his voice made her chest ache. It would've been so easy to tell him the truth, to spill everything she'd been holding back. But then what? He'd remind her of their agreement. He'd tell her she was overthinking it. He'd walk away.
"I'm fine, Colton." She forced a smile and stepped around him.
He didn't follow immediately.
"Mia..." His voice trailed off, but she didn't stop walking. She couldn't. Not if she wanted to keep the fragile threads of their relationship intact.
Colton's POV
Mia was lying to him.
The thought stuck with Colton as he watched her disappear into the driver's seat of her car. He leaned against a lamppost, hands shoved deep in his pockets, his chest tightening in a way that was becoming annoyingly familiar... This was supposed to be simple.
From the beginning, they'd agreed to keep things casual. No complications, no feelings, just a convenient arrangement between two friends who had been through their fair share of relationship disasters. And for the most part, it worked. They laughed, they teased, they burned up the sheets, and they walked away unscathed... At least, that was the plan.
Colton ran a hand through his hair, frustration simmering beneath the surface. Lately, things had felt... different. Mia had been pulling away, her usual fire dimmed, her sharp wit dulled by whatever was weighing on her. And Colton hated it.
He wanted to fix it... Hell, he wanted to fix her.
The realization hit him like a sucker punch, and he cursed under his breath. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. He couldn't afford to get tangled up in emotions, not with Mia. It would ruin everything they had.
But the truth was impossible to ignore.
Mia wasn't just his best friend. She wasn't just the woman he slept with when they both needed an escape. She was... everything. And that terrified him.
Pushing off the lamppost, Colton climbed into his car and started the engine. He couldn't shake the image of her eyes-so full of something she refused to say out loud.
By the time he reached his penthouse, Colton had made up his mind.
He wasn't going to let Mia shut him out. Not this time.
Mia's POV
The weight of the day pressed down on Mia as she kicked off her heels and sank onto the couch. Andy, her orange tabby, jumped into her lap, purring softly. She ran a hand over his fur, her mind drifting to the way Colton had looked at her tonight.
It was like he knew.
Her chest tightened as she replayed their conversation in her head. The concern in his voice, the intensity in his eyes-it was too much. She couldn't let herself believe there was anything more to it than that.
Her phone buzzed on the coffee table, pulling her out of her thoughts.
Colton: "You left in a hurry."
Her fingers hovered over the screen, her heart pounding. She could ignore him, pretend she was already asleep, but she knew he wouldn't let it go.
Mia: "I was tired."
His response came almost immediately.
Colton: "Liar."
A small smile tugged at her lips despite herself.
Mia: "I thought you didn't believe in texting."
Colton: "I don't. But you're avoiding me, and I want to know why."
Mia stared at the screen, her stomach twisting in knots. She wanted to tell him everything-that she'd fallen for him, that she couldn't keep pretending this was just physical. But she couldn't bear the thought of losing him completely.
Instead, she typed out the safest response she could think of.
Mia: "I'm not avoiding you. Goodnight, Colton."
She set the phone down and leaned back against the couch, her eyes drifting shut. Sleep didn't come easily, but when it finally did, Colton's hazel eyes haunted her dreams.
Betrayed, rejected, and humiliated in front of her entire pack by her one true love, Jaxon Hale, Amara thought her life was over when he auctioned her off like she was nothing. But her fate took an unexpected turn when she met *him*. Dante Moretti, a ruthless Alpha mafia leader, purchased Amara not for love, but for revenge. Fueled by a deep grudge against her family, he intended to use her as a pawn in his vendetta. Yet, what he didn't anticipate was the undeniable pull between them. He didn't expect to desire her, to cherish her, or to claim her as his own. When love and vengeance collide, Dante is forced to confront his own demons and make an impossible choice. Will he hold on to his hatred, or will Amara's love be enough to redeem him?
Eliza Carter has always lived a life shadowed by hardship, raised by an alcoholic father with no mother to lean on. But things take a devastating turn when she discovers that her father owes a million dollars to Damien Viera, the ruthless and dangerous man who controls the city's underworld. With no way to pay off the debt, Eliza is given an impossible ultimatum: become Damien's wife or lose her life. Torn between survival and despair, she must make a choice that will shape her future. Will she marry a man she fears to clear her father's debt, or will she choose death over a life with him? As the days go by, Eliza faces a whirlwind of emotions-will she find happiness in this marriage, or will she be consumed by hatred for the man who controls her fate?
Raven has spent her life as a forgotten omega, kept alive only by the ruthless will of Lady Morgana, who needs her to save her only son, Alpha Orion. A prophecy foretold that only a hybrid wolf from the mysterious Shadowclaw Clan could cure the madness that threatens to consume him. But the prophecy came at a terrible price-Orion's father led a massacre that destroyed Raven's entire clan, leaving her as the lone survivor. Raised as a tool to fulfill the prophecy, Raven grew into her role, never realizing that destiny would bind her to Orion in a way neither could escape. When she was revealed as his fated mate, joy quickly turned to despair. Trapped between his mother's expectations and his spiraling sanity, Orion rejected her, igniting a series of painful events that would alter both their lives forever. Now, with war looming and another Alpha vying for her heart, Raven must confront a tangled web of love, betrayal, and survival. As long-buried secrets rise to the surface, Orion's descent into madness threatens to destroy not only their bond but the future of the entire pack. Torn between the mate who rejected her and the Alpha who offers her a new beginning, Raven must make an impossible choice.
Betrayed by her closest ally and poisoned by those she trusted most, Luna Seraphina thought her story ended with her death. But the Moon Goddess had other plans. Reborn into the body of Astrid, a rogue with untapped power, Seraphina returns to her pack to uncover the truth. No one recognizes her-not even her mate, Kieran, who unknowingly cast her aside. As she pursues justice, an undeniable passion ignites between her and Kieran, risking everything- or offering her the redemption she craves.
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?
"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."
"I want a divorce!" Ryan demanded, despite the fact that he had cheated on her with his ex. ~ Serena is no longer the quiet, romantic lady Ryan Winters married and divorced five years ago. Now the CEO of Rocky's Designs, she is bright, unwavering, and unapologetic about her independence-a far cry from the woman Ryan remembers. When fate brings them back into one another's lives, Ryan is forced to confront the truth about their past, their newfound hot chemistry, and a surprising revelation; Serena has a daughter who may be his. But Ryan's girlfriend, Kate, isn't prepared to lose him again. She will do whatever it takes to keep Ryan in her grasp-even if it means destroying Serena's life and the corporate empire she has built. What happens when Serena's now peaceful life is being disrupted? Will Serena lose once again or will she seize this billionaire's heart?
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
Her fiance and her best friend worked together and set her up. She lost everything and died in the street. However, she was reborn. The moment she opened her eyes, her husband was trying to strangle her. Luckily, she survived that. She signed the divorce agreement without hesitation and was ready for her miserable life. To her surprise, her mother in this life left her a great deal of money. She turned the tables and avenged herself. Everything went well in her career and love when her ex-husband came to her.