Duke Orion von Hawthorne is feared across Ebonvale-a man of power, ruthlessness, and unshakable control. But beneath his iron rule lies a secret that threatens to destroy everything he has built. He cannot produce an heir. Without one, his legacy will crumble, his enemies will rise, and the Hawthorne bloodline will end with him. But when whispers of a forgotten legend resurface, Orion learns that there is one way to break his curse-claim a Velaryn. The Velaryns were once a race of extraordinary women, their beauty and intelligence unmatched. But their power made them dangerous, and centuries ago, they were hunted to extinction. At least that is what the world thinks. Hidden in the depths of the Dark Forest, rumors circulate about a golden witch, a being that is neither human nor animal, invisible and out of reach. Those who search for her never come back. Resolved to challenge destiny, Orion sets out on his most perilous hunt to date. However, what he discovers is neither a ghost nor a monster. He finds her. A wild girl, covered in golden paint, hidden away in a cave that breathes like a living thing. She is nothing like the obedient women of court, nothing like the delicate noble ladies who kneel before men like him. She is untamed, fearless, and unbroken. And when he takes her captive, she refuses to yield. Sylvara is his greatest challenge. She does not beg. She does not break. She does not bow to his threats. But Orion always wins. As he uncovers the enigma linked to her, he comes to understand she is beyond merely a Velaryn-she harbors a secret that has the potential to either rescue him... or ruin him. She is the final representative of her species, and her mere presence could disrupt the foundations of the kingdom. But Velaryns were never meant to be owned. And as war brews and enemies close in, Orion is forced to question everything he thought he knew. Because the stories never told the full truth about Velaryns. They never warned him what would happen if Velaryn ever loved a man in return. Now, with his legacy, his life, and his heart on the line, Orion must make a choice-claim her and risk losing himself, or let her go and doom his bloodline forever. But what if the real danger is not that he will lose her? What if she was never his to claim in the first place?
"Your Grace, there is no hope."
The words vibrated, pressing against the chest of Orion von Hawthorne as if the edge of a blade prepared to strike. He did not budge, did not flinch, his gloved hands clasped together under chin. Behind the gleaming oak desk, the old doctor stood strained, drops of perspiration collecting at the temple, even as the air turned cold. The fellow was nervous, and well he should.
Orion did not tolerate failure.
"No hope?" he repeated, voice lowered, lethal.
The physician gulped, his Adam's apple prominent. "Not one human woman, Your Grace."
A slow, heavy stillness enveloped them. The dancing flames across the fireplace crackled, casting flickering shadows across the stones, but the flames did little to thaw the ice accumulating in the veins of Orion.
"Not with an adult woman."
So this was it. His penalty. His body had turned against him, just as no enemy had ever managed. He, the strongest warrior in Ebonvale, the one even the royal court feared, could not father an heir.
"And yet," replied Orion, his silver eyes narrowing, "you sound as if there is an exception."
The physician's hands shook. "There. there is a theory, Your Grace."
Orion leaned forward, predatorlike. "A theory."
The physician hesitated, but under scrutiny by Orion, had no choice but to proceed. "Rumors. Documents, lost in scattered writings. It is rumored only a woman from the line of Velaryn may bear the children of one so cursed."
Silence.
Then, slowly, Orion sat back.
Velaryns.
The word by itself had an effect that was primal, as if an old, dormant past had risen to whisper it in his ear.
He had only ever seen one, ever. In his lifetime. Many, many years back. A little girl, no more than ten, dragged by chains down the streets of the capital like an animal. Moonlight pale. Spun silver hair. Violets, wine-stained eyes. Beautiful, even as a child-dreadfully so.
The nobles had bid on her as if she were nothing more than an exotic jewel one collected. Orion's father had avoided the display, considering it below the level of House Hawthorne.
Years later, the woman had disappeared. Some had told stories she had been sent away to marry an eastern king, while others had stated she had been executed so that she would not cause war.
Since then, the Velaryns had become mere legend.
"Continue," Orion commanded.
The physician nodded hastily. "Velaryns are not human women. Their bodies. accommodate. There are records-few, mind you-of noblesmen who could not father children by their wives but did father children by Velaryns." He exhaled, voice dropping further, as if it was dangerous to say these things out loud. "It is rumored that they are nature's cure for those men who would otherwise remain sterile."
A correction.
Orion's fingers tapped out the wood. His father's voice continued to ring out in his head. "A man without an heir is one whose name turns to dust."
He would not permit it.
Orion exhaled, slowly, calmly. "How do I obtain one?"
The physician turned pale. "Your Grace. they disappeared. The last recorded Velaryns had either been captured or had disappeared. Some say that they had been eradicated-"
"Find me one," interrupted Orion.
The physician's lips parted, only to close. He stopped.
Orion smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "You have one month."
The man winced.
"And if you mess it up..." Orion leaned back, tone soothing. "Well. You won't mess it up, will you?"
The physician bowed so hastily that he lost balance. "N-No, Your Grace. I shall try my best."
"Good." Orion waved a hand. "Leave me."
The physician fled. The heavy doors creaked shut, leaving Orion enveloped in silence.
He leaned back, exhaling slowly, while the flickering flames from the flames cast dancing shadows upon the walls.
A child.
An heir.
Something in his chest tightened, but he could not name the emotion. He had committed years-his entire lifetime-to building his empire unshakable. His enemies feared him. His peers looked up to him. No one dared cross the name Hawthorne.
And yet, none of it would matter if there wasn't an heir waiting to inherit power.
The thought sent an unsettling twist through his chest.
No. He would not agree. If there had to be one, he would locate one.
Even if it had meant reducing the earth to ashes.
---
Hours passed. The weather had grown fierce, the wind howling through the fort walls as if an animal roamed the darkness. Rain hammered against the glass, an unrelenting beat against the stillness.
A knock at the door.
Orion did not look up. "Come in."
The door opened, and one figure stepped across the threshold, dressed in a black, well-tailored coat, the silver pin over his chest gleaming. Henry. His best, if not only, soldier. The one who had grown up alongside him, the only one whom he absolutely, unconditionally trusted.
"You called for me, Your Grace?" asked Henry, his voice calm, but his eyes flicking over the untouched glass of whiskey on the desk, the only hint there had ever been an issue.
"I need facts," declared Orion. "Regarding Velaryns."
A beat of silence. Then, slowly, "Your Grace, Velaryns?"
Orion finally looked up. "You heard me."
Henry studied him, then gave a slow nod. "Most are gone. The ones that remain... they do not reveal themselves."
"Then find someone who does," replied Orion.
Henry sighed, moving closer. "Velaryns comprehend what they are. They comprehend that they are hunted, exploited, discarded. They will not reveal themselves to men like us."
"Then I shall cause them to reverence me greater than they reverence the earth."
Henry was very still for an unusually long period. Then, finally, he spoke.
"There is a rumor."
Orion's pulse did not quicken, but an inner quickening occurred. "Go on."
Henry lowered his voice. "Men who venture too deeply into the Dark Forest speak of a creature-a woman covered in gold, untouchable, unseen." He paused. "She is neither human nor ghost. Any who try to approach. do not return."
Orion's grip closed tightly over the edge of the desk.
"And you think this one is a Velaryn?"
"If it is, Your Grace." His expression did not change. "She is the last one."
The last.
Something darkened in the chest of Orion.
The last one. Entombed in a region from which no human had ever emerged.
If she ever did exist, she'd be his.
A sudden clap of thunder broke the air, causing the fort walls to quake. Henry barely flinched, but it gave reason to Orion.
Fate had decided beforehand. Now, all that awaited him was to claim that which was rightfully his.
Kaia Donovan thought she'd escaped the chaos of her past. For years, she lived a quiet life in the bakery her late mother left her, until the day it was sold right out from under her-by her own brother, desperate to settle debts. Her world crumbled as she watched the only piece of her mother's legacy slip away, sold to a mysterious figure: Everett Hudson. Two years later, Kaia has moved on-or so she thought. She's reinvented herself as an artist in the bustling city of Horizon, far from her painful memories. But fate has a way of pulling the strings. When she's thrust into the high-stakes world of art, her abusive boss exploits her talent while hiding her work behind his name. Kaia is a quiet force, though-she bides her time, working in the shadows and avoiding the one thing that still haunts her: Everett Hudson. When a chance encounter leads to her saving a young girl from an assassin's bullet, Kaia is thrust back into Everett's world-and his life. The little girl, Armean, is the daughter of Everett Hudson, and despite Kaia's efforts to distance herself, the girl won't let her go. Their bond deepens, as does the connection between Kaia and Everett, who sees more than just a fleeting attraction in her. The same man who took everything from her now seems to be the one who could help her heal. But the world they live in is dangerous, and secrets about Everett's past and the true reason her bakery was sold begin to surface. As Kaia and Everett are pulled closer into the web of lies, murder, and power, Kaia must decide whether to follow her heart or her survival instinct. The threat of Everett's mafia ties looms large, but so does the attraction that threatens to consume her. She's caught between the man who holds her heart and the shadows of his empire. However, just as Kaia begins to reveal the reality of Everett's history-and her own-the unimaginable occurs. During an intense hug, a familiar voice from her history-one she thought she'd never hear again-resounds in the shadows: "I apologize, Kaia." "However, I had no option." It's her brother. The one who sold her bakery. But there's more-a shocking revelation that will change everything. As Everett reveals a hidden secret of his own, Kaia is left standing at the crossroads of her past and future, unsure of who to trust. As they prepare for a confrontation that could tear their worlds apart, Kaia learns the truth: some legacies can't be outrun... and some loves are destined to collide in the most dangerous of ways. And just as the walls close in, a gunshot rings out. Who is the target? Who will survive? The only thing Kaia knows for sure is that she's not the same girl who used to hide behind her mother's bakery. She's stronger. She's wiser. And now, she's ready to take back everything that was stolen from her. But will it be enough?
Dysis Salmon has spent her life enduring her father's cruelty, a survivor in the shadows of his dark world. Her life, however, takes a terrifying turn when his debts become unmanageable; she is offered as payment to Alexander Levi, the most feared man in the city. Alexander is the untouchable, cold, and cunning ruler of the underworld. To him, Dysis is just another piece in the ruthless game he plays. Yet beneath his icy exterior lies a man haunted by his past-a past that begins to unravel the moment Dysis enters his life. Trapped in Alexander's opulent mansion, Dysis refuses to be a pawn. There is unquestionably tension between them as a result of her resistance to his authority. She learns, however, that Alexander is a guy who conceals suffering while wielding power as she digs deeper into his world. Dysis has to choose between running away from the guy who terrifies her and risking all to reveal the beast's weak spot as dangerous foes close in and hidden secrets threaten to come to light. Dysis and Alexander find themselves entangled in a perverse dance of power, passion, and treachery in a society where love is viewed as a weakness and trust as a luxury. One issue still stands, though, as the stakes are high and the boundaries become hazy: will they save or destroy one another? **There is a cost to everything. And for Dysis, the cost of freedom may be her heart.**
As a simple assistant, messaging the CEO in the dead of night to request shares of adult films was a bold move. Bethany, unsurprisingly, didn't receive any films. However, the CEO responded that, while he had no films to share, he could offer a live demonstration. After a night filled with passion, Bethany was certain she'd lose her job. But instead, her boss proposed, "Marry me. Please consider it." "Mr. Bates, you're kidding me, right?"
"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?"
After a painful breakup with her boyfriend of two years who coldly told her to her face that he couldn't keep dating her because she was too uptight--In a moment of anger and defiance, Anna decided to throw caution to the wind for one reckless night. She headed to the wildest club in Texas, determined to lose herself in the chaos. But fate had other plans. To her shock, she ran into her ex-boyfriend at the club. Desperate to save face, she made a split-second decision and approached a stranger, pretending he was her new boyfriend. What she never anticipated was the magnetic pull she would feel towards him or the fact that she'd end up going home with this mystery man. Soon enough, the real surprise hit her--this stranger wasn't just anyone; he was her new boss. What begins as a night of rebellion spirals into a whirlwind of forbidden attraction, societal pressure and hidden affairs. And now there are so many things at stake. Find out how this story unfolds.
Once upon a time, there were two kingdoms once at peace. The kingdom of Salem and the kingdom of Mombana... Until the day, the king of Mombana passed away and a new monarch took over, Prince Cone. Prince Cone, has always been hungry for more power and more and more. After his coronation, he attacked Salem. The attack was so unexpected, Salem never prepared for it. They were caught off guard. The king and Queen was killed, the prince was taken into slavery. The people of Salem that survived the war was enslaved, their land taken from them. Their women were made sex slaves. They lost everything, including their land. Evil befall the land of Salem in form of Prince Cone, and the prince of Salem in his slavery was filled with so much rage. The prince of Salem, Prince Lucien swore revenge. 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳 Ten years later, thirty-years old Lucien and his people raided a coup and escaped slavery. They went into hiding and recuperated. They trained day and night under the leadership of the fearless and cold Lucien who was driven with everything in him to get back their land, and take Mombana land too. It took them five years before they ambushed and attacked Mombana. They killed Prince Cone and reclaimed everything. As they screamed out their victory, Lucien's eyes found and pinned the proud princess of Mombana. Princess Danika. The daughter of Prince Cone. As Lucien stared at her with the coldest eyes anyone can ever possess, he felt victory for the first time. He walked to the princess with the slave collar he'd won for ten years rattling in his hand as he walked. He reached close to her and with a swift movement, he collared her neck. Then, he tilted her chin up, staring into the bluest eyes and the most beautiful face ever created, he gave her a cold smile. "You are my acquisition. My slave. My sex slave. My property. I will pay you in spades, everything you and your father ever did to me and my people." He stated curtly. Pure hatred, coldness and victory was the only emotion on his face. .
Sawyer, the world's top arms dealer, stunned everyone by falling for Maren—the worthless girl no one respected. People scoffed. Why chase a useless pretty face? But when powerful elites began gathering around her, jaws dropped. "She's not even married to him yet—already cashing in on his power?" they assumed. Curious eyes dug into Maren's past... only to find she was a scientific genius, a world-renowned medical expert, and heiress to a mafia empire. Later, Sawyer posted online. "My wife treats me like the enemy. Any advice?"
Bailey seems to be never destined to fit in, a little geeky, but under it all, a hidden beauty that so many seem to miss, but still not what her pack Alpha is looking for in a fated mate... so he is determined to reject her and make her life hell. Bailey, knowing her life will likely never be the same focuses on what she can control, her future, and heads off to study; becoming a teacher. Asher is the Beta of Autumn Valley Pack, a neighbouring pack. A broken man having suffered the loss of his mate after a rogue attack, Asher is slowly crumbling. Falling to pieces. A shadow of his former self, and not a man that anyone wants to be around anymore... Until, Autumn Valley Pack require a new teacher, and Bailey finds herself there and pushed together with the Beta. Is there a connection building or is that in their imaginations? And what will happen when Bailey's mate comes back to claim what is his?