The Alpha's Bane Azriel was born to lead, destined to inherit the powerful Moonveil Pack. But fate had other plans. Cursed by an ancient evil, he fights a darkness that lurks beneath his skin, a force that whispers in his mind, urging him to lose control. With each passing night, the beast within grows stronger, threatening to consume him-and destroy everything he loves. As betrayal brews within his pack and a hidden enemy rises, Azriel must uncover the truth behind his curse before it's too late. But when the only key to breaking it lies in the hands of a mysterious woman tied to his fate, Azriel is faced with an impossible choice: embrace the monster within or risk losing everything. In a world where strength rules and the weak perish, can the cursed Alpha defy his fate-or will he become the very thing he fears?
The night was cool, but Azriel felt none of its peace.
Standing at the edge of the Moonveil Pack's territory, he watched the moon cast silver light over the vast expanse of land he was sworn to protect. Shadows stretched long beneath the towering trees, their whispers carried by the wind. A familiar scent lingered in the air-pine, damp earth, and the unmistakable musk of wolves.
His wolves.
His pack.
But no matter how deeply he breathed it in, it never felt like home.
A sharp pulse rippled through his chest, spreading fire through his veins. His jaw clenched as he fought the familiar sensation, but the curse-the bane that haunted him-was relentless. It stirred beneath his skin like a beast trapped in a cage, clawing at his insides, demanding release.
"Give in, Azriel," a voice whispered in his mind, smooth and insidious. "You were never meant to fight this."
His fingers curled into fists.
He wouldn't listen.
He couldn't.
"Alpha."
Azriel turned at the sound of Lucan's voice. His Beta stood a few feet away, arms crossed over his broad chest. His expression was unreadable, but his golden-brown eyes held something close to concern.
"They're waiting," Lucan said, nodding toward the clearing beyond the trees.
Azriel exhaled sharply. The Full Moon Festival. A night of celebration, where the pack gathered to honor their bond with the moon, their strength, their unity. But for him, it was something else entirely. A reminder of what set him apart-of the darkness lurking within him.
Still, an Alpha couldn't hide from his pack. Even if he felt like a stranger among them.
With a slow nod, he followed Lucan toward the clearing where fires burned bright and laughter filled the night.
---
The Festival
The festival was alive with energy. Wolves-both shifted and in human form-moved freely through the clearing, their voices blending in a harmony of joy and camaraderie. The scent of roasted meat, spiced ale, and burning wood drifted through the air.
The pack was celebrating.
But the moment Azriel entered, a subtle shift rippled through the crowd.
Wolves parted instinctively as he walked past. Some lowered their gazes in deference, while others hesitated, their smiles faltering. It was subtle, almost unnoticeable. But Azriel felt it.
They respected him.
They followed him.
But they also feared him.
His curse had not gone unnoticed.
Lucan stepped ahead, blending easily into the crowd, but Azriel lingered near the outskirts, scanning the faces. The warmth of the firelight flickered against their features, but he felt no warmth from them. No true acceptance.
Then, suddenly-a scent hit him.
It was unlike anything he had ever encountered before.
Wild. Crisp. Like the first rain after a long drought, mixed with something untamed, something forbidden.
His body tensed. His wolf stirred. His heart slammed against his ribs.
He turned.
And then he saw her.
Valencia.
She stood near the fire, her golden eyes glowing softly in the flickering light. Long silver-blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing a face both delicate and fierce. She held herself with quiet strength, poised yet distant, like a predator watching from the shadows.
The mate bond snapped into place with the force of a lightning strike.
Azriel's entire being locked onto her. A force stronger than instinct, older than time itself, called him forward. His wolf howled in his mind, demanding he move, demanding he claim what was his.
But then-just as quickly as the moment came-she turned away.
Azriel felt the rejection like a physical blow.
Lucan appeared beside him, smirking. "She won't make it easy for you."
Azriel exhaled through his nose, suppressing the growl building in his throat. "Nothing ever is."
Before Lucan could reply, a sudden change in the air made every wolf still.
The fire crackled wildly. The wind howled through the trees. A heavy silence fell over the clearing, thick with tension. Wolves instinctively straightened, their senses sharpening.
And then-the whisper came.
Low. Cold. Inhuman.
"You cannot escape me, Azriel."
It wasn't just in his head this time.
It was here.
A shape materialized from the darkness at the forest's edge. Twisted. Shadowed. A presence not fully human, not fully wolf. Its eyes-black voids-locked onto him.
Azriel's pulse roared in his ears.
He knew this presence.
He had felt it before. In his nightmares. In the whispers of his curse.
The ancient evil that haunted him... had finally come for him.
The Billionaire's Contract Bride Helen never imagined her life would take such a sharp turn. Struggling to keep her mother's medical bills paid and a roof over her head, she finds herself with no options-until a contract is placed before her. Alexander Harper, a ruthless billionaire CEO, needs a wife, but not for love. His empire is at stake, and a contract marriage is the only way to secure his position. Cold, dominant, and dangerously attractive, he makes Helen an offer she can't refuse. But what starts as a business arrangement soon becomes a tangled web of passion, secrets, and power struggles. Alexander is used to being in control, but Helen is not the timid woman he expected. As lines blur and emotions ignite, will this contract end in ruin-or in a love neither of them saw coming?
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."
Kaelyn devoted three years tending to her husband after a terrible accident. But once he was fully recovered, he cast her aside and brought his first love back from abroad. Devastated, Kaelyn decided on a divorce as people mocked her for being discarded. She went on to reinvent herself, becoming a highly sought-after doctor, a champion racer, and an internationally renowned architectural designer. Even then, the traitors sneered in disdain, believing Kaelyn would never find someone. But then the ex-husband’s uncle, a powerful warlord, returned with his army to ask for Kaelyn’s hand in marriage.
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.
Anabel found out she was pregnant and dialed her husband's number to share the good news to him. They have been married for two years without a child. Desmond's mother had been accusing her of being barren and unproductive. When the call was picked, she was flabbergasted and broken. She was hearing a loud moan of feminine voice. "Ohh! Yeah! Don't stop fucking me! Fuck me harder baby!" accompanied with sound of skins slapping against the other. She went home to confront her husband and end up receiving a divorce paper. Desmond divorced him for a lady his mother was rooting. Few months later when he found out that his ex-wife is a billionaire heiress and she is pregnant with twins, he went crazy!
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."
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"