"The thing they don't understand about us, Emmalee, is that we're bound by more than fate-we're bound by fire, by scars that only recognize each other, and by a love that rages against all reason. We are the storm no one can control. I am yours, and you are mine, in a way that no law, no enemy, or force on this earth could ever break." **** The only thing more dangerous than an Alpha is a rogue seeking revenge. Emmalee Dravensworth has always been in love with Romain, the boy her parents raised as a servant, yet her life takes a dark turn when she's forced to marry Soren Cimmerian. Their love is put on hold by forces stronger than them both, but after fifteen years of torment, Romain returns, more dangerous than ever, and he has only one goal-revenge. Secrets, lies, and betrayal come to a head in a battle for power, love, and survival. Emmalee must choose between loyalty to her family and the undeniable pull of her heart. But can love survive when the world around them crumbles? Can Emmalee reclaim her heart and her life before it's too late?
Emmalee
"Look!" Trudy, our maid, exclaims. "The Cimmerians have arrived! Come, Emmalee. Don't you want to take a first look at your husband-to-be?"
I put my pencil down, and sigh before rolling out of bed. Trudy and Nadine are standing by the window of my bedroom, peering out at it with a bright look in their eyes. I squeeze between them and do the same.
The huge SUVs are parked right beneath my window. A uniformed Gamma opens the door for Alpha Denver, who's Soren's father. Soren is my fiancé. We've never met before-this will be the first time we'll be seeing each other. I'm nervous, yes, but not excited.
I don't want to marry Soren.
I don't want to be a Cimmerian.
"He'll be out at any moment," Trudy comments. Alpha Denver steps out of the car, and he's followed by a young man with dark hair and pale skin. Nadine and Trudy squeal with excitement and even high-five each other.
This has to be Soren.
He's looking around as if everything displeases him, but he's handsome enough, I guess. Trudy and Nadine shove me back and forth while telling me how handsome my fiancé is and how happy they are for me, and when I don't show the same enthusiasm, Trudy asks me, "Now, what's the long face for?"
I shrug, and she slaps the back of my head. I exclaim, "Ow! What was that for?"
"You better show your parents that you're happy about your fiancé! Arranged marriages have always been a part of werewolf tradition, and you're the daughter of an Alpha, so you're no different. What's the matter with you? Why aren't you happy!?"
Before I can come up with an excuse, there's a knock on the door. All three of us turn away from the window the second the door opens, and standing by the door is the reason why I'm not excited about marrying Soren.
Romain.
His gaze flickers between the three of us, and he then clears his throat and says, "Emmalee, your father wants you downstairs."
"Our father!" Trudy corrects. "The Alpha is your father, too, Romain. Don't you forget that! And why would you open the door without waiting for permission? What if Emmalee was naked? What is wrong with you kids!?"
She heads toward the door while dragging me with her, and Nadine laughs at her grumpiness. Romain and I make eye contact, and his cheeks color while he stiffens. I'm pretty sure he's uncomfortable because Trudy had to go ahead and mention me being naked. He follows us while I'm dragged downstairs, to where Soren and his family are waiting.
My father hears us approaching and turns around to look at me. He pastes a smile on his face and beckons me forward with a quick wave of his hand. My heart is galloping behind my ribcage, and my parents put some space between them to allow me to squeeze between them. My father's hand rests on my shoulder while he says, "Alpha Denver, Soren, this is my daughter Emmalee."
My eyes are on the floor, but I slowly raise my gaze to meet Soren's eyes. As predicted, I feel nothing when we make eye contact. Thank the goddess; at least he's not my mate. He doesn't seem as excited about me either, so that's a relief. Or maybe I'm just projecting, and I don't want him to care for me. I wish he'd tell his father that he finds me ugly or something so they can leave.
What are the chances of that happening?
"Welcome to our pack, White Mane," I say to them in a steady voice. My mother has been coaching me to say these things since I learned of this engagement. "We're very pleased to have you here."
Luna Ana smiles at me. "We're happy to be here, darling Emmalee. Oh, but you're so beautiful! Isn't she gorgeous, Soren?"
His face colors, and so does mine, and our parents have the audacity to laugh at us. Perhaps I'd take this whole thing more seriously if they didn't treat us like we weren't eighteen.
"I think we should let them get to know each other," my father suggests. "Emmalee, why don't you show Soren the grounds? Alpha Denver, Luna Ana, would you like to step into my office?"
I make my way to Soren's side, force a small smile, and he follows me to the front door. However, before we reach it, I lock eyes with Romain, who's standing near the door with his arms folded, and my heart skips a beat. His gaze moves swiftly from me to Soren, and then they return to my face.
My mouth feels very dry all of a sudden, and I'm aware that I can't stay here. Without saying a word to Romain, I walk past him, and Soren follows me.
Once we're outside, he asks me, "Who's that guy?"
I'm shocked by the fact that he asked me this. This is the first thing he's said to me, and he's asking me about Romain. I tuck my hair behind my ear and go with the standard response, which is the one my parents taught me to say. "He's my brother."
"Brother?" Soren echoes. "I thought you only had one brother. Cade, right?"
"Oh, Romain grew up with us, so he's like a brother to me," I claim. But even as I utter the words, I feel terrible. Does one fall in love with their brother? Do other sisters fantasize about being kissed by them?
No, Romain isn't my brother. But that's what we're expected to be, and even he sees me as a sister. He's never treated me as anything more than that.
"So he's not your brother?" Soren asks, sounding confused.
"He's kind of my brother," I explain.
"But he's the one who opened the gate for us?" he says. "Why is he treated like an employee if he's kind of your brother?"
I change the subject quickly and start showing him around. Soren doesn't say much, and I can tell right away that he's not interested in any of this. It makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong, but at the same time, I can't make myself seem more enthusiastic than this.
Amelia George is given an irresistible offer. Devon Tyler, her brother's best friend and her old crush, offers her the opportunity of a lifetime. A favor for a favor. His offer is simple enough. He needs a name, a single name. The only problem is she'll have to infiltrate the formidable Keller Family and get close and personal with the boss, the condescending Damien Keller. She doesn't expect her life to change so drastically, nor for her ruthless boss to fall in love with her. Desperate, she uses his love for her to extract the information she needs, but everything comes tumbling down when a secret is uncovered that ruins everything.
Chloe Miler, a naïve young woman, waits shyly to spend Valentine's Day with her boyfriend, but is betrayed on that day when she witnesses him entangled in bed with her own sister. Chloe's heart is broken when her heartfelt love for him is trampled on in an instant. *** Lionel Williams, the mysterious billionaire, the top of the pyramid, is handsome as hell. His eyes are set high, but he is drugged, has a one-night stand with a strange woman, and is humiliated by that unknowing woman with her money! His instincts tell him it's not that simple, and he's going to find her out!
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
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.
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!”
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.