Mixed with the blood of two sworn enemies, Astrid was born a half-wolf and half-vampire, with both types of blood remaining dormant. She had spent her life as an outcast, despised by her kind. But destiny had drawn her into the halls of Yormsborg, where a world of secrets and betrayal was unveiled before her. Fated to the Alpha King, her presence ignites chaos. Brooding war and conspiracies, she and Sebastian must stand together and fight the treachery within and from enemies beyond. But when the chaos and the bloodline are revealed, Astrid must embrace the blood in her before everything she loves is lost. Will she be able to overcome her adversity? And will love to defy fate?
Astrid
The downpours of the icy snow fell steadily on my head as I cherished every moment the snow brought. It had been long since Yormsborg experienced a snowfall, or maybe I had longed again for it after the last one. The chilling breeze the snow brought elevated me as it brought an eradicating feeling. For a moment I had forgotten my torment and anguish.
Immediately, a whip cracked on my back. The lash sent bolts of electricity jolting down my spine as it worked up my nerves to my brain, producing an enormous amount of pain, like I had just been pierced by a thousand needles. Although the feelings were a familiar one, the pains were always something to committing suicide.
"Senteal 215!" A voice roared. It was none other than my Housemaster, Hudson. An Omega slave in charge of the Senteals. The Senteals were slaves to higher slaves, and my Housemaster was one of the higher slaves.
"Have you lost your mind, 215?" Hudson roared, in his deep-breaking voice.
As slaves of slaves, we were not allowed to go buy our names, nor were we allowed to reveal our faces on any occasion. Severe punishments were sent out to any who were found wanting as some were killed in the process.
Our lives meant nothing. The Senteals were the worst of the worst, comprising mostly those who had little or no wolf, as they were of no use to civilization and had to be taken up by higher slaves, to earn a living. I was the most hated and disgusted of the Senteals.
Not only did I not possess a wolf, but I had mixed blood, one from the wolf's sworn enemies: the vampires. One of my birth parents would have to be a vampire, but not that I cared for. I was hated and resented for it, even by my fellow Senteals who would look for the slightest reason to get me in the bad books of the Housemaster. Only Merabeth, my best friend, stood by my side.
****
"Forgive me, Housemaster. I got carried away by the snowfall." I tried explaining myself to him to prevent another whiplashing, but the look on his face did not care at all.
"And what business is yours with that of the snowfall?" He questioned, looking me dead in the eyes.
Hudson was a scornful man. His body was built for the smallest flick in tension. His short and broad nature gave him the slightest reason to resort to violence. He handled the whip perfectly well.
"Nothing Housemaster," I replied, returning to my duties as I went looking for Merabeth. She was by the water side in the Douglary where she was attending to the higher slaves.
"201!" I called out. She turned her head swiftly as her eyes lit up when they settled on me. It came to a realisation that I had never seen her face before but would recognise those green eyes and full eyelashes any time of the day.
"Astrid!" She called. I turned my head around to make sure no one had heard her, as I would be in grave danger of revealing my name to her. Merabeth had done the same as she knew of the implications of doing so, but she had said it out of joy.
It gladdened my heart that she called me by my name and not my given number. At least I had a friend to go through the torments with. The number of suicidal thoughts that had flowed through my mind over the years. The thoughts of ending it all were not far from my mind.
Merabeth was the pin in my suicidal plug. No matter how hard I tried, I could not pull that pin out. Having to see her and hear her another day gave me hope and reason to continue living, although the world was against my everyday breathing.
"What are you doing? Where is your tray?" Merabeth questioned me. "You know Husdon hates it when we come up idle."
"You there!" Lyra, the Housekeeper, one of the Higher slaves called out as she pointed to me. I hated being torn apart from Merabeth but I had no choice unless I wanted to feel Hudson's whip again.
She passed a tray containing some delicacies as she sent me deeper into the Douglary, near the great Halls to serve. Immediately a scent crossed my nostrils.
My world narrowed to one intoxicating fragrance. It wrapped around me like a long-forgotten memory. It was raw, untamed-spiced cedarwood with a whisper of dark honey, an aroma so potent it made my insides stir, clawing to get closer, to claim and be claimed, to belong.
The honeycomb scent was coming from the great Halls. I had forgotten where I was directed to serve as I took the trail and went in search of the sweetest fragrance I had ever come across. The intoxicating feeling arrested my mind as it made me a slave to it.
It filled my thoughts, crumpled my muscles, and made me thirst after it. I was lost, all I wanted at that moment was to have a taste of it, even though it would cost me my life. I was determined to get to it. I pulled through the different people in the halls, not looking at any of them with only my nostrils leading the way.
I could not quite understand what was happening to me. It only came as a shock when a whip cracked hard on my back. I screamed as I went down on the floor. Only one person cracked a whip like that, Hudson.
I went down on both knees, clutching tightly to my back as I cried bitterly to the stinking pain it produced. My thoughts roamed as to what exactly my crime was. Was it my fault for being born this way? Hudson's whip had its way of bringing out the deepest of emotions as I cried uncontrollably.
"That smell," one of the highborns said, as I slowly regained my thoughts as to where I had ventured into.
"Kill it," said another.
I could hear Hudson's whip retracting, ready to pounce on me again. But I stayed still, sobbing from the previous whip. I was ready to embrace the worst, no, I was ready to die at that moment. Maybe death would be more peaceful than living.
In my brief moment of terror, waiting for the second whiplashing, blood splattered all over me and on the floor as Hudson dropped to the floor, blood gushing out of his throat where four slashed marks appeared. He was dead.
The whole room erupted, people gasping at the unreal sight before them. I was confused. I had embraced death but it had found someone else. Who would come to my rescue, a slave to other slaves?
Just then, He walked up to me. The scent I had perceived was coming from him. It was more intense than before. I lifted up my eyes slowly to him as I saw blood dripping from his right hand. He killed Hudson.
But why? I could not understand. Not until he said,
"No one touches my mate."
Dark brown eyes stared down at Talia(FL), his scent a burning crimson, mixed with a vile smell of ashwood. His fist clenched as it revealed a streamline of veins. One could see the dark red blood coursing through it. His face beamed red with bloodlust, veins appearing at the top of his head. Rage had gotten hold of him, but rage towards who? Jarek Ashenpaw(Father of FL), leader and alpha of the Wildwood Coven, father of Talia, and mate to the beautiful Freya, whose eyes shone with a soft silver-blue colour that could calm the tempest of the sea- who had no doubt passed down her physical attributes unto her daughter Talia. Lord Ashenpaw had come down with a fury. Never had it been known for a werewolf of eighteen to not have had a transformation, but this was the fate of Talia. A failed prodigy, a disgrace to the coven, a weak seed. These were the words resounding in the ears of the Alpha. He cursed the goddess for giving him a weakling, one who could not transform. Who would take reign of his kingdom when he was no longer there troubled his mind.
Eliana was framed by her best friend and her fiance into sleeping with a boy toy in the club and getting impregnated by him. Five years after she had given birth to twins, she returned home and worked under the Moran Group, where she met the CEO-- Maurice. Maurice was a brilliant businessman who did his job well. But in order to stay under the radar, he lived a double life. One as Maurice, and one as Preston. Fate brought the two together again, roping them in on an exciting love story. It all became more complicated when Eliana faced Preston, the man she had slept with before, once again. Now that she was being pursued by two men, how could she ever choose? When would Eliana uncover the secret of Maurice's identity? When was Maurice going to know that he already had two children of his own? How would Eliana face this man when the truth came to light one day? Come and find out.
"You're my wife in name only, on paper only. My heart and love will never be yours." Edward made it clear to Daisy that she was nothing to him. They were both victims of family greed -- the marriage was arranged for them. Six years passed. She remained quiet, gaining a reputation in the army as a tough-as-nails colonel. When she walked into his life again, Edward fell in love with this woman, unlike any he had known. She surprised and delighted him. But will Daisy take him back? Can their son keep them together? Can the rift between them be healed? Pick this one up and find out!
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."
22-year-old Evelyn Carter is attempting to start over in California while avoiding her past. She will be embarking on a new career path as a private school teacher. She is smart, attractive, and doesn't put up with nonsense. Who wouldn't notice her? However, what happens when she attracts the attention of someone unwilling to let her go? Who wants her and nothing else after falling in love at first sight? A 25-year-old billionaire CEO and single father, Lucian Carrington. He takes what he wants and he is also a very dangerous man. All it needed was one look at a stunning woman to realize she was HIS, even though he doesn't believe in relationships because they always end. Preview: Miss Carter, you will be mine. I say firmly. "Release my arm, Mr. Carrington, before I force you to." She says, seeming to smile at me. I give her a sly smile. Squeezing my wrist with her other hand, she twists it uncomfortably. I gave a painful hiss. "Don't underestimate me, Mr. Carrington." "This is the only time I will allow you to walk away from me, Miss Carter." She glared at me as she turned. "Mr. Carrington, I am no possession of yours." I was left standing there when she opened the classroom door and left.
For three years, Shane and Yvonne were wed, sharing heated nights, while his devotion clung to his ex. Yvonne strove to be a dutiful wife, yet their marriage felt hollow, built on desire rather than real warmth. All changed when she became pregnant, only for Shane to thrust her onto the operating table, warning, “Either you or the baby survives!” Broken by his cruelty, she vanished in grief and later returned, radiantly accomplished, leaving everyone awestruck. Haunted by remorse, Shane begged for another chance, but Yvonne only smiled and replied, “I’m sorry, men no longer interest me.”
Everyone was shocked to the bones when the news of Rupert Benton's engagement broke out. It was surprising because the lucky girl was said to be a plain Jane, who grew up in the countryside and had nothing to her name. One evening, she showed up at a banquet, stunning everyone present. "Wow, she's so beautiful!" All the men drooled, and the women got so jealous. What they didn't know was that this so-called country girl was actually an heiress to a billion-dollar empire. It wasn't long before her secrets came to light one after the other. The elites couldn't stop talking about her. "Holy smokes! So, her father is the richest man in the world?" "She's also that excellent, but mysterious designer who many people adore! Who would have guessed?" Nonetheless, people thought that Rupert didn't love her. But they were in for another surprise. Rupert released a statement, silencing all the naysayers. "I'm very much in love with my beautiful fiancee. We will be getting married soon." Two questions were on everyone's minds: "Why did she hide her identity? And why was Rupert in love with her all of a sudden?"