She gave him her heart before she ever knew he owned the world. Elara Hayes lives for quiet mornings, worn paperbacks, and the safe hum of her tiny bookstore. Love? She's stopped believing in fairytales. Men want ambition, glamour - not a woman with ink-stained hands and secondhand dreams. Then Alexander Wolfe walks into her life. Charming. Thoughtful. Devastatingly handsome. And utterly ordinary...or so she thinks. Their connection is immediate - a crackling current of late-night conversations, stolen glances, and slow, burning touches that leave her breathless. For the first time in forever, Elara dares to open her guarded heart. But Alexander is hiding something. He's not just the sweet man who kisses her like she's his oxygen. He's the ghost billionaire - the reclusive trillionaire whose empire could swallow the world whole. When the truth shatters their small, perfect world, Elara must choose: Walk away from the man who deceived her... Or fight for the love that neither money nor power could ever buy. Because sometimes, the real fortune isn't in the empire he built - it's in the woman who sees the man underneath it all.
The smell of old paper and freshly brewed coffee clung to the air like a second skin.
Elara Hayes pushed open the creaking door of Hayes & Co. Books and stepped into the familiar hush that never failed to soothe her. She dropped her bag behind the counter, shrugged off her cardigan, and stood there for a moment, breathing it all in - the musk of leather-bound novels, the faint scent of lilacs from the vase in the corner, the soft scratch of her cat, Hemingway, pawing at a sunbeam.
The store had been her grandmother's dream. Now, it was her sanctuary.
Elara tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and started her morning ritual. Lights flicked on one by one, washing the shelves in a soft, golden glow. She straightened a crooked stack of poetry collections, thumbed through a misplaced novel, smiled at the scrawled love notes teenagers sometimes tucked into the margins.
It wasn't glamorous. It wasn't flashy. But it was hers.
Outside, the world buzzed - cars honking, phones ringing, people racing toward something bigger, shinier, louder. Elara had tried that once. A corporate job with deadlines sharp enough to cut skin, a boyfriend who had loved the idea of her more than the reality.
It had all cracked wide open two years ago, leaving her bruised but awake.
Now, she chose simplicity. Peace. A life where happiness didn't come with terms and conditions.
She slipped behind the counter, pulling out her battered journal. Another ritual: five minutes of writing whatever came to mind before the day fully began.
Today's entry was short:
Some hearts don't want palaces.
They want a cottage with a garden.
A kiss on the forehead.
A laugh shared over burnt toast.
She smiled faintly, snapping the journal shut.
The bell above the door jingled. A regular - Mrs. Kline - shuffled in, wrapped in a thick scarf despite the lingering heat. Elara offered her a warm greeting and started making her a cup of tea without being asked.
Hours passed like that - quiet, steady, the rhythm of her life as predictable as the changing seasons.
And yet, as Elara closed the store that night, standing alone under the inky sky, a strange restlessness unfurled inside her. Like a whisper she couldn't quite hear.
A tug at the edge of her soul.
She tilted her head back, gazing at the stars.
"I'm happy," she told them softly, as if daring them to doubt it.
Somewhere out there, the world was racing toward riches and power, fame and fortune.
Elara didn't need any of it.
She had a key, a cat, a bookstore.
And, she thought stubbornly, she had enough.
But the universe had a funny way of laughing at declarations like that.
Especially when fate was already setting something - someone - in motion.
And when he came crashing into her life, no amount of simple living would save her heart from the storm he would bring.
__________
The city gleamed like a crown outside his penthouse window - all glass and steel, ambition and hunger.
Alexander Wolfe sat alone at the head of a long, gleaming table. A cold breakfast sat untouched in front of him: fresh berries, black coffee, a croissant still steaming from the oven.
He didn't move. Didn't eat.
Instead, he pulled a worn black leather notebook toward him and flipped it open.
A pen spun idly between his fingers before he pressed it to the page, writing without hesitation:
There's a kind of loneliness money can't touch.
A kind of hunger power can't feed.
I have built empires.
But some days, all I want is a hand to hold.
Alexander stared at the words for a moment, then shut the journal with a quiet snap. It was pathetic, maybe - a trillionaire scribbling half-poetic self-pity at seven a.m. But it was the only honest thing he still had left.
The world knew him by many names:
Visionary. Mogul. Ghost billionaire.
A man who appeared at boardrooms and galas like a phantom, always just out of reach.
Alexander Wolfe wasn't supposed to want more.
He already had everything.
Or so they said.
His phone buzzed once - a reminder of the morning's meetings - and he rose, moving through the cavernous space with an effortless grace. Everything about him was sleek, controlled, deliberate. The dark, tailored suit. The precise tilt of his watch. The slight scruff he allowed only because it humanized him just enough.
The elevator opened at his command.
Security nodded, heads bowed, not a single one daring to meet his eyes.
He didn't blame them. They saw what he showed them - cold efficiency, sharp intelligence, the casual lethality of a man who could buy a country and forget about it by dinner.
And yet... beneath the polished armor, something restless stirred.
Alexander walked through the marble lobby of Wolfe Tower - people parting like waves before him - and out into the crisp morning air.
He had a schedule. A purpose. A thousand obligations wrapped around his throat like silk ties.
Still, somewhere deep inside him, an ache throbbed.
Not for power.
Not for wealth.
For something real. Something he hadn't even dared to imagine in a long, long time.
He adjusted his cufflinks absently, the morning sun catching the gleam of his watch.
Time. Money. Power.
All ticking away, all meaningless without someone to share them with.
Alexander Wolfe had conquered the world.
But he hadn't yet found the one thing he couldn't command or buy.
Not yet.
Not until a stubborn woman with ink on her fingers and a bookstore in her soul turned his carefully ordered life upside down.
And fate, as always, was already moving the pieces across the board.
Once, Selene was destined to rule the wolves, a princess with the heart of a leader and the strength to carry her pack through any storm. Bound to her mate, Lysander the future seemed perfect, her crown a symbol of power, love, and legacy. But power corrupts, and Lysander-her fated mate-betrayed her in the most brutal way imaginable: he chose his hunger for power over his loyalty to her. Labeled a traitor by her own people and stripped of her title, Selene is forced to surrender her crown. Exiled, abandoned by those she once called family, she is cast out into the wild, a wolf without a pack, a princess without a kingdom. But fate is far from done with Selene. When she stumbles into Rowan, a powerful alpha with eyes that burn with desire and an aura of dominance, she finds herself thrust into a world of danger, passion, and obsession. Rowan is drawn to her in a way that no one has ever been, sensing that Selene is his mate-but there's a catch. Selene already has a mate, and that bond runs deep. She should feel loyalty to Lysander, but the betrayal haunts her, and her heart-though torn-feels something for Rowan, something dark, dangerous, and undeniable. As their connection grows, Selene's enemies close in, determined to crush the last remnants of her power. With Rowan at her side, she prepares to reclaim the kingdom that was stolen from her, but the path is treacherous-and filled with enemies, lies, and blood. Along the way, she must confront her feelings for both Rowan and Lysander, knowing that only one of them can claim her heart-and the other will be lost forever. Rowan, ever loyal, ever obsessive, stands beside her, ready to rip apart anyone who dares stand in her way. His love for her is all-consuming, and he will stop at nothing to see her rise again, to make those who wronged her suffer-and to claim her as his own. In a world where loyalty is fleeting and power is everything, Selene must decide if she can trust again, or if she will continue to walk alone-sword drawn, heart torn, and kingdom at her feet.
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What’s worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn’t thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn’t seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he’s different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.
On her wedding day, Khloe’s sister connived with her groom, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. She was sentenced to three years in prison, where she endured much suffering. When Khloe was finally released, her evil sister used their mother to coerce Khloe into an indecent liaison with an elderly man. As fate would have it, Khloe crossed paths with Henrik, the dashing yet ruthless mobster who sought to alter the course of her life. Despite Henrik’s cold exterior, he cherished Khloe like no other. He helped her take retribution from her tormentors and kept her from being bullied again.