I was born 10 years after Queen Victoria took the throne, since then my mother tells, or rather imposes, the rules that aristocratic ladies must follow for me and my sister, who was 1 year older. In my house lived my mother Diana, my father Alfred, my brother Oliver, my sister Maya and myself, Grace, as well as the servants who took care of the cleaning and maintenance of the huge house in which I grew up. Maya's wedding, which was arranged by my father so that she would be an exemplary aristocratic lady like my mother as soon as she turned 19, but she didn't look happy at all. Weeks later, the ceremony took place, really beautiful, with roses for both sides of the altar, her future husband Paul waiting with a huge smile beside them and a stunning dress on Maya, but her countenance was still sad. Months after her wedding, Maya's husband decides to visit with her, but she didn't look like my sister anymore, her face was disfigured and her husband seemed enraged. Everyone sat down at the table and Paul began to rant that he had been deceived and that the woman he had been given could not beget decent heirs, since what he had managed to do with much effort had been lost while still in the womb. That same night, Mom enters my room and explains to me that Maya will be returned to our home, but before I can express any kind of happiness, she interrupts me with the sentence, "We have an agreement to fulfill and you will make sure that it is completed. You will marry Paul as soon as you turn 19" and simply walked away. I would not accept to marry that man, I had just turned 18, and I would only have one year to think of a way out of this situation.
It was a normal morning at home, I was woken up by one of the house maids who told me that breakfast would be served in a few minutes and that I should hurry to be presentable as soon as possible. I must admit that it wasn't exactly the easiest thing in the world to dress myself with the huge number of layers of dress, but I preferred to have at least a little privacy in these moments.
As soon as I was ready, I walked down the stairs to the huge dining room, the table was set and my family was sitting waiting for me as they always did, I walked to my usual place that was always next to Maya at the huge dining table, it really seemed to be a normal morning in our house and with all this calmness I couldn't wait for what was coming.
It was a quiet Wednesday morning, after eating my breakfast I was in one of my etiquette classes with my mother, she always made it clear that my daily teachings were something I couldn't escape no matter how hard I tried, "It's your duty as a noble woman and you must always be perfect. In my opinion this was all a big bummer, I never intended to get married in the end, but I was absolutely sure that if I tried to discuss this with my mother, she would tell my father and he would disown me from my own family, he really believed that a woman who could not marry and raise a beautiful family had no value in society and this made me deeply angry.
After my classes I decided to take a walk in the garden of the mansion, it was my favorite area of the house whenever I could try to find a way to escape to this place whenever possible, no matter how angry I got or how sad the people in this house made me feel, the smell of the roses always made me feel better about everything. One of the people in this house who also loved our garden was my brother Oliver, he always made sure that the employees were taking the best care of the garden, always making sure that the soil was fertilized and watered enough so that the roses could always grow healthy and beautiful. When I arrived at the garden Oliver was there, he had a concerned look on his face, the kind of affection I was not used to seeing on his face.
Oliver was a very cheerful man, we had always been very close as children so I always knew when he was sad, which was almost never the case, when he was worried or upset, so as soon as I saw the clear concern stamped on his face, I was afraid of whatever it was.
"Hello!"
"For heaven's sake Grace, don't come in so suddenly, it almost killed my heart!"
"You looked a little worried. So worried that you didn't even notice me coming."
"Perspicacious as always. What are you doing here? Running away from your classes again?"
"This time I was able to put up with all the hassle until the end, so I could come to the garden without carrying any guilt."
"We'll be free of our mother's scolding this time, then."
"Exactly. So, will you tell me why you are so worried?"
"I'm already 23, Dad wants me to marry a woman I don't know."
"An arranged marriage is just like our father. So, what do you intend to do?"
"I don't want to enter into a loveless marriage like this with a woman I don't even know the name of."
"I honestly don't think I have much choice."
"I know that, but what if I'm not able to love her?"
"I know that our father's speech always ends with "Come on, you might end up loving this woman like you did with me and your mother," but I don't think you believe that."
"The truth is that I know I can't love this woman because there is already someone I love."
"Well, try to introduce her to our father, maybe she could be a good suitor and our father will forget about this arranged marriage thing."
"Our father would never accept this person. Now I am stuck in this and have nowhere to run, I am already feeling suffocated with this subject."
I can imagine how he feels, I imagine that the woman who marries Oliver will one day be very happy, he is a handsome man, with his dark wavy hair, his annoyingly perfect chin and his honey-colored eyes, but he has always been a romantic, he always told me that he prayed every day that God would allow him one day to marry someone he really loves, but I guess that in this case God was not able to hear his request in the end. He asked me to be alone in the garden since he needed to think for a while, I told him that he could come to me for advice whenever he needed it, but if what he needed at that moment was to be alone with his thoughts I understood perfectly and I left him alone on one of the benches in the middle of the beautiful garden of red roses.
The concern I had for Oliver's happiness was clear to me, but there was nothing in my power that I could do to help him now, so until I thought of a solution I should let him calm down a bit, I decided to go to the big library of the house since it was my second favorite place in the house to relax, on the way I heard a female voice calling me, as soon as I looked back I saw Maya at the end of the hall waving to me. Maya was a year older than me and I imagine that soon she would have the same concerns as Oliver about his marriage, not that one day she might lack suitors since Maya was one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen in my life. She had long, wavy, silky blonde hair that went all the way down to her hips but was always held back by an extravagant hairstyle that made her even more beautiful, she always wore blue dresses since it was her favorite color, and she always had a beautiful smile on her face, Maya was never a vain woman but her extremely white skin was as perfect as porcelain and her face didn't even need any make-up at all, it seemed to look rosy and angelic, my mother always told me that I should mirror Maya to be a beautiful aristocratic lady, but for me she was an example of beauty and altruism that I made sure to follow.
"I was looking for you, it's strange that you're not in the garden as usual."
"I'd like to stay there for a while, but Oliver said he wanted to be alone."
"I guess he's preoccupied with the details of his arranged marriage."
"So, you've heard?"
"You have no idea how much the maids in this house like to gossip among themselves."
"I wonder how much they must talk then."
"I understand Oliver's concern, he's always been against arranged marriages, but just like death it's not something he can escape."
"Our father could at least listen to his only male child."
"He was always very strict. Oliver's marriage also worries me since I will be 19 next year and our mother will remind me of my duties as a woman."
"Yes, soon after you I will be the one who will have to get married. This is very unfair; I hope at least I can find someone I love and our father will approve until then. Maybe I'll be luckier than you and Oliver."
"And who wouldn't want to be the suitor of a beautiful woman like you?"
These words brought me no comfort, the fact that I was apparently beautiful indicated that my father could trade me like cattle to men twice my age without any problem, my beauty at that moment brought me more fear than anything in this world.
Maya and I walked together to the library, spent the whole afternoon talking about everyday things and drinking tea, stopping only at lunchtime and saying goodbye at dinner time. I always spent most of my time alone as much as I loved my brothers, I always made sure to never give up my peace and quiet for anything in the world, so I always took some time to be alone during the day, in this time I read and acquired some hobbies like sewing or embroidery, I always wanted to learn fencing but my mother was extremely against it so I managed to learn just before I was fifteen until she found out I was learning with my brother on the sly, after that time I never insisted on another attempt.
After finishing some embroidery and reading a bit I decided to turn in and sleep, I lay in my bed with no guilt on my conscience, although I was still concerned about the happiness of all my family members the day had been productive and enjoyable. I lay comfortably on my bed and slept peacefully minutes later, the next morning I was woken up by the same old maid, I thank her after she tells me that I should hurry or I would miss my breakfast, her face had a countenance a little out of her usual, but I thought it was something in my head and went back to my normal routine. After getting ready I went downstairs towards the huge dining table, as soon as I arrived, I realized that Oliver was not present along with the rest of the family, I asked my father the reason for my brother's absence but he just told me that Oliver had to go to the house of his childhood friend David, apparently Oliver was still not completely resigned to his arranged marriage and sought refuge and advice from his good friend and confidant since childhood yesterday evening.
With this information I was able to eat my morning coffee more peacefully, until the moment when my peace came to its bitter end.
In a world where humans and werewolves coexist in secrecy, Lyra, a young woman with a mysterious past, finds herself drawn to a forbidden love. When a series of strange dreams lead her to a remote forest, she encounters a pack of wolves, led by the fierce and enigmatic alpha, Kael. Torn between her human life and an undeniable connection to Kael, Lyra soon discovers that her bloodline is entwined with the ancient history of the pack. As the full moon approaches, dark forces threaten the fragile peace between the human world and the wolves. Kael must choose between his duty as alpha and the bond he shares with Lyra-one that could change the fate of both their worlds forever. In a battle for love, loyalty, and survival, Lyra must answer the call of her heart-and the call of the alpha.
Elena always felt a strange pull toward the wilderness, a whisper in her soul every time the full moon lit up the night sky. On a fateful evening, while hiking through the dense forest near her hometown, she encounters Adrian, a mysterious stranger with piercing eyes and an aura of danger. What she doesn't know is that Adrian is no ordinary man-he's the lone guardian of an ancient wolf clan, bound to protect his kind and keep their existence hidden. As Elena and Adrian's worlds collide, an undeniable passion ignites between them. But their love comes with risks: Adrian's clan views humans as a threat, and a rival pack is hunting to claim Elena for their own dark purposes. With secrets unraveling and the full moon drawing near, Elena must decide if she can trust Adrian with her heart-and if she's willing to embrace a destiny that could forever change her life. Under the glowing light of the full moon, love and fate will be tested in ways neither imagined.
Evelyn Hart was a famous actress, adored by millions and celebrated for her talent. At the peak of her career, she gave it all up for love, setting aside her dreams to support her husband, a man who always treated her as ordinary and dispensable. Trapped in a toxic and suffocating relationship, Evelyn believed her sacrifice was an act of love-until the veil of illusion began to lift. When she finally breaks free from the chains of her past, Evelyn is determined to reclaim her life and career. On her journey to redemption, she crosses paths with Viktor Kane, a dangerous and enigmatic CEO whose polished exterior conceals deep ties to the underworld. The attraction between them is undeniable, and Viktor ignites not only passion in Evelyn but also a newfound strength to confront her fears and settle the score with the man who underestimated her.
Helena Costa is drowning in debt and desperation when her cold and enigmatic CEO, Thom Bernard, offers her a shocking solution: a marriage of convenience. For Helena, it's a chance to escape financial ruin. For Thom, it's a calculated move to protect his empire. Bound by a contract, they live as strangers in a luxurious but hollow world, each guarding their emotions. Yet, as Helena glimpses Thom's hidden vulnerability, and he's drawn to her strength, their transactional relationship begins to shift. When the truth about their marriage is exposed, and Thom's career faces ruin, Helena must decide: protect herself or stand by Thom and fight for the bond they've unexpectedly built.
Alitta had always had terrible luck in love, she had always seen her friends, family and acquaintances find their predestined partners, but it seemed that her turn would never come. Without hope, one lonely night, she threw herself into the arms of an unknown man, everything went well, but what she didn't expect was that this unimportant night would bear fruit. The pregnancy was becoming more and more apparent, the discovery that the father of her child was the alpha of her pack was a great shock. She now had a choice in her hands: give up her baby or flee with her child to face everything that was to come alone.
I lived my whole life normally without even knowing the secret of my lineage. The next thing I knew, I was being dragged into a clan. The people in this clan aimed to keep an almost instinctive pack of wolves alive. They told me that I was part of this bloodline, something I could never have known because I was nothing more than a miserable orphan until they found me. I found myself at the start of a dangerous yet exhilarating journey.
In the eyes of the public, Elijah was ever the gentleman, always distant and reserved. But behind closed doors, he was an animal who relentlessly ensnared Ashley in a web of lust. No one knew of their secret relationship, yet at the same time, no one dared to bully her again. Then one day, she was hit with morning sickness right in front of everyone. To everyone’s shock, the aloof and domineering Elijah quickly knelt in front of her and caressed her pregnant belly. “Babe,” he crooned, “let’s go public with our relationship. I will give you my everything.”
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."
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."
She thought she was the love of his life, and he became the love of her life that fateful day she had seen him at the pack's party. Selene Grace was only a replica of Alpha Leo's real mate, and when he spotted her, Leo immediately claimed her as his Luna in order to suppress the rumors of him being mateless. Being unable to conceive turns Selene's marriage into a nightmare, and as if that wasn't enough, Alpha Leo finally reunites with his long time lover and mate, rejecting a pregnant Selene as a result. 5 years later, Selene, a now successful doctor, receives an invitation to the moon shadow pack in order to rid the pack of a deadly disease which has struck it. Will Selene return back to the pack which had caused her so much pain, and what would she do when she realizes that she is mated to the Alpha who had betrayed her in the past?
Rejected by her mate, who had been her long-time crush, Jasmine felt utterly humiliated. Seeking solace, she headed to a party to drown her sorrows. But things took a turn for the worse when her friends issued a cruel dare: kiss a stranger or beg her mate for forgiveness. With no other choice, Jasmine approached a stranger and kissed him, thinking that would be the end of it. However, the stranger unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear, "You're mine!" He growled, his words sending shivers down her spine. And then, he offered her a solution that would change everything...
Madison had always believed that she would marry Colten. She spent her youth admiring him from afar, dreaming of their future life together. But Colten was always indifferent to her, and when he abandoned her at a time when she needed him most, she finally realized that he never loved her. With renewed resolve and a thirst for revenge, Madison left. Endless possibilities lay ahead, but Colten was no longer part of her plans. Colten rushed to her place in a panic. "Madison, please come back to me. I’ll give you everything!" It was his powerful uncle who answered the door. "She's my woman now."