"I, Alec Tawr of Lunar Crest pack, reject you, Elara Wildewood, of Lunar Crest pack," he utters, his voice cutting through the silence. The words sear into my soul, and my heart shatters, broken pieces scattering within me. The pain consumes me, wrapping its icy tendrils around my spirit. "Why?" I ask, letting out a painful cry as my knees give away and I collapse to the floor. Does he think that I agreed to marry Prince Magnus willingly? That I don't wish to be with him? "Why?" I repeat. He blinks and I see him shiver as he clenches his jaw. "Just accept the rejection, El. Make it stop," he says, his voice sharp and hard. I allow myself to cry, letting the tears cascade down my cheeks until I'm a sobbing mess. "I can't. I want you." He clutches his chest and I hate to see him hurting. "It's not possible. Please accept the reception." And so I do it. "I, Elara Wildewood of Lunar Crest pack, accept your rejection." ---- Elara Wildewood knows her life is doomed when she is forced to step in as the substitute bride for Magnus Blackwell, the disabled and cruel Prince of Caelondor. After she is rejected by her mate, she has no choice but to accept her fate. However, after she's wed, she finds out that the truth is not as it seems and the grand palace of Caelondor holds a lot more intrigue and secrecy than she anticipated earlier. Trapped in a web or lies and deception, Elara decides to take control of her life and trains to become stronger. As she gains the admiration of her court, she also attracts the Prince attention's who will stop at nothing to keep her safe.
The wind whispers through the open window, carrying a faint scent of jasmine that mingles with the pounding of my heart.
"Alina can't marry him, Alpha. She's weak," my father begins, his trembling voice resounding in the pack's courtroom.
Beta Collis smirks at him from where he stands beside Alpha Zander before he comments, "A weakling for a weakling. What can be a better match for the twisted Prince of Caelondor?"
I grit my teeth, suppressing a curse. Beta Collis has never been kind towards my family but his remark was unnecessary.
"Alpha Zander," my father continues, ignoring his fellow Beta's words. His shoulders are slumped and he looks older than his years. "The pack healer says she might not live long."
My stepmother stifles a sob as she clutches the sides of her robe.
A rush of whispers arise from the pack members bearing witness to this meeting.
I nervously glance around and hear people talk sympathetically about my stepsister, Alina. It's unfortunate what happened to her. She was always healthy and happy but recently she fell sick and now she stands at the door of death.
Alpha Zander stands from his regal chair and the whispers die in an instant. "I agree with you, Beta Reginald. We can't let Alina marry Prince Magnus anymore. King Eldric won't like it. We don't want to mock him more than the world already does. I want to make myself clear : this alliance is important to me. So we need to find a substitute."
A moment of silence lingers as the Alpha looks around-likely searching for potential candidates-before his eyes finally settle on me.
"Elara Wildewood," he begins, my name clear in his voice. My heart stops beating for a moment. "You'll marry Prince Magnus Blackwell in place of your stepsister, Alina. That is my command. I understand that you'll not disobey me."
'But I already have a mate!' I want to scream at him, but I'm kept down by the Alpha's power over me. I'm forced to oblige his command being a beta, even though my heart is already starting to break. All I manage to mumble is, "Yes, Alpha."
***
Elara Wildewood, that's who I am. My carefree and headstrong life is about to be shattered as I am forced to step into the role of the substitute bride for my stepsister, Alina, to appease our pack and promise our fealty to King Eldric of Caelondor.
It all started with a fateful meeting beneath the silver moonlight. I met him, my mate, within the dense forest that surrounds our pack territory. I had sneaked out of the packhouse on one of my explorations, and that's when my wolf, Lila, had sniffed him out. She called him 'our mate'. The air sparked with an electric connection and an unbreakable bond formed between us. His eyes are the most magnificent things I have ever held. His name is Alec, a powerful beta werewolf just like me, and a member of our pack. Together, we dreamed of a life filled with love and endless possibilities.
We took the blessings of my father and stepmother and were soon to be married...
But fate, cruel and unyielding, has other plans.
Alina's health deteriorated recently, rendering her unfit to fulfill her duty as the chosen bride. The responsibility, like an anchor weighing heavy on my shoulders, fell upon me.
The alpha of our pack, Alpha Zander, couldn't bear the thought of losing this alliance. He needed to prove to the king that he had the support and loyalty of our pack. So, he demanded that I marry Magnus Blackwell, the infamous werewolf Prince of Caelondor. His reputation is tarnished by rumors of his wickedness. Despite my protests, and my pleas for an alternative, the pack saw no other option but to offer me as the substitute.
Since then, the news of it has spread like wildfire through our territory. I'm offered condolences by some as I'm to spend the rest of my life with a disabled, wicked man-they pity me, giving me sympathetic glances. And the others offer me congratulations as I'm to become a part of royalty. All of this is happening while my stepsister toils in the other room, fighting against death.
All I want to do is tell them off, but my stepmother would love to use that as an excuse to strike me. So I don't give her the chance.
The thought of running away with Alec crosses my mind. If we succeed to get past the border, we can make a life together, away from the responsibilities of our pack. We will become rogues, but with Alec by my side, I believe I can be happy regardless.
But he's an honorable man. He will never go against the Alpha's choices. And it will be treason. If we're caught, we'll be shamed and executed.
And I? How can I betray my father? He has loved me and cared for me all my life. And this is the only thing he has asked for in return. Cruel as it may seem, he asked me to give up Alec and marry the Prince.
I denied. I pleaded. I argued. That's when Celeste, my stepmother, struck me. A tight slap across my cheek for denying to give up my love. My father scolded her but she did not apologize. Instead, she said, "Do your duty to your pack."
Ever since that day, I cry myself to sleep every night. Even now, the tears fall down as I look at my reflection helplessly.
A sudden knock on the door startles me. I get to my feet and mumble, "Come inside."
My stepmother enters, draped in a long turquoise gown, her favorite color. Her dark hair is tousled down her back and she has a habit of running her fingers through it repeatedly. A maid is by her side, a frightened look plastered on her face. "Your lover is here to meet you," she tells me.
I scowl at the bitterness in her voice, but my voice is composed when I reply, "Let him inside."
She fixes a stern look on me and then crossing the distance between us, she holds my face in her hand, her fingernails digging in my cheeks. "Don't even try anything foolish, girl. I have all of my eyes and ears on you."
"Yes, Mother," I speak through gritted teeth, bearing the pain of her tortuous grip. She lets go of me and I growl, creating distance between us.
"I pity you. Everyone wants to marry a prince. But a weak and deformed one? How unfortunate you are," she mocks me, a sinister smile growing on her pale face.
With that she leaves me, the maid trails behind her but not before giving me another sympathetic look.
I hold my breath as the door opens again and my wolf, Lila picks my mate's scent. She gets excited, ignoring the misery I feel upon seeing him again.
Alec stands before me, his gaze distant and devoid of the warmth that had once consumed his eyes. I want to wrap my arms around him and drown myself in the familiar warmth of his body. I want to pull him into a mind numbing kiss so I can forget the truth for at least some time. I move closer to touch his face, but with every step I take toward him, he takes one back until he's at the door. Before I can say a word, he speaks, his words are unexpected and disastrous.
"I, Alec Tawr of Lunar Crest pack, reject you, Elara Wildewood, of Lunar Crest pack," he utters, his voice cutting through the silence. The words sear into my soul, and my heart shatters, broken pieces scattering within me.
"No!" I yell. How could he reject me? The one he claimed to love, the one we believed to be inseparable. The pain consumes me, wrapping its icy tendrils around my spirit. "Why?" I ask, letting out a painful cry as my knees give away and I collapse to the floor.
Does he think that I agreed to marry Prince Magnus willingly? That I don't wish to be with him? I know he can read my thoughts or at least he could before he rejected me.
"Why?" I repeat, groaning due to the pain of the broken mate bond.
He blinks and I see him shiver as he clenches his jaw. I watch him struggle to stand still. "Just accept the rejection, El. Make it stop," he says, his voice sharp and hard.
I allow myself to cry, letting the tears cascade down my cheeks until I'm a sobbing mess. "I can't. I want you."
He clutches his chest and I hate to see him hurting. "It's not possible. Please accept the rejection. It hurts. Make it stop."
And so I do it. "I, Elara Wildewood of Lunar Crest pack, accept your rejection."
Something is sucked out of me and I'm convinced it's my soul because once the words are out, I feel empty. Absolutely and utterly hollow on the inside.
Alec takes in a shaky breath and stumbles right where he's standing. He's likely feeling the same. His eyes are lowered to the ground as he says in a whisper dismissively, "It was good knowing you, El. Thank you for loving me."
"I'm not a little girl," I snap. "I'm twenty-five." "And I'm almost twice your age, Natalie," he says, almost like he's giving up. "But that didn't stop you from coming to me." In a second, he has me pinned against the wall. His hands trail up the sides of my body. "Do you want me to stop?" he whispers, his breath hot against my neck. *** On the brink of her second wedding anniversary, Natalie Jones finds her husband, Michael Cooper, embraced passionately with his mistress. Confronting him in a dimly lit restaurant, Nat exposes his scheme to marry her for her father's fortune and storms out. Ric Steward, on the other hand - billionaire and philanthropist - never expected his evening to ignite with scandal. When he sees Natalie-radiant, powerful, and on the edge of a breakdown-he's immediately captivated. Only for him to learn that she's the daughter of a longtime friend. But that doesn't stop Nat. It only makes her want Ric more...
Caden Miller is Willowbrook High School's notorious rebel, known for his devil-may-care attitude, grey hoodies, and a reputation that precedes him. Ruby Norman, on the other hand, is Willowbrook's epitome of sweetness and innocence. She excels academically, volunteers at the local shelter, and dreams of a life beyond the confines of her small town. When their paths cross, sparks fly, igniting a rollercoaster of emotions that neither Caden nor Ruby saw coming. Underneath their heated exchanges and antagonistic banter, a deep-rooted attraction simmers. The more they try to deny it, the stronger their feelings become. Drawn to each other like magnets, they embark on a forbidden romance that challenges societal norms and tests their own personal boundaries.
The island of Bellpond is a welcoming place for tourists—and a home to werewolves. Vanessa Martin, a member of the Silver Crescent pack knows that Jordan Hale is the forbidden fruit—someone off limits. He belongs to the rival pack. And yet, she's attracted to him in ways she cannot explain. When a tragedy befalls him, Nessa wants to be there in some way to comfort him. She goes out of her way, ignoring all words of advice and warnings from her peers and her grandma and soon, a friendship blossoms between them. The smooth wheel rolling down breaks when they find a body washed up on the shore, and soon a couple more follow, piling up. Nessa and Jordan pair up, vowing to get to the bottom of this, but as they investigate more, they realise the matter is more sinister than they expected. Will they stop and expose those involved in these gruesome murders or fall down the rabbit hole trying to uncover the mystery?
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
Sheila had her back against the wall when her family tried to force her to marry an awful old man. In a fit of rage, she hired a gigolo to act as her husband. She thought the gigolo needed money and did this for a living. Little did she know that he was nothing like that. One day, he pulled off his mask and revealed himself to be the world's top magnate. This marked the beginning of their love. He showered her with everything she could ever want. They were happy. However, unexpected circumstances soon posed a threat to their love. Would Sheila and her husband make it through the storm? Find out!
Billionaire Bennett Graham urgently needed a wife to close a business deal but his fiancée wasn't ready to tie the knots yet. So his grandmother picked the most unassuming maid for him. Everything was supposed to go incredibly well, and all he had to do was wait until he divorced her a year later. But after seeing Maliyah's ocean eyes.it wasn't looking simple anymore. *** Before I could get her up, it was as if she felt the light and an uncomfortable sound came out of her mouth. "Uh-huh..." She raised her hand to cover her eyes. But I didn't have time to wait for her to wake up, so I told her to "Get Up." My voice seemed to scare her, and her light-fearing eyes suddenly widened and she kept moving to the corner. The only voice in the quiet art room was her fear-filled voice, "No...please...go away...don't come close to me." She was afraid of me? I hadn't even spoken to her before, what was she afraid of? This was definitely not going to work, I couldn't talk to her if she couldn't calm down. Then I moved closer to her, my hand on her trembling shoulder, and I whispered soothingly "Calm down.I'm not going to hurt you.I'm not going to hurt you."I assured and then she moved her hair away from her face as if to stare at me properly. Our eyes met.It was that moment. It felt as if I was enchanted for a moment. Those ocean eyes were the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen.
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
Maria took her sister’s place and was engaged to Anthony, a disabled man who had lost his status as the family heir. At first, they were just a nominal couple. However, things changed when things about Maria were gradually exposed. It turned out she was a professional hacker, a mysterious composer, and the sole successor to an international jade sculpting master… The more that was revealed about her, the less Anthony could rest easy. A famous singer, an award-winning actor, an heir of a rich family—so many excellent men were chasing after his fiancee, Maria. What should Anthony do?
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.