It honestly feels like I've been transported back to the Middle Ages. For the benefit of my pack, I just swore an oath to a man I've never met. The pack where I'm supposed to be the leader. The pack I'm not sure how to lead. I should learn fast, though. Because here he is, out of the blue, almost catching me by surprise. His green eyes, which shine like polished emeralds, make me stop in my tracks. His sharp jaw and short beard give him a dangerous look. His words of superiority, which were as smooth as velvet, hurt me deeply. So, this is my very hot husband who doesn't care about anything. I'm not even close to ready for this marriage. But he just walks into my space, all lean muscle and stalking grace. I have to use everything I have to get myself and the situation under control. What the heck did I sign up for?
I dug my toes into the soft white sand and looked up at the golden and red sky. The water was blue all the way to the horizon, and the first sunbeams were just starting to shine on its surface. It was quiet on the beach, so I closed my eyes and let the Caribbean breeze kiss my skin one last time.
I had been running away to Isla Mujeres for years. When I had a few days between cruises, I would go back to the tiny apartment I rented here. It was just a few steps from the ocean and a place of peace and quiet. I would eat seafood that was brought in fresh every morning by a fisherman who lived two streets away and was expertly cooked by his tiny, old grandmother at their little storefront. I'd relax in the bright red hammock I'd strung up in the backyard, read, take naps, and enjoy the peace and color of my own little piece of paradise.
It was a beautiful life built on an ugly lie.
Every day I was here, I told myself it was fine to treat myself. That I was "finding myself" and that my time as Operations Manager for a major cruise line would teach me how to be a leader. I pretended that I thought my grandfather was finally stepping up, that he would finally do everything he had been putting off because he was getting old and sick. I thought about him putting his foot down and getting rid of the bad things that were in our small group. I told myself that he was securing succession and that the notice that I was his heir with the support of the pack as a whole would come any minute.
Now, like everything else that was built on shaky ground, my private world, which I loved so much, had fallen apart and was in pieces all around me.
My grandfather died the same way he lived: he didn't want to take on all of the responsibilities that come with leading a pack. There had been no planning for who would take over. There will be no housework. Certainly not by him.
Instead, there were uprisings and people moving away. My parents were gone, and so was almost everyone else from their generation. Jeff, Sid, and the rest of their gang of crooks had taken over the pack and were mistreating the few members of our generation who didn't run away. Ana, my sweet cousin, was forced to get married to Jeff in a fake ceremony, and he got her pregnant. I went back long enough to set her free, but instead of taking my rightful place as Alpha, I ran away with my tail between my legs when the fight that followed almost tore me apart.
My fingers went to my ribs, where, under my thin shirt, four scars ran in parallel from just below my heart to my right hip in a rough line. I felt sick to my stomach when I thought about the taste of Sid's blood on my tongue after I ripped out his throat in a desperate attempt to stay alive and save Ana. Even though they didn't regret anything, they still had nightmares.
I was hurt and confused, so I went back to my safe place to lick my wounds. I didn't do much but lay in my hammock for weeks, barely able to move. My body was taking a long time to heal, even though shifters should heal at an impossible rate. Every painful second that went by was a sign that I was selfish and arrogant.
I had grown up seeing my grandfather not do what he was supposed to do as Alpha. I had seen how it split up my family and my pack. What had I done, though? The same old crap. I ran away from my responsibilities, and everyone in my pack paid for it. This meant that everything that happened was my fault.
Instead, there were uprisings and people moving away. My parents were gone, and so was almost everyone else from their generation. Jeff, Sid, and the rest of their gang of crooks had taken over the pack and were mistreating the few members of our generation who didn't run away. Ana, my sweet cousin, was forced to get married to Jeff in a fake ceremony, and he got her pregnant. I went back long enough to set her free, but instead of taking my rightful place as Alpha, I ran away with my tail between my legs when the fight that followed almost tore me apart.
My fingers went to my ribs, where, under my thin shirt, four scars ran in parallel from just below my heart to my right hip in a rough line. I felt sick to my stomach when I thought about the taste of Sid's blood on my tongue after I ripped out his throat in a desperate attempt to stay alive and save Ana. Even though they didn't regret anything, they still had nightmares.
I was hurt and confused, so I went back to my safe place to lick my wounds. I didn't do much but lay in my hammock for weeks, barely able to move. My body was taking a long time to heal, even though shifters should heal at an impossible rate. Every painful second that went by was a sign that I was selfish and arrogant.
I had grown up seeing my grandfather not do what he was supposed to do as Alpha. I had seen how it split up my family and my pack. What had I done, though? The same old crap. I ran away from my responsibilities, and everyone in my pack paid for it. This meant that everything that happened was my fault.
I turned away from the water and walked back to where my shoes and duffel bag were waiting on the wooden boardwalk. By water taxi and then walking through the city, Cancun International Airport was less than ten miles away. If there were no weather delays, it would take me seven hours to fly to the small town where I grew up and see the wreck of everything I used to know. By tonight, my island haven wouldn't be there anymore. The first thing I would be is an Alpha. Everything else I loved or wanted would be taken away as punishment for what I and my family had done wrong.
I put my feet into my shoes by reaching down, then grabbed the handle of my duffel bag and put it over my shoulder. I started walking while my heart was beating like crazy in my chest.
As Isabelle fights to claim her rightful place as the Alpha, she finds herself entangled in a dark and dangerous game. Being the daughter of the Alpha, it is her birthright to assume leadership when the time is right. However, not everyone in the pack is receptive to the idea of a female wielding power, including her own father. Forced by him, Isabelle reluctantly accepts an arranged marriage with a wolf of his choosing. But fate has a cruel twist in store when she is rejected and left to face the consequences of her father's decisions. Now, Isabelle has no choice but to comply with her father's terms until she is officially named the Alpha. Yet, she harbors dangerous secrets that could be exploited against her, and there is one relentless individual who relentlessly pursues her until he achieves his desires. In a world where the boundaries between duty and desire become blurred, the path to becoming a future Alpha becomes a treacherous minefield.
In a world where female shifters are a rarity, the weight of responsibility rests heavily on the shoulders of the Alpha's daughter. With her 18th birthday approaching, the young shifter must prepare to merge with her wolf and step into her role as Luna. But life is far from easy for her, constantly surrounded by overprotective men who restrict her every move. As if that wasn't enough, the upcoming Assembly brings a wave of potential Alpha mates, something she had hoped to avoid. Growing up, she was attached to Marcus, her father's henchman, she finds herself drawn to him in ways she can't explain. As her emotions intensify, she must navigate the treacherous waters of shifter politics and a family secret that could change everything. With the help of the Moon Goddess, the Alpha's daughter must find a way to navigate her destiny and find true love amidst the chaos. Will she be able to find her own path, or will she be consumed by the weight of her responsibilities? Find out in this gripping tale of love, loyalty, and self-discovery.
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it all—from standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didn’t return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachel’s terminal illness and realized she didn’t have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."
“Drive this woman out!” "Throw this woman into the sea!” When he doesn’t know Debbie Nelson’s true identity, Carlos Hilton cold-shoulders her. “Mr. Hilton, she is your wife,” Carlos’ secretary reminded him. Hearing that, Carlos gives him a cold stare and complained, “why didn’t you tell me earlier?” From then on, Carlos spoils her rotten. Little did everyone expect that they would get a divorce.
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.