Celeste Sherwood was very troubled. As a werewolf, she had been waiting for her wolf to surface. But her twin brother's wolf came first. What the heck? If they were born at the same time, shouldn't they shift at the same time? Fine. She could live with that. But why did her twin brother start to run away from her? And why did he pin her against the floor like that? To her further bewilderment, the needy guy she worked with was actually a secret werewolf hunter? But why did he not kill her when he was already suspicious of her? And who was that new wolf in the pack? What on earth did he want? Celeste was overwhelmed. Her life was full of secrets all of a sudden. She wondered if she could handle them all...
Summer weekend. The afternoon sun outside the window seemed less blinding now, but it was still strong enough to make the morning glories droop and nod in the occasional wind.
Celeste Sherwood looked up from her book and eyed the sluggish flowers outside. Her cookies were almost done. She could smell it. Five more minutes at most.
She decided to enjoy the view from her window and relax her sore eyes while waiting, though the sweet, sweet fragrance already drew her attention to the oven. She took a deep breath. Yeah... Sweet. Her favorite. Now that she was home, she could make cookies as sweet as she liked ... as long as the said cookies hadn't turned into piles of heated and cooled sugar.
Celeste was notorious for her brutal and offending sweet tooth. That explained why she had to make two kinds of cookies. One with the normal-people amount of sugar, and the other with the lethal dose. Apart from the abuse of sugar, her cookies were surprisingly good and popular, which was why she was compelled to make different cookies these days. Even her twin brother Jeremy, who hates sweet foods in general, found her cookies fantastic ... or "tolerable", quoting from him.
Speaking of that twin brother of hers... She saw Jeremy trot into the yard, his back straight, sweat dripping down and wetting his T-shirt. His long legs were in tight rolls of muscles, supporting the tanned, wide-shouldered body. His biceps bulged when he moved them back and forth. His hair looked almost golden in the summer sun, under which were those eyes with the color of the indigo sky.
Celeste snorted at a pang of unfairness that hit her all of a sudden. Despite being twins, she and Jeremy were quite the opposite. Things were not so different when they were kids, but now, Jeremy was not only taller and bigger than her, he towered over her like a mountain. The color of their eyes was the only thing they shared. Even so, her eyes were lighter than his.
"I'm starving! What smells so good?" Sure, that was the first thing he said after he came back from a run. Celeste rolled her eyes.
"I just don't get it. Why do you bother to work out if you eat right after it?"
Jeremy walked into the kitchen, still sweating. "I told you. That's not a workout. I'm training myself for my wolf. He will be proud of this strong, beautiful body of his human."
Celeste made a face. "Eww... Save that speech to your wolf."
Jeremy shrugged. He took a deep breath and eyed the oven in anticipation. "You're making cookies?"
Sweets were never his favorite, but he would make do with whatever he got since he was literally starving right now. Besides, the cookies did smell good.
"Yup. These babies will be ready in a few... Ugh! You stink!" Scowling, Celeste wrinkled her nose and tried to shoo her twin brother out of the kitchen.
"Hey! Don't shoo me like I'm an unwanted puppy! I'm sure you wouldn't mind me checking your black magic over there." Jeremy ignored her protest and ventured closer to the oven on purpose, keeping an eye on Celeste in case she caught him off guard and launched any attack. He almost laughed at the nervous look on her face.
He and Celeste were no longer kids, but somehow they just couldn't stop getting on each other's nerves. He knew she always insisted on keeping a holy and undisturbed environment when she cast her black magic. Okay... In translation, she was a neat freak when it came to sweet foods. And of course, the bad smell was strictly forbidden in the process of cookie making because even the slightest would obviously and viciously eat away the fragrance of cookies.
"You wouldn't dare!" Celeste shrieked in horror and pointed a finger at him, "Don't you pollute my cookies, you reeking ass!"
"Ouch! Look at what you've done to my self-esteem! Pollute? That's a whole new level of insult! I feel hurt! Now prepare for my revenge!" Jeremy whipped the hem of his tee up and down as he jumped at her.
"No!" Celeste ran away with a short cry. But before that, she caught a glimpse of her brother's abs. Holy shit! Since when did Jeremy get so ripped?
Jeremy laughed behind her like the evil villain that he was. Just as he was about to launch the second attack, the oven let out a ding, saving Celeste's life.
Celeste banished Jeremy to the table and went to the cookies. They were hot, but the smell was rather mouth-watering. Jeremy's stomach growled when receiving the signal from his nose. Although the cookies were burning, he managed to steal one away immediately when Celeste put a plate on the table.
When the cookie was cool enough, Jeremy took a huge bite. Hunger must have taken over his brain because he would have detected Celeste's wicked plan from that suspicious grin on her face. It took a while before the shock buzzed into his brain.
Then he grimaced and gagged at the cookie-shaped sugar in his mouth. He dropped to the floor, coughing and clutching his chest. "How ... how on earth do you force this thing down your throat?"
Celeste rolled her eyes and laughed, "Don't be that dramatic! It's actually good."
"Yeah, sure. And not too sweet at all," Jeremy added.
"Asshole. Now get up and get yourself clean." She reached out and tried to pull him to his feet. But Jeremy knocked her hand away and curled up on the floor. Celeste knitted her brows.
"Hey! Knock it off! This is not funny, Jeremy!"
But the man didn't respond. His eyes were tightly closed as he panted for breath. His face was pale, and his body was shivering. Jeremy seemed to be in pain. Celeste started to worry. She had never seen him sick or this helpless.
"Jeremy...? Jeremy...! Jeremy!"
Now Celeste freaked out. She yelled at the door, "Mom! Dad! Something happened to Jeremy!"
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."
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.
Janice, the long-forgotten legitimate heiress, made her way back to her family, pouring her heart into winning their hearts. Yet, she had to relinquish her very identity, her academic credentials, and her creative works to her foster sister. In return for her sacrifices, she found no warmth, only deeper neglect. Resolute, Janice vowed to cut off all emotional bonds. Transformed, she now stood as a master of martial arts, adept in eight languages, an esteemed medical expert, and a celebrated designer. With newfound resolve, she declared, "From this day forward, no one in this family shall cross me."
When Zora was sick during the early days of her pregnancy, Ezrah was with his first love, Piper. When Zora got into an accident and called Ezrah, he said he was busy, when in actual fact, he was buying shoes for Piper. Zora lost her baby because of the accident, and throughout her stay at the hospital, Ezrah never showed up. She already knew that he didn't love her, but that was the last straw for the camel's back, and her fragile heart could not take it anymore. When Ezrah arrived home a few days after Zora was discharged from the hospital, he no longer met the woman who always greeted him with a smile and cared for him. Zora stood at the top of the stairs and yelled with a cold expression, "Good news, Ezrah! Our baby died in a car accident. There is nothing between us anymore, so let's get a divorce." The man who claimed not to have any feelings for Zora, being cold and distant towards her, and having asked her for a divorce twice, instantly panicked.
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
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."