Xanthos, the werewolf King had attacked Esme's village causing her to be taken into captivity and sold as a slave. But what happens when they both comes face to face and they find out they're mates? Esme on the other hand has sworn to rather die than be with him or better still rather kill him than be with him.
I could hear the shrieks and sounds that came from the other side of the wall. Their voices yelled in agony and pain as the hot iron pressed against their skin and only then did their screams turn to howls of pain.
My village, Nostra had been ambushed, we were a lonely pack in the outskirts of Nevada. Months prior to our ambush, there had been war clouds in the air, the rumour of a war had been spreading for weeks. It was said that Xanthos, the werewolf king was expanding his territory thereby conquering lands and taking the people captive only when he deemed fit.
He was a tyrant and anyone who had opposed his rule met the grim reaper. Our village had been well hidden that refugees had to wander for weeks before finally getting there but it all changed one morning when we were attacked and our people slaughtered. They spared a few women and children. They had also been looking for gingers. Ginger was a mutation, to have a ginger hair meant one was lethal, an outcast and so wolves despised them. But beneath that hatred for gingers lay fear.
My father and elder brother who were the leaders of our village had been slaughtered right in front of me, the sight so gore the image never left my mind for months. I cried, I wailed but nothing. The heavens were silent, mocking my pain.
I heard my mother cry for them, she couldn't shift, none of us could, our wolves had been subdued by whatever Xanthos' men had in the air. It was more powerful than wolfsbane.
The door to my cell opened and the guard walked in, I could make out his silhouette first before my vision slowly adjusted and his scarred face appeared.
He snickered as he approached me with a hand on his hip. The chains went round my neck and he pulled me up. Before I knew it, saliva was on my face, he had spat on me.
"Time to make us some good money whore."
I had a secret one that my mother had sworn to take to her grave but these monsters wouldn't offer us that. They instead chose to rape our mothers leaving us the young girls to be sold into the black market. A memory from the ambush surfaced.
"She looks pure."
That was what they said the minute their eyes had rested on me.
"Well see if she is."
And so he harassed me, spreading my legs apart forcefully amidst by pleas and tears. He tried inserting his finger but found it difficult to do so.
"This one's a virgin, she would make us big money." They guffawed flashing brown teeth.
"Has she shifted?"
The same man dragged me closer to him and sniffed my neck.
"Yes."
"More money."
They laughed again in excitement. I could sense they were planning on selling us as slaves but this was new, I had never heard of slaves been sold before. Werewolves never sold slaves.
"Kill all the gingers!" Their commander had ordered and so they continued tearing my village apart.
My heart skipped a beat. My friends, people I had known since I was little were falling one by one by the sword.
Tears rolled down my eyes. The one who had harassed me tilted my head towards the scene making me watch.
"This is the fate of all who go against Lord Xanthos. All will die."
"But they're not gingers." I had managed to say amidst the tears and croaked voice.
"They are lucky they aren't because a fate worse than death would have awaited them."
My hair has always been dyed right from when I was little. My mother had noticed the mutation and although she wanted to send me through mercy killing, she hesitated and that's the reason why I am here, she had sought the other way out. To hide what the wolves fear, to hide me, a ginger haired girl.
But why did lord Xanthos hate my kind? That I didn't know and I wasn't going to let them find out my secret either way.
The man slapped me pulling me out of my reverie.
"You wench. You're about to make us a lot of money today."
He dragged me out of the cell and through a dark tunnel. When the sunlight rested on my face, I shut them hard. Few seconds later my vision adjusted. I heard them before I saw them, slave masters, old and young men chanting and yelling, waiting to bid on me.
"This one is a bit lousy but she's pretty, both of her legs still seems to be working, well of course she's standing, she can cook and clean but more importantly, she's still untouched." The ring leader announced. The joyful screams filled the place, given a chance these deranged men would choose to fight over me. "Going for a thousand gold coins!"
"One thousand!" A fat man at the end raised his plaque.
"Two thousand!" It was a young man this time.
"Three!" I could hear the anger in the first man's voice. He wanted me badly.
"Four!" Another person chimed in.
I shut my eyes and listened as they kept bidding.
"Twelve thousand!" It was a different voice this time.
Opening my eyes, I laid eyes on him and believe me this man was a devilish beauty.
"Hmm twelve thousand. Going once!" The ring leader called.
The room was eerily silent.
"The general." The men murmured amongst themselves. "What is he doing here?"
"Going twice?" The ring leader announced again.
Looks of pity and sympathy was written on their faces and they were directed towards me.
Who is this man? I thought to myself until the next word coursed a shiver to run down my spine.
"Sold!"
During the choosing ceremony, Hayso gets picked as the lamb. She is to be Kaleenon's Witness. Anyone who goes into his palace never makes it out alive. All who hear the song of Kaleenon never live to see the next day, all until Hayso. The one destined to put an end to his alleged tyranny but what happens when the one destined to end him turns out to also be his soulmate?
Three years of marriage couldn't melt Theo's frozen heart. When an art gallery collapsed on Lena, he was off romancing another woman—lavishing her with a private jet. Three steel pins held Lena's shoulder together, but her heart remained broken. She filed for divorce and told everyone that he was impotent. Rising from the rubble, Lena blazed onto the design world's A‑list. She expected him to sail off with his true love—until Theo reappeared at her runway, pressing her against the wall. "Impotent, huh? Care to give it a try?"
Trigger warning!!! Intended for mature readers who enjoy morally complex, slow-burn, poseesive, forbidden, dark romance that pushes boundaries. ***EXCERPT*** Blood everywhere. Trembling hands. "No!" My eyes blurred. His lifeless eyes stared back at me, his blood pooling at my feet. The man I loved-dead. Killed by the one person I could never escape - my stepbrother. *** Kasmine's life was never hers to begin with. Kester, her stepbrother, controlled and monitored her every move. At first, it was all sweet and brotherly until it began to turn into an obsession. Kester was the Alpha, and his word was law. No close friends. No boyfriends. No freedom. The only consolation Kasmine had was her twenty-first birthday, which was supposed to change everything. She dreamt of finding her mate, escaping the sickening control of Kester, and finally claiming her own life. But fate had other plans for her. On the night of her birthday, not only was she disappointed that she wasn't mated to the love of her life, but she found out that her mate was none other than him - Her tormentor. Her stepbrother. She'd rather die than be mated to a man whom she had known as her big brother all her life. A man who would do just anything to make sure she was his. But when love turns to obsession, and obsession turns to blood, how far can one girl run before she realizes there is nowhere else to run to?
She thought he was the villain. He was only trying to save his soul. Rena lives in a world of sunshine, sweets, and simple dreams. Until one reckless decision drops her into a dark realm of secrets, curses and werewolves. Kidnapped, heartbroken. She doesn't know who to trust anymore especially not Logan, the arrogant, cruel Alpha who's keeping her as a hostage. Until she discovers his dark secret. He's been hearing her thoughts all along. Now the walls between them are crumbling. And when feelings grow where hatred once lived, a curse demands that blood becomes a love that demands sacrifice. But how can she give her heart to the one who might need it to die?
Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?
"You're my wife in name only, on paper only. My heart and love will never be yours." Edward made it clear to Daisy that she was nothing to him. They were both victims of family greed -- the marriage was arranged for them. Six years passed. She remained quiet, gaining a reputation in the army as a tough-as-nails colonel. When she walked into his life again, Edward fell in love with this woman, unlike any he had known. She surprised and delighted him. But will Daisy take him back? Can their son keep them together? Can the rift between them be healed? Pick this one up and find out!