SYNOPSIS:I thought meeting my mate would be the start of my happily ever after. For a moment, it was. Jacob Jude, the powerful heir of the Golden Claw Pack, ignited a fire in me that I'd never known. Then, in one cruel twist, he shattered my world. With my sight newly restored, I opened my eyes to betrayal-false accusations, heartbreak, and the lifeless body of my twin sister. Losing them both on the same day nearly destroyed me. But someone pulled me back from the edge. Four years later, I'm no longer the fragile, blind girl who was cast aside. I've rebuilt myself, stronger and sharper than ever. Returning to the Golden Claw Pack wasn't in my plans, but fate has a cruel sense of humor. Because standing at the altar is the man who broke me... and the sister I buried. Now, I have one question-will love or vengeance claim me first?
Chapter 1: The Friend Scent
It struck me while I was strolling through the packed East Coast market. the scent. It smelt wild, earthy, and full of something I had never smelled before. ancient, I was unable to move for a moment because my breath was seized. I could only think of the fragrance beckoning to me as if the entire world had frozen.
My friend.
I spoke the word in a whisper to myself, unaware that I had said it out loud. My heart pounded, unfamiliar heat spreading throughout my chest. I knew, felt it, the connection to it, to him, despite not knowing where he was. I didn't need to be able to see him to know. I knew, somehow within me.
"Watch it!" A rough voice interrupted my daydream, and I instinctively raised my cane, tapping it in front of me to steady myself. I could again hear the hum of the marketplace, but the scent still clung. The temptation was irresistible.
I was holding my breath and planted my feet to the ground. Focus, Isidora. I was no longer that same girl. I had adapted to leave without eyes, but there was something about the power of the scent that caused me to hesitate. This was more than a sense. This was him. My Friend .
And then I heard him. A voice-low, rich, and pulling at something inside of me I couldn't identify.
"Friend ?"
I froze in my tracks. My heart skipped a beat. That voice. it was like a magnet, drawing me to it. It was familiar, but not in a way that would make any sense. I couldn't determine whose it was, but I could feel its presence, like I'd heard it my entire life.
I turned my head in the direction of the voice, l hold on the cane tightening. I couldn't see him, but I could feel him, and that was enough. "Who are you?" I demanded, attempting to keep the shake from my voice and conceal it.
"Jacob. Jacob Jude," the voice replied, and my body tensed.
Jacob Jude.
The name washed over me like a wave, and I was taken aback. It shouldn't have sounded so familiar, so. right, but it did. My breath stopped again, and I swallowed in an attempt to stabilize myself. I knew that name. He was the son of the Golden Claw Pack. The last time that I had seen him, things were different. He was to be my Friend . But I could not permit myself to think it-not after all that had transpired.
"Isidora Christa," I murmured, the words escaping more of a whisper than anything else. My body was tense, as if a storm brewed within me.
I could feel him approaching, yet I did not know how. Every step he took seemed to bring him near, and my heart was racing. The chemistry between us was tangible, yet I could not see. I wanted to run from it, yet something within me reminded me that I needed to stay.
His hand emerged, and I did not step back. His fingers brushed against mine, and my whole body trembled at the touch. It was like a flame had been ignited between us, something hot, charged, and dangerous.
"You're blind," he whispered, his voice now soft, barely audible, but there was no censure there. Only curiosity.
"And you're my friend," I replied before I could stop myself. The words tumbled out, heavy with the weight of all I'd kept inside for so long.
I could feel the shift in the atmosphere around him, the tension building. I did not know if it was his guilt, maybe mine, but we both knew it-the distance between us, the hurt that had built up over the years. But this. this was different. Something I had not expected.
He didn't answer right away, and I could feel him come closer. I heard him breathe, slow and steady, but there was something else there-something that curled my belly with need. My heart racing, his smell surrounded me, pulling me in, making it increasingly difficult to breathe.
I was supposed to be angry. I was supposed to despise him for what he'd done to me. He'd rejected me, discarded me like I wasn't worth anything, like I wasn't worth his time. But there he was, before me, and all I felt was this pull.
"You shouldn't be here," I said to him, my voice shaking but firm. I was attempting to be strong, to hold on to the anger that was the only thing preventing me from giving in to the temptation of him, but it was so hard. So hard when he was this close, when the chemistry between us was this real.
"I needed to see you," he whispered, and I could feel the regret in his voice. "I didn't know. I didn't know what I was doing."
I recoiled, my hand tightening on my cane. What was he saying? Had he not known? My heart hurt. I wanted to believe him. I wanted so much.
"You hurt me," I said to him, my tone more biting than I intended. "You gave up on me without a fight."
I was wrong," he whispered now, his hand seeking mine once more. The warmth of his palm seeped into mine before he wrapped his fingers around my wrist in a loose cuff, his fingers skimming over the skin of my arm. His touch created shivers of heat tumbling through me, and I could no longer pretend.
I was stupid," he went on, his voice barely above a whisper and despairing. "I believed I was acting in the best way possible, but I was mistaken. I should have fought for you. I should never have let you leave.".
My breath remained in my throat. Fought for me? I had wanted him to fight. I had wanted him to come back, tell me that he loved me, make everything all right. But he hadn't. He had left me, and I couldn't remember anything else.
"I don't know if I can trust you again," I breathed, my heart hurting as I withdrew my hand from his. "You walked out on me once. I couldn't take that again."
"I'm not leaving this time," he said, his voice burning, determined. "I won't lose you again. I'll do anything to show you."
I stepped back, my heart racing. His words stung, and for a moment I was torn. One part of me wanted to run from him, to run from the hunger that was pulling me towards him. But another part of me-another part of me that still knew what it was like to be with him-wanted to stay.
"I don't know," I said, my voice trembling. "I don't know if I can ever forgive you."
"You don't have to forgive me yet," he whispered again, leaning in once more, his warm breath in my ear. "Just let me have a chance to prove it to you. Let me have the chance to prove to you that I'm not that man anymore."
The words hung between us, heavy with meaning. I could sense the tension mount, the pull stronger than ever before. I struggled against it. I struggled to turn and go, but I did not. I could not.
His lips brushed my ear, and I stiffened, every muscle tense.
"Isidora...," he whispered, his voice a soft entreaty.
And then, just when my breath was stuck in my throat, a loud voice broke in between us.
"Isidora, where the hell are you?"
I spun around at the sound of the voice, my heart plummeting. I knew that voice.
I knew whose it belonged to.
It was Lucas.
And that changed everything.
BLURB:I had hate in my heart when I died. The Moon Goddess herself linked me to a guy who was meant to adore me, but he betrayed me. I was alive and complete five years ago when I opened my eyes once again. I vowed that this time would be different. My so-called fated mate, Darius Blackthorn, would never be allowed to come near me close enough to ruin me once again. Before he could attack, I would forge my own route, guard my heart, and discover the truth about his treachery. However, it seems that destiny is difficult to change. Killian Draven comes in. Perilous, enraged, and all too alluring, he makes me an offer: if I act like his mate, he would shield me from Darius. I shouldn't play that game since it would only lead to heartache. But the longer I'm in Killian's embrace, the more I question if my fate isn't bound to him. Darius then comes after me and says I've been duped and that the betrayal I believed I saw wasn't what it seemed to be. He is battling not just for me but also for our pack's future. And I am really shaken by the facts he exposes. Because if Darius wasn't the one who betrayed me, then who was it? And why does it seem like I could lose more than my heart in this second chance?
The guy I vowed to love till the end deceived me, and I died once. The Moon Goddess, however, wasn't finished with me. She brought me back to life, reincarnating me as a rogue with no identity or memories, just the burning pain of a past I can't quite recall and a blood-thirsty need for revenge. Then I got to know him. Marcus John. The vicious Nightfang Pack's Alpha. Chilly. Without mercy. Dangerously addictive. I despise him. Nevertheless, my wolf awakens when he is close as if she has discovered something she has long since lost. His touch has a quality that seems to be both a blessing and a curse. I'm not sure whether I'm falling for him or if the connection that is bringing us together is what will break me. Because my recollections grow clearer the closer I go to him. And I'll have to choose between kissing him and killing him when I eventually realize who he is.
BLURB:I never imagined that everything might change in a single night. However, I didn't anticipate that Alexander Stone, the mysterious millionaire with the wicked grin, would be the one to haunt both my life and my dreams. We intended for our night together to be a one-time event, a little getaway. I never would have thought that it would result in a secret that would haunt me for five years. My life now involves striking a cautious balance between parenting my daughter, Mia, by myself and apart from a guy who is unaware that he is a father. But I have to deal with him once again once his business purchases my art gallery. All of the memories from that evening flood back as our eyes contact, along with the unmistakable chemistry. I can feel him getting beyond my barriers as he gets closer, but I can't tell him the truth. Not right now. Not when everything I've fought so hard to achieve is in jeopardy. However, when Alexander gives me that resolute look, I understand that I may not be able to maintain my secret for very long. Then he asks me the one thing I'm afraid to respond to: Lena, what happened to you and me? If I told him the truth, would I lose him forever? Or is this my second-our second-chance at a love that can destroy all I've worked so hard to keep safe?
BLURB: I believed that I had moved on from my past. I resolved to keep my children safe at all means after spending a careless night with a stranger wearing a mask five years ago. I established a peaceful life in a new city, raising my triplets and their younger sister. However, my world starts to fall apart when my sons come back from the bathroom talking about a guy who has a tattoo of a wolf-the same tattoo I will always remember. The next day, destiny puts me face to face with him: the vicious CEO who doesn't know who I am but seems to be strangely attracted to my kids. I lie and deny everything out of a desperate attempt to protect my family. However, secrets tend to sneak through gaps, and his intense stare makes me question if he's already piecing things together. I'm stuck now, working for him, battling my emotions, and avoiding adversaries who seem out to bring me down. But nothing scares me more than the reality: what will he do if he finds out the children I vowed to safeguard are really his?
BLURB:I came to Moonshadow chasing folklore and found a mystery far greater than I bargained for. One night with Ethan Blackwood-a man as dangerous as he is alluring-was supposed to be a fleeting indulgence. But when he turned his back on me, cold and distant, I vowed to forget him. I failed. Now, I'm back in Moonshadow with secrets of my own-two growing lives tied to the man who rejected me. But something sinister stalks the shadows of this town, and my investigation is drawing me into a world I never believed existed. Ethan is hiding something, and no matter how hard he tries to keep me away, fate keeps pulling us closer. His icy facade cracks when the danger circles too near, and I discover his truth-a truth that explains everything. Ethan Blackwood isn't just a man. He's a beast bound by laws older than the moon. And now, those laws threaten to destroy us both. When the rogue wolf finally reveals its true target, I'll have to decide: can I trust Ethan to save me and the children he doesn't even know he's fighting for? Or has he already doomed us all?
BLURB: I believed that I had moved on from my past. I resolved to keep my children safe at all means after spending a careless night with a stranger wearing a mask five years ago. I established a peaceful life in a new city, raising my triplets and their younger sister. However, my world starts to fall apart when my sons come back from the bathroom talking about a guy who has a tattoo of a wolf-the same tattoo I will always remember. The next day, destiny puts me face to face with him: the vicious CEO who doesn't know who I am but seems to be strangely attracted to my kids. I lie and deny everything out of a desperate attempt to protect my family. However, secrets tend to sneak through gaps, and his intense stare makes me question if he's already piecing things together. I'm stuck now, working for him, battling my emotions, and avoiding adversaries who seem out to bring me down. But nothing scares me more than the reality: what will he do if he finds out the children I vowed to safeguard are really his?
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?"
Sawyer, the world's top arms dealer, stunned everyone by falling for Maren—the worthless girl no one respected. People scoffed. Why chase a useless pretty face? But when powerful elites began gathering around her, jaws dropped. "She's not even married to him yet—already cashing in on his power?" they assumed. Curious eyes dug into Maren's past... only to find she was a scientific genius, a world-renowned medical expert, and heiress to a mafia empire. Later, Sawyer posted online. "My wife treats me like the enemy. Any advice?"
"You're mine, little puppy," Kylan growled against my neck. A soft gasp escaped my lips as his lips brushed my skin. My mind screamed at me to push him away-the Lycan Prince who had humiliated me again and again, but my body betrayed me, leaning into him before I could stop myself. He pressed his lips against mine, and his kiss grew more aggressive, more possessive as I felt my legs weaken. What was I doing? In a split-second, I pulled away and slapped him hard across the face. Kylan's eyes darkened, but the smirk on his lips exposed his amusement. "You and I both know we can't fight this, Violet," he said, gripping my wrist. "You're my mate." "And yet you don't want me," I replied. "You told me you were ashamed of me, that l'd never be your queen, that you'd never love me. So please, accept my rejection and let me go." "Never," he whispered, his grip tightening as he pulled me closer. "Soon enough, you'll be begging for me. and when you do-I'll use you as I see fit and then I'll reject you."
“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.
“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”
P-please, I beg you. Come let's go tell Christian I had no hand in whatever happened, p-please." I clutched the lapel of his jacket desperately. "Let's go. You need to tell my husband you were paid." "Young lady, you're harassing me." His tone was cold and his stare granite. But I could care less. "You harassed me first! You had sex with me without my consent, my husband knows and now I'm pregnant with this child he doesn't want. You ruined my marriage! I-I hate you!" ************************************ Caught by her husband with another man on their matrimonial bed the morning after her birthday, Hailey Codza could not defend herself. As though it's not enough, she gets pregnant. Her enraged husband decides to pay her back for her infidelity by having an affair with his ex-girlfriend - Denise Kellers, the family Hailey never knew she had. Losing her family's wealth and company to her husband and his ex (now girlfriend), she is devastated, homeless and penniless as all her credit cards are blocked by her husband. She sees the man who is responsible for her pregnancy. The man she has no idea how he'd found his way to her matrimonial bed - Jared Johnson. Jared is annoyed when this strange woman disrupts his meeting and accuses him of ruining her life, marriage and impregnating her. It affects his business deals and having no choice, he marries her to calm the public whilst engaged to someone else. But he loathes her and allows his family treats her badly. Hailey who has fallen in love with Jared is broken when she can no longer take the humiliation. She signs the divorce papers and leaves, only to arrive six years later to the country as a self-made, secret billionaire and a mother of twins. Now her two ex-husbands are begging to have her back...