One law keeps the peace in Parlem, where the undefeated Sky Border separates the territories of werewolves and human mages. And that is that hybrids born of both species are forbidden-even by the gods. Jade Ishola doesn't know she's a hybrid. All she knows is that a wild, uncontrollable creature lives inside her. One night, it takes over. When she wakes by a stream, bruised and aching, the villagers are already hunting her for a crime she doesn't remember-something inhuman, something monstrous. She's saved by Kema, a golden-eyed warrior who offers her a way out: to hide what she is, she must train with the Watchers, the warriors who guard the Sky Border. Having little choice, Jade agrees. But as she sharpens her awakened fire magic under Kema's watchful gaze, forbidden feelings rise between them-dangerous, undeniable. Then, the truth of her birth is revealed. A secret dark enough to reignite the Great War between humans and werewolves. Her hybrid nature is exposed, and soon, she is being hunted-not just because she is forbidden, but because werewolves can gain immense power from consuming her kind. With time running out and enemies closing in, Jade must decide: will she fight for the love she sees with Kema, for control over the curse of her kind, or will the beast within her destroy everything she loves?
The first thing I noticed was the chill of the water.
My body ached as I moved slightly, the stream's gentle current lapping against my legs. I was lying on the bank, half-submerged, with the cool rush of water sliding over my arms. My clothes-or what little remained of them-clung to my skin, heavy with moisture.
I forced myself upright, trembling. The water had washed away most of the filth from my body, but faint streaks of red lingered on my skin. My heart sank as I stared at the stains, the metallic smell of blood clinging faintly to the air.
This wasn't the first time I'd woken like this.
It was always like this.
The beast inside me would pull me into the dark void at the back of my mind-a suffocating, empty space where I couldn't see, hear, or feel anything. She always took over when her hunger grew too strong, shutting me away until she was satisfied.
When I woke, she was gone, and I was left to deal with the aftermath.
I splashed water over my arms and legs, scrubbing at the faint stains until my skin stung. The stream's current carried away the evidence, but the sinking feeling in my chest remained.
'It's not what it looks like,' I told myself. 'She only hunts animals. She's done this before, just rabbits or deer.'
But flashes of memory flickered in my mind, so sudden they felt like blows.
A sharp cry.
A figure falling to the ground.
Terrified eyes staring back at me.
"No," I muttered aloud, shaking my head. "That's not real. It can't be real."
'The beast only hunts animals,' I reminded myself again. 'She's never . . .'
But the more I tried to push the memories away, the more they pressed in. The sound of ripping fabric. A woman's voice, pleading. My own claws slashing through something soft.
I squeezed my eyes shut, my hands trembling. "It's not real," I whispered. "It's not real."
But one name surfaced in my mind, clear as day.
Elaine.
She was the timber merchant's daughter, the one who worked at the shop next to my father's forge. I didn't know her well, but she always smiled at me in passing.
'Could the beast have . . . ?'
"No!" I gasped, pressing a hand to my chest. The idea was unthinkable, impossible. She wouldn't kill a person. She wouldn't.
'Would she?'
I staggered to my feet, my clothes dripping onto the riverbank. My reflection in the water was pale, my eyes wide and haunted. The beast's energy still hummed faintly in my veins, urging me to move. To run.
I didn't know why, but I felt it-danger.
The faint sound of voices reached my ears, distant but growing louder.
"Spread out!" a man shouted. "The killer couldn't have gone far!" His thick voice was filled with rage, causing my heart to race.
Panic gripped me.
I didn't need to hear more to understand. Someone had been killed tonight, and the villagers were searching for whoever-or whatever-was responsible.
I stumbled forward, my feet slipping on the muddy bank. My legs felt weak, but the beast stirred within, and my pace quickened. I ran faster than any human should, the beast lending me her strength despite the chaos I feared she'd caused.
The trees loomed ahead, their shadows stretching like long fingers in the moonlight. If I could reach the forest, I could lose them.
'DON'T STOP RUNNING,' the beast's voice urged in my mind.
A spark of adrenaline surged through me, and I sprinted faster toward the treeline.
The forest was darker than I expected, the canopy above blotting out the moon, but the beast Instincts heightened my vision. My senses were likewise sharpened as I moved frantically in search of a place to hide, the damp earth cool beneath my bare feet. Every sound seemed louder in the quiet-my breathing, the crunch of leaves, even the distant shouts behind me that had me thinking hard.
'I can't let them catch me,' I thought, my heart racing.
The beast's memories flashed again. A clawed hand. A scream cut short. Blood splattering the ground.
"No," I whispered. "It's not real."
A rustling sound made me pause. My head whipped around, scanning the underbrush. My enhanced vision picked out a small grey rabbit hopping through the shadows. Its moonstone eyes locked on mine for a moment, and a strange calm washed over me.
The rabbit twitched its nose, then darted away, vanishing into the bushes.
I swallowed hard, turning my focus back to the path ahead. The villagers' voices were growing fainter now, but I couldn't stop. I had to keep moving.
Then, I heard it-a soft growl behind me.
I spun around, my breath catching in my throat.
Two piercing yellow eyes glowed in the darkness, fixed on me. A massive figure stepped into view, its bloodstained fur gleaming faintly in the moonlight.
A werewolf.
'What is a werewolf doing here . . . in human territory?'
The beast within me moved unpleasantly, her energy crackling like static. I took a shaky step back, but the werewolf growled low, its claws glinting as it moved closer.
"Stay back," I whispered, my voice trembling.
It didn't listen.
I collapsed, warm liquid trickling down my legs as fear stole any control I had of my bladder. 'No . . . this can't be happening . . .'
A woman's voice echoed in the distance. "The forest! It went into the forest!"
The werewolf growled as it looked away from me, its massive frame radiating a feral energy that made my heart slam my ribcage without mercy.
"You all would be the ones to suffer if we don't catch the killer tonight!" The enraged man's voice sounded closer this time.
The werewolf's ears twitched on hearing him, and with a powerful leap, it disappeared into the trees, leaving me frozen in place.
"MOVE!"
The beast's voice roared in my mind, jolting me back to reality. My legs wobbled beneath me, but I forced myself forward, adrenaline surging through my veins.
I stumbled at first, then broke into a desperate run, the forest blurring around me. My senses were still heightened, every sound and scent amplified as I raced deeper into the shadows.
Just as I found a rhythm, a voice pierced the silence: "I see someone! I see a girl!"
"No-no-no . . ." I muttered, panic setting in.
A hand grabbed hold of my mouth and yanked me away, silencing my cry as I was pulled into the shadows.
Elizabeth's life was never easy, but she worked hard to turn things around-until her fiancé, Daniel, betrayed her. Teaming up with her childhood friend, Stephanie, he cheated, stole her wealth, and left her to die. But fate gave Elizabeth a second chance. She wakes up in the body of Aurellia Blackstonne, America's wealthiest heiress, and finds herself with the means to destroy the people who wronged her. Armed with beauty, influence, and newfound confidence, Elizabeth begins her quest for justice. Yet Aurellia's life wasn't as perfect as it seemed. As Elizabeth uncovers the dark secrets of her new identity, she learns that revenge might come at a higher cost than she imagined. They thought they buried her. But Elizabeth is back-and she's not the same.
In a world where soul-bonding allows true lovers to share thoughts and emotions, Sylvia Hopkins possesses a unique ability-she can read anyone's mind with just a spark of attraction. A gift like hers is rare, but it's also dangerous. Born an orphan, Sylvia learned early that life isn't fair. She ran from the oppressive walls of an orphanage and survived the streets by becoming a master con artist. For years, she stayed ahead of the law, scamming the rich, outwitting criminals, and dodging the FBI. But everything changes when she makes the mistake of crossing Evans Alberto-a ruthless mafia boss on the verge of entering politics. She cons him out of $170 million, only to find herself hunted. When he catches her, he gives her a choice: death or a contract marriage. Forced into his world, Sylvia is no longer just a lone thief-she's a weapon. Her mission? To infiltrate Evans' biggest rival, seduce their heir, and bring the entire family down from the inside. But as the lines blur between duty and desire, Sylvia faces a bigger danger than the mafia, the FBI, or even Evans' wrath. She's falling for him. And worse-he might be the only man whose mind she can't read.
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."
Kara Martin was known as Miss Perfect. She was a beauty with good personality and successful career. Unfortunately, her life changed at one night. She was accused of adultery, losing her job, and abandoned by her fiance. The arrogant man who slept with her did not want to take responsibility. He even threatened to kill her if they met again. What's worse, Kara was pregnant with twins and she chose to give birth to them. Four and a half years later, Kara returned to work at a large company. As the secretary, she would frequently face their notorious CEO. Kara thought it wouldn't be a problem, but as it turned out ... the CEO was the father of the twins!
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.
"Please trust me, I didn't do anything." "I don't believe you. I am rejecting you as my Queen and giving you the punishment of death." Alina was living outside her pack for five years. Her parents didn't try to contact her and always ignored her. Her best friend convinced her to go back to their pack and she agreed. But she had never imagined what was waiting there for her. She never thought she would meet her mate and had to face betrayal from everywhere. She had to pay for the crime which she never committed. Aaron Robertson is the king of Lycans. He is a very dominant and powerful King who not only rules Lycans but also rules other ranks of werewolves. Everyone is afraid of Lycans and he is the king of them. But who knew that he would get a mate who was just a simple Omega with no powers and strengths? He called her weak all the time but little did he know that his weak Omega would give him the biggest betrayal of his life for which he had to give her the sentence of death.
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
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."