He's the last kind of man she wants to fall for... but the only one she can't resist. Lysander has spent her life building walls around her heart. As a dedicated young nurse, she has no time for heartbreak-not again. But when Nolan Castille, a reckless billionaire with a smoldering smile and a troubled past, becomes a frequent visitor at the hospital, their worlds collide. He's infuriating. He's arrogant. He's everything she should avoid. But behind his charm lies something deeper-something broken. And when she glimpses the pain he hides, staying away becomes impossible. Lysander knows she's playing with fire. Nolan isn't the type to commit, and she isn't the type to settle for less. But the more she tries to resist, the more fate keeps pushing them together. Will she be the one to heal him... or just another scar on his soul?
Chapter One
Lysander hated grocery shopping. It was an errand she barely had time for, sandwiched between long shifts at the hospital and the few hours of sleep she managed to squeeze in. But here she was, in the middle of a bustling supermarket, hunting down a specific brand of coffee because Sienna had dramatically declared she wouldn't survive another morning without it.
She weaved through the aisles quickly, ignoring the chatter of other shoppers and the faint hum of pop music playing overhead. The fluorescent lights buzzed softly, and the cool air smelled faintly of citrus and freshly baked bread from the nearby bakery section.
Spotting the coffee on the top shelf, Lysander stretched onto the tips of her toes, fingers just grazing the edge of the box. She let out a frustrated sigh. Of course, it had to be out of reach.
Just as she contemplated climbing the lower shelf for better leverage, an arm reached past her, easily grabbing the coffee she'd been struggling with.
She turned sharply, expecting to thank an employee-only to be met with an annoyingly smug expression.
"Having trouble, sweetheart?"
The man holding the coffee was tall, his dark hair slightly tousled in a way that looked effortlessly styled rather than messy. His sharp jawline and piercing green eyes made it impossible not to stare for a second too long.
Lysander quickly shook off the brief moment of distraction. "I'm not your sweetheart," she said, crossing her arms. "And I don't need your help."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Really? Because it looked like you were about to start rock climbing."
"Give me the coffee," she said, ignoring his teasing tone.
Instead of handing it over, he inspected the box, as if deciding whether it was good enough. "Sienna must be picky if she insists on this brand."
Lysander stiffened. "How do you-"
He smirked. "You muttered her name while reaching for it. Either that, or you just really love talking to yourself."
Lysander snatched the coffee from his hand. "Thanks for the unnecessary commentary."
She turned on her heel, eager to put distance between herself and the infuriating stranger, but he fell into step beside her effortlessly.
"So, do I get a name, or should I keep calling you Coffee Girl?"
Lysander exhaled sharply. "You should try calling me nothing."
"Hmm." He shoved his hands into his pockets, as if entirely unbothered by her disinterest. "I like Coffee Girl better."
She stopped abruptly, turning to glare at him. "Look, I don't know what your deal is, but I have places to be, so-"
"You're a nurse, right?"
Her frown deepened. "How do you know that?"
He tapped his temple. "Observant. You've got that exhausted-but-determined look. And," he gestured vaguely at her tote bag, "your hospital ID is kind of sticking out."
Lysander cursed internally and shoved it deeper into her bag.
"Now that we've established I'm perceptive, I think it's only fair you tell me your name."
She exhaled slowly, debating whether to keep ignoring him or just get this conversation over with. Against her better judgment, she muttered, "Lysander."
The smirk returned, like he'd just won something.
"Nolan Castille." He extended a hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Coffee Girl."
Lysander stared at his outstretched hand for a second, then walked away without another word.
She heard him chuckle behind her.
Something told her this wouldn't be the last time she saw him.
Brenna lived with her adoptive parents for twenty years, enduring their exploitation. When their real daughter appeared, they sent Brenna back to her true parents, thinking they were broke. In reality, her birth parents belonged to a top circle that her adoptive family could never reach. Hoping Brenna would fail, they gasped at her status: a global finance expert, a gifted engineer, the fastest racer... Was there any end to the identities she kept hidden? After her fiancé ended their engagement, Brenna met his twin brother. Unexpectedly, her ex-fiancé showed up, confessing his love...
Anabel found out she was pregnant and dialed her husband's number to share the good news to him. They have been married for two years without a child. Desmond's mother had been accusing her of being barren and unproductive. When the call was picked, she was flabbergasted and broken. She was hearing a loud moan of feminine voice. "Ohh! Yeah! Don't stop fucking me! Fuck me harder baby!" accompanied with sound of skins slapping against the other. She went home to confront her husband and end up receiving a divorce paper. Desmond divorced him for a lady his mother was rooting. Few months later when he found out that his ex-wife is a billionaire heiress and she is pregnant with twins, he went crazy!
Melanie married Ashton out of gratitude, but she quickly found herself entangled in a web of relentless challenges. Despite these struggles, she stayed true to her commitment to the marriage. In the hospital room, Ashton indifferently attempted to draw her blood, disregarding her discomfort. This callous act was a harsh revelation for Melanie, awakening her to the grim reality of their relationship. Resolved to prioritize her own welfare, she decided to sever ties. With newfound resolve, Melanie filed for divorce. In the process, she unveiled her concealed identities, leaving everyone in shock. Throughout these turbulent times, Melanie realized that Derek, Ashton’s uncle, had been discreetly protecting her all along.
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."
"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."
"I, Riccardo Saviano, future Alpha of the Grey Shadow Moon Pack, reject you, Artemisia Guerrieri, Daughter of Alpha Franco of the Blood Moon Pack, as my mate and future Luna." One single sentence. One stupid single sentence was all it took to disintegrate my life. And the day of my birthday, on which this sentence was audaciously uttered to me, I lost the love of my life, my future mate, and my wolf, all at once. As I'm still assembling the pieces of my shattered heart years later, there they come. Like lightning out of a crystal blue sky. My Mates. But wait... If I am mated to triplets, how come I'm about to be mated to 5 gorgeous men? *** TW: explicit and foul language; spicy content; explicit sex scenes ***