Valeria lost everything in one night-her family, her home, her pack. And now, she wants blood. A peace union turned massacre. A sister chosen as tribute. A choice that demanded her body... and cost her everything. Humiliated. Rejected by her mate. Exiled to be a slave to the most ruthless Alpha King the realm has ever known. But death didn't claim her. Destiny had other plans. From the ashes of betrayal, she rises-carrying a dormant, forbidden power within her veins. A power that could shake the foundations of the werewolf world... if awakened. But to unlock it, she needs an Alpha-strong enough to handle her storm, brutal enough to match her rage. Alpha Lucien-the cold, ambitious warlord who wants the Alpha King's throne more than his own next breath. When she offers him a deal laced with danger and desire, he accepts... but under one condition: No feelings. No attachments. No weakness. As war brews and secrets unravel, one question remains: When the Tyrant Alpha King comes for her-will Lucien defy destiny to save her... or will he let her burn?
Valeria's POV
My heart roared in my chest as my feet crushed the dry leaves covering the ground, each step taking me closer to Zarek, the Alpha I was supposed to marry. My father's arm, linked with mine, was like steel, holding me steady and guiding me toward a commitment sealed when I was still a pup.
It was a pact. The firstborn of each pack leader was to unite in marriage, which would seal the commitment to peace between both packs and increase our power, thereby intensifying our strength.
I lifted my face, watching Zarek standing before Ralph, the old wolf patriarch of the packs.
My fiancé wore a serious expression, without a single hint of a smile. He was like that most of the time, showing no emotion at all. I pressed my lips together, holding my breath. Zarek was handsome.
It was too easy to fall in love with him. Handsome, strong, and an Alpha, desired by all the females in the pack.
"I'm handing over my firstborn to you, as per the pact sealed many years ago," my father, Alpha Tristan said, making himself heard through the rows of wooden benches, so all the wolves could witness.
Alpha Francis, Zarek's father took a step forward, analyzing my figure from top to bottom, with a crease in the middle of his forehead. "Indeed, a beautiful she-wolf," he commented, his gaze fixed on where my breasts made a slight curve under the silk fabric of the wedding dress. "I hope she's a better breeder than her mother and gives my son an alpha."
Thump... thump... thump...
My heart pounded in my ears, making me feel dizzy.
"I can assure you that my daughter will not be as... weak as my wife," my father growled.
I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling the pain of my mother's failure pierce through my soul. I hated that they were talking about it, that they could humiliate her in front of the packs. It was my wedding day, meant to be a happy day.
Francis flashed a wolfish grin. That was my father's deepest wound. And everyone knew it.
"I hope you're right, Tristan. And that you're not deceiving me or giving me a useless she-wolf."
Ralph, the old wolf patriarch made a noise in his throat. "Let's continue the ceremony, please. We're all eager for the feast," he mocked, trying to break the tense atmosphere that had settled.
Our fathers were never friendly, never had been. They tolerated each other because they were stronger as allies than as enemies. But they only decided to unify the packs when I was eight, after Francis's wife and Zarek's mother, disappeared. After that tragic event, they swallowed their pride and sealed the union agreement.
Zarek grabbed my wrist and pulled me close to him, positioning me beside him, facing old patriarch. I controlled my breathing and kept my arms close to my body, trying not to show how much I was trembling.
The patriarch looked at me, giving me a warm smile, and then turned to Zarek. "We are here to celebrate the union of this couple and finally unify the two packs of the east!" he began, raising his voice so everyone could hear him.
"Cut your palm and your bride's palm so we can start the union vows," he instructed. My father stepped closer, as did Francis. "Zarek, Alpha of the Inferno Pack of the East, do you accept Valeria, of the Ironclaw Pack of the East, as your mate?"
For a second, the world seemed to stop spinning, everything around us fell into complete silence, motionless.
Zarek stared at me, and a fierce gleam passed through the brown eyes I loved so much.
"No," he whispered, gritting his teeth.
I smiled proudly, unaware of the answer he had given. A succession of gasps echoed through the forest. The smile on my face slowly faded.
"What?" The patriarch asked, as confused as I was.
In a swift movement, Zarek threw the knife to his father and grabbed my arm with such force that I felt the marks of his fingers would be tattooed on my skin. With the other hand, he pulled off the veil, uncovering my face.
"How dare you reject my daughter?" my father growled. "I demand an explanation for what's going on before I kill you both."
Zarek ignored him, keeping his attention on me. I stared into his eyes, trying to find any hint of mockery in his tone. He wouldn't reject me on our wedding day, not after everything we had been through.
He loved me, just as I loved him. Didn't he?
He leaned in, aligning our faces.
"I reject you, Valeria! And I will make you the whore of my pack," he whispered, rubbing the back of his hand against my cheek. "Have you told your father how you spread your legs for me? How you climaxed, screaming my name, with my cock inside you?"
I widened my eyes and opened my mouth, but no sound came out. He wasn't doing this. He couldn't be. He was... humiliating me in front of everyone, despising me.
"I'm going to kill you," my father growled, advancing.
"Tell your father, dear. Tell him what a slut you are. Tell him how you sucked my cock last night, gagging on it," he hissed through clenched teeth, tightening his fingers around my neck.
I shook my head, my tear-filled eyes blurring my vision.
I was... breaking. Little by little until there was nothing left of me, nothing for him or anyone else.
Zarek, my fiancé, my betrothed. My first love, my first in everything. He was... rejecting me at the altar, dishonoring me, degrading me.
I gasped.
Then, everything happened too quickly.
My father lunged at Zarek, but Francis pushed him away from his son, who still had his hands around my neck. It was a silent threat. He had my life in his hands and could kill me at any moment.
"We had an agreement, you damned worm!" my father snarled.
Francis laughed loudly and heartily. "We never had an agreement."
"What?"
I couldn't move, I couldn't do anything but stare at Zarek in disbelief. I could see something in his eyes that I had never seen before. Anger, disgust, contempt.
My heart broke at that moment, with the obvious realization that I had been deceived my whole life. That I had never been anything more than a puppet, molded by my parents and deluded by the male I swore to love.
My entire life, my entire upbringing, full of restrictions to make me the perfect wife for him. All of it. It was all a lie.
"I never planned to marry our offspring, you damned fool. I would never marry my son to a slut from your lineage!" Francis confessed, sounding so disdainful that I felt my hair stand on end. "All of this was nothing more than my revenge plan."
"I know about your affair with Lyra, I know you loved screwing my wife behind my back." He laughed mockingly. "I killed her as soon as I found out the truth. In front of Zarek, so he could see the truth about his whore of a mother. I buried my hand deep in her chest and ripped out her heart."
"Then I had the idea to bury the body and pretend she disappeared, creating the illusion that we were in danger so you would agree to give one of your daughters in the agreement," Zarek said, his firm voice resonating through the forest.
I swallowed a sob and let the first tear slide down the corner of my right eye.
"And now, I will finally have the pleasure of killing you," Francis continued. "After humiliating you in front of everyone, knowing that you had a slutty, whore daughter, just like you used my wife." He laughed. "But don't worry, Tristan. I will make your wife and your two daughter the bitches of my pack; they will serve all my men, always ready to satisfy them, until they are of no more use."
A loud growl rumbled from my father's chest, making me shiver. He was using his alpha power, exuding blind, raw fury.
Zarek turned me to the other side, pressing my back against his hard, defined chest, not removing his fingers from my neck, forcing me to look at our parents.
He leaned in, bringing his lips close to my ear. "Don't worry, Vale..." he whispered, kissing my ear. "I'll be one of your clients; I like what you have to offer between your legs. A good pussy shouldn't go to waste."
I let out a low hiss, exhaling all the pain I felt through it.
My father broke free from Francis and lunged at him, ready to kill, blinded by his fury and desire for revenge.
But he didn't get far. The alpha of the Inferno wolves held the silver knife and didn't hesitate before driving the blade into his neck.
Blood from the ruptured vein sprayed onto my face and the rest of my body, staining my white dress red. It was hot, thick, and had a strong smell that made my stomach churn.
I gasped, parting my lips in a heavy breath. My mother's scream broke the silence, filling the air.
Tristan took a few unsteady steps back, placing his hands over the gaping wound on his neck, trying to stop the hot blood gushing from the injury.
The pungent, metallic smell spread through the air, reaching my nose.
His blue eyes lost focus gradually as life drained from his body. Francis's laughter echoed.
"And finally, after so long, I'm having the pleasure of seeing him die," he said, pulling the knife from my father's neck. He stared at the red liquid covering the blade and brought it to his lips, rubbing his tongue on it and tasting it. "Now I know what your blood tastes like, Tristan. Enjoy my wife in hell."
He kicked the wounded alpha forcefully, sending him flying. He hit one of the trees, falling lifeless to the ground of dry leaves.
I covered my mouth with my hands.
Dead.
My father was dead.
Alpha Rocco and three other powerful Alphas, rulers of a mafia kingdom, arrive in Switzerland to expand their territory. Confident and ruthless, these Castellano wolves never expected to find their destined Lunas in the fierce, rebellious Bianchi sisters-a family of mafia women determined to protect their independence. As the possessive Alphas attempt to claim them as their queens, the Bianchi sisters refuse to submit, shattering the Alphas' pride and hearts. What will happen when love is mixed with rejection, and egos collide? And when Alpha Rocco discovers that his Luna is not only bound to him but also fated to his worst enemy, Nikolai Drakov-the bloodthirsty vampire-how far will he go to claim what is his? *** My Luna clutched Nikolai's arm, speaking to him in a hushed tone. His golden eyes flared with anger, so intense I feared he would reveal his true nature. Their words were too low for me to hear, but I caught Nikolai's lips moving, whispering only one thing: "You are mine."
Alaric Montgomery is a woman-hater, heartless, and an arrogant playboy. The word ‘marriage’ isn’t in his vocabulary. However, because of a letter and Zephyrine Calista’s grandmother’s last will and testament, he found himself in a chaotic situation. He needed to marry her, and that didn’t sit well with his system. With no other options in mind, he made a deal with the woman. But Alaric didn’t expect that it would lead them to a private room. How could he escape the situation? Would he be able to turn away from the woman who first made him experience a unique kind of happiness? And what if one day he wakes up realizing he loves Zephy, but someone else already owns her, his own twin brother, Leopold Montgomery?
With all her heart, Rachel devised a bold plan during a drunken night to deliver herself to Declan, her best friend’s brother. Harbored feelings for him for a long time; she believed that getting pregnant by him would make him hers. But her plan took an unexpected turn. Instead of Declan, she mistakenly gave herself to someone else. Devastated, she went home without her carefully guarded femininity, and she encountered a shocking incident upon arriving at their house. She lost her family and got impregnated by a man she didn’t know. Left without her family’s support and carrying the child of a stranger, Rachel faced a daunting challenge. How would she find the strength to persevere without anyone to lean on? And what would Rachel do when she discovered that the father of her baby was already engaged and about to get married? How could she reveal the truth to him? Would this unforeseen twist of fate bring about redemption or deepen the heartache for everyone involved? *** “C-Christopher, I’m in pain!” I shouted at him, but he continued to drag me until we reached the living room. He leaned me against the wall. “Ah!” I winced in pain. “I never thought I would hurt a woman, but this is all I can do.” My heart raced with fear as he looked at me from head to toe. My eyes widened as he suddenly choked me. “C-Chris—to...” I could barely utter his name due to the intensity of his grip on me. Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at him, hoping he would have mercy on me. I could only close my eyes. But I opened them wide when I felt his lips forcefully press against mine. It was a punishing kiss. He bit my lower lip, and I tasted the rustiness on my own lips. I wanted to beg him to stop, but I couldn’t. He didn’t want me to speak. He didn’t let go of my lips. His lips pressed harder against mine. I flinched when I felt his hand forcefully squeezing my breast. “How did I get you pregnant? Is it like this? Did I do this? Help me remember how I got you pregnant!” He angrily demanded as he released my lips. His eyes were burning with intensity. But it lasted only a moment before he kissed my lips again, simultaneously squeezing my left breast. “P-please, s-stop.”
Loving a man who doesn’t want to marry you is the most painful thing in the world. He is the devil who can kill you and throw you out like a piece of garbage. Hearing the news of Hunter’s marriage left Adeline devastated. Until one night, Adeline had made the mistake of delivering herself to a man who would soon be someone else’s. “Don’t you have a little me in your heart, Hunter Bennett?” Adeline asked softly. “No, you don’t. You were never in my heart. To me you’re just like every other woman I’ve slept with,” Hunter replied sharply. That night made Adeline realize that Hunter was a man she could never reach. An unrequited love made Adeline choose to leave and disappear forever from the man. After years of disappearance, the universe reunites them again. So how will Adeline and Hunter continue when Adeline’s love has been shrouded in hatred?
To pay for her mother and sister’s medical bills, Daphne Laurel was forced to accept an offer to become the pretend wife of a sickly old tycoon in her care. She also suddenly had to perform the role of the stepmother to a hot young man who had a million charms, who unfortunately hated her very much. Hector Andino vows to do everything in his power he can to prove that his father’s young wife is nothing but a gold-digger slut and that she must get rid of his family for forever. But the more he tries, the more he becomes entangled in a forbidden enchantment until there is no other woman he wants but the one woman he must never touch, his stepmother.
Life was a bed of roses for Debra, the daughter of Alpha. That was until she had a one-night stand with Caleb. She was sure he was her mate as determined by Moon Goddess. But this hateful man refused to accept her. Weeks passed before Debra discovered that she was pregnant. Her pregnancy brought shame to her and everyone she loved. Not only was she driven out, but her father was also hunted down by usurpers. Fortunately, she survived with the help of the mysterious Thorn Edge Pack. Five years passed and Debra didn't hear anything from Caleb. One day, their paths crossed again. They were both on the same mission—carrying out secret investigations in the dangerous Roz Town for the safety and posterity of their respective packs. Caleb was still cold toward her. But as time went on, he fell head over heels in love with her. He tried to make up for abandoning her, but Debra wasn't having any of it. She was hell-bent on hiding her daughter from him and also making a clean break. What did the future hold for the two as they journeyed in Roz Town? What kind of secrets would they find? Would Caleb win Debra's heart and get to know his lovely daughter? Find out!
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
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."
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
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."
Becky endured three years of marriage to the cold-hearted Rory. In all that time, she naively reasoned that one day, he'd gradually come to like her. But the second he forced her to kneel down and humiliate herself, she knew she had been wrong about him. This man had no feelings for her at all. So why should she still love him? When Rory gave her the choice between kneeling down and divorcing, she didn't miss a beat and chose the latter. After all, why should she waste her youth on this scumbag? Wouldn't it be nicer for her to just have fun every day with her billion-dollar family fortune?