Once, Selene was destined to rule the wolves, a princess with the heart of a leader and the strength to carry her pack through any storm. Bound to her mate, Lysander the future seemed perfect, her crown a symbol of power, love, and legacy. But power corrupts, and Lysander-her fated mate-betrayed her in the most brutal way imaginable: he chose his hunger for power over his loyalty to her. Labeled a traitor by her own people and stripped of her title, Selene is forced to surrender her crown. Exiled, abandoned by those she once called family, she is cast out into the wild, a wolf without a pack, a princess without a kingdom. But fate is far from done with Selene. When she stumbles into Rowan, a powerful alpha with eyes that burn with desire and an aura of dominance, she finds herself thrust into a world of danger, passion, and obsession. Rowan is drawn to her in a way that no one has ever been, sensing that Selene is his mate-but there's a catch. Selene already has a mate, and that bond runs deep. She should feel loyalty to Lysander, but the betrayal haunts her, and her heart-though torn-feels something for Rowan, something dark, dangerous, and undeniable. As their connection grows, Selene's enemies close in, determined to crush the last remnants of her power. With Rowan at her side, she prepares to reclaim the kingdom that was stolen from her, but the path is treacherous-and filled with enemies, lies, and blood. Along the way, she must confront her feelings for both Rowan and Lysander, knowing that only one of them can claim her heart-and the other will be lost forever. Rowan, ever loyal, ever obsessive, stands beside her, ready to rip apart anyone who dares stand in her way. His love for her is all-consuming, and he will stop at nothing to see her rise again, to make those who wronged her suffer-and to claim her as his own. In a world where loyalty is fleeting and power is everything, Selene must decide if she can trust again, or if she will continue to walk alone-sword drawn, heart torn, and kingdom at her feet.
The throne room smelled like betrayal.
Selene stood barefoot before her people, the marble beneath her stained with the remnants of what once was hers. Her ceremonial cloak-torn at the edges, spattered with blood-hung from her shoulders like a mockery. The weight of her crown was gone. Stripped. Just like the mate mark on her neck, now an angry welt, half-burned and raw.
She didn't flinch when they called her traitor.
She didn't cry when the council demanded her submission.
She only looked at him.
Lysander. Her mate. Her king. Her destroyer.
He sat on her throne, silver and shadow draped around his shoulders like it was made for him. His eyes-once soft with promises and lips pressed to her skin-were cold. Calculating. Unrecognizable.
"Step down, Selene," he said, voice devoid of regret. "You no longer speak for the Crescent Moon Pack."
Her fingers clenched. The magic in her blood howled-wild, untamed-but powerless against the bonds of the council's decree. She could tear the entire hall apart. Rip flesh from bone. But it wouldn't change the truth:
Her mate had chosen power over love.
And the pack had followed him.
"You lied," she whispered, the sound fractured, like glass cracking under pressure. "You made me believe we were equals. That I was your future."
Lysander didn't blink. "You were... until you became inconvenient."
Gasps echoed. A few wolves shifted uncomfortably, but none spoke for her. Not even her own blood. They watched, hollow-eyed, as the guards approached to escort her from the court she once ruled.
She was no longer their princess.
No longer the blessed heir.
No longer his mate.
As they reached for her, Selene lifted her chin. Pride wouldn't save her, but it was all she had left.
"I was never yours to ruin," she hissed, low and dangerous. "You may have taken my crown, Lysander. But one day, I'll take your soul."
And with that, she turned her back on the court-and walked straight into exile.
The forest was cruel in the way only freedom could be. Sharp wind. Harsher silence. Her body trembled from exhaustion, but she didn't stop. Couldn't. Wolves who were exiled didn't get second chances. They became ghosts. Stories. Warnings whispered to children.
The moon watched her fall to her knees on the forest floor, breath ragged, her wolf howling deep inside her. It wasn't just heartbreak-it was obliteration.
But the ground didn't open. The skies didn't end.
She was still breathing.
And somewhere in the distance, a presence stirred. Something ancient. Strong. Male.
Watching.
-------------
The forest had turned cruel.
Branches clawed at her skin. Her wolf whimpered, tired. Selene had run for days-bloodied, hunted by nightmares she couldn't outrun. She didn't know where she was anymore, only that the Crescent Moon borders were far behind.
That should've made her feel safe.
It didn't.
Her knees gave out on the edge of a snow-covered ridge, breath fogging in the cold. The world tilted-then darkened. She was slipping again, her body folding like paper.
And then-
Boots.
Heavy, deliberate. Crunching snow. Not rushed. Not curious. Predatory.
She blinked, the world returning in pieces-sky, frost, pain.
And him.
A tall figure stood over her, shadow and silence wrapped around him like armor. His scent hit her before the details did-pine, smoke, storm. Alpha. Stronger than anyone she'd ever met. Dangerous in a way that made her bones still.
He looked down at her with a furrowed brow and eyes like burning steel, unreadable. His presence was cold. Dominant. Icy enough to make her wolf bare its throat-yet something inside her snarled instead.
He noticed.
"You're bleeding," he said flatly.
No introduction. No warmth. Just those two words, like he couldn't decide whether to help her or leave her to rot.
"I'm fine," Selene muttered, voice hoarse, broken.
"You're not."
He crouched beside her. She flinched when his gloved hand brushed her jaw. He stilled. For a second, she thought he'd apologize. Instead, he frowned deeper and growled-low, involuntary.
His hand recoiled like he'd been burned.
His eyes locked onto her neck, the barely-healed remnants of a mate mark. Something shifted in his expression-not confusion. Not pity.
Possession.
"No," he whispered. It wasn't denial. It was disbelief. "You can't be-"
She tried to stand. Failed.
He caught her. Cursed under his breath. Then lifted her like she weighed nothing, cradled against a chest built like war.
"Let go," she snapped, squirming, humiliated.
He didn't.
"You're not dying in my territory, little wolf," he said coldly. "Whether you like it or not... you're mine now."
He didn't want a mate.
Especially not one already claimed.
Especially not broken.
But the bond didn't care what Rowan wanted.
-----------
Selene woke in heat and silk and shadows.
It wasn't the wild anymore.
Her lashes fluttered open to dim candlelight casting golden warmth across stone walls. Furs blanketed her, thick and soft, and something vaguely floral clung to the pillows beneath her head.
The scent didn't belong to her.
It was male. Dominant. And wrapped around every inch of the space like a brand.
She jolted upright-her body flaring with pain-and found her limbs trembling from exertion. Her wolf stirred, ears perked.
Not safe.
Not Crescent Moon.
But not enemy.
Her eyes scanned the room. Minimal. Clean. No unnecessary luxury, but everything expensive. Strength in simplicity. And on a chair near the hearth, dark jacket draped like an afterthought, was the scent's source.
And then-
He entered.
Tall. Imposing. Dressed in black, sleeves rolled to his elbows, arms cut with sinew and power. Rowan. He didn't announce himself. He didn't need to.
His presence filled the room before he spoke.
"You're awake," he said, voice a deep rasp. Controlled. But watching her like a predator measuring the distance to pounce.
Selene narrowed her eyes. "Where am I?"
"My home."
"You should've left me in the woods."
He stared. No smile. No flinch. Just heat in his eyes that hadn't been there before."I almost did."
Her breath caught.
Then Rowan stepped forward, and the air shifted. It crackled between them-raw, pulsing, unfamiliar. His eyes raked her face, not lewdly, but intently, like he was cataloging every scar, every shadow. Like she was a problem he couldn't solve.
She stiffened. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Because you shouldn't be mine," he said, voice low and brutal.
Selene blinked."Excuse me?"
"I can feel it,"he continued, jaw tight. "The pull. The bond."
"That's not possible." Her voice trembled. "I had a mate."
"I know." His eyes dropped to the mark on her neck. "I smelled him on you."
"Then you know it's a mistake."
He didn't answer. Instead, he turned away, pacing once-his movements too fluid, too dangerous. Like a wolf caged in his own skin.
"I don't make mistakes," he said finally, voice cold. "But I've never had a bond flare like this-especially not with someone already claimed."
"You're wrong," she whispered, like she could will it to be true.
"Am I?" He turned, eyes locked to hers. "Then tell me why I haven't been able to think straight since I touched you. Why I've wanted to rip the world apart for letting someone else mark what's-"
He stopped himself. Bit back the word.
But it was there.
Mine.
Selene's pulse thundered. Her wolf wasn't recoiling. It was pacing. Curious. Alert. Confused.
Rowan's breath came out in a harsh exhale. His hands flexed at his sides like he was holding back from reaching for her.
"You should rest," he said tightly. "You'll need your strength. You were weak"
She didn't trust him.
He didn't want her.
And yet... their bond screamed truths neither of them were ready to face.
She was discarded like dust by one man-only to be crowned a queen by another. In a kingdom ruled by bloodlines and brutal tradition, Elira, the most beautiful commoner in the empire, thought she'd defied fate when Duke Alistair of Ravencourt chose her-loved her, married her-despite the jeering of nobles and whispers of scandal. She gave him everything: her heart, her pride, her silence in the face of his family's cruelty. But love can rot. What once was a fairy tale crumbles into a cold nightmare. Alistair grows distant, cruel, repulsed. When Elira becomes pregnant, instead of joy, he delivers betrayal-taking a noble bride and casting Elira into the shadows as a mere secondary wife. Just as her world threatens to swallow her whole, the Crown Prince-soon to be Emperor-sets eyes on her. A single glance. A single heartbeat. And he knows. Elira is his. It doesn't matter that she's been broken. That she belongs, by law, to another. He will rewrite the rules of the realm if he must. Because once an Emperor claims his Empress-nothing can stand in his way. Not a husband. Not a kingdom. Not fate
A one-night stand. A forced marriage. A contract neither of them wants- And a chemistry neither of them can control. When event planner Selene Hartley crosses paths with billionaire Damien Alaric, sparks fly... and not the good kind. One night of passion turns into a lifetime of complications when Selene is forced to marry the man who just bought her late father's failing empire. Publicly, they're the perfect couple. Privately, they can barely be in the same room without starting a war-or tearing each other's clothes off. But when secrets surface and hearts are caught in the crossfire, will one contract destroy them... or bind them forever? _______ "You're arrogant, rude, and-" "Fascinated by the way you look in that dress." Selene's breath catches as Damien steps in, not touching her, but close enough for the heat to curl between them. "You think one compliment will make me forget your insult?" Damien leans down, his voice like silk over a blade. "No. But I think your lips might shut me up." One second of silence. One shattered line of restraint. They crash into each other-teeth, tongues, need. Her back hits the wall. His hands push up her thigh, dress forgotten. Every kiss a punishment. Every moan a surrender. _____ "This is blackmail." "It's business," Damien says, sliding the contract across the table. Selene's jaw tightens. "You want me to marry you to save your image?" "No. I want you to marry me because your father already signed over the company-and you're the only one with the power to make the transition smooth. One year. Just pretend." "Pretend to be in love with you?" "Exactly," Damien answers coolly. ______ "Why do you keep pushing me?" "Because you push back," Damien murmurs, stepping into her space. "You don't own me." "No," Damien breathes, fingers brushing her cheek, "but I think I'm starting to want to." The kiss this time is slower. Hungrier. Selene pulls his shirt open, buttons scattering. Damien lifts her onto the kitchen counter, lips never leaving hers. "This doesn't change anything," Selene gasps as Damien's mouth trails fire down her neck. "It changes everything," Damien growls against her skin. _________ "You knew you were pregnant and didn't tell me?" "I didn't want to trap you." "You think that's what this is? A trap?" Damien's voice is thunder. "Selene, I would've fought for you. For us. You ran instead, with my fucking baby!!." "Because I was scared," Selene cries. "You terrify me. Because you make me feel things." _________ "I don't have a contract this time," Damien says, holding out a beautiful ring. "No conditions. No time limit. Just you and me. Forever." "Are you still arrogant?" Selene teases, eyes wet. "Always. But only for you." She takes his hand. "Then ask me again." "Marry me, Selene. For real." "Yes," she whispers, and he kisses her.
She gave him her heart before she ever knew he owned the world. Elara Hayes lives for quiet mornings, worn paperbacks, and the safe hum of her tiny bookstore. Love? She's stopped believing in fairytales. Men want ambition, glamour - not a woman with ink-stained hands and secondhand dreams. Then Alexander Wolfe walks into her life. Charming. Thoughtful. Devastatingly handsome. And utterly ordinary...or so she thinks. Their connection is immediate - a crackling current of late-night conversations, stolen glances, and slow, burning touches that leave her breathless. For the first time in forever, Elara dares to open her guarded heart. But Alexander is hiding something. He's not just the sweet man who kisses her like she's his oxygen. He's the ghost billionaire - the reclusive trillionaire whose empire could swallow the world whole. When the truth shatters their small, perfect world, Elara must choose: Walk away from the man who deceived her... Or fight for the love that neither money nor power could ever buy. Because sometimes, the real fortune isn't in the empire he built - it's in the woman who sees the man underneath it all.
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
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."
Lucia Balstone thought she had chosen the right man to spend the rest of her life with, but he was the one who ended her life. Their ten-year marriage seemed like a joke when her husband stabbed her with a dagger. Fortunately, God is never blind to people's tears. Lucia got a second chance. She was reborn at the age of 22, before all the terrible things had happened. This time, she was determined to avenge herself and let those who hurt her pay! She made an elaborate list of her goals, and the first thing on her list was to marry her ex-husband's enemy, Alonso Callen!
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."
Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it all—from standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didn’t return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachel’s terminal illness and realized she didn’t have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."
He told her to call him Daddy. Not because he earned it, but because he fucking owned her. The moment she signed that contract, she stopped being a woman with dignity and became his filthy little plaything. His holes to use. His mess to ruin. He didn't just fuck her, he rewired her. Stripped her clean of boundaries and filled her with sin. Every punishment made her scream. Every game dragged her deeper into his twisted world. And the way he praised her... Good girl. She should've run the first time he said it. But Daddy doesn't let his toys leave. He breaks them until they beg to stay. ** Mia's life changed the night she let a stranger ruin her. One night. She never expected to see him again. Until she walked into her new job... and her boss turned around. Ace.Her one-night sin in a thousand-dollar suit. Only this time, he wasn't asking her to be his assistant. She was to be his wife.