Novels by Lara

Aya’s POVThe silence in the castle was so loud that it was driving me insane. It had been two weeks since I woke up in this body.Two weeks since I realized I was no longer Aya Johnson, the discarded omega, the forgotten daughter, the girl who was betrayed by her mate and who was murdered by her sister.Now, I was Marie-Anne Rose Crown, the noble-born fiancée of the most feared man in the entire Lycan Kingdom.Asher King.Even his name sounded like a taboo, something that shouldn't be mentioned lightly. Rumor had it he didn’t smile, didn’t love, didn’t forgive. His enemies were buried in nameless graves, and his allies feared him just as much as they respected him.And soon, he would walk through that door.The thought alone sent my stomach flipping into knots. I stood in front of the same mirror that had betrayed me the day I saw her, this new version of me. I didn’t recognize her still. She had poise and elegance.A sudden, sharp knock came at the door and I jumped.“He’s here,” th

(Aya’s POV)The moment my feet hit the forest floor, I let out a sob so broken it didn't sound human. My wedding dress—once a dream, now a cruel joke—dragged on the damp earth as I ran, my vision blurred with tears. The trees stretched endlessly before me, their towering shadows swaying as if they were mourning with me. Mourning what exactly? Was it my relationship with Malakai or my life as a whole?How had everything gone so wrong?I clutched at my chest, gasping for air, but the pain wouldn’t reduce. It was as if Malakai had reached inside me and torn out my soul.My mate. My love.Had I been a fool all along?I collapsed against the rough bark of a tree, sinking to my knees. My fingers dug into the dirt, the cold sinking through my skin. A sob ripped from my throat, raw and desperate.“I hate you,” I whispered, tilting my face to the dark sky. “Moon Goddess, I hate you.”My voice broke on the last word. I had done everything right. I had endured. I had obeyed. I had suffered, all

(Aya’s POV)That night, I'd had my first kiss with Malakai. That night, I had been assured that he was the love of my life. And, for the past three months of being together, I had been assured I was set for the moment that is happening presently.My wedding day.The grand hall of the packhouse was adorned in gold and white. Candles flickered from every corner, casting a warm glow over the space. The scent of roses and pine filled the air, mixing with the faint aroma of roasted meats from the reception area. The entire Blue Moon Pack was present, along with delegates from Malakai’s Eclipse Pack.I stood at the altar, hands clutching the bouquet of white roses, my heart pounding wildly in my chest.I was getting married.I was becoming Malakai’s wife.He was my mate, my fated one, and despite everything—the years of suffering under my father’s roof, the cruelty of my stepmother and Jolene—Malakai had chosen me. He had loved me.He had promised me forever.I looked up at him, standing be

(Aya’s POV)I stumbled into my room, barely managing to shut the door before my legs gave out under me. My back hit the wood with a small thud, and I slid to the floor, burying my face in my hands. The laughter of my stepmother and Jolene still sounded in my ears, like a cruel sound meant to remind me of my place.A broken sob escaped my lips. No matter how much I tried to compose myself against their words, against their cruelty, it still hurt. Every day felt like a fresh wound, one that never had the chance to heal. I dug my fingers into the fabric of my worn dress, my nails pressing into my palms as if the slight sting could distract me from the deep ache in my chest.But then—something changed.A scent.It was faint at first, but undeniably there. A mix of lemon and something darker, something rich and intoxicating, like the first rain after a long dry season. It didn’t belong to the pack members who normally roamed the pack house. No, this was different. Foreign.I froze, my brea

(Aya’s POV)The scent of popping bacon filled the pack house kitchen, mixing with the natural aroma of brewed coffee and fresh bread. The dining hall buzzed with chatter as pack members gathered for breakfast, but I remained in the kitchen, my hands deep in a sink full of soapy water. The dishes from last night’s feast still needed scrubbing, and I knew better than to leave even a single plate not touched."Aya, hurry up with those dishes!" Jolene's sharp voice cut through the air, startling me instantly, making my hands move faster as I scrubbed the last of the greasy pots. "I need you to press my dress for the Alpha's meeting," she added, her tone mixed with impatience.I felt a familiar sense of resentment in my stomach, but I pushed it down, focusing on the task at hand. I rinsed the final pot and arranged it neatly on the drying rack, my movements quick and productive. "Yes, ma'am," I replied, my voice neutral as I dried my hands on the worn towel hanging from the hook.Jolene's

It was an old tradition. Anyone who was becoming Alpha and he was not related by blood to the previous Alpha, must undergo a ritual that sacrifices a mateless werewolf, where it would be certain that the moon goddess approves of that person to be Alpha.Now, what becomes of the fate of that mateless Wolf sacrificed is that she would never be touched by any man. She had sacrificed her supposed mate bond to the crowning of that Alpha.And she, in this context, I, would be put the death if I seek out any man to be intimate with.I guess Damon was right about keeping my stance because, if I was still in that previous stance, I would have lost my posture and fell flat on my butt.I simply couldn't believe what was happening.It felt like a dream or a hallucination. Father still stood on the podium, proceeding with his speech like he hadn't just spoken about sacrificing his daughter for some silly crowning.I saw Glynndon trying to walk up to me, her face scrunched in a pity gaze at me but

It felt like my brain went into a deep sleep because every other thing that was said on that table couldn’t be decoded by me. So, I got on my feet and exited the dining table. I heard my father calling for me, asking me what the issue was - as if he didn't know.And, I saw that man, Damon, my step brother, was he? He was smirking. He wasn't exactly my cup of tea. I had other important things to deal with. For Example, my father was replacing my mother.When my mother died, it felt like my world crashed, especially when she died in the most horrific and mysterious way. I saw how affected and heartbroken my father was about her death, and seeing how he didn't remarry, that consoled me. My father loved my mother and wasn't willing to replace her, that made his mistreatment towards me bearable. But all that just got washed down the drain. How could he??? How could he replace my mother without thinking to inform me first?That morning, as I stumbled back to my bedroom, I collapsed on my

It was a full moon’s night and Tristan and I were supposed to come to the woods for our training.It was something I had suggested a few weeks after I met Tristan. Tristan was an omega hence, he wasn't subjected or privileged to get all the training we got. I, for example, was the daughter of the Alpha of MoonShine Pack, Alpha Collins. Although, that title made me subjected me to opportunities outside the main pack but, within the pack, I was like my father’s enemy. Father never liked looking into my face and while I tried seeing the bright side of it, there was no logical reason why he did that. I also often heard other girls whisper as I passed by, they talked about how I caused my mother's death and that's why my father hates. As if I wasn't already feeling guilty enough. My wolf, Maya, had always tried convincing me that maybe I get reminded of his late wife, my mother, whenever he sees me but, even she stopped believing that at a point.He believes I killed my mother, it's as