Novels by SHYNBRIGHT

Behind the door, Alpha Jeremy lies on the floor convulsing. The nurse kneels beside him, pressing her hands against his chest to keep him still."What happened?" Ryan rushes to his father's side, dropping to his knees."I don't know," the nurse says, panic evident in her voice. "He was fine, then suddenly he started seizing. It's like his body is fighting against something."Jeremy's eyes roll back, showing only the whites. His mouth opens and closes, but no words come out, just terrible gasping sounds."Dad, stay with me." Ryan grabs his father's hand. "The wedding worked. The curse should be broken."But Jeremy keeps convulsing, his back arching off the floor. If anything, he looks worse than before.High Priestess Morrigan pushes past us into the room. She takes one look at Jeremy and goes pale."This is wrong," she whispers. "The supernatural balance has been disturbed.""What are you talking about?" Ryan demands. "We did everything right. We got married, just like the prophecy sa

“I promise to destroy you and your father before you can destroy mine.’’Ryan smiles at me like he’s proud I’ve finally snapped. “Atta girl,’’ He says in a condescending voice. “I knew …’’ I don’t let him finish, I’m not done. “I promise to destroy you and your father before you can destroy mine,” I say, and I don’t even blink. The room goes dead quiet, and for once, Ryan doesn’t have some smartass comeback ready. He’s watching me, waiting for me to flinch or backpedal, but I’m not here to play polite anymore.“You think marrying me gives you control? You think dragging me into this room, binding me to you in front of your pack, forcing me to stand here while they cheer for my family’s death somehow makes you powerful? No. It makes you scared. You’re scared of me, of what I represent, of the fact that your entire plan only works if I go along with it. That’s the part none of you want to admit.”I turn toward the people standing around us, all those warriors and advisors staring at

The ceremony takes place in a small stone chamber hidden in the pack house. It’s clear that Ryan wants this hidden as much as I do. There's no aisle to walk down, no flowers, no music. Just cold walls, candles, and a handful of witnesses: people that Ryan trusts the most. In his pack, I am nothing but a stranger. I don’t have friends to witness this wedding, no one on my side.High Priestess Morrigan stands at the front."Everything has been prepared," she says. "The blood moon is rising. The magic is strongest now."Ryan is already waiting for me, wearing a black suit that makes him look like he's attending a funeral instead of a wedding. He's devastatingly handsome, I'll give him that, but every inch of him radiates danger. When he looks at me, I see no warmth, no kindness, nothing but cold hatred."You look beautiful," he says, but his voice is flat. Empty."You look like the devil himself."The witnesses stand in a semi-circle around us. I recognize some of them from earlier - p

I stare at Ryan, trying to process what he just said. A blood contract that makes his father insane? My mother being involved in some kind of magic that destroyed this man's mind?"I need to know what really happened," I say. "I need to know what my mother did to your father."Ryan looks at his father, who's still drawing on the wall and singing that horrible lullaby. "The only person who can tell you that is him. And he can't tell you anything in his current state.""But you said the marriage would fix him. How do you know?""Because the high priestess told me. She's the one who performed the original blood binding ceremony. She said the only way to complete the broken spell is through the marriage it was meant to seal."I watch Alpha Jeremy trace his finger along the chalk drawing, whispering sweet words to a woman who isn't there. "And you believe her?""I have to, it's the only hope I have left.""So let me get this straight: You want me to marry you so your father gets better, an

“An Alpha’s honour is the most important thing.’’ Ryan says, while I stare at his father. I’m stunned, shaken, and can't even find the words. “Your mother knew the best way to defeat my father even after death was to take away his sanity.’’Alpha Jeremy, a mighty man who’d won 200 battles and conquered impossible enemies, leans against the cold wall of the tower with a piece of chalk in his hand. Alpha Jeremy is nothing like the monster I imagined. He's thin and frail, with gray hair and clothes that look like they haven't been changed in days. His eyes are unfocused, and he's muttering to himself as he draws."Hello, beautiful," he says to the wall. "I've been waiting for you. I knew you'd come back to me."He leans in and kisses the wall, full on tongue. A nurse steps out from the shadows, “Mr Jeremy, please, that isn’t sanitary.’’ She tries to pull him off, but Jeremy only pushes her. “I’m talking to the love of my life, can’t you see?’’ I remain standing there, staring at the m

"Don't even think about trying to escape," Ryan says when I shift in my seat. "These windows are bulletproof and the doors are locked from the outside.""I wasn't trying to escape." I lie through my teeth."Good. Because if you cause any trouble when we get there, I'll make sure you regret it."I want to argue with him, but I need him to help me. Or at least I need his father to help me. Dad is dying, and Alpha Jeremy is the only one powerful enough to challenge Marcus and Rebecca."Why would my parents promise me to you?" I ask. "You were just a kid when I was born.""Because he was desperate. Your pack was losing the war, and he needed to offer my dad a peace offering for the war to stop. ""But I was a baby. How could he promise a baby away?"Ryan's jaw clenches, a sign that he’s not used to explaining himself to anyone. He hates that I question him. "Because alphas’ daughters are currency, and everyone knows that. Your father traded your future for his pack's survival."Now I'm th