Independence

At the full moon party before our marking ceremony, my mate Lucas got wasted. I went to pick him up, just like we agreed. Only to walk in on him burying his face in his first love’s neck, marking her with his scent. "Don't ever leave me again, Willow. My wolf only wants you." His first love shot me a triumphant smirk and shoved him into my arms. "Your mate is here. You should go." But Lucas, hiding behind his drunkenness, just looked at me with disgust. "You're the only one for me, Willow! She's just some lowly half-blood Omega. She's just my ride home, don't worry about her." I swallowed my humiliation and took him home, only to find out he wasn't drunk at all. He claimed he only said those things to appease Willow, for the sake of her pack's power. I just turned away. So on the day we were supposed to be bound for life, I ran. If Lucas was still hung up on his first love, then I would grant him his wish and disappear. But I never expected that after I left, he would lose his mind, crying and begging for me to come back.

Meet Danielle, a feisty twenty-three-year-old who's lost everything. Jobless and alone, she's determined to find her independence after the death of her father figure and her mother's rejection. But when a long-held secret threatens to upend her world, she must confront her addictions and emotional turmoil to uncover the truth, Especially when she gets caught up with the arrogant lawyer who keeps crossing her path. Can Danielle pick up the pieces of her life and open her heart to love, or will the secret tear her apart? Join her on a journey of self-discovery, redemption, and maybe even a little romance

Amaya Rosario - Moving to New York was supposed to be all about independence—college, city life, making my own way. But then there was Alan Chambers: quiet, kind, and impossible to read. And then there was his dog, Rufio, who seemed determined to make us happen. I didn’t mean to fall for the guy who doesn’t talk about himself. I just wanted to help out and do something meaningful. But now, between dog walks, city strolls, and a park worth fighting for, I can’t stop wondering if there’s more to Alan than he lets anyone see—and if maybe that something more could include me. Alan Chambers - I’ve built a quiet life in the city—just me, my dog, and the kind of peace that comes from staying in your own lane. I don’t talk about my past. I don’t let people get too close. And I certainly didn’t plan on Amaya Rosario. She’s bright, bold, and keeps showing up in places I never expected. I should keep my distance. I’ve got too many reasons to stay in the shadows. But something about her makes me want to step into the light—for the first time in a long time. Book 7 in the Ravenwood Series. It can be read as a standalone. However, to learn about the characters and past events that may be referenced, you should check out the rest of the series. Book 1 - The Princes of Ravenwood Book 2 - Chasing Kitsune Book 3 - Expect the Unexpected Book 4 - Out of My League Book 5 - Man's Best Wingman (starring Amaya's sister Xenia and introduced Alan and Amaya as side characters) Book 6 - Troubled Heart (Alan appears as a cameo)

When I was five months pregnant, I was kidnapped by a group of thugs. They used my phone to call my brother, Jeremy Wirkola, and my husband, Grant Sanders, to demand a ransom of ten million, but no one answered. I was tortured and assaulted until I was barely alive. When I was finally rescued, Jeremy cried and promised to avenge me. Grant was in tears too. He vowed to get me treated. However, while under the haze of anesthesia, I overheard Grant's cold voice outside the door. “Jessie is waiting for a bone marrow, but don’t forget to remove Ashlyn’s uterus. Just tell her the injuries were too severe to save it. Oh, and get the best surgeon for her. She’s afraid of pain.” His assistant hesitated. He was clearly uncomfortable. “Mr. Sanders, isn’t this going too far?” Grant paused for a second before he replied firmly. “She refused to donate her bone marrow to Jessie and even used the baby as an excuse. She’s selfish. Besides, if we don’t do this, how can I bring back Jessie and our child into the family? As for Ashlyn, she’s my wife. I’ll make it up to her for the rest of my life. She used to bully Jessie with her status, which resulted in Jessie suffering from depression and almost killing herself. It’s time she paid the price for it.” As I listened to his heartless words, something inside me shattered completely. Since they had chosen to sacrifice me for Jessie, let them have what they wanted then.

My fiancé wants to marry me in a pizzeria. At the same time, he promises to give his true love the rest of his life on a luxurious cruise. Our wedding is only 48 hours away, but I don't want him anymore.

The night before our Mating Ceremony, my fated mate, Alpha Ryker of the Howling Moon Pack, ordered me to give him the Moon Soul Crystal—the very thing that protected my pack, the Willow Creek Pack. He said he needed it to power up the Howling Moon Pack's Blood Moon Altar. He also promised he'd keep me and my people safe. But he didn't know that we, the healers of the Willow Creek Pack, can only create one Moon Soul Crystal in our entire lives. Making one takes a crazy amount of moon energy. It's the treasure that keeps our pack alive. My mother, worried about me using up my moon energy while I was pregnant, gave up her own Moon Soul Crystal instead. But just three months after Ryker and I were mated, she got sick, fast. She was dying. I knelt in front of Ryker, crying, begging him for the Silverleaf Herb from the Howling Moon's forbidden grounds. It was the only thing that could save my mom. But he just looked at me, his eyes full of disappointment, and kicked me away. "I asked for the Moon Soul Crystal to test you," he snarled. "And just as I thought, you married me for our pack's treasures! Your mother's not sick. You're making it all up!" "You don't deserve to be the Luna of the Howling Moon Pack!" It wasn't until after my mother died, when he was arguing with me, trying to kick me out of the pack, that my mother's things fell and scattered everywhere. Her Soul Stone, the symbol of a wolf's spirit, shattered. That's when he finally realized he was wrong. He fell to his knees, begging me not to leave, crying for me to forgive him.

On our tenth wedding anniversary, I planned a surprise for him. I hid in his studio. Instead, I found him inviting a university student to pose as his model. As she peeled away layers of clothing, his eyes lit up. "Exquisite. Truly exquisite. It's been ten years—and this is the first time I've seen true beauty," he said. Then he lunged forward, capturing her in a passionate kiss. My nails dug into my palm, hard enough to draw blood, but I stayed silent. For ten years, I had walked behind him, always in his shadow. I was tired.

My sister, Yvonne Jones, tried to murder the childhood friend of a rich heir in order to seduce him. Yvonne poisoned the woman's drink and pulled out her oxygen tube after she was sent to the hospital. When the rich heir arrived in a rush, Yvonne cried in his arms daintily. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I failed to protect her." I witnessed everything in the ward but didn't say a word about it. In my previous lifetime, I stopped Yvonne from poisoning the woman. I knew the rich heir would never let her get away with it if he found out about it. Yvonne was forced to give up her plan and even praised me for my foresight. However, she ended up poisoning me instead and stabbed me in the heart with her dagger when I got dizzy. "This is your fault! Die! If you hadn't stopped me, Sean Graham would've been mine!" When I opened my eyes next, I had returned to the day of the poisoning.

On the eve of our mating ceremony, Asher, my Alpha-to-be, slung his arm around his childhood sweetheart, Selena. “If I had never been with such a hot Selena,” he said, “I think I would regret it for the rest of my life.” "Ella, grant us one night. After tonight, I will be forever faithful to you. You'll be Silver Pine Pack's irreplaceable Luna." I stared at him for a moment, seeing he was serious, and nodded my agreement. He swept Selena into his arms and walked into the forest. As he passed by me, he smirked. "Tonight, Ella, you're free to find another wolf too. I won't mind." "No need to look far," I replied evenly, turning toward the figure waiting in the shadows. Lucas, Alpha of the Black Stone Pack, our rivals... and my first love who ended before it truly began. "Alpha Lucas," I whispered, meeting his intense gaze. "Tonight, make me yours... please."

I learn that I've "died" after returning from a business trip. First, my daughter's teacher stops me from bringing my daughter home. She says, "Eloise comes from a single-parent family. Her father's the one who's always picked her up after class." Later, I discover that the password to my house's main door has been changed. To my surprise, my daughter's teacher can enter at will.