African-american Research Library

Valentina Moretti is the Don the Italian Mafia. Smart and formidable, surviving a male dominated environment, overcoming tremendous challenges. Trained from a young age to be a deadly assassin, she commands respect wherever she goes. She seemingly has everything, until her father decides to arrange her marriage. Luca Delgado is the head of the American Mafia. He is a ruthless and cold individual. He understands the rules of the game perfectly and will do anything to achieve victory, including breaking others without hesitation. Their forced marriage is a cruel twist of fate. Will these two ruthless individuals find comfort in one another, or will they end up destroying each other? "I don’t remember agreeing to play strip poker," she remarked. Her lips formed a slight frown, but her eyes sparkled with playfulness. She realized she couldn't outmatch me in this game. "Are you giving up? Are you a coward? " I taunted, aiming to provoke her. Her lips quivered before she pressed them firmly together. The richness of her eye color intensified as she offered a sly grin. She began shuffling cards and removed one of her sandals. Great. We’re taking the long route. She held it up, letting it dangle from her finger before casually tossing it aside. She raised an eyebrow at me, clearly challenging me. I was pleased to know I had touched a nerve. Just as I expected. BE AWARE: Trigger warnings: MATURE CONTENT 18+ (SMUT) SWEARING SELF HARM/SUICIDE (REFERENCES) LANGUAGE THAT IS UNAMBIGUOUS CURSING VIOLENCE, GUN VIOLENCE SELF-INFLICTED HARM /SUICIDE (REFERENCES) BLOOD, DECEASE, and GORE

In a world teeming with danger, Nicole Parish's life takes an abrupt and forceful twist, leaving her at the mercy of a single man: Shane Ryder. For four years, Nicole's father kept her hidden away in the UK, determined to shield her from the perils that awaited her. Unbeknownst to her, her father's seemingly ordinary business fronted a notorious drug empire, and she was the coveted daughter of a dangerous drug lord. The truth remains concealed until the day she returns home, unravelling a web of chaos. Shane Ryder, the enigmatic kingpin of America's most powerful mafia, has long sought vengeance against Drake Parish. A betrayal born from a simple misunderstanding fuels his desire to see Drake pay. Nobody in America dares to cross Shane Ryder without facing dire consequences. He controls not just the underworld, but also the police and even the government. Nicole is a captivating beauty, with a complexion that hints at fiery passion and dark brown eyes that ensnare unsuspecting souls with a single glance. Shane, on the other hand, is a charismatic Greek god sent from the depths of hell, with icy, piercing blue eyes that freeze his enemies in their tracks. Ruthlessness defines him, and refusal is not an option. He is the epitome of a hardened badass, willing to go to any lengths to maintain his mafia's iron grip on American soil. She represents fire, while he personifies ice. The story unfolds as they clash with disdain, hurling insults and inflicting pain upon each other. One is drawn into a world darker than she ever imagined, while the other ruthlessly rules over his kingdom of shadows. Yet, what transpires between them defies expectations, as their relationship blossoms into something entirely unforeseen by both parties.

Once I became pregnant, I was hailed as the most precious woman in the underworld. My husband, the new Don of the Jenkins family, shut down an entire private hospital wing for my check-ups, while my father, the Collins Don, summoned every Michelin-starred chef in New York to the estate, just so I could pick whatever I craved. The baby I carried was destined to be the sole heir of the two most powerful mafia families. But on the day we were to sign the papers securing my child's inheritance, they both vanished. "An urgent family matter came up," my husband, Vincent, said, kissing my forehead. "We can finalize the child's inheritance when we get back. There's no rush." Shortly after they left, I received a link to an anonymous live stream. My father's voice came from the video, colder than I had ever heard it. "You're saying your marriage contract with Evangeline was never valid. Doesn't that make the child a bastard?" Vincent, lounging in a club, blew a smoke ring. Cradled in his arms was my half sister, Sarah. "Evangeline has always had all the love and affection. Her child will want for nothing." "Sarah has been mocked for her status for years. I have to make things right for her, give our child a legitimate name." In that moment, my heart seized, and I could barely breathe. Then my phone vibrated again. It was a text message: "Welcome home to the Gallo family, my queen." "Just give the word, and the child you carry will bear the Gallo name and become the most powerful heir in the American underworld."

Jaiyana Chakravarti has spent her life buried in research, chasing ancient stories whispered through her family line—legends of a forgotten goddess-warrior whose blood still runs in her veins. Now, as a doctoral student conducting fieldwork for her dissertation, Jaiyana’s awakening to her true power with the help of the secretive Obscura Directorate—an organization that protects dangerous relics, forbidden knowledge, and the supernatural threats the world no longer remembers—comes just in time as her true enemy reveals himself. When a long-dormant Demon King rises to reclaim the world he once nearly destroyed, Jaiyana discovers the legends were never just stories. Her lineage holds the power to stop this ancient evil… but only if she learns to wield the celestial weapons crafted for her ancestor. And those weapons are locked within the Directorate’s vaults, requiring trials she never trained for and strength she isn’t sure she possesses. Kaplan, a white tiger shifter and the last heir of a warrior line once sworn to protect Jaiyana’s goddess-blooded ancestor, is sent to fulfill an ancient promise: he is her fated mate, battle partner, and equal. But the bond between them is not forced, it is a choice of love. And Jaiyana, who built her life on logic and independence, is not prepared for a destiny wrapped in prophecy, claws, and a breathtakingly gentle heart. As Jaiyana and Kaplan train under the Directorate’s watchful eye, their partnership deepens into a powerful love—one that strengthens the magic awakening inside her. But with the enemy growing bolder, and the Directorate divided on whether she can be trusted with the weapons she was born to wield, Jaiyana faces an impossible path: master her emerging power, earn the Directorate’s approval, and embrace a bond that could save—or shatter—both their worlds.

After 99 bloodline fusion rituals, I finally conceived Alpha Garrick Whitefang's pup. As a mixed-blood Omega without a wolf, I understood the cost of that miracle better than anyone. The rituals burned away my lifespan. I brought this child with my blood. When I returned with the pregnancy report, ready to share the news, Garrick was waiting for me. A 4-year-old girl stood at his side, her small hand clasped in his. "Rowena, this is my surprise for you. Our pup," he said gently. Then he added, as if it meant nothing, "You will not have to endure bloodline fusion anymore. Her mother, Lyralei North, is pregnant with a male pup. Once she gives birth, I will bring him back for you to raise." His mother smiled with open relief. "No labor, no pain, and you gain two pups for free. How wonderful. The Snowclaw Pack finally has heirs." Unstoppable tears spilled down my face. For seven years as Garrick's Luna, bloodline rejection had made natural conception impossible. For five of those years, I had begged the pack elders to perform bloodline fusion rituals on me. I traded away my lifespan 99 times in total for the chance to carry his child. Only then did I understand. Garrick never wanted my pup. As long as heirs existed, it did not matter who gave birth to them. I returned to my room without a word and made one call. "Steven, does your research project still need people? I want to rejoin the team," I said quietly. "And I am leaving the Snowclaw Pack."

I'm a member of a top-secret research unit. As per my superior's request, I am to deliver a file to Celeste Judd, my older sister. The moment I step into my sister's office, an intern, Ethan Irwin, quickly moves to stand in my way. "Are you the new assistant?" He eyes me up and down, finally noticing the document envelope in my hand. Then, he chortles loudly. "It's your first day on the job, and yet you're already trying to suck up to Ms. Judd! Why don't you take a look in the mirror and see how pathetic you are?" Only then do I realize that Ethan has mistaken me as a love rival. But the thing is, Celeste has never told me that she has a boyfriend. I'm about to explain the truth to Ethan when I feel his fist colliding with my face. "I'm the only assistant Ms. Judd needs! You can forget about being her boyfriend!" Ethan yanks me by the hair as he dumps scalding hot water onto my face. "To think that you're already planning on becoming a sugar baby and seducing rich women at such a young age! I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of your parents!" I can only curl into a small ball on the floor. Stubbornly, I use my body to protect the document envelope. My actions infuriate Ethan to no end. He snatches the file away before ripping it into pieces in front of the entire company. He even says fawningly to Celeste, "Ms. Judd, your new assistant sure is a bold one for trying to seduce you! But don't worry, for I've already taught him a lesson!"

In a world ravaged by global nuclear fallout, I struggled to survive alongside my fragile, sweet-faced best friend, dodging one radiation storm after another. The route to the Central Safety Zone was blocked—we had no choice but to use two detonators to blast open the tunnel. Otherwise, we would be caught in the storm, our bodies rotting away until we either dissolved into blood sludge or turned into zombies. … In my previous life, I had risked everything to secure those detonators, only for my best friend to hand them over to a complete stranger without hesitation. "They have elderly people and children on their side too," she said earnestly. "One detonator can save many lives. Iris, you can't be selfish." I was so furious my blood pressure nearly exploded, but with no other option, I went straight into a horde of zombies to steal backup detonators. I lost an arm in the process, drenched in blood and barely standing. Yet, she complained that I was covered in gore and had frightened the children. After finally regrouping with the main convoy, I rushed to deliver the formula for anti-radiation medicine to the research institute so that more people could be saved. But she accused me of stealing supplies and trying to flee, which led to my expulsion from the base, and death, my body rotting away under the radiation. When I opened my eyes again, there was still one hour left before the radiation storm hit. I looked down at the two detonators in my hand, then at my pitiful, tear-brimmed best friend—and I smiled. Since she loved being a good person so much, this time, I would let her be one to her heart's content.

On our sixth wedding anniversary, my cheeks burn as I dodge my husband, Ethan Grant, leaning in for a hungry kiss. I push him toward the nightstand for a rubber. What he doesn't know is that I've tucked a surprise in there, a positive pregnancy test. I can already see it, the way his whole face will light up the second he finds it. But the moment his hand goes for the drawer, his phone goes off. His best friend, Henry Miller, comes on the line in Danish. "Mr. Grant, how was last night? That new love couch our company rolled out is treating you okay?" Ethan lets out a low laugh and answers in Danish, "The massage feature's great. Saves me from having to rub Sandy's back myself." He still has me pulled tight against him, but his eyes look straight through me, like he's seeing someone else. "This stays between us. If my wife ever finds out I slept with her sister, I'm done." It feels like someone just put a knife through my chest. What they don't know is that I minored in Danish in college, so I catch every single word. I force myself to stay calm, but the arms I have looped around Ethan's neck won't stop shaking. At that moment, I stop hesitating and decide I'll take the offer from that international research project. Three days from now, I'll be gone from Ethan's world for good.

On the anniversary of our Mating, my legs were wrapped around my Alpha, Adrian, as we shared a deep kiss. My fingertips brushed against the hidden pocket of my silk dress, my hand tightening around the pregnancy test I had concealed there. I felt the faint flutter of a new life inside me, planning to give him this surprise as the perfect end to our evening. Just then, Adrian's Beta, Ethan, spoke in a low, teasing tone, using the Old Tongue. "Alpha, that little sister-in-law of yours… the newly matured she-wolf, Zoe. How did she taste?" Adrian's low, suggestive chuckle reached my ears, quiet yet piercingly clear. He replied in the same ancient language. "You know a freshly ripened pepper? Hot, with a real kick." His palm was still caressing my waist, yet his gaze had drifted elsewhere. "Just keep it quiet. If my Luna finds out, it's all over." The other Betas let out knowing chuckles, raising their glasses in a silent promise to keep his secret. But a chill washed over me, and my inner wolf went still, as if it had died. He didn't know I had studied the Old Tongue for my research on werewolf trauma. I understood every word. I held back my tears, forcing myself to appear unfazed, maintaining the composure expected of a Luna. Instead of confronting him, I sent a magically shielded message to Elder Slone of the Werewolf Healers' Association, accepting the invitation she had extended to me. In three days, I would join a secure werewolf rehabilitation program as their new Lead Therapist and disappear from Adrian's world forever.

Wendy Hill is an up-and-coming technological wizard. Her research to gain information for her brother Yorick and his mate, Cyra, led to the arrest of Cyra’s father, earning her early admission to the elite Warrior Academy. She was assigned to the tech team to learn and train until her admission to the Academy. Wendy’s code name is Sphinx. Jude Matthews, code name Hacker, has been a student at the Warrior Academy for three years. Most students remain in the Academy for one year and then are recruited by other companies for their specific skills. Only the elite of the elite remain at the Academy to continue their training and work directly for The Council. Hacker, and the other members of his team, Tracker and Hijack, have taken Sphinx under their wing to teach her everything she needs to know to become an IT elite. However, now things are becoming personal for Wendy. Stellan has escaped from prison and is after Cyra and her Gamma female, Lila. Patrick, Peter, and Justine are missing, and they want revenge on Henry and Piper. Through it all, Wendy has felt a budding relationship with Jude. She’s hoping he’s her mate, but she won’t know until her eighteenth birthday. Can Wendy and Jude work together to find Stellan before he hurts Cyra and Lila? Can they find the missing trio who want to destroy everything that Henry and Piper have worked so hard to achieve? Can she face the ugly reality of the job when it means giving someone painful or difficult information? And on her eighteenth birthday, will she finally confirm that Jude is her mate, the one that she desperately wants in her life forever? Find out in Book Five of The Pack Series, The Pack’s Hacker.