Awkward Silence

Find Him “Somebody has taken Eli.” … Olivia’s knees buckled. If not for Dean catching her, she would have hit the floor. Nothing was more torturous than the silence left behind by a missing child. Then the phone rang. Two weeks earlier… “Who is your mom?” Dean asked, wondering if he knew the woman. “Her name is Olivia Reed,” replied Eli. Dynamite just exploded in Dean’s head. The woman he once trusted, the woman who betrayed him, the woman he loved and the one he’d never been able to forget.  … Her betrayal had utterly broken him. *** Olivia - POV  She’d never believed until this moment that she could shoot and kill somebody, but she would have no hesitation if it meant saving her son’s life.  *** … he stood in her doorway, shafts of moonlight filling the room. His gaze found her sitting up in bed. “Olivia, what do you need?” he said softly. “Make love to me, just like you used to.” He’d been her only lover. She wanted to completely surrender to him and alleviate the pain and emptiness that threatened to drag her under. She needed… She wanted… Dean. She pulled her nightie over her head and tossed it across the room. In three long strides, he was next to her bed. Slipping between the sheets, leaving his boxers behind, he immediately drew her into his arms. She gasped at the fiery heat and exquisite joy of her naked skin against his. She nipped at his lips with her teeth. He groaned. Her hands explored and caressed the familiar contours of his muscled back. His sweet kisses kept coming. She murmured a low sound filled with desire, and he deepened the kiss, tasting her sweetness and passion as his tongue explored her mouth… ***

Addy Walker once believed love was supposed to be loud—felt in bedtime stories, laughter in the kitchen, and the warmth of arms that made the world feel safe. That’s how it was before her mother died. Before her father changed. Grief hollowed him out. The man who once teased and protected became a shell—quiet, cold, unreachable. Then came the bottles. The slammed doors. The bruises. Addy, now eighteen, has learned to survive in silence—walking lightly, speaking carefully, hiding her pain beneath long sleeves and polite smiles. She works long hours to keep food on the table while her father sinks deeper into debt and addiction. One night, she comes home to a dark, freezing house—again. The electricity is off. Again. And she knows why. She confronts him, her voice sharper than it’s ever been. He denies it at first, but the truth is already spread across the kitchen counter in final notice bills and losing betting slips. He’d gambled away the electric bill money on a horse. The argument erupts. He screams, she stands her ground. When he slaps her, she doesn’t flinch. Something inside her shifts. She’s done waiting for the man he used to be. Addy packs a bag. She’s leaving—for real this time. No plan. No destination. Just freedom. But as she storms out into the rain, a long, black car pulls up to the curb. A man steps out—tall, broad-shouldered, older. His face is hard, almost frightening in the shadows, but he’s striking. Dangerous. And calm.

"Yes." Her voice, loud and clear, resounding in the silence of the cold car. "I will do it." She said and paused. "But on one condition." "And what would that be?" he asked impatiently with brows raised. "Be my Lover." A senile father, a demeaning slave-driving job, and a life devoid of joy were the perfect descriptions for her life. Avery, a regular human girl never thought it would get any worse but it did. Everything was falling apart and as inconsequential as she was in the grand scheme of things, she couldn't do anything to stop her government and the famed and powerful vampire clan from doing whatever they wanted. Damien had never been one to submit to power or will and not especially now when his vampire counterparts and even the weaker humans were blindsided by the power they thought they had. They were causing havoc in the name of making peace and he wouldn't stand for it. Power he would lose, acceptance and dignity would flee from him but he wouldn't stand and watch injustice take place. What happens when these two determined souls find each other? Do they connect beyond understanding and achieve their common dream or would everything that separates them be what would end them?

"Father, I accept the marriage alliance with the Blackwood Pack." Silence stretched on his end of the link before he finally replied, "Caterina, are you certain?" "I am." I didn't tell him the real reason. Last night, a heart-shattering agony ripped through our Mate Bond, through that damned bond, I saw everything— My mate, Alpha Rocco, was in the cabin on his private hunting grounds, pinning his childhood sweetheart, Scarlett, against the wall and kissing her with a desperate frenzy. I confronted Scarlett directly at the pack meeting, a flicker of triumph flashed in her eyes before she feigned innocence. "Caterina, I have no idea what you're talking about." Just then, Rocco's voice boomed through the open mind-link, echoing in the minds of everyone present. "Caterina, as the Luna of the pack, you shouldn’t cause a scene like this. Scarlett is just a friend. " In that moment, my heart died completely. He was my Alpha, my husband—the man I had spent years helping rise to power. I severed my mind-link with Rocco. The pain of the forced disconnection was so intense I could barely stand, but I straightened my spine and sent my reply. "I'll be home in two weeks." Go home and marry the most powerful Alpha in North America. They say he is cold and ruthless, unmoved by any she-wolf. Perfect. I don't need love. I just need an Alpha strong enough to help me secure the Silver Moon Pack. And as for Rocco? The Moon Goddess gave us a destiny, and he shattered it with his own hands. Now, I will seize my own.

Willow's life has been a nightmare for the past five years since her mother married Stevon King, the most ruthless and powerful mafia boss. She has suffered in silence from the abuse inflicted by him. The pain that she has had to go through alone has made her fear life and everything that comes with it. The thought of another human touching her makes her sick to her stomach. But on her first day back at school, everything changes when Braxton Young, a rival up-and-coming mafia boss, notices her and is captivated by her beauty. As Willow tries to hide her pain and push Brax away, he is determined to uncover the truth about what she is going through and protect her. Despite her fears and reluctance to let anyone in for fear that they will lead to the same fate her father did, Willow finds herself falling for Brax as he breaks down her walls. As Brax falls further and further in love with Willow, he starts to learn more about himself, questioning whether he wants to take over his family business or live a normal, safe life with Willow. he knows that his family and friends will disown him if he does. with so many things standing in the way of them ever being able to be together, will they find a way? Willow's cruel stepfather, who will stop at nothing to keep her under his control. Will Willow finally find the courage to break free from the chains of her past and embrace a future filled with love and hope?

It was one of those celebratory nights of Chris and his teammates at , the local dinner. They were a whole chaos of drunkards and noise but people didn't mind, in the midst of their chant,Chris has a small gentle tug of his jersey and turns to a beautiful and adorable baby with a toothless grin who says "Daddy." In his drunken state he's able to make sense of it and he's shock is confirmed by the silence that his teammates give him "Monkey l told you not to wonder around." Kira's concerned voice breaks the silence and attracts Chris' attention She quickly apologizes and carries Kayla out of the chaos without taking a second glance and she's oblivious of the drama,the chaos and roller coaster of emotions that are going to follow.

On the eve of his 26th birthday, Luca Virelli, heir to a multi billion dollar empire is set to announce his engagement to a woman he barely knows. It’s a merger of dynasties, a flawless public image, and a life scripted to perfection. There's only one problem: Luca is gay, and no one knows, least of all his ruthless, image obsessed father. Drowning in guilt, silence, and a future he never chose, Luca does the unthinkable: he gets drunk, kisses a stranger in a crowded club, and spends one unforgettable night in a hotel room with him. No names. No faces. No future. Just escape. But fate has other plans. The next day, as Luca meets his fiancée at their engagement party, that same stranger appears, standing calmly at her side. He’s her brother. Asher Hartwell. And he’s supposed to be straight. As worlds collide, desire smolders in the shadows. But love this dangerous can’t stay secret for long. When lies unravel and the cost of freedom means losing everything, family, power, legacy, Luca and Asher must decide: is the wrong kind of love worth everything it will destroy?

Surrounded by the darkness, she wasn't sure what was this place. She was lost in this dark abyss and didn't knew the way out. She was tired now, tired of running in different directions yet reaching nowhere, tired of trying to be brave when she was everything but that. After few moments of silence when she thought nothing can go wrong now, she heard something. Sge turned and saw.. Nothing.. No! She was sure she heard that, it wasn't her hallucination. She was terrified yet didn't lose her facade of being the strong girl she is trying to be since the time she landed here. She looked everywhere but she wasn't able to locate the source, releasing a defeated sigh, she wandered her gaze above her and shrieked at the sight. He, with that terrifying yet the most attractive smirk on his face, was watching her from the building above her. He glared at her with those piercing eyes and evil look on his face. She didn't realized she was shivering and sweating badly and suddenly he was there just an inch away from her face. She felt like he snatched the oxygen from the atmosphere leaving her breathless. She started gasping for air. And then... Thud! She woke up sweating and breathing heavily. She observed her surrounding before taking a sigh of relief. It was a nightmare, again! But what's the gurantee it won't be a nightmare the next time? She knew her nightmare will soon turn to reality and this nightmarish reality will make her life hell. ••••••••••

Lydia Zander had once been the quiet, obedient wife—trapped in a cold, loveless marriage with Clinton, a man who only married her to honor his grandfather’s dying wish. She loved him deeply, blindly, but that love was repaid with cruelty—not just from Clinton, but from his entire family. For years, she endured their scorn in silence… until the day Clinton coldly handed her divorce papers. What no one knew—not her husband, not his family—was that Lydia Zander was no ordinary woman. They thought she was a nobody, a girl from the slums who should be grateful for scraps. They were dead wrong. When Clinton cast her aside to make room for his mistress, Kelly, he expected Lydia to return —broken, begging on her knees, desperate for his attention. She did return. But not the way he imagined. She came back draped in power —no longer the timid wife they once belittled, but a force they never saw coming. Lydia Zander, it turned out, was the secret daughter of the nation’s president… and the largest shareholder in Clinton’s very own company. The tables didn’t just turn—they flipped violently. And who was the one on his knees now? Yes, you guessed it right. Clinton! But this time, Lydia held the power—and she wasn’t interested in mercy. Want to know what she did next? Keep reading. The real game has just begun.

On the day of the mating ceremony, I'm supposed to be marked by William Ernst and become the Luna of the Shadow pack. However, Annie Denver, my younger twin sister, suddenly comes back from abroad. Dad, Mom, and William end up abandoning me, choosing to pick her up from the airport. While Annie posts a family photo on Facebook, flaunting how everyone in the family loves her, my family cuts me off whenever I try to contact them through mind-link. They end up closing the mind-link. After calling countless times, William finally accepts my call and asks me to stop rushing him. He tells me that today's mating ceremony is canceled and will be rescheduled on another date. My dearest parents, brother, and the man I love the most all turn me into the laughingstock of the entire pack—and the most ridiculous bride of all. Despite being laughed at, I didn't cry or make a scene. After taking care of everything, I write a number in my journal—the 99th time. This is the 99th time they have disappointed me. From this moment on, I won't beg for their love anymore. I fill out an application for Arcetic expedition, ready to leave them. They all think that my silence and constant compromises with Annie mean I've matured. They fail to realize that I'm disappointed to the core. I am leaving for good.