Before

There are monsters in this world. And they used to be us. Now it's time to euthanize to survive in a hospice where Emily, a woman haunted by her past, only wants to do her job and be the best mother possible. Post-infection Chicago. Christmas. Inside The Hospice, Emily and her fellow nurses do their rounds. Here, men and women live out their final days in comfort, segregated from society, and are then humanely terminated before fate turns them into marrow-craving monsters known as ‘Smilers.’ Outside these imposing walls, rabid protesters swarm with signs, caught up in the heat of their hatred. Emily, a woman haunted by her past, only wants to do her job and be the best mother possible. But in a world where mortality means nothing, where guns are drawn in fear and nobody seems safe anymore – at what cost will this pursuit come? And through it all, the soon to be dead remain silent, ever smiling. Such is their curse. It won't be long before that snow-speckled ground will be salted by blood. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

The day before the wedding, my fiancé James's childhood sweetheart had a severe depressive episode. Threatening to take her own life, she demanded the destruction of the wedding gown my grandmother had painstakingly made for me before her passing. To calm her down, James locked me in a room and stayed by her side, helping her cut the gown into shreds. Amid the mess, he spoke indifferently. "Be reasonable. It's just a wedding gown. Do you want to see her die?" Later, James's hot uncle approached me, asking me to carry on the family lineage. I nodded in agreement. But James, with reddened eyes, confronted me. "Are you really going to have his child? Have you completely given up on me?" Covering my slightly rounded belly, I replied, "Be reasonable. It's just a child. He’s your uncle. Do you want to see him with no heir to carry on the family name?”

“Can you feel that?” “Paula, this is not right,” He tries to deny the spark between us. “But it feels right, right?” “Damn, Paula,” “Please, Sergio. Don’t deny us this,” He growled, and before I know it, he grabs me on my wrists and smashes his lips on mine, me hard. I place my hands on his face, participating in the . Our tongues bump against each other, fighting for dominance. He moves his lips down to my neck and sucks on it, sending chills down my spine, and my panties are already soaking . I let out soft , grasping into his arms. He runs his tongue on my face and stops on my ear, nibbling it, and whispers: “We can’t do this, baby girl.” Argh, so disappointing! He sits back in his seat and starts the car. It is only a matter of time before he gives in – he just needs a little more time.

JACKSON Augustus Sharpe is determined to kill the entire MONTANO family after the death of his son and fiancé. Jackson swore at his fiancé's grave that one day he would kill the whole family with his own hands. And the main target is Beverly Montano, the woman who shot her pregnant fiancé to death. Jackson's strong determination led him to a terrifying plan which he managed to put together so neatly. That Jackson would make Beverly suffer before taking her life. However, things got out of hand as her hatred turned into a feeling she couldn't explain. The stronger his determination to torture Beverly, the stronger his will not to kill her. And one night, when Beverly actually gave her life for Jackson, the woman made one last wish before she died. “Make love to me, Jackson. Just tonight. As my last wish. "

Hazel Jones slides on a beautiful red silk dress with a slit up to her curvy hip and black strappy heels. Her long, chocolate brown hair is up in an elegant style, exposing her neck. She applies mascara and matching red matte lipstick for the finishing touches. She studies herself in the mirror before leaving her apartment and getting into the limo. Hazel may never see her family again but missing the Mate Gala is not an option for her. -------- "How is this possible?" "I don't know, but she is mine too." King Octavius Storm and his mate, Valentina watches as their surprise mate makes her way to The Royals' table. She's a human, and they are the Lycan Royals. A Lycan King has never had more than one mate. It is normal in the Full-Blood District, but not in the Lycan Colony. What makes it even more unique, Octavius and Valentina both felt the mate bond before Hazel stepped foot in the ballroom.

Selene Nightbloom was fated to be the mate of Alpha Kieran Blackthorne, until he ruthlessly rejected her before the entire pack and chose another. Broken and cast aside, Selene was betrayed once more when Kieran, under the influence of his chosen mate, ended her life. But fate had other plans. Reborn with the memories of her past, Selene discovers a dark truth; she, Kieran, and the rogue Alpha Cassian Draven have been trapped in a cursed cycle of love, betrayal, and death across lifetimes. In one life, she chose Kieran and was forsaken. In another, she chose Cassian and was destroyed. Now, armed with forbidden power and the knowledge of her past, Selene refuses to be a pawn of destiny. As both Alphas, one her past tormentor, the other her forbidden protector, fight for her love, Selene must break the curse before history repeats itself. But the Moon Goddess does not forgive so easily. And fate always demands a price.

My fiance, Dante de Rossi, is the heir to a mafia family in Manhorne, and he loves me dearly. Yet, a month before our wedding, he says his family has arranged for him to have a baby with his childhood friend, Isobel de Luca. Despite my refusal to agree to it, he brings it up daily and tries to push me into it. Half a month before the wedding, I receive a pregnancy report. I find out that Isobel is over a month pregnant. I have yet to give Dante my permission. This is when I realize just how fragile our years-long relationship is. I cancel the wedding and destroy everything he has ever given me. On the day of the wedding, I set off for Etolia to further my medical career. I accept a role with an international medical organization, severing all ties with the mafia. From that moment onward, he and I no longer have anything to do with each other!

Betrayed by her husband and left to die, Elena Dawson wakes up ten years earlier before her doomed marriage. This time, she won’t fall for the lies that destroyed her. Instead, she turns to Alexander Knight, the cold billionaire who always loved her in silence. In this life, Elena isn’t just fighting for love. She’s fighting for revenge, redemption, and a future that’s finally hers. -- "You’re late, Richard," Elena said coolly, her smile sharp enough to cut. In her first life, she would have melted at his charm. In this one, she saw only poison. Later that night, she stood before Alexander Knight. His dark gaze pinned her in place, unreadable, powerful. "Why are you here, Miss Dawson?" he asked, voice like steel. Elena lifted her chin. "To change my fate. Marry me, Mr. Knight."

My girlfriend's schoolmate is being hounded by creditors. In my past life, the same incident had unfolded before my eyes. I was worried that my girlfriend would provoke these ruthless creditors, so I'd advised her not to meddle. However, her schoolmate later overdosed on sleeping pills. Later on, my girlfriend acted as if nothing had happened and continued preparing for our wedding. But after she got drunk one day, I found her caressing his picture tenderly—before stabbing me in the heart with a knife. She claimed that if not for my indifference and selfishness, her schoolmate wouldn't have taken his own life. Now that I've been reborn, I'll grant her wish and let her help him pay off his debts. Presently, I say, "He's your schoolmate. If you can help him, go ahead. I won't object."

"Be mine again and fulfil my lustful nights." ~ Wayne Harden Ferrer Wayne Ferrer is the hottest Attorney in the country. He is one of the best of the best lawyer in his firm that's why they called him 'Lawyer of No-Failed-Cases'. He is hot, handsome, charismatic, and of course-- FREE! It was also because of his job that he was able to bring back to life his ex-girlfriend Analeigh Devon who suddenly disappeared five years ago without leaving any reason why. Holding Leigh's case for free-- wait, it's not actually for free because the catch is to make her into his bed NAKED. Will Wayne fail to make Leigh fall in love with him again and will he experience defeat that he has never experienced before? Or will Leigh let herself be drowned in Wayne's life again and tell the truth about why she left? Or will she just leave the young man's life after the case-- like what she did before?