Beneath The Shadow

Ten years ago, Rayden’s family was mercilessly slaughtered. He was left for dead, a mere shadow of a once-respected clan. In the eyes of the world, Rayden was gone. But in the darkness, he grew. Honing forbidden arts. Nurturing an unquenchable rage. Now, Rayden returns. Not as an heir, not as a hero. But as a sinner. A cultivator who has chosen a forbidden path for one reason—revenge. Beneath the veil of the modern world, cultivator clans hide their secrets, their artifacts, and their power. The Bramasta family, seemingly clean on the surface, is his first target. But the deeper Rayden infiltrates, the larger the web he uncovers, including a name that has haunted his every waking moment—Lucien Dorne. Every step Rayden takes will challenge the laws of cultivation, uncover old betrayals, and test his own moral limits. Because to destroy a monster, sometimes, you have to become a greater one.

When her body is branded as a mere commodity... and her heart is shackled by two powerful female Alphas. Merin, a broken Omega, is dragged into a world where pain is the primary language. She is possessed by Aries, a raging blizzard who uses violence to assert her ownership, and trained by Lisena, a seductive flame who uses sweet punishments to melt her heart. Beneath the shadow of chains and the tip of a whip... amidst whimpers held back until her body trembles, fear transforms into burning desire, and submission becomes the only way for her to feel ‘valued.’ When the cage that confines her is not of steel, but the embrace of the two Alphas, and the only freedom left is to surrender her whole heart to this twisted ‘love’... how will this three-way bondage end? “Whose body is this... Speak your owner's name.”

Isabella Sforza, the 20-year-old heir to a powerful Mafa empire, had always known 34-year-old Niccolo Este as her father's most trusted bodyguard. He was loyal, composed, and nothing more than a shadow in her life-until one fateful night. While out partying with her friends, she ended up in his arms, sharing a night of passion she would soor forget. But Niccolò remembered every moment. And when the time came, he did the unthinkable-he assassinated her father, seized the Mafia throne, and forced her into marriage Now bound to the man she despises, Isabella sees him as nothing but a ruthless traitor. What she doesn't know is that Niccolo's actions were driven by a reason far bigger than she could ever imagine. The truth lies hidden beneath layers of secrets, waiting to be uncovered.

**BOOK RE-EDIT ON ALL CHAPTERS** Welcome to Rockshore Bay, a charming coastal city nestled between rugged cliffs and the vast, untamed ocean. The salty tang of the sea hangs heavy in the air, mingling with the faint aroma of freshly baked bread wafting from the local bakery. But beneath this idyllic facade lies a world veiled in shadows—a world where ancient powers stir and the supernatural thrives. Here, danger lurks behind every corner, hidden in the flicker of streetlights and the whispers of the waves. It is in this city, where the mundane and the extraordinary collide, that the fates of two fractured souls are set to intertwine. Beneath the serene surface lies a world protected by ancient powers, where caramel-skinned Hugo Griffin, a black-haired, sea-green-eyed werewolf, navigates the complexities of his dual life. Unlike traditional Alphas born into leadership, Hugo is a bitten werewolf who fought his way to become the formidable leader of the Ocean Crest Pack—the most powerful on the East Coast. But even as he commands respect, Hugo battles the darkness within himself, a shadow that threatens to consume him entirely. Inland, Sarai Carter—a feisty, raven-haired young woman with sapphire-blue eyes—is rediscovering her strength after escaping the clutches of a toxic relationship. Longing for love but haunted by the fear of a curse that condemns her to loneliness, Sarai faces a crossroads. As Hugo’s burdens grow heavier and Sarai tries to heal, their paths collide in a whirlwind of passion and pain. Both are fighting their inner demons, but when they come together, will they find redemption or ruin?

In Catania, beneath the shadow of Mount Etna, the mafia rules with fire and blood. No name carries more fear than the Valerios and no one is more protected than Lucy Valerio, the youngest and only daughter of the ruthless boss, Salvatore. Sheltered by her brothers, especially Vince, the heir to the Valerio name, Lucy lives in a gilded cage where freedom is only a dream. Until one reckless night changes everything. At The Velvet Room, the city’s most dangerous nightclub, Lucy meets Angelo, dark, magnetic, and scarred by secrets. Their chemistry is undeniable, but their love is forbidden. For Angelo is no ordinary man: he is the prodigal son of Giovanni Mancini, Salvatore’s sworn rival. A man who once abandoned the mafia life, only to be pulled back into its shadows. As passion ignites between them, the past resurfaces. Old betrayals, family feuds, and the reappearance of Angelo’s first love turn their bond into a deadly gamble. In a city where love is weakness and betrayal is currency, Lucy must choose: loyalty to her family… or the man who could destroy it.

She ran from a monster, only to be caught by the shadow of something far worse. Hated. Hunted. Branded a murderer. Raziela is a rogue omega and a single mother, guarding a child whose secret could ignite empires. On the run for a crime she didn’t commit, she hides her scent, her power, and her past. But when she’s captured and auctioned like property, she lands in the hands of the most feared creature alive: the Lycan King. Dakor is ancient, merciless, and hollowed by grief. His heart died with his mate three centuries ago. Now he rules through fear and bloodshed and desires nothing… until her. Raziela should fear him… she does. But the longer she survives the cruelty of his court, the more the lines between prey and predator blur. Beneath the King’s darkness lies a deadly desire. And if she lets it consume her, she risks more than her soul, she risks the one thing she’s sworn to protect.

Five years after the death of his fated mate, Alpha Blade found himself lost in the abyss of life. He had abandoned his pack and chose to lead a mercenary life to avenge the death of Soledad, his fated mate. But even after justice was served, he felt empty, and the need to take more lives had become his way of life. With too much blood in his hands, he became ruthless and cold-hearted, with no direction, no goal, and no will to survive—until destiny decided to play a cruel joke on him and gave him a light witch for a second-chance mate.  Confused and not wanting to betray the memory of his first mate, Blade fought against the new bond the Goddess gave him, only to find himself being drawn more to the young witch who was slowly lighting up the darkness surrounding him. But when lies, betrayals, and secrets come to light, will their bond survive the test of fate, or will the truth spiral them into the darkness lurking behind the shadow?  ***** BEYOND THE DARKNESS: The Alphas Little Witch is the third installment of the INTO THE DARKNESS SAGA. To understand the world I created, I highly suggest reading the first two books, also available on Goodnovel/Buenovela/Meganovel. INTO THE DARKNESS SAGA BENEATH HER DARKNESS: The Alpha's Little Demon BRAVING THE DARKNESS: One Night With the Demon King (attached to the book Beneath Her Darkness - after its epilogue) BEYOND THE DARKNESS: The Alpha's Little Witch ***** For updates and teasers, follow me on my I G and F B  - author.cassa.m / www.facebook.com/groups/cassandra.m.world

"Ava, don't waste your time on a broken man like me. I can't give you the happiness you deserve." "Liam, I don't care about that. You're more to me than your past or your scars." Ava Patel, a driven and brilliant surgeon, has always put her career first, leaving little room for love. Her heart, guarded by ambition, has never wavered—until she meets Liam Blackwood. Once a powerful magnate, Liam's world shattered when an accident took his sight, his mobility, and his confidence. Now, he's a shadow of the man he used to be, convinced he's unworthy of love. But Ava sees beyond his brokenness, drawn to the man he is beneath the pain. Yet, Liam resists, certain that his love would only hold her back. Can Ava break through his defenses and show him that love is not about perfection, but about acceptance? Or will Liam's insecurities doom their chance at happiness?

His hand clamped around my chin, rough and unrelenting, sending a sharp ache through my jaw. His eyes bored into mine, dark and merciless, as if he could strip away my very soul. “You belong to me now,” he snarled, his voice low and venomous. My heart hammered in my chest, each beat a desperate plea to escape. --- Nyx Caprienne was feared by all, known as “The Queen of Death.” A mercenary without equal, she moved like a shadow, silent and lethal, leaving destruction in her wake. Her latest mission was simple. To hunt down a man who seemed untouchable. A man drenched in blood and power, his name whispered with fear. To Nyx, he was just another target. Another job. But this time, fate turned the game against her. This man was more than she’d anticipated. Beneath his wealth and charm was something far darker, a predator who thrived on chaos. He wasn’t just dangerous; he was the devil himself. And now, Nyx was caught in his web, realizing too late that this was a fight she might not survive.

Kayden Wolf knows 2 things guaranteed to make a girl weak in the knees: Fast cars and money And luckily, he has both. When a tragic business accident happens, he is forced into marriage with Skylar, the sister of his deceased fiancée and a black sheep of the Campbell family. ~~~ Skylar Campbell is the absolute sheep of the family. There is nothing she does that makes her family happy, no matter how hard she tries. She has gotten used to living in the shadow of her elder sister her whole life, until one day… Her sister dies. Everyone blamed her death on her. She didn’t kill her own sister. Everything she has ever known crumbles beneath her feet, and as if things couldn’t get any worse, she has to marry his dead sister’s fiancée. Why? Why does no one care about her feelings? Not the world, Not her mom and dad, Not even her husband, What will her life be like married to the one person who hates her the most?