Black Clover Countdown

On the verge of death, I received a system that gave me special powers. I was giving five wishes. However, both my body and soul will have to experience excruciating pain for every wish that I make. My childhood sweetheart, Ben Greenwood, used my first four wishes recklessly whilst ignoring the pain that I had to experience for every wish. When he forced me to use my last wish to make the scar on his female consultant's face to disappear, I looked at the face that looked exactly like his first love and my heart ached. What he didn't know was that after using my final wish, I would die.

Lindsey Johnson asks her fiance's true love, Stephanie Sullivan, to repay her debt. The next day, Jacob Whitaker throws at her a ledger that she had never seen before. Every single expense from their five-year relationship is recorded inside. From small things like two-dollar ice cream to the expensive items like the luxury bags he gave her. Even the costs of hotel stays and condoms are recorded in the ledger. "I'll split half the hotel bills with you. After deducting the 100 grand Stephie owes you, you still owe me 2.08 million. You have one month to transfer the month to my account."

Es war unser 7. Jahrestag der Gefährtenbindung. Doch Jonas Schmitt, der alles kontrollierende Alpha, brachte seine schwangere Geliebte mit nach Hause. Sieben Jahre lang hatte er mich wie einen Glauben behandelt. Vor allen Leuten küsste er meine Hand und sagte, ich sei sein Mond, seine einzige Luna in diesem Leben. Doch jetzt lag seine Hand auf dem Bauch einer anderen Frau, als würde er ein Wunder zur Schau stellen. „Sie ist mit meinem ersten Kind schwanger. Du besitzt die Kraft der Mondgöttin, ich hoffe, du kannst sie segnen.“ „Sie hat während der Schwangerschaft ständig Albträume, also wird sie im Hauptschlafzimmer wohnen.“ Ich erstarrte an Ort und Stelle und glaubte beinahe, mich verhört zu haben. „Machst du Witze? Das ist mein Zimmer!“ Er hob den Blick, seine Stimme trug eine deutliche Warnung: „Ab heute gehört es ihr.“ Ich war so wütend, dass ich beinahe lachte. Meine Stimme zitterte, blieb jedoch klar. „Du hast eine Omega-Mutter von niederem Status geschwängert und bringst sie in unser Zuhause? Jonas, du bist völlig verrückt!“ „Ich habe keine Geduld, es ein drittes Mal zu sagen. Zieh jetzt aus.“ Seine Ausstrahlung wurde augenblicklich eiskalt. Seine Alphas Aura brach über mich herein und drückte meine Wölfin in mir nieder, bis er leise aufjaulte. Er dachte, ich würde mich gehorsam fügen. Doch was er nicht wusste, war, dass ich bereits vor einigen Wochen, als ich das Video von seinem Fremdgehen erhalten hatte, mein Gepäck gepackt hatte. Als ich zur Tür ging, hörte ich sein spöttisches Lachen hinter mir. „Lasst sie ruhig Ärger machen. In weniger als drei Tagen wird sie zurückgekrochen kommen.“ Die Mitglieder des Rudels hinter mir kicherten leise. Sie wetteten bereits darauf, wie viele Tage ich dieses Mal durchhalten würde. Doch der Wagen, der mich abholen sollte, stand bereits vor der Tür. Dieses Mal werde ich endgültig mit ihm brechen und niemals zurückblicken.

Als mein Alpha-Gefährte Logan bemerkte, dass ich seit drei Tagen keinen einzigen Ausgabenantrag einreichte, meldete er sich zum allerersten Mal von sich aus bei mir. „Baby, ich habe die nächste Phase der Heilung deiner Wölfin bereits genehmigt. Siehst du? Solange du lernst, dich zu benehmen, gibt es nichts, was ich dir nicht geben würde.“ Sein Ton war immer noch so zärtlich, als wäre er wirklich ein guter Alpha, der sich krank vor Sorge um seine Gefährtin machte. Aber er wusste nicht, dass ich, während sein „Baby“ über meinen Bildschirm flackerte, die Vereinbarung zum Durchtrennen unserer Gefährtenbindung längst fertig ausgearbeitet hatte. Bevor ich ging, war das Einzige, was ich mitnehmen konnte, das alte T-Shirt, das ich getragen hatte, als er mich markierte. Niemand hätte je geglaubt, dass die geliebte Luna des Blackmoon-Rudels in den drei Jahren seit unserer Bindungszeremonie nicht einmal fünf anständige Kleider für sich selbst zusammenkratzen konnte. Jede einzelne Haushaltsausgabe, die ich hatte, musste mit dem Siegel der Luna genehmigt werden – dem Symbol meiner Macht. „Sienna, die Bücher zu führen ist zu anstrengend. Das wird dich nur auslaugen.“ „Lass Chloe die lästige Arbeit mit dem Siegel erledigen. Du musst nur schön sein, meine perfekte Luna.“ Und so wurde das Siegel der Luna, das eigentlich mir hätte gehören müssen, zu etwas, das ich Chloe anflehen musste – der Sekretärin des Alphas, die angeblich „die lästige Arbeit für mich erledigte“. Vor drei Tagen stand meine Wölfin kurz vor dem Zusammenbruch. Ich weinte und flehte ihn um die zweihunderttausend an, die für einen Notfalleingriff benötigt wurden. Doch Chloe hielt das Siegel absichtlich zurück und verzögerte die Genehmigung, indem sie sich auf angeblich falsche Abläufe berief. Schließlich wurde meine ohnehin schon gebrochene Wölfin tief in meiner Seele völlig still. Und damit war ich auch mit diesem Alpha fertig.

The day my boyfriend got back together with his first love was the day I boarded the flight to Imperia. "Queenie was just a fling," said my boyfriend. "I'll never see her again. We'll be together forever." His friends were worried about my ruining his heartfelt confession, but I would not. Not this time. Before I went to Imperia, I promised my mentor I would join medical research, and I was half a month away from total communication cutoff. I would have to stay around for ten years for the research. I would not be allowed to contact anyone in the meantime. And thus, my ties to my soon-to-be ex were broken.

Commander Samson Gardner was my fiance. In his family was an iron-clad rule—no divorces. Before my brother died, his last wish was for Samson to marry me. So, even after falling in love with his childhood sweetheart, Samson still decided to marry me as promised. However, everything changed the day said childhood sweetheart destroyed the only watch my brother left me. When Samson sided with her again, I didn't argue. I simply reached out to my mentor overseas and started preparing to become a foreign correspondent. Before leaving, I gave myself ten days to put things in order. On the first day, I quietly hid the marriage application I was supposed to submit. On the third day, I turned in my resignation to the military. The day I was to leave, Samson finally remembered the watch and promised to take me to buy a new one on his next day off. Right after that, he ordered me, "Celia is inviting friends over for dinner tonight. Make sure the food is ready before you go." I agreed with a smile—and then never showed up in his world again. Afterward, Samson would stare blankly at the marriage application inside his drawer every time he saw my name in the news. There, within his drawer, were the memories of an autumn not yet fully arrived, the lover he could never win back, and the watch he could never give...

When the heatwave apocalypse hits the Earth, the ozone layer has completely dissipated, forcing mankind to move into the underground city. My husband, Rhett Calloway, and I get to stay on Level Two, seeing as we've funded the construction of the underground city. On day in the third year of the heatwave apocalypse, Rhett brings back a sickly young woman from the slums located on Level Three out of the blue. "Nora, the living conditions on Level Three are very difficult. Anna is in poor health. I can't just sit by and watch her suffer." After that, Rhett carries Anna Archer into our home. I keep my gaze lowered as I remind him, "Don't forget that there's a strict population count on Level Two. The available slots in every family are fixed." "I know that. That's why you need to head down to the slums on Level Three to replace Anna for the time being. Once she recovers from her illness, I'll bring you home." The moment I hear Rhett's response, I remain rooted to the spot for a long time. After walking out the front door, I do my best to suppress the quiver in my tone as I call a number that belongs to Level One. "I've already thought it through. I've decided to join the project to end the apocalypse on Level One."

To make up for past regrets with his first love, my husband, Pierce Ronan, lied that he could see everyone’s lifespan. He told me I had sixty years left, but his first love, Jessica Stone, had only seven days to live. So, for those seven days, he said he had to fulfill the promises of their youth. He brought her home, cared for her, and when they went back to their old college campus to relive their love, I didn’t protest. When he confessed his love to her and planned the wedding of the century, asking me to be the bridesmaid, I didn’t raise my voice. It wasn’t until he wanted to break the final taboo — in our marital bedroom — that he looked at me with guilt in his eyes and begged me to move out. The housemaids watched, snickering behind their hands, but I only smiled and nodded in agreement. I packed my bags, carried our child, and moved into the guest room next door. Seeing how obedient I remained, Pierce was touched. “I promise, this will be the last time I wrong you. Once Jessica passes, I’ll make it up to you.” What he didn’t know was that I had already seen through his lies. What he also didn’t know was that the one truly dying of cancer, the one with only seven days left to live, was me. Three days remained. Then, I would be gone.

The war between vampires and werewolves has raged for centuries. But Dorian, the most revered vampire prince, shattered every rule and bound himself to me—a werewolf. The Elders punished him for it. For this, he was chained in sacred silver for days on end. Forced to drink the blood of beasts. He nearly died in a baptism of holy water. The pain was absolute. But when he saw me again, his eyes were bloodshot as he kissed my tears away. "The moment we bonded, I made a vow," he whispered. "You are my eternal mate. I will never forsake you." Finally, his family—the Valkyries—agreed. But they had one condition. He could leave the vampire world with me. But first, he had to sleep with Liliana, the pureblood noblewoman. He had to give his family a new, powerful heir. Dorian held me, his voice tight with desperation. "Please, Freya. Just wait a little longer. A few more years, and we can go to the human world. We can have our eternity." I waited. Night after night, he went to her bed. A hundred nights of betrayal passed before she finally conceived. But their daughter, Aria, was born without the proper bloodline mark. She couldn't be the heir. They had to have another. I endured another two hundred nights of their betrayal. Liliana was pregnant again. But on Aria's first birthday, sunlight somehow flooded her room. She was dying. Everyone thought I did it. I was locked in a cellar lined with silver. Dorian's face was a mask of pain and exhaustion as he confronted me. "I told you we could leave after the next child was born. You're the only one here immune to the sun. Why would you hurt my daughter?!" Tears streamed down my swollen face as I tried to deny it, but the silver poison burning in my bones had already stolen my voice. By the time the cellar door opened again, the wolf inside me was fading. I forced myself to my feet and walked toward the Valkyrie Elders. This eternal bond he promised? I was done.

“Ma’am, there’s no marriage record between you and Mr. Mark Henderson in the system.” My fingers tightened around the pregnancy report as my legs nearly gave out beneath me. Five years ago, Mark was recruited by a top law firm abroad with a high-paying offer. Without hesitation, I followed him across the ocean. He had told me, “Once I’m settled, I’ll take care of your status.” However, five years had passed, and my lawful permanent residence was still “in process.” Meanwhile, his assistant, Tonya Irving, who followed him abroad, had secured hers under his sponsorship. Back then, I made a scene, insisting on a divorce so I could return home. For the first time, the ever-composed Mark, an attorney, lost his calm. He grabbed my hand and said, “Tonya’s all alone out here, and it hasn’t been easy for her. Helping her is just the right thing to do. You’re my wife. Your status is only a matter of time. My work is sensitive right now, and I need to avoid any complications. You understand, don’t you?” But I had understood him for five whole years. My phone suddenly rang. Mark’s voice came through, light with laughter. “Tonya’s permanent residence was approved today. We’re celebrating tonight. I need you to get home early and cook up a feast.” I stared at the marriage license in my hand—now nothing more than a worthless piece of paper. A cold chill spread down my spine. As it turned out, I was never his legal wife. I had no legal status and no protection, much less rights secured for the child I was carrying. After hanging up, I scheduled an abortion and booked the earliest flight home. This time, I wouldn’t look back.