Bloodstained Apples

In the tough underworld of New York City, where crime families rule and secrets are buried deep, Zoey Anderson, an investigative journalist with a liking for uncovering the truth, stumbles upon a story that could make or break her career. Little does she know that this story will also unravel her world and lead her into a web of danger, deceit, and forbidden love. The notorious Pushkin Bratva family, led by the enigmatic and ruthless Alexei Pushkin, controls the city's criminal empire. Zoey's investigative instincts lead her to believe that there's more to Alexei than meets the eye, and she's determined to expose his hidden past and criminal activities. But when Zoey's life is threatened, she finds herself reluctantly under Alexei's protection. As reluctant allies, they navigate a treacherous path of crime, deceit, and unexpected alliances. Zoey, scarred by a stormy childhood, discovers an unexpected connection with Alexei, a man whose ruthless reputation conceals a deeper, more vulnerable side. As they clash and spar, Zoey and Alexei discover an undeniable attraction that neither can resist. Drawn together by their shared secrets and dangerous desires, they must navigate a treacherous path of loyalty, betrayal, and . The lines between right and wrong blur as they become entangled in a love affair that could destroy them both. With rival mafia families closing in and the law closing in on the Pushkin empire, Zoey and Alexei must make choices that will determine their fates. Can their love survive in a world filled with bloodshed and deception? And will they find a way to break from the darkness that binds them?

"You're impossible." She whispered staring up into his dark brown eyes."Maybe... but your mine and I don't share with anyone."****Vanessa has been accepted to the exclusive Bedlam Academy of the elite in an attempt to escape her fearful past and psychotic stepbrother. Little does she know she found her way out of the pan and into the fire when she meets Nash, resident Bedlam graduate and part of the Bedlam Knights. Will Nash be enough to save Vanessa from her past, or will her past catch up to her unexpectedly? Bloodstained Promises is created by Lillith Carrie, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

Revenge was all she had left. After years of torment, Raven emerged from the ashes of her past. No longer a helpless girl, but a deadly predator. A single bite turned her into something more, something powerful, and she vowed to make men like her abusers pay. Abused, broken, and left for dead, she clawed her way back by becoming a predator herself, throwing men into her bed, only to end their lives before sunrise. No man could touch her. No man could own her. Until one night, she met him. Alessio Rossi. A man who is powerful, dangerous, and a ruthless Alpha. But when Raven tried to kill him, she failed. Worse, he spared her. Unknowingly, he was her mate. Now, trapped in a bond she never wanted, Raven’s world is thrown into chaos. She hated the idea of men, and yet, she had no choice but to accept the mate bond. Alessio, too, despised the idea of a Luna, yet they are forced to stay together for a certain period of time before they can part ways. In the midst of their hatred, a dark obsession festers. Claire, a manipulative wolf who is dangerously obsessed with Alessio, will stop at nothing to drive a wedge between them. In a world where love is forbidden and hatred runs deep, Raven must face the truth: Some bonds can’t be broken. And some desires are impossible to resist.

My father was critically ill. I begged my fiancé to keep his post-wedding promise—to withdraw emergency funds from the medical trust fund he had sworn to protect me forever. He refused. The next day, he announced his engagement to Pera. Overnight, I became the laughingstock of everyone. In my deepest despair, my childhood friend Seamus— The heir to a long-established Mafia family— Knelt down in the park and proposed to me in front of everyone. That night, he transferred a large sum of money to my account. I said yes without hesitation and rushed to the hospital to pay for my father's treatment. But he never woke up again. The hospital said he had suffered "unexpected complications." Everything after that—the lawyers, the funeral, all the arrangements—was handled by Seamus. Under the Mafia family's protection, everything went smoothly, and my father was able to be quietly buried. The wedding proceeded as planned. Years later, I overheard a conversation between him and the doctor who treated my father. “Seamus,” the doctor said in a low voice, “You tampered with the organ allocation priority list. You delayed Shirley’s father’s transplant so that Pera’s father could receive an organ transplant in time. You falsified the urgency level. Do you know what will happen if this is exposed?” “The list itself was legal,” Seamus replied after a pause. “I just…adjusted the urgency level.” “You committed medical fraud,” the doctor said sharply. “You ruined his only chance to live. All for Pera. Don’t you regret it?” “I don’t regret it,” Seamus answered without hesitation. “I would do anything for her. Even my life, even the honor of the Mafia family.” “Throughout our marriage, I’ve been trying to make up for everything I owed Shirley. That should be enough.” My vision blurred. Only then did I finally understand— The woman he truly loved was always Pera. "If that's really the case," I thought numbly,"Then I should leave."

I agreed to transfer out of Central Wolf Academy with Lucien because he said he was being bullied. Eighteen years old and still unawakened, in an academy obsessed with bloodline purity and dominance, he stood out in all the wrong ways. So he begged me to leave with him—to move to a less demanding school, where lineage mattered less. The day before we were supposed to finalize everything, I went to find him. Outside the door.That was when I heard it. One of his Beta companions drawled, amused. “I’ll give you that, Lucien. Pretending you were being hunted just to get her to leave Central Academy for you.” Another voice hesitated. “You two grew up together. You’re really letting her go like that?” Lucien answered without pause, his tone relaxed, faintly amused. “It’s not even overseas. She’ll be fine.” Then, colder. “She’s clung to me since we were kids. I was getting tired of it. This is… efficient.” I didn’t confront him.I turned and walked away. Back in my room, I reopened the transfer application. I crossed out the name of the ordinary werewolf academy he claimed he needed—and wrote in the one my parents had insisted on years ago. Everyone had forgotten something. I am the sole heir of the Bloodmoon Pack. And Lucien—an illegitimate son tolerated by the Silvercrest Alpha—would never touch the Alpha throne without a formal bond to me. One day, he would realize that what he discarded was not just my devotion.

Voici la version simplifiée du texte, conservant l'intensité et l'essentiel de la trame : J'étais enceinte de neuf mois quand le Conseil des Loups a envoyé le rapport de ressources de mon compagnon. Pendant deux ans, mon mari, l'Alpha de la meute, avait secrètement fourni territoire, protection et provisions à la même louve — sans interruption. La première aide datait d'il y a deux ans : le mois où j'avais perdu mon premier enfant. Une notification est apparue : un message de cette louve. « Tu as vu le rapport, n'est-ce pas ? » Je n'ai pas répondu, mais j'ai ouvert son fil. La publication la plus ancienne, datée du 21 avril de cette année-là, montrait une louve appuyée contre un Alpha. Son visage était hors champ, mais la marque d'Alpha sur son épaule — celle de mon mari — était claire. La légende : « Merci de m'avoir choisie la nuit de ma majorité. » Cette nuit-là, je gisais en sang dans la salle de soins, en train de perdre notre petit. Il m'avait dit qu'il était en déplacement pour la meute. Je continue à faire défiler : elle s'entraînait dans les zones réservées aux Alphas, utilisait les ressources de la Luna, était protégée comme si elle était déjà à sa place. Chaque publication rappelait qu'il l'avait choisie. En haut de son fil, un rapport médical : elle était enceinte de l'enfant de l'Alpha. J'ai posé mon appareil et retourné dans notre chambre. Puis elle m'a envoyé photos et vidéos — pour exhiber que l'amour dont je fus fière était pourri jusqu'à l'os. Je me suis assise lentement, mon petit remuant en moi, une douleur au cœur. C'est alors que j'ai compris : il m'avait trahie, entièrement. Je ne veux pas cet amour. Je ne resterai pas dans cette meute. Quand mon petit naîtra, je partirai avec lui, l'héritier de l'Alpha. Qu'il fouille chaque territoire, qu'il mette la meute à feu et à sang dans le regret — il ne nous trouvera jamais.

It was our sixth wedding anniversary. Lord Tom didn't pledge his vows to me, but instead gave me his family's crest—a dim, unstable mark, the mark of a blood slave. That very night, while solemn hymns echoed through the hall, he performed a blood oath ceremony with his pure-blood first love, Lady Mia. I refused the mark. He let out a cold, humorless laugh. "Love is a luxury only immortals can afford, Rowling," he said. "My union with Mia is a political necessity—to maintain the purity of the bloodline." His gaze turned icy. "You are a mortal. You should be content with my protection. Few receive such a blessing." I didn't speak.I left before dawn. Six years later, we met again at a banquet hosted by the Vampire High Council. Tom walked in with Mia, her silk dress shimmering silver in the moonlight. Under his rule, his family was about to gain a seat in the Senate. His gaze found me. I stood in the hotel's decorative fountain, the water up to my ankles, soaking wet, sand clinging to my dress. A familiar look of contempt flickered across his face. "Rowling," he said coldly. "You refused my protection, mocked my generosity. Now you're rummaging through a public fountain like a beggar." The corners of his mouth curled slightly. "Do you really think any vampire would take in a mortal without a protector?" I didn't look up. I was searching for my son's tourmaline that had fallen into the water. But to my son, it was a seal—an ancient restraint, suppressing a power that shouldn't awaken so early. I could already feel it weakening. If the seal cannot be repaired in time, the power erupting within him will destroy the entire building.

Eu concordei em me transferir da Academia Central do Lobo com Lucien porque ele disse que estava sofrendo bullying. Aos dezoito anos e ainda não despertado, em uma academia obcecada por pureza de linhagem e dominância, ele se destacava de todas as formas erradas. Então, ele me implorou para partir com ele, para nos mudarmos para uma escola menos exigente, onde a linhagem importasse menos. No dia anterior ao que deveríamos finalizar tudo, eu fui procurá-lo. Do lado de fora da porta. Foi quando eu ouvi. Um de seus companheiros Betas falou arrastado, divertido. — Eu admito, Lucien. Fingir que você estava sendo caçado apenas para fazê-la deixar a Academia Central por você. Outra voz hesitou. — Vocês dois cresceram juntos. Você vai realmente deixá-la ir assim? Lucien respondeu sem pausa, seu tom relaxado, levemente divertido. — Não é nem no exterior. Ela ficará bem. Então, mais frio. — Ela se agarrou a mim desde que éramos crianças. Eu estava ficando cansado disso. Isso é… eficiente. Eu não o confrontei. Eu me virei e fui embora. De volta ao meu quarto, reabri o formulário de transferência. Risquei o nome da academia de lobisomens comum que ele alegou precisar, e escrevi o nome daquela em que meus pais insistiram anos atrás. Todos haviam esquecido de algo. Eu sou a única herdeira da Alcateia Bloodmoon. E Lucien, um filho ilegítimo tolerado pelo Alfa da Silvercrest, nunca tocaria o trono de Alfa sem um vínculo formal comigo. Um dia, ele perceberia que o que descartou não foi apenas a minha devoção.

Tenía nueve meses de embarazo cuando el Consejo de Lobos envió un reporte de recursos a las habitaciones de la Luna. En él aparecían los gastos mensuales de mi compañero. Durante dos años seguidos, mi compañero del destino, el Alfa de la manada, le había estado entregando en secreto a una loba acceso al territorio, protección y suministros. Sin falta, cada mes. El primer registro era de hace dos años, el mismo mes en que perdí a mi primer cachorro. De pronto apareció una notificación: una solicitud de contacto. El nombre decía: “La compañera del Alfa”. Me sentía extrañamente tranquila; puse una mano sobre mi vientre abultado y acepté. Me escribió. “Ya viste el reporte, ¿no?” No le respondí; en su lugar, abrí su perfil. La publicación más vieja era del 21 de abril de hace dos años. Una loba aparecía apoyada en el pecho de un Alfa. Le habían recortado la cara en la foto, pero la marca en su hombro era clara. La reconocí: era la marca de Alfa de mi compañero. El texto decía: “Gracias por elegirme en mi noche de mayoría de edad”. El 21 de abril. Esa fue la noche en que me quedé desangrándome en la sala de curación, perdiendo a mi bebé. Él me había dicho que estaba fuera por asuntos de la manada. Seguí revisando sus fotos. Entrenaba libremente en áreas exclusivas para Alfas. Usaba recursos reservados para su Luna. La cuidaban como si ya fuera la pareja que debía estar a su lado. Cada publicación transmitía el mismo mensaje: él la eligió a ella. Fijado hasta arriba había un reporte médico: estaba embarazada del cachorro del Alfa. Dejé el celular y regresé a nuestra recámara. Entonces me llegaron más cosas: fotos y videos. Me los mandó a propósito, para presumir que el amor del que yo antes estaba tan orgullosa ya no era para mí. Me senté despacio mientras sentía a mi cachorro moviéndose dentro de mí y dolor me recorría. Solo entonces lo entendí: me había traicionado por completo. No quiero un amor así. No me quedaré en esta manada. Cuando nazca mi cachorro, me iré y me llevaré a su heredero conmigo. Que el Alfa busque en cada territorio, y aunque recorra cada frontera y destruya la manada por arrepentimiento, nunca nos va a encontrar.

I was nine months pregnant when the Wolf Council sent a resource report to the Luna’s quarters. It listed my mate’s monthly distributions. For two years straight, my husband—the pack’s Alpha—had been secretly providing the same female wolf with territory access, protection, and supplies. Without missing a single month. The first record dated back to two years ago. The same month I lost my first pup. A notification appeared—A contact request. The note read: “A woman kept by an Alpha.” I was strangely calm, one hand rested on my swollen belly as I accepted. She messaged immediately. “You saw the report, didn’t you?” I didn’t reply, I opened her feed instead. The earliest post was dated April 21st, two years ago. A female wolf leaned against an Alpha’s chest. His face was cropped out—but the mark on his shoulder was clear. I recognized it instantly. My mate’s Alpha mark. The caption read: “Thank you for choosing me on my coming-of-age night.” April 21st. That was the night I lay bleeding in the healing room, losing my unborn pup. He had told me he was away on pack business. I kept scrolling. She trained freely in Alpha-only areas. Used resources reserved for the Luna. Was guarded as if she already belonged at his side. Every post carried the same message: He chose her. Pinned at the top was a medical report—She was pregnant—With the Alpha’s pup. I put the device down and returned to our bedroom. Then I received it—Photos. Videos. She sent them to me on purpose— to flaunt that the love I had once been so proud of had already rotted beyond repair. I sat down slowly, my pup shifting inside me, pain spreading through my chest. Only then did I understand—He had betrayed me completely. This kind of love—I don’t want it. This pack—I won’t stay in it. When my pup is born, I will leave—And I will take his heir with me. Let the Alpha search every territory, scour every border, tear the pack apart in regret— he will never find us.