Book Delicate Novels & Stories

My eyes glinted with an otherworldly silver light, the colour deepening to a rich, brilliant shade of amber. It was still dark outside, the faintest hints of dawn just beginning to peek through the curtains when my father, Alpha Derek, quietly opened my bedroom door. I pretended to be asleep to prank him. He walked silently and stopped by my bed, at this point I knew he was smiling gently as he surveyed my slumbering form. He'll forever be my favourite male ever. Tiptoeing to the edge of my bed, he leaned down and softly shook my shoulder. “Bella, wake up, princess,” he whispered.

“Window. Door that opens from the inside. No chains. Clean water. Bread that doesn’t taste like sadness. Oh, and a knife under my pillow.” Gasps. Scandal. Someone whispered, “A knife?” like I’d suggested arson. Kael’s mouth did the not-smile again. “She will have what she requires.” “Add breakfast,” I said. “Hot. And if any noble daughter smirks at me, I get her seat.” Sleek Eel sputtered. “This is an outrage—” “It’s a menu,” I said. “Try reading one sometime.”

Her aunt gives her a small smile and nods, Celine finds the bookmark and opens to the page. The woven bookmark has a faded blue tassel and was made of woven threads depicting wolves running in a forest, at the bottom of the bookmark was an old wolf’s tooth with a hole drilled through to be able to tie it onto the bookmark. She puts it to one side to look at the page it had been marking. It looked much like many of the others she had seen flipping through. But its words had her feeling like her world was slipping through her fingers and she was unable to do anything to stop it.

After all, however complicated things might have become between him and the princess, there was still a distinction between men and women. "Lilia, don't be frightened. Everyone here belongs to the Duke of Blackmoor's household. We are all family," Selena murmured, gently placing utensils into her hands. "There's braised pork on the table, and some stuffed meatballs made from minced pork and herbs. There's also fish, quite small and without bones, so you need not worry. And we also have some steamed vegetables, chicken..." Selena cast a brief look toward Sally. Nearly every dish served today was steamed, each one soft and easy to take. There was not a single bone in sight, all prepared with L

It was surprisingly light, elegant in its simplicity. Mirabel was already on her feet, eyes wide with curiosity. “Ooh, what is it? Open it!” I lifted the lid carefully. Nestled inside on black tissue paper lay a single perfect white rose, its petals velvety and flawless. Tucked beside it was a delicate gold-foil bookmark, thin and beautifully engraved. The elegant script read: For the girl who reads her way out of every cage. There was no name or card from the sender. But I knew who it was from.

It was breathtaking. “I got inspired by a drama that’s trending right now. Made a few tweaks to the costume design and stitched it myself. Pretty?” “It’s stunning,” Adela said. “Try it on—I bet you’ll look amazing!” Blushing a bit, Cici took it to the bathroom. “Might take a minute to change. Help yourself to juice!” Adela nodded and wandered around while waiting. She stopped at the desk, admiring the neat little details. A stack of books caught her eye. One had a beautiful red braided ribbon sticking out—an intricate bookmark.

The dining room of the Cali mansion was a masterpiece of understated luxury. The long mahogany table, polished to a mirror-like sheen, reflected the soft glow of the crystal chandelier overhead. Fine china and silverware were arranged with precision, each piece gleaming under the light. A centerpiece of fresh white lilies and cascading greenery added a touch of elegance, their subtle fragrance mingling with the aroma of the gourmet meal being served. Elena sat at one end of the table, her posture regal but her sharp eyes betraying her unease.

She found a white one with a small bow at the left side of the waist and a semi-sweetheart detail with a thigh-high slit. “Excuse me, can I get that dress?” Arya asked a sales assistant that was close by and pointed at the dress. The sales assistant who Arya knew as Debby due to her name tag, rolled her eyes silently before turning to face Arya with an obvious fake smile. “I'm sorry but the dresses placed on the display aren't for sale, you'd have to pick another one,” Debby said briefly. “Why? Is there something wrong with the dress?” Arya’s previously happy air plunged into darkness when she heard the news.

I was expecting her to drop off the supplements and leave when she suddenly clutched her stomach and asked, "Winston, my stomach hurts. Could you get me a glass of water?" Startled, I quickly went to the water dispenser to get her some hot water. Just then, Nancy appeared behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist. A mild, subtle fragrance wafted from her, not overpowering but somehow intoxicating, and I could feel her softness pressing against me. As she rubbed against my back, my mind went completely blank. A tingling sensation washed over me from head to toe. I suppressed my inner turmoil and said to Nancy, "Ms. Stevens, please don't cross the—"

Blake looked about ready to burst from excitement as I stared at the paper in my hands and began to read the clue out loud. “Warm plates, cool mugs, where holiday meals are served, look where elegant dishes are kept undisturbed. Among forks and fine china, your first gift does gleam—like it was lifted from a potter’s dream.” My eyebrows shot up in amusement. Since when did Blake Lindell write poetry?? I believe he could sense the question that was on my mind because he wagged his index finger at me and said “That’s not important right now. What is important is finding that gift.”