Burn It Down

Raised as the unwanted adopted child of a powerful beta family, eighteen-year-old Rose has always known pain more intimately than love. Once cherished, she became invisible the moment the Blackwoods’ true daughter was found. Forced into servitude within her own pack, Rose endures cruelty, neglect, and the daily suppression of her wolf through wolfsbane—a punishment that leaves her powerless and broken, or so everyone believes. Unlike other wolves, Rose cannot hear or feel her inner beast. Her wolf has been silent for as long as she can remember, locked away for reasons even the pack elders do not understand. Labeled weak and defective, she dreams only of escape and a life where she is more than a shadow. On the eve of her eighteenth birthday, hope sparks when her best friend encourages her to flee the pack and start anew. But when a mysterious howl awakens something deep within Rose, her dormant wolf begins to stir—revealing that her power was never gone, only bound. As secrets unravel and fate draws her toward a dangerous, magnetic bond she never expected, Rose must uncover the truth of who she is, why her wolf was suppressed, and whether love can survive the fire awakening inside her. Her freedom will come at a cost—and the world is not ready for what she is becoming.

Everyone in the mercenary group knew just how deeply Liam Smith loved me and feared losing me. He even suppressed his dark desires to make sure I felt truly safe. No matter how dangerous the mission, he made sure to check in every single day. Worried for his safety, I hid my identity and secretly became his team’s hacker. However, after one mission, I overheard the others joking over the radio: "Chief was in such a rush to pick that lock and go after Wendy. What's so irresistible about her?" Through an unattended monitor, I caught Liam glancing at the camera with a teasing smile. "Didn't I tell you guys that she nearly wrung me dry the last time we did it?" It felt like I had fallen into an ice-cold abyss. My heart shattered, and I summoned the system. [I want to leave this world.] The cold, mechanical voice replied without delay: [Once you leave, all traces of the host in this world will be erased.] [Starting the countdown: Seven days left.]

> I died loving him. I returned to destroy him. Aria Sinclair gave everything to Damon King — her love, her loyalty, her name. But when his betrayal shattered her world and drove her to her death, she swore one thing with her final breath: she would never love him again. Now reborn five years later with a new identity and sharper mind, Aria re-enters Damon’s life as a powerful investor bent on dismantling his empire piece by piece. But Damon isn’t the cold-hearted man she remembers. He's tormented by regret... and still haunted by her memory. As secrets unravel and passion reignites, Aria finds herself caught between the vengeance she craved and the love she once buried. Can she truly ruin the man who still owns her heart? Or will her kiss become his salvation instead of his downfall?

Rachel Lloyd had been by William Lewis' side since she was eighteen. One day, after an accident, she finally regained her hearing, which she had previously lost while saving his life. She couldn't wait to share the good news with him. But when she arrived, she found him holding his first love in his arms and whispering sweet nothings to her. William always knew Rachel loved him deeply—to the point she would give her life for him. She never got angry and never asked for much. But this time, instead of quietly staying by his side, she simply signed a non-disclosure agreement. And when the time came, she completely disappeared from his world. When William first heard that Rachel had vanished, he laughed it off. "She'll be back within a week." But a week passed. Then, a month. Then, three months. And still, Rachel didn't return. Now, as panic set in, William searched for her like a madman. For the first time in his proud, arrogant life, he humbled himself and begged, "Rachel, stop this. It's been long enough." Later, he added, "Come home. I'll give you whatever you want." And finally, he said, "If I were dying… would you at least come say goodbye?" When they met again, he was on his knees. His eyes were red-rimmed as he held out a teacup. "Please have some tea... Aunt Rachel."

Seraphina died betrayed. She perished in flames—poisoned by Darius, the fated mate she'd foolishly loved. Her childhood sweetheart, who sacrificed her only to save his mistress. Reborn five years earlier, Seraphina vows: Never again. No more submissions. No more suffering his cruelty. This time, she'll rewrite her destiny - then she meets Kairos. The Untamed Alpha King who loathes the mate bond after his own betrayal. Her second-chance mate - a bond that will kill her if she rejects it. Now, caught between Kairos' relentless pursuit and Darius' desperate attempts to reclaim her, Seraphina faces an impossible choice: Drown the world in vengeance... or risk her shattered heart on the mate who could either heal her scars or destroy her completely?

The seventh time Claire Fisher bailed on our marriage license appointment, I finally cut her out of my life—for good. From then on, if she was at a party, I wasn't. When she was scheduled to perform at our college's anniversary celebration, I made sure to leave early. The moment my company announced a collaboration with hers, I resigned without a second thought. Even on Christmas Eve, when she showed up at my parents' house with gifts, I slipped out with a half-hearted excuse about "visiting a friend." I blocked her number. Deleted her from my contacts. Burned every bridge and salted the earth behind me. No calls. No texts. No social media. I didn't reach out. She couldn't reach me. Simple as that. For the better part of my life, I was hopelessly in love with her—waiting on her, caring for her, putting her first in every way that mattered. I gave her all of me without ever holding back. But after the seventh time she left me sitting alone at the City Hall, something inside me broke. I was done. If that meant spending the rest of my life alone, so be it. Better that than sitting in an empty apartment, listening to the silence, holding on to hope for someone who never planned to show up.

R-18 (contains mature content) Verena Layton: He is an irresistible good-looking vampire, a newcomer to our university. So I thought. Well, he actually is a human, as stated by the world. Whatever he is, he is a hundred percent my type. However, he got a damn cocky attitude that really puts me off. I try to keep myself away from him after he knocked the image of harsh reality into my head. But why do I feel such a strong pull toward him? I feel like a moth flying into the fire. This fire might change my life and everything Lorcan Judson: I despise humans - creatures with no morals. Yet, she is one of them: An annoyingly clingy, vampire-enthusiastic human. Astonishingly, her presence shakes me to the core tempting me to abandon my important mission and go after her. I try to keep my distance, but I am so pulled toward her. Her scent entices me to the verge of losing my sanity. I find myself questioning what my next move should be - chase after her or focus on my mission. It makes me wonder if she is truly a human or maybe one of us.

The new intern always claimed to have the company’s best interests at heart, but her actions told a different story. To cut costs, she secretly swapped the two-thousand-dollar gift basket I had prepared for a client with a knockoff version she bought online for just two dollars, shipping included. During a critical overtime session, she turned off the power to save on electricity. Then, she boldly suggested canceling the company’s annual holiday leave. With a self-righteous expression, she declared, “The company doesn’t support freeloaders. I believe the holiday season is the perfect time to boost sales. I propose everyone work unpaid overtime and dedicate themselves selflessly to the company!” While the employees grumbled in frustration, I stepped up to refute her absurd suggestion and spoke out on behalf of the team. But instead of backing down, she accused me of embezzlement in front of everyone and recommended to the boss that I be fired. The shocking part? The boss agreed. Fine. If that was how they wanted it, I couldn’t wait to see how the company would function without me.

On the day of the mating ceremony, I'm supposed to be marked by William Ernst and become the Luna of the Shadow pack. However, Annie Denver, my younger twin sister, suddenly comes back from abroad. Dad, Mom, and William end up abandoning me, choosing to pick her up from the airport. While Annie posts a family photo on Facebook, flaunting how everyone in the family loves her, my family cuts me off whenever I try to contact them through mind-link. They end up closing the mind-link. After calling countless times, William finally accepts my call and asks me to stop rushing him. He tells me that today's mating ceremony is canceled and will be rescheduled on another date. My dearest parents, brother, and the man I love the most all turn me into the laughingstock of the entire pack—and the most ridiculous bride of all. Despite being laughed at, I didn't cry or make a scene. After taking care of everything, I write a number in my journal—the 99th time. This is the 99th time they have disappointed me. From this moment on, I won't beg for their love anymore. I fill out an application for Arcetic expedition, ready to leave them. They all think that my silence and constant compromises with Annie mean I've matured. They fail to realize that I'm disappointed to the core. I am leaving for good.

My husband, Lawrence Schwartz, and I were both liars. He lied to me, saying he would forget his first love, yet his phone is filled with photos of her. I lied to him, saying I would never leave, while secretly planning a future without him. A month ago, I tricked Lawrence into signing the divorce papers. Today was the final day to complete the entire divorce process.. Three hours left. I packed all my luggage and bought a plane ticket for the next day. Two hours left. I cut up every photo of us together, leaving only myself in the album. Last hour. I thought about leaving a message, then decided against it. Today marked the tenth year I had loved him and the first day I left him.