California Setting Of Several Steinbeck

”Rudina, do you trust me?” I feel my blood go still and the tongue tastes like sandpaper. He had been different from all the other men. He had been everything I had needed all my life and I had never doubted that I meant more to him than a weak wolf. But what was I supposed to do when I found out he only accepted me because his status was in danger? As a mere solution to a threat to keep his pride. It had shattered me. ”No, Volk. I do not.” I say in a husky voice. His green eyes glisten in the dark and I cannot believe what I see. I was making the Alpha of the Red crescent moon cry. Rudina and Volk can never be more different in ideals and values but fate has it that their paths must cross and the universe brings them together in the most unexpected place. Setting his pride aside, Volk intends to conquer the world for a woman he loves through whatever challenge he may be forced to face. See how a man and woman experience love for the first time. A blend of love and lust with demons lurking in the shadows.

GENRE: Billionaire Romance. SETTING: The story is set in the modern 21st century in the Beverly Hills. Specific locations include but are not limited to: - The Thorne mansion, where Mariah’s family lives. - Ashton’s house, where Mariah lives with Ashton, her husband. TROPES: Arranged marriage, enemies-to-lovers, secret identities, forbidden love, revenge, hidden pregnancy. THEMES: Love. Betrayal. Revenge. Hatred. Hunger for power. BLURB: When Mariah Thorne’s family falls from grace after a bankruptcy, Mariah is forced into a cold and calculated marriage to the ruthless heir of her family’s rival company, Ashton Langford. Mariah soon starts to plot to destroy the Langford in the marriage when she finds out that they’re behind the downfall of her family and the destruction of their wealth, but the more she stays married to Ashton, the harder it is for her to avoid the fact that beneath the ruthless exterior he has is a soft man who may have saved her family behind his own family’s back. When a past lover of Mariah’s steps in to destroy her marriage, how does Mariah handle this when she finds out that she’s pregnant in the middle of her divorce process?

Aria Hale's life went very dark when her mate rejected her because she had a daughter, which he claimed had no wolf powers. To top this off, cheating occurred a day before their mating ceremony! Her heart broken, Aria had one-night stand with a guy she hardly knew. The next day was the mating ceremony of Lyra, her daughter, where fate had delivered a mighty blow! The guy from the previous night, Lucian Vale, is now Lyra's destined mate! What followed were the secrets and heartbreak of Aria, who was frightened as she tried to keep the night a secret to protect her daughter. But Lucian remembered Aria, and he was never going to let her go. Fighting against guilt, desire, and fear of ruining her daughter's life, Aria did everything she could to stop thinking about Lucian. But fighting her feelings only made her love him more. Then the Luna began to plot against Aria, setting her up with the decision of choosing between her daughter's future and the love of her life ; to walk free of a love that was burdened by guilt or to follow her heart.

"Fated Love" is a compelling romance that delves deep into the complex relationship between a driven, powerful CEO and his dedicated assistant. Their connection begins in a professional setting, but sparks fly as their emotions and desires intertwine, leading to an intense and passionate love affair. What starts as a seemingly perfect union quickly turns turbulent, filled with emotional highs and lows, possessiveness, and painful misunderstandings that threaten to tear them apart. The story is packed with tension, drawing readers into a whirlwind of raw emotions. The CEO, a man of control and authority, finds himself captivated by his assistant’s loyalty and dedication, while she is drawn to his power and vulnerability. However, their differences and the pressures of their professional roles create obstacles that neither can easily overcome. Their love story is a constant back-and-forth, as each struggle with their own insecurities, doubts, and the consequences of their choices. After a long separation that leaves both hearts broken, fate steps in. Love proves to be the ultimate force that pulls them back together, showing that despite the challenges, their bond is unbreakable. "Fated Love" is a journey of growth, forgiveness, and second chances, reminding readers that true love is never easy, but it's always worth fighting for. This heartfelt narrative will keep readers on the edge of their seats, rooting for the couple to finally find happiness, no matter the obstacles in their way.

"Just let me hold you for a while, please," he said after setting me back down. This time, he laid me in the middle of the bed before sliding in next to me. "What if this was really me? Not a dream version of Lucy but the real thing?" I asked. He reached his hand across to me, pulling my hair behind my ear before pulling me closer to his body. "Well, in real life, you probably would have slapped me for doing this," he said, making us both laugh. Little did he know. After I witnessed my mom's murder, I fled my pack to search for a freedom I knew may never exist. I dreaded the day I would turn 18 as I never wanted a mate bond after the horror I had lived through. After years of being sold as a slave, I found myself belonging to a new pack once again. And then, I turned 18. I found not just one but two mates along with untapped power that I have no idea how to manage. ***TRIGGER WARNING - SA AND PHYSICAL ABUSE MENTIONED THROUGHOUT STORY***

The carnivorous ways of the Aswang leave little room for love - much less a forbidden one between a queen and human girl. Little did Aswang Queen Catarina know, soon, her life would be changed by a plucky American biologist. A blue eyed, blonde adventurer, Rose Smith from California, who would make Catarina question all she knew, and want to make a human Her Aswang Woman King. ___ Catarina Rosales Marquez, 26, is the Aswang Queen of the Domminga Mountains, but she abhors eating humans. She has genetically engineered the fruits of her goddess Ikapati to produce human proteins in order to bring peace to Mindanao - but the Aswang do not trust this revolutionary, peaceful Queen - and are wary of the American biologist she has taken under her wing. Rose Smith is a German-American biologist doing her dissertation on the elusive, endangered Phillippines Eagle. Having studied the Tarsier in her undergraduate semester abroad in Manila, she fell in love with chicken adobo, pandesal - and Filipina women. Eager to be the first American biologist to do a longitudinal study of the Phillipines Eagle, she sets out into the Domminga Mountains on a bus with a one-way ticket - not afraid of the local's warnings of the rabid Iktapati Aswang Clan that eats humans, and roving bands of Tikbalang werehorses that stampede trespassers to death. When Catarina and Rose collide, it is oil and flame. Catarina, expected to marry a King, finds herself questioning the very cosmos of relationships - can she take a Queen, and a feisty American grad student at that? And can Rose come to terms with the elusive, seductive courts of the Vampiric Aswang? When the Iktapati clan rebels, the Tikbalang war, and the wind spirits coquette, Rose and Catarina must team up to save the humans of Mindanao - and the Phillipines eagle!

"I said I'm not staying" "Take one step towards that door" He said, setting the pan down, pivoting slowly, and leaning against the counter, "and I'll cuff you to the dining table" • When a sassy college student, Lumi, is forced to become a personal assistant to her brother’s best friend and notorious billionaire, Zorin Lane, who has been obsessed with her from when they were kids, she’s unaware his protective interest has taken a dark turn into obsession. Tasked with protecting her from hidden enemies, Zorin’s obsession spirals into stalking and Lumi is the only one who doesn’t know he’s both her protector and the predator. * (Main Characters Zorin Lane 26 years old Billionaire CEO and also a Mafia Don, dangerously handsome with dark hair and a striking blue eyes. And a body inked with different tattoos ranging from skulls to spiders, and a silver piercing on his brow, another on his lower lip. His childhood vow to protect Lumi turns into a dark obsession and he readily kills anyone who as much as sets eyes on Lumi. His obsession with her leads to underlying stalking.

I had been sold into several marriages by my stepmother, each one meant to chip away at my late father’s debt. Each time, I lost a little more of myself. This time, she betrothed me to Adrian a man she called poor, useless, and beneath me. She claimed he came from a struggling family and wasn’t worth a second glance. Without hesitation, she signed me away permanently, ignoring my tears and desperate pleas. But on our wedding night, everything I thought I knew shattered. Adrian wasn’t weak. He wasn’t ordinary. With a steady gaze and a commanding presence, he revealed a truth that left me breathless he was the hidden CEO of the most powerful business empire in the country. I thought I had been condemned to misery. Instead, I had married a man who could make the world bow at his feet. But power always comes with secrets… and I was about to find out if he was my salvation or my downfall.

Rose Evans. A girl with big dreams and goals, that she planned to see trough. Everything was planned in detail and it all started with finishing school and going to college. With her plans in mind and her dreams written down in a colorful schemed notebook, she never planned to have it all ripped away from beneath her feet. Her mother passed abruptly after a long fight with dancer, and the seventeen year old girl was left to fend for herself. Tyler Chaps. The multi-bilionare, owner of several cooperations with both feet in the most succesfull real-estate market affairs. The 28 year old was the hottest bachelor on the market, with a plan to never settle down. Rose found comfort in a man who helped her get a job. A job that entailed stealing and flirting her way to peoples possessions. What happens when the young girls slick hands, grip the wrong wrist? What happens when a ruthless, cold-hearted billionaire CEO catches the pickpocket thief and employs her for a job of his own? When a strong minded, business oriented woman, is paired with a soulless, dominant CEO, hearts are bound to come undone.

" I am pregnant," I said timidly caressing my flat belly hoping that he will be happy hearing the news. After all, he is going to be a father. He said chewing the food," Abort it." He said it so usually like it's the obvious thing to say at this situation. My eyes get watered immediately. I said crying," It's my first baby. I want to give birth to this baby." "I have told my decision already. You can never have my baby," He said finishing his food. " Why can't I have it? please, let me have it, I replied tightening my hold on my belly. He said banging his palm on the table," You will not listen like that." Saying that he dragged me towards the staircase and said creepily almost pushing me on the stairs," Just one push and the result will be same. Mistresses are for pleasure not for bearing children. So, don't forget your place." Warning - There are several mature content. If your are under 18 then don't read.