Casual Heroes

She was auctioned like an object, bought like a secret, and caged like a sin. After a brutal betrayal by the people she trusted most, Seraphina Vale is left drowning in debt and despair—until she’s sold at an underground auction to the one man every criminal fears: Lucien Marchesi, the ruthless head of a powerful mafia empire. Cold. Controlled. Deadly. The world assumes she’ll be discarded like the others who came before her. But Seraphina isn't a lamb sent to slaughter. She’s a lioness in velvet chains—calm, calculating, and waiting for her moment. Lucien didn’t expect her fire. She didn’t expect his scars. What begins as a twisted game of control and survival becomes something far more dangerous: emotion. As secrets unravel and obsession burns into something deeper, Seraphina edges dangerously close to what she swore she’d never feel again—trust. Love. Want. But she hasn’t forgotten her mission. Lucien was supposed to be her weapon, not her salvation. And when her revenge explodes into reality, both hearts will shatter under the weight of betrayal. Until he asks the one question that changes everything: “Have you ever loved me?” Chains of Velvet, Heart of Fire is a gripping dark mafia romance about love born from power, loyalty forged in fire, and two broken souls who dared to rewrite their fate. Perfect for fans of morally gray heroes, twist-filled emotional sagas, and heroines who take their power back—beautifully, mercilessly, and on their own terms.

The North Lotus pack is thrown into complete jeopardy when under mysterious circumstances, their Alpha - Luna Dakota Dolphus - is declared missing, few weeks before the dreaded blood moon eclipse. To them, this can only mean bad news. Catori Dolphus, only child of Luna Dakota, has had all her life preparing to be Alpha one day, but what she never prepared for was the division and chaos rising amongst her pack. With the blood moon eclipse drawing closer with each day, the counsel gives Catori an ultimatum of either finding her Mum before the eclipse or having the Alpha position taken away from their lineage. When disaster keeps setting in at Catori’s every corner, her last option is getting help from the rumored Ghost reapers - a 4-man rogue gang of both urban myth and intrigue. However, Catori’s 4 unlikely heroes soon turn to be more trouble than she bargained for when she discovers that Fenris Covel, wickedly handsome as he was, was her betrothed - her mate. Only problem? Fenris Covel doesn’t ‘do’ mate. Raised in the wild, Fenris Covel was anything but controllable. He was wild, untamed and infuriatingly sexy. But most of all, he has no time for a mate - especially one like Catori Dolphus. His only concern was his job and at the moment, it was finding Catori’s mum. However, the matters of the heart can never be predicted and as their chemistry and intense desire for each other blossoms, danger lurks closer than they could imagine.

Ophelia, the daughter of Ryan and Avery, was the only survivor of the attack on the moonshine pack in the southern region. Losing her entire pack made her a Lone wolf. Hated and despised by her own kind. Her father made a request when their pack was attacked. She was to find her uncle and deliver a message. Which inadvertently sends her on a journey to the north. Ophelia had always wanted to be free, to make her own choices and experience human love, not a forced bond. She wanted to love on her own terms, but nature had set her on a different course. During this journey, Ophelia discovers that she is mated to the Monarch, and it is her second shot at life. As if playing a cruel joke on them, nature paired a Lonewolf with the Monarch, a man with no tolerance for weakness, to a woman born from an ordinary wolf. A woman who did not even want a mate. Ophelia cannot morph into her wolf until she fully remembers who she is. Her body has to merge with her soul to trigger the transformation process; she is set on a quest to remember. She uncovers secrets she discovered in her past life, and with the help of Aaron, her mate, they unravel the mystery behind the existence of the half-bloods and identify the traitor in their ranks. Together, they save humanity from the torment brought to them by the half-bloods, rescue the captured wolves, and avenge their fallen heroes (her parents). They bring order back to the world. Proving that love can be found in the most unusual of places.

The year is 2304 and war has ravaged the world, leaving scattered communities. Keira, a headstrong 25-year-old, has joined the Eagle tribe with the goal of making a difference. Their primary mission is to take back Meraki, a planet that was intended only for the wealthy and privileged. For the past 50 years, raiders seeking riches have taken over Meraki and severed all communication. The Eagle tribe, trained by old war heroes, has been selected to assess the situation and is actively searching for scattered pieces of a space shuttle that was used to travel to Meraki. Keira is one of the few women who joined the force, as most women help out with daily necessities. She has no interest in marriage, but she can't help but react whenever Josh is nearby. Josh, newly appointed as second in command, has a string of women eagerly throwing hints of marriage, and he would stop at nothing to make them sway. His piercing green eyes, sun-kissed blonde hair, dashing dimples, and ripped physique due to excessive training would contribute to the madness. As fate would have it, she found herself crossing paths with Caleb - a master of manipulation with a dashing demeanor. Despite his apparent immunity to emotion, he exuded a commanding presence that was both cold and alluring. There was something dark and mysterious about him that drew her in, and she couldn't help but feel like he had a way of penetrating her guarded thoughts. Meraki is a place for dreams, a meaning to a better future, or maybe where dreams are now scattered by the selfish traits of men for self-gain.

"You should be running away from me," he whispered against my neck, his deep voice wrapping around me like a black velvet. He was right. I should run— far, fast, and without looking back. But I couldn't. Or maybe didn't want to. Fisting his shirt tightly, I rasped out, "I hate you." A shiver ran down my spine as his lips curled into a devilish smirk, "No, you don't." He leaned in, our mouths a breath apart. "You just hate how badly you want me, Little Muse," he drawled, voice like a tempting sin. ----------- Everyone thought she was paranoid but Iliana Carlos knew the eyes following her everywhere were real. Draped in black, masked and silent, her stalker has trapped her in a deadly game of obsession. But for her, he is nothing more than the gruesome darkness but the deeper she's pulled into his shadows, the more she craved them. Maddox Velric Thorne spent fifteen years focused on one mission: find the daughter of his father’s murderer, kill her, and claim his rightful place as Alpha. But those hazel eyes and auburn hair has suddenly become his biggest distraction. What started as a casual infatuation has now turned into his darkest obsession. What will happen when fate will bind them in a twisted dance of fear and desire? How far would Maddox chase Iliana and for how long is she willing to run away?

I'm a wedding dress designer, and one day before the finals of the Bridal Queen Tournament, explicit photos of me are posted all over the internet. Countless people accuse me of defiling the concept of love. They say I don't deserve to make wedding dresses, and in the end, I'm disqualified from the tournament. The photos can only come from one person—my boyfriend, Felix Evans. On the verge of a breakdown, I seek him out for answers. But right before I walk through the door, I hear him having a conversation with his twin, Leon Evans. "As expected, the netizens sank their teeth into Dahlia the moment the photos were posted online. I'm guessing that she's going to be blacklisted by the entire fashion industry too. There's no way she can compete against Sylvia for the title of Bridal Queen anymore." "Does this mean I can't pretend to be you and sleep with her anymore? Truth be told, she's pretty good in bed. She's pure, but she's also seductive." "You should take advantage of the situation and sleep with her as much as you want then. Once Sylvia wins the title of Bridal Queen, I'm going to cut ties with Dahlia completely and officially pursue Sylvia." Listening to their casual conversation, I feel like a sharp blade is being ruthlessly stabbed into my heart. I don't know how I got home. After sitting in a daze the entire night, I call a studio overseas and tell them, "I'll be joining you in three days."

He’s the campus hockey king. She’s the girl he was never supposed to want. Logan Shaw doesn’t do relationships. As the captain of the university hockey team and the son of an NHL legend, his future is simple: hockey first, everything else second. Girls are fun. Temporary. And never a complication. Harper Lane is the exact kind of complication he avoids. Smart. Stubborn. Completely unimpressed by his reputation—and the one girl on campus who refuses to fall for Logan Shaw’s charm. They were never supposed to collide. But when Logan shocks the entire university by spending five thousand dollars to win Harper in a charity date auction, suddenly the whole campus is watching. What starts as a fake date quickly turns into something much more dangerous. Late-night celebrations. Arguments that end in kisses. Chemistry neither of them can ignore. Logan was supposed to stay focused on hockey. Harper was supposed to protect her heart. Instead, they’re playing a game neither of them knows how to win. Because the more Logan tries to keep things casual… the harder he falls. And when NHL scouts start watching and Logan’s controlling father steps in, Harper becomes the one thing Logan might have to give up to chase the future he’s been raised for. But walking away from her might be the one game Logan Shaw can’t win. Enemies-to-lovers tension Hockey captain energy Slow burn with explosive chemistry And a love story that might ruin everything.

{TW: DARK ROMANCE, ABUSE, DADDY KINK, PSYCHOTIC, VIOLENCE. This is not your typical dark romance novel, it gets darker with each chapters so if you can't handle it, kindly exit, not all Male leads are heroes some can be your worst nightmare, if you are looking for love you won't find it here} *********************************** "Won't you like to open your gift, Bambi?" It wasn't a question. César Navarro never asked. He commanded. When Anya Esmeralda Torres untied the silk ribbon and lifted the lid of the velvet box, her world shattered. Inside, staring back at her with dead, lifeless pupils, were the green eyes of Giovanni De Luca.....the man whose gaze had made her uncomfortable all evening. Her scream ripped through the silence. "Now his eyes will never trouble you again." He said it like he'd given her a necklace. Like dismemberment was romance. Like murder was love. César Navarro, known in the underworld as Calavera, wasn't just the founder of a billion-dollar tech empire. He was the Skull—mafia heir, executioner, and obsession wrapped in a tailored suit. And Anya? She was his cage bird. His possession. His favorite game. But Anya wasn't born to be caged. She was fire—wild, defiant, desperate for freedom. And no matter how many diamonds he draped her in, she vowed to escape. The question is: can you ever run from a monster who always finds you? Or will love become the cruelest prison of all?

Carol has harbored a forbidden obsession with Mr. Rich for as long as she can remember—a desire so intense it consumes her thoughts and fuels fantasies she could never confess. He's older, unavailable, and completely off-limits. But none of that diminishes the magnetic pull she feels every time they're in the same room. The problem? Kate—her best friend since childhood—is Mr. Rich's daughter. Carol is trapped in an impossible situation. Every visit to Kate's house is torture and temptation wrapped into one. Every casual conversation with Mr. Rich sends her imagination spiraling. She knows what she wants, but the cost of pursuing it could destroy the most important friendship she has. The questions multiply in her mind: What would happen if she finally made her move? Would Mr. Rich be horrified, intrigued, or something she hasn't even considered? And Kate—would she ever forgive such a betrayal? Could their friendship survive Carol crossing this ultimate boundary? Carol stands at a precipice between desire and loyalty, between the fantasy she's nurtured for years and the real-world consequences that would follow. She knows she should walk away, bury these feelings, and preserve what matters most. But obsession doesn't obey logic or morality. As the tension builds, Carol must answer the question that haunts her every waking moment: does she care enough to stop herself—or is the risk of losing everything worth one chance at getting what she's always wanted?

Cayden Holstin is the third son of Alpha Liam and Luna Angel. In a family of seven, he’s the only one who hasn’t found his mate besides his underage sister. His oldest brother became the pack’s Alpha, his second oldest brother is their company’s CEO, and Cayd is currently in school to become the CFO. The human university was not exciting and fun like he was hoping, finding it difficult to hide who he is and bored with the females who only wanted casual relationships. Cayden is past ready to find his mate and settle down. Madelyn Cole is a human who was abruptly introduced to the werewolf world when she started dating a man she thought was human. It didn’t take long for him to bring her to his ‘pack’ and then refuse to let her leave. His aggressive, violent ways terrify her, and she tried to leave, but he refused to let her go. One night, in the middle of big party, Madelyn finds her opening and escapes, running as fast as she can When Cayd and the other Guardians realize that humans are being taken into werewolf packs as slaves and omegas against their will, they will have to make a stand, to fight as they always do for those who cannot fight for themselves. Cayd doesn’t care that his mate is a human. He trusts the Moon Goddess to give him the mate that is meant to be his. But Madelyn doesn’t want to live around the violent werewolves. She just wants to be left alone. Can Cayd convince her that he’s not like other wolves while keeping her safe from the one who is hunting her?