Challenging Antonym

   Pyotr stiffens at our sudden closeness, but he soon returns the hug. His arms tighten around me as I sink into his chest.      "I will make sure you never live in fear again," he affirms. His warmth and the determination in his voice, is what allows me to believe him. With my head on his shoulder, I grip his shirt tightly, trying to stop my tears. *** Vampires have long been known for their cruel behavior befitting of a beast. Many humans live in fear of them, and rightfully so. In recent years, humanity has fallen victim to the trafficking, as many vampires have taken humans to be their slaves. Clara, a young girl from a small village in the outskirts of the Samiryan kingdom, has become their latest victim. Just when she thinks her life is over, she is saved by a mysterious man. Enamored by the man's strength, Clara joins him in his fight to stop the wrongdoings of the vampires. During her journey, Clara faces many challenging obstacles, but none more challenging than falling for one of the very beings whom she sought to stop. Will hatred consume her heart or will love save her?

On the day she lost her grandfather, the most important person in her life, Mia Stewart discovered her grandfather got her entangled in an arranged marriage for some reasons. Faced with two challenging choices; one to live as his granddaughter and heiress to his company while being married to Aziz Garrett, the youngest and most successful billionaire in South Lake Union for three years and also being in charge of her late parents properties. Or to watch her inexperienced aunt take over a larger percentage of shares of her late parents companies while also becoming the heiress of her grandfather's companies. Because of the circumstances, Mia had to make a choice she hopes never to regret, even if it means not being with the one she loves.

In the midst of the darkness of my soul, I have found Chiara Bianchi, a withered flower. I am Wolfgang Krüger, a cruel and heartless man. Seeking revenge, I kidnap Chiara, determined to make her suffer as her uncle has made my family suffer. But Chiara is much more than a defenseless victim. I discover that her beauty hides a deep pain, and her silence tells me stories I could never imagine. Chiara is mute, trapped in a world where words cannot escape her lips. The torture I had planned for her turns into a dangerous game, an internal struggle that I cannot control. Every day, I find myself watering her withered garden, wishing to bring life back to her face and challenging my own cruel instincts.

In Lagos, Michael Melanie, a charismatic billionaire, seeks a love that transcends wealth. But as his conniving stepbrother, Albert, threatens their father's legacy, Michael's path crosses with Gina, burdened by sickle cell anemia and a troubled past. Love sparks against adversity, yet sickle cell anemia and vengeful enemies test their bond. Can Michael and Gina conquer the odds and rewrite their destiny? Indulged in a gripping tale of resilience, where a billionaire's quest for love collides with danger, challenging them to fight for a future.

Ella, a college girl who has recently turned eighteen, has been marooned on an island full of wildlife where werewolves are predominant. Her own friends have betrayed her. Sophia, a rich billionaire's daughter had taken her revenge by abandoning her on the island during the college trip because Jade chose Ella over her. When she is chased by a cobra and lion, a wolf saves her. She is awestruck to see how the wolf shifts into her human form as dawn commences. The werewolf is Mrs. Rolex, Lara’s mother. Ella resembles Lara, and so she mistakes her for her daughter. Alpha Gabriel, the strongest Alpha on the island, asks Ella to lead the army troupe towards the east to fight Alpha Amelia because he too mistakes her for Lara. The battle with Alpha Amelia seems challenging for her, and she fails to take her wolf form in the third round of the battle, thereby getting caught by Alpha Gabriel, who realizes that she is a human as he checks her neck and finds no mark over that. He had marked Lara on her neck, as she was his mate. Alpha Gabriel, who feels that the witch has sent her in Lara’s disguise to mislead him, sends her to prison. Lara is administered aconite by the witch, and so she becomes unconscious. Alpha Gabriel has to take Ella’s help, and he asks her to pretend to be his Luna in front of the Alpha King. During the process, do they start liking each other? Why does she herself approach the witch for getting the scorpion venom to treat Lara even by risking her own life? Discover by reading till the end why she feels connected to the Moon Goddess, Lara, and Mrs. Rolex.

*Excerpt* My gaze met Sergio's. He didn't look away. I couldn't look away either. It felt like there was an invisible magnet pulling us towards each other. He looked away, breaking us from the trance. "Are you sure you're okay, Nicole?" "Come inside." He shook his head. "I was worried, and—" "Come inside, let's talk." He shook his head again, unyieldingly. "We're already talking." "Are you scared?" I asked in a challenging voice, my gazed fixed on him. "What are you so scared of?" "Nicole..." "To answer your question, no, Sergio, I'm not okay." "What's bothering you?" The vulnerability in his eyes towards me was palpable. It was my chance to act. I couldn't afford to waste it. "You," I replied, my gaze still boring into his. "And your fiancee. I couldn't bear watching you together." Sergio swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. "I was jealous, Sergio." • *Blurb* In a turn of events, Juliana bears witness to the brutal murder of her father—a sight she never thought she'd witness. Amidst the turmoil, she finds out she's their next target, but somehow, she manages to evade them. Determined to seek closure and justice for what happened to her father, Juliana takes on a new identity as Nicole and embarks on a quest for vengeance against the masterminds. With a heart hardened by grief, she takes on the journey. A journey that would test her limits and push her to do unthinkable things. Will she succeed? Follow her on this journey as she confronts the demon of her past.

"You think you know hate, Avery?" His voice a dangerous rumble that seemed to roll straight through me. "Hate is easy. It’s the love that complicates everything." "Love? Don't talk to me about love. You wouldn't recognize it if it clawed its way into your heart." Liam's expression darkened, "And whose fault is that, remind me? You destroyed every ounce of it." My eyes filled with tears instantly, my voice so thick, it hurt my throat as the words came out. "And you made me pay for it, in the most horrible way. A person who loved a girl with his whole heart would never be able to do what you've done, what you've allowed to happen. That's why I hate you, because you never loved me, or else you couldn't do all this to me." His eyes sparked with anger "You have no idea what you're talking about." "Maybe I do, maybe I don't," I shot back bitterly, "But it seems like the only thing you're good at is pretending. Pretending to care, pretending to love—" "That's enough!" his voice boomed. "You want to see how real my feelings are? I should teach you a lesson on underestimating them." I tilted my chin up in defiance "Go on then, teach me." The next moment was a blur of motion as he closed the distance between us. His hands gripped my face, not gentle but not cruel—a fervent, desperate hold. His lips met mine in an intense, raw kiss, fueled by anger and deep, relentless desire. The kiss was punishing, his mouth moving against mine with a fierce urgency that left no room for doubts or second thoughts. As he pulled back, his eyes bore into mine, challenging, questioning, daring me to deny what lay between us.

Upon learning the news of her elder twin sister's accidental pregnancy, eighteen-year-old Skye Valiant was forced to face an unexpected marriage contract between their family and the Alpha of the strongest pack in their country. Realizing it would now fall upon her, to deal with the agreement for the sake of her family's protection, all hell broke loose, not for her but for her future husband. With her dreams of world traveling becoming unfulfillable, Skye's unexpected personality kept the Alpha on his toes, proving that she was not just someone that he could simply consider as his subordinate or his follower. She had defied his every wish whilst also lashing out at the Alpha, at every possible moment, testing the Alpha's patience and control. Alpha Hakan Knox was a twenty-year-old dominant Alpha. Unlike the norms, he had earned his position upon challenging his father at the age of eighteen, leading his more than 500+ pack members ever since. His possessive and protective nature continued to be challenged as he spent his every waking moment with a disputatious wife, as they both learn how to respect each other in their arranged marriage.

All the hopes of saving her marriage from crumbling, crashed down for Madeline when her husband, Damien Rosewood gifted her divorce papers on their third wedding anniversary. She failed to give his prestigious family an heir. He accused her of the sins she never committed. Heartbroken and abandoned, she vowed to take back what she lost, her love, her husband. Three years later, she returned as the surrogate of his babies. The table was turned. Madeline had an upper hand over her ex-husband and his family. Slowly, he realized what he had lost and how challenging it will be for him to win her back.

Join Xandra and Liam on an exciting journey as they embark on a challenging investigation into the mysterious disappearance of seven young girls in North Carolina. As they delve deeper into the case, they uncover a complex network of lies and corruption within the local community. With each new discovery, their understanding of the situation becomes clearer, and they begin to realize that their destinies are intertwined in ways they could never have anticipated. Witness the captivating story of self-discovery and passion that unfolds throughout the Hidden Souls Trilogy. Part One: Resurrection of Sin Part Two: Descendants of Arcos Part Three: Fury of Five