Character With Top Hat Novels & Stories

For my birthday, I got a gift box. Inside was a dead silver fox. Its fur was peeled away. Dark, profane runes were carved into its flesh. My wolf cried out in agony, then shattered. I desperately reached for my Alpha, Darian, through our mate bond. “Darian… help me… My wolf… my heart…” His response was ice cold. “Maeve, stop being so dramatic. It’s just a prank. A Luna should be stronger than this. Amara has a fever. I’m with her.” He just cut the bond. He chose his childhood friend over me. Her mate had recently died, and she only had a low-grade fever. I was left to collapse in agony. I didn't get help until a pack beta found me and rushed me to the medical center. It took me three whole days to recover. When Darian finally came back, reeking of Amara’s sweet perfume, he sneered at me. "I knew you were faking it. How could a dead fox hurt you? You just wanted to stop me from comforting her!" I didn’t cry. I didn’t scream. I just handed him a document to sign. Compensation, I said, for choosing Amara over me. He signed it without even looking. "Is this about money? Don't be another jealous she-wolf. Don't cause trouble for me. I can give you anything. Amara and I grew up together. She's important to me. You know that." I just nodded. I didn't say a word. The next day, he took Amara to an Alpha-only alliance dinner. Pictures were all over the werewolf social feeds. He had no idea what he’d signed. It wasn’t a compensation agreement. It was a rejection of our mate bond. I counted down the three days. I calmly packed my most precious things. Then, I pulled out my burner phone. “Uncle Marcus? I need a private jet to the South.”

The temperature starts to drop once we reach the top of the mountain. My two childhood friends, who swore to protect me with their lives, don't even spare me a glance. One is hastily wrapping all his clothes around Lisette Locke, while the other is warming her with his body. I'm so cold that my heart condition acts up; I beg them to save me. However, they're infuriated by this. "How can you still be trying to get our attention at a time like this, Cecilia? Run around for a while if you're cold!" "We'll buy you that white down jacket you wanted when we get back, but you can't take it from Lise now!" The rescue team arrives, and I barely make it out alive. I'm hospitalized for a week, but neither of them come to visit me. I see from my social media that they're busy celebrating Lisette's birthday. We've been friends for over a decade, yet I mean nothing when compared to the driver's daughter. I call my father and say, "Dad, "I'm willing to marry into the Jorgensen family!"

Blurb Smoke. The same scent that long to the bed sheets the night I died, only this time when I opened my eyes the smoke wasn't from fire but from the Alpha's cigar and the reflection in the mirror wasn't mine. Pale skin and golden eyes, a frail Omega trembling under the dim light of the room stared back at me. “Lyra?” A voice snarled. “You still exist?” His hatred sliced through my soul and I winced and touched my stomach. I had died carrying a child once, I won't die again.

After her boyfriend bailed on their wedding, my best friend broke down crying and begged my fiance to step in and save the day. Blake Keller comforted me gently. "Dawn, Noelle and I grew up together. We've been close for years—closer than family, honestly. Today is just for show. Besides, our wedding's next week anyway, so think of it as a rehearsal in advance." I felt terrible for my best friend. After struggling with myself for a long time, I finally gritted my teeth and nodded. Just like that, I watched with my own eyes as my boyfriend, who was supposed to be the best man, became my best friend's "groom." At the wedding, Blake held Noelle's hand, his eyes filled with affection. When the officiant asked whether he was willing, he answered even more firmly than he had when he proposed to me. I kept telling myself not to take it seriously, that it was just an act and I should not overthink it. That was what I believed—until after they exchanged rings. The officiant smiled and said, "You may now kiss the bride." The crowd instantly started cheering, urging them to kiss. Blushing, Noelle hurriedly reassured me. "Dawn, don't worry. We'll fake it with the camera angle." I believed her. But in the very next second, Blake lifted her chin and deeply kissed her for real in front of everyone.

My daughter, Annabelle Turner, was diagnosed with hereditary heart disease. I spent the past five years searching for a compatible heart donor for her. Now, I finally found one. Right before Annabelle is sent into the surgery room, my husband and renowned cardiologist, Gabriel Turner, tearfully makes me a promise. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll make sure Annabelle gets a shot at life again." Yet halfway through the surgery, Gabriel suddenly leaves in a hurry without giving any explanation. I stumble into the surgery room and see Annabelle lying on the operating table, covered in blood. Her chest is cut wide open, laid bare for all to see. Tyler Rotwell, Gabriel's assistant, stammers out, "Dr. Turner said… that Anna can still hold on a little longer, but Ms. Byron's son can't. "Dr. Turner took the heart that was meant for Anna and left…" I immediately break down and repeatedly call Gabriel's number, but Gabriel never answers a single call, not even when Anna's blood has completely dried… While settling my daughter's post-mortem affairs, I happen to see a newly posted update on Gabriel's childhood friend, Suzanne Byron's social media. "Turns out it was just a misdiagnosis," was what the caption read. "In that case, let's give this useless little thing to our good boy Oscar as a treat!" The video attached depicts Suzanne's dog Oscar tearing into the heart that was supposed to be donated to Annabelle. As I turn to look at Annabelle's cold body, the last shred of love I have for Gabriel starts crumbling apart. By the time Gabriel finally remembers Annabelle, whom he left on the operating table, only an empty bedroom and an urn containing her ashes would greet him…

There's a saying that circulates among anglers: "If a dead fish still takes the bait… reel in and leave." The day I went fishing with my dad, we ran into exactly that. What unsettled me was not the fish. It was the look on my dad's face: an excitement that felt completely wrong. Then a message flashed across my livestream, and a chill ran down my spine. [Get out. Now. Your dad is about to trade your life for the one who died in this river a year ago.]

Everyone believes Aria Vale has everything. Daughter of the elusive billionaire founder of Vale Global, she lives behind quiet luxury and a reputation for kindness. To give back, Aria secretly funds scholarships for underprivileged students at Northbridge University, never revealing that she is the real heiress behind the fortune. One of those students is Lena Ward—a girl Aria rescues from poverty and personally sponsors. But Lena wants more than a scholarship. When Lena discovers who Aria really is, she begins weaving a dangerous lie—slowly convincing everyone at the university that she is the mysterious Vale heiress. Suddenly Aria becomes invisible. Her classmates mock her. Professors doubt her. And the man she thought loved her—Daniel Hart, charming, ambitious, and dangerously opportunistic—abandons her the moment Lena claims the billionaire name. But Lena’s biggest mistake is thinking Aria is weak. Because Aria Vale isn’t just a quiet girl with money. She’s the heir to a business empire built on ruthless strategy—and she’s about to prove that kindness should never be mistaken for helplessness. As secrets unravel and alliances shift, Aria prepares the ultimate revenge. But when Adrian Cross, a cold and powerful rival billionaire, enters her life with his own hidden agenda, Aria realizes something terrifying: The lies surrounding her identity may run far deeper than Lena’s betrayal. And someone might be trying to erase the real heiress entirely.

Justin's life is thrown into chaos when he is forced to marry the girl he believes ruined everything. Deceived for years, he harbors a burning hatred for Astrid, convinced she is the source of his misery. Bound by a painful secret, Astrid suffers in silence until Justin's sister, Kris, uncovers a shocking truth. In a desperate bid to keep her hold on Justin, Audrey commits a heinous crime, framing Astrid for her actions. The lies escalate, culminating in a deadly confrontation that leaves Audrey dead and Astrid wrongly accused. Blinded by rage and grief, Justin vows to destroy Astrid, even as his father, the Alpha, decrees they must marry. Caught in a storm of betrayal and hatred, Justin and Astrid's lives are forever changed as they are forced to confront the lies that have shaped their destinies even while in college. Will Justin uncover the real truth and see Astrid for who she truly is, or will his vendetta lead to their ultimate destruction?

From Bully to Lover He spent years tormenting her. She spent years trying to forget him. But fate has a twisted sense of humor... and a dangerously possessive heart. Violet "Vee" Rivers grew up in the shadows—quiet, smart, and the constant target of one boy’s cruelty. Xavier "Zay" Knight was her worst nightmare: cold smirks, cruel words, and the kind of intense gaze that left her burning with humiliation... and something else she could never admit. For years, she believed he hated her. For years, she hated him right back. Now in college and far from the small town that raised her, Vee is finally free. New city, new campus, new beginning. But her fresh start shatters on day one—when she sees him. Older, sharper, hotter. And still watching her like he owns her. Zay never forgot her. Never wanted anyone else. And he sure as hell didn’t let her go. When he sees another man getting too close, Zay snaps—and makes his first move. What starts as obsession turns into a dangerous game of seduction, secrets, and surrender. Vee is no longer the scared girl from the past—but Zay isn’t the same boy either. He’s darker now. And he doesn’t just want her. He wants every piece of her—mind, body, and soul. She may hate him… but she won’t be able to stop herself from loving him. Even if it destroys them both.

"You want me," she whispered. If it weren't for his enhanced hearing, he probably wouldn't have heard. Yes, he did. "You won't touch me," she continued. "No, I won't." "Because you'd hurt me?" "Because I'd kill you." "I don't believe that." "Then you're naive." "Or maybe you're self-destructive. —————————————————— Caroline Knight, the future Queen of the Werewolves, disguises herself as a commoner to find her mate, concealing her royal status. When she meets Alpha Ryland, she's captivated by his allure, but he rejects her, deeming her a mere rogue wolf without significance. Determined to prove herself, Caroline is drawn to Ryland's strength and charm, despite his arrogance. Unbeknownst to her, Ryland is under a curse of eternal life, only to be broken by his true mate, who died long ago. With different mates throughout his lifetime, Ryland doubts he'll ever find his true mate until he meets Caroline, igniting a love that transcends time and destiny. As they navigate their tumultuous relationship, they must confront ancient prophecies, supernatural adversaries, and their own inner demons to break the curse and forge a bond that defies fate.