Closer Heartbeat

Her back hit the cold wall before she could even breathe. Damian’s hand slid to her jaw, tilting her face up to his. His voice was a low, trembling threat. “Do you feel what you’re doing to me, Aria?” Her heartbeat stuttered. “You’re my sister’s husband…” “Exactly,” he whispered. “That’s why I shouldn’t want you.” He leaned closer, his breath brushing her lips. “But wanting you is all I’ve done… every damn day.” *** Aria Hale has spent her life unseen, ignored by her father, used by her sister, and taught that her feelings don’t matter. But everything changes the day she moves into her sister’s penthouse… the same home ruled by Damian Cross. Thirty-six. Billionaire. Cold. Married to her sister. And quietly, obsessively fixated on Aria. He watches her too long. Stands too close. Speaks too softly for a man with no heart. He looks at her like she’s the only warmth in his frozen world. Aria tries to avoid him. Tries to reject him. Tries to pretend she doesn’t feel the air tighten when he enters a room. But Damian does not let go. He corners. He interferes. He destroys anything that dares approach her. Because wrong or not, forbidden or not— he has already decided she belongs to him. And when the truth behind his obsession finally comes to light… Aria will learn that some desires, once awakened, are impossible to escape.

"I said come here..." There was an in the voice, I was unable to deny it. The dominance and the power were making my . I gulped looking into those thunderous eyes. I can feel a shiver run down my spine, as I took a step forward. The drops of sweat formed on my forehead trickled down from the side of my face. "Are you nervous?" The voice echoed in my heart. And I was unable to tell that, I am not nervous! I am terrified as . It is not right... I can not be here. The dreams that I have seen didn't include this trauma. I can not do it. I have to run from here far, far away... Where I can get the time to get out of these dreams turning into nightmares? My senses were giving in, I took another step and as I was getting closer, my heartbeat was getting fast and fast. I hate it. "I never thought, I will find anything like this... I have expected her to be cheating on me, I have expected her to be with another man... But this, no this can't be true..." "He thought, he will abandon me, he left me... Yes, he did but once I will get a hold of his life. I will never let him go... Not this time. I will go to any extent to get him back." "I never thought, that I will be unable to shake off that creepy feeling ever in my life. But once my eyes got caught with those mesmerising ones, I forget every fear!!! And there was only one feeling left... It was desire, pure desire."

In the heart of Nightbrae Dominion, where forests are alive and magic pulses through every root and leaf, Aella Wynfell has always felt different. Raised among humans but drawn inexplicably to the living woods, she senses the heartbeat of the forest and communes with its whispered secrets. Yet she has always believed her life would remain quiet and ordinary— until the night the forest called her name. From the shadows emerges Thalen Varynthorn, the Alpha King of Nightbrae, a being as majestic as he is terrifying, his presence commanding the forest itself. When corrupted creatures known as Ferals invade, threatening the fragile balance of the Dominion, Thalen intervenes, saving Aella and binding her fate to his own. He reveals that the forest has chosen her, a human, to calm the growing darkness that stirs in Hollow Glen—the ancient heart of Nightbrae’s magic. Thrown into a world of living trees, glowing moonfire, and ancient curses, Aella must navigate a dangerous path between loyalty to her village and obedience to the forest’s will. She discovers that her bond with Thalen is unlike any other: magnetic, forbidden, and fraught with peril. The forest watches, tests, and sometimes threatens, forcing them closer while hinting at consequences too severe to ignore. As Ferals grow bolder and dark magic seeps deeper into the Dominion, Aella’s courage, wits, and newfound connection to the forest are tested. Every decision could mean life or death—for herself, for Thalen, and for the forest she never imagined she would protect. Bound by prophecy, desire, and the living will of Nightbrae, Aella and Thalen must face the darkness together. Yet the question remains: will their forbidden love save the forest… or destroy them both?

“Tell me you want me to fuck you with my fingers. Tell me you want to come on my hand like a good little slut.” The words sent a jolt of heat straight to my core. I should have been ashamed, should have pushed him away—but the way he touched me, the rough need in his voice, it was too much. “Yes,” I gasped. “Please—” He groaned, his fingers sliding inside me, curling to hit that spot that made me see stars. “That’s it, slut,” he murmured, his lips trailing down my neck. “Ride my fingers. Let me feel how wet you are for me.” “Yes, daddy.” **** Elara Voss was betrayed by her ex-boyfriend and couldn’t bear the humiliation, so she ran from the pack. Two years later, she’s forced to return. But this time, she came back stronger, sharper… Ready to never trust a man again. Until she meets built-like-a-god of lust, Alpha Damon Crassus… her ex’s father. Damon Crassus isn't just an Alpha; he is a monolith of raw power and refined sin. While her ex was a spark, Damon is the inferno, a man with hands that look like they could either crush a throat or worship a body with terrifying precision. The pull is instant, impossible, and dangerous. She shouldn’t want him. She shouldn’t even look at him. Yet every instinct, every heartbeat, screams otherwise. Elara will discover the pack is no longer the same. So does she. And the closer she gets to Alpha Damon Crassus, the more she understands… Some men don’t break your heart. They ruin you slowly—until walking away is no longer an option.

"Love can be a curse or a blessing; it all depends on the choices we make." Aila Coraline Serai, the beta's daughter, is cursed to live a life without a mate. But when Zayn Chaos Silo, the future Alpha of the Moonlit Pack, falls for her, fate intervenes. As their bond deepens, Aila must choose: embrace a love that could save her or reject it to escape a fate worse than death. With each heartbeat, her life hangs in the balance. In a world tangled in curses and sacrifice, how far will you go for love?

In a world where only he-wolves were allowed to be Alphas, Seleste Rivas, the only daughter of the Alpha of the Lighttail Banes Pack, couldn't sit still. She knew she had what it took to be a powerful Alpha and would do anything to achieve her goal, including disguising herself as a he-wolf and sneaking into The Ravenwood Academy, where all the next Alpha-in-lines needed to be trained before settling into their roles. But nothing went according to her plans. On her first day, she caught the scents of her mates, the twin brothers of one of the strongest packs, the Wintercrown Shadows Pack. As Seleste navigated the treacherous world of dominance battles, academic rivalries, and the ever-present danger of exposure, especially when she found out her dorm mate was also her mate, she found herself caught in a whirlwind of emotions. She had come for a task, a goal, one she knew she couldn't deviate from. But their matebonds drew her closer, their touches sent her skin ablaze. Every heartbeat risked betrayal, every glance was a gamble. Every slip of her mask could shatter not only her dream, but also her life and those she held dear. And the worst part? She even had a bigger secret than being a she-wolf in a place full of he-wolves. When she uncovered conspiracies within the Ravenwood Academy, would her mates shun her? Or helped her? Would she show her true power and self to save everyone else? In a world where power was everything, Seleste must choose whether to follow tradition or carve a new path for every other she-wolf, even if it meant tearing down the very walls built to keep her kind out, even if it meant sacrificing herself for it. Coverart by @Rainygraphic

Sasha’s first night as an escort pulls her into the orbit of Crest Harvey. Her entire life becomes a whirlwind of luxury, passion and romance. She wasn’t supposed to love him, but loving Crest means learning his world, a world of secrets, guarded wounds, and traditions she’s suddenly a part of. When a Greek island birthday trip turns into a love story she never saw coming, the biggest twist arrives back home… a tiny heartbeat that could change everything.

In the final stages of a terminal illness, my family abandoned me and threw me into a horror game. [Another one here to die. I bet she won't last the first night.] [Just listen to that cough. I'm scared she'll die right inside my phone.] On the first night, the head nurse made her rounds, prepared to execute any player whose heartbeat was abnormal. My heartbeat remained steady only because my body was too weak to fluctuate—and I even helped her sew up the tear in her uniform. "Miss, your clothes are torn. You'll get cold. If I mend it for you, you won't be cold anymore." On the second night, the surgeon swung his scalpel, determined to cut away anything imperfect. I handed him a wrist guard I'd made myself, watching his trembling hands. "Doctor, your talent shouldn't be buried by pain." … On the final day, the ultimate Boss gave me a choice: leave with a healthy body, or stay and perish with these strange beings. Back in the real world, the parents who had abandoned me were suddenly in tears, begging me to come home and split the money. I smiled and said to the creatures inside the instance, "I choose to trade my life… for a home for all of you." The next second, a burst of golden light erupted from the system. [Congratulations, player. You have triggered the one and only hidden ending—Divine Redemption.]

She gave him her kidney. He betrayed her. Nadine thought she was Christain ’s devoted wife until she learned the ugly truth: she was nothing more than his hidden concubine. Now discarded for his glamorous wife, Sofia , Nadine refuses to disappear quietly. Teaming up with Zain, Christain ’s ruthless, estranged brother, she signs a contract marriage to bring them both down. But revenge has a dangerous heartbeat… and Nadine never expected to fall for the man who was supposed to be her partner in vengeance.

As I walked through the dimly lit hallway, my heart was still racing, my breath uneven from the whirlwind of emotions that had consumed me in the last few hours. Then, my eyes flickered up, catching sight of the metal plaque bolted to the doorpost "Wing 1." A cold chill ran down my spine. My body went rigid as Otto’s letter flashed vividly in my mind, the words echoing as if he said it directly to my face "Room 316. Wing 2." No. No. No. No. Oh, God. A sickening wave of realization crashed over me, leaving me breathless. The man in the grey suit… He had smiled, nodded, and gestured me down this hallway. So confident. So sure. And like a fool, I had followed. I had made a mistake. A colossal, irreversible mistake. My stomach twisted violently as the truth settled in, thick and suffocating. I had entered the wrong wing. The wrong room. The wrong bed. I had given myself to a stranger. My heartbeat pounded in my ears, drowning out everything else. The world tilted, my vision blurred. What had I done? How far is too far? In this encapsulating masterpiesce, Sucre is down for whatever gets him closer to taking revenge on Otto - his twin brother's killer. But, would he really do all that is necessary? Would he chose his ambition over that of Luca the cartel’s underboss and his lover? Can he stop the knife and gun violence on campus and win the five million dollars prize money? Dive into a story of love, betrayal, romance and suspense. The Cartel’s Forbidden Love is a gripping and intriguing read that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.