Coarse Crackles

He is everything she despises arrogant, brutal, and worshipped for the violence he delivers on the ice. Atticus Finch is the league’s most feared hockey star, a man who wins games with clenched fists and a heart carved from ice. Sheila Feint wants nothing to do with him. She sees the ego behind the fame, the rage behind the smile, the destruction he leaves in his wake. And Atticus? He can’t stand her defiance, her sharp tongue, the way she looks at him like he’s nothing more than a headline waiting to implode. Forced into close proximity by fate and circumstance, their hatred burns hotter than rivalry. Every argument crackles with tension. Every glare lingers too long. Somewhere between verbal wars, bruised pride, and moments they refuse to name, the line between enemy and something far more dangerous begins to blur. But loving your enemy comes at a price. Because if Atticus lets her in, he risks exposing the darkness he’s spent years hiding. And if Sheila gives in, she might fall for the one man capable of destroying everything she believes in. On the ice, Atticus Finch never loses. But with Sheila Feint… love might be the most brutal game he’s ever played.

Trigger Warning: This story explores difficult themes including emotional and physical abuse, coercion, non-consensual drugging, obsession, and trauma. Reader discretion is advised. Love. Lust. Obsession. Three very different men, but they all have one thing in common... Me. I was just a waitress. A woman with burned bridges and a dream of starting over. I thought I was finally free. A clean slate. I was so close... so close to gaining the independence I fought so hard for, until darkness came again, only this time… tenfold. One’s lust wants to own me. Another’s obsession seeks to break me. The third... I’m drawn to. He treated me like no one else did. I thought I could trust him. Then something shifted. Something terrifying. Hope fades when your body is not yours, your voice is silenced, and freedom is denied. --- As my fingertips brushed the smooth metal surface of the handle, claw-like fingers sank into my fleshy hips. I cried out in pure terror, the wind knocked out of me as my back slammed against his chest. “You’re really not leaving without saying goodbye to me, are you, sweetheart?” he growled. His eyes glowed an eerie garnet. “Remember, you belong to me now, Laura. If you ever dare run, I’ll lock you away where no one will find you,” he snarled, his coarse face scraping against mine. --- I’ve survived everything up to this point... Now, I’m not sure I can. They say I belong to them... Yet what if I was never meant to belong to anyone?

I looked around suddenly perceiving something so alluring like pinewood mixed with Raspberry and I could tell my mate was close. A figure suddenly walked into the woods and towards me and I gasped in fear as his eyes bore into mine. "Mate" he said. My excitement kicked started knowing that I finally had a mate who had come to save me but the happiness was short lived when he said to me. "You are such a weakling" Fear instantly gripped me as I didn't want him to reject me. "please don't reject me, I beg of you." I pleased softly. "what is your name??" he asked "T...T...Tyla." "I, Alpha Thane of the Tiger wood blood pack, reject you Tyla as my mate and Luna." he spat. I felt an intense sting of pain coarse through me as I gazed intensely into his eyes. "I, Tyler Niver, accept your Rejection." "Who do you think you are to accept my rejection??!!!" he yelled as I flinched. "Nobody." "Just you wait and see how I make your life a living hell...from a nobody, you will be totally forgotten." Tyla Niver, an orphaned girl sold into a pack as a slave has always dreamt of having a perfect life with her mate. Although she hadn't shifted yet, that didn't stop her from dreaming big but her dreams came crashing before her eyes when her mate rejected her as his Luna. what she didn't know was that accepting his rejection only opened a dangerous pathway for her into the life of the ruthless and arrogant Alpha Thane and he has vowed to make her life miserable. will her later reverse his rejection and fall for his weak mate or will his Ruthlessness push them further apart from each other.

He was a man shrouded in power and sin. She was a woman driven by ambition and scars. Sienna Russo has spent her entire life fighting for control — of her past, her career, and most of all, her heart. Haunted by a childhood trauma that pushed her into law school, she’s built walls so high that no man has ever dared to climb them. Her focus is clear: become the ruthless lawyer the world respects and never let anyone close enough to hurt her again. But all it takes is one night, one dance, and one man to unravel the carefully crafted life she’s built. Alessandro De Luca — billionaire, mafia king, and a man as dangerous as he is captivating. With his dark charm and an aura of untouchable power, he ignites something in Sienna she never knew existed — a desire so twisted, it scares her more than her own demons. When Sienna’s path collides with Alessandro’s once more, she’s forced into a game of control and submission. The tension crackles between them like a flame waiting to devour everything in its wake. But Alessandro doesn’t just want a taste — he wants all of her. Mind, body, and soul. As secrets unravel and their attraction spirals into a dangerous obsession, Sienna must face the hardest truth of all — some desires aren’t meant to be tamed. And Alessandro De Luca? He’s a man who doesn’t ask twice. In a world where passion is a weapon and power is a curse, will Sienna escape the grip of the man who threatens to consume her… or will she surrender to the twisted desires that bind them both ?

"You look like my wife, but something tells me you're not her." Betrayed. Poisoned. Forgotten. Luna Hale thought the worst pain a mate could bring was rejection — until the night her own husband and twin sister ended her life in a hospital room that reeked of betrayal. Her last breath was a promise whispered to the Moon Goddess: “If I ever return, I will never forgive them.” But fate had other plans. Reborn in another body — that of Alara, the missing Luna of a rival pack — she wakes beneath a silver moon with no memory of how or why she’s there. The only thing she knows is survival. Yet the world she’s thrust into is darker than the one she left behind. Shadows whisper her name, and every heartbeat feels like someone else’s. When she’s brought before Alpha Ryder, her new husband, she senses danger beneath his calm gaze. And when her former mate, Alpha Damon, appears at a grand ball, the air itself crackles with an impossible truth — her soul still burns for him. The mate bond hasn’t died. It’s only changed. Now, two Alphas want her. One for love. One for redemption. But the Moon Goddess doesn’t give gifts — she trades souls. And to escape her curse, Luna must face the cruelest fate of all: Loving the man who killed her… or killing the man she still loves.

For the first twenty years of my life, nothing interesting happened to me, nothing at all. I was just an orphan, trapped inside a prison of my own creation. My life was mundane, colourless, predictable, and for the longest time, I liked it that way. Life scared me. People scared me. Hell, everything scared me. Then Adrian walks into my life. Devilishly handsome and mysterious, the new priest sets me alight with desires I never knew existed. It's a sin, I know, but I can't help myself. His touch is magic. But Adrian is not what he appears to be. Our new priest is a Lycan King on the run from his enemies. And me? I'm not who I thought I was. I'm neither human nor wolf. I'm something else. Something that puts my life in danger. Just like that, my life is filled with excitement, adventure and more colour than I can handle. * I feel, more than see, as the priest kneels next to me. “Are you afraid of me, Pippa?" A little,”I answer. It's easier to be honest when you can't see the person's face. "Why?” "You- you make me…feel things.” "Hm-hm,”he grunts."And you've never felt these things before?" "No.” Out of nowhere, his warm hand falls on my hip, and a solitary finger traces along the length of my hipbone. My body comes alive and crackles with electricity, but I don't move, I don't even breathe.

Chased by Sorin through neon-lit Vegas, Dawn’s uncontrolled light magic crackles in desperation. She slips past the ward that hides a magical realm and crashes into the Black Pistons motorcycle club’s territory. The club is led by twin alpha dragons, Riku and Rain, who have vowed against mating. Dawn’s arrival ignites an unexpected bond: Riku flirts, teasing her with warmth and guidance, while Rain, the colder brother, distances himself despite an undeniable draw. Offered shelter and protection, Dawn steps into a world of dragonfire and the shadow of a dark wizard who promises safety if she stops running. Rain’s distrust of Dawn’s magic leads him to impose strict rules while Riku encourages her to explore her power. Sorin infiltrates the ward, probing defenses and leaving Dawn shaken. A midnight ride under desert stars ends with an almost-kiss as Riku’s warmth contrasts Rain’s questions that reveal his inner conflict. During a training session Riku teaches her to channel light magic through touch, sparking an intimate moment abruptly interrupted by Sorin’s attack. As dreams twist under Malachar’s promises, Dawn finds herself torn between the twins’ opposing teachings when Rain, rescues her from danger. Jealousy and desire fracture their trio when Dawn admits to a bond with both brothers. Riku’s teasing hides tender devotion, while Rain’s hesitation dissolves as he tends to her wounds with touches. In a moonlit orchard their passion ignites until Rain’s sudden arrival sparks tension. Malachar’s emissary breaches the ward bearing a sigil, forcing the twins and Dawn into battle. Dragonfire and light magic merge in a display of unity that scatters their foe. In the aftermath adrenaline fuels an moment where neither brother claims her outright, their unclaimed bond shimmering with danger and undeniable promise.

Lily never imagined she’d end up married to Ethan, her sister's boyfriend. But now, she finds herself under the same roof with Ethan and his family, her life taking an unexpected turn. Caught in the web of her confusion, anxiety, and the judgment of her family, Lily is left feeling more isolated than ever before. Once a close-knit and loving family, the atmosphere now crackles with resentment. Lily’s every move is scrutinized, and the disapproval from her own family is overwhelming. Her desire for acceptance seems impossible as the weight of her actions presses down on her. However, there’s one person who still offers her warmth, Mommy Maita, her mother-in-law. Unlike the others, she tries to make Lily feel welcome, offering her kindness and comfort. But Lily can’t help but question whether this kindness is genuine or just a way to keep up appearances in a family already torn apart by scandal. Ethan’s attitude towards Lily only complicates things further. His anger is palpable, and he seems resistant to accept her as his wife. Lily is left in the dark, wondering why he’s so hostile, when all she wants is a connection. But with every passing day, the emotional gap between them widens, and Lily is left questioning her place in this fractured life. Torn between her desire for love and the turmoil surrounding her, Lily struggles with feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. As expectations and societal pressures weigh heavily on her, she starts to wonder if she’ll ever find a way out of this mess. Lily finds solace in her friends Miya and Rafael. They offer her the understanding and support she desperately needs, reminding her that maybe there’s still hope in a world that seems determined to tear her apart.

My mate, Andrew Claude, is the Alpha of the Celestial Pack, the sworn rival of my father’s Venus Pack. For three years, we have hidden our bond, knowing that our union could either bring peace between the packs or ignite war. On Lunar Year's Eve, beneath the full moon’s silver glow, we stand on the castle terrace, whispering promises of our future. Tonight, we finally agree to perform our bonding ritual, sealing our fates before revealing our love to our parents. My wolf stirs in anticipation, her instincts urging me toward him. But then, Andrew leaps down into the grand fire-dance festival, his powerful wolf form shifting mid-air before landing in a flourish. The scent of burning pine and roasted venison fills the air, warriors howling in celebration. The pack’s bonfire crackles with enchanted flames, casting shadows of prowling wolves against the towering stone walls. I watch from above, heart pounding with joy—until my smile fades. In the heart of the revelry, Carol Sinclair, an Omega maid, clutches a bundle of enchanted fireworks. Andrew strides to her, a warm, easy grin on his face. With a flick of his fingers, golden flames dance from his palms, sparking the firework in her hands. "A little fire magic to help you, Carol," he chuckles. She gasps in admiration, giggling as the firework ignites—only for it to spiral out of control. It veers wildly, the enchanted embers lashing through the air. Searing pain blooms across my arm. The stench of burning flesh fills my nose. I barely react before Carol bursts into tears and flees into the crowd. Before I can speak, Andrew turns on me, his golden eyes flashing with rage. The onlookers fall silent, ears twitching to catch their Alpha’s words. “Did you bully her, Bella?” His growl rumbles deep in his chest. “Just because you’re an Alpha’s heir doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want!” The warriors glance at each other, their tails stiff with tension. I stagger back, stunned. He doesn’t even ask if I’m hurt.