Crooked Kingdom Novel By Leigh Bardugo

"You are mine! I will kill any fucker who dares to even look at your shadow!” Xavier growled angrily, spreading Reina's legs, his fingers traveling down her inner thighs.  "I'm not yours, bastard! I will never be yours.” Reina retorted, arching her back when Xavier lurched his fingers forward, pressing against her soaked panties, and began rubbing his fingers against the soaked fabric. "Dare me, woman, and your dear husband will be the first!”  "I hate you!” Reina cried, her voice cracking under the weight of an undeniable attraction. ~~~ Reina had everything growing up as the pampered princess and only heir of mafia boss Don Santiago and Lucas, her doting husband who put her first.  Reina's fairytale turned into a nightmare after an accident claimed her parents’ lives, and her loving and doting husband, who pampered her and wouldn't even let her lift a speck of dust, began abusing her physically, emotionally, and mentally; cheating on her with her best friend, she became a shadow of herself.    With Reina's husband back to being doting overnight. They went on vacation in another country to rekindle their love. However, Reina found herself in another man's bed, labeling her as an adulterer. What would Reina do when her only hope in a foreign country is the man who made her an adulterer and homeless? Will she submit to him when all she feels for him is pure hatred? What will she do when she finds out her husband is not innocent either? ***  Xavier Romano is a ruthless mafia boss known as the "Devil" following his inhumane ways. After an event that put the woman who had been tormenting his dream for ages in his grasp, he swore to protect and heal her.  He will bring everyone who hurt her begging at her feet.

He took the arms of the chair tightly, holding her eyes firmly. “You signed a freaking contract! It seems like you don’t know where you are or who I am. You’re in hell now, and I’m the devil Flora,” he let go of the chair when he heard familiar footsteps approaching. Due to an unfortunate turn of events springing from a confrontation, inexperienced Catherine Flora becomes the Campaign Manager to the Smith family. She is treated like a disposable pawn and works hard to make an impression. Her actions don't go unnoticed when the Heir to the Smith wealth, Donovan Smith starts to fall in love with her. However, one wrong phone call changes the entire narrative. Catherine is forced to go into hiding to bear the son of a man who broke her heart. Will Donovan be able to win her back, or will she find solace in the arms of any man?

In a kingdom ruled by a brutal king, Thalia Blackwood, an infamous assassin, is given a choice: fight for her freedom or remain a prisoner in the deadly salt mines of Karnak. Selected to compete against ruthless criminals in a contest to become the King’s Champion, Thalia soon finds herself entangled in dark court politics, where enemies lurk in the shadows, and nothing is as it seems. But as she navigates this treacherous competition, sinister forces far beyond the throne emerge, and Thalia must confront a hidden magic, long thought lost, that could destroy everything. With her deadly skills and a mysterious past that threatens to surface, she must outwit her rivals and face dangers both human and magical. Freedom comes at a price—and Thalia will pay it in blood if she has to. Will she win her freedom, or will the darkness of her past consume her first?

BLURB: After losing her home and family, Joan Crawford was forced to serve as a maid to the Alpha king. On the day the Alpha king had called for a ceremony for all alphas, that was the same day Joan is to turn eighteen. Alpha Rex discovers that Joan, his maid, was his true mate. He despised her, made her do things that made her cry and despite how much he tries to reject her, he couldn't because of his dying mother who has longed to see her daughter-in-law. After the one night stand with her mate, Joan realizes she can't withstand her mate's hatred for her, she has to leave. What happens when she runs? Will Alpha Rex be able to withstand the distance between his mate?

"I, Ortega Blackwood, daughter of beta Denzel Blackwood, am rejecting you, Killian Fitzgerald, future Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack, as my fated mate!" She uttered through gritted teeth, glaring fiercely at her mate as he descended the stairs towards her. His expression twisted into a mask of fury, his eyes blazing with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, his imposing figure cast a shadow over her as she lay on the ground, vulnerable yet defiant. "Do you dare defy me, Ortega? Do you dare reject your fate?" His voice dripped with venom, each word carrying a threat that hung heavily in the air. "You cannot reject me, Ortega. You will be my mate whether you like it or not." ************** Rejecting her mate hadn't been easy. But when Ortega meets the powerful and ruthless Lycan and Mafia Boss, Alfredo Gambino, she finds herself falling in love with him, even though he is the rival and enemy of her rejected mate. And Alfredo also finds himself unwilling to let her go, especially now that her rejected mate wants her back.

Serenity has been locked up in a miserable attic her entire childhood and into adulthood. She's never known the reason why. All she knows is that when she turns eighteen, she's meant to marry the Alpha's son Roland and only then will she be given back her freedom. She's learnt to be quiet and obey, to stay in her prison and watches as life passes by, no one lending a hand to help her gain her freedom back. But what happens when a lycan prince visits the pack and discovers she's his mate? What secret has her Alpha been keeping from her all this time? When her life is upended and the truth comes out, will she finally break free of her shackles and embrace the life she was meant to have?

"I would rather die than have you as my wife. You are not Lauren and you will never be my mate!" "You're nothing but a tool I used to help my Pack achieve our goal. I merely used you to get the MoonGem and nothing more!" *** When Evelyn, daughter of the Alpha of the Sagittarius pack fails in a mission to get to the gem needed to strengthen her pack's bloodline, she is given to Alpha Damian, the cold hearted Alpha of the Red Cedar pack who is in possession of the gem as a gift bride to secure that gift for the Sagittarius pack. The Sagittarius pack has made a deal with a separate pack so Evelyn's real motives are supposed to be stealing the gem from Alpha Damian. She has to work her way into his heart and push all of his buttons to get this done, but what will they do when the fate hits them with a shock. Can a love not fated ever stand strong in the midst of bloodshed, hatred, and a Werewolf vendetta?

In a world filled with unexpected twists, follow Theia, a young woman haunted by the fear of losing her beloved grandmother, who has 100 days to live. Theia was sold into slavery by the person she least expected. When an Alpha male seeks a slave, who turns out to be more than he bargained for; his destined mate.

Marco’s presence was overwhelming, his body heat making it hard to breathe. His dark eyes locked onto mine, making my heart race. “Why do you fight me, Sarah?” he whispered, his breath hot against my ear. I tried to step back, but the counter trapped me. “I won’t be your plaything, Marco.” He smiled, a dangerous, seductive curve of his lips. “Is that so?” He pulled me close, his hand burning through my dress. His lips brushed my neck, sending shivers down my spine. “I think you like this more than you admit.” I wanted to resist, but when his mouth claimed mine, I melted into the kiss, my body betraying me. Every touch ignited a fire I couldn’t control. When he pulled back, his eyes were full of desire. “You can’t deny what’s between us, Sarah” Sarah’s simple life turns dark when she catches the eye of dangerous mob boss, Marco De Luca. To settle her father’s debt, Marco forces her into an arranged relationship. Sarah fights to resist his control, but their fiery clashes spark undeniable passion.

Harriet leaves her old pack after she realises Damon was never serious about her, heartbroken and nowhere to go, she soon finds herself in the city where she meets Gino. He is everything she could ever dream of and things seems a little to good to be true when he offers a job and money in exchange for pretending to be his wife. Will Harriet be able to keep her side of the deal or will feelings get in the way? What will happen when Damon realises his mistake and it was Harriet he wanted all along?