Crossword Clue Gamble Novels & Stories

For three years, Sera lived a lie. She traded her royal identity for the hope of a life with Kane, her fated mate and the Alpha of Blackwater. She endured the whispers and worked tirelessly for a pack that never wanted her, all for the promise that one day, she would be their Luna. But when the ceremony finally arrives, the crown isn't placed on Sera’s head. Instead, Kane chooses a woman who can give the pack what an Omega like Sera cannot: an heir . Publicly rejected and humiliated, Sera is forced to return to the kingdom she fled and the father she failed . Sera’s return isn't a sanctuary—it’s the fulfillment of a cold-blooded deal. To save her family’s alliance, she must marry a Volkov . But the "reasonable" man she was promised is dead, and in his place stands his brother: Fenris Volkov, the Alpha of Ironmaw. Fenris is no southern prince. He is a giant of a man who rules a land of ice and brutal survival, where weakness is a death sentence . As Sera is dragged into his world, she must survive more than just the political schemes of a hostile pack and the jealous wrath of the Ironmaw elite . She has five days to prove she can be the Luna this barbarian needs, or she will be broken by the very protection he offers . In a world where status is everything and love is a gamble, Sera must decide if her second chance is a blessing, or a beautiful, violent end.

Isolde Wrenleigh once had a promising future until an injury destroyed her ballet career and her half-sister, Vivienne, vanished under mysterious circumstances. Now, disguised under a false identity, Isolde infiltrates Velvet, a hidden elite club in Manhattan known for secrecy, seduction, and unspoken power. What she doesn’t expect is Dorian Blackthorn. A tech billionaire with a haunted past, Dorian secretly owns Velvet and controls everything within its walls. He lives by one rule: never get emotionally involved. But Isolde challenges that rule from the moment she enters curious, defiant, and hiding something even he can’t decode. Drawn to each other in spite of the lies, their connection ignites into a dangerous, all-consuming romance. Dorian offers her pleasure, protection, and dominance but Isolde has come for answers, not affection. And the deeper she digs, the more Velvet’s polished façade begins to crack. Behind the scenes, a darker operation is in motion missing women, encrypted files, and a conspiracy that reaches from club patrons to global power players. As enemies close in and betrayals shatter what little trust they’ve built, Isolde and Dorian must decide who to protect, what to sacrifice, and whether love is worth risking everything. Tangled in Velvet is a high-octane, emotionally raw romance filled with explosive passion, unexpected twists, and secrets that could destroy them both. In a world where control is currency and trust is a weapon, love is the most dangerous gamble of all.

Mateo Morales has been missing for two months. He disappeared with no sign left behind; no hints, and no clue as to where he went and why he disappeared. Eva Morales has been searching religiously for her brother. Being a lone wolf, her family is all she has and she will do anything for her brother. When all her clues lead to Laurence Baxter, she can't help but follow the breadcrumbs, but what she discovers might be more than what she bargained for.Laurence Baxter is wild, untamed, and spontaneous. He lives the life he wants and does what he wants; it works for him. But when his PI disappears, he can't help but feel responsible and he jumps right into a long search. When Mateo's sister, Eva, shows up and Laurence discovers her as his mate, he is thrilled to be so lucky. However, this prickly woman wants nothing to do with mates, nevermind a playboy like himself.Searching for Mateo and unraveling the Morales family secrets soon turns out to be more than he bargained for and Laurence finds more answers than he was hoping to find. After his mate runs from him, he has to make a decision: chase after her and rush into danger or let her be alone like she wants.*This is the third book in the Baxter Brothers series, though it can be read as a standalone novel*

I slept with my boyfriend’s twin brother, a Mafia don. One wild, drunk night, I gave in to him at his family’s masquerade ball, only to discover too late that the man who held me was not Nikolai my loving boyfriend. It was his twin Kieran Petrov, the feared don of the NY Mafia. A cruel man with blood on his hands, now I hold a devastating secret. I’m pregnant and I have no clue which of the brothers is the father. So when I decide to come clean to Nikolai and get closure before I leave the city, I find out a grave secret. Nikolai had been cheating on me with my best friend for years. So I run away, leaving it all behind and going into hiding. However, the Petrov family has enemies, does that want the only heir of the family dead. But Kieran tracks me down, he brings me back and present me with a deal I can’t refuse. Marry him and receive protection or stay where I am and die. I should hate him, in fact I do, he had known I was his brother’s girlfriend and still went ahead to make love to me. But I have no choice, I signed the contract and become Kieran’s contract wife. It was just for protection, nothing else, at least that’s what I think

"They say marriage is a big gamble, and I bet on the wrong man." *** Victoria Solace was a once beloved Alpha daughter of the Palemane Claws Pack and an heiress to a renowned perfume empire. After her dad died, she married her long-time crush, Elijah Arison, making him a powerful Alpha instead of being it herself. She thought everything she had given was enough to keep a happy marriage, yet only to get a cruel betrayal. Being framed to harm his mistress' unborn pup, she was imprisoned in the dungeon. Elijah stomped on all her pride and still tried to suck the last of her worth out of her. In her darkest hell, she contacted a man who she once thought she'd never cross paths with again. Damien Verlice, Alpha of the Infernal Shadows Pack. Dealings with the devil always come with a price. But this time, Victoria swore to learn her lesson. She'd keep her heart and be the ultimate winner. *** My back bowed so high from the bed, and all my muscles were taut. I was too scared to move even a muscle as it would set off my orgasm. “Who’s fcking you, V?” he banged me hard as he looked at me with his burning gaze. “You. Damien," my voice was hoarse and I knew he wouldn't let me high if I couldn't answer right. "Fck me, Damian. I'm yours.” Cover by @Rainygraphic

In a world where ancient treaties keep monsters in check, Lyra Hale has spent her life hiding what she is. A human witch born of a forbidden bloodline, Lyra’s magic first awakened in childhood, wild, powerful, and dangerous enough to draw the attention of forces her mother spent years running from. When her mother vanishes without a trace, Lyra follows the only clue left behind to Transylvania, a land ruled by vampires and werewolves haunted by the aftermath of forbidden magic. Her arrival does not go unnoticed. Once human, once powerless, Caspian has built his reign on control and fear of vulnerability. Lyra’s magic, ancient, untamed, and resistant to domination, becomes both his greatest threat and his darkest obsession. As witches, vampires, and werewolves close in, Lyra is pulled into a hidden war between covens, courts, and prophecies long buried. Ancient elders awaken, feral creatures stalk the shadows, and whispers of a forbidden creation resurface, proof of what happens when love and power cross sacred lines. Bound to Caspian by dangerous magic neither fully understands, Lyra must choose whether to submit to the laws that seek to control her… or defy them and risk destroying the fragile balance holding the supernatural world together. Because in a realm built on blood and fear, purity is a provocation, love is rebellion, and some bonds were never meant to exist, yet refuse to be broken.

This was meant to be a secret. I was dressed in a red mini-gown, the sexiest gown in my wardrobe. Tonight is gonna be hot! I was feeling the sensations already, I'd never had sex with my mate for the five years we've been together which was one reason tonight was gonna be special. Close to his house, I masked my scent. I didn't want him getting a clue of what's happening. The hormones in my body were going crazy and my wolf was so excited. I tiptoed to the backyard of his apartment which I knew for sure was always open, talking of the door. His bedroom was right here and I was gonna throw myself on him on the bed. I banged in. The unexpected happened. My jaw dropped at the sudden sight before me. Right in front of me, on the same bed I'd planned to have Leo make love with me, was him with another girl. Seeing me, they sprang up, staring at me like they saw a ghost. Out of anger, I walked out, planning to get revenge. I got drunk in a night club and ended up in a one-night stand to cool off my anger. Next morning, I went for my first class in college hoping to put the past behind me. Just when I thought I had, I found out that the hot stranger last night is my college professor and my foster brother. Boom! I'm pregnant for him…….

Part One:When Jamie Dalton moved into the house her grandparents left her she was just looking to reconnect with her past and settle in familiar surroundings. Digging through the attic for treasures, she found a nearly life-sized statue of a wolf and a very old, very strange book, Legends of the Werewolf. She was shocked when her new neighbor, Mike Volka, introduced himself and the eyes watching her looked just like the wolf in the book. Using the hypnotic power of the shifter, he draws her into his web and they have sex so hot it nearly burns down the house.Part TwoShifter Lia Popescue is desperate to find the book, Legends of the Werewolf, her only clue as to what happened to her pack. Her attempts to recover it bring her into contact with Riley Morgan, a contact that explodes with sexual chemistry. When she loses her heart to the sexy detective, she wonders how he will handle knowing the truth about her.USA Today best-selling and award-winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and paranormal to erotic. and has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.Wolf Tales is created by Desiree Holt, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

On her wedding day, Isla faced a series of disasters no bride could ever imagine. Her fiancé, Jeremy, dropped a bombshell in front of the entire congregation, revealing an explicit video of her and another man—a video she had no knowledge of or clue how it came to be. To make matters worse, Jeremy took things further by proposing to her sister right then and there. Devastated beyond belief, Isla ran out of the chapel—and his life—without looking back. She swore never to let herself be humiliated like that again and decided that love was no longer worth the risk. With her heart in pieces, she headed to the nearest bar to drown her sorrows in alcohol, where, in a haze of pain and anger, she met a handsome stranger. What was meant to be a fleeting escape turned into a one-night stand. She disappeared without a trace, determined to sever all ties with Jeremy. That included quitting her job at his father’s company—she didn’t want anything to do with him or his family anymore. As she searched for a new beginning, fate led her into the path of Jaxon Waverly. Jaxon Waverly—a billionaire CEO by day and a fearless Mafia leader by night. Isla becomes his secretary, unknown to her and Jaxon himself that she is Jaxon’s long-lost love and unforgettable one-night-stand. Determined to win her over, Jaxon will stop at nothing to make her his wife.

My name is Eleanor Keating. In my past life, my older sister—Alice Keating—and I were entrusted to the McKellen family in Arborhill by our parents for arranged marriages. I married John McKellen, the eldest son. While he might not be conventionally handsome, his calm demeanor and unwavering reliability stood out. Alice married Xavier McKellen, the younger son. Handsome as he was, he was equally carefree and unpredictable in his actions. Eager for a grandchild, the family patriarch—Henry McKellen—made a promise. The first to bear a child would have their offspring named the next heir of the family. After our wedding, John and I conceived. Our child was naturally declared the next heir, and with that, John and I gained influence and power within the family. Tensions between Alice and Xavier escalated into frequent fights. Eventually, both had affairs, and their marriage ended in a bitter divorce. Believing they had dishonored the family, John banished them from the household. Blinded by jealousy, Alice poisoned me and my child, ending both our lives. When I open my eyes again, I find myself back on the first day I arrived at the McKellen residence. But this time, Alice makes the first move and sleeps with John. In that moment, I realize she, too, has been given a second chance at life. Unfortunately, she has no clue that John is a twisted man. Not only is he devoid of love, but he also sees women as mere stepping stones in his relentless pursuit of power.