Crystal Core

My coming-of-age ceremony was supposed to be a celebration. My father, the Alpha of Alphas, had invited every powerful pack in the land. His goal: for me to choose a mate from the land's strongest Alphas. I chose the most powerful of them all, Alpha Lukas. But my sister Lyla, my father's bastard, was only allowed a lowly beta. She was slaughtered in the forest. After her death, Lukas and I crafted 99 soul crystals in her memory. I thought he did it for me, to honor my fallen sister. But then he killed me in battle. With his bare hands. "You bitch! If you hadn't chosen me, Lyla would have been my mate!" Only then did I learn the truth. He had only ever loved Lyla. He hated me for stealing the life that should have been hers. Those 99 soul crystals… they weren't for her memory. They were for my penance. I died in a sea of despair. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day of my ceremony. Facing the most powerful Alphas in the world, I walked past them all and chose the one no one wanted. The half-breed outcast despised by all. Salome.

I was Don Victor’s secret wife for five years, hidden away like a dirty little secret. He made me a promise. Give him an heir, and he’d show me to the world. I’d be the Donna everyone envied. But there was a catch. A lie. His doctor told me I was barren. Victor held me while I sobbed, kissing my face. "Baby, we can still do IVF. I want a child from you. Only you." So I took the pain. Five years. 999 needles. I was finally pregnant on Christmas Day. I ran to his office to share the news, only to find him buried deep inside another woman. Julia. A Mafia princess from another family. The betrayal hit me. I turned to leave, tears in my eyes, but then I heard a truth I couldn't escape. "Don't you worry, my princess. The baby in Maria's belly? It's ours. Your egg, my sperm. She’s just the perfect vessel." My hand trembled. I backed away, silent. Then I made a call. A lawyer. "I don't care what it costs. I want a divorce from Don Victor."

“Our marriage will be nothing more than a deal.” Diablo said, glaring at his fiancé. “I doubt that you expect me to want anything from you to begin with.” Sienna said, shooting back at him. “As long as it would bring peace amongst our families, that is all it will ever be.” ****************** An arranged marriage is never easy. But when there is a lover in between, things can get a little more complicated…

Sahabat terbaikku, Maya, terbang dari Miama untuk menemaniku di minggu pesta lajangku. Hari-hari terakhir kebebasanku. Dia bersikeras merayakannya dengan acara malam khusus wanita di rumah, memesan semua makanan pesan antar favoritku. Dia memintaku memegang ponselnya dan menunggu. Tiba-tiba, layar ponselnya menyala. Sebuah pesan dari seorang pria. Foto tanpa baju. Aku pun membaca pesan itu. [ Aku butuh kamu malam ini. ] Kemudian, pesan itu disusul foto lain lagi. Foto mainan seks dan perlengkapan bondage seperti yang di film. Wajahku terasa panas. Jantungku berdegup kencang. Tanpa disengaja, aku baru saja masuk ke kehidupan rahasianya. Namun, gambar berikutnya membuatku diam terpaku. Foto close-up dada pria itu. Sebuah bekas luka bergerigi yang kukenal lebih baik daripada diriku sendiri. Itu milik tunanganku, Lucian Caraka.

Mon compagnon de destin, Raoul, était l'Alpha d'une meute pathétique au bord de l'effondrement. Pendant cinq ans, j'étais son ombre, son stratège. J'ai construit sa meute à partir de rien jusqu'à ce que l'Alliance nous reconnaisse enfin et que nous soyons prêts à partir vers les terres fertiles. Raoul a promis que nous aurions notre cérémonie d'accouplement une fois installés sur le nouveau territoire. Mais lors de la fête de célébration, la nuit précédant le déménagement, il m'a jetée dans une cellule. Il a annoncé publiquement que Jeanne, la louve qui portait son petit, serait la Luna de la meute. Je n'arrivais pas à y croire. Je lui ai crié dessus, mais il s'est contenté de ricaner et de pointer un cristal chargé de magie noire. « Jeanne a déjà la preuve de ta trahison ! Tu couches avec les Alphas pour obtenir leur soutien. Tu me rends malade ! » Je l'ai supplié, mais il s'est contenté de me trancher la joue avec la lettre de refus aux bords argentés, me mettant formellement à l'écart. Mais il ne savait pas qui j'étais vraiment. J'étais la fille du roi Alpha. Les stratégies, le pouvoir, les alliances - ils n'étaient pas les siens, mais les miens. J'ai donc tout repris.

“You hired me, to babysit a MAN?” Kiara asked glaring at the Russian mafia don who shrugged. His son stood by the door, his arms crossed over his chest as the two men watched the fuming girl in front of them. “I never said ‘babysit’, I merely said ‘keep out of trouble’” the don answered her casually. “He is a man, he would be at least twenty-five…” “I’m twenty-eight, and thank you for noticing that I’m a man” Alessio said stopping her, sarcasm dripping from his voice. “Ah, see, he’s even polite” his father said raising an eyebrow at Kiara who ran her fingers through her hair as she processed the situation she was in. “You told me to take care of your son!” “I never said that he was a kid though…” ******************** It all started with a job offer, one that united two different worlds. A girl who’s father is a federal agent, and a man, who was the future Russian mafia don. Her job was simple, keep the man out of trouble. However, what she didn’t know was that this trouble included him being a killer, one who was out for revenge.

“All you have to do, Nortia, is birth me an heir within two years and get 20 millions dollars whenever you decide to leave, isn't that juicy enough? You can't get that elsewhere, so it's best you take it while I'm still offering” ************* After walking into her boyfriend cheating on her with her cousin, Nortia vowed never to love again, but then Alexis's tempting proposal to bear him an heir and get 20 millions upon departure changed everything. Despite initial reservations not to fall in love, they both find themselves entangled in a web of emotions. As adversaries, secrets and past love affairs resurface threatening to tear them apart, they try to do everything to keep the flames in their relationship burning, but would they be able to?

“Don’t get me wrong” the hybrid king said looking at the human king, his eyes blue eyes piercing the human king’s green ones, it was like he was begging for the king to object, but he knew that he couldn’t it was his people’s life on the line “but this is just a mere game of thrones” “The child is not even born yet, and we do not know if it’s a boy or God forbid, a girl” the human king glared at the hybrid who was making a bargain with him over his own child. “I did not say that it had to be this child King Leonardo” the hybrid king smiled his eyes genuine as he looked at king Leonardo. “And yet, you are forcing me to make a bargain over my own child King Niklaus” King Leonardo snapped. “I am not forcing you King Leonardo, I am merely giving you the option, should I marry your child, then your kingdom is safe, and should you object, then you are forced to accept us on your realm, with your people, until of course our creatures manage to overthrow all of you” the look on King Leonardo’s face told King Niklaus that he had already gotten what he wanted, which was all he needed to hear right now. “Should my daughter be born, and come to age, she will marry you” King Leonardo said in defeat, the hybrid smiled and nodded at King Leonardo. “Pleasure doing business with you King Leonardo”

It started out with a marriage. A simple contract signed, one where no feelings were involved, and no strings attached. A small business deal. But when their love conquers even the mafia's darkest desire of revenge. Things start taking a different path. One which would draw both the fate, and a line of the loving couple. Both Eliana and Vladimir Romanov would be forced into a war like no other. It is one of power, strength, and money. Against a man who not only wanted their dynasty’s place, but wanted them gone for good. The man was ruthless, powerful, deceitful, and he was willing to do everything for a spec of power. And remember, the Mafia's world only has one rule "there is no rule to follow when it comes to power" Would they be able to do what it takes? Will their love strive to survive through it all? Or would both crumble under it?

“Are you sure that you want to do this, Diablo?” She asked, looking at her husband to nodded. “They shot the first bullet and it's time for me to shoot the rest. And I do believe that you're not going to let them live after everything that has happened.” He said, looking at his wife, who nodded. ************************************************** It's been years since any of their enemies have shown their faces. Some have believed them to be dead. Some believe that they chose to escape. However, Diablo and Sienna knew better than to believe any of their lies. And when the first spark of flame emerged. They knew to fight back. And they fought back even harder…