Cultivating Soil

[...]“Eleonor is my wife. She's mine, whether it's to love her, hate her… make her moan, or make her life miserable. She's mine, and mine alone.”[...] ㅤ Because of James Evans debt at Serendipity Casino, he's forced to accept the proposal of the mysterious Mr. Reviello, a mobster of questionable reputation. To pay off the debt, his daughter Emily must marry Mr. Reviello, the current leader of the household. However, she's fragile and would not endure that lifestyle. Therefore, the Evans family decides to trick Mr. Reviello and send the eldest daughter, Eleonor, to marry in Emily's place. ㅤ Humiliated at the altar, Eleonor spends two years without meeting her husband, cultivating a deep hatred for him. But everything changes when she has a casual night with a man she met at the club. That man is none other than her husband. Because of the breach of the infidelity clause, Eleonor is forced to enter a mental game with Reviello, in an intense relationship where he likes to dominate and be in control, and she doesn't like to obey. Until hate becomes love. ㅤ However, her identity as the wrong bride remains a secret. At least that's what she believes. After all, Giovanni Reviello also has his own secrets. ㅤ(+18 ONLY)

Autumn Bennett, a 23-year-old omega and a farmer’s daughter, lived a peaceful life with her parents and younger sister, Hanna. Her family worked tirelessly in agriculture, ensuring she received a good education, and she majored in Agricultural Soil Science. Her future seemed secure, with her marriage arranged to William, her father’s friend’s son. She was content—until tragedy struck. Their omega village was mercilessly attacked by the Alpha, who looted everything and killed her parents. Forced to flee, Autumn and Hanna survived in the forest for days, only to be captured by the Lycan King’s army along with other girls and taken to the kingdom as slaves. Zane Valerian Blackhowl, the 25-year-old Lycan King, is a ruthless and feared ruler who demands absolute respect. Scarred by his mother’s abandonment when he was just a baby, he despises women, seeing them as nothing more than tools for satisfaction. When brought before the king, Autumn refuses to accept a life of slavery. Instead, she boldly bargains for her and her sister’s protection, offering her knowledge and skills in exchange. Intrigued by her defiance, Zane grants her a chance—but in his world, trust is dangerous, and weakness is unforgivable. Will Autumn prove her worth and survive in the Lycan kingdom, or will she fall prey to the beast who refuses to love?

When April Caddel was just a child, her world changed with the arrival of Orion King—a guarded teenager taken in by her loving parents. For over a decade, Orion was her protector, her strict older “brother,” and the unshakable force in her life… until he vanished without a goodbye. Now, six years later, Orion is back. No longer the boy she knew, he’s a powerful, aloof businessman with a new name and carefully guarded secrets. But April’s heart remembers the boy who saw her when no one else did. And her body reacts to the man he’s become. Orion is determined to help April rebuild her life, all while clinging to the one rule he’s never dared to break—he is her brother in every way that counts. But April is no longer the little girl who followed his lead. She’s falling for the one man she was never supposed to want. As boundaries blur and emotions spiral, forbidden love burns between them, threatening to upend everything they thought was safe. The arrival of Orion’s entitled half-siblings and a father who wants his son back only adds fuel to the fire. They share no blood. But will that ever be enough? When love dares to bloom in forbidden soil, will it survive the storm? Or would their love story become one more secret they can never afford to tell?

Rose is devastated by the death of her grandmother, the woman who raised her after the tragic death of her parents when she was only five years old. She knows her life will never be the same, but unbeknownst to her, her world is about to be turned upside down again. Phoenix has been looking out for Rose ever since he and his team of Alpha Wolves returned to home soil after fighting in some of the most war torn areas of the world. He has seen the worst of what the human world has to offer and he and the other four members of his team are ready to hang up their fatigues and live in the peace they fought so hard for. When phoenix discovered that the young girl's father had been a police officer, and he and her mother had been the victims of a mob hit, phoenix secretly went to her grandmother and offered to support the old woman and young girl until he could be sure they weren’t in danger.  In the meantime, phoenix and his team have spent the last few years fighting to end the threat that thrives in the shadows of their small town. When the danger is on their doorstep and Rose’s grandmother dies unexpectedly, phoenix has no choice but to put his reservations aside and finally claim the woman he recognised as his all those years ago. It’s the only way to keep her safe from the men who killed her parents. But who will keep her safe from him?

Atenea, a young woman of captivating beauty, displays an innocent face that could easily be mistaken for that of an angel; however, don’t be deceived, for behind that appearance hides the very devil in a small body. She accepts Valentino Rizzo’s marriage proposal—an ice-hearted businessman—bound by the obligation to save her father’s nearly bankrupt factory. When the young Russian sets foot on Italian soil, she comes face to face with her future husband’s mistress. One might think that the fragile girl would cry over a future with a fiancé who has another woman, but… —“You’re my fiancé’s woman, you say?” —she removes her sunglasses, a gentle smile curving her lips—. “Nice to meet you, I’m Atenea Volkova, the future wife of your man. Sorry… our man.” In contrast, a husband with a cold and unyielding heart, who constantly shows her his disdain and openly professes his love for his mistress, becomes astonished when he discovers a small detail that binds him to his tiny wife. Love arises, grows, multiplies, but at some point, it must perish, for Atenea Volkova is not willing to give her heart to any man. It was a promise made on her knees before a grave, where her fragile heart was buried for life. Can true love bloom between a heart of ice and another cracked and closed to the feelings of love?

Ava-Rose Redclaw is excited when she meets Alastor Drexel on her 19th birthday. He's handsome, powerful, and the Alpha of The Drexel Forest pack. Proud of the mate the Moon Goddess gifted her with, she wants to jump into her role as Luna only days after meeting. As soon as Ava-Rose touches the Drexel Forest pack's soil, her mate's true nature surfaces. He's a cruel tyrant, with a thirst for blood. Ava realizes that her mate has no love in his heart for her. Saddened by this fact, she turns to his younger brother, Beta Trenton Drexel and they begin a 10-year affair. He loves her dearly, but he loves his brother more, so much so, that he turns a blind eye to the abuse Ava-Rose endures by his brother's hand. Tired of the abuse and humiliation, Ava teams up with a White Witch she befriended who lives alone in the swamps. Winifred invites Ava to run away with her to a land far, far away, out of the reach of her mate. Ava sees this as the perfect opportunity, as she's been planning her escape for a while, knowing that the day is near when her secret will come out. On the day of the voyage, scores of she-wolves from near and far show up to journey with the Luna. They are tired of their abusive relationships as well. Days later and they arrive at Mount Hecate, a sacred place for white witches. Ava is content with getting revenge on the pack that tried to break her. Love is the furthest thing from her mind until she meets Typhon, a mysterious shifter that lives on the top of the mountain.

Grace Hammond lost the most important person in her life, her grandmother, Juliet. Left with little beyond a failing farm and not much clue how to run it, she's trapped-- either she gives up three generations of roots and leaves, or she finds some help and makes it work. When a mysterious letter from Juliet drops a much needed windfall in her lap, Grace knows she has one chance to save the only place she's ever called home and posts a want-ad.The knight that rides to her rescue is Robert Zhao, an Army veteran and struggling college student. A first generation Korean American, Rob is trying desperately to establish some roots, not just for himself, but for the parents he's trying to get through the immigration process, a secret he's keeping even from his best friends. Grace's posting for a local handyman, offering room and board in exchange for work he already loves doing, is exactly the situation he needs to put that process on track.Neither is prepared for the instant chemistry, the wild sweet desire that flares between them. But life in a small town isn't easy. At worst, strangers are regarded suspiciously, and at best, as profoundly flawed-- and the Hammond women have a habit of collecting obscure and ruthless enemies. Can their budding love take root in subtly hostile soil and weather the weeds seeking to choke them out?

“You smell like mine.” Lyra never believed the legends about Lycans. They said those monstrous, feral creatures with strength far beyond wolves. But when she tries to save a child from a rogue attack, her blood spills on sacred soil… and her hidden bloodline awakens. Miles away, Ares Nightbane, the terrifying Lycan King, turns feral when her scent hits him like a drug. Her pain drags him across kingdoms in minutes. Her fear breaks what little sanity he has left. He finds her bleeding. Shaking. Dying. And the moment his eyes meet hers, the ruthless king loses absolute control. He pins her to the ground with a growl, breath hot on her throat. Not to kill her. Not to save her. But because the bond, the one he swore to destroy has chosen her. “Run if you want,” Ares snarls, lips brushing her ear. “I’ll chase. I’ll devour. I’ll claim every inch of you until the moon rises in your eyes. You are mine, little wolf. Mine to protect. Mine to ruin.” Lyra is poor, brave, and stubborn enough to defy a king. But resisting the Lycan who can cross kingdoms in minutes? The king whose madness is soothed only by her scent? The king who would tear apart the world to keep her? She might survive the monsters outside the palace but surviving the one obsessed with her? That may be impossible.

Jagger has a double life, a life bound to the law and another where he breaks every law known to man as he does his job as The Enforcer for the New York City Mafia. Jagger has been engulfed in sorrow since he lost the woman he loved and their baby when she got caught up in the dark side of his life.  Jagger sank into depression, drugs, and alcohol while trying to fight off his demons and get revenge for what happened to the woman he loved and their baby. The man that killed them is a ghost, a ghost Jagger can’t seem to find. Jagger rebuilt his life, becoming the most reputable criminal lawyer in New York City, and now he needs to face the man he stole his woman from in court. His past seems to come back to haunt him when he meets the only woman who has made him forget about his past and wants to be with someone again.  Calliope Flores is a law student who is suing one of her professors for sexual harassment. Her life has turned upside down, as she has to deal with what happened and relive it every second of every day. When she meets the lawyer representing her professor, her disgust for him mixes with lust, desire, and a mind-blowing sexual attraction.  Callie tries to fight off her desire while cultivating the anger that fuels her body. Getting mixed up with a big-time lawyer from the opposite side seems like a mistake Callie is willing to make if it will make her feel alive again.  This is the third and last book of The Legacies series. This book can be read as a stand-alone, but it is recommended to read the other books first for better comprehension. 

The ninth bonding ceremony between me and the Alpha King, Thorne Ravencrest, is finally here. Yet once again, I failed to become his Luna Queen. Not because he broke his promise, but because I'm not qualified enough. The Elders made it crystal clear that every Luna Queen recognized by the Moon Goddess throughout history must cultivate 365 Moonlight Flowers using their own blood essence. But every year on the eve of the ceremony, no matter how careful I am, there's always one flower missing. This year, I nearly drained myself completely and barely managed to grow the right number. Ecstatic, I go to find Thorne, wanting to surprise him. Through the partially open door of the throne hall, I hear his Beta say to him, "Alpha King, Sera's been waiting for you for eight years now. Are you ever going to bond with her?" Thorne shakes his head. "I promised Willow we can't bond this year either." His Beta hesitates. "What if Sera actually manages to grow enough Moonlight Flowers?" Thorne goes silent for a moment, then claps his hands. A shadow wolf appears and melts into the darkness. Before long, a shadow wolf returns with a Moonlight Flower clamped in its jaws. He tears the flower into shreds and lets out a sigh. "Sera has plenty of blood. Forget one year. She could keep cultivating for another ten years and still be fine. "But Willow's been poisoned with wolfsbane. I'm all she has left, and she wants me by her side in her final days. "I can't bear to refuse Willow, which means Sera will just have to wait a bit longer." I bite my lip hard, barely able to believe what I'm hearing. So the Moonlight Flowers that kept mysteriously disappearing were all destroyed by him. Becoming Luna Queen has been my dream since childhood. But if he never intended to bond with me at all, then it's time I leave him.