Dust Bowl

War. War is all we know. War for peace, war to take, war to protect. War for resources. It is impossible to avoid war because your neighbors won’t. If you are perceived as weak, you will be targeted. Your land and wealth stolen, your people killed, sons enslaved and daughters raped. To survive in this world, more important than oxygen; is strength and a cold heart. The only source of strength are mana veins. He who owns mana veins has the right to live and the right to rule. He who owns mana veins better have the strength to keep it or long life is but a pipe dream. Xasha hated war. War had taken everything from him and gave nothing in return. He hated that all wars were over petty things like pride and pocket change. He always looked to the vast wilderness with longing. He wondered why all the warmongers hadn’t turned their spears there. Where vast lands and untapped wealth were. Once he became a father. Xasha, the naïve, knowledge-loving merchant, decided he did not want his child growing up in the same world he did. He decided to change the world, end all war and unite the abandoned region. How will he do it? By starting a war, a war that will end all wars. Not a war with his neighbors over pride or a few mana veins. No. He will rage against the wilderness and the world beyond.

I'm a dreamer.... I have been dreaming about my best friend for as long as I can remember..... A first kiss has been saved for him.... Now I am 21 years old with secrets and a fake world around me. Can I keep it all from crumbling down? Can I keep the past where it belongs?

My mother fell critically ill and was rushed to the hospital. Desperate, I knelt before my fiancé—the department's chief surgeon—and begged him to take charge of her operation. But outside the ICU, he was carefully tending to a scraped knee. Lucy Wendell's scraped knee, to be exact. Just as I was drowning in hopelessness, Cameron Mitchell—the hospital director and my childhood friend—pushed open the operating room doors and handed me a marriage proposal. "Marry me, and I'll personally perform your mother's surgery." With trembling hands, I signed my name, clinging to the last shred of hope that she could be saved. But she never made it through that stormy night. Cameron handled all the funeral arrangements himself, and our wedding proceeded as scheduled. Seven years later, in the hushed silence of the hospital archives, I overheard Cameron speaking with the deputy director. "Cameron, why did you transfer your mother-in-law's organ to Lucy's mother during that surgery? Weren't you afraid of getting caught?" "I owed Lucy," he replied. "If I hadn't hesitated back then, Lucy never would've chosen medical aid work in Africa… and her mother wouldn't have fallen ill from the grief."

Cheated and humiliated by her husband, the heiress Dahlia’s life is turned upside down. In a burst of anger she vows to prove to the world she doesn’t need anyone. An unplanned kiss with Dane, a young upcoming businessman who has secrets of his own; opens the doors to new possibilities and makes them join hands. What will happen when the two realise they have far more in common then they ever thought? When lies are uncovered and secrets are spilt, will their budding love blossom? Or will this world of danger, desire and deceit tear them apart? ----- "Are you naturally clumsy, Ms El Nazari, or do you just need an excuse to fall into my arms?” I frowned pushing him away, trying not to pay attention to how firm and toned his body was. "You can carry on wishing Mr Altaire,” I said haughtily, stepping closer I patted his cheek. “I don't do younger men.” ----- I'll close my eyes, Mama. So you can kiss Uncle!” Aria's words made my eyes widen in shock. "We aren't kissing!" I said, quickly rushing off to find a bowl for the beans. I didn't miss Dane's smirk as Aria's eyes became shadowed. Her cheerful mood from moments earlier vanished as she looked down at her shoes. "But I want uncle to be my daddy.”

Austin is a twenty years old high school student raised by a single mother, his mother was a young and talented businesswoman and he's the heir to all her properties. His parents divorced when he was an infant and since then he hasn't got the chance to meet his father. Even if he came across his father he won't recognise him, not even by his name because his mother changed his last name to her parent's immediately they divorced. He hopes to see his father someday, he has a lot of questions to ask, he wants to know why he abandoned them even though his mother said she was the one feeding him when he had nothing. They finally met and he asked him all the questions that have been bothering his mind, but his father's explanation made him hate himself for hating him without hearing his side of the story and he also despised his mother for lying to him. Jennie is an industrious young lady from a poor family. She has to do four to five jobs a day to support her family. Her father being a man who believes in early marriage forced Jennie to find a husband at the of eighteen, she remembered the kind of life she wants for her younger one's and what her senior sister was going through in her husband house. She disobeyed her parent for the first time and it resulted in Jennie leaving the house.

"You can't hide forever. Sooner or later you're going to have to face what you feel for us.” We were standing so close I could feel his breath on my face and my heart raced at his words. "I don't feel anything for you!” I snapped angrily, pulling my wrist from his grasp. "Give in to us, Mallory. The longer you resist, the harder it will be for you when the inevitable happens. And we are inevitable.” I shivered at his closeness and my argument died on my lips. Mallory Edwards was just an Omega, something the Black Moon Alpha triplets reminded her of everyday, never missing a chance to taunt or torment her. At sixteen, Mallory leaves the pack broken and full of self-doubt. But when she returns two years later, a beautiful and accomplished young woman, the triplets start to see her in a whole new light. But is it too little, too late? To make matters worse, more secrets are revealed when Mallory shifts for the first time and learns nothing about her life is what she thought it was. Mallory's journey to the truth is a dangerous one and she'll need all the help she can get to survive it. Who will be standing by her side when the dust settles? Or will she be standing at all? Also check out: An Unwanted Fate- Completed A Tangled Fate: Bound By Her Betas- Completed A Cruel Fate: Her Gamma's Regret-Completed The warrior's Wild Wolf-Completed {Follows A Cruel Fate)

Five years ago, Maia tried her very best to get Clyden to marry her. Due to the power of her family, she successfully married the only man she ever loved. After enduring Clyden’s cold treatment for years, being hated by her in-laws, and experiencing the bankruptcy of her family’s company, she finally decided to give up on winning his heart. However, Clyden suddenly incurs an accident and loses all of his memories, leading him to love the woman that he vowed to hate for all of his life. They live their life as the loving married couple that Maia always longed for. But what will happen when Clyden finally recovers his memories? Will he continue to care for the woman he has come to love, or will he leave her in the dust after recalling their past? Throw in a couple of crazy family members, an unexpected pregnancy, and a whole lot of jealousy; there’s only one thing that’s certain— Maia is in for a wild ride.

"Use your words Isabella , I want to hear that sweet voice of yours " His voice dripped with cold menace as his grip on my jaw tightened even more. My lips trembled under his harsh glare. I could barely manage to hold his gaze with my blurry teary ones . "I..I'm sorry A..Ace" I stuttered "You are always sorry, a pathetic cry baby is all you are ever going to be. " He sneered further tightening his grip on my shoulders. I couldn't stop an embarrassing tear that escaped my eyes at his words. "You are so pathetic, I will only hurt you more until you are nothing more than dust beneath my feet " My eyes widened when he inched closer , not knowing what to expect i shut my eyes tightly close . I stopped breathing when his breath fanned against my cheeks. When I opened my eyes he was gone. He used to be my crush and childhood best friend... But now he's my nightmare. He hates me, and he's vowed to make my life a living hell. Because I made a huge mistake. Staying alive when I should have died.

My husband Victor was chatting with his 'Miss Idea' Shane, again. And I, his actual wife, stood aside like an invisible piece of dust, unnoticed by anyone. I've tried every effort to win Victor's eyes, but all Shane had to do was stand there, and she'd already won. I wonder if I'd be even in the running for a list of “The Most Important Women to Victor Thorn." I had been married to my husband for five years. But he didn't love me. Now I got pregnant, would he love me for real? Obviously, the answer is no. So I made an important decision, for me and my baby, I want a divorce. But right after I divorced my husband, he started to regret it. And he wanted me to come back to him. At the same time, I was surprised to realize that his elder brother was changing my life.

“Please… please don’t kill me,” Lily begged with blood and tears streaming from her face as the big wolf hovered over her. “I’ll give you anything you want… money… anything!” she sobbed. The big wolf studied her for a few seconds and then in one haul, he pulled her car from the ditch where it was upturned and set it on the road. But as soon as it set the car on the road, Lily pumped the ignition as fast as she could and sped off leaving a wake of dust in her trail. As she drove, her eyes darted between the road ahead and the rearview mirror nothing with fear that the Big Wolf was chasing her. He was gaining in on her… it was only a matter of seconds before he’ll get her and tear her apart. She drove as fast as she could, crying and begging on the universe to save her. Suddenly the path curved, surprising Lily who wasn’t expecting the path to take such turn. With full speed, she veered of the road and drove right into a tree. She could hear the pounding paws of the Big Wolf… even in her dying state, he didn’t want to relent. “Moon goddess, please!” she murmured in her head, tasting her blood which was flowed from her face to her mouth. Just before the darkness enclosed her… she saw it rush towards her, was this really her end?