Early Morning

The morning after their night together, Harper Sullivan froze with a sudden, sickening realization—Ryan Delgado hadn't used protection. Fear coiled tight in her chest, sharp and suffocating. But Ryan just smirked, his voice smooth, teasing, as if this were some kind of game. "Our families are enemies. A baby changes that. Your father would have to accept me. Then I could marry you—properly." Heat rushed to her cheeks. She should have pushed him away, should have demanded answers—but his touch still burned through her resistance, and she gave in to him. Then, like a knife to the ribs, she heard his friend's voice from the next room, laced with cruel amusement. "Ryan, that's genius. Get her pregnant, then dump her. Harper would never recover from the scandal. And her family? Total disgrace." Ryan let out a cold, satisfied laugh. "Serves her right. She stole Olivia's spot as valedictorian, broke her heart, drove her overseas. I'll make sure she pays—this is for Olivia." Harper's body went rigid. Three years. Three years of stolen moments, swallowed secrets, letting him touch her in the dark while her family believed her loyal. And it had all been a lie. Rage and humiliation crashed over her, so violent she nearly choked on it. Her phone buzzed in her trembling hand. Fighting back tears, she answered. "Dad… I'll take the engagement."

Welcome back to Clifton Heights. Sheriff Chris Baker and Father Ward meet for a Saturday morning breakfast at The Skylark Diner to once again commiserate over the weird and terrifying secrets surrounding their town. Sheriff Baker shares with Father Ward the story of a journal discovered in the ruins of what was once an elaborate koi pond and flower garden, which regales a tale of regret, buried pain, and unfulfilled debt: “Sophan” – Jake Burns has always been a bit...off. Rude, awkward, sometimes brutish, he's tolerated by Nate Slocum and his friends because he hits a mean line drive, and because they all know but don't discuss the abuse he faces at the hands of his troubled father, a Vietnam veteran consumed by his demons. But Jake is suffering something far worse than domestic abuse, and when Nate discovers what, he faces an impossible choice: help Jake and put himself in the path of evil, or abandon him, only to damn himself in the process. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

“Just as pathetic as I remember you to be, sweetheart.” “I sleep with you because I’m unfortunate to be married to you so don’t bother reading between the lines.” Slapping his treacherous lips away from my own, I huff frantically. “I detest the sight of you, bastard.” He smirks throwing me against the filthy wall of the cave before whispering against my lips, “I know, sweetheart.” Fisting his shirt, I pull him in, “I’ll kill you someday for all your bullshit. The best part is I’ll be hailed as a hero for it.” I dig my nails into his side while digging my heels in his toes. Chuckling, he kissed me with a novel fervour. Too consumed with his taste on my tongue I don’t realize he had taken me off the floor. In times like these he made his hate achingly obvious by his rough groping. When after several seconds he is still ravaging my mouth, I slap his arm to gasp for air but he takes his sweet time devouring life out of me. He let me go only when my life flashes before my eyes. Caressing my hair as I huffed out puffs of air, he smirked. “Good Morning, Nafasm.” I'll remember to add getting away with murder on my bucket list. .... I had everything in life figured out and about half a year to get out of college and finally experience life (Breathy tone) but that's when Sienna, my bitch of a friend, asked me for a favor. Why the hell am I kidnapped? And what is with these people growling like rabid dogs? And please, can anyone tell me why the f*ck, AM I GETTING MARRIED TO THEIR HUNK OF A GANG LEADER WITH UNNATURAL GLOWING EYES?

Ten years ago Sarah Connor was betrayed by her mate when a jealous, power-hungry witch casted a spell making the whole kingdom think she was an evil witch. She was cast to the dungeons by her mate despite their past together and tortured for information she  didn't know. It wasn't until days later when she realized that her mate wasn't going to save her and they wouldn't be able to reform the bond they once had. She flees from her kingdom, friends, family and life to find somewhere to feel safe.  Legolas, the alpha king, who was under a spell from a witch for years until he was able to break free. Upon being free and killing the witch who messed up his life, the fog lifted, relieving the real memories of what happened and the horrible treatment of Sarah. Legolas was heartbroken at the news that he had hurt his mate so badly that she had fled and hadn't surfaced even when it was announced that the witch and her spell were no more. He went in search of her in the dark realm and found her with a child called Aleena. Aleena was eight years old and grew up in a small pack. They kept to themselves and never had any real problems. She graduated from high school a year early at the age of seventeen. She was starting her freshman year of college when her quiet little small town life got turned upside down. Her mother had a deep secret that she had kept this whole time and now it could cost her, her daughter. After a visit from the moon goddess herself, Aleena is faced with a choice. One that is life or death not just for her but her kind as a whole.

Tanya Benetez became an orphant at young age when her parents both died in a car accident. At an early stage of life, she learned how to live alone. She got full scholarship in a prestigious university because of her intilligence and cleverness. While studying she's doing a part time job in an elite resto bar as a service crew. She didn't expect that her new boss is the most popular hunk playboy in their campus. Darryl offered her to work as n accounting staff in his office with a huge starting salary for a part time. And who would reject that temptous offer? Without a second thougth, Tanya grabbed the opportunity. It was the start of their romantic love affair. Darryl Eacudero taught her how to love and be loved. He made her experienced the best feeling of love until she became the addiction of young billionaire. Find the truth and the biggest lie! How Darryl ruined the innocent Tanya. Would love conquer the hate and deceit?

When Kayla Dawson wakes up on the morning of her marriage to the love of her life and mate, Dean, the last thing she expects is to see him standing at the foot of her bed with rage as he stares down at something beside her. She looks to see a man laying next to her, deep asleep, and completely naked, just like she was. All attempts to explain and vindicate herself proves futile as Dean doesn’t want to hear it and ultimately ends the marriage. Ashamed and humiliated, she runs away from her pack, only to find herself in more trouble. And this trouble is in the form of a man. A very sexy one at that.. Alpha Oliver would never have thought that a hunt would end up with him going home with a second chance mate that he absolutely doesn’t want. But the moon goddess has other plans for him, which he isn’t sure he likes…

Have you ever woken one morning with a burning, insatiable desire to go out and kill someone? Sarah Killian, a notoriously foul-mouthed and mean-spirited serial killer for hire, along with her cohort assassin Mary Sue Keller, are back on assignment for the Trusted Hierarchy of Everyday Murderers (T.H.E.M.). After receiving an ominous warning from a mark-gone-wrong, it becomes clear that Nick Jin—Sarah’s former nemesis—is still at large and singling her out. Sarah and Mary Sue are dispatched to Tennessee to discreetly kill off an accused family of KKK organizers, but their true mission is to lure Nick Jin into a trap. But will Nick—always several steps ahead of T.H.E.M.—see their bait for what it is? One thing is guaranteed: blood will be shed. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

I merely brought up the wedding decorations, and my fiancé's first love ran out of the room in tears. Ian Murray slapped me so hard I fell to the ground. His face twisted in fury, teeth clenched with hatred. "Daphne, are you that desperate to get married? Afraid no one else will want you, so you're clinging to me, forcing me into it? Our wedding next week is postponed!" I held my face, but not even a ripple stirred in my heart. This made the eighth time he'd postponed it. I had been waiting for him since I was twenty-eight. Now, in my early thirties, I was still getting nowhere closer to being married. So this time, I quietly packed my things and chose to leave. Maybe this marriage didn't need to happen after all.

She had just experienced the most humiliating rejection. Unable to take the taunting anymore, she lashes out and runs into the woods to escape judgment. What she wasn't expecting was to run into the arms of drunken rogue wolves who wanted nothing but trouble. Fighting to survive and nearly losing the battle, she is saved by a handsome stranger who turns out to be her second mate. As the moon rose in all of its glory, they had a fiery night of passion, and by morning he was gone. What happens when Hilda is accused of being a slut and then finds out that she is pregnant? And what happens when her stranger comes to save her, this time with knowledge of who he is? An enemy. Her mate. How does she escape the same fate her parents had? She had a responsibility now, and that was to take care of her new family, and nothing was going to get in the way of that.

At 4:30 in the morning, my husband answered a call from his ex-girlfriend and accidentally put it on speaker. "Jason, my daughter, Alison, has a fever—over 104. I can't get a ride..." The sudden sound of sobbing jolted me awake. Jason hurriedly turned off the speaker and lowered his voice. "Send me your location. I'll come right away." It seemed he had forgotten that today was my first prenatal checkup.