Echoed Meaning

What do you want from me? ’ she finally managed to ask, her voice trembling. Logan’s lips curled into a dark smirk. ‘Since you were the one who took those photos that damaged my reputation,’ he said, his voice dripping with disdain, ‘it’s only fair that you face the consequences.’ Alessia’s heart beat wildly as she tried to comprehend the meaning behind Logan’s words. Before she could gather her thoughts and ask what kind of punishment he had in mind, Logan’s hand clamped down on her jaw, holding her firmly in place. Her eyes widened in shock, her breath caught in her throat. In an instant, Logan lowered his head, capturing her lips with his own in a possessive and demanding kiss. *************** After a fateful night, Alessia awakens to the realisation that she has given her virginity to a stranger. With only a note and a bundle of money as clues, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and motherhood. Years later, Alessia finds herself navigating the cutthroat world of paparazzi reporting while raising her genius son, Milo. Her quest for a scandalous scoop leads her to the enigmatic billionaire CEO, Logan Wilde, whose face bears an uncanny resemblance to her son. As she dives deeper into Logan’s world, she can’t deny the magnetic attraction between them. Logan, suffering from a haunting secret, feels the same way. Determined to know her, he makes an unexpected proposition...

In 1989 an 8.2 earthquake almost flattened America, killing over 30,000 people in less than four minutes. In the midst of utter devastation and chaos, a father left his wife safely at home and rushed to the school where his son was supposed to be, only to discover that the building was as flat as a pancake. After the unforgettably initial shock, he remembered the promise he had made to his son: "No matter what, I’ll always be there for you!" And tears began to fill his eyes. As he looked at the pile of ruins that once was the school, it looked hopeless, but he kept remembering his commitment to his son. He began to direct his attention towards where he walked his son to class at school each morning. Remembering his son s classroom would be in the back right corner of the building; he rushed there and started digging through the ruins. As he was digging, other helpless parents arrived, clutching their hearts, saying: "My son!" "My daughter!" Other well meaning parents tried to pull him off what was left of the school, saying: "It s too late! They’re all dead! You can’t help! Go home! Come on, face reality, there s nothing you can do!" To each parent he responded with one line: "Are you going to help me now?" And then he continued to dig for his son, stone by stone. The fire chief showed up and tried to pull him off the school s ruins saying, "Fires are breaking out, explosions are happening everywhere. You’re in danger. We’ll take care of it. Go home."

Celeste Winters once had a name that echoed across territories, the daughter of the WinterMoon Alpha—fierce, loyal, and born of a legacy older than the crown that now rules the city. But all of that shattered the moment the man she trusted with her soul chose another without a word of goodbye. Cast aside without explanation, stripped of identity and purpose, Celeste ran. She abandoned her title, her pack, even her wolf… burying it all beneath perfume and silence. Now, in the heart of a city that doesn’t know her, she works late-night shifts at a diner and hides her scars behind forced smiles and lingering shadows. Every day she survives, but she does not live. Until the night everything begins to unravel. A rogue attack. A moment of instinct. A power she shouldn’t still have. And a single word whispered by the Alpha King himself as their eyes lock across the chaos: Mate. Celeste never wanted to love again. Never wanted to be claimed, or seen, or remembered. But he remembers her—her scent, her laugh, the steel behind her soft-spoken words. And worse, his wolf wants her. Craves her. But Celeste’s past isn’t just filled with heartbreak. It’s filled with secrets—deadly ones. The rogues aren’t just after her for revenge; they’re looking to return her to a father who will burn down every pack to get her back. A father who once ruled all, and never forgave betrayal. As the line between predator and protector begins to blur, Celeste must face the truth she’s tried to forget: she was never meant to disappear. And the more she lets herself feel again, the more dangerous her world becomes. The past is waking. The wolves are circling. And fate has never played fair.

She moaned softly beneath him, her body arching, craving his touch, even as her mind screamed that this was wrong. “Please, stop. I don’t want this,” she whispered, her voice trembling with desperation. Aurora, eldest daughter of the Alpha of North Pack, was in the one place she should never be—entangled with her sworn enemy, Alpha Hunter, the ruthless Alpha of the Dark blood pack. She tried to rise, her instincts screaming for escape, but Hunter pinned her down with ease. His dark, piercing eyes locked onto hers as he growled, “Did I say you could leave?” His gaze was as dangerous as it was captivating, and his hands roamed over her body, igniting sensations she couldn’t control. Her body betrayed her, writhing under his touch. Hunter leaned closer, his lips hovering just a breath away. Aurora turned her head sharply, refusing him, her heart pounding in defiance. He caught her chin with a firm grip, forcing her to face him. “I’m warning you,” he hissed, his voice low and menacing. “Don’t you dare defy me.” His strong arms enveloped her as she struggled against him, her voice rising in desperation. “This is wrong! Stop it! We can’t do this. You’re my enemy—my pack’s enemy!” A dark chuckle escaped his lips, his breath warm against her ear as he whispered arrogantly, “Oh, my sweet little Aurora. Have you forgotten? You’re my mate.” His laughter echoed through the room, a mix of menace and triumph. Aurora’s breath hitched as his words sank in, each one more impossible than the last. What will happen when enemies turned into destined mates and rejection is not an option?

Three teenage girls tricked a waiter and hid in a presidential room to escape from two men. .... Two men walked to their presidential room when a waiter who came out from their room informed them that three hostesses were inside their room and claimed that they were invited by them. After informing them he left. Both friends became suspicious because they didn't have habits to invite hostesses. They both entered and searched all over the room but they couldn't find those hostesses. When they about the gave up they found them hiding behind the curtain. They were surprised to see them because two of them girls fooled them a day ago and ran away from them. Now it's their turned to take revenge on them, one of them took out his gun and pointed towards them and wanted to scare them. But... One of the girls was so scared that she pissed on the man's shoes. Seeing it, the man started disgustingly stomping his feet, one girl took advantage of the opportunity, she kicked on his and threw his gun away. And started running from there. But one man caught her and they started fighting while another man chased after two girls. As he grabbed one girl, her friend pounced on his back and locked her legs around his waist, with one hand she grabbed his hair and with the other hand his nose and then started pulling and twisting it. When he tried to pull her down, her friend jumped and hanged on his arm, then dug her sharp teeth on his palm. She felt his blood all over her mouth. The man screamed and his voice echoed in the presidential suite. What a shame... They all are protagonists. But who will win, men or girls?

Ernesta, the daughter of a wealthy family, had lived like an orphan for over a decade after being separated from her parents as a young child. At sixteen, she was finally found and brought home. Ernesta believed her life was starting anew, that she would finally be surrounded by her family's love. But she had no idea what awaited her: her brother's judgmental gaze, her father's disdain, and her mother's feigned affection. This was because someone had completely usurped her place in the family. Her foster sister, Kiera, though unrelated by blood to the Merediths, had been raised in luxury and had become a true lady. Ernesta, the real daughter raised in a less fortunate environment, wasn't considered noble enough, elegant enough, and was treated like an outsider. On the night of Ernesta's 20th birthday, also the night her engagement to Ryder was announced, he coldly stated, “The only one I've ever loved is Kiera.” Why hadn't he said it sooner? Why did he have to say it today, in front of so many guests, making her look like a fool? To make matters worse, her father, mother, and brother all turned their backs on her to protect the deceitful Kiera. Ernesta turned and walked away. This time, she was determined to let go of the family love she had always craved. She wanted to prove to the Merediths and Ryder that her life would be even better without them. But a serious car accident nearly claimed Ernesta's life. When she awoke, a mechanical voice echoed in her ears, “Ding! Congratulations, master, on successfully installing the Life-Altering System. Your brain is severely damaged, and your body is in a vegetative state. If you want a chance to wake up, you need to complete the mission assigned by the Life-Altering System.”

While I was nine months pregnant, the apple of my husband’s eye moved into our house. Whenever she saw me, she would make a sad face. My husband was sure that I was flaunting my pregnancy to make her angry. “Rachel is frail, and she can’t get pregnant, yet you’re walking around making her upset?! Do I seriously have to teach you a lesson?!” He ordered the bodyguards to lock me in the attic that had not been in use for a long time and told them not to give me food. I pleaded for mercy and told him that the ultrasound scan showed that the twin babies were too big. I told him that the doctor had claimed that I had to be hospitalized while I waited for my delivery. But he laughed as if he had heard the world’s greatest joke. When he spoke, his voice was as cold as ice. “You’re still three days away from your delivery date! Enough with the pitiful act! Repent while you’re in the attic! This is what you get for making Rachel upset!” The contractions hurt so much that I clenched my fists to the point that my nails broke, but no one unlocked the door to the attic. My piercing screams echoed in the attic for a long time until my whole body was soaked in blood, and one of my babies was stuck between my bloody legs. Three days later, my husband ate his breakfast that was not up to his taste and said, “Have Jane make breakfast for me, then have her apologize to Rachel with a gift. If she’s sincere enough, I’ll send her to the hospital to deliver the babies.” But no one dared go up to the attic because the blood that flowed down from it had already reached the second step of the stairs.

EXCERPT "Got you." His voice echoed above my head sending goosebumps up my spine as he pinned my wrist above my head. My pulse sped up as a traitorous and familiar heat began to appear between my legs. As if sensing the effect he had on me, his smirk widened, a devious glint appearing his his cold blue eyes. I shivered as I stared into those blue orbs that no longer held any warm affection. All that it held was raw hunger and an intense desire to possess that made me want to run. He was different. He was very dangerous. "Run again," he growled, thumb tracing the scar on my wrist—the one he’d kissed better a lifetime ago. "And I’ll chain you to my bed in the name of the man who owns you. "I’m not yours—" The rest of my words died down as he crushed his mouth to mine. His kiss wasn’t gentle—it was rough and held a lot of anger. I hated how my knees buckled. How my hands fisted in his shirt instead of shoving him away. BLURB Elena was wolfless. She was scorned, bullied, and named a jinx. She had accepted her fate and thought that she would be alone forever. Then he came. The Alpha King’s son. . He cut through her defenses and loved her like no one else did. Their bond grew stronger than any other every day, but good things never last. Dark secrets begin to get unlocked. Secrets that threaten to destroy Elena and everything that she is. Worse still, all those weapons in the form of secrets are closely related to her mate. Love turned to hate. Passion turned to fury. Will their bond, which once stood so firmly, stand the test of fate?

"Boss.. Boss please forgive me! I was drunk so I thought she was one of the clan's whóre I swear I didn't know she was yours" The man begged like his life depended on it. "Which hand did you use to touch her" Aurelio spoke calmly. "My.. My... L-Left-" He wasn't chanced to finish his sentence when Aurelio cut off his left hand completely. Blood splashed on his cheek as it began bumping out of the man's hand. "Aarrrgghh!!!" The agonizing cry from the man echoed in the room as he peed on himself. Aurelio turned to Amour who looked horrified with the scene she just witnessed. His hands found his way to her neck and he gripped it tightly, bringing her face close to his so he could have a clear view of the terrified look on her face. "This.. Is just the highest level of my kindness compared to what I can do. Remember this, you're mine! Mine to touch, mine to fuck, mine to do whatever I want with... No one else... But me" A drop of tear fell from Amour's eyes. •••• Aurelio Giovanni is the second in command of THE DARK BULLS, one of the biggest mafia empire in Los Angeles, he's the underboss He ruthless, to him "second chance" doesn't exist in his vocabulary Just like air, one never knows his next move. He can be as calm as a gentle breeze but the next minute, a raging hurricane What happens when he sets eye on 22 years old Amour who's just curious to discover the world around her? How did both of them meet? What happens when Aurelio claims Amour as his possession? Will Amour ever escape from his déadly clutches? Or not? What if there's more to it than what meets the eye?

BOOK ON HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! Dear readers, I'm really sorry for not being able to start updates like I promised. I spent the entire month of September trying to write this book, but it has been a real struggle. I have been battling a lot of personal and health issues (physical and mental), and it has been hard. Hence, I have decided to start fresh and let things progress naturally. I promise I'll start updating this book as soon as I can. Until then, please read my new book. -------- "Why did you save me then?" I sobbed. "You should have let me die instead." I screamed in a strained voice. I couldn't believe I was going through this again. Why is everyone so hell bent on hurting me? Did I offend the Moon Goddess that she is punishing me this way? "I wouldn't have bothered wasting my time if it wasn't for the safety of my pack." He replied. His voice was crisp, void of any emotions. "T—- To save your pack?" I stuttered, not able to comprehend what he meant. "I lost my mate before. Losing another would have made me weak. I can’t afford to put my pack in danger." He replied as his cold eyes continued staring at me. "Don't expect anything. You could be nothing to me. I will never love you." His words echoed in my head as he walked away from me. —------------ Miracle was ranked the weakest werewolf in her pack. She was blessed with powers, but it turned out to be a curse. The only hope she had was her mate. Can Miracle fight against all odds and win the love of her mate? Or will she forever remain unloved? All rights reserved! © Midnight Shines Books, 2021.