Failing Forward

My name is Ember Haiven. I’ve been alone and on the run my entire life. Everything changed when I became Kieran’s surrogate in exchange for his protection. I had no idea that I would fall in love with this dragon shifter and enter a world that I believed existed only in my dreams. “Is that what you want?” he asked. “Yes…” I said feeling myself go breathless in his arms. “I never thought I’d be able to touch another person like this and now, I just don’t want this feeling to end.” He kissed me sweetly, pulling me closer and then rested his forehead against mine. I could see the color drain from his face and his shoulders sag like I’d ripped the heart from his chest. And maybe I had. It felt like my own was trying to claw its way from my skin. He moved to take a step forward but then thought better of it. Surrogate of the Sleeping Dragon is written by Claire Wilkins, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

18 is the age every girl looks forward to Emandra Carter was no different, It's been months of anticipation and anxiety. She would love to see what color her wolf would be, she was a late bloomer as males and female werewolves get their wolf between the ages of 13 and 16. She was long past that and still there was no change. Her younger sister who was only a few months younger had gotten hers as early as 15 and was only waiting for her her 18th birthday to become her mate. But she was hoping for a wolf and a mate. As the Goddess will want, she is blessed with a wonderful wolf and a mate. But things never go as plan. Emandra walks her way out of the room feeling rejected and broken, life was cruel, the image of her sister and mate entangled with each other in bed professing their love for each other cemented the pain witin her. Things take a quick turn, she is sold to the ruthless alpha, the greatest of his time. Alpha chase Lobswell. Her family rejects her she is torn between accepting her fate as his breeder and giving the second chance mate a try or escaping to become a rogue and finding her real parents.

Abused, fooled, and rejected. As the daughter of Beta Paul from the Black Lake Pack, Elizabeth was supposed to live a happy life. Before her mother's death, she was indeed a happy child. But all that changed after her stepmother Betty and stepsister Elaina came. Betty makes her do all the housework, Elaina takes everything away from her, she eats scraps every day, and acts as a punchbag when Betty and Elaina are upset. Elizabeth is looking forward to her 18th birthday when she will finally find her mate and start a new family with him, but to her surprise, her mate is Alpha's son Max - her sister Elaina's suitor. Elaina was unhappy about it and threatened her that she must reject Max. Elizabeth had to agree, she thought her life was bad enough, but she didn't think it would be worse. Elaina suddenly came to beg her to marry a rogue for her, and after she refused, she and Max designed to knock her out and forcibly gave her to the rogue. Elizabeth felt her life was hopeless. Was she going to live with a rogue for the rest of her life?

I had been married to Adrian Foster for six years when I finally conceived his child. However, the doctor’s reaction upon hearing Adrian’s name left me frozen. "I clearly recall that Mrs. Foster already gave birth to a son here two years ago. She’s a famous actress, and she and Mr. Foster made the perfect couple." I stared at her in disbelief. "What are you talking about? We’re legally married. We have a certificate!" "There’s no mistake. Mr. Foster is someone notable, and he doted on his wife. He was always by her side." I stormed out of the hospital in anger, but my hope was shattered when the lawyer confirmed that my marriage certificate was a forgery. The world tilted into darkness. My ears rang, my surroundings blurred, and I could no longer hear a thing. At last, I understood. He had never been my husband. He had never once looked forward to the child growing within me. With shaking hands, I dialed my family’s number, and in my heart, I swore that this merciless liar would burn in hell.

"Are you afraid of me, Celina?" The Prince asked huskily, and she shivered at the intense look in his eyes. She didn't answer, making him take a step forward in her direction.He reached over and ran his thumb across her cheekbones, watching her breathing pause as she dared not move beneath the touch of this strange, imposing man. "Well, you should be." *** Celina Roman is a wallflower, shy, reserved but loved by people around her. She cares for her parents and two sisters above all, a fact that's led the eighteen-year-old to do anything for them. What she wasn't expecting was for her family to sell her to the Prince so that they could have money. Prince Javier DeRose is a name better suited for a myth than a man. Like that of the devil, people either whisper it in fear or worship the ground he walks. He is rich, cold, demanding and likes to be all alone in a Dark Palace, protecting his secret. When Celina steps on his doorstep his life changes forever. Filled with secrets and scars, these two individuals are thrown together to live under the same roof. Will they find a way together or forever stay apart? ***

When my husband threatened me with divorce for the hundredth time, demanding I sacrifice myself for my sister, I did not cry or make a scene. I simply signed my name on the divorce papers and willingly handed over the man I had loved for ten years to my sister. A few days later, my sister spoke recklessly at a banquet and offended a powerful family. Once again, I stepped forward to take responsibility, bearing all the consequences in her place. When they later proposed that I become a test subject for my sister's drug research, I gladly accepted. Mom and Dad said I had finally grown into someone mature and responsible. Even my cold husband stood by my hospital bed and, for the first time in so long, gently stroked my cheek. He said tenderly, "Don't be afraid. The experiment won't be life-threatening. When you get out, I'll cook you a big meal." However, he did not know that regardless of whether the experiment was dangerous or not, he did not have to wait for me because I was already dying from a terminal illness.

I am a miserable nurse. During the Halloween season, there was a three day break but I was not given any days off. Upset, I decided to join a game featuring a haunted hospital. There was an old man wrapped in IV tubes chasing after a player. I sprinted forward and shoved him into the chair. After effortlessly jabbing the IV line back in him, I told him off, "It’s just an IV drip, not an action movie. Sit. Down. Move again and I’ll strap you to the chair!" The old man did a double take before blinking in a flustered manner. "Sorry for causing you trouble, ma'am." At night, children ghosts began to run and laugh wildly in the corridor. I grabbed one in each hand and hauled them up. "If you’re not going to stay put in the ward, I’ll give you an injection!" Why did I still have to work in a game? I was so tired. The other players cried out, "Clem! That's a ghost. Are you not scared?" I sneered, "Sorry, but burnt-out workers hold more grudges than ghosts ever could."

Military Contract Marriage - A Twist Of Fate. Caught in a ruthless conspiracy, Diana lost her fidelity to her husband and was mocked and divorced. "You think I'd let you destroy my son's life? You barren chick!" Her mother-in-law who hated her so much because she couldn't give birth to a child mocked. Stabbed in the back by people she called family, Diana was ravished by a gigolo one fateful night and was divorced and got kicked out of the place she called home. Fast forward seven years later, now a four-star general and a senior military medical officer, Diana gets the surprise of her life when she gets entangled with the five star general through a military contract marriage. On the other hand, her ex-husband is desperate to do anything to remarry Diana since he was convinced he fathered the kids! Diana has the looks, power, money and three adorable children. So, what else could she ever ask for? Definitely not a man to mess up things for her! But, how will she explain to the five star general that it's a mere coincidence her kids are carbon copy of him?

Kim Evelyn—known to those closest to her as Ivy—never imagined her third wedding anniversary would turn into a nightmare. Her husband, Rico, didn’t just betray her—he brought his mistress into their bed. The pain and humiliation scorched her heart, leaving her no choice but to walk away from the home that once symbolized their love. But Ivy’s escape led her into a night that would change everything. Beneath the glimmering lights of an upscale bar, she met Joshua Miller—a dangerously charming man with a captivating smile and an offer too tempting to resist. Revenge. Sweet, calculated revenge. But there was a catch: Ivy had to surrender herself to a game far more seductive than anything she’d ever imagined. As vengeance ignited and passion flared, the line between game and reality began to blur. Dark secrets loomed. Hidden dangers stirred. And Ivy was forced to make an impossible choice—move forward and risk losing everything, or retreat into the scars of her past. Can Ivy take control of this wicked game? Or will she end up the pawn—consumed by desire, ambition, and a betrayal more dangerous than the one she fled?

Valentina was looking forward to spending the holidays with the love of her life, her fiancee Derek. She had put off joining her family at their ski resort this year as Derek had wanted it to be just the two of them, and with his work schedule, he couldn’t afford the time off. Her family, although disappointed, was happy for her, glad she had someone special to spend Christmas with. Derek was unfortunately not as special as he made out, which she discovered when she came home early one day and found him screwing a work colleague. She breaks off the engagement and decides to Surprise her family on Christmas day, taking a plane to their resort on Christmas Eve. Instead of letting them know she was there, she went for a few drinks in the bar, where she met a handsome stranger. He wasn’t exactly a stranger, but it had been so long since they had seen each other they had both changed so much they didn’t recognise each other. A few too many drinks and a night of passion, Valentina wakes up in the morning with an extra gift she wasn’t expecting this year.