Fake Hero

I thought I was over my platonic teenage crush, but then he starts seeing my mom and I can't stop thinking about him. David Bragança was my teacher and hero in the past, but now he's my boss executioner and I'm his dirty little secret.

“Listen to me, love, let me tell you the difference between a hero and a villain. A hero like your Aziel will sacrifice you for the greater good. I have no such compunction. I will destroy this world for you,” Ryker whispered into Thyra’s ear. Three years ago, Thyra Rivers watched her family die at the hands of wolves—the night she begged them to go. Now, she’s a hunter fueled by dark magic, with every kill branded into her skin. After a reckless night with a stranger, she wakes marked once more… and this time, it’s personal. Her hunt drags her into the heart of a war between two powerful packs—one ruled by the wolf she’s falling for, the other by the villain who claims he’d destroy everything for her. But in a world of beasts and blood, how do you choose between the monster you crave… and the one you were born to kill?

The enemies of my adopted sister's parents mistook me for her and kidnapped me. Before the rogues killed me, they gave me three phone calls for help. If anyone was willing to give me three hundred dollars, I could live. For the first call, I dialed my father. Father didn't listen to a word I said. He immediately unleashed a torrent of curses. "Where the hell are you? Get your ass back home right now for your sister's birthday!" For the second call, I dialed my brother. My brother listened silently to my plea for help, then hung up with a cold snort. "You're never around when the pack needs you. Who's going to fall for this act now?" For the third call, I dialed my fiancé. He didn't even answer. When I called again, I'd been blocked. The rogue wolf laughed at me. "Looks like being the eldest daughter of the Ashwood family doesn't mean much, does it?" After he tortured me to death, he stuffed my body into a suitcase and threw it in the river.

He needed a fake fiancée. She needed a lifeline. Neither expected to become a target. Amelia Monroe signs a contract to save her clinic and escape a crushing lawsuit: pretend to be the future wife of Frederick Blackwell, a cold, calculating billionaire with more enemies than friends. But the moment the ink dries, everything spirals. A mysterious car crash. Silent boardroom wars. Leaked secrets. And Frederick—her supposed fake fiancé—goes missing. As Amelia gets pulled deeper into his world of corporate deception and hidden vendettas, one thing becomes terrifyingly clear: this was never just a contract. The threats are real. The danger is closing in. And the only thing more dangerous than the lies… is the growing truth between them. How do you fake a love that starts to feel real—when someone out there wants to see you both destroyed?

I went into labor. And my mate, Alpha Alistair, locked me in a silver cage. The bars throbbed with curse runes, burning my skin. He did it for Livia. His dead brother's mate. Her pup had to be born first. That's when I learned the truth. He'd been poisoning me for months. All to make sure Livia's child would be the next Alpha. He called it "calming tea." A daily dose of poison to slow my pup's growth and delay my labor. But my body had other plans. My pup refused to wait. I went into labor at the same time as Livia. When he found out, he accused me of faking it. Of begging for sympathy. He let them poison me with wolfsbane. I lost my pup. A piece of my soul died with him. With my last breath, I reached out. To the one person who could save me. My brother, Alpha King Lucian. He came like a storm of rage. He burned the packhouse to the ground, with me inside. A phantom fire for all to see. Then, he plucked me from the flames. Only then, surrounded by the smoking ruins of his pack, did Alistair fall to his knees. His howl of regret tore through the night. For 99 days, he howled at the moon. Begging the Moon Goddess to return just a sliver of my soul.

Elena Shaw is the wife of Henry Leone, the current head of the Monraven-based Mafia family in Newshire. She has been married to him for two years, but he has never once slept with her. Late one night, she inadvertently sees Henry relieving his desires while listening to a woman's voice. The voice belonged to Irene Shaw, her adopted younger sister and Henry's ex-fiancee. The year Elena turned 18, a DNA report changed both hers and Irene's fates. Elena is the real heir of the Shaw family, who had been taken at a young age and discarded abroad in Etolia. Meanwhile, Irene is the one who has taken her place in the Shaw family, receiving all of the love and glory that should've belonged to Elena. When Elena is brought back to the Shaw family, she replaces Irene as Henry's fiancee. However, Henry only marries her to take revenge against her for "ruining Irene's life". Even the fact that he had once saved her life turns out to be part of an elaborate lie. After learning the truth, Elena doesn't hesitate to leave. Once she disappears from Henry's world, the usually calm and collected Henry loses his mind.

I accidentally ruined the cake at the fake daughter's birthday party. As punishment, my parents and brother locked me in the basement. "You’ve let your jealousy ruin a perfectly good celebration. Stay here and think about what you’ve done!" they shouted. They left me in the basement and went off to the Maldives to throw another birthday party for the fake daughter. When a gas leak occurred at home, I was still locked in the basement. As soon as they remotely turned the lights on, the whole house exploded, taking my life with it. After my death, my spirit drifted over to where my family was celebrating. I saw them gathered around the fake daughter on a beach. When a luxury three-tiered cake was brought out, they watched her make a wish with a smile. The fake daughter put on a show of concern about me. "Darling, you’re too kind-hearted. People like her deserve to be locked up and taught a lesson. Let’s see if she dares to take anything from you again," they said. Hearing that, I completely gave up on my family. When they returned home and saw the destroyed house, however, my parents and brother went mad.

After a painful breakup, Selena finds herself in a vulnerable moment, seeking comfort in the arms of a mysterious stranger. However, when she discovers that he is Justin Branson, a billionaire playboy CEO, she is shocked. Their secret encounter has gone viral, threatening her already fragile reputation and Justin's. To divert attention from the scandal and salvage the situation, Justin proposes a fake relationship. Selena agrees, but soon finds herself drawn to his charismatic charm and undeniable attraction as they work closely together. She struggles to trust him, despite his playboy ways, which seem determined to destroy her. As they navigate their fake relationship, real feelings emerge. Will their fake relationship turn into something real, or will secrets and complications tear them apart?

Bryony Adams is destined to be murdered, but fortunately Fate has terrible marksmanship. In order to survive, she must run as far and as fast as she can. After arriving in Seattle, Bryony befriends a tortured musician, a market fish-thrower, and a starry-eyed hero who is secretly a serial killer bent on fulfilling Bryony’s dark destiny. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

A man fades away, but not before ensuring his legacy is passed on. A boy becomes a man, and starts to awaken to his destiny. A monster lurks among men, and thus becomes more than what he is. A young woman comes to terms with her future, then works to protect the future of others. And all of this comes about from the edge of a blade, as a hero is not born, but rather made.