False Pretense

I was Claire Vitale, the lost daughter they forgot, the bride my lover betrayed—and the dying girl they failed to notice. For five long years, I lived like a stranger in my own home. The Vitale mansion was a beautiful prison, where every kind word hid a lie, every promise was false, and even Lawrence, the man I was supposed to marry, cared more for Vanessa than for me. None of them saw how my body weakened each day, how the pain grew sharper. They were too busy watching their precious Vanessa. Vanessa—the perfect adopted daughter, was the girl my parents loved more than me. She came into our family when I was lost, and when I returned, I found my place already taken—by her. Just as the illness was quietly taking my future. Now she was gone, and they all pointed fingers at me, convinced I was behind her disappearance. The machine they strapped to my head would pull memories straight from my mind. "Where is she?" my father roared. My mother sobbed in the corner. Lawrence, my fiancé, stood silent—his accusing eyes louder than any shout. But I knew the truth would shock them—how Vanessa hurt me, how she faked accidents, how she made sure no one ever believed me. The machine would show them everything. As the machine began its work, I trembled—from fear and exhaustion. After all these years of being unheard, would they finally see?

The music made the speakers tremble, the floor vibrated with the rumble of the sound and the jumps of the crazy people. Each one in their own world, dancing together, dancing separately. Enjoying music, company and alcohol. I danced alone, with a drink in hand. Gliding, moving my hips to the rhythm of the music, not paying much attention to anything or anyone around me. Just enjoying that moment of inner peace that I was needing and he was giving it to me. It was a respite, a window that I opened myself in my own cage to let in air and I knew that as soon as I left the club the window would close and I would lock myself back in my world without fresh air. Therefore, he enjoyed everything he could. Alone. With eyes closed. Sweating the bad energy that others left me and breathing the good vibes that I had to give myself. They were approaching me. I drove them away. They invited me. I rejected them. they spoke to me I silenced them. I just wanted to dance and they were going to have to respect that. It was amazing how loud music could be my oxygen tank. It silenced my thoughts, freed me from tensions. There was nothing more relaxing in my life than dancing with my eyes closed and the volume turned up to a thousand. I twirled, I jumped, I wiggled, I hummed, and I sang. The brightly colored lights flickered making it difficult to see, but it was what I liked the most, going blind for an instant, forgetting that I had the ability to see the world, a false, disastrous and difficult world.

"You," he growled, glaring at me with hatred in his eyes even as he pinned me to the wall, obstructing my airflow. "I'm going to enjoy breaking you." "I'd like to see you try, Alpha." I spat at him, my voice filled with defiance. He dropped me to the ground before lifting me up as if I weighed nothing and pinning me against his study table, pushing my legs apart. "Oh, you'll see. And by the time I'm done with you, you'll beg for death." He growled against my ears, filling me with fear of what is to come. ***** In a world of false accusations and vengeful rulers, Evelyn's life takes a harrowing turn. Framed for a crime she didn't commit, she faces the wrath of the alpha king. Instead of death, he condemns her to a fate worse than she could have imagined: becoming his personal slave and breeder. As fear grips her, Evelyn must summon her strength to challenge the tyrant's rule and reclaim her freedom. Will she find a way to defy her captor and seek justice, or will she be forever trapped in a life of darkness and despair? What happens when the moon goddess announces that she is his second chance mate? Will she still try to escape him or will she let their bond bloom? A gripping tale of resilience and defiance unfolds in this thrilling journey of survival, betrayal and love. Trigger Warning: This book explores themes of dark romance, including intense emotions, power dynamics, and challenging relationships. Readers Discretion is advised. Book 1 in the Ruthless Alpha King Series.

Avelina Ferguson, the daughter of a billionaire, was mistakenly placed in a situation that forced her despised father, whose desire for unending power drove him to make drastic decisions. She had become entangled with a man by accident, which resulted in them having an affair without their consent. An affair that should never have happened. This man, Lucian Zvetch, the world's wealthiest man and a Lycan king to his own kind, is forced by Avelina’s father to marry her as a way of taking responsibility for her. But being a man of his own actions who takes orders from no one, and definitely not a mere human at that, he disagreed. "As long as she’s not pregnant, I have no responsibility." He declared. Mr. Ferguson smiled as he stared at him. "We will see how you prove yourself innocent when I accuse you of raping my daughter. I have evidence as well, even though it may be false evidence. But it will do. So it's up to you, Lucian. Marry her and save both your face and mine, or... lose your respect before those who idolize you." Will Lucian swallow his pride and marry Avelina to save the reputation he has built up in the human world, or will he stand by his word? What will happen when Avelina finds out that she is not just a human but more than that? a creature that Lucian despises. A creature that has always been the nemesis of his kind for thousands of years. Will Lucian keep her when he discovers what she is? Or will he send her back to her father? And what will Avelina herself do when she discovers that Lucian has a dark secret of his own as well? His little secret, he calls it.

My husband's parents were stung by an unidentified venomous queen hornet and rushed to the hospital. As soon as I heard the news, I hurried to the entomology research institute to seek help from my husband, who was the director, hoping he could assist the doctors with the diagnosis. Instead, he called for security to block me at the entrance. "I don't handle work matters after hours," he said coldly. "Penny's mother is sick, and I need to go take care of her." I tried to show him the critical condition notice from the hospital, but he tore it up in one swift motion. "People die every day. So what if your dad and mom died?" After my in-laws passed away, I filed a lawsuit against Penny Madison, who had deliberately disturbed the beehive that led to the attack. My husband, who had disappeared for several days, suddenly showed up as an expert witness in court. He fabricated a false professional opinion to exonerate Penny. When I decided to leave the country, he lost his temper. "What do your parents' short lives have to do with me? Is it so hard to understand that after a long day at work, I just want to rest? And now you want to drag Penny into this mess. Just because your own family is broken, you want to ruin someone else's? How can you be so vicious? You deserve to lose your parents!" Watching his brazen attempts to twist the truth, I suddenly realized something. He still didn't know that he had become an orphan.

All Joyce Feather wanted was to leave her pack and become a teacher in the human world. She'd planned it for most of her life, preparing herself to have enough control over her nature to join the human world. But when a letter came through the mail asking for the hand of her older sister for marriage, everything went down the drain. The letter claimed that her older sister is the mate of the Alpha of the Winter Snow Pack, a dark and haunted place with too many ghost stories and terrors about the wolf that leads it. Joyce's life was turned upside down when her parents insisted on sending her to the other pack instead of her older sister, tying her with a duty she could not refuse. The Winter Snow Pack is led by the Blind Alpha Ollen Kingsmen, a broken man who ruled his people with an iron fist. A prophecy told by the witch of the pack led him to believe that he had to be mated right away even if he didn't want to, so he accepted his fate without knowing that his actual mate was not going to be the one who would show up for the ceremony. Instead, he ended up being bonded to Joyce, who didn't even want to be a part of the supernatural world anymore. What happens when Joyce is forced to live a false life in order to protect her older sister from the cruel Alpha who seemed to have no remorse in him? What happens when she is thrust into the dead land of the Winter Snow Pack and the blind Alpha who rules it? What happens when Ollen Kingsmen finds out that he was betrayed from the very beginning?

In the realm of 'Wild Valley World,' Sebastian was a legendary figure, renowned as the master of enlightenment. As the world's leading mage, he possessed the extraordinary power to manipulate the elements and shape the virtual world to his will. His name was synonymous with authority, and his presence garnered admiration from countless players. He had long reveled in the glory of the gaming world. However, a tragic twist altered the course of his narrative. Sebastian's heart was torn between two cherished bonds - his beloved partner and his brother, both of whom had once been his closest confidants. Yet, darkness infiltrated their hearts, leading to a cruel betrayal. Deceived by their false sincerity, Sebastian found himself ensnared by the 'Black Dragon King,' a formidable boss dwelling in the mystical realm of immortals, notorious for being one of the game's most elusive and ruthless foes. With little time to react, Sebastian faced his grim fate within the perilous lair of the Black Dragon King. The battle was fierce, and he ultimately met a tragic demise, consumed by the Black Dragon King. His in-game avatar crumbled, leaving no trace of his existence. Time passed, and it seemed that Sebastian was lost within the digital archives of the game. Yet, fate had different plans. Against all odds, he was reborn, his consciousness awakened, back in the world of 'Wild Valley World,' one day before the game's official launch. Sebastian's gaze met the vibrant landscapes of the virtual world once more. With unwavering determination, he realized he had been granted a unique opportunity - a chance to change his destiny. Equipped with the knowledge of his past life, he embarked on a journey to rewrite his own story and become a formidable force once more in the realm of 'Wild Valley World.'

Fiona Garbera was forced to face a harsh false ideology that love was never enough at her early age. She grew up with the mindset that love only makes one weak, judging by her parents failed marriage. Watching her father age with a sadness that years couldn’t erase made her swore never to give love a chance until hell freezes over. But a drunk one night of sexual bliss with her new boss Colt Harper who fate made them meet again became a threat to all her years of discipline against love. Colt Harper wanted more than a night with her, he wanted her heart and was determined to change her misconception about love and this brought a crack to the walls she had built as a defense against love all her life. Fiona was caught in a dilemma of either holding on to her walls of insecurity to be at the safer side or give into the undeniable attraction between them and stand a chance to risk her heart being broken or mended forever. She had to make a life changing decision as she realized that she couldn’t stand the chance of missing out on sharing the rest of her life with the one man who had taught her that love was a beautiful emotion. Fiona was done with running away from her feelings and the uncertainty that she feels comes with love because of the trauma she had as a kid as a result of her parents failed marriage. She dared to believe that a night with her billionaire boss could lead to happily ever after as she found a partner to deal with whatever crests and troughs life threw at them and she lived happily ever after in love as she chose love over fear.

"Bind her up," I heard a woman's stern command. They roughly shoved me to the ground, placing my arms on a bench and tying them with ropes. "It’s an honor for you to be a surrogate candidate for our King! HOW DARE YOU try to escape?! Now you’ll pay the price!" As his partner handed him a pair of pliers, he flashed me a purely evil smile. My heart sank into my stomach. The king? Surrogate?! I had no idea what he was talking about... "NO PLEASE! Listen, you’ve got the wrong person..." They didn't even let me finish before they pulled out the nail on my index finger. "Ah-----" I thought I knew pain, but his actions proved I didn't. I had never experienced such torture; my helpless screams filled the entire dungeon. Tears streamed down my face, and my hands were soaked with innocent blood. The woman sat not far away, legs crossed, smiling at me. Soon, she raised her hand to signal everyone to leave and then crouched in front of me, slowly untying the ropes around me. "I know it's not you, but a she-wolf escaped. We'll use you to replace her. So, if you want to survive here, shut your mouth and do as you're told." Just like that, everything changed... *** Betrayed by my fated mate and my best friend. I, the powerful daughter of an Alpha, was scheduled to be executed on the false allegations of murdering my father and his comrades. Fate had other plans as I escaped but landed myself on an island ruled by a mysterious king, Asher Ludwig... No matter how difficult it is, I will fight my way back and reclaim everything that belongs to me!

Hela Lyon: being an alpha in your pack meant one thing, sacrificing your happiness for the peace of your pack. not that i am an acting alpha yet, my biased father will never allow a woman to rule. I just didn't expect him to decide my life for me. a marriage, an arranged one at that. never in my twenty four years of living would i have imagined getting married to someone who isn’t my mate, talk more of him being the alpha king, the devil himself. The fact that I have no say in this arrangement irks me out and now I have to comply as it is the only way we can assure peace. Eros Rain Vasilios: power doesn't come till you work for it no matter who you are, that is why i worked for mine. Being the king doesn't mean my life was rosy, it was quite the opposite. After the death of my parents, we were left with power hungry relatives. so my brother and i had to fight through it to succeed. These days all I envision myself to be is a selfless ruler who puts his people's needs before his own, the king with his people, for his people and of his people. So I know what I wanted as I took up the marriage partnership as a deal, i was killing two stones with one stone, to some i may be declaring false vows with a female alpha, to me, i was scheming and at the same time declaring my love to my mate(the perfect pawn for my plans). Emotions and words are the center of this story. Read to find the rollercoaster they both find themselves in and also watch out for the blooming love between both siblings.