Flames Draw

Elara Hayes had no idea that one night her life would end. Elara is forced into a contract marriage with Alessandro De Luca, the cold, ruthless CEO of a global empire, after being betrayed by her fiancé, burdened by the crushing debts of her family, and cornered by circumstances she can no longer escape. Their marriage is a calculated alliance to the outside world. Alessandro views it as a business arrangement designed to safeguard his position and silence internal threats. It is a cage that Elara never asked to enter. Elara is obligated to learn how to survive in Alessandro's perilous world, which is ruled by power, secrets, and enemies hidden behind polished smiles, and is bound by a contract with strict rules and an even stricter expiration date. She discovers that the man she married is far more complicated than his icy reputation suggests as she struggles to protect her family and maintain her independence. Despite the fact that Alessandro is in charge, guarded, and emotionally untouchable, his focus on Elara grows dangerously intense. What initially appears to be forced proximity gradually develops into an unspoken tension that neither of them is willing to admit. However, secrets do not remain hidden forever. Elara is forced to reevaluate everything, including her marriage, her own heart, and her safety, as resurfaced betrayals and hidden enemies draw near. Additionally, she must make a decision when she discovers information that could cost her everything and bring down Alessandro's empire: When the contract expires, will she terminate it? or put her heart at risk for a man she never intended to love? There are rules in the contract. However, love was not one of them.

Housing prices collapsed. My parents ran a real estate business. They and their long-time family friend, the Goodwin family, went into bankruptcy. My parents had me and my younger sister draw lots to decide who would marry into the Goodwin family to fulfill an old engagement. In my previous life, I drew the short stick. From that moment, I became a slave to both families. During the day, I needed to work to pay off the Goodwin family’s debt. At night, I needed to deliver food to cover my parents’ financial losses. I survived on scraps and slept in the cold. I continued to work even when I coughed up blood. That day, I went all out and finally secured a multimillion-dollar business deal. My heart burst with excitement. I was eager to tell them the good news. Across the street, I saw my parents get off a Rolls-Royce with wide grins. They dressed up in luxury brands from head to toe. Then, I saw my husband, Alfred, gently wrap one of his arms around my glamorous sister’s shoulder. I wanted to rush over and question them. But a speeding truck slammed into me and sent me flying away. I lay in a pool of blood while staring at them indignantly. I heard them chuckle softly. “What a pity… She was so close to enjoying a good life.” When I opened my eyes again, I returned to the day I drew the lots. Since they liked to pretend to be broke, I would make it a reality!

After I, Rosalie Ricci, was stood up 17 times, the mafia don, Daniel Marino, finally holds the perfect engagement banquet for me. In our second year together, we are ready to get married. But every single time, he has an excuse to hold our engagement off. He says he's busy with work, the timing isn't right yet, or that he isn't quite ready. I never blame him because I love him. I have loved him since our school days. In fact, I have loved him for seven whole years. This is the 18th time. I stand in the banquet hall wearing the gown he personally chose for me and watch as he slips the ring onto my finger. He kisses me with a passionate intensity he has never shown me before. At that moment, I believe that I have finally secured my perfect happiness after waiting seven long years. My happiness only lasts until the guests leave. As I step into the back garden, I see Daniel holding my twin sister, Leah Ricci, in his arms. He says in a hushed voice, "I announced my engagement to Rosalie 18 times. This time, you're finally back." That's when I realize that the engagement banquet that I have longed for is nothing more than a ploy by Daniel to draw Leah back to him. But when I decided to let them be together, Daniel panics.

As Jastrelle's golden girl, I draw lots to pick my groom, and fate finally hands me Felix Ledger, the childhood sweetheart I've wanted forever. During the impromptu wedding, a funeral convoy belonging to a scion of a rich family in Jastrelle passes right outside. I hate the omen. Felix laughs, pulls me into his arms, and places the veil over my head himself. "I'll take it as a good omen. With you, I'm covered from first breath to last," he says. His adoptive sister, Winnie Ledger, hears him, bursts into tears, and bolts outside. The funeral convoy runs her down, and she dies. Felix barely reacts. Three years later, Dad is framed, driven into bankruptcy, and falls gravely ill. He dies, and I lose everything. At the funeral, Felix sends everyone off, shoves me into the open grave, and buries me alive. He spits, "You rigged everything to get me. You left Winnie ruined. She bolted outside, and that funeral convoy ran her down. For three years, remorse has eaten me alive. I want you torn apart! "With your last protector gone, I can finally make you suffer a hundredfold the pain Winnie felt and ease my hatred!" When I open my eyes, I'm back at the groom-selection ceremony. Dad smiles as he hands me the lots. I shake my head, look out the window, and point at the funeral convoy passing outside. "I'm not choosing anyone. I'll marry that dead man!"

Elijah Morris has been fooling around for four out of the five years we've been married. And from the very first month, he openly betrays me. Meanwhile, I spend my time warding people off with expensive contracts, one after another. Eventually, all that's left between us is constant fighting. One day, his younger stepsister, Abigail Wright, returns. And just like that, he finally settles down. That's when the system tells me that I can finally go home. For the next five days, I no longer ask about his schedule. I don't care if he is with Abigail, nor do I care if she is pregnant with his child. I even move out of the master bedroom myself, listening to them going at it all night. The fifth day after Abigail's return is our wedding anniversary. Elijah bursts into the room, tears up our marriage certificate in front of me, and smashes my most treasured vase into pieces. He grips my throat tightly and growls, "Why did you put mango in Abby's cake? She's allergic, and she almost died! How could you be so cruel?" For the first time, I don't argue with him. Instead, I go along with his accusations. "So what?" I then pick up a shard from the broken vase on the floor under his disbelieving gaze. Then, I draw it across my artery. Just like that, I end my life in this world.

"You don't belong here." The people I believed I could trust threw those comments at me, and they rang in my ears for years. My foes, my packmates, and my tormentors are Cassian and Kade. They turned every action I took into something improper and out of character, making my life a living misery. And perhaps I did believe them for a while. But when I turn 19, everything is different. My abilities come to life, more potent and terrifying than I could have ever dreamed. All of a sudden, they are pulled to me as my destined partners rather than as adversaries. The icy Alpha-in-waiting Cassian is troubled by the thought of his future. The vicious Beta Kade is constantly engaged in a game of control and domination. Then there is Alaric, the enigmatic outsider with a secret that has the potential to ruin us all. Destiny created our unshakable bond, but I never wanted to be a pawn in someone else's game. I'm becoming more and more aware that nothing is as it seems. I am at the center of several mysteries that are deeply ingrained in the history of our pack. It's this bond that I wish to resist. I want to despise everyone. However, there is no denying the draw between us. I feel like my heart and soul are breaking apart piece by piece with every touch and look. As the full moon rises, I find myself standing on the edge of all my fears. Then I hear it—the one fact for which I could have been unprepared. "Tonight, one of you will pass away." Who will it be? Is it possible for me to halt it before it is too late?

After her mother's death, Maya Cruz is sent to live with her aunt at the Crystal Palace pack. Without questioning her father's decision, she accepts and her new life begins roughly when she enrolls at Crystal High School where she suffers bullying and oppression at the hands of Micah Alphus, the Alpha's spoiled son, Juliet Stone, his girlfriend, and their friends. Micah turns out to be her mate, first mate but he rejects her without a second thought and discards her like a used towel, and still, Maya finds herself falling hopelessly for him. Micah suddenly begins to draw closer to her after making a bet with his friends and Maya who is ignorant of this fact accepts him. While her new life is starting to look up, her childhood best friend and first love, Daniel Fisher shows up and it's clear he doesn't approve of their relationship. He's determined to win her back and would do anything after finding out she’s his mate When Daniel stumbles on evidence that proves Micah's deceit, he is quick to hand it over to her. However, despite being reunited with her first love – and second mate -, Maya still finds herself yearning for Micah, the one who hurt her the most. How will Maya navigate this love triangle she has found herself in? And what secrets is she hiding? Who will end up with her at last? And will Juliet let this Omega take her man without a fight?

Pia Bellucci descends from the slums in Hughlin. Orphans like her are supposed to spend their lives struggling in the bottom rung of society. They are meant to live in the darkness till they draw their last breaths. But the appearance of Vito Castaldo, the Don of the Castaldo family, has completely rewritten Pia's fate. Thanks to Pia's resilience and talent, she fights against all odds and becomes Vito's personal bodyguard. She takes it upon herself to block all harm coming his way and resolve deadly crises for him. Once, when Pia gets kidnapped by Vito's rivals in his stead and almost dies in that ordeal, Vito confesses his feelings to her after rescuing her. After that, he holds an engagement banquet and slides a diamond ring onto her finger before making his vow. "Once I become the Don of Nework, you shall become the Donna." Pia is grateful to Vito for saving her life while showering her with love and affection. It's only natural that she's willing to sacrifice everything for his sake. From then, she works even harder in striking more dangerous deals and wrapping up the most brutal negotiations on Vito's behalf. She practically puts herself at risk just to get rid of all obstacles in his way until his strongest foes are dead. But when Pia thinks her dream is about to come true, she stumbles upon the cruelest truth. It turns out that she's nothing but a tool for Vito to wield from the start till the end.

"I desire you now, beautiful Latifah". The King stated in what I might have thought as a calm but rumbling tone. "Your Grace!". I said, avoiding his gaze,  sobbing in a low, whining, and broken voice. "Look at me!". He ordered, in a husky voice, but I quietly declined, looking elsewhere but his face. "Latifah". He called out, sounding rather agitated this time. "Your Majesty..I fear for my life, should the queen walk in and meet us in this compromising position-". I asked, barely whispering. "I do not give a damn fvck what she thinks or feels". He said, in a rather calm tone, yet so firm it scared me to death. "I want you in my bed withering underneath me as you moan my name". He added. ************ Latifah Lakewood had never known life outside of the palace. Although privileged to have been born in the palace. She was however, raised to serve in the palace all her life, thus, making her life nothing short of sighs, sorrow and sadness.  Over the last century, the evil beast had possessed and dominated the human race, totally annihilating the majority of the population, and enslaving the remnant.  Sadly enough for her, her parents had been counted among the enslaved humans. With the advice of the wise, she must now do everything possible not to draw unnecessary attention to herself, or risk being noticed.  This she ensured until an unfortunate incident happened, altering the course of her life forever. Join me in this ride as we journey into the world of intrigues, suspense and dilemma.

Orenda was created by the God of Destruction to protect the people of the world from the shadow demons known as eyti that now plague it. For thousands of years she - alongside her brother - fulfilled this sacred duty with ease...until now. Never in her millennia did Orenda dream she would be blessed with a soulmate. She was even less prepared when her soulmate turned out to be none other than the creator of the very beings she was created to fight; the God of Malice, Azadou. Azadou is cold, uncaring and has a deep hatred of the Gods. Everyone keeps telling her to stay far away and reject him, but like the pull of two opposing magnets, these two cosmic beings can't resist the draw to each other. As Orenda puts her heart, soul and dignity on the line to win the heart of her destined half, a new and mysterious threat emerges... Something sinister is afoot and it has big plans for Orenda. Orenda will find herself in the most tempestuous fight of her life, with the stakes higher than anything she could have imagined. Will she come out victorious and achieve her happily ever after? Or find herself at the centre of a dark parable with no happy ending in sight? This is the 7th book in the God's Saga. Series Order: A Queen Among Alphas Bite-Size Luna - Alphas Prequel A Queen Among Snakes Runaway Empress - Snakes Prequel A Queen Among Blood A Queen Among Darkness Dark Vocation - Darkness spin-off Whole Again - Alpha's spin-off A Queen Among Tides Valor, Virtue, and Verve - Tides Prequel Spin-off A Queen Among Gods A Queen Among Tempests A Court of Arcane Souls (side character short stories requested by readers) The Royal Shadow Series (Next Gen Coming Soon)