Fragile Masculinity

“Say it,” Kael growled, his hand tightening around her throat—not enough to hurt, just enough to remind her who he was. “I’m yours,” Maya whispered, trembling. His lips hovered near hers, breath hot. “Even after I left you to die?” She swallowed. “Even now.” He kissed her like a curse—hungry, dangerous, and full of things he’d never say aloud. --- Maya never believed in fate—until the night her skin burned with the mark of the most feared Alpha in the realm. Weak, powerless, and exiled for a bond she never asked for, Maya finds herself hunted by the same man fate chose for her: Alpha Kael of Silverclaw. He claims she’s a mistake. A curse. But Maya is more than just a fragile girl. She’s the second chance of a woman long thought dead. Kael once loved Andrea, a powerful and noble wolf who descended into madness under a deadly curse. Her death shattered him. But when Maya bears the same mark and stirs the same soul-deep bond, Kael believes it’s the curse reborn—and rejects her violently to protect them all. Now on the run, Maya is saved by Rowan—Kael’s former Beta and best friend turned outcast. As truths unravel and passions ignite, Maya becomes the center of a dark prophecy that could destroy everything. But fate doesn’t care who you love. And true mates never stay strangers for long.

I was scheduled to die in less than 24hrs from now. And the person who conspires to put me out of my miserable life is the one who put me through hell. His hell. My husband. I didn't mind dying. I was rather happy to finally get this thing over with. You know, get over life. But just when I was ready to rest in peace, I met her. Her beautiful blue eyes glittered with tears bringing light to this moonless night. The cold breeze brought a shiver to her fragile tiny body. She looked nothing less than a porcelain doll, delicate and clean. But she scared me when she looked at me with hope. Hope to save her. I laughed at this naive little girl. How was I to save her when I couldn't save myself? Nevertheless, I extended my hand for her to take, and with some hesitation, she wrapped her whole hand around my one finger. First time in my meaningless life I felt a spark. Spark of life enlightened in me with her one innocent touch. She made me want to live a little while longer with a small innocent promise, holding me tight to live with her, for her. Cover by @Aphroditelivid

Mate. I froze mid-step, Venom has never said that word before. I've suddenly forgotten the Rogues I was chasing, my whole attention now on the emotions I was feeling. My vision sharpened, focusing on the faint sound of labored breathing just ahead. My heart hammered in my chest as I walked closer, the bond pulling me forward with an urgency I hadn’t felt in decades. The first thing I saw was her hair, a messy dark bun with strands of white, unusual yet unique. She sat curled up against the base of an old tree, arms wrapped tightly around her knees, shoulders trembling. Her thin, tattered sweater barely shielding her from the cold air. She looked... fragile, a word I never thought I’d associate with my mate. Ariel’s life has been anything but easy. Orphaned as a child and left in the care of a cruel stepfather and stepbrother, she’s endured years of emotional and physical abuse. Despite her circumstances, she’s always felt something stirring beneath the surface—an unexplained restlessness, vivid dreams of running under the moonlight, and a deep connection to the forest around her. Zayn, the alpha of the Shadowcrest pack, has spent years searching for his fated mate, the one who would complete him and stand by his side to no avail…he had finally given up on ever finding her. His pack thrives under his leadership, but his heart has grown weary, doubting the Moon Goddess’s promise of a mate. When a chance encounter leads him to Ariel, he’s stunned to discover that the fragile, broken girl is his destined partner—and more than that, she’s a wolf completely unaware of her true nature.

Emilia Rossi never expected her quiet life as an accountant to lead her into the shadows of the underworld. But when she’s framed in a money-laundering scheme connected to Luca Moretti—the city’s most feared mafia boss—she’s given an impossible choice: help him find the real traitor or face the deadly consequences. Weak and terrified, Emilia is thrust into Luca’s dangerous world, where power, deception, and violence rule. But behind Luca’s ruthless exterior, she catches glimpses of a different man—one haunted by his past and captivated by her innocence. Bound by a reluctant attraction and surrounded by threats, Emilia must navigate her new life in the mafia’s grip, learning to find strength in her vulnerability as she draws closer to Luca. As their worlds collide, a spark ignites between them—a spark that could consume them both. In a world where loyalty is scarce, will Emilia’s fragile heart survive? Or will she be forever lost in the shadows of power?

Ivy Sinclair never expected her father's last desperate move to be selling her off like a pawn—to the coldest billionaire in Manhattan. Lucien Blackwood doesn't believe in love. But he believes in power, and marrying Ivy gives him just that—until the fire in her eyes threatens to melt the ice around his heart. Their vows are signed in ink and built on lies. She’s determined to protect her soul. He’s hiding demons that could destroy them both. But what starts as a calculated business arrangement spirals into a dangerous obsession. Secrets bleed. Betrayals burn. And when the past comes back with blood on its hands, their fragile union may be the only thing standing between survival and ruin. He owns her name. She could own his heart. But only if they don’t destroy each other first. In this house of fortune, love is the most dangerous currency.

Dante "The Bull" De Luca, The ruthless Mafia boss, has made a name for himself for being merciless and cold-blooded, he has one rule: never fall in love. But when he is coerced to marry Emily, the beautiful and intelligent daughter of a rival family to secure a fragile truce, he begins to questions the existence of that single rule which has given him the reputation he has of being nothing less than ruthless and brutal. Emily is used by her father as a bargaining chip to cool down the hatred their families have groomed for many years that threatens to destroy them. Emily, determined to survive in a world of drugs, lies, and murders, she must learn to adapt quickly as the wife of one of the most dangerous men in Chicago as the risks that come with such position are severe. As she draws closer to Dante, she slowly begins to realize that the monster she married may not be as evil as the mafia world paints him to be. Will their love be the cure to a years old family disease of hate and strife, or will it spark a war that destroys everything?"

His hands were firm but careful as they slid down my sides, his lips brushing against mine in a way that left me breathless. “Are you sure about this?” he murmured, his forehead resting against mine, grey eyes searching for any sign of hesitation. I nodded, my fingers curling into the leather of his jacket. “I’m sure. I need this. I need you.” His jaw clenched, a muscle ticking there as if he were trying to hold himself back. “You don’t just need me, Aurora. You have me. You’ve had me for a long fucking time.” I swallowed hard, my heart hammering at his words. “Then show me.” *** Aurora, daughter of a powerful Alpha, thought she was living her perfect love story with Nathan, her destined mate and the future Alpha of a neighboring pack. But on prom night, her world shatters when she finds Nathan with another woman, revealing their entire relationship was a lie. Heartbroken and betrayed, Aurora flees, only to find solace in the arms of Noxon, Nathan's twin brother, where they had a night of passion before Noxon disappeared, leaving Aurora more broken. Six years later, a family tragedy pulls her back into the chaos she escaped. Old enemies, forbidden love, and hidden truths resurface, threatening not just Aurora's fragile peace but also the future of her son, whose extraordinary abilities mark him as a target in a deadly power struggle. As tensions rise, Aurora must decide: will she fight for her son and her pack, or walk away forever?

“I’m done with you, Aurora Fernandez—if that’s even your name.” Mia’s voice trembled with rage as she turned for the door. “You’ll regret refusing me,” Aurora snapped behind her. Mia's hand touched the knob—just as it turned on its own. The door creaked open. Her heart dropped. Standing in the doorway was a face she never wanted to see again. Lucius Lovato. The cold, merciless CEO of the department store where she'd once worked. His eyes swept over her with visible disdain. “Who is this little thing, Eva?” he asked, his voice hoarse and biting. And just like that, Mia knew—she was trapped again. Wrongfully accused. Publicly humiliated. Betrayed by the only man she ever loved. Mia Simpson thought she'd hit rock bottom. Then came the offer—escape prison and start over, under one terrifying condition: seduce and marry Lucius Lovato, the mafia heir with a heart of ice and a soul no one dares touch. But Mia isn’t the fragile girl the world thinks she is. She agrees to the deal—on her own terms. Behind her innocent eyes burns a thirst for revenge, and the deeper she steps into the dark world of power, blood, and secrets, the more dangerous she becomes. Lucius, however, is not a man easily fooled. Every attempt to break him only draws him closer. And every secret Mia hides? He already suspects. As enemies close in and her hidden past begins to unravel, Mia discovers a horrifying truth—she is not just a girl caught in the middle of a mafia war. She is the legacy of something much greater… and much more feared. He was her mission. She was his undoing. But in the underworld, love might just be the most dangerous weapon of all.

She has never spoken a word. Not because she chose silence— But because life chose it for her. Aradhya Mishra, mute since childhood and walking with a painful limp in one leg, has lived in the background of the world. Quiet, observant, and emotionally scarred, she’s learned to express her thoughts through gestures, eyes that speak volumes, and a heart that still dares to dream. She's fragile on the outside—but only fools mistake her silence for weakness. He was born to dominate. Avyaan Singh Rathore—aka MADVIPER—is the brutal, cold-blooded mafia king. Ruthless, feared, and untouchable, he rules the underworld as the head of the secretive gang THE VEYRIX. His name alone silences rooms. He doesn't believe in love. Doesn't care for innocence. Until he's forced to marry her. A girl who cannot speak. A man who doesn't listen. Tied in a bond neither wanted— And for a reason neither knows. What begins as a mistake turns into something much more twisted. A war of silent stares, guarded hearts, and slow-burning emotions. She's the calm to his storm. The quiet to his rage. And perhaps—the only voice his soul can still hear. But love doesn’t bloom easily in a world soaked with blood and secrets. When two broken souls collide under a lie, Can truth set them free— Or will it destroy them both?

Arianne has always been an outcast—an Alpha's daughter with no wolf, treated as nothing more than a burden in her pack. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she is revealed as the second chance mate of Damien the Lycan King. Damien still mourning his first mate struggles with his duty to the Moon Goddess and the undeniable bond pulling him toward Arianne. Despite his initial rejection he begins to see her strength. In a desperate bid to prove herself worthy of Damien and the pack, Arianne inadvertently unlocks a power deep within her, granting her a wolf. The transformation, however, comes at a heavy cost.Arianne loses control, leaving behind destruction and death in her wake. Consumed by guilt and grief, she flees, unable to face what she’s become. As Damien tracks her down, Arianne struggles with the monster within her and the pain of her actions. Though he tries to comfort her, Arianne is overwhelmed by self-loathing, fearing she’s beyond redemption. Their bond is tested as Damien refuses to give up on her, But with her newfound powers and the trauma of her past, can Arianne find her place in a world that has only ever cast her aside? Or will the darkness within consume her, destroying the fragile connection she has with Damien?