Gentle Reminders

My mother never believed me. To her, I was always just a lying pup. In my pack, every cub wore a Moon Oath Collar. Red meant you lied. White meant you told the truth. My sister’s collar always glowed a soft white. Even when she pretended to be sick to get out of an exam, her collar only gave off that gentle white light. Mine was different. Even when I was truly sick, my collar would burst into a violent red, and the punishment current would follow immediately. On my sister’s birthday, Mother prepared a bonfire feast for the whole pack. Just before they left, a splitting pain tore through my head, and I collapsed on the floor, begging her to help me. For one second, she almost picked me up. Then my collar flashed red. “To ruin your sister’s birthday, you’re even pretending to die? What a vicious child.” Then she walked out with my sister and left me alone on the floor. I died alone on the cold floor. But when I opened my eyes again, I was no longer inside my body. My soul drifted after my mother as I whispered the truth she had never believed. “Mom… I wasn’t lying. I really died.” And when they finally found my body, the red collar on my neck was still flashing.

His hand wrapped around my throat in claim, as he pinned me against the cold stone wall. “You’re mine,” he growled, his breath hot against my lips. “Every breath and every heartbeat you take. Mine.” But his nephew’s voice echoed in my mind: “You deserve better than a man who treats you like furniture.” I never wanted this bond. Alpha Zane forced me into a contract marriage—bear him an heir, then disappear. He made it clear I’m nothing more than a child-bearing vessel. A servant elevated to Luna only because the Moon Goddess cursed us both. But his nephew, Kaius, sees me differently. He’s kind where Zane is cruel. Gentle where Zane is possessive. He offers me everything my mate hides from me: respect, partnership, freedom. The problem? My body responds to Zane’s dominance even as my heart breaks from his coldness. And the more Kaius shows me what love could look like, the more dangerous this becomes. Because Zane may not love me—but he’ll destroy anyone who tries to take what’s his. Even his own family. Torn between the mate who owns my soul and the man who sees it—which desire will damn me first?

Every orphan dreams of one thing—finding a home. When my parents finally found me, I thought I was the luckiest girl alive. But the moment I stepped through their door, I saw her—a girl my age, dressed like a princess, calling them "mom" and "dad." That girl, Cassia, had been living the life that should have been mine. She was their pride and joy, while I was nothing but an outsider. In front of others, she played the perfect sister. Behind closed doors, she made sure I knew my place. I was her shadow, her punching bag. She was my tormentor—my fake sister. I thought my husband could save me from the misery of that home. He was kind, gentle—or so I believed—until he demanded I give up my unborn child, because the only baby he wanted was hers. Betrayed by the two people I trusted most, my world crumbled as I bled alone on an operating table, my life slipping away. But destiny had other plans. I was given another chance—a chance to rewrite my story. This time, I’m ready. I’ll expose Cassia for who she truly is. I’ll protect everything that was stolen from me. I’ll no longer be the weak girl in her shadow. I’ll become my own strength, and Cassia will never have power over me again.

“Marry me.” He said in a serious tone. “I’ve been owned once. Never again.” she reminded him, but mostly it was for herself. He got closer, pulling her towards him in a gentle approach, then whispers in her ears. “Let me belong to you then.” ____ Camila Torres gave thirteen years of her life to the Carter family. To a husband who never loved her, to in-laws who treated her like charity, and to a home where she was constantly reminded she did not belong. When her husband’s betrayal finally drives her out, Camila leaves with nothing but her son, her pride, and a determination to never bow again. In a wealthy neighborhood far from her past, she meets Nico Romano, somewhat mysterious and charming, yet powerful and very dangerous in ways she doesn’t yet understand. He wants her, but he also wants revenge, and Camila may be the perfect weapon against the family that broke her. What Nico doesn’t expect is to fall for her. She's not the pawn he expected. Camila finds out that her past has claws, and Nico might just be tied to it. As custody threats, buried secrets, and a scandal capable of destroying the Carter empire come to light, Camila must choose: Play by the rules of the rich… or burn them all down. She left her past behind… but her past refuses to let her go.

(A REWRITE OF TANGLED WITH THE MAFIA KING) "I am married!" I spat into his face. "You can't just walk in here and spew nonsense just because I am carrying your baby." His smirk returned, and I realised that I had made a mistake that day. That day, I thought I was getting into bed with a gentle soul. But this man in front of me has the darkest of auras. It is the kind that makes it hard to look away or slam the door in his face. So, when he took another step closer, I could barely move. Then, he said, "I don't care if you are married. Now that I've seen you, coming with me is undebatable." ~~~ One reckless night in Venice with a dangerously attractive stranger was supposed to be Carrie’s final act of rebellion before an arranged marriage. By morning, she left satisfied. Two weeks later… she’s pregnant. With her furious father forcing her into marriage and giving her one week to find the baby’s father, Carrie begins a desperate search for the mysterious Alessandro. But the man she’s looking for isn’t just a charming Italian businessman. He’s heir to a ruthless empire. A man who rules with fear. And he has his own reason for needing a wife— fast. When their worlds collide again, it won’t just be about one night. It will be about power. Danger. Protection. And a love neither of them planned.

She was too soft, too chubby, and too gentle for a brutal world. That’s what her Alpha told her the night he rejected her in front of the entire pack. “I need a Luna with teeth, not tits.” Moments later, Emara Dell lay dying in the snow...murdered by the same wolves she once healed. But death is only the beginning. Under the blood-red moon, the Goddess resurrects her as the Shadow Luna: powerful, untouchable, and burning with shadowfire. Her heartbeat awakens an ancient guardian across the sea....Fenric, the legendary Bone Wolf, a monstrous, devastatingly beautiful male who rises with one purpose: Find her. Claim her. Destroy anyone who ever hurt her. Bodies begin to appear beneath crescent moons. Wolves whisper of a feral god hunting in the dark. And when Emara and Fenric finally collide, their connection is explosive, forbidden, and dangerously addictive, and filled with heat that could burn a world to ash. But jealousy has consequences. Lyrina Veega, the Beta’s daughter and Corvin’s childhood favorite, performs a forbidden ritual to steal Emara’s power… and accidentally tears open a divine rift, awakening a forgotten god. Now war is coming. Desire is a weapon. And Emara must decide if she will rule the shadows...or let them consume her. A dark, high spice paranormal romance full of feral devotion, explosive chemistry, brutal revenge, and a heroine who rises from death as something no Alpha could ever control.

Don Matteo DiCarlo is a ruthless mafia lord, feared across the city for his power and cold heart. When a wealthy businessman, Richard Thornton, defaults on a large loan, Matteo is dispatched to collect the debt. Upon arriving at Thornton’s mansion, Matteo is met with the grim realization that the once-wealthy tycoon is now nothing more than a broke fool, living far beyond his means by borrowing money from the wrong people. Desperate to save face, Richard offers his most precious asset—his daughter, Isabella—as payment. Matteo is initially repulsed by the idea. Isabella is soft, delicate, and far too weak for someone like him. She's the very picture of vulnerability, and Matteo has no patience for weakness. However, as the days pass and Matteo spends more time in her presence, he finds himself drawn to her in ways he can’t explain. Isabella, though fragile in appearance, hides a fierce resilience beneath her gentle exterior. The more Matteo tries to keep his distance, the more he’s tempted by the soft touch of her skin, the innocence in her eyes, and the way she challenges his cold exterior without even trying. As their relationship heats up, Matteo must battle his growing attraction to the woman he initially deemed unworthy. But Isabella has her own secrets and desires, and the line between debt and desire begins to blur as their chemistry intensifies, testing both their limits. In a world of power, corruption, and deceit, will Matteo be able to claim what is his without losing himself in the process? Or will Isabella be the one to change the Don’s heart forever?

It's my seventh year of secretly dating Liam Ferguson, my brother's friend. We're about to have our marking ceremony soon. I happily prepare for it, wanting to surprise him. However, during a gathering with friends, I accidentally overhear something. "If you ask me, there's no denying Alpha Liam's good looks and charm. To think he managed to make the Silver Snow pack's Alpha's sister his stand-in lover and bed partner!" "What are you going to do with Maya now that Nina's back, Liam? Andrew won't let you off the hook if he finds out you've been fooling around with his sister…" The following day, Liam takes me to Nina White's welcome-back party. He's gentle, considerate, and affectionate with me. His love for me seems so deep that I wonder whether I'm imagining things. Then, Nina "accidentally" spills scalding soup on my arm and runs out in tears. I'm the injured one, but she feels wronged. However, Liam shoves me aside and runs after her in a panic. I return home with a burned arm and open the door to the basement—Liam has never allowed me in there. I see Nina's photos plastered on the walls. There are even photos of them doing the deed in various positions. He looks so wild. I call Andrew with a heart full of despair. "I've made up my mind about the marriage with the Alpha heir of the Storm Tribe. I'll do it!"

As Caiden's hand slowly stroked me, the pressure in the pit of my stomach increased rhythmically with each stroke, leaving me dumbfounded and almost out of breath. As the sensation grew stronger, I dug a finger into his hair. My muscles tensed, a spasm passed through my body, and I cried out as my head fell back. I just lay there, my body limp, astonished by what just happened. Whatever it was I didn't want it to end. "We're just getting started honey" Caiden whispered in my ear. And then the kissing and stroking began and my body was on fire once again. Caiden grabbed my hips and I felt a sharp pain, but it was only brief. Then came the amazing sensation of our skin touching and the friction starting a fire inside of me. He was gentle at first but then he pounded into me like it was his last. And there went my innocence.We made sweet love all night but something was missing. I was unmarked. Kamara Steele was rejected by her mate, Alpha Caiden. He was pressurized by his father to marry a stronger female to lead the pack which he did. He rejected Kamara because she was an Omega. Kamara left the pack. Unknown to Caiden, she was pregnant with his quadruplets. Kamara lived with her kids and found a reason to live for a few years until they were kidnapped. She had no choice but to return to the pack and seek Caiden's help in finding their children. Will they be reunited and live as a family? Will Kamara accept him when she finds out the secret that has been hidden for years?

I married my vampire husband ten years ago and gave him a half-blood heir, abandoning my career as a painter to become a full-time mother. Fortunately, my son inherited my talent. At just six years old, he held his first solo art exhibition, inspired by the theme "My Mother." But he never let me attend, and he never let me see his paintings. My husband said my presence would make Luke nervous---that I should stay home and do the housework as a good wife and mother, and wait for them to come back. I told myself he was just young and didn't know better, that he was only pushing back against my discipline, not truly rejecting me. Until the day I snuck into the gallery wearing a surgical mask pulled low. In the center of the crowd, my husband held our son's hand while tenderly pulling a woman in a red dress into his arms. He turned to the guests and announced: "This is Luke's mother---my wife." The three of them stood together, beaming with perfect happiness. And I---the one who'd stayed up all night setting up this exhibition---stood before the paintings while not a single person recognized me. That was when I finally understood. My seemingly gentle, caring vampire husband had long ago given our son a replacement mother. And I was nothing more than the human nanny who'd served her purpose by producing an heir.