Golden Sword

*(Dimitri's story) Can be read as a standalone novel* Alyanna Rosellini's life is on pause because of a murderer on the loose. Only being able to live through the present by holding on to the past while hoping for a better future, she will do anything she can to go back to her old life. Even if it is to act as bait to draw out the killer. Jayden Carlton is in a relationship with two women - his dead childhood sweetheart and a woman who won't leave him alone. Everyone has only one piece of advice for him - go to therapy and move on. But that advice is applicable to people who want to get better, not Jayden. How can he, when moving on also means letting go? Katerina Van Acker has a heart of gold but the world convinced her to use it sparingly. So she wore a bitchy attitude for armour, sharpened her tongue into a sword, and waged a war against it. But if she doesn't stop fighting, she might chase away everyone she cares about. And nothing short of her own guardian angel can convince her of that. Dimitri Volkov might be a prince but he is no guardian angel. Haunted by the memories of the one he was supposed to love and protect but ended up killing, he knows that he deserves no second chance. But fate has other plans. Now, his future rests in his shaky hands. Their life is on pause. The only way to move ahead is to reflect back on the past, learn from their mistakes, and make better choices this time around. Because with stakes higher than last time, they will either get everything they hoped for and more or lose more than their soul can bear.

The Empire of Suramy is the strongest amongst all the Kingdoms in the African continent, ruled by the tyrant, Emperor Zule, and his son, Prince Habeb. When they set their sights upon the kingdom of Muzagah, destruction is certain. Two siblings carry the fate of Muzagah on their shoulders. Banabella, the most beautiful woman on the continent, whose beauty is the cause for the war; and her younger brother, who blessed with the kiss from the gods is destined to subdue their enemy, and restore Muzagah's glory. The role of the gods will be questioned, as the pair face two defining paths: for self, or for glory?

On the company's designated monthly day off, Gigi Lott, Donald Hoover's secretary, posted an Instagram story. The caption read, "So what if you're the boss of me when we're at work during the day? At night, I'm the one on top!" In the photo, she was lying atop a water bed covered in rose petals, and the usually stern Donald was kneeling down to massage her feet for her. From his pocket hung a brand new golden necklace. Just that morning, I bought several gold bars and gave them to Donald while beseeching him to make our relationship public. He happily took the locket from me, but when I tried to take a photo of us with our phone, he smacked my phone out of my hands, smashing it into pieces. With a look of pure derision, he declared, "Why don't you take a good look at yourself in the mirror first? You really are a motherless wretch who wasn't raised right. Look at the lengths you'd go to just to ruin me!" Throughout the last five years, I had meekly gone along with his demand that we keep our relationship a secret, claiming it was because office romances were forbidden. But now, I was abruptly hit with the realization of how laughable it all was. The next day, I sent my father a message. "I admit defeat. I'm willing to come home and inherit the family business."

My son is gravely ill. His inner wolf is too weak to awaken, and the healer warns that without the Alpha’s blood to strengthen his spirit, he may not last the next full moon. He clutches my hand, his feverish golden eyes dimming. “Mother, can Father take me to the Barnum & Bailey Circus？” But no matter how many times I summon my mate through the pack bond, he does not answer. His presence in the mind-link is an empty void. I can only hold my son as his small body trembles. I whisper stories of wolf warriors and great Alphas, but his breathing grows weaker. When the dawn breaks, his tiny fingers slip from mine. His wolf never wakes. A few days later, the scent of wild roses floods our pack’s sacred grounds. I turn—and there he is. My mate. My Alpha. He strides into the hall with my sister cradled in his arms. Her neck bears his fresh scent mark. His mark. I watch as he presses a lingering kiss to her lips, his hands caressing her like a treasure. Their love is bold, shameless—an unspoken declaration to the entire pack. And only then do I learn the truth. While my son lay fighting for his life, waiting for his father’s touch, longing for his Alpha’s strength… my mate was deep in Rose Valley, tangled in passion with my own blood. I thought my heart had long since gone cold from his neglect, but at that moment, it shatters. I make my decision. I will leave this pack. Yet just as I turn to walk away, the mate who had only ever treated me with indifference suddenly drops to his knees. A broken sob rips from his throat. For the first time, my proud, untouchable Alpha weeps.

When Astrid is kidnapped and shipped off as a gift for a king’s coronation, she becomes resentful of her life and resigns herself to death at his hands. Spared by her new captor, she must find a way to navigate the turmoil of harem life. Pitted against the other girls of the harem, and the king's favorite, she must survive attempts on her life, societal upheaval, and, most dangerous of all, a budding romance. Is she just making the good of a bad situation? Or is love truly blooming with her tyrannical owner? "Do you know who you're talking to?" He asks both angry and amused, with a dangerous flame in his golden eyes. "Loras." "Loras is a king, Astrid. A king doesn't give explanations in front of anyone. And if you don't learn that, this palace will kill you." He doesn't sound like he's scolding her, nor does he sound arrogant. He tells it as it is. And Astrid was aware of that. But still, it's not something that her heart could just accept. She didn't realize she was crying until his hand dries her tears. And before realizing it, he pulls her closer. "N..." She tries to oppose it, but it's too late. His lips are pressed on hers and all breath leaves her chest. His lips are soft and full, embracing her mouth entirely. "Open your mouth!" He whispers an order and she can only obey. Her knees are melting so she grabs his neck. He puts his arms around her and lifts her up, pressing her body into the wall, trapping her. And then, suddenly, just when she was starting to get used to the maddening sensation of his touch, he steps back. "Don't you want to finish the conversation about Lysa?" He asks.

The Bloodfang Pack’s Alpha has declared a grand warrior match. A test of strength, cunning, and dominance. The werewolf who emerges victorious will not only earn the title of champion but will also claim his most beautiful daughter as a mate. But everyone knows this is just a formality. No matter who wins, I should be the one to marry Harken Shadowfang. He and I grew up together, our wolves intertwined by years of shared hunts and whispered promises beneath the full moon. He has always been my destined mate—or so I thought. The match begins, and Harken deliberately loses. I watch as he kneels in the dirt, breathing heavily, his sharp golden eyes flicking toward me with something cruel, something mocking. A chill runs down my spine. Why? Why would he do this? The victor stands tall, his fur still bristling from the heat of battle. Alaric Jaggedmane. A warrior through and through, his aura is heavy with the weight of a true Alpha—something Harken never had. Without hesitation, I step forward, lifting the warrior’s wreath. "Congratulations," I say, my voice steady. "You're now my husband." A furious snarl rips through the air. Harken storms toward me like a rabid beast, his fangs bared, his hands trembling as he snatches the wreath from my grasp. "Why didn't you pick me?" he demands, his voice bordering on madness. I meet his gaze without fear. Because in my past life, I did. I chose him. I thought he loved me. I thought we would be happy. But I was a fool. After my father’s death, Harken locked me away, keeping me weak with silver-laced drugs while he took his true mate, Ravyn Evermoon, to public events at his side. I was nothing but a tool. A stepping stone for his ambitions. A title to secure his rule. It was only then that I learned of his betrayal— of the three children he had already fathered with her. And so now, with this second chance granted to me by the Moon Goddess herself, I do not waver. I will not be Harken’s pawn again.

“…I’m the only one who gets to treat you like that, Pearce. You are mine, and I do not take too kindly to those who want to share in what’s mine…” ****************************************************************** Anthony Pearce and Blake Lindell have been locked in a feud for as long as they can remember. The spark that ignited their rivalry? Well, that depends on which side of the clay you ask. You’d think their parents’ constant meddling or the time they spend together on the basketball court would help smooth things over, but nope—this relationship remains stubbornly unshaped. Everything changes, though, when Blake is forced to ditch the court and take up pottery—Anthony’s territory, where he’s the undisputed “King of Clay.” Now, tasked with the mission of getting Blake up to speed before graduation, Anthony has to spend even more time in close quarters with his rival. Will they be able to sculpt their fractured friendship back into a masterpiece, or is their bond too cracked and brittle to repair? And when a buried secret surfaces about the rumor that shattered Anthony’s ninth-grade year, will it soften their hardened hearts or leave them shattered beyond the kiln’s fix? One thing’s for sure—things are about to get messy.

Stacey Galvez has been working for Golden Gates Corporation under the research department for more than two months. Tahimik at magaan ang takbo ng buhay niya, nagtatrabaho siya para sa sarili at sa kaniyang pamilya. Sa pagnanais maibsan ang boring cycle ng buhay, mag-isa siyang nagtungo sa bar sa unang pagkakataon. Hindi niya lubos akalaing sa matindi niyang paghahangad na magliwaliw ay naisuko niya ang pagkabirhen. Never in her wildest dreams did she think of having a one night stand with the Chief Financial Officer of the banking company she works for. But it happened. Stacey and the CFO came up with a mutual agreement to keep their secret all by themselves. Will it be easy for her if before their one steamy night she already has feelings for the dazzling CFO bachelor Izaac Buencamino? Her burning desire for him is out of control, so she comes up with a plan to seduce and make him hers.

I was like the pure and innocent Cinderella of a school romance novel. Unlike the aristocratic students around me, I didn't come from wealth or privilege. I earned my place at this elite academy through merit alone, my high scores opening the gates to a world far beyond my means. Cinderella is supposed to be stubborn, proud, and righteous—standing tall despite her humble origins. But I have none of those qualities. All I have is poverty.

Brandon’s lips brushed against mine, his voice a low murmur. “Didn’t think you’d be on your knees for me so soon, sunflower.” I shoved him back, breath unsteady. “This isn’t a game.” But it was. With his father cutting him off and his half-brother poised to take everything, Cameron had no choice. Marrying Brandon the man he despised most—was the only way to secure his inheritance. Brandon was insufferable. Arrogant. And worst of all… he was enjoying every second of this. Cameron was straight. He hated him. Or was he?