Grim Expression

Grim Marie knows far too much about the wolves of the world, a world where little girls go missing. After all, she had married one before she/he showed his claws, and what that wolf did to her little girl was unforgiveable. Grim Marie isn’t certain if she can ever forgive herself for putting her Little Aleta in harm’s way. When Grandmother becomes ill, Aleta offers to take the bus through the concrete forest to Grandmother’s house to bring her some goodies. She knows the way. What could possibly go wrong? In this modern day retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, the wolf takes to the city streets to capture his prey, but the hunter is close behind him. With Grim Marie on the prowl, the hunter becomes the hunted. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

---> if you are interested in my work, please check out my novel The Starving Vulture. Available on Amazon, $3.99 for the Ebook and $14.95 for the Paperback https://www.amazon.com/Starving-Vulture-Miguel-Monta%C3%B1a/dp/1951150899<--------- Aster Likaya is a Battle Mage of the Zeraph Republic. Raised in a military family, she was destined for a life on the front. As a Battle Mage she has mastered the art of Controlling. A simple but effective kind of magic that is necessary when one bonds and commands the essential robotic warmachines of her world. The Gearbanes. And now, she is a Captain. But much to her surprise, she is not handed a company but a unit of stoic and silent soldiers that call themselves DragonWolves. Her second in command, is Lieutenant Able Froster, young but grim faced soldier who has seen combat since he was barely a boy. For their first mission, they are given a simple task. Retrieve an agent of the Republic who is lost in the vast swampland known as the Suha Marshes. Little do they know, that they are not the only factions searching for the man. For in the Suha Marshes, hunt the cannibalistic Birchmen and the Kolysian pirates. All eager for the prize the agent carries. This is the world of Likaya and Froster. Dominated by machines powered by magic, weapons ignited by runes and wars fought over ancient relics forged by a forgotten past. Welcome to Likaya's Wolves.

After my engagement to Simon Page, he secretly planned a trip abroad with Yara Watson, the woman he had loved for years. The day before their departure, he was chatting with his friends and Yara in the lounge of a golf club. "Simon, you just got engaged, and you're already taking Yara on a trip. Aren't you afraid Rosalyn will find out?" Simon scoffed. "I hired a guy to pose as her suitor. He’ll keep her so occupied that she won’t have time to bother me. "If something really happens between them, even better. I can use it as an excuse to officially end the engagement and be with Yara openly." Standing outside the door, I trembled as his words sank in. Tears streamed down my face as I looked at the handsome man behind me, his expression filled with guilt. "Then let’s grant him his wish and get married." But just as I was preparing for the wedding, Simon suddenly knelt before me in agony. "Rosalyn, I was wrong. Please, don’t marry him!"

For seven years, Grace has been the dutiful "moon goddess" at the side of Alpha King Ethan Silver, enduring his indifference while desperately trying to strengthen the weakening MATE bond between them. On her birthday, she returns to the eastern territories only to find her home empty - her partner absent and her daughter, whom she brought up as a child, estranged. "I've got something going on here, tomorrow." Ethan's impatient voice came over the phone, but Grace caught another female voice in the background. Olivia Stone. Her half-sister. "Aunt Liv is so handsome, I love Aunt Liv so much, why is mommy so annoying." She heard her daughter Emma complain. The truth becomes irrelevant when Grace finds Ethan and Olivia in an intimate embrace in his office. The mate bond she tried so hard to defend meant nothing to him. "Who gave you permission to come in here!" Ethan's expression was justified, and Grace stood rigid, the coffee tray trembling in her hands. Determined to leave them and rebuild her work and her life, Grace ditches the Silver family and her position at pack medical to return to her roots as a therapist and reconnects with her former partner, Dominic Hayes. As Grace rebuilds her life and professional standing, Ethan begins to notice her absence. But is it too late? Grace has awakened to the fact that she doesn't want to be his Luna anymore. Can she truly sever the seven-year mate bond? And what happens when Ethan finally realizes what he's lost?

On her first day in a new town, Jessica Day saves the life of Oliver King mere minutes after he rescues her from the wolf stalking her in the woods. But there's more to the mysterious young man than his rugged good looks and charming personality. There's something dark and irresistible about him that draws Jessica into his supernatural world. Ollie's next in line to be the alpha of Forest Hills' largest werewolf pack, but a deal with Death herself has marked him for an early grave, and he's not exactly trying to save himself from this grim fate. Unable to deny their mutual attraction and the bond growing between them, it's up to Jessica to rescue Ollie from death's embrace and find a way to free him from his dark destiny before the villainous thing haunting Forest Hills finds her first. (Image in cover by Prettysleepy from Pixabay)

At my wedding rehearsal, my fiancé's colleague, Haley Rhodes burst in and tore apart the carefully arranged decor. "Ryan promised he'd marry me!" she shrieked, storming closer, "Who do you think you are?" Without warning, she lunged, grabbing hold of the wedding gown, which was worth a fortune. But she only got so far—she was too heavyset to even squeeze it past her head. I let out a mocking laugh. "Don't tell me you're too big to fit even a plus-size wedding dress?" That really set her off. With grim determination, she forced herself into the gown. But as soon as she did, the delicate fabric tore, leaving absurdly stretched holes across her back and waist. "Too bad the dress is ruined now. But who cares?" she sneered triumphantly. "Ryan loves me. He’ll buy me another wedding gown, anyway." But when the actual wedding began, she got the shock of her life. The groom walking down the aisle wasn’t Ryan at all. It was their boss — Ryan and Haley's boss. Well, I never said this was my wedding.

[WARNING: THIS BOOK IS EXTREMELY DARK] - "Hello there, blonde!" A voice drawled, carrying the same disturbing charm that always sent chills down her spine. Scarlet gasped and her eyes widened in absolute terror to find herself staring at the face that haunted her nightmares. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she desperately prayed this was all some twisted dream, that she had died on the operating table rather than wake up to face this monster again. His piercing gaze troubled her soul as it always did. It was after all, a constant reminder of the profound torment he'd inflicted on her that night. "Oh, you're no longer a blonde?" he mused mockingly, lifting one hand to brush the shortened strands of her hair. Scarlet flinched. The hate rolling off him filled her with a sense of immense dread that sparked an internal plea for salvation. She tried to flee but he pounced with lightning speed, effortlessly pinning her beneath him. "Virginity restoration?" He sneered down at her. "You really want to deceive your poor fiancé like this? Make him think he's getting something pure and untouched?" The words hit their marks. Scarlett's mind reeled with horrible thoughts and crushing doubt. "I bet you thought changing your hair would help you hide your shame, didn't you?" The sarcasm in his voice twisted into something darker and more menacing as his expression morphed into the same angry sneer he'd worn on that terrible day he destroyed her life. His other hand seized her chin in a bruising grip, forcing her to meet his cold stare. "Look at me!" He growled. "What's the point of getting all stitched back up if you're still going to be thinking about me every second!"

Yana Brighton (29) and billionaire Zach Lindsay (32) each get a second chance at love when they coincidentally meet at a business conference. Sparks fly instantly but Yana's overbearing and jealous boss Damon Blackstone causes them to lose contact. Fate intervenes and they reunite when Zach and his best friend Kyle Parker broker a with Yana's sister Laura Payne. An embittered Damon partners with Zach's gold-digger ex-girlfriend Natasha Gomez to seek revenge when Yana repeatedly rejects him and he later gets fired. Yana and Zach fall in love but a major scandal coupled with deception, trust issues and a near death experience leaves their relationship hanging in the balance. A heartbroken Yana disappears; she keeps her a secret while Zach struggles to find her and balance his work life. Months later, Yana returns home with new relationship terms but Zach pursues her until they rekindle their relationship and eventually get engaged. A complication later endangers both Yana and the baby's life, forcing Zach to make a tough decision for his family. Will LOVE and FAITH be enough to overcome all obstacles they face? Excerpt: Zach pressed my cold hand to his , right above his heart. "Feel what you do to me Yana…” He my forehead gently. "You have my heart forever and always.” My aching heart desperately wanted me to melt into his warm embrace, but I steeled my resolve. "You promised you would never hurt me Zach but look at us now…"Tears streamed down my face in torrents and I hiccupped, "I love you Zach, but I choose me this time.” A pained expression crossed his face and his eyes glossed over. Willing myself to look away, I quickly grabbed my bag and walked out the door. My heart broke with every step I took.

I was the pack's chief healer and my mate was just an ordinary warrior. Everyone thought we were not a good match, but I didn't mind. I accepted his proposal without hesitation. But on my mating ceremony, my mate's ex-girlfriend Serena suddenly came in with a little boy. The little boy hugged Marcus' legs and called him daddy. I thought it was some kind of scam. But when Marcus saw the child's mother, his face went pale. Then he showed an expression I'd never seen before—pure adoration—as he scooped the boy into his arms. "Let's cancel our mating ceremony. I need to mark Serena first and raise the child with her. Don't worry. Even though I'm marking Serena, my heart belongs to you." He thought I loved him so much that I chose to be his second mate. He didn't expect that I would just calmly contact my childhood friend Alpha Dominic. "My mating ceremony is all set up, but I'm missing a male lead. Would you be willing to come mark me?"

"You bastard, you rotten bastard. . . I will make you pay for this.”Lucianda threatened in a provoked voice but Prince Hakeem only laughed outrageously as he glinted down at her exposed breasts. "You and who will do that?" He made a mocking sound. "My dear Lucianda, the only reason you escaped from my wrath was because my findings indicated you are a decent woman, but don't try to take advantage, you will pay dearly for it." He warned coldly and Lucianda shivered physically. Laughing devilishly at her fear, Prince Hakeem kept his eyes on her pouty breasts and just when Lucianda felt she would die from the embarrassment and the unwanted passion washing over her body, he gave an insulting snort as he got up from the bed, and before she could do anything, with a blank expression, he covered her body with a wrap. “Try to know your place.” He said before striding out of the room. Only then did Lucianda give way to tears. What was her offence? She was just a disillusioned widow trying to get over all that had happened in her life and here is another cruel soul, trying to create more problems for her. ***** Lucianda Castos, the widow of the late powerful Alex Castos, refused to mourn the death of her husband. All she wanted was to start the process of healing. Prince Hakeem, her husband's equally powerful but ten times deadlier rival, would not permit her to do that. He had another thing planned and Lucianda did not know what that meant for her. She hated her husband and everything that had to do with him. And she would avenge the pain they made her go through. She has only two missions; to protect her son and to hurt those who hurt her.