Grounded No More Novels & Stories

A notification flashed across the screen: *“Dear Valerie Johns, You have been suspended from work indefinitely due to the circulating viral video involving your conduct.” I let out a ragged sigh, my chest feeling impossibly heavy, so unbelievably hollow. I was laid off from work—let’s be real, a suspension like this was just a polite corporate firing because of that stupid, degrading video. I gulped, hot tears spilling over my lashes and soaking into the pillowcase. This job had been my starting point, my independent foundation, and now it was gone, vanished once and for all. There was no coming back from this kind of public disgrace.

The third time Mom brought up the refrigerator not cooling, I knew she was waiting for me to say, "I'll buy one." To hear her tell it, I was the pillar holding up our family. She always said my younger brother only made two thousand a month, so we couldn't count on him. The family had to rely on me. So when she said her bedroom was too hot, I gritted my teeth and bought her a new air conditioner. When Dad said his neck always hurt, I lived on plain bread for a month to buy him a massager. Even when the house was renovated last year, I scrimped and saved to cover most of the cost. I'd been working for five years, earning eight thousand a month, and by the end of every month I couldn't e

A second scout wolf staggered in, three claw marks gouged deep across his chest—bone visible. "The vampires crossed the Blackwater. If the barrier doesn't go up now, the outer villages are lost." I stopped. I could walk away from the Fenravens. But the pack—the pups, the families—they had nothing to do with this. I turned to head for the Moon Tower. A gasp ripped through the air behind me. Mother swayed, face pale, collapsing into Lila's arms. Then Alpha pressure crashed onto my shoulders like a mountain. My knees slammed into the ground. My wolf spirit howled in agony.

The sixth time photos of him cheating surfaced, Leander Prescott snatched the knife from my hand and brought it down hard. Stroke by stroke, he carved the name "Seraphina Vale" into his thigh. "Happy now? Can you leave Celeste alone?" I stood frozen, staring at him as if I suddenly didn't recognize the man in front of me. For ten years, we had tortured each other over Leander's infidelity. Every time he crossed the line, I carved my name into his flesh. Wrist-cutting, kidnapping, even hanging Celeste Waverly from a helicopter to threaten her—every scar on his body had a bloody story behind it. He had never been this calm. … Seeing the confusion in my eyes, a flicker of tenderness pa

Elias didn’t look up. “To whoever’s listening.” The ground shook. Distantly, a low rumble rolled through the base. Power reserves. Something massive is coming online. Sera stood slowly. “She planned for failure.” Lira’s mouth was dry. “You’re telling me this was Plan B?” “No,” Sera said quietly. “This was the real plan.” From deep underground, something stirred. A metallic groan gears locked for decades grinding open. And a cold wind swept through the ruin, like a breath from something ancient.

Keeping my head low, I slipped into a car and urged the driver to leave immediately. I exhaled in relief only after we left the hospital grounds. The familiar streets outside the window were filled with memories of a time when Jared still loved me. Calmly, I asked the driver to take me to the airport. Just then, my phone rang, and Jared’s name flashed on the screen. I took out the new phone I had prepared, inserted my SIM card, and discarded the old one out the window. The cars behind us crushed it. I knew Jared had put a location tracker on my old phone. He’d always been able to find me easily—but not anymore.

he said. I coldly stared at him, as if I was looking at a stranger. "Our relationship had ended for quite some time. Why would I still keep the same password?" Adrian's eyes began to moisten as he said, "Sophia, let's get back together. I've completely broken things off with Flora. I'll give you the grandest marking ceremony! "I know you terminated our pup because you were angry. I don't blame you for it. We'll have many more pups in the future!"

Ziahra says, muttering the same words again. The ground trembles but it refuses to open further. Please no, we fucking need this to open!

Right before I died, he leaned in and whispered, "If it weren't for you, Gloria and I would've been together. So if there's a next life... let me go." That was it. Whatever love I had left burned out. Gone. So when I came back, I avoided Evan like my life depended on it. Eight years. No contact. No mistakes. And I still ran into him. *** I had zero interest in wasting time on either of them. I just wanted to find Mia.

“It’s broadcasting from outside the city limits — the ruins of the old Veronin estate.” Zach froze. “That place was burned down years ago.” “Apparently not all of it,” Gia said. “Roman’s signal just reconnected from that site. He’s drawing power from what’s left of the infrastructure underground.” “Which means he’s there,” I said. Gia nodded. “Or what’s left of him is.” Zach’s hand flexed against the table. “Then that’s where we end this.” ⸻ The drive to the old Veronin estate felt longer than it should have. The road was cracked and overgrown, the world outside silent except for the wind through the trees.