Guarded Artinya

Marlene Blackwood was born into wealth, power, and a family that thrives on control. At Blackwood Academy, she is praised as the perfect daughter—beautiful, talented, and untouchable. But behind the luxury and privilege, the Blackwood name hides dark secrets, and Marlene is beginning to realize she’s only a pawn in a dangerous game. Then Ethan La Rosa appears. Cold, mysterious, and fiercely guarded, Ethan doesn’t belong at the academy. He is the kind of man Marlene has been warned to avoid—yet something about him draws her in, like a storm she can’t escape. Ethan’s eyes hold pain, and his silence hides a past filled with blood and betrayal. Ethan didn’t come to Blackwood Academy by chance. He is hunting for answers about his father’s death, and every clue points toward the Blackwood family. But the more he learns, the more he realizes that Marlene is not just connected to the truth—she is the key to it. When Marlene’s father suddenly announces her engagement to a powerful heir, she is shattered. The announcement is not love—it’s a strategic move, a trap meant to strengthen the family’s empire. Marlene is forced to choose between obeying her family or escaping the life that suffocates her. As Marlene and Ethan grow closer, the line between love and danger begins to blur. Their attraction becomes impossible to deny, but trusting him could destroy everything she has ever known. Now, Marlene must decide: Is Ethan her salvation… or her downfall? In a world where power rules and secrets destroy, love may be the most dangerous weapon of all.

My pathetic older brother embezzled millions of dollars from the most ruthless billionaire in New York City, and the absolute only way to save my last remaining family member from a federal maximum-security prison is to physically sign my entire life away on a legally binding marriage contract. I foolishly thought I was simply surrendering my family's massive shipping empire to Damien Sterling to pay off a corporate debt, but the psychotic, golden-eyed monster had a completely different, terrifying obsession from the very beginning. Damien did not just want to conquer my company; he wanted absolute, permanent ownership of my body trapped securely inside his penthouse, and he was completely willing to orchestrate my father's fatal car crash three years ago just to force my inexperienced brother into a corner and corner me into his bed. When I discover the horrifying truth about my father's brutal murder and steal a loaded silver revolver to escape his heavily guarded estate, I accidentally drive straight into the territory of the bloodthirsty Russian mafia who want to use my life as physical leverage against my ruthless new husband. Now Damien is actively slaughtering his way through an entire warehouse of heavily armed men just to drag me back to his gilded cage, and I am terrifyingly forced to realize that the dominant monster who completely ruined my life is the exact same man who will brutally butcher anyone else who dares to touch his legally contracted wife.

The Beast King, Tharion Kael, has spent half his life on the battlefield, yet he has no heir. So, he summons every woman rumored to be blessed with fertility into the palace. Favored by fortune and against all odds, I, as a descendant of the Carp Clan, conceive. To keep me safe during my pregnancy, Tharion hides me away in a remote, deserted palace, guarded in secret by his Nightguards. But just as I am about to give birth, I unexpectedly crossed paths with the Vixen Consort, Lyra Swifttail, who wanders into the Forsaken Wing by mistake. She swishes her tail playfully, eyes sparkling with amusement as she looks at my round belly. Her smile is utterly captivating. "I didn't expect to find a little carp having an affair here…" With a spell, she drags me away, forcing me into my true form. Then, one by one, she scrapes the scales from my body until I am raw and bleeding. She has her catfolk attendant pour scalding oil over my wounds and orders guards to violate me until I am left broken like a rag. When I finally lose consciousness, she slashes me open with a claw and rips the stillborn child from my womb. She presents it with both hands to Tharion, who has just come to visit. She says, "Your Majesty, what perfect timing. I caught a carp sneaking around the Forsaken Wing. This is her illegitimate child!"

One minute I’m staring at a pre calc textbook, the next I’m tearing through trees with claws I didn’t know I had. My dad says it’s in my blood that I’m a werewolf, part of a line that’s guarded the balance between our world and theirs for centuries. He says Mystic Grove Academy is the only place I’ll be safe. He’s half right. The academy’s full of people who get it …witches who can’t control their magic, shifters who don’t fit in, even a vampire named Kai who looks at me like I’m a puzzle he needs to solve. But it’s also full of secrets. Like how the boy everyone calls Alpha Ryder Blackwood marked me with a silver glow that burns into my skin whenever he’s near. Like how my grandma, who “moved away” when I was little, actually disappeared from this very school. And worst of all? Students have been vanishing again. Just like they did a century ago, when the last girl with my face tried to fix the world we broke. The mark on my arm isn’t just a claim it’s a death sentence. But if I can’t figure out what my grandma started, and why Kai’s great uncle is tied to every secret here… we’ll all be next. Because the door between worlds is opening. And this time, there’s no one to slam it shut but me………

Kaia Gold’s carefully planned life falls apart on the eve of her wedding. Desperate for freedom from her family’s control and happily celebrating her last night of spinsterhood, she impulsively marries a mysterious stranger she meets at a lounge. But that’s the least of her worries when she catches her fiancé's shocking betrayal with her nemesis. When Kaia tries to annul her flash marriage, she discovers that this partnership could offer her independence while granting him freedom. She proposes they stay married for six months, a proposition Blaze accepts, setting strict terms and insisting on a formal contract. Blaze Black, the aloof heir of the influential Black family, once lost his childhood love to an accident and is forced by his family to marry the adopted sister. Haunted by his past, Blaze sees his marriage to Kaia as a way to silence family pressures, using Kaia as a substitute for his lost love. To Kaia’s shock, her fresh start lands her a job at Blaze’s company, where he insists, she also serves as his assistant with a mouth-watering offer she cannot refuse. Sparks fly as Kaia’s fierce spirit chips away at Blaze’s guarded heart, while their close quarters ignite an attraction. Soon, Kaia’s journey grows complicated as she faces envious rivals, family secrets, and a haunting realization of her true heritage. As Blaze’s feelings intensify, their marriage of convenience deepens, uniting them against betrayal and unveiling Kaia’s place as the true Silver heiress—and the woman destined to claim Blaze’s heart.

Ava Richards, an adventurous travel blogger with an insatiable wanderlust, never expected her next adventure would lead her straight into the arms of a captivating billionaire. In the sun-kissed streets of Santa Fe, Spain, fate takes an unexpected turn when Ava crosses paths with the enigmatic and devilishly handsome Sebastian Garcia. Sebastian Garcia, a self-made billionaire with a guarded heart, finds himself drawn to the fiery and independent Ava, despite their seemingly opposite worlds. As the owner of luxurious hotels and resorts worldwide, he is used to being in control. But Ava's infectious spirit and undeniable beauty threaten to unravel the carefully constructed walls around his heart. Their initial encounter sparks an intense clash of wills, with their respective worlds colliding in a battle of words and fiery exchanges. Ava and Sebastian find themselves entangled in a passionate game of cat and mouse, each determined to outwit and outmaneuver the other. Little do they know that beneath the surface of their heated banter lies a smoldering desire neither can resist. As they embark on a thrilling adventure through the picturesque landscapes of Santa Fe, their hearts become entwined, and the line between love and hate begins to blur. Together, they explore ancient ruins, breathtaking beaches, and hidden gems, each moment deepening their connection. But when a secret from Sebastian's past threatens to destroy everything they've built, Ava must decide whether to let go of her fears and trust in their love, or retreat to the safety of her solitary adventures. Will Ava and Sebastian surrender to the alluring power of love and bridge the vast divide between their worlds? Can two souls from different walks of life find a way to overcome their differences and create a lasting bond?

“Be my wife.” Lucia looked at him, questioning his sanity. “You're out of your mind.I don't even know you ”. Lucas Mariano's voice was icy, his gaze unreadable. “You need help.Your sister requires care.I can help you both.You have quite the image so I'm sure you'll need it. It's transactional-nothing more.”He finished. Once the rising star in the ballet world, Lucia Moretti's life is shaken after a brutal divorce and a terrible fire that leaves her and her sister homeless. Now, with her dreams buried,her heart is guarded and her main focus is keeping both herself and her sister alive. Enter Lucas-Merciless, cold and sinfully compelling.He offers a contract marriage which comes with everything Lucia needs but at a cost she doesn't understand…yet. What started as a formality quickly grows into something far more twisted when her ex-husband,Matt-lucas’s best friend-returns, determined to have her again. “You got married to Lucas?” Matt snarled,fury dripping from his voice. “Is this your revenge?” He continued icily. No, Lucia said without emotion. “This is survival.” As sparks fly and secrets come to light, Lucia Finds herself torn between a past that nearly broke her and a man who might shatter her in a brand new way. In a world of socialites, betrayal and fake love, Lucia must ask herself: Is she the puppet or the one holding the strings?

Claire Aniston had been in love with Calvin Bennett for a decade. In all that time, he had blown hot and cold, but she never minded. She was certain that someday, he would see how much she truly cared. That faith shattered on the night of their engagement party. Claire found him wrapped up with Iris Aniston. "Once I marry Claire and get control of the shares, I'll divorce her and marry you," she heard him tell Iris. So that was the truth. He wasn't just guarded—he didn't love her at all. Worse, he had been using her from the start. With cold resolve, Claire went straight to the head of the Bennett family. "Grandpa George, I've made up my mind. Calvin doesn't love me, and I won't force him into this. I'm not going to marry him." The old man was shocked. "But…you've loved him all these years. Did he do something wrong? Don't worry, you will always be the one I want for my grandson." "Grandpa George, the wedding date doesn't need to change. I will still marry into the Bennett family—but I'm choosing a different groom. "On the day of the wedding, seven days from now, I will draw lots among all the eligible male heirs of the Bennett family. Whoever is chosen will become my husband." After all, things couldn't possibly get any worse.

Elara Hayes had no idea that one night her life would end. Elara is forced into a contract marriage with Alessandro De Luca, the cold, ruthless CEO of a global empire, after being betrayed by her fiancé, burdened by the crushing debts of her family, and cornered by circumstances she can no longer escape. Their marriage is a calculated alliance to the outside world. Alessandro views it as a business arrangement designed to safeguard his position and silence internal threats. It is a cage that Elara never asked to enter. Elara is obligated to learn how to survive in Alessandro's perilous world, which is ruled by power, secrets, and enemies hidden behind polished smiles, and is bound by a contract with strict rules and an even stricter expiration date. She discovers that the man she married is far more complicated than his icy reputation suggests as she struggles to protect her family and maintain her independence. Despite the fact that Alessandro is in charge, guarded, and emotionally untouchable, his focus on Elara grows dangerously intense. What initially appears to be forced proximity gradually develops into an unspoken tension that neither of them is willing to admit. However, secrets do not remain hidden forever. Elara is forced to reevaluate everything, including her marriage, her own heart, and her safety, as resurfaced betrayals and hidden enemies draw near. Additionally, she must make a decision when she discovers information that could cost her everything and bring down Alessandro's empire: When the contract expires, will she terminate it? or put her heart at risk for a man she never intended to love? There are rules in the contract. However, love was not one of them.

One night of moon-fueled liquid courage was all it took for Mars Reed to ruin his life. Mistakenly messaging his cold, predatory Alpha CEO instead of his best friend was strike one. Waking up in the elite VTN ROOM entangled in the powerful limbs of Grant Walker was strike two. But fleeing the scene and leaving behind the pack’s most sensitive legal contracts? That was the death blow to his career. Mars is a low-level analyst with a dying mother and a mountain of debt. He can’t afford to be the object of an Alpha’s curiosity, especially not one as ruthless as Grant—the man rumored to have a heart made of mountain ice and a secret soul-bond etched in ink on his skin. But when Mars creeps into the Walker Ridge Estate to beg for his documents back, he doesn’t get a pink slip. He gets a command. "I need a consort. You need a savior. We sign the blood-bond at dawn." Grant Walker doesn't do accidents. He doesn't do mercy. And he certainly doesn't do romance. He needs a husband to solidify his claim over Westline Holdings, and Mars is the perfect, disposable piece for his board. Locked into a high-stakes marriage of convenience, Mars must navigate the lethal politics of Havencrest while resisting the heat of a man who treats him like a subordinate by day and a treasure by night. But as the shadows of the Walker Ridge close in, Mars begins to realize that the "mistake" in the hotel room might not have been a mistake at all—and that Grant’s guarded heart might be the most dangerous trap of all. He walked into a contract he thought belonged to another man. Now, he belongs to the Alpha.