Haruka Tomatsu Courage

For sixteen years, Dorothy Dares has perfected the art of invisibility. The quiet Beta's daughter. Ethan's weird sister. Magnus's little puppy. The pack sees what they expect to see: a forgettable girl sketching in corners. They have no idea she's D.R. Dares, a nationally recognised artist whose work is making waves far beyond pack borders. When Dorothy finally gathers the courage to give Alpha Heir Magnus Gibson a handcrafted Valentine, he tears it apart without a glance, mistaking her heart for a casual note. But Magnus's mistake haunts him, and piece by piece, he reconstructs what he destroyed. What he discovers changes everything. Now, a mate bond is forming before his coming-of-age ceremony. The Elders' political schemes are crumbling. Dorothy's secret identity is unravelling. And her estranged mother has returned, demanding a chance to apologise for years of cruelty. Dorothy spent her whole life hiding. But with Magnus at her side and the Moon Goddess confirming what her heart always knew, it's finally time to be seen.

Everleigh is stumbling through life feeling lost and confused, unsure of who she wants to become or what she wants to do with her future. Despite the uncertainty, she remains hopeful that one day her purpose and passion will become clear. The fates have something special planned for her if she has the courage to take the risk. There is a path that she must take, but it requires strength and conviction to overcome her fears and follow her heart. She has been blessed with a dragon mate the Goddess saw fit for her – a prince of all dragons! Everleigh finds herself in the world of wondrous fantasy and captivating enchantment that she used to only imagine as a young child. She's astounded to discover that her beloved father's stories were far more than just tales - they were actually based in reality. Everything changes for Everleigh when a mysterious and powerful ancient rune appears on her skin, revealing secrets of the past she never expected. Her only chance of making it out alive lies in finding the High Priestess who cursed her at birth.

Crimson widened her eyes as the tall sturdy figure stepped an inch close to her. With her face staring at his chest that was broad and looked like that of an athlete, she dared not look him in the face due to the mess she has created. " Kevin we can talk about this in private, I've really toyed with your name this much please don't sue my company, they had nothing to do with this, it was me who claimed that on my own, i'm very sorry." Crimson apologised to the cold looking man as she bowed continuesly. "Why should you be sorry? I didn't know untill today that I had a fiancee. Grandfather is asking when the marriages would be hold." Kevin snapped coldly, Crimson summoned up courage to look up at his face as she didn't want to miss the smirk that was plastered on his face. "You heard me right.. you've claimed me yourself why do you look like a chicken?" Kevin mocked as Crimson scratched her head in frustration.

As panic sweeps through the city and everyday streets collapse into chaos, Ciprian is driven by one unshakable instinct: protect Adam at all costs. When an unexplained catastrophe turns the urban landscape into a pressure cooker of fear and survival, nothing matters more than keeping his best friend alive. In this fast-paced short story, a sudden crisis forces two friends to confront more than danger. As tension rises and the city descends into disorder, buried emotions, unspoken attraction, and complicated feelings come to the surface. What begins as survival quickly becomes something deeper, binding their fates together in ways neither of them expected. Set against a backdrop of urban collapse, panic, and uncertainty, this emotional short fiction explores friendship, loyalty, and love under pressure. Perfect for readers who enjoy character-driven stories, disaster scenarios, slow-burn emotion, LGBTQ+ themes, and intimate moments set during world-altering events. A gripping short story about connection, courage, and the fragile line between friendship and something more—meant to be read in one sitting, but felt long after.

When Isabella Romano's flawless younger sister calls off her engagement just days before the wedding, the Romano family is thrown into chaos. But there's a twist: the groom, the powerful and enigmatic Aristide Moretti, isn’t heartbroken—in fact, he's relieved. To save their families’ reputation and the alliance between them, Isabella steps in as the new bride. Shy, bookish, and always in the shadow of her sister’s beauty, Isabella has secretly loved Aristide for years. She never imagined she'd be the one walking down the aisle to him. What she doesn’t know is that Aristide has always preferred Isabella. He sees her kindness, her strength, and her quiet fire—and he’s more than ready to claim her as his own. But can Isabella believe she’s truly wanted? Or will insecurities, secrets, and her sister changing her mind, threaten their chance at happiness? A heartwarming, slow-burn romance about love in unexpected places, second choices that turn out to be first picks, and the courage it takes to believe you’re worthy of being loved.

{Warning: R-18} "No, please don't do this to me," she whispered, her voice trembling with fear. "Have I ever shown mercy to anyone, my dear Mate? Why should you be an exception?" he retorted, his voice oozing with malice. "Please, I beg you, don't do this to me," she pleaded, her words barely audible amidst her sobs,"Why are you doing this? It's so painful. I hate you. Please stop." "How dare you try to escape from me? Do you think you have the courage to defy me?" he snarled, his voice dripping with venomous rage. "I'm sorry, please, I promise I won't repeat this mistake. Please, have mercy," she pleaded, her words forming a desperate melody. "Your begging is like sweet music to my ears, Angel," he taunted, his voice filled with sadistic pleasure,"You dared to run away from our marriage. Today, I am going to show you the extent of my power." "Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!"

Yasmin has survived five years of Cole Martinez’s cruelty—his icy contempt, his mother’s vicious words, and the humiliation of watching him parade his mistress around town. She’s learned to stay quiet, stay small, and never fight back. But two pink lines on a pregnancy test change everything. Cole made it clear he never wants children. If he finds out about the baby, Yasmin knows exactly what he’ll demand. Yet for the first time in years, she feels something stirring inside her that’s stronger than fear—a fierce, desperate love for the tiny life growing within her. Now she faces an impossible choice: stay silent and risk everything when her secret shows, or find the courage to run from the only life she’s known. In Cole’s world, defiance comes with a price. But some things are worth fighting for, even if it means losing everything else. Can Yasmin break free before it’s too late, or will her secret become the final chain that binds her forever?

Torn between the man she loves, and the man who loves her.... Cordia Pike has always been strong-willed, but she knows her family expects her to accept the hand of her childhood friend, Jaris Adams, in marriage. As the conflict between the states continues to escalate, Cordia hopes it will last long enough for her to find a way to free herself without breaking her friend’s heart. On the eve of war, as the men prepare to ride off to battle, Cordia meets a mysterious newcomer. There’s just something about Will Tucker that she finds both intriguing and dangerous. Under the guise of caring for his sister, she makes a plan to write to him. Perhaps by the time the war is over, Will’s feelings for Cordia will have blossomed into the love she is starting to feel for the Union soldier. But war is evil and complex, and by the time it begins to wind its way through Southwest Missouri, one of these men will be dead, and Cordia will find herself betrothed to a man she loathes. Will she have the courage to follow her heart and stand up for what she believes in like so many others, or will she do as she is told and acquiesce to a loveless marriage to a heartless traitor?

PASSION IN THE OFFICE One shot of vodka + a dare + one steamy kiss = LOVE? Willing to prove she really can ‘live a little, Navy Remington accepts to play truth or dare in a cool nightclub. She chooses dare… After one shot of vodka, enough to help her build up some courage, Navy goes straight to a gorgeous man at the bar, puts her arms around his neck, and gives him a passionate, steamy kiss. What Navy doesn’t know is that the man she just made out with in the nightclub, is mogul and playboy extraordinaire Victor Hook. Furthermore… he's going to become her boss... real soon. Even so, Navy won’t let anything get in the way of her ambition. And she’s determined to be taken seriously as she begins her career, and not give in to the heat that’s constantly driving her to distraction. Still, the more Navy and Victor ignore the fire between them, the stronger it gets. But she’s not going to end up in her boss’s bed, because saying yes to Victor won’t just be Navy’s wickedest fantasies come to life... it will be the end of her dreams.

I met Oleg in junior school, and we clicked right away. Despite our fathers being rival mafia bosses, we never fell apart. But my feelings for Oleg changed with age. I felt frightened because I was torn between the comforts of friendship and the thrill of something more. My dad was very homophobic, so it was even more difficult to express how I felt. I was faced with wanting to be truthful but endangering our families’ fragile peace So, my feelings stayed hidden, and I was just happy to be with Oleg. Yet I couldn’t help but hope that Oleg would feel the same. Perhaps he was too scared to say anything. That hint of hope was what gave me the courage to take action. And I did but things went terribly wrong. our worlds collided and exploded. It left us with nothing but hatred and resentment between our families. If I could turn back time, I would be content with the friendship we once shared, not the hurt and anger which we now have. We parted ways with hatred in our hearts,a wound that never healed,years later,our path crossed again......