Hercules Eighth Labor

I become unemployed when I'm four months pregnant, and my husband asks that we become independent of each other in our marriage. We manage our own finances and pay for our own expenses. Even when I'm suffering from major blood loss during labor, he's unwilling to pay to save my life. My child and I both lose our lives. When I open my eyes, I find that I'm back to the day my husband asks that we become independent of each other. I readily agree. What he doesn't know is that I can morph into a seahorse and transfer the baby to his body so he can carry it to term.

As the owner of a small private business, I had never been stingy with my employees. Having made a million in profit, I distributed $850,000 to them. I believed this would win people’s hearts. I never expected it would lead to being reported by my own employees. "We have received an anonymous tip-off from your company’s employees alleging arbitrary wage deductions and unfair profit distribution. The report further states that company discipline is disorganized and that employees are being compelled to work overtime, constituting a serious violation of labor laws. Immediate corrective action is hereby required, along with a fine of $500,000." Fine. Since they were so dissatisfied with my policies, then we would do things by the book—by the rules every other company followed. I would keep every last cent of this one million in profit.

Madeline Sanders had always been aware that her marriage to Trevon Gibson was merely a contract. When his first love breezed back into town, Trevon wasted no time in asking for a divorce. Clutching the results of her pregnancy test, Madeline was at a loss for words. She was stripped of everything and left to fend for herself. She decided to start anew as an artist and a single mom. However, Trevon couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He inexplicably suffered pregnancy symptoms. Madeline's morning sickness became his, her cravings for pickles turned into his own, and her labor pains echoed through his body. Afterward, Madeline declared, "The baby will carry the name Sanders!" There stood Trevon, juggling a bottle and a diaper, "Sanders it is! Darling, when do you say I join the Sanders crew?"

I am Athena the first born child of the Alpha Caden. I have come back to take my rightful position." She paused.  "As Alpha." Gasps and murmurs of wonder disbelief rose in the crowd. It had never been recorded in history that an Alpha werewolf should give birth to a female as a first child. But everyone saw the uncanny resemblance between her and the first queen the heard the Alpha voice of authority in her. But it how was it. She let the noise die down before she continued. "Although I never knew my father, you all knew him, Alpha Caden kind, considerate, passionate and respectful of his people. He entertained complaints from the lowest of ranks. Joined in manual labor and from time to time visited the poor. He was loved by many." She let the whispers of agreement die down. "I am nothing like him."

Claire Hamilton was excited to celebrate her eighth dating anniversary with her boyfriend and childhood sweetheart, Oliver Ford. However, he suddenly shattered her heart into a million pieces when he broke up with her for no reason. Later on, she discovered he was leaving her for another woman- someone from a wealthy family. Not being able to take the betrayal, Claire disappeared without a trace. Six years later, Claire returns as a renowned Lawyer and seeks revenge against those who wronged her- her Ex’s family. There are only two problems, her Ex, Oliver Ford, will stop at nothing to win her back and a little girl who’s a spitting image of Claire keeps asking for her Daddy. In her quest for vengeance, secrets come to the surface and old feelings are rekindled. Will Claire continue on her path for revenge or will she give Oliver a second chance? … “Stay away from me! I hate you!” Claire hissed at the devilishly handsome man who towered over her. “Hate me all you want but bear in mind that you’re mine, angel. In this life and the next, you can only be my woman,” Oliver Ford said in a low voice. “I’m not yours! I ceased to be six years ago. You broke up with me, remember?” Claire pointed out. Oliver ran a hand through his hair and said. “Will you believe me if I said I regret it? Now, I want you back.” “Dream on!!”

''After a few seconds of them staring at one another, Dante finally spoke. But his voice had changed; it was breathless and soft, echoing with a sweetness that Nate could have never imagined existed within him. With the knife left on his palm for Nate to grab, he cooed sheepishly, "Can you...tease me...with this?" Nate Kennedy was devastated when his parents announced their moving overseas. As for him, he was forced to move to a new city, get an apartment near his aunt and enroll in a brand new school. It all started going left when he encountered an assassin named Dante Hercules known not only in their city, but across the entire territory. But Nate didn't know he was an assassin when NAte threatened to kill him after Dante had laid a hand on his aunt. Neither did he know that Dante was into submissive sexual pleasure, relished being dominated violently and carelessly. He had been looking for someone for years and years, until now; he found Nate Kennedy. That is the deal; Nate must keep Dante sexually satisfied. If he fails, he dies, without any remorse. But that was what he thought in the beginning; what happens when emotions start to get involved? When one falls in love with the other? When the dangerous lifestyle of Dante puts Nate's life in jeopardy, which he never thought he would care for?

At the end of the day, my colleague, Melody Christie, came to find me. She wanted me to cover her night shift. I turned her down because I had commitments after work. That night, she was caught abandoning her shift and she got fired. Melody blamed me for it. Just when I was almost going into labor, she pushed me down the stairs. "Do you know how hard I worked to get this job? If it was not for you, I wouldn't have been fired! If I'm going down, I'm taking you down with me!" I died, and my baby did not survive either. When I opened my eyes once more, I was back to the same day when Melody asked me to cover her shift. Only this time, I knew the truth. Turns out, she had left her shift for a rendezvous with my husband.

Every Thanksgiving, my husband, Salvatore, brings home a showgirl from one of his clubs. He makes me kneel and serve them drinks. A lesson, he calls it, in how to please a man. This was the eighth Thanksgiving, and this time, he brought back a girl poured into a tight leather dress. "She doesn't have any decent jewelry," Salvatore announced. "Give her your heirloom diamond ring. Your grandmother's pearl earrings, too. And take off that silk choker for her." He smirked. "And listen, she's young, doesn't know the rules. You'll have to show her the ropes. Especially how to handle a man in bed." Every member of the Genovese family was watching, waiting for my humiliation. I didn't disappoint. I opened my mouth and asked Salvatore for a divorce. Salvatore let out a sharp, ugly laugh, his eyes full of contempt. "Francesca, you pull this same shit every time," he jeered. "Your act is pathetic. Even more dramatic than your performance in bed." He leaned in. "You really want to divorce me? Fine. I'll give you five million in cash if you actually walk out that door." The living room erupted in laughter. They all said I was playing hard to get, that I didn't know my place. But they didn't know. This was the 88th time I had asked for a divorce, and it was the first time I truly meant it.

On my eighth Mate-Marking anniversary, I had carefully prepared a special celebration ceremony. My Alpha mate, Derek, told me the pack had an emergency and the ceremony was canceled. When I arrived at the venue, I was shocked to see the ceremony proceeding as planned. Scarlett, once my best friend, was walking hand-in-hand with Derek onto the ceremonial platform. Her daughter and my son were being led by their hands, one child with each adult. The four of them stood closely together while other pack members, unaware of the truth, praised them: "The Alpha of Shadow Pack and his mate look so happy together." I stood up in the crowd and applauded: "I didn't know Shadow Pack had replaced their Luna with an Omega. They make such a perfect couple." The next moment, Scarlett's face turned pale as she collapsed on the platform. I ignored the chaos and walked straight home. The following day, Derek stormed back home and confronted me: "Scarlett's condition has barely improved. Why did you have to provoke her?" My son pushed me and accused: "It's all your fault! You made little Emma cry!" I pulled out the mate-bond dissolution agreement and threw it in their faces: "Yes, it's my fault. So I'm stepping out. Now you four can be one happy family." But my mate and son suddenly began to panic.

His rough hand slid up my bare thigh, parting my knees, rushing delicious heat through my body. “Don't look at me like that,” he growled, his mouth grazing the corner of mine. “Unless you want me to show you how a king worships his queen, little fawn.” … Mute and wolf-less, Liora had always been the shadow in her own home, treated as nothing more than a servant. Besides endless labor, her blood was drained to cure her stepsister’s strange illness. When rogues threatened their pack, her father made the cruelest choice: he offered Liora to the monstrous Lycan King, Cassian Veyraith. A man whispered to take pleasure in death. Dragged to King's bed, naked and trembling, Liora braced herself for death. However, the moment Cassian's eyes met hers, she realized nothing was as it seemed…