In Darkness And Despair

What happens when two totally different people from two separate worlds collide? This is the story of Zach and Emily, their family, their friends, and what happens when the truth finally becomes known and love might not be able to save them. Welcome to West Lakes, a place where your friends and family might not be who they seem. This is a world where it's not the dark you should be afraid of, but what could be waiting for you inside of that darkness --- that's what should terrify you the most.

In the werewolf kingdom, a she-wolf's happiest day is supposedly when she meets her predestined mate. But for weak omega Lyra of the Crescent Moon pack, this fated day brings nothing but humiliation and heartbreak. Her chosen mate rejects her and chooses her cousin Athena , her longtime bully and tormentor. Devastated, Lyra flees the mating ceremony and goes to a bar to drown herself in sorrow. In her despair, she has a one-night stand with a stranger and becomes pregnant. Shunned by her pack, gossip about her unwanted pregnancy spreads like wildfire. Lyra decides to escape the shame by running away for good. Her already sorrowful world is thrown into further chaos when she ends up crossing paths with the stranger from that fateful night. And it turns out he has a chosen mate who will stop at nothing to get rid of Lyra. Meanwhile, Lyra's former mate, who once rejected her, now seeks to reclaim her upon learning she alone holds a special power that can save his ailing mother, the Luna of their pack. Lyra finds herself trapped in a whirlwind of emotions as people only want to use her for their own needs. Or will she finally carve her own destiny in the face of those who betrayed her trust and wrecked her dreams?

In the werewolf kingdom, a she-wolf's happiest day is supposedly when she meets her predestined mate. But for weak omega Lyra of the Crescent Moon pack, this fated day brings nothing but humiliation and heartbreak. Her chosen mate rejects her and chooses her cousin Athena , her longtime bully and tormentor. Devastated, Lyra flees the mating ceremony and goes to a bar to drown herself in sorrow. In her despair, she has a one-night stand with a stranger and becomes pregnant. Shunned by her pack, gossip about her unwanted pregnancy spreads like wildfire. Lyra decides to escape the shame by running away for good. Her already sorrowful world is thrown into further chaos when she ends up crossing paths with the stranger from that fateful night. And it turns out he has a chosen mate who will stop at nothing to get rid of Lyra. Meanwhile, Lyra's former mate, who once rejected her, now seeks to reclaim her upon learning she alone holds a special power that can save his ailing mother, the Luna of their pack. Lyra finds herself trapped in a whirlwind of emotions as people only want to use her for their own needs. Or will she finally carve her own destiny in the face of those who betrayed her trust and wrecked her dreams?

Ella, after losing her child and womb to her abusive boyfriend, spiraled into a life of despair and emptiness. With no dreams left to chase and her past haunting her, she gave up on everything and began to live her life drinking in clubs. But one fateful encounter with Damien Rojas, a charismatic billionaire and CEO of the biggest fashion industry in Texas, changed everything. A one-night stand turned into a lifeline when she requested that he offer her a job in exchange for their night together. Damien, impressed by her designs and charisma, offers her a chance to rebuild her life at his company as an intern. Unknown to Ella, her best friend Sylvia, Damien's ex, who was also his personal secretary, wasn't ready to let go of Damien. Things took a spiral twist when Damien accused Sylvia of embezzlement and fired her from the company immediately. Ella was immediately promoted to Sylvia's former position, causing gossip to spread about her relationship with the CEO. As sparks fly between Ella and Damien and certain truths begin to unfold, Ella is torn between saving her best friend and falling for the man who had caused her best friend's downfall. What would Ella choose? Her loyalty towards Sylvia or her feelings for Damien?

My husband brings a pregnant Meryl Cleat home and lies to me, claiming that she's his stepmother. I'm wholly against the idea, but she says, "The children will call you their mother when they're born, so you don't have to go through the pain of childbirth. Think about how lucky you are, experiencing motherhood without the suffering!" I demand a divorce in the heat of the moment; Meryl is so infuriated by this that she faces labor complications and later dies. Out of guilt, I become a stay-at-home mother to care for her two super male kids. Yet they scaled me with boiling water and blind me in one eye. My health deteriorates under their intense torment, and I'm diagnosed with uremia. That's when I accidentally discover Meryl isn't my stepmother—she's my husband's mistress! I'm in despair when I return home. To make matters worse, I catch her—when she's supposed to be dead—and my husband in bed together. Her two super male sons ultimately stab me to death. When I open my eyes again, I'm taken back to the day she fakes her death!

Cast out by the man she loved and the pack she served, Ailith faces a death sentence in the unforgiving wilderness. Betrayed, broken, and trapped in her human form, she must find the strength to survive alone. But fate has other plans for the banished Luna. On the brink of despair, Ailith stumbles upon a secluded cabin and its enigmatic occupant, Garrick. Unbeknownst to her, this mysterious lone wolf is the powerful Alpha of the feared Ice Wolf pack, temporarily escaping drama in his own pack. As Ailith slowly rebuilds her shattered life, she discovers a latent power within herself that defies pack law. With Garrick's guarded guidance, she learns to harness this newfound strength, unaware of his hidden identity and the true extent of his influence. But as their connection deepens and Ailith grows into her power but her past refuses to let her go. When Kael, her former mate, comes crawling back looking to use her newfound powers for himself, Ailith must confront the shadows of her past and decide if she will seek her revenge or embrace her new future. In a world where pack law is absolute and Alphas reign supreme, Ailith's journey from outcast to leader will rewrite the rules and shake the foundations of wolf society forever.

Maya de Cruz is at the lowest point of her life—her career is in ruins, her uncaring family has her backed into a corner, and her past continues to haunt her. In the depths of her despair, Maya’s world tilts when Aaric Salvaterre Bernardi—her ex boyfriend, now her sister’s fiancé—appears with an offer too tempting to resist, one that could either save her or destroy everything she once held dear. Aaric, with his deadly charm and power to subdue anyone, drags Maya back into the web of his dangerous world. What begins as a risky deal slowly turns into a seductive and inescapable game of desire. Maya struggles to suppress the emotions slowly invading her heart, but Aaric's undeniable magnetism pulls her deeper into his orbit. Every glance, every word, unravels her defenses, leaving her at war with a dilemma that threatens to shatter her principles and pride. Amidst a swirl of intrigue and dark secrets that are increasingly revealed, Maya finds herself at the crossroads between a burning forbidden love and the threat of losing herself. As reason gives way to desire, a single question lingers like a haunting melody: will Maya dare to risk it all for the man who shattered her world, yet awakened a flame within her she thought had long died?  

Penelope Faelan’s life was ordinary, if not for her haunting beauty—an allure so striking it seemed almost otherworldly. But the life she knew vanishes the moment the goddess Demeter kidnaps her, desperate to save her daughter, Persephone, from a fate worse than death: becoming the Queen of the Underworld. Transformed into an exact replica of Persephone, Penelope is thrust into a world of darkness and deceit, forced to take her place as Hades’ queen. Bound by magic to conceal the truth, Penelope finds herself at the mercy of the brooding and enigmatic King of the Dead. But Hades is not the monster she was warned about. Beneath his cold exterior lies a smoldering intensity that stirs something Penelope has never felt before. As Penelope struggles to adapt to her new role, the Underworld reveals its secrets—and her own. With every passing day, she begins to question her past and the mysterious circumstances that led her to this moment. Meanwhile, Persephone watches from the shadows, determined to reclaim her throne and the man who was never meant to fall for her mortal double. As passions ignite and loyalties are tested, Penelope must navigate a labyrinth of lies, lust, and power. When Demeter’s betrayal sets a deadly plan into motion, Penelope faces an impossible choice: to fight for her freedom or embrace the darkness and claim her place as the true Queen of Shadows.

Azara Storm is a special wolf, blessed by the goddess with immense abilities. Her fairy-tale life ended the night her pack was raided. Left as the only survivor after the invasion, she tried to flee but was caught by the famous ferocious quadruplet Alphas. Fate plays a trick on her as the quadruplets not only recognize her as their mate but also protect her from her hunters, which is unlike them, but this protection comes at a huge cost. Azara's heart shatters when she discovers that she is bound to be the quadruplet Alphas' slave mate. Her life ended the moment they claimed her. They were her Masters, her body and soul belonged to them. Soon, Azara not only got entangled in the unexpected romance with the quadruplets, but she found herself drawn to the brothers’ mystery. They were gross darkness and she was the pure light, but one thing about darkness was its ability to allure even the purest light, consuming it until it is stripped of its innocence. The burning desire to claim them consumed her, but this was at the expense of her deepest darkest secret. Would she be willing to compromise even if revealing her identity could test their love? Could she have them all? Whose heart would be broken so hers could be whole? What happens when the rogues come for her, would she be able to hide her secret forever?

After the tragic death of my best friend, I took her younger brother in and treated him like my own. Everyone knew how much Zach Lawson meant to me, so much so that I vowed not to marry because I could not bear leaving him. The day he turned eighteen, he got on one knee and asked me to marry him. With tears of joy streaming down my face, I took the bouquet from him, only to realize they were made of writhing snakes. Everyone laughed at my misfortune. It was an artfully crafted joke, at my expense. Thalia Lewis laced her arm through Zach's and grinned. "Sorry about that, Sydney. It was just an innocent prank. Zach is willing to do anything to make me smile!" Zach gave me a look of utter disgust. "Is this what you think of me? You're my sister! How can you even think of marrying me? This is vile! Is this the reason you took me in? Have you been secretly pining for me since the start?" My whole life had come crashing down around me. I was overcome with shock, misery, and despair, until Connor Grey showed up and asked for my hand in marriage.