John Updike Novel Of 1960

“Elena,” he says. My name has never sounded more filthy. He slams the door shut behind him with a kick of his foot and I flinch. My hand remains behind my back, it is a good thing he does not notice that my hands are now free. He inches forward and I take as many steps back as I can until I hit the wall. He comes even closer until his ugly face is mere inches away from my own. I can smell the stench of his wolf as he roughly grabs me by the chin. I quake uncontrollably, it is as if a wave of parasitic worms has taken hold of me, his touch is repulsive as it is nauseating. This man, who is old enough to be my father leans in and smiles. My eye starts to water and a sob escapes my lips. ****** Elena is a wolf-less girl who hails from a long line of omegas. One day, the enemy pack comes demanding for tributes, virgin girls to work as their slaves and to save her family, Elena volunteers to become one. She ends up a slave to the alpha of the enemy pack where she is horribly tortured. All hope seems lost and all she wants to do is to die, but then her savior comes in the form of Hunter, the alpha of the Storm Riders pack. Hunter takes one look at her and realizes she is his one true mate. But the only problem is, she has already been claimed by the alpha of the enemy pack. Will Elena be set free and allowed to choose her own path and happiness? Or will she be forever doomed to live in the shadows of her scars and past?

Through the darkness he will rise. James Olympia has spent his life moving from one foster home to the next, viewing himself nothing more than an orphan making his way through high school. That is until a stranger appears on his doorstep offering him the chance of a lifetime. Suddenly, his world is turned upside down as he's whisked away to a new and exciting environment. He soon learns nothing is as it seems. Truths long buried are discovered, and a great destiny looms before him. With each choice made, his path becomes clearer. But, waiting for him, is unimaginable darkness.

Once in a millennium, the Phoenix will rise. The earth, the shifters, even the planet will call to her, pleading for her help. When they do, she always answers their call. Each time, she will choose a young woman who is deserving of carrying her fire, someone who is loving and caring, but with an inner strength that is difficult to break. Emmi Johnson is a human orphan who was kidnapped by The Mean Ones, grotesque shifters who wanted to create an army to destroy the elemental dragons and other hybrids. The dragons saved her and the others who were being held hostage, but the damage was already done. The Mean Ones were injecting her with their Komodo dragon DNA to make her into a shifter. The pain was excruciating, but the headaches that began soon afterward were worse. Ajax is a human runaway that was captured and experimented on by The Chief and Oliver. They injected him with earth dragon and elf DNA, turning him into a dragon hybrid. When Emmi senses chaos around her, something inside of her begins tearing at her insides. The screeching in her head makes her head throb. Ajax is the only one who can calm the fury inside her. Emmi is terrified that something’s wrong with her. Doc Everett can’t figure out what she is. That is until one day when the danger becomes so great that the Phoenix rises, melding itself to Emmi in a dangerous display of fire that is stronger than any fire dragon’s. Can Ajax help Emmi to find herself? Can she accept that she is no longer human, having been chosen by the ancient Phoenix? And can she become one with her shifter spirit before the danger that threatens them all comes for them?

Rhaenyx Maltalor, an assassin of the Henla guild is captured and her identity changed. In exchange for her freedom and pardon for her crimes, she must work with a competing guild to overthrow the monarchy. Will she find love in the man that changed her face? Or in the princess who works to restore peace to the kingdom? Will her skills be up for the challenges she faces, or will her arrogance be her downfall.

Bianca’s childhood was marked by loss and hardship. After her father’s sudden death when she was young, she was forced to live with her cruel aunt, enduring years of mistreatment and neglect. Despite the darkness surrounding her, Bianca’s resilience and strength carried her through the years. In high school, Bianca found solace and love in Ethan, a kind and caring boy who saw her for who she truly was. Their deep connection blossomed into a passionate relationship, but just as things seemed to be falling into place, Ethan disappeared without warning. His abrupt departure was driven by a secret threat that he believed could destroy Bianca’s life. Heartbroken and confused, Bianca never knew the real reason for his departure, and worse, she was left with a life-altering secret—she was pregnant with Ethan’s child. Years later, as an adult, Bianca applies for a job at a prestigious company, unaware that it belongs to none other than Ethan. Their reunion is charged with unresolved emotions and painful memories, and neither is sure how to navigate the stormy waters of their past. As they are forced to work together, they begin to confront the hurt, secrets, and love that never truly faded. Slowly, they rebuild their trust, facing the painful truths that kept them apart. Together, they fight for their second chance at happiness, but Bianca must decide if she can truly forgive Ethan and embrace the love they once shared. In the end, *Depth of Pain* is a story of healing, redemption, and the power of love to overcome even the deepest wounds. Bianca and Ethan’s journey is one of rediscovery, where they learn that the only way to move forward is to face the past head-on.

Jasmine’s life seemed to take a dramatic turn when she made a heart-wrenching decision to step back and let her mother find happiness with Earnest’s father. Despite her deep love for Earnest, Jasmine chose to prioritize her mother’s joy over her own feelings. Believing her romance with Earnest was a closed chapter, Jasmine left her home and her past behind, hoping to start anew. But fate had other plans. When Jasmine and Earnest’s paths crossed again, their love was rekindled in a way neither of them expected. To their surprise, Jasmine discovered she was pregnant with Earnest’s child.

When Juniper Shay was 12 years old, rogues from the Rogue Lands attacked the Cross River Pack, seeking to destabilize the monarchy once again and to take care of a little hybrid girl that would have powers that could devastate their cause. A rogue caught Juniper, and the scars and the new sound of her voice made her an easy target for bullying, however; the future Alpha King, Euan O’Connor, wouldn’t have it. Now, they are both of age and are excited at the possibility of being mates. The leaders of the sleuths, prides, and packs in the Rogue Lands are ready to take over the kingdom of Màni and destroy the little hybrid girl. They learned their lesson from watching the way the dark Fae and spell casters were defeated when they started their “war” on Eferhile. They won't make the same mistakes. Will they be able to outsmart the Royal family and their loyal subjects? Will Juniper get her revenge on the rogue who silenced her?

A young boy who has trash cultivation talent, got a book which change his life. will he able to reach the peak of cultivation world, lets find out.....

The Daughters of Darkness came to the aid of King Marner and helped him win a bloody war. For help, he repaid betrayal. This story is about how, after a century and a half, the descendants of forgotten warriors are looking for justice and revenge. On the way to their goal, one of them is waiting for love, and someone - death.

"Get on the bed." I lifted a brow. "Why don't you get on the bed?" He folded his arms across his chest. "Do you want my mouth on you or not?" ——— There were several ways to celebrate your best friend getting hitched off to the man of her dreams. Having sex with a stranger wasn’t one of them—at least Laura didn’t plan on it. But when an opportunity presents itself in the form of an incredibly sexy tattooed man, who was she to say no? Laura doesn’t do relationships, or dates, or anything related to the subject. She is strictly a one-night-only type of girl and doesn’t go back on that rule no matter what. So what happens when this sexy stranger Laura hooked up with, turns out to be a close friend of Jack—her best friend’s husband—who had actually been at the party that day, and now wants more than one night from her? A game of wills ensues. Will Laura succumb to the sexy stranger under his top notch seduction skills? Or will she go the extra mile and beat him at his own game?