Joyce Carol Oates Short Stories (collections)

Mai hated marriage. She felt being in love was being weak and foolish. She did not believe that one could stay peacefully together as a family because of her traumatic experience in the past But she was faced with her greatest fear as she was made to sign a contract marriage with a Billionaire inorder to save the life of her father who owes him a great sum and trades her for the money he couldn't pay. How would she overcome her fear after experiencing her parents' toxic and abusive relationship? Will she love and believe love is true? Journey with me as we dive into this story of Mia and uncover secrets, truth, fear, betrayal and love she faces in her life and how she became strong enough to see through her weaknesses and fear

Alara's life shattered the day she was sold by the man she believed was her father, thrust into the powerful grasp of Ezra—the feared Alpha King with eyes of amber and a commanding presence that claimed her very soul. Haunted by betrayal and the mysteries surrounding her true lineage, Alara must navigate the treacherous waters of a bond she never asked for, yet cannot deny. Ezra, burdened by the loss of his first mate and years of bitter solitude, sees in Alara not just a mate but his destined redemption. Determined to protect his kingdom from the rising dark threats, he must confront his own heart as it dangerously entwines with the fierce and defiant woman brought into his life by fate. Together, they face intrigue, ancient prophecies, and hidden enemies who would see their burgeoning love destroyed before it can bloom. As the line between captor and lover blurs, Ezra and Alara must decide whether trust forged in the fires of adversity can heal their wounded hearts or if the shadows of the past will tear them apart forever. In a world where passion, power, and destiny collide, can love truly conquer all—even when it's sold to the Alpha King?

His hand slid beneath her shirt, warm against her bare waist. “Tell me to stop,” he whispered against her neck. She trembled, every nerve on fire. “I don't want you too.” ~~~ Audrey Dauval’s life shattered the night she opened the front door and found her mother’s lifeless body soaked in blood on the front porch. Everyone said it was an illness. Everyone said she imagined what she saw. But she knew exactly what she saw that night. When her distant, broken father sends her away to live with family friends in the eerie town of Ravenfalls, she thinks the worst is behind her. But nothing in Ravenfalls is normal. The woods, the town, it's gloomy and holds secrets. Lots of them. At school, two dangerously gorgeous rivals lock eyes with her, and that’s when everything changes. But what she feels for both of them... she feels for a third. Born from a bloodline of legendary werewolf hunters, Audrey is the target of a vengeful rogue pack that killed her mother and now wants her dead. As forbidden bonds grow and fated connections spark, Audrey finds herself torn between love, war, and the truth of who she really is. Three boys. One mate. And she can only choose one or lose them all. Who would she choose?

I ruined his jersey. And now he is ruining my life. Axel Wolfe, was the university's hockey king and a certified jerk, I don't really know what came over me that day, but I ruined his precious hockey jersey, spilling latte all over it, not only that I bruised his ego infront of his teammates and fans, and left as if I haven't done anything, the next morning he makes me his personal tutor just to mess with me then he ups the stakes… “Fake date me,” he says. He offered to help to piss off my ex, I should have said no, but I agreed thinking I was playing the game. Turns out, I’m the one being played.

“You can’t force me to do this, Ash.” I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself as he stepped closer again. “I don’t belong to you.” His soft chuckle sent shivers down my spine. And when his face neared mine, his fingers tightening around my throat, his whispered words brushing against my ear, I knew that I was going to fall for him again. “Oh, but you’ve been mine from the very beginning, little lamb.” *** Lena Gray has lost everything. After the death of her boyfriend—the only person who ever cared about her—her life spirals into darkness. Desperate and on the verge of ending her life, she is suddenly abducted and sold in a human auction. Ash Ravencroft, a devil with a lethal charm, claims her. But he hasn’t come just to take, he offers a deal. In exchange for saving her from despair, he wants only one thing: her body, in ways far darker and more sinful than she ever imagined. Bound by a sinful contract, will she break free from the darkness, or succumb to the temptation that might consume her whole?

"I am going to die" he said as menacingly silent as ever. Another thing Jason would be very good at, was acting. "No why would you say that?" She said slightly louder than normal. "Shhh... I'm telling you because you are the only one who cares about me. If I die, it's not going to change anything for any other person" "What's happening? Are you going crazy?" Juana was scared. Dead scared. "I'm a criminal, a wanted one at that" he said, his breath short "I know. What's new?" "Before I get caught and sentenced to death, I'd like to do something. That's why I'm here" he sighed. "Do what?" In this novel, Juana, the genius tells the story about her alienation, her weird ability, coping with grief after losing her mom first to plane disappearance and then to dementia, her meeting with a ghost-seer and also her school life experiences which included bullying and notoriety, and most challengingly, her encounter with a good looking criminal.

When Auriel questions her worthiness as Alpha Herveaux's mate, he assures her that his love transcends any divine decree. But what if Auriel, once a human, had deceived him and concealed the truth about his true love's demise? As their bond is tested, a twist of fate thrusts ************************ Samantha Eduardo, a reckless billionaire heiress, found herself in a world of werewolves. Now, she must navigate this unfamiliar realm, where survival becomes her ultimate challenge. With secrets unraveling and destinies entwined, Samantha's journey unveils a fate she never could have imagined.

As a man, you never expected that the love of your life would be a man. Together you overcome your fears and take a boat trip. But then things go horribly wrong. What is destiny, and can you change it through time travel?

The Shadow Bride is a haunting tale of duty, mystery, and a love that defies fate. When 23-year-old Avery is forced to marry her late sister’s fiancé to preserve a long-standing family tradition, she finds herself leaving behind her dreams for a life she never chose. Set in the quiet, eerie countryside of Montana, Avery is thrown into a loveless union with the brooding and distant Elias—a man mourning the woman he was meant to marry. But Avery soon senses something more than grief lurking in Elias’s eyes. Whispers of secrets buried in the woods, a strange connection to the moon, and a family with a history shrouded in darkness begin to unravel around her. She may have said “I do” out of obligation—but what she doesn’t know is that her husband’s curse is only just beginning to unfold.

Brianna Lester, with her unusually platinum blonde hair and grayish-blue eyes, is impossible to miss wherever she goes. Her bubbly personality, hyperactivity, innate talent for tripping even while standing still, and her knack for always causing trouble ensure that she immediately catches the attention of the coolest tattoo artist around. Unfortunately, it's not her rather unique appearance that gets noticed, but her clumsiness. The moment she closes the door of the tattoo shop, one of the pictures hanging on the wall-the owner's favorite, and quite valuable-unexpectedly falls down. To make up for the damage, she ends up working at the shop until she can pay off the cost of the picture. It would all be pretty easy if a sexy tattoo artist didn't enjoy teasing her about her bad luck. By now, Brianna has resigned herself to the idea that her life is stuck in the "never a joy" zone, and her birthday is proof of that. Who can be considered lucky if they were born on a day that only comes once every four years? No one. Some people are kissed by fortune at birth, while others are kissed by bad luck. Brianna definitely falls into the latter category.