Laces By Tempi Lark

"In the game of the rich and ruthless; where lines of humanity blurs, blood was inevitable, manipulation was ensured, and betrayal was a norm. You either become a pawn or a player." To the world, Chiara Marino was an art gallery owner with a perfect luxurious life. What people didn't know was a monster she was turned into with no choice but to embrace it. Carmelo Conti is an ambitious and ruthless billionaire who valued his people and family. He is calm and collected, until you touch where you shouldn't have. A forced marriage to a man far worse than her stepfather threatens her life purposes. To them it was just a game. But they forgot that she was a made monster. And monsters don't give a fuck! What happens when Chiara decides to create her own fate?

Nora’s tarot readings were never meant to matter. They were simple moments. A card flip. A quiet truth. Nothing that could ever disturb fate itself. Until the night the cards tremble in her hands. Until the air in the café sharpens and chills. Until something impossible steps out of the shadows. He does not belong to the world around him. His presence presses against it, ancient and heavy, unseen by everyone else. People walk past him without noticing a thing. But Nora sees him. And he is not pleased. He came to investigate the force that dared to bend fate. He expected danger. He expected power. He did not expect the girl sitting at the table with trembling cards. Every instinct tells Nora she should fear him. He is not human. Not mortal. He was never created to feel. Yet something in her pulls at him with a gravity he cannot escape. The more he watches her, the more impossible she becomes. And the more he realizes that whatever awakens inside him will not fade quietly. She may have changed someone’s fate. Now she has his attention. A forbidden attraction. A girl with a gift she barely understands. An immortal who was never meant to want. Until her. Once their paths cross, fate doesn’t just unravel. It begins to fight back.

In a kingdom ruled by a brutal king, Thalia Blackwood, an infamous assassin, is given a choice: fight for her freedom or remain a prisoner in the deadly salt mines of Karnak. Selected to compete against ruthless criminals in a contest to become the King’s Champion, Thalia soon finds herself entangled in dark court politics, where enemies lurk in the shadows, and nothing is as it seems. But as she navigates this treacherous competition, sinister forces far beyond the throne emerge, and Thalia must confront a hidden magic, long thought lost, that could destroy everything. With her deadly skills and a mysterious past that threatens to surface, she must outwit her rivals and face dangers both human and magical. Freedom comes at a price—and Thalia will pay it in blood if she has to. Will she win her freedom, or will the darkness of her past consume her first?

He rejected her to chase power. She gave herself to a stranger... and woke up marked by fate. Ryker, the mate River Moonstorm thought she was destined for, tossed her aside — choosing his best friend instead, all to earn a spot in his dream biker club. Broken and drowning in betrayal, River finds herself in a bar, face-to-face with Orion — mysterious, magnetic, and oozing danger. One drink turns into a night she can’t forget. One touch unlocks a part of her wolf she’s never known. But Orion isn’t just a dark escape. He’s the star of the Sexy Groove Bikers Club — and he’s hiding secrets that could turn River’s world upside down. Can she handle the fire he ignites in her? Or will falling for Orion burn her all over again?

Rosalie Murdoch was devasted when her mate and the Alpha of the pack, Chris Reynolds betrays her taking someone else for his mate. Heartbroken she has a one night stand with the visiting alpha, Alex Greyson. Horrified, by her action, she tries to run away, only to be claimed by Greyson as his mate. But now, Chris her former mate wants her back. Stuck between the two Alpha, and an impending pack war. What would be Rosalie's fate?

Henry Payne has everything, the looks, the money, the name, the good grades in Oxford university and always a beautiful girl wrapped up around his arms. He thinks he has it all until he sees the new girl at a party. She is unattainable, wild, and doesn’t care for his attempts to conquer her. Abbey Hardy arrived like a hurricane into Henry’s life, and she turns his head upside down. She becomes his little obsession when she turns him down. Henry makes a bet with his friends, and Abbey is the ultimate prize. Abbey could cost Henry more than just his sanity, and she can cost him his relationship with his father. Will Henry be willing to give it all up for Abbey, or will he chose money and family?

Nocturne rules the underworld and is determined to never let a human live past their lifespan. One day he encounters Leo, a human who is supposed to die and is bold enough to offer himself to escape death. Nocturne accepts the bold offer and their love story begins. Soon it becomes clear that things are more complicated than they both realized and Nocturne has to chase down his love before he is lost forever.

After the real son, Asher Vale, was brought back, everything in our house became tied to drawing lots. The chef of the day, who would have to cook a particular person's preferred dishes, had to be decided by drawing lots. Even our parents' kisses and hugs were chosen the same way. I always drew the short stick. The long stick, by default, belonged to Asher. He never had to do anything to receive our parents' love. Whenever I felt it was unfair and wanted to cry, Mom would scold me sharply, "I bought the lot-drawing box because I was afraid you'd feel hurt. I wanted to be fair to both of you. If you want something, decide it yourselves. Your father and I won't interfere. If you can't draw the long stick, you can only blame your bad luck." So I began practicing every day, shaking the box diligently, over and over, in hopes that one day, it would help me earn my parents' love. Unfortunately, for ten years, I never once drew the long stick. Until my birthday. Asher wanted to go to the amusement park, and Mom once again told us to decide by drawing lots. I secretly glued the two short sticks together and handed them to Mom, hoping to keep her with me. She slapped me hard across the face, screaming that I was cheating and disobedient. Then she stormed out of the house with Asher. When I fell to the ground, the short stick stabbed deep into my neck. 'I'm sorry, Mom. Next time, I'll work harder. Next time, I'll definitely draw the long stick.'

Lena Steeleclaw, born of Alpha blood, is taken captive by the ruthless Alpha Darius Stormhold leader of the secretive Bloodfang Clan. Drugged, restrained, and stripped of freedom, she refuses to surrender. When her powerful silver wolf, Amethyst, finally surfaces, Lena’s rebellion nearly kills Darius… but the victory is short-lived. Bound by moonbane, both woman and wolf are left paralyzed, broken but not beaten. Across the realm, Emperor Bane Draegor uncovers a pattern of attacks, packs wiped out, females missing, and traces of moonbane left behind. His suspicions turn toward Stormhold, and despite council warnings, he prepares to confront the threat himself. As fate draws them closer, Lena’s captivity and Bane’s mission collide in a storm of vengeance, power, and forbidden fire.

Her eyes widened in horror. The sound was unmistakable — the snap of a belt buckle, the hiss of it being undone. Then came the crash of fabric hitting stone. Terror exploded in her chest. She struggled violently, chains biting into her wrists until blood slicked her palms. Her chest heaved, heart pounding so hard it hurt. Ezra pressed harder, his knee locking her in place. One hand clenched her throat — not enough to choke, but enough to remind her she could not escape. His breath was ragged, wild, as if possessed. “You feel it too,” he growled against her skin. “Don’t lie to me, Nova. Your body wants this. You want me.” No. No, no, no. Her body burned, but it wasn’t for him. It was the cursed bond, the fire belonging to another. And that other… Her eyes filled with tears. Her lips shaped a silent prayer: Kilian. The bond within her surged like wildfire. Her chest arched, a gasp tearing from her throat. She felt it — claws raking down her soul, a storm breaking in her veins. He was here. He had come for her. *** Nova is a skilled hunter, fierce and independent, yet unaware of her true nature and the extraordinary destiny that awaits her. Humiliated by her fellow hunter colleagues for refusing to kill innocent wolves, she flees — only to be rescued by Kilian, the feared Lycan King. Thrust into his world, she must prove herself and earn her place within his pack, all while navigating the sharp wit, teasing sarcasm, and growing tension between them. Kilian is powerful, commanding, and fiercely protective, yet finds himself drawn to Nova in ways he cannot explain. Their connection develops slowly, charged with banter, challenges, and unacknowledged desire. But Nova is far more special and powerful than anyone could have predicted. Her choices, and the bond she shares with Kilian, will shape the fate of their world — deciding whether to destroy it, or to revolutionize and transform it for the better. As they uncover enemies deeply rooted in their lives, they must rely on their bond, courage, and love to face what comes next.