Lazo Familiar

My pup Asher had been sick for six months. Every time I personally cared for him, he became even sicker. I finally believed the witch's prophecy: I was cursed. My very existence would harm my own pup. I went to the moon temple and prayed that the moon goddess would lift the curse and ensure my pup's safety. From then on, my Alpha mate Damon brought Asher up the mountain every day to see me. Hundreds of miles of mountain road. They made the trip over a thousand times. Our bond never faded with the distance. Until today. A group of rogues broke into the Sanctuary and pushed me down the stone steps. I called Damon all night. No one answered. Then I received an anonymous video. Damon knelt in front of a woman, kissing her swollen belly. Asher stood next to them, grinning ear to ear. "I'm gonna have a brother! Aunt Serena, your pregnancy must have been so tough. Me and Dad will be your knights forever." He turned to Damon, his young face bright with pride. "Dad, I faked being sick pretty well, right? Pretending to feel awful every day, tricking Mom into taking me to the Healer over and over. They never found anything wrong, and she really believed that curse stuff. Went up the mountain all on her own." "But what if Mom finds out? Won't she be mad?" Damon didn't seem worried. "Don't worry. I've got the whole mountain sealed off. She won't find out." Only then did I understand. Everything had been a lie, planned by my mate and my son. I turned around and knocked over the Hope Flame that I had lit for Asher without hesitation. This flame was lit at the cost of my wolf’s strength, offered to the Moon Goddess so that she might bless Asher with health. Through the flames, a familiar figure sprinted toward me.

Flora hancur. Ia pergi membawa luka dan sebuah rahasia besar—bahwa ia tengah mengandung anak Nathan yang kini berusia empat bulan dalam kandungannya. Tak ingin anaknya tumbuh dalam lingkungan penuh kebencian, Flora memilih untuk diam dan menghilang. Ia pindah ke sebuah desa terpencil bersama neneknya yang bernama Marlina, yang kini sudah rentan berusia 72 tahun, lalu melahirkan seorang bayi perempuan cantik dan manis yang ia beri nama Nayla, dia putih bermata khas seperti ayahnya. Flora Andini, seorang wanita yang kini berusia 24 tahun dan tubuh mungil itu harus membesarkan Nayla dengan penuh kasih sayang, menjalani kehidupan sederhana sebagai petani, meskipun hidup dalam keterbatasan, namun damai. Tiga tahun berlalu. Kehidupan Flora tampak tenang meski sering kali dihimpit kesulitan ekonomi. Nayla, putrinya, tumbuh menjadi gadis kecil yang cerdas dan manis. Namun, takdir kembali mempertemukannya dengan masa lalu. Perusahaan Marshall Group membuka sebuah proyek besar di dekat desa tempat Flora tinggal. Nathan turun langsung untuk meninjau proyek tersebut dan tanpa sengaja ia melihat Flora bersama Nayla. Seketika hatinya terusik—wajah Nayla terlalu mirip dengannya. Terlalu familiar untuknya. Didorong oleh rasa penasaran yang besar, Nathan meminta asistennya untuk melakukan penyelidikan. Hasil penyelidikan itu mengguncang hatinya: Nayla adalah anak kandungnya. "Nayla anakku, bukan anakmu! Ia bukan bagian dari keluarga Marshall!” seru Flora di malam itu, setelah Nathan mengembalikan Nayla yang sempat menghilang selama hampir 24 jam. Peristiwa itu membuat Flora dan neneknya panik bukan main. “Dia anakku, Flora! Kau tak bisa terus mengelak!” Nathan membalas dengan nada tinggi. “Bagaimanapun, darahku mengalir di tubuh Nayla. Ia adalah darah dagingku!”

Gumuho ang mundo ni Aldrick Laureus nang piliin ng babae na pinakamamahal niya ang kan'yang kapatid sa ina. Sa ikalawang pagkakataon ay iniwan siya na lugmok at luhaan ng prinsesa na inalayan niya ng buong mundo niya. Nagpasiya siya na tuluyan nang lumayo at kalimutan ang nakaraan nila ngunit dahil sa isang pakiusap ay mapipilitan siya na muling harapin ang pait ng kahapon na ayaw na sana niyang balikan pa. Isang misyon ang ipinakiusap sa kan'ya: hanapin ang prinsesa na naglayas upang takasan ang isang arranged marriage. Sounds familiar, right? Russia Mercado has been living a good life, but that is until she falls stupidly in love with the wrong person. In a blink of an eye, things have not been easy, especially when she decided to run away from home. Napasok siya sa isang magulong sitwasyon dahil lamang sa pagtalikod niya sa sariling pamilya niya at pagpili sa maling tao. She made the biggest mistake of her life, and now she is paying all the consequences of her actions. She needs to reclaim her life and her freedom, and for her to do that, she needs to complete one mission. Isang misyon na maglalapit sa kan'ya sa isang bagay na pilit na niya na tinatakasan: ang salitang pagmamahal. Pag-ibig ang sumira sa kan'ya, ngunit pag-ibig din kaya ang muling bubuo sa pagkatao niya? Can she frame the prince to be her baby daddy and still find love in the end? Love comes in the most unexpected way at the most uncertain times. Dalawang taong galit sa salitang pag-ibig at hindi na naniniwala sa salitang pagmamahal ang pagtatagpuin ng tadhana upang guluhin ang kanilang paninindigan. Pagmamahal na isinumpa o pagmamahalan na aabot hanggang sa sumpaan? Handa na nga ba sila na muli na sumugal sa magulong mundo ng pag-ibig?

Today is the death anniversary of Jordan Willis, the Alpha of the Moonshadow Pack. He's also known as my dead mate. My name is Sasha Calhoun, a she-wolf who descends from a family with a weakened bloodline. I'm also the current Luna of the Moonshadow Pack. In a world where the bloodline purity determines the status quo of werewolf society, I seem to exist solely to enter a marriage alliance with Jordan, the Alpha who comes from the most elite family with a pureblooded heritage. This is a political trade meant to strengthen Jordan's position in his family as well as reassure the Elder Council. A year ago, Alpha Jordan sacrificed himself in a blazing inferno while on a mission. I become the most pitied she-wolf in the pack who has to keep the only light on in my empty home. At the same time, I need to protect the only flicker of hope in this pack. As I carry a bouquet of white lilies, which were Alpha Jordan's favorite flowers when he was still alive, I approach his grave. The pup in my womb seems to have picked up on my emotions, for it kicks me gently. I can feel the hum of a powerful and pure-blooded lifeform from the movement. It's the lifeblood of a pup destined to become the future powerful Alpha. Even though I'm still carrying the pup, I still feel reassured and proud. But the next thing I know, I spot a wolf sinking down to one knee far away on the horizon. He appears to be proposing to my younger sister, Winnie Calhoun. Even though there's more than 300 feet between us, I can still smell the Alpha's familiar scent, which seizes me by my heart. After all, I had once immersed myself in that particular scent for countless days and nights in the past. That Alpha… is actually Alpha Jordan, who supposedly died one year ago! I instinctively clutch my belly, my palm caressing the newly-developed heartbeat of my unborn pup. Then, I call the pack guards.

While I'm waiting for my wife, Anna Fulton, I happen to come across a popular post on social media that's posted by someone who lives in the same city as I do. "What should I do if my husband clings to me too much?" Among the comments that make fun of the original poster for flaunting her happy marriage on the Internet, the lengthy comment left by a masculine ID attracts my attention. "You gotta pretend to be ditzy and dumb. My childhood friend was forced to marry the man she doesn't love, so I suggested to her that she should pretend to be a directionally-challenged idiot. She kept up that facade for five years so far. "After that, her mother-in-law kept urging her to give birth to a baby. So, she secretly coated the stairs with grease, leading to her husband falling down the stairs. When she drove him to the hospital, she pretended to lose her way and drove a few laps around the suburban area. In the end, her husband could never get his manhood up ever again because the treatment got delayed. "Her mother-in-law thought it was an accident. She was afraid that my childhood friend might abandon her husband, so she bought her a house and a car. You have no idea how much that mother-in-law sucked up to her! "Today is her husband's professor selection day. She even suggested to him that she'd drive him to the campus. But the truth is, she plans on pretending to lose her way in the traffic just to drag the time out so that I can replace him in the selection. "Once her husband fails the selection, she'll use the opportunity to convince him to resign from his job. He's already a loser, to begin with. Once he loses his job, she'll have a valid reason to divorce him once and for all." The familiar experience makes my heart skip a beat. Before I can ruminate about the details, I hear Anna's guilt-ridden voice drifting into my ear. "I think I'm lost, Claude. Surely you can make it to the selection on time, right?"

Ever since I married Myra Cowan, I started living like a beggar despite making an annual salary of a million dollars. She kept telling me, "We should hang in there for now, honey. Once we've saved enough money, we'll be able to live however we want without worrying about our financial situation." My closet was stuffed with old suits bought ten years ago. My lunches were always sandwiches, which were nearing their expiry dates, bought from convenience stores. My friends made fun of me for marrying a woman who was addicted to saving money. But my heart went out to Myra for suffering with me in life. But when I was diagnosed with late-stage stomach cancer and needed money for a life-saving surgery, Myra broke down in tears and told me that all of our savings were kept in a fixed-term deposit. Before I drew my last breath, I heard Myra telling her younger brother, Dwight Cowan, over the phone in a gentle tone, "I've already transferred you the down payment for your house." When I open my eyes again, I've returned to the day Myra demands that I sell my gaming account in exchange for money. The monitor shows a familiar login screen. Myra can be seen standing next to me. "This account can be sold for 8,000 dollars. We can save three months' worth of expenses with this money!" I just laugh in response. In my previous life, I had done nothing but save money. In the end, all of my money became someone else's assets. Why the hell should I save money in this life? With just one click on the mouse, I reload a million dollars into the game right away. Immediately, a reddish-golden meteor shower covers the skies of the entire server. The system makes an announcement in a bold, enlarged font that gets repeated for a long time. "Player 'Void' spares no expense, inviting fair maidens from across the realms to forge a destined bond! Those who are interested are welcome to attend the Celestial Lake Gathering. A bride price of one million awaits—offered in exchange for a single, sincere heart."

In order to gather 500 thousand dollars for my blind girlfriend's surgical bills, I've accepted a delivery order that's meant for someone at a private racing club. The huge floor-to-ceiling monitor is currently playing the live footage of the champion who's won the racing tournament. Champagne bottles can be seen spraying everywhere as the audience cheers loudly for the victor. Soon, the champion takes off her helmet and shakes her head full of curls off her face. Strikingly beautiful features are revealed the next moment. Next to the champion stands her childhood friend, Lewis Ross. I feel my hands clenching around the plastic bag containing the food containers. The woman shown on the screen is none other than Evelyn Carter, my so-called blind girlfriend. "Why aren't you happy even though you've won the tournament, Evelyn? Are you missing that boyfriend of yours who's still working his ass off for money?" A familiar voice comes from the lounge. An amused yet malicious smirk is played on Evelyn's lips at the moment. "Why did you bring him up? Then again, it's thrilling, pretending to be blind and all. Whenever he changes his clothes at home, he does it right in front of me." Everyone around Evelyn begins roaring with cheers. "You're so lucky, Ms. Carter!" After taking a sip from her champagne glass, Evelyn responds in a flippant tone, "Lucky? He's so busy with work every day just to gather enough money for my surgical bills! That man doesn't have a single romantic cell in him—he's just as stiff as the stick up his ass!" A wave of laughter echoes from the crowd once again. Feeling as though my blood had turned to ice, I turn on my heel and begin walking out of the club. I can still hear Lewis' cheeky voice ringing out from behind me. "There are only three days left in our one-year bet, Evelyn. Don't tell me you really fell for your boyfriend!" Evelyn merely snorts in response. She drawls back, "Don't worry. I'll dump him in three days."

Biglang tumunog ang celfon ko at ng tignan ko ito hindi familiar ang numero, binuksan ko ito at nagulat ako sa laman ng mensahe, "kumusta kana? saan ka ngayon pwede ba tayo magkita?" wala akong idea kung sino ang nagtext kaya sumagot ako ng "sino ito?" sagot nya ang bilis mo naman makalimot ako lang naman ang laging laman ng isip mo. sagot ko ulit ahh talaga walang laman ang isip ko ngayon kundi pera, pera ka ba? sagot nya, ibibigay ko sayo yan basta magkita tayo sa panaginip ko. napakunot ang noo ko at bigla akong nacurious kaya sumagot ako "sige matutulog na ako para magkita ko na yong pera na inaasam asam ko hahaha". saan kaya nya nakuha number ko at sino kaya ito? tumunog ulit ang celfon ko di ko maiwasan tignan "alam mo bang nakahiga ako ngayon sa pera, asam ko na katabi kita hihi, pero wala akong saplot ngayon sarap sana kung katabi kita" pero uminit na ulo ko sa nabasa ko di na ako sumagot. Tumunog ulit ang celfon ko, di ko maiwasan tignan, "ini imagine ko na katabi kita at hubot hubad ka din sinisimulan ko ng dilaan ang malaki mong ut*ng habang hawak mo ang nabubuhay ko nang t*t* nahuhumindig ito at galit na galit na gusto ng pasukin ang p*ke mo, ahh sarap ng labi mo pinapasok ko na dila ko sa bibig mo habang ang kabila kong kamay ay nasa baba ng p*ke mo sinalat ko ang hiwa mo sobrang basa kana pakiramdam ko gusto mo nang ipasok ko ang oten ko sa kepyas mo napaungol ako sa sarap ng itutok ko sa butas mo ang sikip bago ko tuluyan ipasok hinimas himas ko muna sa hiwa mo naririnig ko ang ungol mo." "bastos!" sagot ko..

Tras la gran guerra entre las tres razas —humanos, dragones y lobos—, las razas del Dragón y del Lobo quedaron bajo una maldición: sus descendientes de sangre pura ya no podían heredar todo el poder. Para preservar la fuerza del linaje, en cada generación el Rey Dragón y el Rey Lobo debían tomar como esposa a una mujer humana portadora de la Bendición. El primero en engendrar un hijo híbrido haría que su raza dominara a los otros dos durante un siglo. En mi vida pasada, me casé con el Rey Lobo, Daniel Vázquez, famoso por su fama de caballero dulce y amable. Antes de que se cumpliera nuestro primer año de casados, di a luz a un hijo medio lobo, capaz de heredar el poder. Desde entonces, Daniel se convirtió en el soberano de las tres razas, y los lobos dominaron el mundo durante un siglo. Mi hermana mayor, Diana Manzur, en cambio, cegada por la imponente figura del dragón plateado, se casó con el Rey del Clan de los Dragones Plateados. Pero él era altivo e indomable; cuando perdía el control, la hirió en el vientre, provocándole un aborto y dejándola estéril para siempre. Diana me envidió con una rabia enfermiza. En una reunión familiar, me apuñaló sin pestañear. Cuando abrí los ojos de nuevo, había vuelto a la noche anterior a la boda concertada por las tres razas. Diana se me adelantó y entró en el cuarto de Daniel para acostarse con él. Ella también había renacido. Pero lo que no sabía era que, en realidad, Daniel era más frío que el hielo y que su mayor placer era torturar a los humanos indefensos.

On the six-year anniversary of my relationship with my girlfriend, Sheila Loom, I buy some groceries with the intention to surprise her with a home-cooked meal. After I'm done, I head over to Sheila's place right away. That's when the reel I was watching automatically skips to the next one. It's a live stream where people call in to discuss legal matters. A familiar feminine voice drifts to my ears at that moment. "My boyfriend shelled out 500 thousand dollars to put me through school. I've already paid ten thousand back to him. "At first, I wanted to clear the debt before breaking up with him, but I don't want to wait any longer. If he insists on taking me to court after the breakup, can I still pay the debt off slowly?" Almost immediately, comments flood into the comments section, chewing her out and calling her a heartless wench. But the voice replies calmly, "If I truly were heartless, I wouldn't have paid him back to begin with. I no longer have feelings for him. Are you saying that I should sacrifice the rest of my life just so I can pay 500 thousand dollars back to him?" My heart skips a beat at that moment. It's true that I've spent 500 thousand dollars putting Sheila through school over the years. But I feel that I'm overthinking it, seeing as she's never brought up the matter of wanting to pay me back before. After I call Sheila repeatedly for half an hour, she finally answers my latest phone call. At the same time, the woman's phone call that's connected to the live stream is cut off. "It's my birthday today, Sheila—" "Have you secretly come looking for me again? Didn't we agree that we'll only meet up after you've successfully gotten into college?" I don't get to finish the rest of my sentence. Suddenly, I catch a glimpse of the notebook sitting on the corner of Sheila's table. The first page shows "debt repayment ledger". Some of the details are as shown. "The SAT study materials I bought for him: 188 dollars." "The Uber fees I've paid for him: 35 dollars." "The cologne I've gifted him on his birthday: 380 dollars." "Total: ten thousand dollars now paid."