Living Life Without Love

At dinner, Tiffany White grabs my fiance's phone and spends 100 thousand dollars on a designer bag. She even sticks her tongue at me. "Come on, Meredith. You're loaded. You won't mind such a small amount, right? Shawn and I share everything. His money is my money," she says. Everyone at the table waits for me to lose my temper or smile and let it slide like a saint. Instead, I calmly take out a voice recorder and my laptop from my bag and adjust my gold-rimmed glasses. "100 thousand meets the threshold for criminal filing. Since you said you two share everything, I have to ask—is this embezzlement or an illegal transfer tied to an improper personal relationship? "Oh, and what you just said about 'his money is my money'? I recorded that. According to the supplemental clauses in our prenup and the company bylaws, I'm officially initiating an asset-freezing order against Shawn Harrison." I turn to Tiffany. "Enjoy your free meals in prison, Ms. White." Shawn is livid. "It was just a joke, Meredith. Is it really necessary to ruin me over this?" I hit the "enter" key. "Sorry. In my book, there are no jokes—only bad debt."

All the werewolves claim that I'm born lucky. After all, I, a lowly Omega, get to become the mate of a powerful Alpha named Kael Dwyer. Only my five-year-old daughter, Lyra Dwyer, keeps staring at me with the eyes that seem to be able to discern everything. When Kael's mistress, Seraphina Ashwood, uses the spring water blessed by the Moon Goddess while wearing my robe after moving into the pack house, Lyra wakes me up in the middle of the night. "Mother, why exactly are you still staying with an Alpha that reeks of betrayal?" Stunned, I ask, "What did you just say?" Lyra sighs in return. "In my previous life, I had lived till I turned 25 years old. I watched you endure everything for the rest of your life. "Can you please hear me out this time and reject the bond between you and that Alpha dad of mine? Once you're done, I'll introduce you to an actual fated mate. He's more handsome and powerful than Dad. Most importantly, he's devoted to you and only you."

After silently contributing to his marriage for three years, Frederick York's wife demands a divorce, citing that she can't stand him. Then, when his true identity is revealed, his ex-wife and her family are filled with regret.

Seven years into my marriage to Sebastian, we had our first child. On Logan's first birthday party, one of the old friends Sebastian had known since prep school rattled a little velvet cup of dice in Logan's face and laughed. "Come on, Mrs. Forsythe, humor us. Let the birthday boy roll. A game. For old times' sake." Logan giggled and slapped at the cup. "If he rolls a six," the groomsman went on, grinning sideways at Sebastian, "Sebastian goes and picks Serena up from the airport tonight. Deal?" The moment I heard her name, my blood went cold. I turned to Sebastian. He'd been keeping in touch with her behind my back. All this time. He caught my eyes. He covered my shaking fingers with his and frowned slightly. "Don't be jealous over nothing. We're all friends. It's just a ride from the airport." And then, without quite meaning to, he nodded. Permission given. Logan laughed and opened his little fist. The dice clattered across the linen. A six. "That's fate!" someone whooped. "Serena's flight lands in two hours. You'll make it!" The room erupted. Glasses up. Backs slapped. Sebastian surrounded. His face softened and he turned and went for the door. Watching his back disappear through that door, I didn't do what I used to do. This seven-year bet of mine — I had lost it, completely.

Veronica Murphy has always lived in the shadows—abducted at birth, raised in poverty, and forced to watch her identical sister, Tiffany, enjoy the life that should have been hers. But one fateful night changes everything: while delivering food, she risks her life to save a bloodied stranger from a burning Ferrari—unaware that the man she just saved is Matthew Kings, the cold, ruthless heir of one of Bloomstead’s most powerful families. Her bravery earns her nothing but danger. Recognized as Tiffany by Matthew’s family, Veronica is pulled into a world of wealth, manipulation, and family politics she never asked to enter. Betrayed and powerless, she must endure lies, stolen credit, and the threat of losing her adoptive parents’ lives—all while navigating the tangled desires of a man who is as dangerous as he is irresistibly handsome. When Tiffany steps in to claim the credit for Veronica’s life-saving act, Matthew is drawn to the wrong woman, and Veronica is left to watch from the sidelines…until the truth surfaces, and her patience turns into vengeance. In a world ruled by power, deception, and obsession, Veronica must fight to reclaim her identity, protect her family, and survive a man who could either be her greatest enemy—or the one she can never forget.

During the Thanksgiving holiday week, my husband, Caleb Whitman, keeps working overtime. I feel sorry for how hard he's working, so I take over all the household chores. While doing the laundry, I pull a food delivery receipt from the pocket of his coat. Everything on the order appears to be intended for a pregnant woman. It has bone broth, baked salmon, and fresh seasonal vegetables. It's obvious that everything was chosen with care. There's even a note that says, "For an expectant mother. Keep it low in oil and salt. Make sure the utensils are sterilized." The delivery was sent to a luxury apartment above Caleb's office building. I crumple the receipt, let out a cold laugh, and deliberately call him during lunch. "So, when's the baby shower for your kid? Don't forget to send me an invite."

Miles Grimwine is a second year college student suffering from depression. He sees life as a lacking videogame built only for a single player. With no money, friends, or a positive outlook on life, he is forced to join the enigmatic Aid Club where he teams up with Charlotte Harvey, the school s anti-social cool beauty. Supervised by the university s guidance counselor, the two receive requests from various students on campus as they try to solve the mystery behind the actual purpose of the club, and subsequently, grow their bond.

In a world where only he-wolves were allowed to be Alphas, Seleste Rivas, the only daughter of the Alpha of the Lighttail Banes Pack, couldn't sit still. She knew she had what it took to be a powerful Alpha and would do anything to achieve her goal, including disguising herself as a he-wolf and sneaking into The Ravenwood Academy, where all the next Alpha-in-lines needed to be trained before settling into their roles. But nothing went according to her plans. On her first day, she caught the scents of her mates, the twin brothers of one of the strongest packs, the Wintercrown Shadows Pack. As Seleste navigated the treacherous world of dominance battles, academic rivalries, and the ever-present danger of exposure, especially when she found out her dorm mate was also her mate, she found herself caught in a whirlwind of emotions. She had come for a task, a goal, one she knew she couldn't deviate from. But their matebonds drew her closer, their touches sent her skin ablaze. Every heartbeat risked betrayal, every glance was a gamble. Every slip of her mask could shatter not only her dream, but also her life and those she held dear. And the worst part? She even had a bigger secret than being a she-wolf in a place full of he-wolves. When she uncovered conspiracies within the Ravenwood Academy, would her mates shun her? Or helped her? Would she show her true power and self to save everyone else? In a world where power was everything, Seleste must choose whether to follow tradition or carve a new path for every other she-wolf, even if it meant tearing down the very walls built to keep her kind out, even if it meant sacrificing herself for it. Coverart by @Rainygraphic

Raven Hart is finally turning 18. She has always been the outcast because her parents were rogues and despite trying to fit in, no one ever gave her a chance until now. Just before her heat kicks in for the first time at the Full Moon event, Eric Masters, the Alpha of the Wild Fang Walkers scoops her up and leaves before any other unmated males can have her. Instantly she feels the bond between the two of them when their eyes meet and the power of the heat takes control of her senses. Unable to wait, they mate on the way even though they could be ambushed. After returning to the pack house, they face the music of what they have done and Eric has to decide if keeping his mate is worth losing his rightful place. Read Mated For Life: The Alpha's Mate Book One of the Mated For Life series to find out if everyone accepts her as the alpha mate or if they end up fighting for it all.

After my boyfriend risked his life to save me in a fire, I proposed to him. But he refused, saying he was burdened with massive debt and wasn’t worthy of me. From then on, I worked five jobs a day, just to pay off what he owed as soon as possible. But fate had other plans. I was diagnosed with brain cancer. When I finally saved enough and went to say goodbye, I overheard his conversation with his friends. “The heir of the Law family, pretending to be broke in front of some poor girl. Seriously?” “She’s worked herself to the point of coughing up blood. You really don’t feel anything?” Landon Law curved his lips into a faint smile. “This is just a test for her. Once we’re married, I’ll treat her well.” “And what about Clara Shaw? She’s coming back soon. That rich girl has been talking about marrying you for years.” After a long silence, he finally spoke. “They’ve both been through hard times with me. I can’t let either of them down.” “But Clara’s fragile. She can’t handle any shock. She wouldn’t survive without me. I have to protect her. “Stella is understanding. As long as I give her the position of Mrs. Law, she’ll accept it.” The moment I heard that, everything went black, and I collapsed. When I woke up again, Landon was gripping my hand tightly. “Stella, don’t be afraid! Even if I lose everything, I’ll make sure you get treated!” A mechanical voice suddenly echoed in my mind. [Congratulations. You have been granted the ability to detect lies.] [Accumulate more than five detected lies from the male lead to exchange for a full recovery from brain cancer.]