Mark Twain Library Long Beach Novels & Stories

She was the daughter they tried to erase. Now, she is the Queen they cannot escape. In the Moon Shadow Pack, Audrey is a ghost in her own home. Born on a night of prophecy but appearing to be a "powerless" human, she has spent twenty-one years as a servant to her cruel stepmother and her pampered half-sister, Samantha. Her father, the Alpha, looks at her and sees only the death of his beloved wife—a stain on his legacy that needs to be removed. When a marriage alliance is struck with the powerful and mysterious Silver Pack, Audrey’s family concocts a deadly plan. They will veil Audrey and swap her for Samantha, sending her to marry the blind Alpha, Lucas. They believe the union will kill her instantly, leaving the path clear for Samantha to claim the crown once the "sacrifice" is complete. But the prophecy had a secret. The moment Lucas claims his bride, his sight is restored, and the power dormant in Audrey’s blood erupts. She isn't a human, and she isn't a mere werewolf—she is the long-lost White Wolf, the True Luna of the Silver Pack. As Audrey rises from the ashes of her betrayal, she is no longer the girl who cowers in the shadows. With a powerful Alpha at her side and an ancient magic in her veins, she is returning home. And this time, it won't be to serve—it will be to burn down the house that tried to destroy her.

To help cover our household expenses, I often sold second-hand items online. Late one night, a new listing suddenly appeared under my husband's account. [Private trainer for sale. Almost new. Obedient and resilient. No upkeep required. Cash only.] The attached photo showed a woman from behind, caught in the middle of a yoga pose. The red mole at her waist stood out clearly. It was me. The comments section erupted within seconds. Men with usernames like 'LocalHunter' started bidding aggressively. [Five hundred. Thirty minutes. Pickup only. No negotiations.] [Are you kidding? Two thousand. All night. I'll bring my own gear.] My husband immediately replied to the highest bidder: Adrian 'The Butcher' Kane. [Deal. She's in the bedroom. The door isn't locked. Go straight in.] In the next moment, the bedroom doorknob slowly began to turn from the other side.

"Stop," he said huskily. "Turn around." Something in his voice made her obey. His was a voice used to commanding, used to getting him his own way. Usually she hated being spoken to that way, but not tonight. Tonight she wanted to obey every command he gave to bring the evening to its logical, inevitable and very satisfying conclusion. She turned, slowly, giving him full view of her butt and the cotton thong slicing her cheeks in half. Aware of his black eyes on her, she did something she'd never done for any man. She swayed to a rhythm in her head. With her back facing him, Abbey ran her hands down her waist, round her gyrating hips and placed one on each cheek. She let them explore across her skin, enjoying the way she felt and knowing he wanted to do the same. She glanced over her shoulder, cheekily giving him a view of her breasts and behind at the same time. His face was distorted with desire as he stood, mesmerized. She turned to face him fully. "I want you," he whispered. ………………………………………………. A cheating husband. A hidden camera. A desperate woman in too little clothing. Abbey thinks she’s prepared to seduce Damien Vane for a paycheck—until his hands, his voice, and his body turn the assignment into something wickedly irresistible. One night was supposed to fix her life… not set it on fire.

After Ryan Spencer cheated on me again with his secretary, I completely lost it. When my mind started to spiral, I grabbed the fruit knife off the table. I just wanted it to end. “Why are you hurting yourself again? He doesn’t love you anymore?” I looked up. The sixteen-year-old Ryan was walking toward me, heartbreak written all over his face. His voice was gentle. “Tell me who he is. I’ll make him pay.” I stared into the bright, earnest eyes of the boy standing in front of me. I didn’t say a word. I simply lifted my hand and pointed at his face. Later, Ryan was the one who had me admitted to a psychiatric hospital. When the sedative began to wear off, the teenage boy appeared again, sitting by my bed. He stared at the man outside who looked just like him. The light in his eyes faded little by little. Then he spoke, his voice strained. “I don’t care who he is. I’ll kill him.” The sixteen-year-old Ryan never lied to me. When he said something, he meant it.

On my eighteenth birthday, I thought I would finally complete the mating bond with my mate. But that day, I was met with the most brutal betrayal of my life. - By pack law, I had to be assigned a new mate by the Elders. But why… why were the ones chosen for me the Alphas of the pack? And why were there two of them? Axel and Kane — twin Alphas, the most powerful wolves in the pack, admired and respected by all. But none of that mattered. What mattered was that everyone knew they already had a mate. Yet because of me, they were forced to take me as their new mate. Everything happened so fast. I was ignored, rejected, even hated by the two Alphas. From then on, my life became a living hell. Will anything ever change? The mate bond cannot be broken. Through pain and growth, I—Elara—slowly become a true Luna. And in the end, I discover… my mates are not just the two of them.

Forbidden Desires is a collection of passionate, boundary-pushing stories where temptation leads to surrender. From a virgin offered to a powerful demon lord under the full moon, to two charismatic rockstar brothers who become obsessed with their new backup singer, each tale explores intense attraction, hidden cravings, and the thrill of crossing forbidden lines. With rich tension, emotional depth, and sizzling encounters, these stories capture the moment when resistance melts away and desire takes control. Perfect for readers who crave seductive, addictive tales of passion and power.

" sometimes the strongest hearts carry the heaviest scars." Two years after losing her parents, 21-year-old Jane is left raising her two little brothers on her own. Abandoned by her oldee sister and juggling two exhausting jobs, Jane barely has time to breathe_let alone chase her long-forgotten dream of studying law. Every day is a battle to survive: Working long hours, skipping meals, some strange dreams, and hiding her tears behind a fake smile. But even when she breaks down in the middle of the street or collapses from exhaustion, she always gets back up- for Elhoïme and Mathias, the only family she has left. Just when she thinks no one sees her pain, Brian, a kind coworker and a long time friend, start offering small gestures of help- cofee, silence, time, understanding. She pushes him away at first, afraid of needing anyone. But his quiet presence slowly starts to feel like hope. Can Jane allow herself to lean on someone else for once, without losing her strenght- or her heart?

Genesis Walker is a ghost wearing a perfect smile. Years ago, her world burned her pack slaughtered, her family torn from her, and her name erased from existence. From the ashes, she rebuilt herself into something far more dangerous than the girl she used to be. Now, she’s back. Cold. Calculated. Untouchable. And standing at the center of her revenge is one man Alpha Lucien Varkas. Feared by all. Ruled by none. A monster in power and silence. Infiltrating his world was supposed to be simple. Earn his trust. Get close. Destroy him from within. But nothing could have prepared her for the moment their eyes meet… Because the man she came to ruin is the one fate has bound her to. Her mate. Refusing the bond, Genesis plays a deadly game one where desire and deception blur, and every step closer to Lucien threatens to unravel everything she’s built. But Lucien is not a man easily deceived. Behind his cold, emotionless exterior lies a past as dark as her own and a growing obsession that refuses to let her go. As buried truths rise and enemies close in, Genesis must decide: Will she complete her vengeance… Or will she fall for the Alpha she was never meant to love?

I could hear everything, even with my poor vision. I could hear their horrified gasps and the curses they rained on me. ‘She’s a murderer!’ ‘A pack slut and now a murderer! She needs to leave! We can’t live in fear in our own pack!’ Their curses overshadowed my pleas. This isn’t me—I don’t kill. I would never kill one of my own. I staggered toward where Killain stood—he was shocked. He agreed with them. “Please help me, Killain,” I begged, but he only stared. “You have brought shame to this pack, Samantha,” Killain began. “Tonight was an amazing day—a celebration for the Blood Rose Pack. You give me no choice…” “No, no, please don’t do this to me again. I’m hurt, I’m hurt…please help—” “I, Killain Black, Alpha of the Blood Rose Pack, banish you, Samantha Forbes, from the Blood Rose Pack. You have done nothing but bring shame and disgrace to this pack, and from now on, you will not be associated with Blood Rose.” The pain wasn’t torture—my mate rejecting and banishing me on the same night was torture. I fell to the ground and clutched his robe. “Please, don’t chase me away.” The guards dragged me out of the crowd and deeper into the woods. “This is where you belong! Disgrace!” They dropped me roughly and left. I staggered and tried to get up with the little strength I had left. My eyes landed on the red stain flooding the front of my dress. No, please. My stomach twisted, and I screamed in pain. My babies—not my babies, please. I can’t lose them—they’re the only thing I have left. I need to live. I can’t die—after everything.

"How many times must you deny your fate," his hoarse voice rang out, Lyra closed her eyes whimpering, "No, no, no, I, Myra Hendrix, reject--" Matteo grabbed her chin fiercely, forcing her to look at his eyes, "Too late to reject, you were mine the moment I saw you..." Her mate rejected her and got married to her sister, now the Lycan King says she is his. A bigger conspiracy unravels, relationships break, and illicit affairs are exposed. What happens to Myra when she finds out that her entire life was a lie?