Mark Twain Library Long Beach Novels & Stories

BLURB Lexa has always been the forgotten daughter, a pawn in her father's political games, forced into a loveless marriage with Damian, the Alpha's second son who only ever loved her sister. When her comatose sister mysteriously awakens and accuses Lexa of attempted murder, the entire pack turns against her. Branded a traitor and awaiting execution, she has no hope of mercy. Until **he** returns. Cross Blackwood, the Alpha's estranged firstborn and rumored to possess the rare dual power of both werewolf and lycan bloodlines, interrupts her execution with an earth-shattering claim: Lexa is his true mate. With the protection of the pack's rightful heir, Lexa finally has the chance to rewrite her story. Cross offers her more than safety, he offers vengeance, sealed with a marriage proposal she can't refuse. As Lexa steps into her power, she becomes the key to an ancient prophecy, the Blessed Wolf destined to lead the clans through chaos. But with her sister's wrath rising, Damian torn between newfound desire and ambition, and dark secrets threatening to unravel everything, Lexa must embrace her destiny and decide who deserves salvation...and who must face her fury. In a world of wolves, only the fiercest survive. And this time, the rejected mate will rise as Luna.

I thought heartbreak would break me. Maybe it did. But not in the way I expected. It awakened the monster inside. On the night I caught my boyfriend of five years with another woman, something snapped inside me. I wore rage like an outfit. Claws tore through my skin. I heard voices in my head, voices I was certain weren’t mine. Then he appeared. Darian McAlister, the Lycan prince, all shades of danger wrapped in silver hair and flaming eyes. He saved me from myself that night, and then, accidentally marked me. Now, I'm tied to the man who's already betrothed to another. A man who wants nothing to do with me, and has made that clear. A man who still lurks in the shadows, waiting for something. And to make things worse, the Lycan family wants me dead, because the blood flowing through my veins creates a bond between me and the enemy that nearly destroyed them. But fate doesn't care about politics or debts owed. The accidental marking demands blood, and if we don't complete the Lycan’s mating process… One of us dies.

Lyra Nightbane was born into a world that never intended to let her lead. In the Dominion of Virelune, only male heirs are allowed to claim power. So when her brother rejects his place at Lunar Dominion Academy, the most ruthless training ground for Alpha rulers, Lyra does the unthinkable. She steals his name, She steals his place, She steals his destiny, Disguised as her twin brother, she enters a world of dominant heirs, brutal combat trials, and pack politics that could start wars. All she has to do is survive without anyone discovering the truth. There’s just one problem. Ronan Bloodcrest, her childhood rival and the most dangerous Alpha heir in the academy, knows something is wrong. His wolf doesn’t see an enemy. It sees a mate. And when her scent begins to slip under the rising full moon, another male feels the bond too. Now Lyra is trapped between two powerful heirs, a secret that could disgrace her pack, and a destiny that refuses to stay stolen. Because fate doesn’t care about tradition.And the moon does not choose wrong.

All my life, I’ve paid for a crime I didn’t commit, being born the daughter of an ex-tyrant Alpha. For that, I’ve been bullied, hated, stripped of everything… even my rank. But nothing hurt more than falling for the one man who despises me most, Alpha Kael. The same man who cursed me with a mark I can’t erase. Just when I thought my life was over, he came. Alpha Rex. Mysterious, ruthless… and willing to wait for a heart too broken to love again. But love in our world comes with blood, betrayal, and impossible choices. And when the past comes hunting, no one leaves unscathed.

She was soft—kind, trusting. Until betrayal carved her open and buried the girl she used to be. What rose from that grave wasn’t weak. It wasn’t gentle. But when a ruthless Lycan Alpha steps into her path, Fate begins to stir. As secrets unravel, bloodlines collide, and marks awaken, one thing becomes terrifyingly clear: Some marks are fate. Hers might be war.

Adam Smith, Ceo of Smith enterprises, New York's most eligible bachelor, was having trouble sleeping since a few weeks. The sole reason for it was the increasing work pressure. His parents suggested him to get another assistant to ease his workload. Rejection after Rejection, no one seemed to be perfect for the position until a certain blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl walked in for the interview. The first thing any interviewee would do when they meet their interviewer is to greet them with respect but instead of that Kathie Patterson decided to spank Mr. Smith's ass. Surely an innovative way to greet someone and say goodbye to their chance of getting selected but to her surprise, she was immediately hired as Mr. Smith's assistant. Even though Adam Smith had his worries about how she would handle all the work as she was a newbie, all his worries faded away when she started working. Always completing the work on time regardless of all the impossible deadlines. An innovative mind to come up with such great ideas. She certainly was out of this world. And the one thing Adam Smith didn't know about Kathie Patterson was that she indeed didn't belong to the earth.

"Ms. Medici, you've officially purchased the island. It's completely off the grid—once you're in, no one can find you. Also, the custom-made family you requested is ready. They're professionally trained to give you nothing but unconditional love."

My boyfriend, Tom, promised a grand mating ceremony for my twentieth birthday. But at my banquet, he publicly requested a mate link with my stepsister, Lily. While the whole pack roared and cheered, I just stood there like a fool. The betrayal hit hard. Before I could even breathe, Sam—the Obsidian Pack's Alpha heir—said he'd secretly loved me all along and asked to claim me. I said yes. For five years, he spoiled me. Memorized my favorite runs, my wolf's quirks. Then I overheard him with his Beta: "Sam, Lily's Luna of White Rose Pack now, just like she wanted. You still gonna fake it with Any?" "I can't have Lily. Doesn't even matter who my mate is anymore. As long as I'm with Any, Lily's safe and happy." Later that night, I found his safe in the study. Inside? Every single thing she ever gave him. Handmade wolf fang pendants. Letters sealed with her paw print. His prized chest armor, every single scale etched with her name: [Lily, my dearest love. I'd shred through every thorn for your smile.] [Lily, rip out my wolf heart if you needed it. ] [Lily! Hell, I'd steal the whole damn world if you asked.] Five years. Five years of lies, shattered in seconds. I filed my request to leave the pack. In two days, I'd be out of Sam's life for good.

Aria Monroe never believed the supernatural worlds she read about in her favorite novels could be real—until the night she fled her abusive husband with her daughter and stumbled into a forest pulsing with ancient magic. There, she meets Kaelion Duskbane, a mysterious and impossibly powerful man who claims she is his fated mate. Kaelion is no ordinary supernatural. He is a tribrid—vampire, werewolf, and witch—descended from a bloodline that has ruled for centuries. As King of All Supernaturals, he hides secrets even his council fears to whisper. His powers go beyond the known limits of magic, and his connection to the divine creators—the Moon Goddess, the Star God, and the Blood Father—marks him as chosen. But fate has more in store than a royal romance. As Aria is drawn deeper into Kaelion’s world, she begins unlocking powers of her own—abilities no human should possess. Their bond triggers ancient prophecies, divine intervention, and a war between light and shadow. With Kaelion’s brother Lucien discovering his own mate and secrets unraveling at every turn, Aria must choose whether to embrace her destiny or be consumed by it. Twists, betrayals, and steamy passion collide in this supernatural saga where love is power, and power can change the world.

He doesn’t sleep with the same woman twice, they said. And I believed it... until he couldn’t stop touching me. Night after night, he called me to his bed like I was his favorite secret. They told me I was lucky—an omega chosen by the Alpha himself. I believed that too... until I found out I was pregnant. Then he married his Luna. He didn’t even look back. So, I ran. I ran with nothing but my pride, my broken heart, and the child growing inside me. People called me foolish. Maybe I was. But now... he’s looking for me. Searching the world like he’s lost his mind. And just when I thought my heart couldn’t be pulled in two, a man with kind eyes and a powerful soul held my hand and whispered, “Please don’t go back to him. You’re mine now.” My mate. His cousin. And the father of the child I carry? No. It can't be that easy. Because my heart still burns for the Alpha who broke it. So tell me… How do I choose between the one who marked my soul…