Mark Twain Library Long Beach Novels & Stories

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.

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.

I got pregnant with our second child when my husband's ex-love returned. I didn't take it as a threat until Christian took our firstborn Zeon to enjoy the romantic candlelight dinner with Celine. They were more like a happy family together while I was the third wheel in their lives. This made me fear for the baby in my womb. I don't want to lose her either. So, I asked for a divorce and Christian didn't hold me back. I thought, now all will be right, until, three years later, one stormy night, my ex-husband appeared at my door. *** "Veronica, don't ever try to leave me again. You're MINE!"

Then without breaking the kiss his hand slid down, fingers brushing between my thighs with maddening control. He played with me lazily at first, teasing circles around my folds, making my hips jerk. I moaned into his mouth as one finger dipped lower, then retreated, just to torment me. “Azrik…” I gasped. He pulled back only to whisper, “Patience. Or I’ll tie you to this bed and take my time.” The way he said it raw, full of threat and promise, had me clenching around nothing. *** She was supposed to be Beta. She ended up betrayed, branded, and carrying the Lycan King’s mark. When Lunessa's mate-to-be betrays her with her best friend, she’s left humiliated and heartbroken, until a mysterious stranger steps in. One night with him changes everything. Now hunted, pregnant, and hiding in a world that’s forgotten her worth, Lunessa must uncover the truth behind the man who saved her, and the bond that could destroy or save them both. Betrayals run deep, secrets run deeper, and when old flames ignite a war, only one thing is certain, the moon never forgets her chosen.

“You breathe when I say you breathe. You look at me when I command it. You belong to me, Little Bird… body, soul, and every filthy thought in between.” Aria was born to be forgotten—an Omega with no name, no family, and no future. Beaten, broken, and sold by her pack to a slave auction, she swore she’d never submit again. Until he walked in. Damien Voss, the infamous Mafia Alpha whose name makes even kings tremble, bought her at a ridiculously high price—without blinking. To the world, he’s the devil in a designer suit. To Aria, he’s the monster who caged her, marked her… and awakened something inside her she can’t control. She hates him. She craves him. And the worst part? Her wolf wants him too. But when another Mafia boss whispers promises of freedom in her ear, Aria finds herself standing between two devils — one who wants to own her, and one who wants to use her. Her heart beats for the man she swore to destroy, and her body betrays her every time he whispers her name. “You can run, Little Bird,” Damien murmured, his hand closing around her throat, possessive and tender all at once. “But I’ll find you. And when I do, you’ll beg me to chain you again.” In a world ruled by blood, power, and secrets, love is the most dangerous sin. And Aria is about to find out that the devil doesn’t just want her submission— He wants her soul.

Struggling to make ends meet while having to care for a sick mother, Lena is forced into a perilous choice: to borrow a large sum of money from Damian, a feared mafia lord with zero mercy in applying his power. The price? Seven years of her life serving him in his treacherous underworld. What starts as a desperate bid for survival soon turns darker. Damian is ruthless, using her as a pawn in his world of power where secrets and loyalty are as fragile as glass. Though many have shared his bed, no one has touched his heart—he views love as a weakness he can't afford. But as Lena's resilience and quiet strength start to crack his hardened exterior, Damian finds himself questioning everything he once believed. Torn by her own fears and his growing affection, Lena has to tread carefully in a world where betrayal hides around every corner. In a place where love's a liability and trust's a death sentence, will Lena be able to survive Damian's shadowed world, or will she lose herself in the process?

All Raina just wanted was a peaceful home but rather, she ended up living a miserable and submissive life. Despite giving her husband everything, he still betrayed her trust and almost got her killed but then, he was going to regret it. Rina was going to get her revenge, even if it meant selling herself and becoming someone entirely new, but what if she then discovers that everything was planned?

Ryan Carter came to Arkwood University to escape his past especially Jake, the possessive ex who blurred every line between love and control. But his “fresh start” takes a messy turn when he clashes with Daniel Brooks: the cold, perfect, student body VP with too much power and zero patience for Ryan’s sharp tongue. They hate each other on sight. But hate has a way of burning too hot and the line between enemies and something else is thinner than either of them is ready for. What starts as tension becomes obsession. And when the past comes knocking, Ryan finds himself stuck between who he was, who he’s becoming, and a boy he never planned to want.

Selene never wanted a mate, especially not him. Born an outcast, she had spent her life hiding her true identity, surviving as a rogue, and staying far away from the pack politics that had once destroyed her family. But fate had other plans. She finds herself bound to the ruthless Alpha of the Shadowfang Pack, Killian Wolfe. Killian was a monster feared by all. Bound to a prophecy that doomed him to darkness, he had rejected every mate chosen by the Moon Goddess, knowing that anyone bonded to him would share his curse. But when Selene crashes into his territory, carrying secrets that could break or complete his fate, he finds himself unable to let her go. She belonged to him. Even if claiming her meant his own destruction.

. Serenya, the Luna, was rejected, cursed, and betrayed by her mate—then cast out. Still, she makes countless returns to her Alpha, each encounter igniting steamy, erotic, and intense moments of passion. Yet no matter how deeply they burn for each other, he refuses to accept her by his side. Now pregnant with the young Alpha’s child, serenya faces an even crueler fate. His rejection spreads to the entire pack, leaving her utterly cast out. To her clan, she is nothing but shame and reproach. Forced into the life of a rogue, she must survive alone, hunted by packs that see her as a threat. But the deeper question remains: is she rogue by choice, or was she driven into rebellion? In the shadows, serenya discovers unexpected strength alongside other forsaken park . As power awakens and rages within her, she prepares to destroy the mate who cast her aside. Yet before vengeance can consume her, desire pulls them into deeper longing. In the end, they realize too late that their enemies have been the ones fanning the fire—drifting them further apart with every bitter choice. Her next choice weighs heavy on her happiness or sorrow