Mark Twain Library Long Beach Novels & Stories

They always said I was nothing—a mere omega born without a wolf spirit, meant to be ignored and discarded. My father sold me, my pack abandoned me, and I ran, desperate for freedom. But running brought me straight to him. Alexander Maximus. The Alpha. Cold, ruthless, and terrifyingly powerful. He says I’m his fated mate, but to him, I’m just a pawn in his plans, a tool to be used and discarded. Yet, every time he looks at me, I feel the fire of something deeper—something I can’t escape, even if I wanted to. But when I discover the truth about myself and the power locked within me, everything changes. I’m not the weak, voiceless girl they all thought I was. Secrets surround us, lies bind us, and my connection to Alexander may be the one thing that destroys me—or saves me. In his world, power is everything—but in mine, freedom is worth fighting for.

When the Moon Goddess marks two souls for the second time, neither expects destiny to lead them back to love. After a brutal attack on her mating day took away her mate, Jasmine never thought she would be happy ever again. Death during childbirth snatched Alpha Maverick's mate from his arms. Maverick vowed never to choose another woman to be his luna and forever stay alone. But when the Moon calls again, their wolves stir… and the impossible happens. They are each other's second chance mates. Torn between fear and longing, duty and desire, they must learn to trust the bond that once destroyed them both. Because the Moon rarely makes the same mistake twice… and this time, love might just be their destiny. Werewolf romance Second chance Contemporary romance Alpha Dominant Grumpy Sunshine Mates Moon goddess Hate to love

Sick of the life in Illinois, Kinsella Sloane decided to leave everything, travel and spend her whole summer in Hermosa Beach in South California. On whether, she would stay a little longer or not, she didn’t know. She wanted freedom. She longed for it ever since she’s turned twenty two. She wanted to explore and travel. She wanted to be carefree. But what would she do when she feels herself falling for one guy—one she knew would never be the man for her because sooner or later, she would leave the place? Everything would just turn into a memory. Would she be able to leave? Or would he be enough to make her stay?

Alpha Kaelan, my fated mate, despised me. He blamed me for the death of his childhood sweetheart, Lila. He hated our fated bond. He hated my power. He hated that the Elders forced him to mark me. He hated that our mating drove Lila to her death. So for twenty years, we were trapped in a cage of hatred, each wishing the other would drop dead. Until the day I was poisoned and dying. The moment I felt the poison, I knew. Kaelan did this. My wolf howled, fighting to keep me alive until he came home. I killed him with a silver dagger. But then, as he lay dying, I heard him whisper to his second-in-command. "Don't you dare kill her. The antidote I got from the witch… give it to Selene. And she can never know it was from me..." "And... you have to find out... who's been poisoning her all this time." After he died, a searing pain tore through my chest. Tears streamed down my face. I refused the antidote. I wanted this whole mistake to end. But when I opened my eyes again, I was back. Back before he marked me. I took a deal with the Supernatural Council and left the continent behind. This time, I rejected our bond. I would give him and his precious Lila the happy ending they deserved.

A bloody resistance against colonial invasion that tears Seme's indigenous leadership apart marks the entry of a strange culture into the clan. Osayo, the priest, seeks to protect the clan's religious system from erosion by the Blue-eyed (colonists). He, however, has to face off with a few loose canons, including his own son who escapes to a mission center far from home and ends up falling in love with a convert. In the meantime, a terrible plague breaks out in the clan, killing animals and people and leaving the land barren. Coupled by a misunderstanding of concepts in the new faith propagated by the Blue-eyed, a longstanding rift and blame game emerge between the converts and the conservatives, and spuns into a cutural marriage. Soon afterward, Osayo dies and his son, Okayo, realizes he has a greater role to play. The supernormal powers of the clan's aboriginal religious tree are stolen by a witch in line with a prophetic myth. And in a painful and tumultous mission to reunite the two conflicting religions of Seme Clan and limit the Blue-eyed's influence, Okayo puts his front foot forward in combating witchcraft so as to have the tree's powers in safe custody, and protect good from being superseded by evil.

The trust of the innocent is the liar's most useful tool. It's funny because it's true. I was innocent. Someone naive enough to trust so blindly and for that I was taken advantage of by liars. And now I have lost everything. But I was given a new life. A second chance to right the wrongs done against me. Now vengeance is on my mind. Hatred is in my heart. And love is in the air. But I don't know where it's coming from. Because I don't trust anyone. Not even the air I breathe.

I have a premature rupture of the membrane when I'm 38 weeks pregnant. I have no choice but to undergo an emergency C-section. To my surprise and dismay, the anesthesiologist is my ex-boyfriend, with whom I broke up eight months ago. God, save me! Could I please have another anesthesiologist? It's my ex-boyfriend's child I'm giving birth to, and I suddenly don't want to bring the child into the world anymore!

(COMPLETED)Darren Fall Adams only wanted to have freedom as her life is always controlled by her parents who wanted her to marry someone she doesn't love. So here she goes, running away from home to look for it.

There is a medical dispute at the hospital. A patient's family member comes at us swinging a knife. Without hesitating, I push my husband, Maxwell Conner, out of the way. But then, he grabs my hand and pulls me in front of his beloved junior, Karina Burton. The knife plunges straight into my abdomen, killing the baby I had just conceived. As my horrified colleagues cry and rush me toward the ICU, Maxwell violently pulls me off the gurney. He barks, "Save Karina first! If anything happens to her, I'll fire every last one of you!" The doctors are stunned and furious. "Maxwell, have you lost your mind? Karina only suffered a minor injury. Your wife is the one in critical condition!" Clutching my bleeding abdomen, I nod slowly. "It's fine. Just forget it." Maxwell, I owe you nothing after this.

Have you ever thought, what would you do if you meet back with your first love after separated for years and suddenly you were about to marry your own childhood crush because of some unexpected event?.."Asher, did you have any girlfriend right now?” Richard asks making Asher who just drinks his juice suddenly choked a bit."Uh..” he wants to say no. But it feels like he had one. Even though he never said anything to Hyejin Kim, but their relationship more likely looks like a couple.“What happens actually? Andy asks again."Our daughter, the bride for tomorrow has been run away to find the groom that also has been run away." Hai Rin finally spill out the situation they're facing right now"Adrian already married a few years ago, I only had two daughters left. One already run away, so the only choice I have is..” He turns to look at Athena again.Athena knows what his father meant, she bit her bottom of lips.'Relax..it just for helping my family. Nothing could go wrong from doing a good deed.’ she tries to calm her heart right now.Athena finally nod. "I'm ready, dad.” "One side is settled, now the problem is...where do I find the groom?" Richard finally let out his worries.