Mark Twain Library Long Beach

On her wedding day, Isla faced a series of disasters no bride could ever imagine. Her fiancé, Jeremy, dropped a bombshell in front of the entire congregation, revealing an explicit video of her and another man—a video she had no knowledge of or clue how it came to be. To make matters worse, Jeremy took things further by proposing to her sister right then and there. Devastated beyond belief, Isla ran out of the chapel—and his life—without looking back. She swore never to let herself be humiliated like that again and decided that love was no longer worth the risk. With her heart in pieces, she headed to the nearest bar to drown her sorrows in alcohol, where, in a haze of pain and anger, she met a handsome stranger. What was meant to be a fleeting escape turned into a one-night stand. She disappeared without a trace, determined to sever all ties with Jeremy. That included quitting her job at his father’s company—she didn’t want anything to do with him or his family anymore. As she searched for a new beginning, fate led her into the path of Jaxon Waverly. Jaxon Waverly—a billionaire CEO by day and a fearless Mafia leader by night. Isla becomes his secretary, unknown to her and Jaxon himself that she is Jaxon’s long-lost love and unforgettable one-night-stand. Determined to win her over, Jaxon will stop at nothing to make her his wife.

I've been married to Derek Gunther for many years. Every anniversary, he tells me the airline scheduled him for a flight, then sends an expensive pair of earrings to smooth things over. But on our ninth anniversary, I accidentally overhear him joking with his friends. "Derek, you spend every anniversary with Ivy—and Sienna still hasn't caught on?" "No wonder she can't get pregnant. After all, you give all to Ivy." Derek exhales a stream of smoke and says, "Ivy gave up everything to be with me. I owe her a real home. As for Sienna, I stopped loving her after she miscarried. When the time's right, I'll file for divorce. It's unfair, sure—but I'll make it up to her with money." What Derek doesn't know is that he won't get that chance. It's on our anniversary that I'm diagnosed with late-stage ovarian cancer. Since he stopped loving me long ago, I'm ready to walk away on my own terms. Derek, from now on, we're done.

My fated mate wants my body and soul… but he still calls me by his missing wife’s name. ____ Framed by her best friend. Rejected by her groom. Cast out by her pack, Savannah’s world shatters. Until Xavier, the Alpha of Alphas, finds her. From the moment their bond ignites, it’s raw and addictive. He touches and kisses her like he can’t breathe without her. But he believes she’s someone else—his missing wife. His daughter calls her “Mommy.” And the mate bond burns hotter than she ever imagined. Savannah has secrets. A past she’ll never speak of. She swore no man would ever own her again. So why does her soul beg to be his?

Lorenzo and Selena secretly love each other, even though it should be forbidden by agents. Especially since Lorenzo was a captain and Selena was a member of his team. No romantic relationship should occur between agents. But Lorenzo was desperate to love Selena and marry her. During their five years of marriage, all was well and they had a son who was hidden from the public. But a new mission gets Selena killed and all the secrets they've been tightly hiding for so long are revealed to the surface. The FBI's elite board was furious and suspended Lorenzo for his misdeeds. Everyone shunned Lorenzo when he was in the most difficult phase of his life because Selena's death brought a threat to his son. Lorenzo was always blaming himself after all the weeks since Selena's death. He secretly investigates Selena's bizarre death case in order to viciously punish Selena's murderer. But when he gets close to the mastermind behind Selena's murder, he meets a woman who looks like Selena who works for his enemy. Lorenzo thought that the woman might be Selena. And as long as he was breathing, he would continue to pursue that woman to prove that she might be his dead wife.

Step into the Moonlit world, where the Moon goddess will play the game of fate and second chance with the Alpha of the biggest and strongest pack and a worthless rogue. All Aria wanted was a peaceful life with her mate. On the night of her anniversary, she had surprising news for her mate Nick that ended with their break up instead of their happily ever after. Heartbroken ... Devastated ... Rejected Aria still tried to go on with her life and stand strong but Nick had a different say. He wanted to crush her even more and just when he was about to end the life in her, Alpha Klaus saved her. Before Klaus could even Know what happened, his wolf claimed her as his true mate and decided to protect her even from herself. Hiding his true identity, he decided to watch and protect her day and night, while trying to heal her wounds with his unconditional love. Little did he know that Aria had built steel walls around her heart and would only seek revenge and his compelling mate bond would force him to stand by her side and try to pull her back out of the darkness of hatred that would only destroy her... **Contains violent scenes and triggering events for sensitive readers**

“You still don't get it, do you?” she said, shaking her head. “Think about it, Brianna. You've just been fired with little or no hopes of getting a new job because you're a what? Remind me again. Oh, a single mother. How long do you think the money Mr Yang gave to you would last for? How long do you think I'm going to continue giving you, huh? Think about it. The same Jason you're trying to protect right now would still blame you for bringing him into this world when you exhaust that money with you and there's nothing else to spend or no one to run to.” “So, what are you trying to insinuate?” I asked, raising a brow. “That I become a surrogate mother just because I'm in need of money? I'm only in need, Hayley. I'm not desperate to have it. Besides, let me remind you that I went through a Cesarean Section just to have Jason. I'm not going through that again.” *********************** Having lost her job, Brianna is left to drown in an ocean of confusion on what path to take next. But then, she's presented with an offer to be a surrogate mother for a hefty sum of money, and another from a strange man asking her to return home and take charge of her father's company. Would she choose to be a surrogate mother or return home to take over the company of a man whom she never got to meet her whole life?

"Luna, the surgery to remove the Alpha’s mark is excruciating. After that, you’ll be treated as a packless Rogue. Are you absolutely sure you want to go through with this?" "Yes. I want to be a Rogue." The black market healer was utterly astonished. The entire werewolf world believed Alpha Ethan was head over heels in love with me. Just days ago, he'd spent a hundred million gold coins to buy me 'Moonlight Manor,' filling it with my favorite moonflowers. Countless she-wolves dreamed of being marked by such a passionate and powerful Alpha. But I didn't hesitate. After removing the mark, I printed out a Mate Bond Severance Agreement and booked a flight to the European pack a week later. Goodbye, Ethan.

Orphaned Jadenne has lived through more trials, and tribulations than any wolf could imagine. Alone in the world with no friends, and very few prospects she is desperate for a change. On the day that she plans to end it all, she has a chance encounter with the feared Pierce. Known for his brutal judgements, and swift consequences no one crosses the lycan Pierce. True to his name the man is cold, and hard as stone. Then Jadenne falls into his arms, and he feels an unnatural pull to protect her against the world. Can these two troubled souls find love, or will their own guarded hearts keep them apart?

Nina falls in love with a very striking man. It is only later that she realises that he is a man with secrets. These secrets quickly put her in mortal danger and the object of her affection, Mark, pays a price to have her kept out of harms way. When Nina finds out what Mark had to give up for her safety she is determined to set the world right again. But there is always a price that need to be paid. Isn't there?

Everyone said the Alpha, James Black, loved me deeply. He would always make me breakfast and send me to work. Whenever I got sick, he would stay up all night to watch over me. I thought the same thing too. One day, a she-wolf humiliated me by treating me like a servant and demanding I grill meat for her. James did not refuse. Instead, he nonchalantly told me, "What are you standing there for? Go and grill some meat." I stood up, left the banquet hall, and never went back. Later, he knelt at my door and begged me to come home, but I already had a new mate.