Masking Grief

I married a man just hours after being abandoned at the altar. Now I’m staring at a stranger who calls me his wife. Sofie Davis never imagined her perfect wedding would end in ruin, her white dress soaked by rain, her dreams shattered at her feet. Left behind on a day meant to honor her late parents, Sofie is drowning in heartbreak when James Alexander Reed steps forward with an impossible offer: a contract marriage. James, a powerful and emotionally walled-off billionaire, has watched Sofie from afar, drawn to the sincerity and compassion that set her apart from the world he knows. For him, the proposal is a shield against the fortune-seekers orbiting his wealth and a chance to finally get close to the woman he’s never forgotten. For Sofie, it’s a desperate attempt to reclaim her dignity, rewrite the ending, and survive the public humiliation she never asked for. As their fragile arrangement begins to blur, Sofie’s fire and empathy chip away at James’s defenses, revealing a tenderness even he didn’t know he still possessed. But both carry wounds that run deep: grief, betrayal, and the quiet ache of loneliness masked by control. Their journey is messy, tender, and slow-burning. And when love finally demands more than convenience, Sofie and James must decide if what’s growing between them is worth the risk or if it’s safer to walk away before their hearts are fully exposed. Unbound Desires is a story of second chances, healing, and the kind of intimacy that only blossoms when two people dare to be truly seen.

Maya hates werewolves. Why wouldn’t she? They killed her parents in the Blood War and they killed her adoptive parents only son. They were welcomed in the town but left only pain, grief and ruin in their wake. The town life is simple after the Blood War, live your life and hate werewolves. Her life becomes a bit complicated when a mysterious boy moves into town and joins their elite private school. Their attraction is magnetic and intense and this new emotion gives Maya a different sense of things, she falls for him, fast and hard. But what happens when he tells her what he truly is? And even worse, when she finds out what she is? Will their messed up relationship stand the test of the truth coming to light or will it break just like the trust she had in him?

Three years ago, Devia lost her father in a tragic accident. In the midst of her grief, the Bagaskara family came with an offer that sealed her fate: marriage to their son, Argantara. Five years of being his lawful wife never made her a part of his heart. Argantara was cold, distant, and treated their marriage as nothing more than a loveless agreement. When Devia finally brought him the joyful news of her pregnancy, she hoped it would melt the ice wall between them. But reality struck cruelly—on that very night, her husband asked for a divorce.

Today was supposed to be my wedding day. The D-day, the big day—whatever people liked to call it. For me, it was meant to be the happiest day of my life. Our life. But to the likes of me, happiness was nothing but a cruel illusion. The groom, Clyde Monroe, wasn’t waiting for me at the altar. Instead, the ruthless, calculating billionaire—known for his icy demeanor and unmatched power—was on one knee before someone else. Someone who was supposed to be dead. His ex-girlfriend. As the truth unraveled, so did the fragile threads of the life we were building. Betrayal, grief, humiliation—I felt it all. Clyde’s haunted past, one I had only glimpsed, was now ripping apart the fragile illusion of the bond I thought we shared. The truth? I was nothing more than a pawn, a random babymaker caught in a game I never signed up to play. My name is Margaux Olsen, and I am his unwanted bride.

"In the dark underbelly of the city, where loyalty is a luxury and power is a deadly game, two souls collide in a fate-bound dance. Aurelia Montez, a 24-year-old restaurant owner with a heart of gold and a spirit of steel, is forced to make a Faustian bargain with the ruthless city lord, Baron Lupo Bianchi, to save her family from the merciless wrath of the mafia. Baron, a 250-year-old bloodthirsty werewolf in disguise as a 35year ruthless mafia with a penchant for destruction and a heart consumed by grief and anger, sees Aurelia as a tantalizing target for torment, her resemblance to his traitorous lunar mate a constant reminder of his pain. As their paths entwine, a spark of humanity awakens within Baron, threatening to disrupt his cruel plans and transform his malevolent nature. But will Aurelia's determination and resourcefulness be enough to tame the beast within, or will the darkness consume them both? Dive into a world of loyalty, power, and redemption, where the lines between good and evil blur, and the fate of two souls hangs in the balance."

Born in scandal, raised in shadows—Mira has only known the scorn of being an Omega’s daughter. In the harsh hierarchy of Pine Shadows Pack, her life is marked by grief and servitude. But when her mother dies mysteriously, Mira begins to unravel a past darker and more powerful than she ever imagined. Bound by secrets and driven by resilience, Mira embarks on a journey to discover her true heritage. Alongside Eryna, a rogue healer, Mira decodes her mother's hidden journals, uncovering a conspiracy of poison and power that spans generations. Her path leads her to Moonlit Pack and into the heart of her real lineage—one where love once blossomed secretly and betrayal took root. Caught between two rival packs, Mira's unique abilities, strength, and immunity to silver make her indispensable. Yet, amidst political turmoil and brewing war, her greatest challenge emerges in the form of forbidden love with Liam, the Alpha heir who once scorned her. Can Mira bridge the bitter divide between packs, unravel the corruption poisoning their bonds, and embrace her rightful destiny? Or will the weight of hidden truths shatter her newfound identity and the delicate peace she's fought so fiercely to forge? "From Omega’s Daughter to Alpha’s Daughter" is a riveting tale of romance, courage, and redemption—a story about the power hidden within us all, waiting to be discovered.

Cara Wylder is the last female in the prestigious Wylder lineage, a family blessed with a rare and powerful she-wolf known as the Golden Luna. This ancient blessing grants her lineage immense power, as any Alpha bonded to her is destined to rule with unmatched strength. However, Cara’s legacy is threatened by a secret—she cannot shift into her wolf form. As rumors of her wolflessness begin to spread, her father, Alpha Roy Wylder, offers her hand in marriage to Darius Wrent, the powerful Lycan King, in an effort to preserve her reputation and the family's standing. On their wedding day, Darius, suspicious of her lack of a wolf’s presence, demands that Cara shift in front of the gathered wolves. When she fails to do so, he publicly rejects her, leaving her disgraced and humiliated. As the other powerful Alphas look on, uninterested in a wolfless bride, Darius mockingly asks if any would dare take her hand. To everyone’s surprise, Lucien Valen, a weakened Alpha who lost most of his power after the death of his fated mate, steps forward to claim her. Lucien, once a contender for Alpha King, has been ridiculed for years, holding onto his title solely due to the loyalty of his people. Ignoring the scorn of the other Alphas, Lucien marries Cara and takes her to his castle. Though she expects a life of shame, Cara soon discovers that Lucien is not cruel, neither is he weak Alpha the others believe him to be. His power remains but is locked under the grief from the loss that haunts him and his inability to enact revenge even after all this years. As they get closer, unsettling truths about Lucien's past and the mastermind behind the fall of the once legendary Alpha is exposed.

In the coastal quiet of Baler, a studio is born—not of architecture, but of intention.* Founded by Yam, a poet whose words cradle pain gently, and Franc, an artist who paints tenderness into walls, the studio becomes a refuge for those learning to stay—with grief, love, longing, and themselves. As visitors arrive, they leave behind more than footprints: a sigh recorded in bamboo, a poem tucked into the “Found Letters” shelf, a mural painted in crooked lines. Through zines, tea, silence, and sketchbooks, the studio teaches softness as revolution. Ren creates the *Window of Soft Returns*, an installation of anonymous voice recordings—each whisper forming a community of echoes. Drew builds the *Staircase With No Wrong Turns*, inviting people to walk through emotions without shame. Franc offers brushstrokes as brave work, and Yam curates writing circles that map healing in half sentences. Together, they host festivals that feel like hugs, and they begin traveling their archive, letting softness cross oceans. Even those who once left—like Miguel—return, discovering that some doors never truly close. Others, like Tala, capture the studio’s sound and turn it into a podcast of breath and becoming. Over seventy chapters, the studio transforms into something larger than itself: a mural of memory, a sanctuary for second chances, a place where return is sacred and voice is proof of survival. In the final bloom, the studio stands not as a monument—but as a reminder: > *“Staying isn’t easy. > But chosen together, > it becomes home.”*

In the dark underbelly of Philadelphia, two opposing crime families—the Morgans and the Rinaldis—have maintained a tenuous peace. However, when a merciless Japanese gang executes the killings of their leaders to instigate turmoil, the equilibrium of power breaks, sending the city into a lethal battle of trickery, treachery, and vengeance. Sierra Morgan, the unacknowledged and overlooked daughter of the Morgan clan, is plunged into a perilous task: wed Dominic Rinaldi, the icy and strategic new Don of Il Condottiero, and deceive him for the sake of her vengeful half-siblings. It’s a task she cannot decline, but as Sierra enters the foe's lair, she realizes that Dominic is not the cold-hearted villain she thought he was. Underneath his harsh facade exists a man marked by grief, allegiance, and hidden truths. As their arranged marriage develops into an unforeseen situation, Sierra feels conflicted between her allegiance to her family and the increasing emotions she harbors for the man she was meant to ruin. But betrayal runs deep on both sides, and when shocking truths emerge—including a secret child, forbidden affairs, and an insidious mole within the Rinaldi clan—Sierra realizes the true enemy may not be who she thought. With bloodshed escalating and time running out, Sierra must make an impossible choice: protect the man she loves or betray him to save herself. Can love survive in a world where loyalty is bought with blood, and betrayal is just another business transaction? A story of forbidden love, power struggles, and shocking twists, this gripping tale will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

Jeanne Blanchard’s world shatters after the loss of her first child. As grief consumes her, so does the growing distance between her and her husband, Edgar De Villiers. Once loving and devoted, Edgar now barely acknowledges her, and the weight of blame from those around her becomes unbearable. On their fifth anniversary, when Edgar doesn’t even show up, Jeanne knows—his love is gone. Then, by chance, she meets Hector Éclair. Charming, attentive, and everything Edgar no longer is, Hector becomes the light in Jeanne’s darkness. With him, she rediscovers warmth, passion, and the love she craves. When she learns she is pregnant, she leaves Edgar behind—only for him to realize, too late, what he has lost. But Jeanne’s new beginning comes with a dangerous twist. The man who healed her heart is not just any man—he’s a ruthless mafia lord. And while Edgar, a dedicated policeman, may have failed her in love, he will not fail in his duty. Now, Jeanne is caught between two powerful men—one who let her slip away, and one who may never let her go.