Midsummer By Manuel Arguilla Summary

Josh: I was focused on my revenge. Practically all of my family was killed, and I would not allow their deaths to be erased, irrelevant and unpunished. I wanted, and would do, justice. I was powerful enough for that, and I was focused. But everything changed when I found Pietra. So pretty, a little shy, and very dedicated. His intelligence charmed me, and his sharp tongue interested me. But to be honest, her body messed with me too (more than it should have). So, I was at an impasse: if I chose Pietra, I would have to give up my revenge. And if I chose to do justice, I couldn't have her in my life. Everything was very complicated, and it got worse when I found out that Pietra was predestined to be my partner. One way or another, at one time or another, she would have to be mine whether we both wanted it or not.

“How dare you touch my woman?!” Everyone gasped at Nathaniel’s words. My prosecutors released me and I stood frozen on the spot as I glared at my Savior. The man who I had come to know to be my mate… was in fact the Alpha of my Pack— Alpha Nathaniel Dark wood… ______ Riya is a young orphan mistreated and bullied by her stepmother and step-sister. Things worsen when her stepmother announces that she has been sold to an old merchant to be his bride. In a fit to seize her life, she makes a run for it and runs into her fated mate— Alpha Nathaniel— who saves her from the wicked clutches of her abusive family. Now Riya must prove herself worthy of being the Luna of the pack through trials and deceptions and obstacles set for her by her jealous step-sister and dark witches seeking to destroy the pack. Will Riya succeed in proving herself worthy of being Luna or will her sister and the dark forces defeat her in the end?

He rejected her. She disappeared. Now, she is coming back with her son... and the power to govern. When the humble omega Aria Winters discovers that her destiny companion is the ruthless Alpha Kale Blackthorn, not only is she rejected, but she is humiliated in front of the entire ShadowClaw pack as she questions the wisdom of the Moon Goddess. Broken and exiled, Aria runs away only to discover that she is pregnant with his child. Three years later, she returns transformed. Childbirth awakened her dormant line of royal blood, making her the last living heiress of the Alpha Royal Line. But Lyric, the false moon, poisoned the pack with black magic, and supernatural enemies threaten everything. When Aria stands up to claim her birthright, Kale’s leadership collapses without her true mate. This time, she doesn’t need to be saved. She is the one who has the power to save everyone.

The handsome and compassionate Baron Fabian Deschamps took pity on a bride callously treated by her old and ugly groom on the day of their wedding, so he invoked his right to her first night. He wanted to give the arrogant husband a lesson and his virgin wife a pleasurable seduction she hopefully will never forget. But as soon as her lips touched his, he realizes he also has a lesson to learn. Not all virgins are innocent. Adalene Duvre is a smart, curious, beautiful young woman. And there is the danger he’s the one who might never forget her… if he could still let her go. As soon as Adalene gets the chance to fulfill her curiosity about the matrimonial bed and the anatomy of a man, she wanted to know more. Fabian is finding it hard to think about the day he is bound to give her back to her real husband...

“I want to go home,” “You think you can come into my territory without my permission and then decide when you leave?” He said, “That is not possible,” “Please Let me go,” I pleaded. “You are mine now,” ~•^•*•^•*•^•*•^•*•^•*•^•*•^•*•^•*•~ Blue Winter had entered into the most feared and ruthless wolf pack territory with a burning desire for vengeance against those who had taken her father’s life. But what she doesn't know is that she is mated to the Alpha of the pack responsible for her dad’s death.

“Isabella Morgan’s marriage to Xavier Thompson was meant to be a dream come true, but she quickly learns she’s merely a pawn in a game of betrayal and ambition. After a devastating divorce and a rise to legal prominence, Isabella finds herself defending Xavier in a murder trial. As secrets unravel and their past resurfaces, can they turn their broken love into a story of redemption and hope?”

Odessa Was just twenty when her parents forcefully married her off to a young wealthy multimillionaire, Elliott Marley, but he sent her packing two years later, when she couldn't take in or give him a child. This leave Odessa devastated and running to her parents, who to her utmost chagrin, disowned her and called her all sort of names enough to burn a woman self esteem. She cried and drink herself to stupor at a local bar downtown, oblivious of the recent news of the recent kidnaping of young women. Odessa got kidnapped by Aryan Seagrave, an infamous texas drug lord and he made her his sex slave. Things are about to get twisted when Aryan's brothers fell in love with Odessa. Odessa was caught in the middle of this mess with the five brothers fighting over her and she not knowing who to choose.

Rune Leeder has been demoted to a servant since her father was declared a traitor. Her family was taken away from her, and she has to suffer constant bullying from other pack members. She’s sure she’ll live her life like that until she takes her last breath, but the Moon Goddess has something in store for her. Alpha Kane is the most feared Alpha in all the packs; he’s strict, ruthless, and far from happy that his mate is a servant who was demoted for her family’s involvement in treason. He swears she won’t be the Luna of the pack as it poses a threat should her father come out of hiding and decide to destroy the pack his ancestors arrived to build, but he can’t get her out of his mind, neither can he keep his hands to himself when she’s close. **** “Do you really not know, or are you pretending not to know?” Huskiness lingered in his tone. Zarah growled, and I picked up a faint musky scent, earthy and masculine, that became stronger with each passing second. Alpha Kane smirked. Zarah growled again, this time louder. I sniffed and unconsciously pulled Alpha Kane closer to me. The scent rolled off him effortlessly. I shut my eyes and buried my nose in the crook of his neck, sniffing uncontrollably as though my body had a mind of its own. It did. “MATE,” Zarah growled, and my eyes flew open. “Alright, that’s enough,” Alpha Kane peeled my hands off him, an amused smile on his lips.

When Nicole had Alex in her life, she couldn't wish for anyone better. Barely surviving a heavily bruised past, he's the only person who has made her feel safe in a long time. That is…..until his family rejects her in the worst possible way. And Alex doesn't stop them. Now six years later, she has finally taken control of the reins of her life and made a new woman of herself. But what game does fate have in mind when it lands her right on Alex's lap on an unusual Monday morning? He's no longer the man she knew, but one thing remains certain. He wants her back, and he's not going about it the gentle way. She risks another rejection and most importantly, her heart if she dares open up to him. Will she finally bow to the pressure Alex continues to mount on her as she's forced to work side by side with him? Especially with the secrets of her past fast creeping towards her? The weight of one secret is heavy enough. But what happens when Nicole has two?

"Tell me," I stutteringly said, my voice breaking like glass. "Do you only want to have sex with me?" With a furrowed brow and a tone that suggested frustration. He began, "Mabel, I... I don't-” "Steve, I can't handle inconsistency now! I simply cannot. I cut him off, yelling as I shook my head angrily. "What is going on between us?" My gaze pierced his, requesting an open response and a clear route through the emotional ruins. His jaw tensed as he averted his gaze, then returned to me with a look of deep confusion on his face. He said, "I don't know either, Mabel," in a voice that was hardly more than a whisper and was filled with a sense of helplessness that was similar to mine. "Everything is moving so quickly.” I averted my eyes and frantically wiped at the unrelenting stream of tears that were tracing icy paths down my hot cheeks. "I think you need to leave," I whispered, barely able to breathe. I felt like my voice was about to break. ****** Mabel Jordan, scarred by past betrayal, seeks solace in the bustling city of Dax city. Sharing an apartment with the vibrant Hazel Harrison, she's thrust into a world of wealth and secrets. When she encounters Hazel's cousin, Steve Harrison, passion flares between them. Drawn to his dark allure, Mabel agrees to his terms: a no-strings-attached affair. But as their connection deepens, she battles with her own desires and fears and questions the limits of their arrangement. Can she tame the wild heart of a man who has sworn off love? Or will she cling to the safety of a loveless arrangement?