Minamoto Talent Tree

Mate. I froze mid-step, Venom has never said that word before. I've suddenly forgotten the Rogues I was chasing, my whole attention now on the emotions I was feeling. My vision sharpened, focusing on the faint sound of labored breathing just ahead. My heart hammered in my chest as I walked closer, the bond pulling me forward with an urgency I hadn’t felt in decades. The first thing I saw was her hair, a messy dark bun with strands of white, unusual yet unique. She sat curled up against the base of an old tree, arms wrapped tightly around her knees, shoulders trembling. Her thin, tattered sweater barely shielding her from the cold air. She looked... fragile, a word I never thought I’d associate with my mate. Ariel’s life has been anything but easy. Orphaned as a child and left in the care of a cruel stepfather and stepbrother, she’s endured years of emotional and physical abuse. Despite her circumstances, she’s always felt something stirring beneath the surface—an unexplained restlessness, vivid dreams of running under the moonlight, and a deep connection to the forest around her. Zayn, the alpha of the Shadowcrest pack, has spent years searching for his fated mate, the one who would complete him and stand by his side to no avail…he had finally given up on ever finding her. His pack thrives under his leadership, but his heart has grown weary, doubting the Moon Goddess’s promise of a mate. When a chance encounter leads him to Ariel, he’s stunned to discover that the fragile, broken girl is his destined partner—and more than that, she’s a wolf completely unaware of her true nature.

Jake Monroe, heir to the Monroe Shipping fortune, boards the luxury cruise ship Royal with his ambitious parents. His father, Miles, is determined to find Jake a wealthy wife to expand their business empire. He dismisses a modestly dressed young woman as unsuitable—a "gold digger" beneath their social class. Against his father's wishes, Jake is drawn to this mysterious woman, who turns out to be Amity Jenkins, a world-renowned violinist performing under a stage name. Playing her unique transparent violin called the Crystal Voice, Amity captivates audiences with haunting melodies that speak of rebellion and longing for freedom. Both Jake and Amity are secretly struggling against their families' expectations. Jake yearns to marry for love rather than money, while Amity has been hiding her true identity as an heiress to Jenkins-Whitmore Industries, one of Monroe Shipping's biggest rivals. She's created this separate musical life to escape the politics of high society and prove herself through talent rather than inherited wealth. Their growing connection is complicated by family pressure, class assumptions, and hidden truths. Jake's father pushes him toward "suitable" matches like Rebecca Ashford, while Amity's brother Liam tracks her down, demanding she return to the family business. Past betrayals have left Amity wary of trust, especially from someone in Jake's social circle. As the ship sails toward the Mediterranean, both must decide whether to continue living the lives their families have planned or risk everything for authentic connection and self-determination. Their story unfolds against the backdrop of maritime luxury, where appearances deceive and true identity lies beneath the surface.

Jaxon Carter has everything a man could want—talent, fame, and a multimillion-dollar contract with the Titans almost within his grasp. The only problem? His reckless lifestyle stands between him and the contract. But his agency has told him that he can salvage the contract by cleaning up his image. Sienna Blake has two things in life she held dear —her ballet career and her house she grew up creating memories in. But when the bank forecloses her house and her ballet career barely covers her bills, she turns to her agency, only to be coldly rejected. When their paths cross at the agency, Jax sees an opportunity. She needs money. He needs stability. The solution? A fake relationship. He offers to clear her debts in exchange for playing the perfect doting girlfriend—just long enough it's beneficial to them. But what starts as a transaction soon spirals into something neither of them expected. Public appearances turn into stolen moments and close proximate intimacy blurs into something more. They find themselves trapped in a dangerous game—one where the greatest risk isn’t losing a contract or a house… but losing their hearts. And just when Sienna is ready to confess the biggest secret of all, Jax's past comes haunting them. Hurt and betrayed, she walks away without a second glance, choosing to protect her heart and her unborn child. Will Jax fight for what they had? Will he risk everything—including his career—to fight for the only thing that ever truly mattered?