Nine Ties

Yvonne Xander had three of her ribs broken before she finally managed to escape from the mental asylum. After she escaped, the first thing she did was to sign the agreement to donate her body after her death. “Miss Xander, we must let you know that this is a special donation. Your body will be used to test a new chemical reagent. By then, there might be nothing of you left.” Yvonne pressed down on her aching chest. Her broken ribs made her voice sound like a broken ventilator. With great difficulty, she grimaced. “Just what I want.”

My breath hitched in my throat as he held me closer. His mouth dangerously close to my ear, his hot breath fanning against my skin, as he started to whisper. “You're a siren, Ember. Luring me into the flames. And it just so happens that I'm ready to get consumed.” ____ Ember Flynn thought she'd left her past behind, after her world was shattered with betrayal and tragedy, she rebuilt her life in Florida with her young son. But when she runs into Maverick Nightshade, the enigmatic stranger from her darkest night - Ember's carefully constructed walls start to crumble. As their passion reignites, she's forced to confront the lies and secrets that have haunted her for so long. Can she trust Maverick, or will their love be destroyed by the very secrets that bind them? And when the full moon rises again, will her destiny be sealed or will love set her free?

By a twist of fate, my husband, Morgan Lancaster, and I perish together in a sea of flames. When I open my eyes again, I find myself back on the very day we received our marriage certificate. In my previous life, we appeared to be a loving couple in the eyes of others, yet Morgan refused to share a bedroom with me the entire time we were married. It was only moments before our deaths that I discovered I was merely a substitute for his first love and that he had chosen to remain chaste for her for life. After getting another chance at life, neither of us mentions the past. Instead, by mutual understanding, we file for divorce that same day. From that point on, we go our separate ways. Eight years later, Morgan shows up arm in arm with his childhood sweetheart, Freya Springer, at a business summit. He is now a prominent and celebrated rising star in the business world. Seeing me dressed in a plain outfit, he approaches with a glass of champagne. His tone drips with mockery as he asks, "Ms. Smith, even if you still have feelings for me, there's no need to dress like a waitress just to get close to me. You aren't hoping for a reconciliation, are you?" I say nothing and simply smile as I wave at someone in the distance. My son, Theo Coltrane, toddles over and tugs at the hem of my shirt. "Mommy, Daddy says that he's tired from waiting so long. When are you coming home with us?" The smile on Morgan's face freezes instantly, and he nearly loses his grip on the glass in his hand.

My mate, Jasper Morrison, says coldly, "Elena, I'm breaking our mate bond." We stand on the open ground at the edge of the Silvermoon pack's territory. The full moon hangs high overhead, and this should be the sweetest moment for fated mates. We've loved each other for ten years. And now, he's about to break the bond Moon Goddess has given us. "Why?" I ask in a shaky voice. "You're an orphaned wolf," he says, turning his face away. "You don't have the bloodline to match me. The pack Elders have already approved this." A tearing pain rips through my chest. Having the mate bond stripped from me feels like my soul is being torn apart. I collapse to my knees, gasping for air. "Serena's father is one of the strongest Alphas in the North," Jasper says, looking down at me without a trace of guilt. "She'll help me rise as the strongest Beta in the Silvermoon pack's history." "You said…" I clench my teeth, fighting the pain. "You said you'd spend your life with me." "I was young and foolish," Jasper replies, already turning away. "The bonding ceremony is in three days. I suggest you don't cause trouble." Moonlight glints off his retreating form. I watch him walk away, my fingers clutching the moonstone bracelet my mother left me. It's my only keepsake. A message from an unknown number appears. "Elena, this is Damon, your older brother. I've been looking for you for 20 years." "I've attached a black card with unlimited credit. The resources of the entire Blackwood pack are at your disposal. No matter what you're facing, I've got you." I stare at the screen. The Blackwood pack? The top wolf pack in North Anthica? Another message soon pops up. "I'll come get you in three days. Wait for me." My finger hovers over the delete button. It has to be a scam. I'm just an orphaned wolf. How could I possibly have a brother from the Blackwood pack? Just then, a voice message from Jasper arrives. "Elena, for old times' sake, I'll arrange a place for you in one of the pack's spare houses when the ceremony ends. You can stay as part of the pack. I'll take care of you." He wants me to watch him bond with another she-wolf and thank him for keeping me in the pack. I delete Jasper's contact, then rename the unknown number in my phone to "Damon". My fingers tremble as I type a single word. "Okay."

I am one of the last of the merfolk, born with the ability to create Mermaid's Pearls. Pearls that can bring the dead back to life. After the werewolf, Kyle, saved me from human hunters, I would have done anything for him. He died nine times expanding his pack’s territory. Each time, my pearl brought him back. The ninth time, I was too weak to even stand. But the first thing he did when he woke up was pull a sexy omega she-wolf into his arms and flirt, "Baby, you smell incredible—not like Althea. Her scent does nothing for me." He glanced at my pale face, annoyed. "Go rest. Get ready for the next time. I'll need you again soon." The next time? He had no idea. There would be no next time. I only had nine pearls. And I'd just given him my last.

I accidentally come across a post made by my mom's smurf account on the Internet. "Is it too cheap for me to prepare just a set of gold bars as a coming-of-age gift for my daughter?" My heart skips a beat. My parents are known for being extremely stingy. To think that they are willing to spend this much on me! I'm worried that my parents might overwork themselves just to prepare such a lucrative gift, so I take a screenshot and save the link to a three-year vacation tour that's priced at 999 dollars. Then, I decide to respond to the post as an anonymous user. "Your daughter will feel very happy as long as she receives her parents' love. No materialistic gift can ever outshine that." Five minutes later, Mom responds to me, "Thank you for your suggestion, but I've already taken my darling on a graduation trip in Enora last week. She had so much fun there."

Life is never black and white. One minute you’re a struggling graphic designer in LA that's finally coming to terms with being single forever, and the next you're flying to New York in a private jet to get engaged to your ex-boyfriend’s older brother. At least...that’s what everyone thinks. Forced to clean up his playboy image in order to protect his company, Beckham Sinclair, the city’s most eligible billionaire bachelor, wants me to be his fake fiancée and personal assistant. Now I'm spending every spare second with a man I thought I’d never see again. My freshly mended heart has barely recovered from the first time a Sinclair broke it. But with each passing day, Beck’s dirty mouth and lingering stares make me question his motives—and mine. As the line blurs between real and pretend, only one thing is certain: there are secrets hiding in this city full of black ties and white lies.

Kayleigh: Who should I give my heart to? The one meant to cherish it? Or the one destined to break it into pieces? It’s inevitable. I am bound to choose … Or forever be doomed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cillian: You’re all I need, baby. Without you, I have nothing. Without you, I am nothing. I love you, yesterday, today, and for the rest of our lives. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Andrei: I’ll be your protector, savior, and your wolf in shining armor. I’m going to make you mine even if it’s going to ruin me in the end. ______________________________________________________________________________ What does a wolf-less she-wolf, a charismatic alpha heir, and a mysterious werewolf have in common? Love-triangle, pack duties, and family secrets. In short, chaos, chaos, and chaos. I am Kayleigh Donnelly, the Alpha King’s daughter and legacy bearer. I have issues. First, I’m still wolf-less at 18. Second, my bloodline might be tainted. And my last issue comes in the form of two alpha heirs: Cillian O’Ryan. Future Alpha of the Blue Blood Pack. Tall, athletic, and ruggedly handsome. The golden child and most sought after alpha heir among all wolf bloods. Then there’s Andrei Romanov. Future Alpha of the Korol Volkov Pack. Tall, lithe, and sinfully stunning. Descendant of Russian royalty. And just like his family, he is full of power, enigma, and secrets. One is my fated mate and the other my chosen one. One is my savior and the other needs me to save him. One stole my first kiss. The other asked me to be his wife. One wolf is my calm, and the other is my mayhem. My entanglement with these two alpha heirs has been both a blessing and a curse. Moon Goddess, are you having fun yet?

He shattered her heart. Now fate is giving him one more chance—if only she’ll let him in. *********** Zara never imagined she’d return to the world that stole her innocence. But survival leaves scars, and behind her mask is a woman reborn—stronger, guarded, and determined never to be broken again. Liam thought he buried his past in boardrooms and blood. Yet when his newest bodyguard stirs memories long buried, he’s torn between guilt, obsession, and hope. Her eyes. Her silence. Her fire—it all feels too familiar. As the truth inches closer and old wounds resurface, Zara and Liam find themselves caught in a dangerous dance of secrets, revenge, and unresolved love. But some hearts, no matter how shattered, remember who they beat for. In a world of fragile trust and dangerous truths, can love really survive the lies of the heart?

"What would it take to tempt you? What would it take to pay for my father's sins?" Elena asked, feeling intimated. Andrea studied her with a smile on his face. "You." Elena staggered back with shock. "What?" "I want you." Andrea said taking a step closer to her. "I want you to be my mistress. To please me in exchange for your father's debt." ************************* When Elena's father, Rocco, embezzles money from Andrea's company, he is faced with prosecution in jail. Andrea is bent on dealing with him to maintain his reputation as a ruthless multi-billionaire. But his plans for Rocco changes when he meets Elena. Elena is determined to save her father from going to jail and she is willing to do anything for that. Anything including suggesting a deal with Andrea. But Andrea wants something she cannot easily offer. Herself. Will she become his mistress and please him in exchange for her father's debt? Or will she resist his tempting charms and offer?