No Better Than Strangers

El día que iba a dar a luz a mis gemelos, soborné al médico de la familia para que me inyectara todos los potentes medicamentos disponibles en el hospital para frenar las contracciones y retrasar el parto por la fuerza. Lo hice porque, en mi vida pasada, Vincenzo Moretti había sido diagnosticado con baja calidad de esperma, apenas podía concebir. Para asegurarse de tener un heredero, mantuvo diez amantes fuera de casa y anunció que el hijo que naciera primero sería el próximo padrino de la familia. Me había prometido que si lograba dar a luz antes que ellas, se despediría de todas sus amantes y permitiría que mi hijo heredara el clan Moretti. Yo le creí. Cuando descubrí que estaba esperando gemelos, temblaba de la emoción. Pero al final del parto, ordenó que me arrojaran junto a mis recién nacidos al frío sótano donde estaban los vinos, y le prohibieron a cualquiera acercarse. —Lucia viene de un origen humilde. Solo quería asegurarle a su hijo un estatus dentro de la familia para que ambos tuvieran un futuro mejor. Pero tú, a propósito, difundiste la noticia, haciendo que ella sufriera un parto desesperado y causando la muerte de ambos. —Eres tan cruel que no mereces ser la madre del heredero de la familia Moretti. Reflexiona bien, en tres días te dejaré salir. Luego, ordenó al mayordomo sellar las puertas. Pero lo que no sabía es que esa noche, el sótano se incendió, y mis hijos y yo morimos quemados en las llamas. Cuando volví a abrir los ojos, regresé a la noche anterior al parto. En esta vida, no seré la esposa de un mafioso. Cuando nazcan mis hijos y recupere fuerzas, huiré con mis pequeños lo más lejos posible.

I was once Fiona's consigliere. I put the Falcone Family in her hands，helping her become the untouchable Don. And when a rival family put out a hit, I took the car bomb meant for her. It cost me my eyes. She knelt by my hospital bed and swore a blood oath. She would be my eyes. I would be her only husband. Later, after an operation by a top surgeon, my eyes recovered. I couldn't wait to rush home to surprise her. But when I pushed open the door, I saw her tangled together with Leo, her bodyguard, on the desk I had custom-made for her. Fiona was pressed against Leo in revealing clothing, her face flushed. Crumpled white tissues littered the floor. Between ragged breaths, she called Leo’s name repeatedly. "Fiona, why are you still keeping that useless blind fuck around? Let me take care of him for you." "Leo, shut up. I need more time. Now, get inside me. That's all that matters." The Chicago winter rain was bone-chilling that night. I completely gave up. After walking out of the house in just my shirt, I pulled out my phone and booked a one-way ticket to Sicily. I will cut ties completely with this family and with her.

El día del divorcio, solo me llevé la ropa de la boda. La casa, el auto, el dinero, las hijas... todo se lo dejé a mi esposo, Daniel Vegas. Él me miró con sorpresa y esbozó una sonrisa burlona: —¿Estás segura? Criaste a las tres niñas con tus propias manos, ¿tampoco las quieres? —Si de verdad no quieres nada, tampoco te pediré la pensión alimenticia. Así será justo. Firmé rápido los documentos del divorcio y dije con tono sereno: —Sí, muy justo. Daniel dudó un momento antes de estampar lentamente su firma. —Si te arrepientes, puedes... Interrumpí su frase con un gesto de la mano y me fui sin volver la mirada. Daniel siempre decía que me casé con él por dinero e influencia, e incluso intentó atarlo a través de los hijos. Pero ya no importaba. Cuando al fin viera mi cadáver, lo entendería.

My mate, Xander Smith, falls into the Red Moon pack's fire trap when he's out. I'm burned, heavily injured, and rendered unconscious while saving him. When I blearily come to in the clinic, I hear him tell the healer to kill my wolf. "Are you sure? Ophelia bore your heir. How can you hurt her wolf?" The healer's hand trembles as he clutches a silver needle. He's unwilling to be so cruel to me. However, Xander says firmly, "Dahlia is back, and I want her to attend the appointment ceremony as the mother of my heir. The only way to stop Ophelia from fighting Dahlia for this is by making her as weak as an Omega. "Dahlia has already been banished from the Red Moon pack after losing her mate. I can't let the werewolves in the New Moon pack scorn her. As for Ophelia… she'll forever be my Luna." I clench my fists and squeeze my eyes shut. My love for him dies as my wolf does. Since Xander insists on giving another woman a place in his life, it's time for me to take my leave.

On the day I entered my contract marriage with Brian Janson, a flood of comments suddenly flashed before my eyes. [No…! The villainess is going to ruin the male lead’s purity!] [The CEO’s first time should belong to the heroine! Shameless woman, get off his waist right now!] [Are they going to do it or not? I’m on a tight schedule.] [Come on, have some loyalty to the main couple!] [If Brian knew he wouldn’t be able to give Quincy the ‘pure, untouched version’ of himself in the future, he’d probably drown in guilt.] Pure, untouched version? Sorry. I was born a villain, and making trouble is what I do best. So while Brianwas drunk, I leaned in without the slightest bit of guilt. The comments exploded again. [It’s over. They look like they’re about to get married for real!] [Am I seeing things? Did the male lead just… smile?]

La novena ceremonia de unión entre el Rey Alfa, Thorne Ravencrest, y yo, finalmente ha llegado. Sin embargo, una vez más, no logré convertirme en su Reina Luna. No porque él rompiera su promesa, sino porque no estoy lo suficientemente calificada. Los Ancianos dejaron muy claro que, cada Reina Luna reconocida por la Diosa de la Luna, a lo largo de la historia debe cultivar 365 Flores de Luz de Luna, utilizando su propia esencia de sangre. Pero cada año, en la víspera de la ceremonia, sin importar cuánto cuidado tenga, siempre falta una flor. Este año, casi me desangré por completo y apenas logré cultivar el número correcto. Extasiada, voy a buscar a Thorne, queriendo sorprenderlo. A través de la puerta entreabierta de la sala del trono, escucho a su Beta decirle: —Rey Alfa, Sera lo ha estado esperando por ocho años. ¿Alguna vez se unirá a ella? Thorne sacude la cabeza. —Le prometí a Willow que este año tampoco podemos unirnos. Su Beta vacila. —¿Y si Sera realmente logra cultivar suficientes Flores de Luz de Luna? Thorne se queda en silencio por un momento y luego aplaude. Un lobo de las sombras aparece y se funde en la oscuridad. Poco después, el lobo regresa con una Flor de Luz de Luna entre sus mandíbulas. Él desgarra la flor hasta hacerla trizas y deja escapar un suspiro. —Sera tiene sangre de sobra. Olvida un año; ella podría seguir cultivando flores por otros diez años y estar bien. Pero Willow ha sido envenenada con acónito. Soy todo lo que le queda, y ella me quiere a su lado en sus últimos días. No soporto rechazar a Willow, lo que significa que Sera simplemente tendrá que esperar un poco más. Me muerdo el labio con fuerza, apenas capaz de creer lo que escucho. Así que las Flores de Luz de Luna que desaparecían misteriosamente siempre fueron destruidas por él. Convertirme en Reina Luna ha sido mi sueño desde la infancia. Pero si él nunca tuvo la intención de unirse a mí, entonces es hora de que lo deje.

***Warning: Mature Audience Only*** No Safe Word is a sinful collection of short stories where control is the ultimate game, and surrender is inevitable. From ruthless CEOs to dangerous strangers and forbidden rivals, every short stories teases the edge of pleasure. Each story pulses with obsession, domination and a passion that burns through every rule… just when you think you’ve had enough, it pulls you deeper into a world where there is no safe word. Dare to play? There’s no turning back once you say yes.

Ava Kane is seventeen, unshifted, and unwanted. In a pack, failing to shift at seventeen brands you as weak—a disgrace. To her guardian pack, Ava is a stain, disposable and easily forgotten. Terrified of being cast out, she accepts a reckless dare from one of the pack’s strongest among her peers, desperate to prove she isn’t worthless. The dare changes everything, putting her on the path to an encounter that will change the entire trajectory of her life. Nathan Cross is the Alpha of Crescent Ridge—powerful, feared, and under relentless pressure to claim a Luna. One night of escape from his responsibilities as Alpha leads him straight into the path of a trembling girl with no wolf... and a scent that shakes his instincts to the core. She has no wolf within her, which should make her either too young or defective. Yet his wolf has decided on her. As Ava’s 18th birthday draws near and long-buried secrets about her past come to light, she begins to realize she may be more than anyone ever believed—including herself. When the balance between the packs begin to fall apart with her right in the center, being chosen by an Alpha wolf may not be enough to keep her safe.

My best friend has always been stingy to the bone, so the moment she volunteers to buy a bottle of water for the heir to Bellaris' most powerful family, who collapsed from heatstroke, I know she has been reborn, too. In my previous life, she and I sat for the college entrance exam together, and when the results were announced, we both got the same high score. Both of us had our eyes on Kingsley University, yet the admissions quota was limited, and neither of us wanted to jeopardize our friendship, so we kept delaying our application. In the blink of an eye, it was the last day to file our applications, and as I was about to start on mine, I stumbled upon the heir to Bellaris' most powerful family, who happened to be suffering from heatstroke. I not only bought him a bottle of water, but I also held an umbrella over him until he came to. By the time he regained consciousness, I had already missed the submission deadline. My best friend submitted hers just in time and got accepted into Kingsley University. Because I never submitted mine, the opportunity to attend university slipped past me. However, the heir apparent was touched by my act of kindness, and he asked for my hand in marriage. In the end, I married him and became a socialite, whereas my best friend, despite getting into Kingsley University, was overwhelmed by the demanding curriculum. Watching me live with more money than I could spend, she was fueled with jealousy until one day, she snapped and stabbed me. The moment I open my eyes again, my best friend and I are back on the day the heir to Bellaris' most powerful family passes out from the heat.

“If you leave here now, consider this marriage over!” “Anna.” Davy gasped, his eyes searching mine, but I folded my arms, my resolve unwavering. “You don’t mean this. Look, I will only spend a day, and I will be back to you.” “If you walk out that door, you might as well call a lawyer, because the next time you see me will be in court.” I repeated slowly, firmly, staring straight into his eyes so he knew I wasn’t bluffing. “It’s your choice.” The air between us was thick, almost suffocating and I held my breath, waiting for him to choose. But I should have known this was Davy. There was no hesitation in his eyes as he turned his back on me and walked away. *** There was one thing Anna Sinclair hated more than the color yellow: her husband’s profession. And there was one thing Davy Hale Walton loved more than his wife: that same profession. But how will they coexist?