Not Strict Crossword Clue

Ava Sinclair is drowning in debt, desperate to save her critically ill twin brother. With nowhere else to turn, she seeks help from Damian Blackwood—her ruthless, emotionless CEO. But Damian has problems of his own. As an Alpha who despises women, he’s being pressured by his powerful grandmother to marry within a week. Furious, he vows to marry on his terms. A drunken call mistakenly connects him to Ava, where he demands she find him a woman. She misunderstands, insults him, and calls him a pervert. The next day, Damian summons her, revealing he knows about her financial struggles. He offers her a deal—marry him in exchange for clearing all her debts. Ava agrees but sets strict conditions: no touching, no mistresses in their home, and no breaking the contract. Damian smirks, thinking it will be an easy arrangement—until his wolf stirs at her presence. Despite his hatred for Omegas, his possessiveness grows. His wolf whispers, She is ours. Mark her. But Damian refuses to accept it. His past—his mother’s betrayal—fuels his loathing for the mate bond. Yet, Ava fights back against his dominance, defying him at every turn. Tension simmers, jealousy flares, and his control begins to shatter. When a rival Alpha targets Ava, Damian is forced into battle—not just against his enemies, but himself. In a moment of desperation, his wolf takes over. He realizes too late—Ava is his mate. But she’s gone. Kidnapped. Enraged, Damian unleashes his fury, tearing through his enemies. When he finally gets her back, she is broken, unwilling to trust him. For the first time, Damian Blackwood begs. "Give me one chance, Ava." But she won’t be caged. Now, he must fight—not as an Alpha, but as a man in love.

Elena grew up under the strict gaze of her mother, a woman who had no tolerance for failure. Mistakes weren’t just frowned upon—they didn’t exist. For Elena, life was a relentless climb toward perfection, where only one goal mattered: being mated to a high-ranking werewolf. Her mother’s relentless mantra echoed in her mind—anything less would be a disgrace. When her younger sister Serena is mated to their pack’s Beta, Elena’s hope of fulfilling her mother’s dreams shatters. Consumed by despair and humiliation, she flees into the night, leaving her pack behind. But fate is a trickster, and her journey leads her to the forbidden lands of the Nightshade Pack—a savage domain ruled by fear and blood. There, the Moon Goddess delivers her to Alpha VuK, a name whispered in terror across the werewolf world. Ruthless, cunning, and brutal, VuK is everything Elena has been taught to avoid. But the bond forged by the Moon Goddess is unbreakable, and despite their mutual resentment, they are tied together by destiny. As she navigates the treacherous waters of her new life, Elena finds herself at odds with VuK’s merciless rule. Her defiance stirs something long buried in him, even as it threatens to ignite a war between their packs. Yet, beneath the bloodshed and conflict lies an ancient legacy: the title of "Elder's Blood," a symbol of forgotten honor that could either unite them—or destroy everything. Will love and courage rewrite their fates, or will their differences tear them apart?

North Harper, a brilliant yet unassuming third-year college student, finds solace in her books and late-night visits to her mother’s grave, escaping the torment of bullies who call her “turtle girl.” One night, she encounters Valentine, a mysterious Vampire Prince. Their connection deepens, but her life takes a dark turn when a rogue vampire attacks her on campus. To save her, Valentine turns her into a vampire, unknowingly creating a rare hybrid. North awakens with enhanced abilities and newfound confidence, but her unstable powers and hybrid nature put her in danger. Valentine becomes her guide, helping her navigate her new existence, but their growing bond defies ancient vampire laws. As the Vampire Council deems her a threat, a human faction called The Ascendants, an underground organisation bent on taking out Vampires, target her, seeking to use her blood to create superhuman soldiers. Amid rising tensions, The Ascendants infiltrate her college and attempt to abduct her. Forced to confront her dual identity, North must embrace her hybrid powers to protect herself and those she loves. In a climactic battle, North destroys the Ascendants' leader and their serum, saving both vampires and humans. Gravely injured, Valentine’s fate compels her to make a choice: she asks him to transform her into a full-blooded vampire to secure her place in his world. Though the Vampire Council allows her to live, they keep her existence under strict watch, marking the beginning of her journey as a powerful anomaly in both worlds.

Ever since he was a kid, Sieghal was convinced that something terrifying was lurking under the sea, waiting for him with its jaws wide open. But he had no clue what kind of creature it could be. His fear only grew worse when his dad fell into the ocean, forcing him to return to his hometown—Shira, to face the terror he'd never been able to overcome for years. Returning to Shira after all these years was no cakewalk for Sieghal, who despised the sea. While most folks would say the ocean is a super romantic place, not for Sieghal, it was just a gateway ready to drag his soul into death. Unlike him, the people of Shira believed that the ocean, which had sustained them for decades, was protected by a guardian—a wonderful entity with shimmering silver scales. And it was this entity that had saved his dad when he fell into the sea during a massive storm that night. "Is seventy million dollars is enough to buy your dignity, Alfreeda Sieghal?" "Sir Dylan, I'm not to try sell my soul just to get money for my dad's medical bills."

When Alpha Silas Whitlock, the strongest Alpha of the Thunder Stone pack, had expected to settle down with his mate in a peaceful life, he is betrayed by his Beta and half-brother, Ezra, who frames him for a murder he didn’t commit. Now, he has no option but to run from the people who he once considered family. However, what he hadn't expected was to run into his real mate. The only problem is that she’s a weak human with no idea of the existence of the supernatural world and Silas needs a strong warrior by his side if he has to get back his pack and defeat his brother. Zoya had once had the perfect life and the perfect job at New York City Hospital. However, one wrong move with her perverted boss ends her transferred to a clinic in the middle of nowhere. To top it off, her ‘arranged’ fiancé decides to cheat on her with her cousin! Just as she is about to say ‘fuck you’ to her past and start a new life in the mountains, she ends up finding a very naked man inside her cabin in the middle of the woods. What on earth is going on? Things couldn’t get any worse, could they? If only she had the slightest clue… Will Silas be able to look past Zoya’s humanity and accept her as his mate? Or will Zoya have to watch the man she has come to love be claimed by another, breaking her heart forever? Or will fate give her a second chance at love with a man just as broken as her?

21-year-old Emma is sold at an underground auction by her own father where she gets involved into the dangerous world of Dante Rossi, a 30-year-old billionaire mafia boss known for his ruthless reputation. Feared by all and living in isolated luxury, Dante’s mansion becomes both a prison and a place of unexpected refuge for Emma. Despite her initial hatred for the man who bought her, Emma's fiery spirit begins to intrigue Dante, sparking a constant battle of their fierce personalities. As Emma navigates the dangerous underworld, she uncovers layers of Dante’s mysterious persona, revealing a man scarred by a violent past and bound by a strict code of honor. The tension between them ignites a passionate and dangerous dance, transforming hatred into an all-consuming love affair. In a world where trust is rare and enemies lurk in every shadow, Emma and Dante’s love becomes their greatest strength—and their biggest vulnerability.

I've crushed on Ethan McKay since the moment I laid eyes on him. After a year and a half of going to the same college, he still has no clue I exist. Aside from my best friend, I'm practically invisible since I've spent the last seven years of my life purposefully living in the shadows, just waiting for my life to begin. Not that it matters. He's got his own life to live anyway. Parties to attend. Girls to see. And a father to impress so he can regain his trust, and earn back his rightful place in the family business. So, how is it that one night, one party, changes everything for the both of us?

Sofia Carson is flunking out of college, partying too hard, and one test away from losing everything. So when her friends suggest stealing the answer sheet from the hottest—and most feared—professor on campus, she takes the bait. But Professor Lucien Drake, famously known as Professor Grumpy Pants, isn’t just strict… he’s dangerously attentive. And he's been watching her. He catches her. Cornered, humiliated, and expecting punishment—he gives her a choice instead. One that’s filthy, wrong… and impossible to forget. Now Sofia is living a double life: wild party girl by day, obedient student by night. Lucien demands discipline, and she finds herself craving every forbidden touch, every teasing smirk, every wicked command. What started as a deal turns into something deeper. Something obsessive. Something neither of them are ready to admit. But secrets never stay hidden. With jealous rivals, her golden-boy crush suddenly noticing her, and Lucien’s icy ex back in the picture, the heat becomes a wildfire. And Sofia has to ask herself: Is this just lust? Or is she falling for the one man who could ruin her… forever? She was supposed to hate him. She wasn’t supposed to crave him. She definitely wasn’t supposed to fall in love. He was supposed to teach her a lesson. She never expected to want more. Spicy. Scandalous. Addictive.

His mission was to kill her, falling for her wasn't in the plan. To enemies, he was a killing machine. To his own, a fierce shield. Emotions never mattered to him, love was just a myth he had no use for. But everything changed when death swept through the city. Werewolves were being slaughtered, one after another. And every clue pointed to one person, the quirky, loner witch named Violet. He was ordered to eliminate her. It should’ve been easy. But it wasn’t. He wasn’t supposed to fall for her. He wasn’t supposed to defy his Alpha for her. And he sure as hell wasn’t supposed to risk his life to protect that one beauty with violet eyes. ............ Her mother's betrayal didn't just hurt her; it hollowed her. She hardened her heart and strived to become a powerful witch. However, she hadn't expected to fall victim to a malicious conspiracy that almost got her killed. Armed with every spell she knew, she thought she was ready for anything. What she wasn’t ready for… was him. A black-eyed, messy-haired, fuller-lipped Beta who barged into her life and changed it like he owns it. Their story isn’t simple. It’s a tangled mess of love, pain, angst, and stolen moments of happiness. Love is beautiful when people choose it. But it's beyond messy when love chooses its victims.

Lylia, who grew up in the province, was orphaned at a young age and left to care for her seriously ill sibling. The hardships of life forced her to mature quickly and become resourceful to support her sister and cover their daily expenses. This led her to open a small eatery near the local cockfighting arena. However, after discovering that Raze, their district captain, was the creditor of her deceased parents, she was forced to accept his deal, to marry him as payment for half of the debt. If she refused, the captain would demolish their house and eatery, their only source of income. Unknown to everyone, Lylia would also serve as a housemaid to pay off the remaining debt to the captain. Raze was known as a stingy and strict captain in the district of Abueña. He was uncompromising when it came to implementing and approving projects, especially regarding the use of district funds. He had been away from the area for a long time but still monitored what was happening in the district. What others didn't know was that he was secretly a billionaire who owned airlines, hotels, and resorts in the Philippines that exclusively catered to royalty. Upon his return, he first saw the woman he had only seen in a picture—Lylia, the woman who owed him money—at the cockfighting arena. That's where his mischievous plan was formed, to force her to marry him. Is it possible that their deal will turn into a genuine relationship, or will one of them end up heartbroken and in tears?