Open Season C. J. Box

Billionaire heiress Julia Wilson had come to loathe Christmas. Five years ago, it had shattered her life when she walked in on her husband, Ryan Thompson, in what appeared to be a compromising position with his secretary. The heartbreak had forced her into premature labor. By the time her twins, Lucien and Olivia, were born, she’d signed the divorce papers, severing ties with the man she once loved. Ever since, Julia buried her pain behind an iron-clad business persona, working herself and her employees to the bone every holiday season to escape the memories of her ruined Christmas. For Ryan Thompson, Christmas was no easier. A top-tier lawyer and businessman infamous for his undefeated courtroom record, Ryan’s victories felt hollow compared to the loss of his family. A misunderstanding had cost him his wife and the chance to watch his twins grow. For five years, he’d kept his distance, silently watching over Julia and their children, waiting for the right time to make amends and reclaim what he had lost. A chance encounter with a stranger leads him to his family’s doorstep, dressed as Santa Claus. Will Julia slam the door in his face, or will she accept him for the sake of their children? Can they rekindle their love and fulfill the twins’ Christmas wish, or will their relationship burn in the wake of his betrayal? What Julia doesn’t know is that fate—or perhaps the twins’ clever planning—has something else in store.

His hands gently pressed on her waist, caging her and drawing her closer. He brushed her lips softly with his parted ones. She leaned into him, surprised at how natural it felt to be held against him, the man who made her want to flee for the hills and strip naked at the same time. "Even if you were the only woman left in this world, I would never accept you as my mate." Blaze's eyes grew darker under the lighting, making Lilith squirm under his intense gaze. Lilith Venerelli is the daughter of the head warriors of the Blood Moon pack. The perfect rank, and perfect wolf, Lilith has her whole life planned, and mating with her boyfriend during the mating season would be the cherry on top. The day she turns eighteen, her world crumbles when she learns that she is no longer a warrior but a sigma, deemed the lowest of the pack. Alpha Blaze Westbrook is the future alpha of the Blood Moon pack. He always dreams of having the strongest she-wolf as his mate. His hope shatters when he finds that his mate is none other than the pack's sigma. Torn between the pack's principles and the mate pull, he is forced to disregard his mate. Will he be able to fight against the mate pull, or will he fight against his pack's principles and accept the pack's sigma as his mate?

The night before our wedding, Edward Fowler's friends gather for a celebration. A full set of sex toys lies in the gift box from his tomboy bestie, Winnie Spencer. I freeze, and Winnie shouts boisterously, "Don't you dare go easy on him, Sarah. That pup might look like someone who's abstaining, but he's actually pretty wild in the sheets. "During the start of the year, he only used three of these, yet he landed me straight in the hospital with injuries that took me half a month to heal!" She then hooks an arm around Edward's neck. "Let me give you a piece of advice as your buddy—you need to learn how to be gentle once you're married. "Sarah looks so delicate, so you'd better not pull the same stunt as last time. I was just recovering, yet you dragged me into it for two whole days. I almost died in bed!" My face darkens. Winnie covers her mouth in exaggerated shock. "It's just us buddies messing around. You're not mad, are you, Sarah?" Everyone is anticipating for me to snap. But instead, I let out a soft chuckle before replying, "Why would I be? I should be thanking you for being a free tutor instead. After all, someone who's in your line of work would charge at least three hundred dollars per night just for the same lesson."

During the exchange of tokens in the Marking Ceremony, I presented the wolf tooth ring I had carved myself, as a witness to our marking. But my Alpha mate, Frendo, remained completely indifferent, not releasing any marking aura, as though he had entirely forgotten that today was the day of our spiritual bonding ceremony. At that moment, Lily updated her Instagram, saying she would be returning to the Sliver Lake Pack in an hour. The air immediately filled with the restless scent of wolves, and before I could react, my Beta brother, George, stepped onto the ceremony stage and emotionlessly announced, "The Marking Ceremony is canceled." Frendo and George, in perfect synchronization, turned and left the altar together, leaving me standing alone, under the watchful eyes of all the Pack members. They wanted to see how a one-person marking ceremony would proceed. It wasn’t until I held back my inner frustration and awkwardly finished the ceremony with some semblance of dignity that I opened Lily’s Instagram. In her latest photo, George and Frendo were both surrounding her, releasing intimate signals. One was holding a silver moon festival gift box, while the other offered her a moonlight rose, her favorite. I bitterly smiled and wiped away the tears from my eyes before calling the one family that truly mattered, my flesh and blood. "Dad, Mom. I want to go home."

I secretly ordered a delivery of a thousand roses for my wife's birthday, hoping to surprise her. After the delivery was completed, I got a message from the delivery guy. [By the way, I tossed the trash by your door on my way out. Didn't expect you to be so kinky. Good for you, man!] He even sent me a photo. In the picture was an open trash bag stuffed with shredded pantyhose. My mind went completely blank. I was overseas on a business trip. My wife was the only one at home.

Lexia has been held captive for most of her life. Until one day, when a young, attractive Alpha appears with an offer she cannot refuse. Why he chose her, to come live with him in his lavish estate, she didn't know. Until, she begins to open doors she shouldn't. Until she begins to question why he leaves the house every night, and does not return till morning. Until she discovers exactly what bond they share, when touching.

Bea Williams is the new owner of the land that is passed down from her grandmother who had recently passed away, unbeknownst to her that her grandmother was hiding a huge secret behind the tall walls that surround the enormous land at the suburbs. From a young age of 8 Bea was abandoned by her alcoholic mother and mentally deranged father that is in a mental institution, so her grandmother took her in with open arms. There is one person she knew who was living on her grandmother's land paying rent, it was Alexander Ronaldo.

CONFUSED by her sexual orientation and trapped by her fear of rejection, Rhoegene isolated herself from the pack and hid for five years hoping to never meet her other half. But after getting tired of running away and realizing that she has been wasting the best times of her youth, Rhoegene started to open her heart again and decided to teach as a PE teacher in the pack's best academy. She encountered a lot of ups and downs which she fought bravely including the jerk handsome Alpha and his four minions.

I perceived something exceedingly familiar. That was the scent of the alpha. He is somewhere close by. I can't let him see me in this situation with Stark. Of all the times that the alpha could be present, it just had to be when I'm in bed with Stark. I was just about to get the truth out of Stark about his identity but my obsessed alpha won't understand what is going on here. Want to know what happens in this book? You'll have to open up the book. I guarantee you will love it.

Midnight. I heard a faint meowing through the window. I was about to have a look when floating words appeared in front of me. [Don't open the window! There isn't a cat outside! It's a serial killer!] [I'm done. How could the side character be so dumb? I can already imagine how tragic her death will be.] [Go and find the villain! He loves you so much! He will surely protect you!] I quickly retracted my hand on the window latch…