Paul Reed Smith Wood Library

My son asked me for something I couldn’t give. “Just three chances, Mom,” he whispered. “If he really doesn’t love us after that… we’ll leave forever.” He was talking about his father — Giovanni Romano. The heir to a Mafia empire. My husband in name only. He never called our son his own. He never once said he loved me. Chance one, Giovanni forgot. Chance two, he lied. Chance three… he broke something no apology could fix. So I packed our bags, held my son’s hand, and walked away. No tears. No goodbyes. Just quiet. The night our plane took off, my phone buzzed. “Wait,” his message read. “I’m coming home.” But home isn’t where he is anymore. It’s wherever my son finally sleeps without crying. Because some promises don’t break — they shatter. And some mothers never wait again.

I was raised to believe that love meant endurance. That if I loved him enough, I could survive anything. For seven years, I was stationed at the border—alone, bleeding, freezing, nearly dying more times than I can count. Every transfer request I submitted was denied. Every time I asked why, I was told the same thing: the family needed me. The alliance came first. Others needed protection more than I did. What I didn’t know was this— Every sacrifice I made was approved by the man who claimed to love me. Adrian Holt, the Don who raised me, protected me, promised I would be his Donna one day… He was the one signing my name away year after year. He chose widows. He chose alliances. He chose power. And he chose for me—without ever asking. Because he was certain of one thing: That no matter what he did, I would never leave him. He believed love meant I would understand. That loyalty meant silence. That I would forgive anything—as long as he said he loved me. So when I finally walked away, I didn’t argue. I didn’t beg. I disappeared. And that was the moment his world collapsed. Now he’s tearing through cities, alliances, and his own sanity trying to find me— Too late realizing that love is not sacrifice when only one person bleeds. This is not a story about redemption. It’s a story about what happens after you lose the woman who endured everything… And finally chose herself.

Charlotte was nine years old when she witnessed the brutal murder of her mother and her three friends. Barely escaping death, she went on the run. For years, she avoided all male relationships, built a career for herself as an architect but always lived out of a go-bag in case she was ever found. When Charlotte's first major client turns out to be her mate, she had no choice but to work with him. Alpha Waylon was just about to take a chosen mate but Charlotte turned his world upside down. He had every intention on ignoring the mate bond. It wasn't until he found out Charlotte's deepest secret that he decided he wanted her. Charlotte is wanted for the murders of her parents, the King and Queen. Can Waylon save her before it's too late?

Mi hijo me pidió algo que no podía darle. —Solo tres oportunidades, mamá —susurró—. Si después de eso realmente no nos ama... nos iremos para siempre. Estaba hablando de su padre, Giovanni Romano, el heredero de un imperio mafioso y mi esposo solo de nombre. Él nunca nombró a mi hijo como suyo y no me dijo que me amaba ni una sola vez. En la primera oportunidad, a Giovanni le falló la memoria, en la segunda, mintió y en la tercera... rompió algo que ninguna disculpa podía arreglar. Así que empacamos nuestras maletas, tomé la mano de mi hijo y nos fuimos. Sin lágrimas ni despedidas, solo en silencio. La noche en que nuestro avión despegó, mi teléfono vibró. “Espera”, decía su mensaje. “Regresaré a casa”. Pero ya mi casa no estaba donde él estaba, sino donde mi hijo finalmente pudiera dormir sin llorar. Porque algunas promesas no se rompen, se destruyen, y algunas madres se cansan de esperar.

If we psychologically damage an individual beyond repair, what will be the consequence of it? We all have a limit to the amount of mental and psychological stress we can take. Once the stress exceeds the limit, we’ll reach our breaking point. What happens after that is a mystery no one can solve, or is it? Lydia Johnson faces a similar situation. She is a complex young woman who faces a downfall stemming from the mental and physical abuse of her father and siblings, the negligence of her mother, and a chilling secret. From abused to loved, to abused again--that’s how life is for Lydia. Her family taught her only one lesson: emotions are for the weak and the weak don’t have a place in this world. With each kill, Lydia atones for the loss of her innocence by getting rid of another emotion and also rids the world of someone undeserving of her love and forgiveness. What lengths will she go to, for revenge, and prove her resilience? Will she ever be able to live her life like a normal person again? Or will she continue killing everyone until her own death?

Elidra wakes up in a palace of gold and silence, her mind a hollow shell. Alpha Silas, the charismatic leader of the Silver Crest Pack, calls her his wife and beloved Luna. He claims she is a hero, injured while defending their borders. But the chilling terror in the eyes of the pack members tells a different story. Elidra soon discovers a horrifying truth: before her memory was wiped, she was no hero. She was a ruthless, cold-blooded tyrant who ruled with an iron fist and a heart of ice. The fragile peace of her new life shatters when Silas demands she execute a high-value prisoner. The man in the silver chains is Cassian, a fallen Alpha with a body covered in scars. The moment their eyes lock, a fated mate bond explodes between them, violent and undeniable. Cassian is her soul’s match, the man she once hunted, tortured, and destroyed. Trapped between a "hero" husband who is secretly her jailer and a "villain" mate who has every reason to want her dead, Elidra must navigate a deadly game of shadows. She discovers that her amnesia was a weaponized move by Silas to suppress her legendary White Wolf power. Now, the woman who was once a monster must find a way to become a savior. To save Cassian, Elidra must embrace the darkness of her past while fighting for a redemption she isn't sure she deserves. As ancient prophecies resurface and a secret pregnancy threatens to shift the balance of power, Elidra and Cassian are forced into a desperate flight for survival. In a world where love is a blood debt and mercy is a death sentence, they must decide if their bond is strong enough to survive the truth of the woman she used to be.

Sophia Lin’s dream of independence and accomplishment become abolished when she is forced into an arranged marriage with Ethan Gray, a cold hearted millionaire and the founder of DaeVille. An action taken by her husband, Ethan Gray, prompts Sophia to take a step and break free from her bondage. Her road to independence leads her to Alexander Dolan, an handsome billionaire who happens to be Ethan’s business rival and Sophia’s secondary school mate. What started as a partnership quickly escalates into a romantic attachment. But Ethan is possessive, he wouldn’t lose what is his to anyone, much less Alexander. The choice falls on Sophia. With Ethan having a bonding leverage on her, Sophia is torn between following her heart while leaving a broken home in her wake or saving a marriage that could ruin her future.

Trapped in a life of servitude, Andronika yearns for a destiny beyond gutting fish. A chance encounter with the enigmatic Tristan ignites a spark within her, but as shadows deepen, a web of deceit unravels. Betrayal, manipulation, and a ruthless Alpha Orion threaten to consume her. Forced to become a warlock princess and a lycan.Andronika fights for survival and honor. Bound to an Alpha she despises, she navigates a treacherous court, her heart torn between duty and desire. As she delves into the mysteries of her birth, a shocking truth emerges: she is not merely a pawn in a deadly game, but a force to be reckoned with. With every step, Andronika confronts her destiny, a path forged in blood and sacrifice. Betrayal, love, and the weight of a prophecy push her to the brink as Love and loyalty clash in a desperate struggle for freedom. Can she break free from the chains of fate and forge her own destiny? or will she be consumed by the darkness that surrounds her?

Nina had the perfect life. She had a caring boyfriend and friends that never left her side until one night when her world came crashing down. Deciding to embark on a new journey, she is met with more questions than answers. After countless rouge attacks she finds herself in a sticky situation and her savior is someone she least expected. Nina now has to figure out if she can fulfill her destiny.

One immigration application ended my marriage— and erased me from my husband’s world forever. I was Arabella Ashford— the wife of the man everyone wanted to marry. An Italian mafia heir—Born into power, wealth, and fear. A bloodline successor watched by international law enforcement, forbidden to cross borders, permanently barred from U.S. territory. They said he adored me— built me a private estate so I’d never hear the city, sent me flowers for no reason, just to make me smile, remembered every little thing I liked, every habit and quirk, No one saw the truth. And while the world called him perfect— he was putting another woman in my place, and another life in her womb. So I made my choice. I filed for permanent residency overseas. With that one signature, I erased myself from his world. From that moment on, he would never find me again. This was the price of his betrayal. He didn’t realize I was losing him that day. When he discovered the woman he betrayed was already beyond his reach. That was when he lost everything. He gave up his position. Walked away from his inheritance. Turned his back on a throne men would kill for— all to cross an ocean he was never allowed to enter.