Rare Layne Staley 2002

Evelyn Ward never imagined that a routine walk home could shatter her life. Taken from her small Oregon town, she’s thrown into a velvet prison known as The Bidding Room, an elite underground auction where innocence is rare, and the most powerful men in the world come to buy it. Dressed like a doll, paraded as prey, Evelyn is thrust into a world of wealth, cruelty, and obsession. What should have ended in despair becomes the start of something more twisted - because the man who buys her isn’t a collector or a sadist. He’s something far worse. Lucien Moretti - The Devil of Verona - rules a vast criminal empire, built on fear and blood. He doesn’t pay for what he wants. He takes it. Yet something about Evelyn stops him. A silent challenge in her eyes, a trembling defiance that speaks louder than screams. He buys her not for pleasure - but to destroy what is pure. Except she doesn’t break. And that enrages him more than he expected. Their lives spiral in a dangerous dance of power and obsession. Lucien's enemies circle like vultures, and his own people begin to question his judgment. Evelyn isn’t just a girl anymore - she’s a symbol of his weakness, and they want to exploit that. As Evelyn is drawn deeper into the mafia world, her morality blurs. Can she resist becoming like them? Or is the darkness already inside her? In a story of violence, betrayal, and unnatural love, Evelyn and Lucien are caught in a storm they may not survive. And even if they do - what will be left of them?

The organization that once ruled the mafia's darkest corridors is clawing its way back to power, growing stronger by the day. Their determination to reclaim what they believe is theirs sends tremors through the underworld. To dismantle SKULL's Organization, the diamond must delve into the shadowy labyrinth that surrounds it. Their mission involves unraveling secrets that bind SKULL and its members. The diamond mafia group against SKULL, Leader vs. Leader, Organization vs. Organization. Can Avryrylle and her diamond mafia withstand the risks? Will they uncover the mysteries shrouding SKULL's Organization? who are the enemies, and who are the allies? One thing is certain: trust no one, for everyone has secrets. In this dangerous journey, alliances will shift, and loyalties will be tested. The path to success is treacherous, where the truth hides behind layers of deception, and uncovering it may come at a high price. As the confrontation between the diamond mafia group and SKULL intensifies, the shadows conceal more than secrets—they hide the true nature of the players involved. The battle for supremacy turns into a deadly dance of intrigue, with each move calculated to outmaneuver the other. In a world where trust is rare, Avryrylle and her allies must tread carefully. The line between friend and foe is blurred, and only by exposing hidden truths can they hope to win in this high-stakes game of power, betrayal, and survival. Every step forward could be a trap, every alliance a potential betrayal. The stakes have never been higher, and the cost of failure is unimaginable. Who will prevail? The ultimate showdown looms, and only the bravest and most cunning will win. The fate of the underworld hangs in the balance as these two forces prepare for a clash that will determine the true rulers of mafia’s darkest corridors.

Gianna had tirelessly searched for employment, driven by the need to earn a living, and finally secured a position at one of the largest beverage companies in the Philippines. However, in an unforeseen twist of fate, she discovered that her new boss was none other than the man she vehemently despised: Francis Locan, the CEO and President of The Golden Scenery, one of the most renowned wine companies in the Philippines. He was known for his cold demeanor and his aversion to those who sought him out solely for his wealth. But beneath his icy gaze lay a secret he had guarded for a long time. He suffered from a rare condition called monochromacy disorder, which rendered him unable to perceive color and also significantly impaired his vision compared to that of a normal person. Yet, upon meeting Gianna, he couldn't explain why he could perceive the colors surrounding her, a phenomenon that defied all medical understanding. Driven by a desperate hope for a cure, he devised a plan to use Gianna, believing that somehow she held the key to his healing. However, as time passed, his feelings for the young woman became increasingly genuine, despite his repeated attempts to dismiss them. Though he resisted acknowledging it, he found himself ensnared in his own carefully constructed trap. What would Gianna do when she discovered that all the affection and attention she had received from the man she had grown to love had been meticulously planned and orchestrated? Would she be able to forgive him for his deception, or would she choose to walk away, her heart shattered by his betrayal?

Lola, a rejected mate with no identity, is traded to the most dangerous and ruthless pack leader, Mike, in Tamsin City. Alone from a young age, she accepted her fate, knowing her life was marked by rejection and loneliness. Mike, the strict Alpha of his pack, is known for his strong principles and refusal to listen to anyone. He focuses only on his duties and being the perfect leader, showing no interest in bringing Lola into his world. But everything changes when a mysterious group of vampires invades Tamsin City, causing chaos and destroying packs, sparing no one,young or old. Amid the chaos, Mike faces a tough choice about accepting Lola into his territory. The invasion brings unexpected problems, making him rethink his position. Lola, trapped in her sadness, wonders if this event might be her chance for freedom. Will she find a way to escape her unwanted fate,or will she be pulled deeper into the life of Mike’s pack? As the vampire threat grows, Mike must decide whether to keep his isolated approach or accept Lola, possibly making his pack stronger against their common enemy. In this gripping story of survival, loyalty, and unexpected friendships,Lola and Mike must manage their troubled relationship while the city is under attack. Will Lola find her place and identity within Mike’s pack? And will Mike, the relentless Alpha, open his heart to the rejected mate who might be the key to saving Tamsin City from total destruction? Discover the powerful journey of two souls bound by fate and shaped by adversity. In a world where trust is rare and danger is everywhere,can love and acceptance grow in the unlikeliest of places?

For three years, Grace Silver endured the bitter reality of being the Luna of Crimson Moon Pack—watching her mate Alexander repeatedly choose Victoria, his childhood sweetheart and supposed savior, over their sacred bond. Each time Victoria's "heart condition" flares, Alexander rushes to her side, leaving Grace alone. When rogue wolves nearly kill Grace during a vicious attack, Alexander abandons his wounded mate to comfort Victoria through another convenient "heart episode." Broken by this final betrayal, Grace decides to sever their mate bond, hiding a life-changing secret: she carries Alexander's twin pups, a blessing as rare as it is dangerous in their world. "I don't need your protection anymore," Grace declares coldly, though her dormant wolf aches with each word. However, after their divorce, Alexander found that his true love was Grace. What made him even more regretful was that he found Grace was the legendary "Moonlight Savior," the mysterious healer whose abilities Alexander has desperately sought to strengthen his pack. His wolf howled with regret. "You're still my Luna," he growled, his Alpha power making the walls vibrate as he begs for her return. But can Grace forgive the mate who chose another while she silently carried his pups? In a world where sacred bonds are everything and betrayal runs deep as blood, Grace must decide if Alexander deserves a second chance at their mate bond, or if some wounds cut too deep to heal.

“Elion,” Brielle’s voice was soft but charged with intent as she stepped closer, her eyes locking onto his. “You keep telling me to stay away, but I see the way you look at me when you think no one’s watching.” She brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, her fingers lingering just a moment longer than necessary. “Maybe it’s time we stop pretending. Maybe it’s time we risk everything—for us.” Elion’s breath hitched, torn between duty and desire. “Brielle, you’re so young… and I’m your Alpha, your guardian. Crossing this line could destroy everything.” She smiled, a mixture of challenge and invitation. “Sometimes the greatest risks lead to the most unforgettable rewards. Don’t you want to see where this could go?” ======= In the shadowed city of Silvercrest, eighteen-year-old Brielle Crest’s rare healing blood marks her as both a miracle and a target. Orphaned by a brutal attack that shattered her family, she is taken in by Elion Zaphiel, the formidable thirty-five-year-old Alpha of the powerful Zaphiel Pack—a man whose protection blurs the line between guardian and something dangerously more. As political alliances tighten and rival packs close in, Brielle and Elion must navigate a forbidden love complicated by their seventeen-year age gap, defying tradition and igniting fierce jealousy within their ranks. With dark magic, deadly enemies, and their own haunted pasts threatening to tear them apart, can their bond survive and change their fate?

"Sign the papers, Zack. Three years was the deal. I’m done being your sanctuary." Zack stared at the man who had dragged him out of the dirt and taught him how to breathe again. Nathan Durand, the crown prince of the Cocolink syndicate, stood like a monolith of ice, his silver eyes devoid of the heat that usually scorched Zack’s skin in the dark. "Is it because of her?" Zack’s voice was a jagged glass fragment. "Because Madeline is back?" "It’s because you’re a liability," Nathan snapped, his jaw tight enough to crack bone. "I need a partner who carries a blade, not a ghost who jumps at shadows." THE BLURB Broken. Sold. Silent. Zackary Moreau spent a decade rotting in a basement, a secret prisoner of a man who used his rare bloodline as a laboratory experiment. When he finally breaks free, he doesn’t find liberty—he finds Nathan Durand. The lethal heir to the Cocolink mafia empire is everything Zack should fear: possessive, violent, and cold. But Nathan offers a bargain Zack can’t refuse: three years of marriage in exchange for a name that keeps the world at bay. Saved. Owned. Obsessed. For three years, they lived a lie that felt dangerously like a life. Nathan turned the shivering boy into a man of the syndicate, protecting him with a brutality that bordered on madness. But as the contract’s end date looms, the shadows return. Rival bosses want Zack’s blood, and a woman from Nathan’s past is back to claim the throne. On the eve of their anniversary, Nathan delivers the final blow: he wants a divorce.

My Vampire fiancé, Vincent, was the powerful prince of New York's most influential coven. He had lived for centuries and was notoriously ruthless, yet he bestowed upon me, and only me, every honor imaginable. But one month before our Union Ceremony, he suddenly insisted on postponing it. The reason was his childhood friend, Camilla, was dying from a rare condition known as Bloodline Degeneration. To repay a life debt from long ago, he wanted to hold a mock wedding with her to fulfill her last wish to wear a wedding gown. I refused outright. It was a flagrant violation of coven dignity. But he pressured me relentlessly, using a supposed ancient code of honor as emotional blackmail. Then, two weeks before the ceremony, I received an anonymous email containing an advanced blood analysis report. Only then did I learn that he hadn't just been preparing a wedding; he had already secretly formed a Mutual Blood Bond with her, a pact that would bind their lives together for eternity. In that moment, I finally understood. My two centuries of devotion to him had been nothing more than a joke. And so, I called off our union and set fire to everything he had ever given me. On the day of the ceremony, I traveled to Europe's Supreme Institute for Vampiric Research in Italy and took charge of the Institute's most secret and critical project. From that day forward, I would have nothing more to do with the noble prince. We were finished.

Ten years ago, there was an auction no one knew about, whispered only by the lips of the most powerful and elite clans and packs. There, Raya, a rare lunar-blood, was sold like a piece of property, to the highest bidder, the brooding and dark Alpha of the Red Moon Pack. But on the same day, under the blue moon, at the event that was meant to mark the beginning of a new era for the pack, Raya was publicly rejected and labelled cursed. But what no one knew was that Alpha Rex carried a deadly prophecy that stuck to him like a disease, slowly eating him from within. If he didn’t claim his second fated Luna, he would die within a year. To protect her from that ache, he let her go. She was banished, and it caused a scar on her soul. Raya hated him for it. Now, she lives in the shadows, a skilled rogue warrior, hiding a secret. Raya is pregnant with Rex’s child, a drunken magical manipulation neither of them remembers. But that moment could change everything. A new mandate is passed by the High Council that a blood marriage is needed to preserve the werewolf legacy and Rex’s life force. Raya is searched for again, forced to return to the Alpha who didn’t want her. And now, she is back for revenge. But Rex is dying. The curse is back. And worse is the fact that it is all tied to their bloodline, to the contrast hidden in their blood. And his first mate might not just have died while trying……. In a world where the elements of the earth didn’t want them together, can Raya risk everything, including her life, to save the man who once abandoned her?

Our expedition team ventured into a desert wilderness to investigate rare mineral resources when we were suddenly struck by extreme heat that reached 158 °F. I nearly passed out from dehydration and quickly reached into my backpack for the electrolyte water I had prepared in advance. Just as I was about to drink it, I realized the bottle was half-filled with urine. When I turned around, I saw Ben Murphy, my wife’s childhood friend, gulping down my electrolyte water. As I was about to confront him, Amy Garner, my wife, grabbed my sleeve and said, “Don’t be mad. I gave Ben your electrolyte water. He’s almost dehydrated. You can make do with this for now.” My vision started to blur. Clutching the half-empty bottle of urine, I asked through gritted teeth, “I’m dehydrated. Instead of letting me rehydrate properly, you want me to drink this? Are you trying to kill me?” Amy was upset. “Don’t be ridiculous! Ben doesn’t work out daily like you do. He can’t handle this heat. Wasn’t it right to give him the electrolyte water? Besides, urine can hydrate you, too! Don’t be picky at a time like this.” Seeing how unreasonable she was being, I sent a distress signal with my location just before losing consciousness. [Severely dehydrated, near death. Expedition mission suspended. Request immediate rescue. Also reporting a robber in the team. Notify the police immediately.]