Rice By Manuel Arguilla

Lena Steeleclaw, born of Alpha blood, is taken captive by the ruthless Alpha Darius Stormhold leader of the secretive Bloodfang Clan. Drugged, restrained, and stripped of freedom, she refuses to surrender. When her powerful silver wolf, Amethyst, finally surfaces, Lena’s rebellion nearly kills Darius… but the victory is short-lived. Bound by moonbane, both woman and wolf are left paralyzed, broken but not beaten. Across the realm, Emperor Bane Draegor uncovers a pattern of attacks, packs wiped out, females missing, and traces of moonbane left behind. His suspicions turn toward Stormhold, and despite council warnings, he prepares to confront the threat himself. As fate draws them closer, Lena’s captivity and Bane’s mission collide in a storm of vengeance, power, and forbidden fire.

“I, Alpha Jackson Caesar of the Black moon Pack, reject you as my mate!” Rose, a poor and humble slave, enters into a world of power, betrayal and forbidden love. Her life takes a drastic turn when she’s saved by the feared yet kind Lycan Prince Aiden, her second chance mate. As their love gets stronger, jealousy and lies threaten to destroy them. Poisoned, kidnapped, almost killed. She unveils shocking truths. She is the long lost daughter of an Alpha and the rightful heir to a very powerful Pack. With enemies exposed, and love prevailing, Rose rises from a servant to a Luna, uniting two great Packs and reclaiming her destiny. But there’s always a price to pay. Rose must fight to protect everything she loves.

Rosalie Murdoch was devasted when her mate and the Alpha of the pack, Chris Reynolds betrays her taking someone else for his mate. Heartbroken she has a one night stand with the visiting alpha, Alex Greyson. Horrified, by her action, she tries to run away, only to be claimed by Greyson as his mate. But now, Chris her former mate wants her back. Stuck between the two Alpha, and an impending pack war. What would be Rosalie's fate?

Henry Payne has everything, the looks, the money, the name, the good grades in Oxford university and always a beautiful girl wrapped up around his arms. He thinks he has it all until he sees the new girl at a party. She is unattainable, wild, and doesn’t care for his attempts to conquer her. Abbey Hardy arrived like a hurricane into Henry’s life, and she turns his head upside down. She becomes his little obsession when she turns him down. Henry makes a bet with his friends, and Abbey is the ultimate prize. Abbey could cost Henry more than just his sanity, and she can cost him his relationship with his father. Will Henry be willing to give it all up for Abbey, or will he chose money and family?

Five centuries. One soul. Two immortal men obsessed with her. One woman caught between the fate she never asked for, and a war she never saw coming. Amèliä watched the flames consume her twin sister in a cruel twist of fate. The world believed Elizabeta died, but her soul survived, waiting in limbo, waiting to return. When that return finally comes, Amèliä must step into her sister’s life, inherit her burdens, and face the monsters drawn to the power Elizabeta once wielded. Magnusson has hunted for his soul’s other half across centuries. When he laid eyes on her again, he was certain: she is his. The problem? Another man, one he knows all too well, threatens to claim her first. In this tangled web of desire, rage, and destiny, love is never simple. Majesta, the name she now bears, must navigate shifting alliances, unravel hidden truths, and protect the world from forces that lurk in darkness. She’ll need magic, cunning, and a heart hardened by betrayal to survive. From scorching betrayals to tender reunions, from unimaginable power to soul-shattering sacrifices, Marked By Fate pulls you into a world where immortal lovers clash, ancient pacts unravel, and one woman decides who controls her fate.

Damien's life was ruined two decades ago by betrayal: his dearest friend Ethan and sister Serena betrayed him, leaving him impoverished and broken. Damien was consumed by vengeance and spent years rebuilding his kingdom, preparing to strike revenge. His plan is now being carried out: he sends his son Nate to seduce Ethan's daughter, Evangeline, intending to break her heart and destroy her family. But as old secrets resurface, Nate discovers harsh facts about his father's betrayals, compelling him to doubt everything. Meanwhile, a shadow from Damien and Ethan's past, James, reappears with his own desire for vengeance, threatening to destroy both families in the concept of killing two birds with one stone. Betrayal by Love is a compelling story about love, vengeance, and the deadly consequences of justice. Who will ultimately triumph in this battle?

Her eyes widened in horror. The sound was unmistakable — the snap of a belt buckle, the hiss of it being undone. Then came the crash of fabric hitting stone. Terror exploded in her chest. She struggled violently, chains biting into her wrists until blood slicked her palms. Her chest heaved, heart pounding so hard it hurt. Ezra pressed harder, his knee locking her in place. One hand clenched her throat — not enough to choke, but enough to remind her she could not escape. His breath was ragged, wild, as if possessed. “You feel it too,” he growled against her skin. “Don’t lie to me, Nova. Your body wants this. You want me.” No. No, no, no. Her body burned, but it wasn’t for him. It was the cursed bond, the fire belonging to another. And that other… Her eyes filled with tears. Her lips shaped a silent prayer: Kilian. The bond within her surged like wildfire. Her chest arched, a gasp tearing from her throat. She felt it — claws raking down her soul, a storm breaking in her veins. He was here. He had come for her. *** Nova is a skilled hunter, fierce and independent, yet unaware of her true nature and the extraordinary destiny that awaits her. Humiliated by her fellow hunter colleagues for refusing to kill innocent wolves, she flees — only to be rescued by Kilian, the feared Lycan King. Thrust into his world, she must prove herself and earn her place within his pack, all while navigating the sharp wit, teasing sarcasm, and growing tension between them. Kilian is powerful, commanding, and fiercely protective, yet finds himself drawn to Nova in ways he cannot explain. Their connection develops slowly, charged with banter, challenges, and unacknowledged desire. But Nova is far more special and powerful than anyone could have predicted. Her choices, and the bond she shares with Kilian, will shape the fate of their world — deciding whether to destroy it, or to revolutionize and transform it for the better. As they uncover enemies deeply rooted in their lives, they must rely on their bond, courage, and love to face what comes next.

On her wedding day, Isabella Hernando stared into the mirror and wondered— how could she possibly marry someone she barely remembered? Miguel Martez, the man she was arranged to wed, was only a childhood friend who had long since disappeared. But just before the ceremony was about to begin, Miguel vanished without a trace. To save the family’s reputation, Maximilian Martez, his elder brother, was forced to take his place at the altar— without anyone knowing, not even the bride herself. But when Isabella finally stood before the man, she was shocked. That face, those eyes… that voice…

When Izzy finds out her fiance and long-time boyfriend is cheating on her. She dumped him and went to a nearby bar to get wasted. Crazy fate when she stumbles on Fabian -the dangerous billionaire who is having a hard time and a bad day like her. Izzy wasn't aware of who Fabian was! As they say, broken people meet together to help each other to mend what is broken. As the night passes by, they finally find each other talking comfortably and enjoying themselves. When fate decides to play with you, it's more dangerous than marrying a dangerous man. In order to live perfectly and fit in the society that hates her, Izzy agrees to the marriage contract he offers. The contract will just last for two years or depends if they still need to add another year. She needs someone who will stand by her side now that her heart is crippled. Before the contract was terminated, someone from his past came to take him back at all costs. Unfortunately, they were already entangled with the contract unknowingly. Will they tear up the contract to fight the inevitable together or will they take matters into their own hands to make it happen for real? What measure will his past and his family take to tear them apart? Can she become the billionaire woman she dreams of? What inevitable instance will Cupid do for them?

When Aria Collins’ father desperately needs an expensive experimental cancer treatment that she can’t afford, she becomes desperate and forms a contract with CEO Alexander Blackwood: She will be his wife for three years in exchange for him giving his medical care and his financial security. What it really is business -- separate bedrooms, public appearances and a marriage of convenience. As Aria moves from being a part of Alexander’s elite business venture to being part of him, the lines between performance and reality begin to blur. When feelings neither of them bargained for to start to open up, they need to decide whether to live up to the contract’s terms or risk everything in search of something bigger than convenience. In this marriage of convenience, convenience was never meant to become love