Rice By Manuel Arguilla

Ten years ago, Daryl was brutally attacked and left for dead. Now, he wakes from a coma to find a world that moved on without him. The biggest blow? Emma—his mate and the love of his life—is no longer his. She’s bonded to his best friend and Beta, and together they’re raising a son. Haunted by memories of what they once shared, Daryl is torn between reclaiming his rightful place and accepting the painful truth. But the mate bond doesn’t just disappear—and neither do old feelings. As Daryl struggles to adapt to a pack that’s changed, the connection between him and Emma reignites, threatening the fragile peace she’s built. Emma thought she’d lost Daryl forever. In his absence, she did what she had to do—grieve, survive, and find love again. But with Daryl’s return, long-buried emotions rise to the surface. Her heart is divided between loyalty to the mate who stood by her during the darkest days… and the one she never stopped loving. As tensions mount and bonds are tested, the past and present collide in a battle of love, fate, and honor. Will Emma choose the life she’s built—or the mate fate once promised her?

Anna Gonzales was the only heir of her late Aunt Martha. She left her a villa on Jeju Island in South Korea and company stocks in their family corporation. Little did Anna know that the property on Jeju Island would lead her back to the man she had a one-night stand one year ago. David Miller's grandfather, Bryan, wanted the Villa on Jeju Island but because of conditions laid on the inheritance, he could not purchase it from Anna. The trust stipulated that the property would only be handed down from Anna to her children and her children's children. The opportunity was in David's way, as Anna’s father James Williams had been careless with his company dealings and would face imminent jail time. David had told her father that he would help finance his corporation in exchange for Anna's hand in marriage. In David's mind, this is the best way to get to his grandfather's old home on Jeju Island, and He will also get Anna back in his bed. Anna was trapped in this situation, and she could not reject it because she was now the major Stockholder of the company, and like her father, she would also be imprisoned for his business embezzlement. She had trusted her father and signed every document he sent her in the past.

Ariana Alexandra, a singer with rising popularity, must marry the billionaire most wanted by many women, Sean Valentino because her parents planned the marriage arrangement between them a long time ago. Sean is charming and slowly manages to make Ariana fall into his arms. Still, when Ariana gets to know the possessive man, she finds another side of the man. Sean's unpleasant childhood and other dark side make Ariana struggle to understand the man and bring him out of the shadow of his dark side. Her marriage would be perfect until Sean's ex-girlfriend came and tried to get Sean's attention again. Once again, Ariana faced the hardest time and fought for her marriage.

Amber was tortured by her father, who was the Alpha of the Brimsard Bay Pack and her sister for being born with a bad luck that killed her mother when she was born. She was banished from the packhouse at a small age and her wolf died fighting a major battle for her pack. Her only hope, her boyfriend Cooper also betrayed her and married his sister for power. Now left with nothing, Amber had no choice but to marry the most dangerous beast of the Valeford pack. He is known to kill women who don't have a wolf, so Amber has to keep it a secret. But he has a secret of his own--she's his mate. So even if Amber tries to escape his clutches, he won't let het go. He smirked, "Yes. Everyone calls me Ray. You can call me that. Or if you prefer something else, you can go with darling, baby, or..." he stepped closer and whispered in my ear, "You can call me daddy when I fuck you."

Book Two In De Niro Series but can be read as stand-alone. "You're mine, Principessa and soon you'll be my queen."He said in a deep hushed voice while his hands roamed on her back like he owned her as his invaded terrotery. "In your dreams, Alessandro. I am no men's doll."She gritted her teeth and tried her best to keep her surging anger at bay. Despite of putting up a brave front,she knew what could cost her if she went against the infamous De Niros. "Yes, you're no men's doll but mine, you're my wife, Aitana and soon you'll love me with every single cell of your body."He kissed on the corner of her lips and pulled away with a smirk as her body yearned for his touch. Aitana Grayson was no stranger to violence and bloodshed as she was the heiress of powerful American Mafia King, Liam Grayson. She was a forbidden fruit ,out of any man's reach. No one expected that she'd be fallen in the arms of Alessandro De Niro who almost gave up on his quest for true love. He despised the marriage which his brother arranged on the name of Truce but eventually found him falling hard for her .

Mistreated her whole life by the family she was adopted into, Dakota Stone still strives to win her stepfamily’s love and approval despite their aloof and uncaring behavior towards her. Her life takes an unexpected turn when Elias Persson, a cold and intimidating billionaire, who was supposed to marry her sister, takes a sudden interest in her instead. Faced with a shocking betrayal by her fiancé and sister, she turns to Elias with a surprising proposal - a contract marriage. As long buried secrets in her family come to light, will the weight of her family’s deeds destroy her or will she find a safe haven in the arms of Elias?

Ophelia Holmes was always seen as the pack’s disgrace—the Beta’s daughter born without a wolf. Weak. Useless. Unworthy. But none of it mattered, because Elliot, the future Alpha of the Silver Mist Pack, loved her. He swore she was his mate, that he would claim her after the Moon Goddess Festival. Until the night he betrayed her. Before the entire pack, Elliot rejected her and chose her sister instead. Then, as Ophelia stood there, shattered and humiliated, her sister whispered a single lie that turned her whole world to ash: "She poisoned Elliot, she poisoned the future Alpha." The pack turned against her. The man she loved? He gave the order for her execution. But Ophelia’s fate was never in their hands. Because when she needed help, he came for her. Jarred Black. The Lycan King. The most feared creature to walk their lands. Now, Ophelia is caught between two powerful men—one who betrayed her and one who refuses to let her go. But Jarred isn’t just claiming her for himself. He came because he knows the truth. And as he looks into her eyes, his next words make her entire world collapse. "Did they ever tell you who your real father was?”

"You're ours to love, cherish and fuck. " Vespa wanted two things, an escape from her harsh reality, and a man to love her unconditionally. What happens when her answer comes as three brothers

Due to the set-up of her wicked stepmother, Mariana Barrett had a wild night with a stranger and ended up being forced to flee overseas. Unbeknownst to her, her stepsister took the credit, rising to fame thanks to that one-night stand. Five years later, Mariana came back with her adorable twins. But on the very day she returned, she messed with a cool, handsome CEO. Surprisingly, he looked exactly like her baby boy!

She has only ever experienced suffering, abuse, and hated by her family. Seraphine Valentina is the last descendant of Luna, but her father wanted her to become a slave for other Alpha. Her fated mate partner comes out late after Seraphine already mated to most dangerous Alpha Leader, Cassian Maximilian. Cassian wants Seraphine to raise their child to prevent the extinction of his pack. However, fate does not allow them to do so as Seraphine has a vision from the future that there will be an Alpha who comes to the past to kill them. An Alpha who is jealous of their relationship.