Rice By Manuel Arguilla

"I would rather die than have you as my wife. You are not Lauren and you will never be my mate!" "You're nothing but a tool I used to help my Pack achieve our goal. I merely used you to get the MoonGem and nothing more!" *** When Evelyn, daughter of the Alpha of the Sagittarius pack fails in a mission to get to the gem needed to strengthen her pack's bloodline, she is given to Alpha Damian, the cold hearted Alpha of the Red Cedar pack who is in possession of the gem as a gift bride to secure that gift for the Sagittarius pack. The Sagittarius pack has made a deal with a separate pack so Evelyn's real motives are supposed to be stealing the gem from Alpha Damian. She has to work her way into his heart and push all of his buttons to get this done, but what will they do when the fate hits them with a shock. Can a love not fated ever stand strong in the midst of bloodshed, hatred, and a Werewolf vendetta?

"You want me to be your fake bride?" I repeated, disbelief lacing my voice. Rhys, the eldest triplet, nodded solemnly. "It's the only way to show Lucian that you are not to be underestimated, Morrigan. And the only way you can be able to avenge your best friend." "And what do you get out of this?" I asked suspiciously. Declan stepped forward with a wry smile. "Revenge too, on the Alpha who murdered our father just to become king. And perhaps, in time, a chance to win your heart for real." ****** Morrigan, princess of the demon realm, yearned for freedom from the weight of her royal responsibilities. This yearning leads her to escape to a werewolf pack where she disguises as a wolfless Omega, hoping to find solace away from the demands of her heritage. Instead, she faced cruelty and humiliation. This humiliation was however heightened by Lucian, the Alpha's son—her mate by fate, who publicly rejects her and confesses that he has only seen her as a pawn in a cruel bet. And he makes it worse by demanding she becomes his breeder after he rises to the throne as the Alpha, and murdering her best friend when she resists. Heartbroken and betrayed, she resolved to return to her realm, intent on seeking vengeance for the pain he had caused, especially after the death of her best friend. Before she could depart, Morrigan was approached by three men -Rhys, Declan, and Asher—with an audacious proposition: become their fake bride for a year, and they would help her exact revenge on Lucian. Intrigued by the promise of justice, she agrees, plunging into a contract-to-love relationship that would challenge her resolve and stir unexpected desires.

Serenity has been locked up in a miserable attic her entire childhood and into adulthood. She's never known the reason why. All she knows is that when she turns eighteen, she's meant to marry the Alpha's son Roland and only then will she be given back her freedom. She's learnt to be quiet and obey, to stay in her prison and watches as life passes by, no one lending a hand to help her gain her freedom back. But what happens when a lycan prince visits the pack and discovers she's his mate? What secret has her Alpha been keeping from her all this time? When her life is upended and the truth comes out, will she finally break free of her shackles and embrace the life she was meant to have?

In a kingdom ruled by a brutal king, Thalia Blackwood, an infamous assassin, is given a choice: fight for her freedom or remain a prisoner in the deadly salt mines of Karnak. Selected to compete against ruthless criminals in a contest to become the King’s Champion, Thalia soon finds herself entangled in dark court politics, where enemies lurk in the shadows, and nothing is as it seems. But as she navigates this treacherous competition, sinister forces far beyond the throne emerge, and Thalia must confront a hidden magic, long thought lost, that could destroy everything. With her deadly skills and a mysterious past that threatens to surface, she must outwit her rivals and face dangers both human and magical. Freedom comes at a price—and Thalia will pay it in blood if she has to. Will she win her freedom, or will the darkness of her past consume her first?

After giving five years of her life to Roland Denton with the view of becoming his Luna ,Elisa is greeted by rejection and betrayal. Alpha Nathan Rodriguez takes her in after she's cast out of Rowblood pack. Just when Elisa begins to heal, her history catches up with her and her path to happiness is met with enemies, secret and deceit,can she rise above her predicament and find her true place?

Sera I escaped a life plagued with death and destruction years ago. But it's come back to haunt me. Killian Ricci is no ordinary crime boss. He's the grim reaper. I belong to him. I don't know why he's keeping me locked up. All I know is he holds my life in his hands. And in the mafia world, his hands are bloody. They don't call him the Hand of Death for no reason. If I want to survive I have one option. Submit. Killian Mano Della Morte. That's what they call me. The Hand of Death.

"Bend over, Mia, it's time for your punishment...." Mia's new boss tells her. Her body aches for his touch as she leans over the desk and waits for him to move behind her. *** Good girl Mia took a secretarial job in the big city after her mother dies, hoping to make a new start. When she meets her boss, Sam, she realizes she's not actually his secretary. She's his toy. And even though she's a virgin (at first!) she finds that she really likes the way he taunts and teases her. When he finally starts to touch her, it sets her core ablaze with a fire only he can extinguish. But then, there's his twin brother, Beau, the sweet man who got her the job to begin with. It's clear that Beau has caught feelings for her, and Mia likes him, too. In fact, he's everything she's ever wanted in a man. Clearly, she can't have them both, though, so eventually, she will have to choose. Will she continue to work as Sam's secretary, knowing she's nothing more than a play thing to him? Or will she give Beau her heart and find a new job so they can be together? Shared by the Sexy Billionaire Twins is an erotic romance with explicit scenes, some bondage, and some punishment. For mature audiences only. Previously published on another platform as Her Sexy Billionaire Boss.

Josh: I was focused on my revenge. Practically all of my family was killed, and I would not allow their deaths to be erased, irrelevant and unpunished. I wanted, and would do, justice. I was powerful enough for that, and I was focused. But everything changed when I found Pietra. So pretty, a little shy, and very dedicated. His intelligence charmed me, and his sharp tongue interested me. But to be honest, her body messed with me too (more than it should have). So, I was at an impasse: if I chose Pietra, I would have to give up my revenge. And if I chose to do justice, I couldn't have her in my life. Everything was very complicated, and it got worse when I found out that Pietra was predestined to be my partner. One way or another, at one time or another, she would have to be mine whether we both wanted it or not.

Javier Mendez is not the one to fancy human being, he hates it better if they don't exist. What happened when the arrogant human hater was mated to no one but a nerdy human who buries her head under her bang, and hides her eyes under a round rimmed spectacles. Javier made a vow. He's never going to reject her, nor is he going to claim her. He's going to bully her, break her, destroy her, and let her pay for being his mate! *** "What do you think about being my new prey?" I smirk, my nail digging deep into her waist, earning a sharp moan of pain from her. "You have no choice anyway, new prey"

Quinn had always been the outcast—bullied by her cruel step-sister and ignored by her pack. When she discovers that the Alpha is her mate, she dares to hope for a better life. But her dreams shatter when he marries another. Heartbroken and humiliated, Quinn’s life takes a darker turn when she crosses paths with the Lycan King—a beast feared by all. Her defiance earns her a punishment like no other: ten years under his ruthless watch. The Lycan King is a creature of darkness, bound by secrets and scars. Quinn is a ray of innocence, refusing to break under his intensity. As their worlds collide, sparks fly, and forbidden desires ignite. Will Quinn find the strength to tame the beast within the Lycan King, or will she be consumed by the shadows of his past?