River Of Shadows

After spending the past month working overtime and burning the midnight oil every day, I finally closed a business deal that's worth 50 million dollars before the company's annual dinner. My boss, William Lewis, begins giving away the end-of-the-year bonuses with a wide smile on his face. "The finance director helped our company save three million dollars worth of taxes. He will receive a villa by the river as a gift." "The head of IT led the team and solved various difficult problems. He shall receive 200 thousand dollars in cash." "Lily Lane, the receptionist, has always shown a great attitude whenever she greets the clients. She shall receive a Hermes bag." When it's my turn, I wipe the sweat off my palms before accepting my bonus. But upon opening the giftbox, I see three entrance tickets to the local zoo instead. "You must be sick of receiving commissions all the time as the sales director. Why don't you take advantage of this holiday to spend some quality time with your family?" On the way home, I dial a number. "Mr. Skylar, there's a problem with the 50-million-dollar contract. Let's discuss it later."

By the fifth year of my marriage to River Grayson, I had stopped checking his call logs and chat records. Instead, I spent my nights drinking and partying with my girlfriends at the poolside bar. When his ninety-ninth missed call lit up my screen, I let out a cold laugh and tossed my phone straight into the water. It didn't take long before he came storming in. The moment he pulled the strawberry-scented condom out of my pocket, he turned grim and banned me from leaving the house after 7:00 PM. "Joanne, you weren't like this before." I thought back to last month, when I had run into him at the hospital. He had lied about being on a business trip out of town, but there he was, holding Yvonne Sinclair's hand. I still remembered his words. "You lost your uterus from saving me back then. My sperm is perfectly fine. I'll give you a child—with your mother's help." Now, staring into his furious eyes, I said coldly, "Don't worry. There's no going back for us anymore."

"The Academy of Shadows" Elara, an intelligent young woman but completely lacking control in her professional and personal life, is secretly drawn to submission. Upon receiving a mysterious invitation, she joins "The Academy of Shadows," a discreet institution where the most secret desires are explored under the guidance of Master Kael, a Dominator as feared as he is desired. —Kneel, he commands. I resist for a second, out of pride, out of despair, before collapsing, my knees hitting the hard ground. —Good girl, Isadora murmurs, but her voice seems distant, drowned in the buzzing of my own blood in my ears. —Now, he says, you will show me how much you want this. And I know, with terrifying certainty, that I no longer have a choice.

"The Secret of a Forbidden Heart" Akira Quezon, better known as Kira, is a young woman with a sweet smile and a loyal heart. Despite her youth, she harbors a secret love — a feeling ordained by fate but forbidden by society. Her heart continues to beat for Axel, her handsome and mysterious godfather, who, despite being 40 years old, remains dashing and alluring. But behind every glance and secret smile lies a complex past. Axel is a man seemingly shrouded in the shadows of his own secrets. Between their silent gazes and inexplicable closeness, the question hangs — how far will they fight for a love that defies all norms? As secrets gradually unravel, Kira discovers that the man she loves has wounds from the past that he desperately tries to hide. Between truth and desire, they must confront their fears. Will their love prevail, or will they be consumed by the shadows of the past?

Jade was found in the aftermath of a rogue attack and taken in by a nearby pack as a servant. She is told that her parents were likely some of the rogues, and as such she is treated as worse than worthless her whole life. One day, she snaps and has enough of her treatment, earning herself a death sentence. When a mysterious stranger rescues her and claims to be her mate, Jade realizes that her past may not be as simple and vague as she was led to believe. Elliott is the alpha of Silver Moon, one of the most successful and wealthy packs in the country. He's tough, smart, and lethal if someone he loves is in danger. When he sees a girl in danger during a visit to River Bed pack, he steps in and saves her. When he finds out the girl is his mate, and that she is sentenced to die in a few days, he takes drastic action to get her away from her evil pack and to the safety of his lands. But when he gets his mate home, he finds that they have more history than he thought: Jade is none other than the fallen alpha of Mystic Moon's daughter. But when both Elliott and Jade have no memory of the specifics of the attack, they realize a greater plot may be at foot here, and Elliott is--for the first time in his life-- left wondering if he alone is strong enough to face it.

The Falcon Ridge Series Book 1 Anna Riker: I have no patience for the military Security unit. I have a giant chip on my shoulder and it didn't help when one soldier almost gets himself killed and I have to save him. There's something about this soldier that gets under my skin. I don't want to find out, but the closer I get, the more I can't help myself. River Blake: I'm next in line to take over my pack. I joined the security unit over a year ago to appease my father. When he says I need my fated mate to get my title, yeah I'm angry. Until I see a woman, dressed in leather. She says our future together could never be, but I'll do everything i can to prove to her that she's for me and I'm for her. Michael Dorian: I know Im being used. I didn't mind at first, but now things have changed. When she meets some soldier, a rage boils in my gut. Like a powder keg ready to explode. I have to prove to Anna she's for me and only me. And I will. Even if I have commit treason and murder to do it.

Chiara has never been wanted. Everyone thought of her as a burden and waste of space all her life. When an opportunity presented itself to prove her worth, she eagerly grabbed it. Little did she know that her choice would strip her freedom away and chain her to be the wife and property of Adrian, Alpha of the Galway Pack. A loveless marriage and a cruel husband she can't escape away from, finding her fated mate is now a distant fantasy for her. That was until another alpha bulldozed his way into her life and forced her to take the reigns of her fate once more. Lance is a rogue alpha on the run for over a decade. Blamed for the death of his former pack, he tried to start a new life away from the city and other wolves. However, he's eventually caught by the Galway Pack and offered a second chance as a personal bodyguard for the Alpha's wife. It is a sin for him to set his eyes on Chiara, much more to fall in love with the pack alpha's mate, but his wolf and heart have other things to say. An omega in a gilded cage and a rogue alpha chained by his past sins... can Chiara and Lance find the courage to carve their own paths, or will they simply be swept away by the raging river of fate?

Being the daughter of an alcoholic, isn't a great thing. But what is worse is losing my mother at the age of seven. My father, Oliver Kruiz has hated me ever since, thinks I took his wife away from him. When in reality, it was his failure to show up that caused her death. As though hating me wasn't enough to keep me depressed, he tried to get me married to a man twenty years older than I was. I don't think twice before running away, the night before my wedding. I was meant to be careful but got careless, and nearly ended up being molested by thugs. That is before I'm saved by my dark hero: Hayden Wren. Things didn't exactly start smoothly, but that didn't mean they ended well either. I had phobia for thugs because my mother was killed by them; while trying to protect me. Everything suddenly goes south, when I find out the man who had saved me was no different. Which leaves me thinking: is he a friend or foe? --- River Kruiz, the daughter of a drunkard, Oliver Kruiz. She has phobia for thugs, and even eloped the night before her wedding. Nearly for this same reason. But what happens when she finds herself growing attached to a mafia?

Michael is the alpha of the Red River pack; his cruelty and contempt towards the woman he is meant to love and protect are vile. Will the woman survive? Can they rebuild the rest of their lives, or will his cruelty forever break their minds, bodies, and souls? Nicole was his chosen mate. She knew and experienced firsthand the depths of his depravity. Young, naive, and innocent, she fell victim to his manipulations, only to be discarded when he had no more use for her. To truly know someone, you have to know where they came from; my name is Layla, they are my parents, and this is our story. It never ceased to amaze me how the moon goddess allowed someone like my father to exist. How could she stand by and let one man ruin so many lives, and yet she constantly challenges the rest of us with so much loss and sorrow? I rose above every obstacle put in my path. I have loved, lost, and suffered at the hands of others, and yet I'm still here. I overcame my struggles tougher, stronger, and more determined to build a better life for my people, pack, and family. And I did; we finally made it. I stare at the people in the room. They came into my life when I needed them the most; they are my family, and I love them all.

The night my husband, William Costello, was assassinated by his enemies was supposed to be a celebration—our wedding anniversary. I was dressed in his favorite red dress, waiting for him, when the phone rang. "Mr. Costello was shot at the harbor. The bullet went through the back of his head. He died on the spot." I collapsed to the floor. I clung to his belongings, mourning for a week straight. We even lost our unborn child during this time. Everyone said William and I were true love. Even the Don himself came to the funeral, resting a heavy hand on my shoulder with a sigh. He said, "All of Blackhaven knows you were the only woman he ever loved." Grief nearly destroyed me. I stood at the river's edge, ready to follow William into the afterlife. However, I overheard my sister-in-law, Emily Hawkins, leaning into my brother-in-law, Jones Costello, her voice dripping with a twisted affection. She purred, "William, I love you so much. Between Nina and me, who do you think is sexier?" "Of course it's you, babe!" came the husky reply. I stood frozen, my eyes wide and my body trembling. Why was Emily calling my brother-in-law by my husband's name?