Seventeen When I Grow Up

Suddenly, I was slammed against a cracked pillar. A strong arm pinned me by the throat, not enough to choke me, just enough to let me know I could be. And then I saw him. Amber eyes. Fierce. Burning. Too wild to be fully human. Too focused to be feral. Face contorted in boredom. The strange yet familiar man.. His body pressed against mine, tall, muscled, furious. I felt the tremble of his restraint as if the beast inside him was clawing to get out. “Smells like blood,” he growled, breath hot against my skin. “Yours?” I smiled despite myself, excitement seeping into my veins much to my annoyance. “Disappointed it’s not?” He didn’t blink. Just stared at me with that maddening, unreadable expression, as if I were a puzzle he already intended to break. I jerked my knee toward his groin, fast and vicious. But his reflexes were faster. He caught my leg. Held it midair, balancing me with one hand as if I weighed nothing. And for a heartbeat, we just… looked at each other. His eyes weren’t just amber. They were gold. Like molten metal cracked open under pressure. He was beautiful in that brutal, savage way, the kind of man carved from war and grief, not born. And I hated him for it.

I'm hospitalized after a car accident that nearly costs me my leg. Meanwhile, my fiancé is too busy in the room next door taking care of his first love. She's only faking a sprained ankle. From that same room, I hear Johan Rivera's mocking voice. "Raelyn? She's just a pawn the old man picked for a political marriage. She's not even good enough to be your stand-in." In that moment, something in me finally breaks. I watch the news coverage of a rising business star who's surrounded by reporters and flashing cameras. He's also my childhood friend who has pursued me for ten years. I calmly send him a message. "Christian, does your offer for a contract marriage still stand?"

Morgan Drake is a 2nd year resident at Sangela City Regional Hospital grappling with depression and addiction, following some recent stressful life events. Disillusioned with his work and current life situation, he is forced to take a trip where he encounters a mysterious s woman: the strong-willed, beautiful and intimidating Maddison Silva whom he is immediately drawn to. An introspective look reveals that he is inadequate for her, which leaves him with two choices: give up on her or put the broken pieces of his life back together. Which option does he choose? If its the latter, who is he changing for? More importantly, if he can get his life together, will she accept him?

A tragic love story of a happily married couple; when Nicholas lost his memory due to an accident at work, Reign does all she can to help him remember who is she. But it isn't so easy, because his family and a controlling ex try all they can to keep the two apart. Can Reign help Nicholas remember?

After Nathan Seville stands me up for the seventh time we're supposed to register our marriage, I finally cut all ties with him—completely and on my own terms. If he shows up at a gathering, I don't go. If he's invited to perform at the college anniversary, I leave early. The moment my company decides to work with him, I resign on the spot. Even on Christmas Eve, when he shows up at my house with gifts, I make up an excuse about needing to visit someone. Calls? Blocked. Socials? Deleted. My strategy is simple—cut it all off. I don't reach out, and he has no way of finding me. For the first 30 years of my life, I spent most of it loving him with everything I had. I cared for him, supported him, and waited for him. But after being left hanging for the seventh time at the City Hall, I finally wake up. I don't want to live like this anymore. Even if I end up alone, it's still better than spending night after night waiting in an empty house that never feels like home!

I head to a real estate sales office with my fiancée to purchase a marital home, where we meet a two-faced realtor. He starts off by complimenting my fiancée for everything she's achieved at her young age, especially since she can afford to drive a Rolls-Royce. Then, he hints that I'm wearing a fake watch and pretending to be rich so that I can live off her money and get a house without paying a cent. When he learns that we're buying our marital home, he raises his voice and says to me, "I think the sugar mommy who bought you two houses the last time was pretty nice. Oh, wait—I forgot that you have more than one sugar mommy, Mr. Bellway. Do they know of one another's existences?" I smile. My so-called sugar mommy is my actual godmother, but there's no denying that she's rich. Unfortunately for this realtor, my fiancée is nothing but a poor student whom I sponsored back in the day!

After my mate, Drew Bruce, vanished from the pack warzone, I cared for his gravely ill parents in his stead for three years. In the end, he returns with his wolf missing and a young she-wolf by his side. He begs for the Alpha King to break our mate bond. Drew taunts me, "Jenny Watson, your peaceful life in the pack is thanks to my bloodshed on the battlefield. You'll never be someone like Sherry Lowe, an outstanding physiotherapist, who can fight alongside me. "It's a good thing our mind link has disappeared ever since I lost my wolf. Being with Sherry made me realize how dull you are. "You're useless. If it weren't for the Moon Goddess' guidance, you would've never been worthy of being my mate." When his parents find out, instead of talking him out of it, they fully support his decision. They completely disregard the dedication and sincerity I showed them over three years. Heartbroken, I turn and leave for the field hospital. He has no idea that I come from a long line of healers. When I earn the title of chief field healer with nothing but my own skill, he goes mad with regret.

When we were about to head to the amusement park, my Beta boyfriend, Drew, brought along a woman and her daughter. There happened to be one seat short in the car. Drew told me to get out and give my seat to the two of them. “Laura has a kid with her. Let them go first. I’ll come back for you later,” he said. I calmly stepped out and watched as the car slowly pulled away from the pack. Three hours later, they arrived at the amusement park for the fireworks and feast. When a friend asked Drew why he still hadn’t come back to get me, Drew was patiently helping Laura light a giant firework. He wasn’t in a rush at all and even said, “It’ll be fine if I pick Sienna up later. She won’t mind. I’ll coax her a bit, and she’ll stop being mad.” Anger only worked on people who cared about someone. My dad, mom, and brother never cared, and now, not even Drew cared anymore. It was time for me to leave for good.

Lyra Riley, a twenty-one-year-old virgin psychology major, and Blaze Cunningham, a twenty-five-year-old CEO, have encountered the worst relationships. Blaze has been used for his money and cheated on during all his long-term relationships. Lyra has been dumped time after time for not giving up her most prized possession. Both yearn to find their soulmate, someone to grow old with. And then, one night, Fate steps in for Lyra and takes the lead. Could she finally have found love, or is this another disaster in the making?

Alice Smith longed to turn the tortuous days of loving Camila into a happy ending but you know how the universe isn't always on your side, a fiasco named Jake appeared.  He came like a domestic cat and settled in as a wild tiger, a predator domineering over the masses, his soft side captured camila´s heart that she forgot family and her one and only best friend Alice. Camila didn't realize she had entered the territory of the wild tiger until she looked around her and realized everyone had either died or left her . A love so beautiful it cannot be defined by mere mortals' views on affection, a love that isn't stained by societal norms and rules. No matter how broken, Alice could not give up on her love. Brandishing her swords against all odds she went up against the wild tiger with the power of love.