Shadows In Durango

Clara's world crumbles when she finds out that she has been offered to the ruthless Lycan king as compensation by her pack. All her life, she has been preparing to be the Luna of the Shadows falls pack, since she was mated to the alpha. But things change when she finds out that her little sister is already pregnant with her mate's child, and now, in place of her step-sister, she is being forced to marry the ruthless Lycan king while pretending to be her step-sister. Will she survive being the Lycan king Asher Blackwood's substitute mate, or will her secret be leaked? What will happen when the Lycan king finds out about her secret?

At the center of the city, stands a Boss’s Spot—a car wash by day, a den of secrets by night. The Boss, feared and desired, rules with authority, calling young men upstairs one by one to satisfy his selfish desires. When Rico, a bold newcomer with a haunted past, arrives and refuses the Boss’s summons, everything changes. Power shifts and obsession brews. A dangerous attraction unfolds. But Rico’s past is catching up fast, and the Boss must decide if his control is worth more than the man who dared to defy his orders. Can dominance and desire coexist? When power meets resistance, who really holds control? Will love bloom in the shadows—or destroy them both?

Elsa, a she-wolf from the lower ranks of the Moonstone Pack, has spent two years living in the shadows loving Caleb, the future Alpha, in secret. Every stolen kiss and whispered promise has been a lifeline… and a heartbreak. But now Caleb has made a vow: after tomorrow’s championship game, he will claim her publicly defying his powerful family, the pack council, and the centuries old expectations that bind him to a noble mate like Crystal Owen. Elsa dares to dream of a future with Caleb. But when tragedy strikes, she learns the hardest truth of all some betrayals cut deeper than lies. In Moonstone, power comes with a price, and love can be the sharpest weapon of all.

Adrian Wells just wants to be left alone. Quiet nights, warm tea, and his sketchpad are all he needs to survive in a world that has taken too much from him already. Scarred by the fire that claimed his family and plagued by anxiety that keeps him from truly living, Adrian has grown used to solitude. But someone else has been watching—and waiting. When a black box appears at his doorstep, filled with unsettlingly personal gifts, Adrian brushes it off as a prank. But the messages grow bolder. The intrusions into his life become impossible to ignore. Someone knows him. Someone sees him. And that someone is Evan Thorn. Evan isn’t just a stalker—he’s a protector in his own twisted way. Rich, intelligent, and obsessive, he believes Adrian is his to love, to shield, to possess. From anonymous letters to watching from the shadows, Evan orchestrates a careful descent into Adrian’s world, eliminating anyone who gets too close. But he isn’t the only one watching. When a more violent rival stalker emerges, Adrian finds himself caught between two versions of danger: the chaos of the unknown and the devil he’s slowly come to understand. As the walls close in, Adrian is forced to rely on Evan—the very man who shattered his sense of safety. What begins as fear turns into something darker: a toxic intimacy that blurs the line between captor and comfort. As Adrian starts to feel seen for the first time in his life, he questions whether love can grow in the shadows—or if it’s just another kind of cage. In a story about obsession, trauma, what, If someone breaks you just to put you back together, is that still love? And when you finally escape them, do they ever really leave?

The things we want are so very rarely the things we need. Clifton Heights, a modest Adirondack town, offers many unique attractions. Arcane Delights sells both paperbacks and hard-to-find limited editions. The Skylark Diner serves the best home-cooked meals around, with friendly service and a smile. Every August, Mr. Jingo’s County Fair visits, to the delight of children and adults. In essence, Clifton Heights is the quintessential small American town. Everyone knows everyone else, and everyone is treated like family. It is quiet, simple, and peaceful. But shadows linger here. Flitting in dark corners, from the corner of the eye. If you walk down Main Street after dark, the slight scrape of shoes on asphalt whispers you're not alone, but when you look over your shoulder, no one is there. The moon shines high and bright in the night sky, but instead of throwing light, it only seems to make the shadows lengthen. Children disappear. Teens run away. Hunters get lost in the woods with frightening regularity. Husbands go mad, and wives vanish in the dead of night. And still, when the sun rises in the morning, you are greeted by townspeople with warm waves and friendly smiles, and the shivers pass as everything seems fresh and new... Until night falls once more. Handy's Pawn and Thrift sits several blocks down from Arcane Delights. Like any thrift store, its wares range from the mundane to the bizarre. By daylight, it seems just another slice of small town Americana. But in its window hangs a sign which reads: We Have Things You Need. And when a lonely traveling salesman comes looking for something he desperately wants, after normal visiting hours, after night has fallen, he will face a harsh truth among the shelves of Handy’s Pawn and Thrift: the things we want are rarely the things we need. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

"Why do you always look at me like that?" she whispered. "Because you're unlike anyone I've ever known," Damien replied, his voice low and husky, sending shivers down her spine. "Your presence is like a thorn in my side." Eira scoffed. “You're nothing but trouble, Damien. A brooding vampire with an ego the size of a castle. But you need me. Without me, you’ll be dead.” “I hate that," he admitted. She smirked. "Hate that you need me? So, what is it, Damien? A weakness you'd rather keep in the shadows?" Damien leaned in, his face dangerously close to hers, his gaze dropping to her lips. Eira's breath caught, her shock palpable. "I might need you, Eira, but I don’t want you," he said, his eyes betraying a desire he refused to acknowledge. "Remember that." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, her thoughts in turmoil and her lips tingling with the ghost of an almost-kiss. *** The Silverstone Pack is out for blood, determined to avenge their alpha's brutal murder. All eyes are on Damien, the prime suspect, who now lives in the shadows, focused on survival. His only goal is to stay one step ahead and keep himself well-fed. But everything changes when he encounters a girl who is mysteriously immune to his powers. In her, he finds a glimmer of hope he thought long lost. Eira, heartbroken from a recent breakup, unexpectedly crosses paths with Damien. Her confrontation with him quickly turns into a nightmare when she is taken captive. Damien, desperate and cornered, offers her a chilling deal: help him save himself, or face unimaginable suffering. With little choice, Eira agrees, setting off a chain of events that will forever change the course of her life.

Lyra Jenkins’ heart is shattered, devoid of hope and her world in tatters with the guilt of everyone perceiving her as the murderer of her beloved father. However, she finds solace in the arms of an unexpected lover, Caleb Sawyer. But her respite is short-lived, as he callously chooses another woman over her, leaving her reeling in a deep dilemma of despair. Then the bitter ashes of betrayal and rejection settle in, and she resolves to reveal her true identity, driven by a thirst for revenge. In this bleak world, can Lyra find redemption? Can she break free from this toxic cycle, or will the shadows of her past forever define her future? Will she give him a second chance if he seeks forgiveness? Hell no! Second chances are not meant for scumbags like him.

He was one to go unnoticed by those around him for his head was always hidden behind the thick warm material of the black and grey hoodie. She was outspoken and not afraid of anything or she thought, her once fearless exterior came crumbling down in a heap of shuddered tears when she witnesses her best friend being murdered. Calder Evens liked to hid in the shadows keeping himself hidden from his enemies prying eyes, but one night he makes a life changing mistake and finds himself coming face to face with the one thing he feared most. Falling in love. Left with no other option but to take the extremely attractive young witness with him and for ever turning his life and empire upside down.

Alpha Julius Maia and her wolf have lived peacefully alone since her escape, enjoying the serenity of the forest without ambition for more, leaving the horrors of her past behind her. That is, until a sequence of events leaves her stumbling across the territory lines of an unforgiving Alpha, one whose grasp is so tight, she fears she may never break free. But it seems her new Alpha isn’t the only problem she faces. Secrets from her past lurk in the shadows, threatening to crumble the very fabric of her reality as they lie in wait, patiently preparing for the perfect opportunity to attack. Maia’s life is turned upside down, and she finds herself wondering if she’ll ever find peace again…

Beautiful, headstrong Aria has one rule: never let anyone control her—even if it means risking her family's fortune. But when her inheritance is tied to marriage, she's forced into a deal with a mysterious stranger whose name she barely knows. The twist? He doesn’t show up to the wedding. Instead, a perfectly groomed puppy arrives in his place—wearing a diamond-studded collar and a note: “This is only the beginning.” Thrust into a tangled web of secrets and shadows, Aria finds herself drawn to her unexpected companion—and the deeper mystery behind her vanished husband. With loyalty tested, truths unraveling, and a love story unlike any other, Aria’s journey begins not with a kiss, but with a wagging tail and a trail of clues.