Shema97 Functional Active Mask

Synopsis: In the world of the ultra-elite, power is the only currency, and Dante Moretti is the man who owns the mint. For three years, the ruthless billionaire has watched Ivy St. Claire from the shadows, curating a digital and physical gallery of her life. He didn't just want her; he wanted to destroy the legacy of her father, a man who framed Dante’s family decades ago. When the St. Claire empire teeters on the edge of a $50 million ruin, Dante finally steps into the light, offering Ivy a deal that is nothing short of a soul-binding contract: her freedom for her father’s life. Ivy is thrust into the "Golden Cage" of Dante’s cliffside estate, a gothic masterpiece where every room is a reminder of his obsession. But the luxury is a mask for a terrifying reality. Dante is a man of "Red Flags," a possessive monster who treats Ivy as a living interest on a blood debt. The deeper she sinks into his world, the more she realizes his love is a poisonous blend of desire and vengeance. He isolates her, manipulates her emotions, and threatens everyone she loves to ensure she never takes a step beyond his reach. The stakes escalate when Ivy discovers the mansion’s darkest secret: Dante’s mother, Isabella, is alive and rotting in a hidden cellar, driven mad by years of captivity. Ivy finds herself trapped between two generations of madness, holding a mysterious key left by her father that unlocks a truth even more dangerous than Dante’s obsession. As the lines between hatred and a dark, Stockholm-style attraction begin to blur, Ivy must decide if she will find a way to break the Moretti curse or if she will succumb to being his most "Poisonous Possession" forever.

“You’re a blank, John. A hollow shell. Do you really think I’d tie the future of the Card family to a man who can’t even manifest a drop of instinct?” Caleb’s voice was like a wire garrote, tightening around John’s throat. “Carl is the heir. You’re just the mistake we kept in the basement.” John Mark was the Syndicate’s golden prince—until his power never came. In a world where the Hale Mafia rules through raw, predatory instinct, being a "blank" is a death sentence. When his biological brother, Carl Cole, returns to claim his birthright, John isn't just pushed aside; he’s erased. His brothers look at him with loathing, his father treats him like a stain on the ledger, and his fiancé, Caleb Card, discards him for the new, powered heir. But the city is rotting. The Abyss King, Morcant, demands a soul to keep the shadows at bay. With nothing left to lose and fifteen days to live, John signs the Sacrifice Certificate in secret. He’ll give his life to save the family that hates him, paying back his debts in blood. He dons a red coat and a porcelain mask, becoming the nameless "Red Savior" the city worships—while by day, he is the "useless" son the Hales kick into the dirt. As the clock ticks toward the final jump, John discovers his power didn't vanish—it was stolen. Now, trapped in a house of vipers, John must decide: Does he reveal the truth and watch his family’s world burn, or does he leap into the dark to save the monsters who broke him? The Abyss is hungry. And the man they called a failure is the only one who can feed it.

Trixie is wild and takes after her biker father. When she loses her position at her apprenticeship, she works in a club. As she dances her way to earn money, her boss asks her to do a private dance for a customer. After a lot of refusing, Trixie agrees. With the mask on, she dances for him, and after a passionate kiss and a little more, Trixie is left on the edge craving more. Not just more, but him.She leaves to visit her parents. Sitting by the pool, her dads shocked glare at her has her worried as he spots the tattoo. Her dad points it out to his best friend, Damon. Only a sickening look crosses Damon's face. Trixie soon finds out, the man who brought her pleasure just days before is the man she has always called Uncle, her fathers best friend, nearly twenty years older than her.As they start a secret affair that is meant to just be fun., someone falls in love. Unfortunately, that love puts Trixie in a difficult situation when her past shows up at her parents and uses every weakness she has. Will her dad find out about her affair with Damon? Will Damon and her dad find out the truth about the person from her past, and just how will they solve it?WARNINGS: This book contains scenes of BDSM, including but not limited to. Dominance, submission, bondage, edge play, and more. This book also includes Daddy kink. (Trixie calls Damon Daddy.) This book also contains scenes of abuse. The book also features scenes of rape. However, these scenes are blacked out and do not go into great detail.Ultimately, this book is smut, so most chapters will have some sexual references or sexual play.

Elara Vance was never a bride...She was a transaction. To save her brother’s life and settle her father’s crumbling debts, she sold herself into a three year "Repayment Marriage" to the coldest man in the city, Julian Vane. For three years, she endured his frozen silence, his public indifference, and the cruel whispers of a high society that saw her as nothing more than a social prop. She played the role of the perfect, submissive wife, hiding her world-class talent and her breaking heart behind a mask of glass. She waited for a spark of warmth, a sign that the man who held her at night felt more than just obligation. Then came the morning after their final night together, the night she thought finally changed everything. Instead of a "good morning," Julian tossed a manila envelope onto the bed. "The debt is paid, Elara. Sign the papers and leave. I’m done with you." Julian thought he was finally rid of the woman he blamed for his past. He didn't expect her to sign the papers with a smile. He didn't expect her to vanish into thin air, leaving his massive mansion echoing with a silence that felt like a curse. But Elara didn't leave alone. She left with a secret, a tiny heartbeat that Julian would never know about. Now, the hunter has become the haunted. As Elara rises from the ashes of her old life to become a woman the world can't ignore, Julian is left to realize that the wife he threw away was the only thing holding his world together. The debt is settled. The game has changed. And this time, he’s the one who will have to pay... with his soul.

Her laughter cascaded through the air, a seductive melody that intertwined with her mischievous gaze. "You underestimate yourself, Nathan. Behind that haughty mask lies a man consumed by desires he can't control." His eyes smoldered with a mixture of longing and determination, stepping closer, he drew her into his embrace, their bodies pulsating with an electric current. His voice, a velvet caress, dripped with untamed sensuality. "You're playing with fire, Brixlee. But know this, I always emerge victorious." . . Nathan Grey is a powerful and wealthy businessman known for his commanding presence. When Brixlee, a humble country girl, embarrasses him at a fancy party, Nathan's wounded pride fuels a strong desire for revenge. Little does he know that seeking vengeance won't be straightforward. Determined to make Brixlee pay for her audacity, Nathan devises a clever plan. With the support of his friend Lucas, he proposes a bet that requires him to get close to the mysterious Brixlee. As the stakes rise, Nathan embarks on a journey filled with unexpected challenges and surprising discoveries. As the story unfolds, Nathan finds himself caught in a tangle of love and passion, where the rules of the game blur and desires become entwined. Balancing his quest for revenge with growing emotions he can't deny, he must confront a startling truth – sometimes, winning the game means losing what truly matters. In the midst of this dangerous game of love, where trust is fragile and hearts are vulnerable, Nathan and Brixlee must navigate a treacherous path. Will they surrender to the irresistible connection between them? Or will their hidden secrets and unfulfilled desires bring them crashing down, leaving them both vulnerable and broken? It is a captivating tale of passion, redemption, and the tumultuous dance between two souls who must confront their vulnerabilities to find happiness.

Alpha King Theodore 'Theo' Haverford is kind, compassionate and the best Alpha King to the ten packs of Westerlands or so everyone says. When Rhianna Adams first realized she is mated to an Alpha, and a King at that, she thought he would reject her for being weak, but he didn't. He swept her off her feet and become her knight. This is the best gift. This is her fairytale comes true. Now nobody in her pack will mock her and call her a weak runt. Two years later, she caught him cheating on her with her old bully, the same girl who has humiliated her every chance she got, and Rhia realizes the fairytale she has been living in is in fact a nightmare. To the outside world, he is the best. But he hides his devil carefully with a mask of sanity. No one sees the insane side of him. A side that wakes up only when he is with her. He is manipulative, cruel and he wants to control her. Finally Rhianna has enough of his madness, enough of everything that has ever done to her. Her wolf has left her because of him. Rhianna has to be strong for her precious daughter, and so she will become the woman she should have been all along. Someone who stands up for herself, someone who believes in herself. She has been a weakling. But no more. This time she will have her revenge. In this dark life, full of powerful enemies, can the weakest of Omega wolf survive? What will she do when she finds herself falling for the Alpha King's rebellious, bad boy twin brothers who are forbiddenn? Will she ever find her happiness or is revenge is her only goal now?

"Luna Seraphina, are you certain you wish to proceed with the breaking of the mate bond? Once we begin the ritual, the bond between you and Alpha Kaden will be gone forever. Your power, your standing, and everything you hold within the pack will no longer exist." The aged priest of the pack held Seraphina’s hand, her weathered eyes reflecting worry. Seraphina nodded, her voice unwavering with determination. "I’m sure." The priest persuaded Seraphina, "The ritual will bring you unimaginable pain, and Alpha Kaden will suffer greatly too. Please, could you reconsider it?" Seraphina broke the skin of her finger with a silver pen and pressed her blood print on the ancient werewolf script to seal the deal. "Let’s begin." "Very well. After the ritual, you will forsake the name, Seraphina Mor, and in return, the Moon Goddess will grant you a new life. You will go by Kathryn Flint, is that correct?" "Yes." Kathryn would leave and begin a new chapter in a forest. It was a path she had set out for herself. She was going to leave and break free from the pack that had been nothing but lies. After the ritual, the priest handed her a new human ID and passport. "Can I leave the territory now?" "Yes, you may. The confirmation slip holds the Moon Goddess’s blessing, which has the power to mask your scent from the Alpha seeking to track you, but it can only last for a week." Seraphina prepared her departure with haste. She would bring nothing else with her, neither her Luna staff nor her registered name on the pack’s records. Seraphina was leaving with her new passport in a week anyway. The Luna title could remain with the pack for good, for she no longer needed it.

Julian "Jules" Ashford was born to wear a suit, walk the shiny halls of power, and marry the perfect woman - even when he's lied his entire life to everyone, including himself. Closeted, bullied by father Stephen Ashford Sr., and stuck in a copycat marriage to political heiress Camille "Cam" Stratton, Jules has just one freedom: acting... until an ice-blue mess and a beat-up Dodge Challenger smash into his carefully built world. River Moreno is signed, shattered, and too occupied destroying Moreno Custom Garage with his sister Sierra and father Tomás to give a shit about billionaire dickheads in fancy suits - until one of them "accidentally" hits him from behind to get his attention. When Jules and River's worlds collide - quite literally - what begins as a calculated untruth sets something raw and magnetic in motion. One man's existence is constructed on silence and legacy; the other's on survival and truth. But when a brick comes through River's shop window and threats begin to escalate, Jules doesn't hesitate to defend him - even if it means putting himself at risk and exposing himself in ways he's never been brave enough to. As Jules utilizes his power to protect River from harm, something deeper takes root - deeper than lust, deeper than rebellion. It's real. It's risky. And it may cost them everything. In a city where Ashford & Co. Wealth and the Stratton political machine reign supreme, where love between two men puts more than reputation at risk - it puts power at risk - Jules must make a decision: Can the man who was trained to live behind a mask come to love - and live - in the open?

Tessa and Raymond’s marriage was never about love, it was convenience, appearances, and expectations. Raymond, with his conventional charm and striking handsomeness, was admired by everyone, but his heart was never fully hers. He had always been drawn to Danielle Green. He claimed she was just a friend, but Tessa knew better. Every secret outing, every hidden smile all carved wounds into Tessa’s heart, leaving her feeling invisible in her own marriage. The tipping point comes when Tessa stumbles upon a post online, a wave of public scolding aimed at her for supposedly breaking the home, for being the obstacle to Danielle. In a blaze of frustration and humiliation, she serves Raymond divorce papers. But instead of freeing her, Raymond refuses. He offers her silly, manipulative terms to meet him, seduces, and taunts her, proving he will never let her go easily. Fueled by a mix of rage and determination, Tessa begins to reclaim her power. She finds herself drawn into a complicated dynamic with Derek, Raymond’s best friend, a man with his own history of tension with Raymond and secret feelings for Tessa. The attention stirs something in her: attraction, validation, a hint of revenge. It ignites a spark Raymond cannot ignore. For Raymond, it is only the beginning. The thought of losing her shook him to the core. He begins to fight for her in ways he never has, even as his love twists into jealousy and obsession. When Raymond finally drops the mask, revealing the man beneath the arrogance, the man terrified of losing her, Tessa is forced to ask herself the question she swore she’d buried: Can love truly be reborn in the depth of hate, or is his devotion just another chain designed to keep her bound?

On the night of our engagement, the ward my family sponsored left without a word. She went alone to the Mexican border, a lawless land crawling with cartels, to become a combat medic. From then on, Dante and I tortured each other for ten years. He hated me for trapping him with my birthright as the heir, stealing the spot of the woman he loved. I hated him for humiliating me while still craving the power and wealth the Moretti family provided. In countless fights, we spewed the most vicious curses at each other. Until that raid on the underwater sanctuary. The base was rigged to blow and sinking fast. Dante didn't hesitate. He strapped the only oxygen mask onto my face and turned to jump into the swarm of sharks. He slit his own wrist, using his blood to lure the predators away. Moments before the sea swallowed him, he roared at me: “I don't owe you anything anymore, Sophia!” “If there's a next life, please, let me go!” After I was rescued, the family only recovered his mangled remains. Clutched in his palm was that charity case's cross necklace. That was when I learned Elena had died from a stray bullet years ago. And he, in the end, chose this brutal suicide to join her. Dante's death shook the entire Underworld. The family Elders took their anger out on me. I was accused of being a "Black Widow" who sent her husband to his death to save herself. I was beaten to death by a mob of angry thugs on the street. When I opened my eyes again, I stopped my father. This time, I’ll let them have their epic love story.