Shining Brightly

For Gabriel, the nightmare didn't start with a scream. It started with a wedding announcement. The news was a death sentence. My pious mother was marrying the wealthiest man in the city, but the Miller fortune didn't matter to me. What mattered was the monster I would now have to call family. Derek Miller. My campus bully, the guy who spent years making my life a living hell was about to become my step brother. And the most shameful secret of all? I was deathly attracted to him. I thought I could survive it. I had Bradley, the boyfriend I had supported for five years, the guy who promised me the world. But he lied. I didn't get the world. I got a gut wrenching betrayal. I walked into a luxury apartment to find the only person I trusted being ruined by my bully. Derek didn't look away. He pinned me with a gaze of satisfied rage, claiming my boyfriend just to prove he could. Now, I am trapped in the Miller family tree with a step brother who loathes me. Between the holy lies of our parents and a shared bathroom that has become a hunting ground, I am drowning. Derek uses my stolen sketchbook and a leather belt to remind me I am nothing but a toy, his favorite plaything. I was desperate for a shoulder to lean on. I thought I had finally found a savior in a gentle stranger who pulled me from the wreckage of a rainy night. But as the masks slip, I am realizing the truth. I thought Derek was the monster, but my knight in shining armor may be the actual devil.

Emerald is on her way to becoming the Silver Pack's greatest warrior. Her best friend, future Alpha Declan is one of her biggest supporters. He, along with her other two best friends, future Beta Jackson, and future Gemma Wesley, put her through the wringer, and more often than not, she comes up as the shining star. Everyone believes Emerald had the most leisurely life growing up. With her best friends being who they are, having the most loving mother and step-father who didn't hesitate to take her in as his own, but the truth is her family has been through hell. Em, well, she's been through even more. No one knows that better than her three best friends, who have all been attached at the hip since they met her at age three. They each have a secret, though, one they never even admitted to one another. Declan, Jack, and Wesley are in love with Emerald. The deep love that they won't admit, not even to themselves. Emerald is in love with all three of them, but unlike her friends, she knows it, and now that they are about to turn eighteen in just a few weeks, she's starting to get scared for the first time in her life. They will all be blessed by the moon goddess with their mates, and you just don't know how it will go. One of us could be a mate, or all four will mate with someone they know or don't even know. The issue with the last part is she-wolves are very jealous creatures, so our friendship can come to a crashing halt after all these years. The thought of that could kill her alone. But guess we will have to wait and see...

“I…” He cut himself off, hesitating, before trying again. The words he pushed out of his lips, shy but sure, surprised me. “I want to fuck you for a change.” My eyes widened, stunned. What? “I want to know how quickly you cum from a cock in your ass,” he continued softly. If he knew who I was under this mask— Unease settled in my chest, but I knew I would do it. I needed that money… and the thought of sex with Aaron, anyhow it was offered, had become… scintillating, almost addictive. A guilty pleasure. — There’s a pecking order at William-Alfie High School and Jack is at the top of it. But he shouldn’t. Because that pyramid is strictly held up by money, and over the summer Jack’s parents have gone bankrupt. They’ve managed to keep it a secret, but Jack has to work at a sex club to make enough to keep up the illusion at school. When Aaron Smithy, a usual pushover, stands up to him in the cafeteria, Jack is afraid word has started to spread especially after he puts Jack in his place and he still retaliates by giving him food poisoning. Except he didn’t. Aaron’s bravado ended in the cafeteria. But Jack keeps coming at him so he has no choice but to defend himself, even as he has bigger fish to fry as he slowly falls in love with a sex-worker who has refused to show his face. By the end of the school year, their relationship has morphed into a tangled web of complexity that leaves Jack alone, naked and in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Will Aaron come to his rescue? Or will the newly-fallen shining star implode under it all?

Mumbai. The city of dreams. Shining bright with impressive skyscrapers, glamorous filmstars, and glittering malls. Standing tall on the shimmering coast of the Arabian Sea. Everywhere Sun hits here, this city dazzles. But beneath this warm dazzle, there is another Mumbai. The cold Mumbai. The dark Mumbai. The stronghold of the mafia. Where narrow alleys are splattered with gun-powder and blood. Where lives are discarded like tissue papers. Where an obscene amount of money circulates unaudited. And since years now, this formidable underworld is under Lala Amarnath Vaghela's thumb. The powerful mafia kingpin who started his ascent from the slums of Dharavi years back, today he controls most of the Indian subcontinent's illegal dealings and organized crime with an iron fist. But not without help. Kunal Ranjan Vaghela. Lalaji's grandson and his heir apparent. Apple of his grandfather's eyes, he is calculative, sly, and cold-blooded. Samar Jagtap. Lalaji's ruthless and cunning protege. Indispensable, he is as unapologetic as they come in this business. Everything is working smoothly in Lalaji's world. Like a well-oiled machine. Or is it? Because apart from sharing Lalaji's trust, apparently these two capable young men also share an undisguised hatred for each other. Not above playing dirty in this high-stakes arena, both are merely bidding their time to tear one another down. But no matter who emerges the winner out of the two, there is someone who will only lose. A torn heart that refuses to take sides. A girl who dared to love them both. Stubborn and loyal-to-a-fault Maahi. Full name Maahi Ranjan Vaghela. Kunal Vaghela's beloved baby sister. And the beautiful confusion of Samar Jagtap's life.

“Help,” Sara whispers weakly, blood seeping from the wound her mate had cruelly inflicted. Rejected and left for dead, she lies in the darkness, waiting for the end. Pain engulfs her, both physically and emotionally. But then, through the haze of her torment, a deep, gentle voice whispers tenderly, “I’ve got you, my Little Love. I swear on my life, I would die first before I let you suffer again.” A vow is given as strong arms carry her to safety. Like a fairytale, Sara is saved at the last minute. But the mysterious Alpha Rune, who rides to her rescue, is no hero—no knight in shining armor. He is the very man who destroyed her childhood by killing her parents, the man Sara swore to take vengeance on. ##### She was his weakness Alpha Rune, the conqueror, known for his ruthless heartlessness has a little secret: He does have a heart, and it belongs to Little Miss Blue Eyes, the girl who once channeled to him. He was her salvation Abandoned, rejected, and left to die by the mate she once sacrificed everything for, Sara Lockwood has nothing left—not even her wolf. But when Alpha Rune saves her life, she’s caught between gratitude and hatred. He’s tender, protective, and unlike anyone she’s known. But he’s also the man who destroyed her childhood by killing her parents. As Sara heals under Rune’s care, old wounds reopen, and new questions arise. Can she forgive the man she’s sworn to hate? Or will her need for vengeance destroy the one chance she has at love?

Sofia Fernandez is Gabriel Montero’s one great love, ang babaeng kanyang pinakamamahal. He calls her his Angel and he has been there sa lahat ng importanteng kaganapan sa buhay nito. He has been there because he was her bestfriend. Isang tawag at iyak lang nito, naroon agad siya para maibigay ang pangangailangan nito. He had love her for so long, probably the first time he laid eyes on her but he was so afraid to cross the line lalo na at may isang sekreto siyang pinakatago tago rito. A secret that might ruin more than their friendship, and he can’t just afford to lose her. Not in his lifetime. ‘Di bale nang bestfriend, huwag lang itong mawala sa kanya. Sofia thinks that life has been too unfair for her, being orphaned at the age of seven, at ang kunin ang lalaking una niyang minahal dahil sa sakit nitong leukemia, buti at nariyan lagi si Gab. Gab has always been her knight in shining armor, her confidant. Iyon ngalang lagi siyang namomroblema sa mga babae nito, sobra kasi nitong gwapo maliban sa matalino at mayaman din ito. Pero isang araw bigla siyang nagising na sobra na siyang apektado sa mga hawak at haplos nito. Ang isang bagay na lubhang ikinakatakot niya. A man with unconditional love for the woman he loves and a woman still mending a broken heart. Magiging pabor ba ang tadhana sa kanila o mas magiging marahas? I do not own the photo. Credits to the rightful owner.

“Why… am I in your bedroom?” My voice dropped into a whisper. He breathed out a laugh, the sound carrying a dangerously dark allure. He sat on the bed, and I hurriedly curled up my legs, desperate to gain more distance. He saw the movement, and his lips curled up. “You don't remember anything from last night, do you?” “L-last night?” I stuttered, crawling back against the headboard. “I bought you.” My body shuddered. I slowly lifted my head, facing him. “What… do you mean?” A smirk appeared. “You were a pretty item on the auction, and now you're mine.” *** After years of cruelty and abuse, I finally escaped from the one who hurt me, but my freedom was more fragile than I thought. I had run away from brutal prison only to be sold at the auction and locked up in a golden cage. My new owner was Grey Maledetti, the wealthiest and most feared man in New York. I thought I could escape him, but he wouldn't free me from his grasp. The more I tried to resist, the harder I was drawn toward him. He was dangerous. He was possessive. He was intoxicating. I breathed him in like a drug, slowly becoming an addict. I thought he would destroy me; instead, he mended what was broken. He embraced my every weakness and lent me his deadly strength. Grey Maledetti is no knight in shining armor. He is the King of Hell, and now his blade is pointed at those who hurt me…

When I drink the amber-colored poisonous wine, I can hear the joyful melody of a toast song coming from the manor. The wedding between Emanuela Romano and my ex-fiance, Benedetto Martini, is being held there right now. The elderly butler, Vincenzo Romano, puts away the wine glass with a blank expression. The way he speaks is as somber as one sounds when they give a speech at a funeral. "You know the Don's will very well, Ms. Andreotti. Five years are officially up, yet neither Mr. Andreotti, Mr. Martini, nor Dr. Foscari is willing to pledge their loyalty to you via the blood vow. According to the rules, you must take your own life within seven days. "The Don had left the Ashwine to you as a means of protecting… what little pride you have." Scorching pain begins spreading from my throat. I just smile at Vincenzo in return. Pride? Does a bastard spawn of a loose Iernian woman deserve to retain pride of any sort in the cruel Andreotti family? I begin making my way toward the banquet hall, which is brightly lit. As I walk past the shimmering waters of the pond in the family garden, I can tell that the waters are insanely cold. Then again, nothing is as cold as my icy heart right now. After taking a deep breath, I fall face-first into the pond… only to feel an iron-clad grip wrenching me backward. As such, I collapse onto the lawn heavily. My older brother, Alessandro Andreotti, has bits of grass covering his expensive suit. Disgust is written all over his handsome face. "Eva!" he grits out through his teeth, his voice lowered. "Must you spoil the mood on Emanuela's big day?" He then scoots closer to me, his alcohol-tinged breath fanning over my face. "You want to die, huh? Go ahead and do that, but can you die somewhere further? Don't stain the Andreotti land!" Alessandro turns to walk in the direction of the radiant lights, leaving me on the lawn, completely covered in mud. I can feel the countdown of my lifespan burning my insides. Seven days… I only have seven days to live. Meanwhile, my very own brother wants me to die somewhere further away.

Noah Kline is the picture of daytime purity. He is a shy philosophy student who wears glasses and shrinks under Dr. Alexander Elliott's piercing gray stare during ethics lectures. His heart races as he imagines those commanding hands bending him over the podium. At night, he turns into Nyx, the club's dirtiest pole dancer. His body is oiled and shining, his hips grind against steel in a way that makes cocks throb below. He drops into a slow, dirty split that makes cocks throb below. With his thighs spread wide around the pole, he rolls his pelvis in wet, teasing circles. His thong is soaked and clinging to his leaking erection while men stuff hundreds into his garter and fingers graze his balls. When Noah needs money for school, he gets a private VIP gig. He climbs the pole in a tiny thong and a glittering harness. He bends back and slides his fingers inside the waistband to tease his own hole on stage, moaning softly as the crowd cheers. Then the lights catch a familiar face: Professor Elliott, coming out of the shadows, his suit clean and his eyes black with wild hunger. Elliott rushes onto the stage and slams Noah's chest against the cold pole. "Daytime little mouse can't meet my eyes," he growls, shoving his knee between Noah's thighs to rub against his sore cock. "But here you are, dripping and begging strangers to break this tight hole?" Rough hands pull the harness aside, and Elliott's fingers go between Noah's cheeks, circling his entrance before pushing two thick fingers inside and curling them to hit his prostate hard.

"The galaxy had fallen to its doom, and i had fallen for you." "I am not your knight in shining armor, neither way you're a damsel in distress." At the day of her mother's burial ceremony, instead of being awakened in her room, Anne found herself in an unfamiliar forestry. Snapping out from her daze, she looked around, only to be chased by a gigantic ravenous wolf to a cliff. Once she had fallen, she instanly concluded that she had lost the creature. However, later, she instinctively found it staring at her intently, ready to lunge an attack. Without restraints, the wolf swiftly ran towards her. Anne then immediately closed her eyes and started praying for a painless death. 3...2...1.. but nothing happened! When she opened her eyes, a figure suddenly appeared in front of her, done in a black suit. The person then slowly turned around meeting her gaze. Seeing its face, Anne shuddered in fear—its face was covered with black with only its mouth shown, grinning seemingly in a hideous manner. The man was called Toto, the guardian of the forestry. After a polite exchange, Toto agreed to help Anne get back to her home, however, in the last moments, Anne had lost her memory. But who knows where Toto would actually take her. "The astral would devoured its way to gave me a path to follow; and at the far end, I am certain to find you. Random belief, it's not—it's not but a conviction!" When a suicidal fiction enthusiast dreamt about wonderland and found herself in Neverland, what would become of her? In a world of battling vampires and wolves, elves and wizards, royalties drenched in etiquette, treachery, and confusion. When you fall in love, will you listen to your heart or will you betray the universe?