Smiling Dog

On New Year's Eve, I prepare a feast. The clock strikes twelve, but my husband, Vincent Porter, still isn't home. My daughter, Lorelei Porter, tugs at my sleeve and holds up my phone. "Look Mommy, Daddy is at this lady's house!" Vincent has posted an update on Twitter. He is with Christine Snow, his childhood sweetheart. They are smiling at the camera, with a boy who looks about ten standing between them. In front of them sits a swan-shaped cake. The caption reads, "The most special day for the most special you." My heart sinks into my stomach. A marriage that came later in life can never compete with a pair of childhood sweethearts. I accept defeat.

On Valentine's Day, I set up a candlelit dinner and waited. At 9 PM, my husband, Alfred Johnston, finally texted. [Something came up at work. Don't wait for me.] Then I saw her post. [On a business trip with the CEO for Valentine's Day. Every hotel is fully booked—awkward...] Vivian Bianca, his secretary. Attached was a photo of a guy in a bathrobe, standing by a floor-to-ceiling window. The comments were all 'ooh, CEO's so hot and girl, you're in for a night.' Vivian? Just dropped a smug emoji. So that's what "something came up" meant—a romantic getaway with his secretary. I screenshotted it, posted it on my own feed, and added a smiling emoji. A second later, Alfred called, fuming. "Vivian was joking! Why are you so petty? She's young, not as calculating as you!" I didn't let him finish. "Then let's get a divorce. That way, I won't have to care when you screw around and catch something."

As Cain Knight's mate, I watched him lead Elias Sinclair, his childhood sweetheart, onto the stage at the Black Moon Pack's annual charity gala. "In recognition of Miss Sinclair's outstanding contributions to our community," Cain announced, his voice a glacial shard as his eyes found me, "I have decided to grant her the title of this year's 'Charity Ambassador.'" An honor that had, for years, been bestowed upon the Luna by her Alpha. He shattered tradition just to humiliate me. Under the pitying gazes of the entire pack, I did not cry. I did not question him. I simply straightened my spine, set down my champagne flute, and silently turned to leave. "Let her go," I heard Cain sneer behind me. "She won't last half the night. She'll come crawling back like a beaten dog, begging for my forgiveness." A wave of derisive laughter erupted behind me. "After all these years, Lupita still uses the same tired tricks to get Alpha Cain's attention!" "I bet she'll be on her knees, pleading for Alpha Cain's forgiveness before sunrise!" But they didn't know. The person waiting to spirit me away was already at the door. This time, I would vanish from this gilded cage forever.

"SHE'S NOT EVEN HIS TRUE MATE. I AM! HE'S MINE! I MUST HAVE HIM!" As an omega born without a wolf, I was treated less than a dog in the pack. As a maid to all the pack members, I got maltreated by everyone. Heaven forbid the clan members treat a wolfless and mateless omega like me with respect and love. I was called the clan's 'bad luck'. Is it my fault that I am born an omega? But it's about to change. My Omega wolf changes into a Luna and my mate is none other than the already mated Alpha of the Cosmos Kingdom. I am a TRUE mate to the most powerful Alpha king amongst the werewolves clan. An alpha I fantasize about, every night. A male my body desperately needs. Should I give up on him because another Luna tricked him into believing she's his true mate or should I claim him, no matter the consequences? How far will I go to be with a male that has been destined by the moons to belong to only me?

In the second month of my relationship with my best friend Sophie Vaughn's older brother, Elias Vaughn, Thanksgiving arrives. Sophie leans in, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Elias is bringing his girlfriend home for the holiday. Let's see what all the fuss is about." I take my time getting ready, heart fluttering with hope. Just maybe, I'll finally be formally introduced as his girlfriend. But the moment I step inside, I see him with another elegant, beautiful woman, smiling as he introduces her to his parents. "This is my girlfriend," he says. He then inadvertently looks over at me, stiffening for a moment, clearly caught off guard. But just as quickly, he recovers and turns to the woman beside him. "That woman over there is my sister's friend and a part-time student. You could say she's a maid in our household." A maid? As it turns out, I'm nothing more than someone for him to kiss and sleep with. I was never someone worthy of standing by his side publicly. I turn away and board the train back to Ashcroft University, choosing my future over another night in his bedroom.

Rejected the second time by Marcelo the man she loves, Anaya flees the country. She's determined not to end up like her mom who was continuously begging her scum of a father for love. But what happens when a one night stand four years later leads her back to him? Only that this time, he swears never to let her go, for he realized she was his cure to a weak libido, his breath of fresh air in a very polluted world, he realized she fell first but he had fallen harder. EXTRACT " Have I ever told you that your smile is beautiful?"   " I'm pretty sure all I ever heard from you was that I should stop smiling at your friends, must have been because you were afraid I'd scare them off with my smile." She replied as she laughed out, trying to make the conversation light.   " that's not true_although you're right about one thing."   " You mean the part where I scare them off with my smile?"   " Nope, the part where I was afraid."   " Afraid that I'd scare them off with my smile?"   " Why are you so bent on the scary smile?" He asked while laughing   " Cause I'm sure that's the case." " Well you're wrong, I was afraid that you would stop smiling at me and smile more at my friends.....I was jealous I guess."

"Mine", he growled. Caleb pushed me to the locker and made me trip and fall and land straight on my bum. “Ouch!", I yelled out of pain. My angry eyes looked straight into his dark brown orbs. I could hear people snicker and laugh. All this embarrassment for what? For him to growl like a dog! “What is wrong with you?”, I whisper yelled as he inched closer to me. I could still see people laughing, especially my best friends who would pass out any moment now because of laughing too hard. I was about to snap at this idiot again, but then his actions took everyone by surprise, including my reflex system. I swear it was a reflex! His face seemed a little too close suddenly. People were watching us with great anticipation now. He closed his eyes and started to bring his face closer to mine. But before our lips could meet my legs moved on their own accord and met his abs with quite a boom! In a second the anticipation in the crowd's eyes was changed to shock as they saw their student body president lying on the ground, groaning in pain. Well! I swear it was a reflex and at least I didn't hit where it hurts more! This is a love story of a luna who keeps falling and an alpha who happens to be there to catch his luna every single time. Hop on to this dramatic ride and unravel the secrets of the Adolf family!

Leeora is a veterinarian who passed the licensure exams in her second take. She is a party girl who gets all she wants; they are rich and one of the most powerful in the French society. She does not want veterinary medicine, and she realized it late. She goes by day-by-day, doing her usual chores, while taking care of the animals in the clinic. She then saw a thin husky, and it got her eye. The husky followed her in her home, and she pitied the dog, so she adopted the husky and took care of it. The dog is badly wounded, so she put bandages on the wounds. What she didn't know is that there is something more to the husky: a human turned werewolf, and only Leeora has the power to lift the course on the husky, Audolf, a former wolf charmer.

..."forgive me but i'm calling off the engagement." Isabella who was smiling as she listened to his speech suddenly widened her eyes in horror. "What do you mean by you're calling off the engagement! You're joking right?" She burst into laughter thinking that it was a prank. "I'm not joking Ella, I'm in love with someone else." He held her hands apologetically trying to calm her down as she was losing her cool. "Who is she?" She barked angrily as she couldn't stay calm any longer. ... She had always been treated poorly by her parents and younger sister but treated it like some kind of training. It got worst to a point that people began calling her 'Cinderella.' She always longed for a prince charming who would wipe away her tears and love her dearly. She did find her 'prince charming.' He promised to marry her but then he called off their engagement on the engagement party. She was shocked to find out that her fiancee and younger sister had an affair behind her back. She wanted to end it all but then the real 'Prince Charming' came along. ..."Marry me. I would take revenge on everyone that had hurt you."

Over five years I’ve lived a bittersweet lie as David Hargrove’s kept woman, Maria Bell. David’s shown no interest in me beyond what he wants. Love’s a bitter pill to love when it's not returned. I'm bought and paid for. Kept in a gilded cage. David suspects nothing of the secrets I hold. Tonight, David announced he’s marrying my stepsister. He doesn’t know. The level of betrayal I’ve experienced is unbelievable. Everything becomes complicated as the lies surface. Leaving and facing it alone are my only choices. I’m living in fear as I pick up pieces of a life, I believed lost. Blackmail, sabotage, and intrigue dog my steps. I don’t know who I can trust or how to win. I won’t surrender without a fight this time. They don’t recognize me. They won’t see me coming. My name is David Hargrove, and someone is trying to destroy my family. I must marry my rival’s daughter. His stepdaughter signed the contract. Before we learned, she couldn’t deliver the Belgrave empire to me. She can help me secure my family’s empire as my fiancée. I need the ugly biological daughter, Maria Belgrave, who’s hiding. Things get confusing. Maria Belgrave sent two women to represent her. One is my Maria. My missing woman. The betrayal and conflict of interest still stand. I will say when our contract has ended. How can I work with her? I know nothing about her. She owes me answers and loyalty. Perhaps I’ll use this to my advantage. When David learns of Maria’s past life. Will he help her? Or use her and take over the business himself? It starts with an engagement and the death of a patriarch.