Smoke And Steel

Seventeen-year-old Elara Ward has spent her life being forgotten and shuffled between foster homes and small towns that never remembered her once she’s gone. But the dying town of Willowmere is different. The air hums with whispers, the lake no longer reflects the moon, and something ancient is stirring beneath the willows. When Elara follows a strange light into the woods one blood-red night, she crosses the veil and a boundary between the human world and the Lumenwild, a realm of living moonlight and haunted shadows. There, she’s marked by an ancient power known as Moonfire, a symbol burned into her skin that pulses with the rhythm of the twin moons above. Saved by four mysterious men who are named Cael, their golden-eyed Alpha; Kian, the lightning-tongued rogue; Auren, the silent watcher; and Nyx, the shadow who walks between worlds and Elara learns that her arrival has reignited a prophecy buried in legend. The Riftborn, creatures of bone and smoke, are returning, and the mark she bears is both a weapon and a curse. In the heart of the Lumenwild’s glowing forest lies the Sanctum, a stronghold where wolves walk in light and the Moon’s will is law. There, Elara begins to uncover the truth, her crossing was no accident. The veil didn’t just let her in but it had called her home. As the moons draw closer and the bond between Elara and the wolves deepens, she must choose whether to embrace the power that could heal a broken world… or unleash the one that could end it. Because the Moon is awake again and she remembers her chosen.

“He pressed me to the wall with one hand tight around my throat, the other sliding beneath the thin silk clinging to my skin. I should’ve been begging for help. Instead, my knees went weak when he leaned in, his mouth hot against my ear. ‘Does it hurt, darling?’ he whispered. I shook my head, even as his fingers left bruises. ‘Good. I like it when you take it.’ God, I hated him. God, I wanted him to never let go.” A DARK, EROTIC TALE OF OBSESSION, HUMILIATION, AND HUNGER. They called him the Devil, a sadist with a crooked smile and hands built for breaking men. In the underworld’s most perverse auction, Luca Ruelle is nothing but trembling prey, sold for a price no soul should fetch. Silk-wrapped, bare, choking on shame and smoke, he should be praying for rescue. But Kain Astor doesn’t rescue. He claims, corrupts, and devours. He teaches Luca how it feels to be owned. How pain can bloom where fear lives. How pleasure is just another kind of cruelty. Every command is a dare, every punishment a promise. Under Kain’s hands, Luca learns the exquisite agony of surrender, and the terror of how badly he needs it. He should be fighting for his life. Instead, he’s sinking to his knees, eyes glazed, lips parted, whispering the one word that seals his fate— “Please.”

Born into blood. Forged in cruelty. Trained to kill. Seventeen-year-old Sophie is the last heir of the original Hunter bloodline, raised under the merciless hand of her grandfather, the Grand Wizard. Every scar she carries was earned in his service, every ounce of her strength forged through his brutal demands. Among her peers, she’s earned another name—the Ice Queen—untouchable, unyielding, and impossible to break. But when the devastatingly charming Jax Kilsome strides into her life, Sophie’s carefully built walls begin to crack. With war against the Wolf Nation looming, she finds herself torn between her role as her grandfather’s heir and the unexpected family she discovers in her Hunter squad. For the first time, loyalty isn’t just about blood—it’s about belonging. As the Hunters prepare for their most dangerous campaign yet, Sophie must navigate treacherous alliances, the stirrings of her guarded heart, and the secrets of a bloodline that may be both her greatest weapon and her ultimate curse. Cold steel, fierce bonds, and forbidden fire—Sophie’s war is only just beginning.

"I-I T-That was" she couldn't form the right words because of fear. Fear of getting exposed, fear of being caught. The Secret she was buried deep inside her about to expose in front of him, which she never wanted in a million years. "Sssh" the rough pad of his thumb caressed her soft lips while his big veiny hand held her waist with a steel like grip only to close her eyes helplessly. "Let me taste you Sweetness" , with that crashing his lips on her sealed her fate with him, unaware of the consequences. Isabella Watson, a beautiful 23 years old girl. She is the epitome of beauty any man can die for. She left her homeland just to put herself into the devil's den. Alexander Kingston, a 30 years old handsome bachelor. The youngest billionaire of the country is also a ruthless mafia King of the underworld . He is known for his manipulative mind and rudeness. He is living his life just to destroy the person who snatched his beloved one. Her Secret, a heartbreaking tale of her innocent soul. A tale of her misery and his revenge.

The world plunged into a new Ice Age. As the frozen apocalypse spread, 95% of humanity perished. In his first timeline, Cyrus Knovell's kindness cost him everything. The people he had helped betrayed him and left him for dead. Fate, however, granted him a second chance. He awakened one month before the world froze, gaining a dimensional ability that let him store anything without limit. Now he hoarded supplies by the billions and built a fortress no one could breach. While others shivered, starved, and traded their dignity for a morsel, Cyrus lived in comfort. The desperate came begging. The manipulative vixen: "Cyrus, let me into your shelter, and I'll be your girlfriend, okay?" The spoiled rich heir: "Cyrus, I'll give you all my money for just one meal!" The greedy neighbors: "Cyrus, you shouldn't be so selfish. You should share your supplies with us!" Cyrus remembered their betrayals. Lounging in his steel fortress and savoring his private paradise, he sneered, "Your survival has nothing to do with me. I'd rather feed the dogs than feed you."

In a world of lies and betrayal, revenge becomes the only currency worth trading. Evelyn Miller, an only child born into wealth and privilege, inheriting her family fortune and prestigious lineage, she was groomed to fit into high society from a tender age and attending lavish social events, What she ever truly seek was a true connection and love. Putting on a new identity as Isabella Hearst and leaving behind her identity as an heiress to follow what her heart truly desire - True love. Alexander Montague was everything she ever wanted in a man, walking down the aisle with him eight month into the relationship was like a dream come true, but dreams could also become nightmares. In a world where deceit and betrayal lurk behind every smile, Evelyn finds herself at the center of a web of lies spun by the very man she trusted with her heart. Seven years of marriage as a submissive, caring and understanding wife to a seemingly loving husband, only to discover that her life has been nothing but a charade orchestrated by his selfish desires. With fire in her eyes and steel in her soul, she embarked on a journey of revenge, leaving a trail of destruction in her wake.

I was born into a world where loyalty is currency and vengeance is law. In this life, love is a weakness... and I learned that too late. My name is Aria Valente—daughter of a mafia kingpin, a pawn in a bloody game I never agreed to play. I was raised to be poised, silent, and obedient. But everything changed the day I was forced to marry Lorenzo De Rossi—the heir of our enemy, a man as cold as the steel he carries. His touch burns. His silence cuts deeper than any blade. And yet, behind those dark, calculating eyes lies a storm that calls to the chaos in me. We were never meant to fall in love. Torn between family legacies and buried secrets, I uncovered truths that shattered the world I thought I knew. Lies. Betrayal. A history soaked in blood. Lorenzo isn’t just my husband—he’s the very weapon forged to destroy me. But I am not the delicate flower they raised me to be. In this world of blood and bullets, only one truth remains: I will not bow. I will rise. Now, we are no longer pawns. We are fire and fury. And this is no longer a love story. It’s a war.

Carina Sullivan believed in fairy tales…until hers shattered in the most humiliating way possible. She was abandoned by her fiancé just days before their wedding, Carina is left broken, jobless, and drowning in shame. One reckless night with a mysterious stranger was supposed to be her escape. But that man, He disappears like smoke…leaving nothing behind but a memory and a secret growing inside her. Two years after, Carina is barely surviving as a single mother working two jobs. When a powerful billionaire suddenly walks into her life, she realizes he’s the same man from that night…the father of her child. But he doesn’t recognize her. Dante Moretti is ruthless, rich, and dangerously attractive. He’s back in New York to claim revenge on the woman who once cost him everything. What he doesn’t know is that the woman he wants revenge on... isn’t Carina. As their worlds collide in passion, secrets, and betrayal, Carina is pulled into a whirlwind of emotions and lies. Love isn’t just a risk…but it’s a war. And Dante may not be the hero she needs... he might just be her greatest lesson. She gave him one night. He gave her a child. But can she ever trust him with her heart? Heart-wrenching. Fiery. Addictive. This is a story of pain, secrets, and a woman rising from her ruins to find her voice, her power, and maybe... her second chance at love.

To celebrate our daughter's eighteenth birthday, my husband, James Miller, decided to go nude cycling. I told him he was too old for that and would embarrass himself, but he looked at me with disdain and said, "Liliana, your life is so boring. You refuse to embrace new things." Then he brought the dog belonging to his first love, Sophia Lewis, and placed it before me. It was then I realized it was Sophia who had organized the nude cycling event. I felt my anger boiling beneath the surface as our son, Thomas, took the leash and handed it to me. "Dad, you can go have fun with Sophia. Mom will take care of the dog," Thomas said. But when the dog lunged at me later, Thomas protected it. Meanwhile, my daughter, Alice, fought to shield me. In the end, both Alice and I were bitten to death. James didn't even take us to the hospital. Instead, he dragged our bodies straight to the crematorium. Just before I turned into a wisp of smoke, I saw Alice rolling in the flames. During that time, James and Thomas were comforting Sophia. At that moment, I felt a deep rage—rage at myself for being so naive and for causing my daughter's death. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day when my son handed me the leash. This time, I was determined to make them all pay.

•She ain't a good girl! She is the girl you don't want to mess with! ________ •He is a loved good guy in this world of hyped-up bad boys! Unless! Unless! You cross her way for the bad girl has wrapped the good guy around her little finger and makes him sin! BUT!!! •What happens when the trust is broken? '''The magical spell of euphoria is distorted and piercing pieces of betrayal unfurls making you bleed.''' __________ "Addiction is fucking heart-wrenching!" She stated taking a long drag of the cigarette which was held in between her lips. Then she blew out the smoke and jumped on the bonnet of the car. "Put this away then!" He raised his finger towards the cigarette. "Not this," she affirmed inhaling nicotine once again. "It's addiction is helpful to drown all other horrifying addictions." A pregnant pause engulfed them. The only sound was the whispering of wind with the shedding leaves of trees. The autumn had prevailed the green life likewise their souls were also shedding off its color, painfully. Agonizingly slow. "I'm always here for you!" He whispered. "I know!" Under the faint moonlight her self-pitying smile could be seen. "Besides these drugs you are the only one who is here for me." He did not say anything back for he knew she won't reply now. He too sat on the bonnet and taking the cigarette from her he inhaled the smoke. ___________ Find who the enigmatic warrior is or is that you?