Sourdough By Robin Sloan

“How dare you touch my woman?!” Everyone gasped at Nathaniel’s words. My prosecutors released me and I stood frozen on the spot as I glared at my Savior. The man who I had come to know to be my mate… was in fact the Alpha of my Pack— Alpha Nathaniel Dark wood… ______ Riya is a young orphan mistreated and bullied by her stepmother and step-sister. Things worsen when her stepmother announces that she has been sold to an old merchant to be his bride. In a fit to seize her life, she makes a run for it and runs into her fated mate— Alpha Nathaniel— who saves her from the wicked clutches of her abusive family. Now Riya must prove herself worthy of being the Luna of the pack through trials and deceptions and obstacles set for her by her jealous step-sister and dark witches seeking to destroy the pack. Will Riya succeed in proving herself worthy of being Luna or will her sister and the dark forces defeat her in the end?

Limang taon. Limang taon na minahal ni Jazz ang isang lalaking hindi naman siya pinahalagahan. Lahat ibinigay niya—oras, tiwala, at puso. Pero isang iglap lang, nawala ang lahat. Isang car accident ang bumura ng kanyang alaala. Pagmulat niya ng mata, wala na ang babaeng marunong magmahal. Ang natira na lang ay isang estranghero sa sariling buhay. Nagkaroon siya ng amnesia. At habang wala siyang maalala, ang dating kasintahan niyang si Damon ay wala ring konsensya. Sa halip na umamin sa kanilang relasyon, niyakap nito ang kanyang nakababatang kapatid na babae at iyon ang ipinakilala nitong kasintahan. Itinuro nito ang telebisyon at walang emosyon na sinabi, “Iyan ang boyfriend mo. Siya ang habulin mo.” Nalito si Jazz. Pero naniwala siya sa sinabi nito. At sinunod niya iyon. Ang lalaking nasa TV ay si Malachi Robles— ang CEO na tito ni Damon. Malamig. Tahimik. Hindi madaling lapitan. Mula sa isang kasinungalingan, nagsimula ang isang habulan. Isang babaeng may amnesia. Isang lalaking hindi niya dapat mahalin. At isang katotohanang handang wasakin ang lahat kapag nabunyag.

"I, Ortega Blackwood, daughter of beta Denzel Blackwood, am rejecting you, Killian Fitzgerald, future Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack, as my fated mate!" She uttered through gritted teeth, glaring fiercely at her mate as he descended the stairs towards her. His expression twisted into a mask of fury, his eyes blazing with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, his imposing figure cast a shadow over her as she lay on the ground, vulnerable yet defiant. "Do you dare defy me, Ortega? Do you dare reject your fate?" His voice dripped with venom, each word carrying a threat that hung heavily in the air. "You cannot reject me, Ortega. You will be my mate whether you like it or not." ************** Rejecting her mate hadn't been easy. But when Ortega meets the powerful and ruthless Lycan and Mafia Boss, Alfredo Gambino, she finds herself falling in love with him, even though he is the rival and enemy of her rejected mate. And Alfredo also finds himself unwilling to let her go, especially now that her rejected mate wants her back.

Riana and Reynald's relationship was never liked by Mayang, the in-laws. Moreover, five years of marriage, Riana is not pregnant yet. The woman did not know that Riana only obeyed Reynald's request. So, various ways were done by the in-laws to separate the two, including finding a second wife for Reynald. Riana thought that her husband would be firm in her feelings, but Reynald turned out to be changing and acting rough. When he was desperate to finish separating, Riana suddenly met a handsome mysterious man who turned out to be a CEO! The man offered him a protection. Will Riana accept it?

Nobody wants a rejected Omega—or so she has always been told. Cast aside by her fated mate, mocked by her pack, and scarred by betrayal, she hides behind her work as the healer, quietly mending others while her own heart bleeds. She never asked for destiny, never sought power. But fate is merciless. When the Alpha King claims her, everything changes. Ruthless, feared, and untouchable, he binds her to him in a bond that is both salvation and curse. To belong to him means safety, but also danger beyond imagination, for enemies hunger for her downfall. Her greatest wound comes from betrayal—her dearest friend stealing her scent and deceiving the Alpha into believing she is his fated mate. Stripped of her bond and dignity, cast aside once more, she suffers in chains and darkness. But pain shapes her into something new. She refuses to break. The world calls her weak, unworthy, Omega. Yet buried within her is a gift tied to the moon itself, a power that could save or doom the realm. Every trial tempers her spirit, molding her into a Luna no one can ignore. But love and power come with a price. The Alpha King’s devotion is possessive, consuming, and inescapable. To stand by him means surrendering everything—her freedom, her past, even her heart. With war brewing and enemies rising, her destiny demands a choice: remain the broken girl once rejected, or rise as the Blessed Luna, feared and revered by all.

On the night of her eighteenth birthday, Elara Nightshade finally finds her mate the powerful and feared Alpha of the Bloodfang Pack. It should have been the happiest night of her life. Instead, he rejects her. Publicly. Cruelly. Declaring her too weak to be his Luna, Alpha Kael casts her aside before the entire pack, shattering her heart and severing their bond. Banished to the forbidden forest, Elara is left to die. But under the light of the full moon, as her blood stains the earth, something ancient awakens inside her. Her wolf isn’t weak. It isn’t ordinary. It is something rare. Something feared. Something that hasn’t been seen for generations. A Blood Moon Beast. Now the girl who was rejected is changing , growing stronger, darker, and far more dangerous than anyone imagined. And when Alpha Kael begins to feel the mate bond again stronger, deeper, and burning with power , he realizes his mistake. But it’s too late. Because Elara has already been claimed. Not by a pack. Not by an Alpha. But by the beast within her. And this time… She won’t be the one begging.

Quinn had always been the outcast—bullied by her cruel step-sister and ignored by her pack. When she discovers that the Alpha is her mate, she dares to hope for a better life. But her dreams shatter when he marries another. Heartbroken and humiliated, Quinn’s life takes a darker turn when she crosses paths with the Lycan King—a beast feared by all. Her defiance earns her a punishment like no other: ten years under his ruthless watch. The Lycan King is a creature of darkness, bound by secrets and scars. Quinn is a ray of innocence, refusing to break under his intensity. As their worlds collide, sparks fly, and forbidden desires ignite. Will Quinn find the strength to tame the beast within the Lycan King, or will she be consumed by the shadows of his past?

Taken away as a captive in place of farm proceedings, Thalena’s life took a twirling turn as she experienced things she never dreamt of. From being disvirgined brutally to being mated to the twin Alphas. How would she handle the different feelings that would arise?

I give up on my position as a higher-up in a listed company just so I can accompany my wife, Jennifer Hurley, to a rural area to carry out a cultural tourism project. I even help her secure subsidies from the government and transform that project into a state-recognized exemplary project. But the first thing Jennifer does right after becoming the main person in charge of the project is force me to quit. "I want to tender an application for this project to be recognized nationally. Unfortunately, as the main person in charge, my spouse isn't allowed to take on any roles in the business aspect. "Either you quit your job or get divorced. You should make your choice." I don't hesitate to quit my job on the spot. But after that, Jennifer has her assistant, Maurice Gould, take over my position immediately. Her reasoning is, "Young people know more about coming up with creative ways to promote cultural projects. Our project needs new blood." At the afterparty, Jennifer raises her wine glass and gives a grand speech on the project's success. It turns out that I'm the only one who gets kicked out after everything I've done.

Excerpt. “Reject me and let me go! Staying here with me is only going to hurt you more!” Avery growled, her voice quivering gazing at the man in front of her. “You are the only one allowed to hurt me. I see no reason why I have to leave,” he grinned slyly. Avery's eyes were filled with tears, the love she had for him soared when he leaned forward and pressed his lips on hers. *** Avery's eighteenth birthday was supposed to be a celebration of her transition into adulthood, just like every other she-wolf. But her dreams were shattered when she discovered the shocking truth: her destined mate, chosen by the moon goddess herself, was none other than her sworn enemy. The one being she was bound to for life was the same one she had vowed to challenge. Avery's heart raced with a mix of anger, fear, and disbelief. Later on, she found herself protecting the same man from the danger lurking around her.