Sourest Apples

I was setting up a weekend shopping list on the tablet my husband had just replaced for our home system. A notification popped up. He had forgotten to log out of a shared, encrypted family calendar— one I didn’t recognize. There was only one unfamiliar profile photo. I tapped it. A list titled “My Little Princess – Personal Notes” filled the screen. My Little Princess doesn’t drink alcohol—only mineral water or herbal tea. No late nights. She needs absolute quiet to sleep. She gets anxious easily—keep fresh white lilies in the house and her favorite vanilla chocolates on hand. I scrolled slowly, my expression unreadable. The final entry was bolded. Highlighted. “Next Wednesday: take my Little Princess to choose her wedding crown.” I closed the screen. Then I picked up my phone and called my husband. “Love,” I said gently. “Does your Little Princess prefer a classic European bridal crown… or something more traditional? I thought I could help you choose.”

J'ai accepté de quitter l'Académie Centrale du Loup avec Lucien parce qu'il avait dit qu'il était victime d'intimidation. À dix-huit ans et avec son loup toujours non éveillé, dans une académie obsédée par la pureté du sang et la domination, il se démarquait de toutes les mauvaises façons. Alors il m'a suppliée de partir avec lui et de rejoindre un établissement moins exigeant, où le lignage importait moins. La veille du jour où nous devions finaliser toutes les démarches, je suis allée le chercher. Devant sa porte. C'est là que je l'ai entendu. Un de ses compagnons Bêta a dit, amusé. « Bravo, Lucien. Faire semblant d'être harcelé pour la faire quitter l'Académie Centrale pour toi. » Une autre voix a hésité. « Vous avez grandi ensemble. Tu la laisses vraiment partir comme ça ? » Lucien a répondu sans hésiter, d'un ton détendu et légèrement amusé. « Ce n'est même pas à l'étranger. Elle ira bien. » Puis, d'un ton plus froid. « Elle s'est accrochée à moi depuis l'enfance. J'en avais assez. C'est… efficace. » Je ne l'ai pas confronté. Je me suis retournée et je suis partie. De retour dans ma chambre, j'ai rouvert la demande de changement d'académie. J'ai effacé le nom de l'académie ordinaire dont il prétendait avoir besoin, et j'ai inscrit celle sur laquelle mes parents avaient insisté il y a des années. Tout le monde avait oublié quelque chose. J'étais l'unique héritière de la Tribu Lune de Sang. Et Lucien, fils illégitime toléré par l'Alpha de la Tribu Côte-d'Argent, ne toucherait jamais au trône d'Alpha sans un lien formel avec moi. Un jour, il réaliserait que ce qu'il a rejeté n'était pas seulement mon dévouement.

I specifically accompany my wife, Sophie Caldwell, to visit her family during the holidays. My mother-in-law, Margaret Jackson, brings over a basket of apples. Then, she says in a half-teasing manner, "These apples are meant for the Jacksons. Once you've had your apple, you'll be blessed with a life as sweet as these apples. By the way, outsiders aren't allowed to take the apples." Everyone begins fighting for the apples happily. So, I grab an apple of my own too. The next thing I know, the atmosphere in the living room goes eerily quiet. Sophie drags me to a corner and starts berating me. "Are you so poor that you can't even afford to buy your own apple? Must you steal apples from my family? "Didn't you hear my mom saying that outsiders aren't allowed to take the apples? Why did you even take one from the basket? "Thanks to you, now Julius doesn't have an apple!" I look around my surroundings. It turns out that there are only eight apples in total, while we have nine people sitting in the living room. So the "outsider" she was talking about is me. I decide to hand the apple over to Sophie's godbrother, Julius Sterling. Then, I call my dad on the phone. "Dad, you don't have to bring the holiday gifts over now."

"One word. Surrogacy." "Two words. Not happening." Elodie shook her head her response very fast. ———————————— Elodie, co-owner of the Gates Tech Company, a multinational technology company is forced to opt for surrogacy when she can't stand her husband, Micah Gates; a sexist, egoistic, manipulative, and power-hungry man; the thought of carrying his child repulses her. Allegra, her best friend suggests a surrogate app that allows users to find their perfect surrogate mother. Eira Faez has been a surrogate for four years, after joining the surrogate app she finally gets a match with a mysterious profile only to realize a wealthy couple needed her. A lot hid behind closed blinds. What is brought to light a facade created by PR stunts to boost the image of Gates Tech Company. However, nothing remains in the dark for long and everything is revealed to not only the families, but the public. Love unexpectedly blossoms between Elodie and Eira who are instantly smitten with each other in their first encounter.

"You can lie to yourself, but your body doesn’t lie, Elena.” He chuckled. “Don’t stop.” I whispered. “Fuck Elena” the curse slipped past his lips before his lips crashed into mine again. When Elena Carter’s mother marries a wealthy businessman, she is forced to move into a mansion and start a new life. But everything changes when she meets Logan Pierce, her arrogant and dangerously attractive new stepbrother. Their chemistry is undeniable, but their relationship is strictly forbidden. He's off limits but forbidden apples taste much better.

My three older brothers, Marcus, Jeremy, and Andrew Graham love me to the moon and back. Marcus clumsily practices peeling apples for me when I lie on a hospital bed. Jeremy blushes as he buys sanitary pads and prepares a warm drink for me when I have my period. Andrew spends all his pay to buy me new clothes and even declares, "Whoever bullies you will pay the price." He isn't shy to express his brotherly love for me. I once believed that my life would stay happy like this forever. However, my adopted sister, Mackenzie Falk, accuses me of swapping the graduation thesis she has been working on for three years. I suffer a heart attack on the spot.

‘Why are the tastiest apples always forbidden? Why do we have to sacrifice our love because our parents got engaged?’ These questions rushed through my mind as he kissed me deeply, pinning me against the wall. I knew that after this, he would say cruel things to me with those same lips, but I couldn't resist him. I loved him but I hated myself for loving him. “Marcus, please. We can't keep doing this.” I begged. But as usual, he ignored my pleas and continued in his caresses, making me want him more. We were lost in our forbidden desires once again, not realizing that the door was left unlocked. Why does my stepbrother keep seducing me? What if our parents discover our secret affair?

Ariana Carl was a lowly omega of the stardust pack, losing her parent at a young age she was left to live all alone and become a maid in the castle. Living all her life all she wanted was to find her mate and live a happy life but fate has something different installed for her. Knox Delvoc; the Ruthless alpha of the stardust pack he rejected the lowly Omega he gets as a maid but chooses to keep her with him when he finds out she had a second chance mate, his beta he becomes possessive and treats her inhumanely. ~~~~~ "Where are you coming from? You are drenched in water and have a stinky smell." Ariana shivered where she stood by herself "I went outside to get some apples your majesty, you instructed me to get them." Throw those away and get your filthy body washed, get out of my sight!"

There are three types of apples that fell into this world. The one that hit my head was the forbidden one. ************ In which an English country girl goes from being a waitress, to being the wife of the richest billionaire in London. “It is simple, all you have to do is get my husband into a hotel room, and you’ll get a hundred thousand pounds” she said looking the innocent girl in the eye, their eyes met and the girl cowered as she looked at the woman, processing what she was saying and how much she was offering. “You want me to seduce your husband?” The girl asked looking at the woman who stood above her head, like a predator threatening her prey. “No, all I want you to do is get him into a hotel room, leave the rest on me” she said looking at the girl who was shocked, her heart racing as she thought of what that woman was asking her to do. “Why would you want a girl to get your husband into a hotel room? And more importantly, why me?” “I need to get a divorce, and you need to stay away from my son. See, it’s a win, win, darling”

Aurora is a twenty-one-year-old wolf shifter who recently graduated with a master's degree in business and landed a prestigious manager's position at Xanders Financial, the largest financial company owned by her pack. Driven and focused on her new career, finding a mate is the last thing on her mind. However, her carefully planned life takes an unexpected turn when Maverick, the Alpha's son and notorious playboy who has been studying abroad for five years, returns to town. ​Maverick arrives at the company headquarters intending to inform his father, Alpha Alexander, that he is abandoning his future Alpha duties to marry his fiancée, Scarlett, and live in Paris. But the moment Maverick and Aurora cross paths, they are hit by the overwhelming scents of caramel apples and pine, and their wolves instantly recognize each other as fated mates. ​Despite the powerful pull of the mate bond, Aurora tries to push Maverick away, frustrated that he is already engaged and determined to protect her heart and her career. Meanwhile, Maverick's world is thrown into turmoil. He postpones his wedding to figure out how to handle the mate bond, much to his father's demand that he reject Scarlett immediately. ​Unbeknownst to Maverick, his fiancée Scarlett is a manipulative, status-obsessed Delta wolf who secretly rejected her own true mate just to secure Maverick's wealth and power. Realizing her plans to take over the company are threatened, Scarlett begins plotting to uncover the identity of Maverick's fated mate so she can eliminate Aurora as competition once and for all. Caught between a scheming fiancée, an Alpha's expectations, and a stubborn but beautiful mate, Maverick must decide if he is finally ready to leave his playboy ways behind and fight for Aurora.