Squid Games Number 067

It’s all fun and games until a body washes up…. Beth Monroe just wants to make it through the summer baseball season without being the constant target of her brother Shane’s jokes, but he is relentless, and she’s ready to lock herself in her room and hide. Until the new girl shows up. Halley appears in small town Barryville like a ghost. No one knows where she came from or anything about her past, not even her last name. When she gives Beth a piece of unsolicited advice that, “It’s what’s on the outside that counts,” Beth changes everything about herself. By the time Beth realizes she’s becoming a monster, it might be too late, and Halley has already sunk her claws into Beth’s best friend Ryan—who might’ve been something more if Beth had opened her eyes a little earlier. As Halley’s past catches up to her, Beth realizes there’s more to this mysterious girl than she realized. Can she stop Halley from revealing her true, monstrous nature to Ryan before it’s too late?

Liam has always been the black sheep of the Moreau family. His birth marked the beginning of their financial ruin, and he's spent his life in the shadow of his beautiful, beloved sister, Clara. When Clara secures an engagement to Julian Davenport, the wealthy and enigmatic CEO of Davenport Enterprises, Liam sees an opportunity for revenge. He'll seduce Julian, expose Clara, and finally claim the spotlight for himself. But Julian has a secret: an identical twin brother named Jasper. What starts as a game of seduction and revenge quickly spirals into a complicated entanglement with both brothers. Jasper's playful flirtations and Julian's commanding presence awaken desires Liam never knew he possessed. As the twins shower him with lavish gifts and manipulative games, Liam finds himself caught between his carefully constructed facade and the genuine feelings that begin to surface. Now, Liam must decide: is his relationship with the Davenport twins just a tool for revenge, or could it be a path to something more profound? And can he escape the bitterness of his past to embrace a future he never dared to imagine, even if it means marrying into a family that is twice as complicated as he ever anticipated?

"You think I'll let you go, sweetheart?” He caught the gun from her effortlessly and spun her in his arms, holding her captive once again as he chuckled into her ear, tilting her chin up with the barrel of the gun. “I clipped your wings for a reason. There’s no way back once you enter my world.” *** When an unfortunate incident in the family brings Matsyaa Rathore into the land of the royals, the last thing she expects is catching the eye of the notorious crown prince and becoming his untamed fantasy. His obsession has turned her life into a nightmare. Control slips out of her hands and she finds herself trapped in twisted games of power. To end this madness, she does everything to resist him, challenge him and fight him. Just about all she must not be doing. They say Ranvijay Singh Raghuvanshi is God for his people, and this time, the ‘God’ wants Matsyaa—all for himself. Amidst building tension and deep-rooted hatred, will Matsyaa be able to free herself from the dangerous royals, or will Ranvijay capture her for the rest of her life in his mystical lair?

“We shouldn’t be doing this,” Imani whispered, her voice trembling more from want than from fear of her brother barging in and catching her leaning in to kiss his ex-best-friend now turned enemy. “Then stop me,” he murmured back, his fingers brushing her jaw, his breath hot against her skin. But neither of them moved. The distance between them had already disappeared, along with every rule she’d promised not to break. *** When Imani Grayson, a quiet psychology major, is assigned to mentor the university’s star hockey captain, Nicolas Jameson, she expects arrogance not the kind of chemistry that keeps her up at night. What begins as a simple assignment spirals into late-night tutoring sessions, stolen glances, and kisses that blur every boundary she’s ever set. But with jealous teammates watching, old wounds resurfacing, and a love too intense to hide, the game they started might be the one that shatters them both. Imani will soon learn that some games can’t be won without losing everything, and Nicolas, that even in the game of hearts, the strongest player can fall to his knees.

BLURB “You look so hot,” he whispered, his hand wrapped like silk around my hair and his movements fast and uncontrollable, his pace matching that of his brother’s thrusting in and out of me, “getting stuffed in all holes.” Brooks is wary of her mother marrying someone as powerful as the Alpha King but it's the happiest she has seen her since her father's death and it's a sacrifice she must make even if it means moving into the royal castle and dealing with her attraction to the famous Romano brothers. It's forbidden, it's dangerous, it's unacceptable but there's only so much restraint someone like Brooks can have, especially against powerful auras and dominating Alphas like the Romanos. Soon enough, she finds herself dancing to their tunes and playing good girl for them. It's all fun and games, nothing more than sexual pleasures until they start falling for her in their own ways, until it's revealed that a once in a century powerful mate bond would tie her to only one of them. And each of them wants her and would fight to the end to claim her.

The wedding had reached the part where the groom kissed the bride. I closed my eyes and leaned in to kiss Stella Stafford, only to end up with a mouthful of fur. Her assistant held up the camera and burst out laughing. "The almighty Mr. Rowe can't even tell if he's kissing a person or a dog?" I stared at the Husky in front of me, its tongue lolling out, and felt my stomach churn. I was about to lay into him when Stella stepped in to block me. "It was just a joke. No hard feelings." Laurent Reilly smirked smugly, his tone dripping with arrogance. "And guess what? This Husky happens to be a female, so why don't you just marry her instead? You're not good enough for Stella anyway." The employees erupted in laughter. Mortified, I kicked him square in the chest, sending him sprawling. The next second, Stella smashed a wine bottle over my head and demanded an apology. I wiped the mix of wine and blood from my face, then dialed an overseas number with a cold grin. "The wedding is short one bride. You in?"

My mate, Jasper Morrison, says coldly, "Elena, I'm breaking our mate bond." We stand on the open ground at the edge of the Silvermoon pack's territory. The full moon hangs high overhead, and this should be the sweetest moment for fated mates. We've loved each other for ten years. And now, he's about to break the bond Moon Goddess has given us. "Why?" I ask in a shaky voice. "You're an orphaned wolf," he says, turning his face away. "You don't have the bloodline to match me. The pack Elders have already approved this." A tearing pain rips through my chest. Having the mate bond stripped from me feels like my soul is being torn apart. I collapse to my knees, gasping for air. "Serena's father is one of the strongest Alphas in the North," Jasper says, looking down at me without a trace of guilt. "She'll help me rise as the strongest Beta in the Silvermoon pack's history." "You said…" I clench my teeth, fighting the pain. "You said you'd spend your life with me." "I was young and foolish," Jasper replies, already turning away. "The bonding ceremony is in three days. I suggest you don't cause trouble." Moonlight glints off his retreating form. I watch him walk away, my fingers clutching the moonstone bracelet my mother left me. It's my only keepsake. A message from an unknown number appears. "Elena, this is Damon, your older brother. I've been looking for you for 20 years." "I've attached a black card with unlimited credit. The resources of the entire Blackwood pack are at your disposal. No matter what you're facing, I've got you." I stare at the screen. The Blackwood pack? The top wolf pack in North Anthica? Another message soon pops up. "I'll come get you in three days. Wait for me." My finger hovers over the delete button. It has to be a scam. I'm just an orphaned wolf. How could I possibly have a brother from the Blackwood pack? Just then, a voice message from Jasper arrives. "Elena, for old times' sake, I'll arrange a place for you in one of the pack's spare houses when the ceremony ends. You can stay as part of the pack. I'll take care of you." He wants me to watch him bond with another she-wolf and thank him for keeping me in the pack. I delete Jasper's contact, then rename the unknown number in my phone to "Damon". My fingers tremble as I type a single word. "Okay."

When Edna Crossby ditches the marriage registration for the fifth time, I block her contact number and social media accounts on the spot. If she's in any of the social gatherings, I turn down the invitations right away. I'd rather take the long route than walk past the cafe Edna frequents. If she attends a team-building session, I take the day off without hesitation. Even when Edna shows up on my doorstep with gifts in hand on Christmas Eve, I pretend that I'm not home at all. I don't answer any calls from her. I don't respond to texts she sends me. Just like that, I completely fade away from Edna's world. In the past, Edna used to be the focus of my life. My emotions fluctuated all the time because of her. When Edna flakes out on me for the fifth time, I finally snap out of my lovesick stupor. I don't want to live life like this anymore. Rather than getting abandoned time and again, I might as well live my life on my own happily.

Isla Hart gave up her dreams for love. But when love gave up on her, she had no choice but to fight for herself. After marrying the man she thought was her first, and forever, love, she gave up everything: her career, her family, her identity. For six years, she lived quietly as a devoted wife and mother, convinced that her sacrifices were for a greater good. Until the day he whispered another woman’s name under anesthesia. Until the woman showed up, pregnant with twins, claiming to be the real love of his life. Humiliated, heartbroken, and called unworthy by her husband’s family, she takes her three-year-old daughter and walks into a stormy night with nothing but a suitcase, a broken heart, and a single phone number to call. But rock bottom is where her story truly begins. With the help of an old friend, and a man she never saw coming, she’ll find the courage to start over, the strength to stand tall, and the power to prove that she is, and always was, more than enough. A story of betrayal, resilience, and second chances in love, Unworthy No More is a heart-tugging journey from silent suffering to radiant strength.

Natasha Del Mundo suffered from the most painful heartbreak in college. Kaya naman hirap na siyang magtiwalang muli sa iba. But one day, she got a text message telling, "Can you be my textmate?" Napataas ang kilay niya. Sino pa ba naman ang makikipag-textmate sa panahong iyon, na uso na ang chat? At papaano nakuha ng kung sinong poncio pilatong iyon ang number niya? However, instead of avoiding who he is, she finds herself texting back. But until one day, she met Cedrick Thompson; the most successful billionaire-engineer and a businessman. A man that could easily get what he wants. Pero hindi iyon uobra kay Natasha. Kahit ito pa ang pinakamayamang nilalang sa balat ng lupa, hindi siya papatol sa lalaking nuknukan ng antipatiko. Never! Pero bakit ganoon? Kahit anong iwas niya kay Cedrick, he still got into her nerves. Ang masama pa noon, pareho siyang nahuhulog sa lalaki at sa ka-textmate niya. Sino ngayon ang pipiliin niya?