Substitute Crossword Clue

"Mom, Dad, I’ve decided to come home for the blind dates you mentioned. I’ll be back by the end of the month." In the early spring, with the lingering chill of winter in the air, Valerie Stonecutter pushed open the door while speaking softly into the phone. Her gentle voice drifted through the rain like a thread weaving through the mist. Pulling her collar tighter against the cold, she heard her parents breathe a sigh of relief on the other end. "Val," her father began, his voice heavy with age. “Your mom and I haven’t been in good health these past few years. So now that you’ve made up your mind, that’s good. When you’re back, I’ll have your Aunt Laura arrange a few suitable candidates for you to meet." Hearing that her parents were already making arrangements for her future, Valerie’s gaze flickered, her emotions momentarily unsettled. After a few more words of small talk, she ended the call. She glanced around her home with a heavy heart, her thoughts tangled in a quiet storm. Then she retreated to her bedroom and began to pack.

Elena has always been an outcast. Born with a hole in her heart, blamed for her mother’s death during childbirth, rejected by her father, and treated as a servant in her own home, she grew up lonely and unloved. With a weak heart that leaves her fragile, she had never felt like she belonged. Until the night everything changed. At the Full Moon Festival, everyone is shocked when the mate bond ties the smoking hot and ruthless immortal Lycan King; Lycan Nikolai, to Elena. For centuries, Nikolai has searched for his destined Luna—a reincarnation of the powerful woman he once loved but lost tragically. Realizing that Elena is weak and sick, he rejects her without a second thought. Elena’s stepsister, Sophie, gladly takes her place as Nikolai’s Luna, unaware that fate has other plans. A tragic accident that plunges Sophia into a state of coma forces Elena into the role she never wanted. She becomes a substitute bride to a king who sees her as worthless and a total waste of time. Thrown into a ruthless world of elite wolves, betrayal, and secrets, Elena is determined to survive. As she uncovers her own hidden strength, she begins to form an undeniable bond with Nikolai. But Sophie won’t let go so easily, and the shadows of Nikolai’s past threaten to destroy everything. Secrets unravel, prophecies are revealed, and enemies rise from the shadows. Will Nikolai see past her weakness to the powerful woman she truly is, or will the ghosts of their pasts and present temptations destroy them both?

Valarie never dreamed she’d have to marry the Alpha King—a ruthless leader feared across the land. That was supposed to be her twin sister Vanessa's fate. But when Vanessa is attacked days before the wedding, Valarie is forced to take her place, stepping into a dangerous lie to save her family. Pretending to be Vanessa, Valarie faces a man as cold as he is powerful. Alpha King Tristan Blackwood trusts no one, least of all the bride who seems so different from the bold woman he was promised. But behind his icy walls lies a darkness that threatens to consume them both. As Valarie struggles to keep her secret, unexpected sparks fly between her and the Alpha King. Yet danger lurks in the shadows, and the truth about Vanessa's attack could destroy the fragile bond they’ve begun to form. In a world ruled by secrets and strength, Valarie must decide: will she fight for her freedom, or risk everything for the love of a king who might never forgive her betrayal?

WARNING!!! 18+ This book contains explicitly steamy scenes. Read only if you're in for a wild naughty ride. ~~~ "You're wet, Kira," He growled, spanking me harder. Two broad fingers teased me and sunk right into my hot wet cunt. Slowly. Deliciously. "What naughty thoughts have you been thinking, baby girl?" **** Kira Andrews is a good girl. Straight A's, the perfect daughter and soon-to-be-married off to a stranger! Annoyed by her parents for engaging her without her consent, Kira goes on a streak of rebellion. She drafts a list of naughty depraved things she wants to do which somehow gets sent to the mail of the Billionaire hotshot Xavier Barnes. Xavier Barnes is intrigued by Kira and her innocence, eager to claim her- until they discover she is engaged to his baby brother. Kira decides whatever they have has to end. And Xavier? Well, he shows up at her college as her substitute professor, determined to make her his at all costs.

Samantha' life ended the day her mother died. It was like she didn't exist to her father anymore. Life for her becomes more complicated when her father sells her off in place of her stepsister to clear his debts, little does she know that her life has just began.

Nicole Summers had to step up for her stepsister Kendra and marry Nathan Monroe, a guy everyone claimed was both unattractive and poor, just to help cover her niece's medical expenses. She believed those rumors until the wedding day when she discovered Nathan was actually kind-hearted and handsome. To her shock, he turned out to be the same guy from that one-night stand who rescued her at the casino. He was way more charming than people said, and as the days went by living together, she found herself developing feelings for him. But what if she learned that Nathan was actually a billionaire and owned the company she worked for? What if she found out he was the one who helped her niece get the best doctor for her recovery? When Nicole decided to forgive him, she learned he had returned to his ex-fiancée who had left him at the altar.

"He is Sinister... A formidable villain in every story. His name alone is enough to send most people running. He is the king of darkness. But beneath this darkness, I could see a glimpse of ray, that ray I think was enough to eliminate the darkness in him, and it was my anchor of hope and solace." ~~~~~~~ Born into a family where no one likes you, everything evil could be thrown at you. Karla was forced into taking the place of her sister, as the mate of a ruthless alpha, the most dreaded Alpha in all the wolves' world. The Alpha, she just watch killed someone cold-blooded. Running away was her only option, but her plans failed when she wasn't able to get to the place her supposed friend, Shadow, the one she met on an app was to get her before her father got her back. She had no choice but to face the destiny forced upon her. Trapped in the mask of her sister and becomes the mate of the Alpha, she dreaded all her life. What will happen when she meets the king of darkness, the one she had four rules against: Never kiss him!!! Never reveal your face to him!!! Never fall in love with him and never reveal our plans to him!!!

"I am yours, Scarlett," he cut me off and my words got caught in my throat. "I belong to you. My body is yours. My soul is yours. . ." I blinked slowly as I stared up at him with wide eyes. What was this man talking about? I wanted to refuse it, to push it aside as just mere talk but his golden eyes were blazing into mine. There was so much determination in his voice that I just had to believe him. "You can see me naked whenever you want. You can touch me whenever you want," he whispered. —------------------- Right from the day my mother brought me into the world, she hated me as if I was the devil’s spawn itself. She abused me every chance she got and made me hate myself. Things only got worse when she forced me to take my sister’s place– her precious daughter– and marry a total pervert– Marco Bianchi, as it was my family’s way of upholding our allegiance with the Bianchi Family. It was either I married him or she cut off my medical bills and leave me for dead. I had no choice but to accept and was going to marry Marco until I met him– Viktor Marcelli– the most feared ruthless Mafia Leader who had a heart as dark as his past. He waltzed into my wedding, shattered my world and offered me a choice: Go ahead and Marry Marco, the pervert and monster I knew, or take my chance with him– a total stranger who could either become my savior or destroy what was left of my soul…

When tradition and duty intertwine, the fiercely independent second princess of the Ravenscroft kingdom, Seraphina Lyonheart, finds herself thrust into a life she never desired. ***** Still licking the wounds instilled by a heartbreaking betrayal, Seraphina is married off as a substitute bride to Prince Xander, a man whose mere name was capable of instilling fear into the heart of people. Her betrothed, however, is mated and seems to hate her guts. Yet a fiery spirit burns within her as she yearns for the power to shape her own destiny. While enduring the harsh confines of her new life, Seraphina discovers a hidden world of rebel werewolves determined to overthrow the oppressive monarchy. Drawn to their cause, she secretly trains with the rebels, honing her strength and harnessing her latent powers. As her skills develop, Seraphina becomes a formidable force, ready to challenge the injustices perpetrated by the ruling elite. Amidst the brewing rebellion, Seraphina uncovers the truth about Prince Xander's intentions and as his mask of cruelty slips, she realizes that there may be more to their connection than she initially believed. Caught between her growing feelings for her husband and the rebellion's call for justice, Seraphina must navigate a treacherous path, torn between loyalty and her own desires. Will Seraphina's rebellion succeed in toppling the cruel monarchy and grant her the freedom she seeks? And can she reconcile her complicated feelings for the prince while staying true to the cause she believes in?

Bella had spent her whole life feeling invisible. No matter how much she longed for love, it always slipped through her fingers. How could it not, when her twin sister, Ella, was the perfect one? The one everyone adored? The one who could do no wrong? And Bella? She was just there. A painful reminder of the sister they lost ,Isabella. The sister whose death was somehow Bella’s fault. The stares, whispers, anxiety, sleepless nights, sleepwalking that blurred the line between dreams and reality, but she had learned to live with it . But then, Ella’s wedding changed everything. Ella was supposed to marry ,scout Cromwell. Cold. Ruthless. A man people feared more than they admired. But the night before the wedding, she disappeared. No warning. No goodbye. Just gone. And Bella? They didn’t ask her. They made her take Ella’s place. From the moment she met Scout’s gaze , she knew she was trapped. Those dark, unreadable eyes held a silent promise,I own you now. No escape. Hatred turned into something else. Something dangerous. It crept in slowly, in stolen glances and quiet moments. In the way his touch, once ice-cold, started to linger. In the way he looked at her like she was finally worth seeing. For the first time in her life, Bella felt wanted. And just when she dared to believe it was real. Ella came back. Now, they all expect her to step aside. To diappear like she always does . But how can she, when ,for the first time ,someone is finally seeing her? When, for the first time, she’s the one being chosen? Is she really supposed to disappear again? Or will she finally fight for the love she never thought she’d have?