The Cider House Rules

Roo has a big secret that she keeps not only from all the wolves in Winchester, but from her mate as well. Her mate who also happens to be the Alpha. While Roo is trying to keep her identity and rare abilities a secret, she suspects that the Alpha has one of his own. Can Roo keep the mate bond a secret? Can she continue avoiding the pack she wants nothing to do with? Can she find out the Alpha's secret without falling to her desires?

When desire knows no boundaries, every moment counts. Untamed Desire brings you a collection of provocative short stories exploring forbidden touches, secret cravings, and unexpected connections. From strangers trapped in a storm to tangled love triangles and power plays, these tales explore lust and longing in all their raw, intoxicating forms. Each chapter is a standalone story—perfect for quick, sultry reads that ignite your imagination and leave you wanting more.

Coral learns her entire life had been a lie, she’s forced to come to terms with the fact that she comes from a long line of Pure Elemental Conjurers whose abilities and genetics are very unique in their world. Coral is told she’s a fire elemental, and not just that, she’s what society calls an Elementalist. A unique elemental with the ability to not only control the four main elements of the earth, but has an unlimited amount of power. Her rear ability has only been seen once, on her ancestor, and due to the purity of her family’s bloodline she inherited that ability from that ancestor. Coral will slowly struggle to maintain her sanity among a world of abnormalities, especially when her identity becomes revealed and everyone at the academy finds out she is the illegitimate daughter of Steven Carter and Bella Ray. This revelation puts her directly into the spotlight, and her words and actions constantly draw the attention of students. More than once, Coral will be forced down by her insecurities and fears, and the new revelations regarding her parent’s death.

Nate caught her hand as she turned away. “Say yes, Dahlia.” She didn’t look at him. “To what this time?” His smile was slow, dangerous. “To letting me eat you tonight” Her breath stilled. “You don’t take hints, do you?” “Only the ones that sound like maybe.” His thumb traced her palm, his voice low enough to make her heartbeat trip. She pulled back, just barely. “Goodnight, Nate.” He grinned, unbothered. “Night, wife. I’ll ask again tomorrow.” *********** When ruthless CEO Dahlia Reyes discovers her boyfriend and her best friend in bed together-and plotting to steal her inheritance—she does the most un-Dahlia thing imaginable. She drinks too much and wakes up married to a sex worker. Her “husband,” Nate, is charming, infuriating, and far too comfortable calling her wife. Dahlia’s ready to annul the whole disaster-until she learns she legally can’t for a year. Desperate to save face (and maybe twist fate in her favor), Dahlia decides to use the fake marriage to her advantage. What she doesn’t know is that Nate isn’t the broke drifter and he's watching her with equal parts amusement and admiration. Now, between public appearances, the plotting of the evil people ready to ruin their lives, staged affection, and the slow burn of something too real to fake, Dahlia’s carefully built walls begin to crack. And Nate? He’s determined to make sure she falls-for him, for real, and hard. A story of betrayal, accidental vows, and the slow, intoxicating fall between a woman who doesn’t believe in love and a man who plans to prove her wrong.

"My husband sold me like property. But the man who bought me... he wants to make me his queen." For three years, Stacy has endured the unthinkable. Her husband Matt doesn't just neglect her—he sells her. Night after night, he forces her into the beds of wealthy investors and powerful business partners, using her body to seal his deals. An "open marriage," he calls it. But there's nothing open about being used as merchandise. "I was his business asset. His bargaining chip. His whore." At the Sterling Gala, Matt drugs her and delivers her to a room full of predators—five men ready to claim their "payment." But something inside Stacy finally breaks. She fights back. She runs. And crashes straight into the arms of Michael Sotheby—billionaire, corporate king, and the one man even her husband fears. "I didn't save you for free. You owe me a debt. And I intend to collect." Michael's protection comes with a price. What starts as a transaction becomes something far more dangerous. His touch doesn't feel like violation. His kiss awakens desires she thought were dead. For the first time in three years, she feels alive. But when morning comes, terror grips her heart. Michael isn't just any billionaire—he's Matt's biggest rival. And he has no intention of letting her go. Caught between the husband who sells her and the billionaire who wants to own her, Stacy discovers that sometimes the most dangerous man is the only one who can set you free. WARNING: This book contains mature themes including sexual coercion, trafficking within marriage, dubious consent, dark romance elements, and morally complex characters. Intended for adult readers only.

“Fall for me in the same way I loved you, so you can feel the pain and despair you put me through, before I take your life.” ~--~ Sylvia’s world revolved around her husband, Duke Alec Winston. For a lifetime, she gave him everything despite his infidelity. But in the end, when she wasn’t necessary for his plans, he plunged a sword through her flesh without a single parting word. That should’ve been the end. Yet Sylvia finds herself regressed, back to her ten-year-old self living in the slums of the Rezine Empire. With the lingering sting of betrayal in her heart and the memory of dying imprinted in her mind, she decides to eliminate the source of her misfortune while atoning for her past life’s sins. Even if it means going against known and hidden powers within the empire. To start, she needs allies worth their salt and the backing of her family, the duchy of House Lundren. But despite her knowledge of the future and a lifetime’s worth of experience, Sylvia soon realizes that she knew so little. For there are secrets she’s yet to discover, stories she’s yet to hear, and prices yet to be paid. After all, a human living past death over and over is nothing short of an anomaly, and a power that can grant it won’t come for free. Death wasn’t the end. For Sylvia, it was the beginning. And a curse.

When I visit my girlfriend's house during the Christmas holidays, her cousin, Antonio Esposito, humiliates me in front of everyone because of a scar on the back of my hand. "This scar looks like a remnant of the crossfire with the mafia! Bianca, why did you think that bringing an ex-convict home was a good idea?" The entire Romano family stares at me in a mixture of horror and shock. My girlfriend, Bianco Romano, even shakes my hand off while staring at me in disgust. Not only does Antonio flip the table, but he also calls over a few hooligans in an attempt to take me to the local police station. "We must teach scumbags like him a lesson!" he declares. After that, Antonio and the hooligans strip off my jacket and strap me to the tree in the courtyard. They then attempt to force me to admit that I'm working for the mafia. I can only gnash my teeth together stubbornly, refusing to yield no matter what. What they don't know is that the scar is a medal from my time in a peacekeeping war as a soldier!

After I bought my new home outright, my relatives organized a housewarming party to celebrate. During dinner, my nephew Leo suddenly said, “You’re just a spinster living alone in a huge apartment. What do you need all that space for? I happen to be getting married soon. That’s a huge deal. You should transfer the place to me. I’ll even cover the transfer fee.” I was stunned. “Are you out of your mind?” His mother Linda said, “How can you be so ungrateful? Him using your place for his newlywed life is doing you a favor. It’ll bring you good luck! Other people would jump at the chance!” The son and mother were united against me. “Anyway, tomorrow’s a great day. Grab the property deed and come with us to transfer ownership!” I rejected them without hesitation and called them crazy. Who knew they would get so furious that they would storm into my brand-new apartment and go on a rampage, smashing everything in sight. They even said smugly, “We need to show you our family doesn’t get pushed around! Go ahead and call the police! What proof do you even have that it was us?” What they did not know was that I had installed surveillance cameras on the day I moved in.

Isolde Vancrest had witnessed the ultimate betrayal. Her long-time fiancé, Alan Princeton, had gotten his own sister-in-law pregnant, and he had the audacity to defend it. Alan: "You can't have children. The family can't end with me." How ironic. This was the same man who had once knelt nine times to propose, swearing he would rather be sterile than ever hurt her. If love was a joke, then pride had lost all meaning. That night, Isolde called the one man in Southbridge whose name most people feared to speak. By morning, she was his wife. When Alan saw her again, it was at her wedding. He dropped to his knees, eyes red. Alan: "Honey, I was wrong. Please… look at me." Isolde took a step back and fell into the arms of the man behind her. "The Prince," the ruthless ruler of half the city, wrapped an arm around her waist. "Seems you've forgotten your place." His voice was biting cold as he looked down at Alan. "Now she’s someone you don’t deserve to even look at."

On my wedding day, my best friend, Beatrice Hopper, buys a lottery ticket from a convenience store and gives it to me as a wedding gift. I initially believe that she's joking, but when I see the unmistakable disdain in her eyes, I know something is off. "They say it's the thought that counts. This gift is precisely how I show that I care. Besides, I'm pregnant and need money for everything right now. I don't want you to feel bad about taking my money," she says. Honestly, I'm disappointed. But since it's my wedding, I can only stand there and watch as my best friend drags her entire family to the reception for free food and drinks. As expected, the wedding ends on a sour note. The two of us part ways unhappily. What I don't see coming, though, is winning 50 million dollars in the lottery that night. Elated, I tell my husband the news, and we head to the lottery office first thing in the morning to claim the prize. The news quickly spreads among our friends and family. But by the afternoon, Beatrice pounds on my door, demanding I return the lottery ticket. "I should've been the winner!" she screamed. "I was the one who bought it, so why should you take away my prize?" I keep backing away from her, panic flooding my entire body, so much so that I don't even notice she's holding a knife. The last thing I expect is for her to swing it at me in the middle of our struggle. By the time I realize what's happening, the blade is already buried in my husband's chest. I try to call the police, but Beatrice yanks me back. We grapple, stumble, and crash through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Eventually, we fall to our deaths in the courtyard below. The universe must've had mercy on me because when I open my eyes again, I'm back at the moment she hands me that lottery ticket. Here comes my second chance.