The Fifth Mountain Paulo Coelho

Cade Jennings was always there for me when I needed him—until he wasn’t. I’d spent my entire life loving my best friend’s older brother. Every single one of my birthday wishes was spent hoping Cade would finally notice me. And then one day, he did. But not all love stories have happy endings. It's been years since I left the small town of Sutten Mountain devastated and heartbroken. I’d used the pain to fuel a bestselling novel that solidified I’d never have to return. Until tragedy struck, forcing me to face the man who shattered my heart. I thought I’d be strong enough to see him again. I didn’t expect the angry, broken man staring back at me. But the more time we spend around each other, the more I see glimpses of the man I fell in love with. His touch still owns me. His kiss still brands me. And even after all this time, the feelings I have for him still consume me. Cade and I are unfinished business, and this time, he’s not letting me leave until we rewrite our story.

In the fifth year of my spiritual practice, my phone suddenly exploded with messages. [Aria, why aren't you replying? Are you really that petty?] Puzzled, I opened Messenger, and froze. My cousin, who never seemed to measure up to me and always went out of her way to oppose me, was getting married, and she expected me to attend. "Sorry, I've been busy lately. I won't be able to make it," I replied politely. However, my courteous response only fueled their ridicule. "Stop pretending! You haven't kept in touch with your family for years. Are you too embarrassed because your life is such a mess?" "She won't even come to her own cousin's wedding? How heartless!" "Let me guess, the real reason she can't come is she can't afford a wedding gift." One cutting remark after another appeared, until Betty Stewart stepped in, feigning concern. "Come on, don't be so harsh on Aria. We're family, after all." "If she's really struggling, I could ask my husband to help her get a cleaning job." Then she sent me the digital invitation, the gold lettering gleaming. When I saw the groom's name, my pupils constricted in shock. Joseph Clark? Wasn't he the short-lived husband who had spent three years sucking up to me just to extend his life?

Elijah Morris has been fooling around for four out of the five years we've been married. And from the very first month, he openly betrays me. Meanwhile, I spend my time warding people off with expensive contracts, one after another. Eventually, all that's left between us is constant fighting. One day, his younger stepsister, Abigail Wright, returns. And just like that, he finally settles down. That's when the system tells me that I can finally go home. For the next five days, I no longer ask about his schedule. I don't care if he is with Abigail, nor do I care if she is pregnant with his child. I even move out of the master bedroom myself, listening to them going at it all night. The fifth day after Abigail's return is our wedding anniversary. Elijah bursts into the room, tears up our marriage certificate in front of me, and smashes my most treasured vase into pieces. He grips my throat tightly and growls, "Why did you put mango in Abby's cake? She's allergic, and she almost died! How could you be so cruel?" For the first time, I don't argue with him. Instead, I go along with his accusations. "So what?" I then pick up a shard from the broken vase on the floor under his disbelieving gaze. Then, I draw it across my artery. Just like that, I end my life in this world.

My boyfriend insists on hiking up a snow-covered mountain to see a waterfall. That very day, I fall from the peak. When I regain consciousness, I've lost my memories and broken a leg. Even my boyfriend has become my brother-in-law. Everyone turns their backs on me, but my psychologist, Quinton Scott, comforts and guides me. One day, he gets on one knee before me with a bouquet and a diamond ring in hand. He proposes as the medical personnel watch, and I weep with joy. Half a year after our marriage, I hear his friend say, "Looks like your hypnosis has gone well for the past year, Quinton. Speaking of which, you've already helped Winnie get what she wants. Why bother marrying Jennifer?" "Did you think I wanted to? I was afraid she'd suddenly regain her memories and try to hurt Winnie. It's easier for me to watch her like this." "Is it worth going to such lengths for Winnie? You cleaned up so many of her messes, and you're now using Jennifer for that…" "I'll do anything as long as Winnie is happy." Quinton stubs out his cigarette. After a long silence, he says, "Besides, I'm just borrowing Jennifer's womb. I'm putting trash to good use!"

"You certainly do smell nice for a doxy,” He groaned, burying his face in my neck. "You should be mine." I chuckled, sliding my long nails over his neck, right atop his jugular. Hayden froze. “The fuck? Is that-“ “Wolfsbane?” I purred. “Yes it is.” He held his breath for a minute, before gritting out in a low gravelly voice. “Who the fuck are you?” I pulled away, still seated on his lap, grinning wolfishly. My tongue flicked out to lick my fangs before I replied. “Nova. Nova Frost.” ***** At the annual Howl Gathering, eighteen year old Nova Frost finds out that she is mated to the Alpha Hayden of the Storm clan. An Alpha said to rule over the mountain regions with an iron fist. He rejects her without a second thought. That same night, her father is killed along with several other Alphas, one of the few who made it out alive was Hayden. Those who made it out alive are called The Nine. Nova knows Hayden and the nine killed her father and spends seven years sharpening her sword for revenge. Seven years later she attends the howl gathering festival in disguise, out to seduce Alpha Hayden, find out why he and the nine had killed her father and then have her revenge all in the Seven days of the Howl Festival. What could possibly go wrong? Everything.

Frieda Enriquez lives in a golden cage. As the perfect, silent wife to billionaire CEO Michael C. Van Leer, her life is a performance of flawless elegance, built on a mountain of secrets and the crushing debt that cost her everything. She gave Michael her body and her name, and in return, he gives her silence and control. But when Michael suffers a severe accident, the cold, loveless marriage is replaced by a chilling new demand. To maintain the illusion of their perfect union, Michael brings in two ruthless, identical associates—the Heaton twins—and forces Frieda into a twisted, shared submission. Now, her body is a battleground. Garrett, the gentle twin, offers a desperate, silent promise of protection, igniting an instant connection that feels dangerously like true love. Alvin, the violent twin, is a monster from her childhood, brought back by Michael to inflict private terror. As Michael watches his cruel game unfold, Frieda realizes the accident was a lie, the divorce is impossible, and the cage is closing tighter. When her own sister, Serena, arrives as Michael's mistress, the last thread of hope snaps. They wanted a submissive wife. They created an enemy. How do you fight a man who owns your name, your past, and now, the dark secret of your first and truest love? Read Trapped In My Husband’s Golden Cage and watch the perfect corporate wife become the most feared woman alive.

When Gwendolyn Lee Grace lands her first nursing job after graduation, she’s thrilled — until she realizes her new position is a live-in caretaker for the reclusive patriarch of the wealthy Bearanstein family. Their sprawling mountain estate is as mysterious as its owners… and none more so than Arthur Bearanstein III — the brooding, impossibly gorgeous heir everyone calls Baby Bear. Arthur’s life is already ruled by duty. As the only son, he’s next in line to inherit the Alpha position from his ailing father. But there’s a catch: the ancient power of the Alpha can only pass to one who’s bonded with his fated mate. And Arthur’s mate is nowhere to be found. Until Gwendolyn walks through the door. From the moment they meet, sparks fly hotter than a forge fire. She’s everything he can’t have — human, off-limits, and dangerously tempting. Yet beneath her golden curls and soft smile lies a strength Arthur can’t ignore… and a secret even she doesn’t know. When Gwen discovers that the Bearansteins’ wealth hides something wild, ancient, and fur-covered, she must decide whether to run from the beast within Arthur — or embrace the destiny that’s been calling her all along. In a world where love can awaken the beast, sometimes “just right” means fated.

Thirty would be Alpha males determined to prove themselves and practically bursting with testosterone stuck on a mountain together. Oh, make that twenty-nine males and one stubborn female. All because Alpha Braden of Misty Glen has every confidence his daughter is just as good, if not the best that the werewolf world has to offer in terms of a leader. She’s been raised to believe she’s just as strong, smart and capable as any male. Dakota is convinced nothing could stand in the way of proving herself. Except of course, finding out that her partner at the alpha Blood Creek camp is none other than her fated mate. Dex has always been the strong silent type, but meeting Dakota forces him to see everything through new eyes. The eyes… of a mate. Excerpt: My wolf lets out a low growl to assert his dominance, and to let this creature know that we are not going to take the bait. It’s actually a brilliant idea. There’s literally no chance any males would expect this kind of trap. So dangling a sweet smelling and likely beautiful she-wolf in front of us makes sense. Only there’s nothing else out here. Nothing at all. Where the hell is the wildlife? And surely there are some camp people out here to witness this? Not that I think anyone would physically hurt a female but… They wouldn’t be dumb enough to throw her literally to the wolves would they?

In the modern country Japan live a century old legend, a group of people who live in a secluded mountain of Okinawa. Shin is the second son of Alpha Rei, and the little brother of the next Alpha Ginji. He is the total opposite of Ginji, who is a party animal and a well-known playboy he even rejected his mate just to continue his lifestyle. On the other hand, Shin is a well-respected wolf, he is well-behave and responsible. But everything changes when Shin turns 18, that time he found his mate Jenica who was 2 year’s younger than him. He swore to wait until she herself found that he is her mate, but when Ginji found out about this he didn’t think twice. He touched Shin’s mate. Boiled with anger Shin challenge Ginji, but his wolf cannot withstand his big brother. Because of that he was cast away by the family, by challenging the next Alpha, they thought that Shin wanted to challenge him for his position. But that was his plan in the first place, that if he lost this battle he will run away. When he was out of there village he meet three wolves who said they were waiting for him, they escort him to a what he believe is a rouge village, there he meet a beautiful lady they call Luna. The woman looked at him with so much admiration, she open her arms and hug Shin. “My son.” She said, with tears.

She loves peace, but the job where she in was the complete opposite. He loved peace when he was just a child before his mom left him. She never thought that she could experience what she wanted when she met him. His mask fell when he saw how frightened the woman was when someone tried to harm her. She looked at him like a hero when he saved her. He was silently cursing himself for why he did that. She fell in love and waited for him to take action. He stayed put and reminded himself to know his boundaries. She hated him because of what he did. But he was happy when he saw the happiness in her eyes again. In the middle of the forbidden love between a man who’ll do everything just to be in power and a woman who wants freedom from the world she's been in. Would their painful past be the reason to begin again as a whole, or would it break them into pieces and have a zero chance to come back and act like nothing happened? There are secrets that may hurt them. At first, they thought that it was just a small one, when in fact, it was indeed a small one, piled and stacked, which created a mountain of lies and a big vault of curse. The question is, if it were you, would you dare to unveil it or just let the one in power conceal the whole truth?