The Martyr By Nick Joaquin

"Mahal ko ang pamangkin mo dati." "At ngayon, akin ka na. Nilaro niya ang puso mo, pero ako? Wawasakin ko kahit sino para sa'yo." Hindi kailanman inakala ni Ysabel na ang kanyang pagluha dahil sa isang sirang relasyon ay magiging daan upang mapasakamay siya ng pinakamapangahas at pinakamakapangyarihang lalaki sa buhay ng ex niya. Ang sariling tiyuhin nitong si Leonardo Verano. Tahimik. Malamig. Pero nakakabaliw kung tumingin. Inalok siya ng kasal nito. Proteksyon. Kayamanan. Lahat ng nawala sa kanya, ibinalik, kapalit ng sarili niya. Pero ang magmahal kay Leonardo ay may kasamang kondisyon. At ang unang batas? Bawal mong banggitin ang pangalan ng pamangkin niya, habang buhay.

“I, Alexei Volkov, reject you, Aera Alvarez, as my fated mate,” he said without an ounce of hesitation and left the mating ceremony in dead silence. And then, I felt something inside me die. *** Aera Alvarez has been physically and mentally abused by her father, the Alpha of Calisto Pack because she has a severe stutter when she speaks. Unlike her twin sister Aena who was treated like a diamond in their town for her eloquence and exotic beauty, Aera grew up to be ostracized for her ginger, curly hair. On her twentieth birthday when she was supposed to meet her fated mate, she was immediately rejected by Alexei Volkov, the next in line Alpha of the Triton Pack, because she was weak, saying she would be unreliable as their new Luna. Driven by envy and unjust treatment, Aera decided to muster her courage and changed her endeavors. After five years of secret training, Alexei who became a rogue when he defied the Moon Goddess's choices by refusing his fate, reclaims her as his mate as soon as she alters her reputation from incapacitated werewolf to the next in line first female Alpha of their pack. Now that the vicious Alexei was kneeling in front of her, will she accept him as her mate after breaking her heart without the retribution she deserves? Or his reclamation will lead her to a secret that will forever lose her faith in love? *** Reclaimed by the Alpha contains two book. Book 1 - The Alpha’s Regret ( The Cruel Rejection - The Mutual Submission) Book 2 - The Real Heirs (The First Pain - The Ending)

Leonor is a strong and empowered woman, with a businessman and ambitious husband. After one of her companies goes bankrupt, the only solution her husband finds is to accept a proposal from a mobster, who wants a night with Leonor. The attractive and intimidating mobster, Hard, surprises Leonor with a night that brings her many mixed feelings, and the fate that she insists on bringing them together while her husband Call tortures himself for giving her up to save his ego.

Hazel's world shattered when her mate Adrian betrayed her, sending her to prison for a crime she didn't commit. Bruised and broken, she's rescued by Adrian's uncle, Alpha Draven. But is this newfound protection a safe haven or a deadly trap? Alpha Draven promises Hazel to seek revenge against those who wronged her, but on one condition: that she marry him. Can she trust Alpha Draven, or will his own demons destroy them all?

Michaela left Gael seven years ago without him knowing. Sa tingin ni Gael ay hindi sapat ang kanyang pagmamahal para manatili sa kanyang buhay si Michaela. He thought that Michaela left him in exchange of money. She disappeared in a blink of an eye, left Gael clueless, and never came back. Seven years later, their path crossed unexpectedly. Gael thought he was already done with her. Subalit, nagbago iyon nang malaman niya ang kasagutan sa mga katanungan na pilit niyang ibinaon sa limot seven years ago. Suddenly, he wants to win her back. Will it still be possible kung siya mismo ay ikakasal na sa ibang babae?

“You call this pathetic fling between us a relationship?” Malric’s voice turned cold, “Are you that desperate, Aluin? Do you really think I owe you anything because you are my mate? I have provided everything to make you comfortable; a roof over your head, clothes, money, everything!” he snapped, his eyes mad with anger, “Are you that delusional? You thought this could ever work out? A man and a man, ruling a pack? Doesn’t that sound stupid to you?” One should feel lucky and blessed to be an Alpha’s mate, but that was never the case for Aluin. As a male omega, his bond with the young alpha was destined to remain a secret—unblessed, unspoken. From the moment they discovered their mate bond, Malric had hidden their love away, locking it inside the apartment he bought for Aluin, along with his promises and sweet words. Though concealed, though treated as a shameful secret, Malric’s burning touch and heated gaze drew Aluin in again and again. He waited silently, hoping for the day Malric would finally be ready to claim him. But instead, news of Malric’s engagement arrived first. Aluin was not even granted a decent closure of their situationship. They crushed his dignity without mercy, and he almost lost his life to their trap. Aluin learnt it the hard way the young alpha was never someone he was meant to desire. Then why, after he has finally moved on and embraced a new life, would Malric come crashing back into it again?

“What the fuck, Jace?!” One dinner. One secret. And suddenly, the boy I’ve loved for three years is staring at me like I’ve betrayed him. Because the man my mother is finally happy with–the man who treats her like she matters—just happens to be his father. Now Jace is furious. Obsessed. Unforgiving. He thinks I knew, that I kept this twisted truth hidden from him. I didn’t. But try telling that to the storm in his eyes, the rage in his voice, the way he corners me and demands answers like my heart isn’t already breaking. For my mom, I should let go. She deserves her fairytale, and if that means cutting Jace out of my life, then I’ll do it—even if it feels like tearing my chest open. But Jace? He refuses. “Walk away from me, Jae,” he swears, “and I’ll burn it all down. Your mom’s happiness. My dad’s engagement. Every ounce of peace you think you’ll have.” Because to Jace, I’m not just his girlfriend. I’m his obsession. His possession. His everything. And he’ll set the whole world on fire before he lets me go. … An obsessive boyfriend who would rather destroy everything than see the girl he loves as his stepsister. And a girl who wants nothing more than to protect her mother’s happiness, even if it costs her own. However, is the sacrifice worth it?

Brooklyn Davis, at nineteen works as a waitress at an upscale restaurant in downtown Chicago. Two days back, her twin brother, Brandon had suddenly disappeared with a message that asked her not to worry about him. Brooklyn is in a strange dilemma when weird things start happening at her workplace. She is watched and stalked by a pair of hazel eyes every day, every minute. Who is the man? Why was he watching her all the time? How will Brooklyn ever get rid of him? At twenty-nine, Nikolas Ardolf is hard, arrogant and a ruthless monster who only understands two things, business and money. Having been abandoned on the streets at birth, he had a very hard childhood but all that changed when he was picked up by the ruthless old man, Daniel Ardolf, unmarried and the sole owner of Ardolf Winery. He hates women after his own mom had betrayed him. Then why does he stalk the innocent Brooklyn everyday? What does he want? Why can't he stay away from her?  Read this passionate love story of how Nikolas Ardolf chases the sweet Brooklyn. Will he get what he wants?

"Mine." I heard as I felt two sharp fangs biting my neck. I didn't know that at that moment, I was CLAIMED by the ALPHA of DARKNESS. --- They called me cursed. They bullied me. Spat on me. Blamed me for every misfortune. Until one night, they killed my family and threw me into the cave that reeked of death. I thought I was alone. I thought I would die in the dark. But something was already there—watching, waiting, hungry. When my blood spilled, he came out of the shadows. His fangs sank deep into my neck, and with a voice that made my soul tremble, he whispered one word. “Mine.” Years later, I tried to escape my past. But at the university, three Alphas appeared. And the King of Alphas—the untouchable Campus King—looked at me with the same hunger. Because he was the monster in the darkness. And I was never meant to be free.

📖 Full Synopsis (Professional, 30-Chapter Summary) In a realm where the abyss bleeds whispers into men’s hearts, Aria, a gifted warrior bound to light, finds herself tethered to Lucien, a man scarred by an ancient mark. Their alliance begins in unease but quickly deepens into fragile trust, even as shadows stir within him. As armies clash and kingdoms fracture, Rowan, the enigmatic elder, and Kael, a fierce commander, fight to keep their ranks united. Yet Lucien’s mark grows restless, seeding betrayal, suspicion, and fear. Aria stands at his side, convinced that his humanity can be preserved, while others believe the abyss has already claimed him. The march to war spirals. Battles scar the land, alliances fray, and Lucien’s struggle becomes the fulcrum of fate. In the Breaking Storm, shadow and flame engulf the battlefield. Lucien teeters on the edge of becoming a weapon of the abyss. Aria refuses to yield, her voice anchoring him even as his blade rises against her. Kael’s blood is spilled in defiance, Rowan binds the storm in desperate runes, and Aria steps into the abyss itself, whispering her vow. In the climax, Lucien shatters his own blade, breaking free from the darkness—but not without scars. The storm collapses, leaving silence in its wake. In the aftermath, enemies bury their dead side by side. Kael rebuilds broken ranks, Rowan warns that the abyss never releases its scars, and Aria tends to Lucien’s healing—both body and soul. Though the mark lingers faintly beneath his skin, her vow holds stronger: never again will the abyss take him. The book closes on dawn: the storm passed, the stars returned, and two hands held fast against the dark.