The Retreat Sarah Pearse

How far can you go to save the ones you love? Cassie Barn’s father dies leaving behind nothing but a huge debt and a ruthless loan shark. Cassie must find a way to repay her father's debt or risk losing her sister’s life. Going against all fear, she offers herself as a surrogate to billionaire widower Zander Scott. This one time offer was her ticket to freedom but nothing is ever as simple as it looks. Zander Scott only cares about two things; his inheritance and his baby. After losing his beloved wife to cancer, he vows to do everything in his power to create a child in her memory. Their own flesh and blood. His child must be perfect and so he leaves nothing to chance. Who would have thought that a simple, high paying job will send them on a wild journey where Cassie is caught up in the middle of a fierce battle between the Scott brothers ? Zander and Cassie battle enemies within and outside their circle and find themselves wondering if this journey is worth the stress. And just when the tension dies down, somebody falls in love and complicates things. Will they both get what they want from this deal or will they be forced to make different choices? Just how messy can a simple contract get?

My mate, Charalambos, was the heir to the Nightshade Pack. To take over as Alpha, he was sent to Noctis City, the capital city, for special training. When he left, my stepsister, Francesca, insisted on going with him. He refused at first, but she forced his hand, threatening a hunger strike until he gave in. Eventually, he allowed her to accompany him as his assistant. This went on for three years. Throughout those three years, our mate bond stayed strong. I never felt the slightest hint of betrayal. He constantly reassured me through our mind-link. "You're the only one for me." At some point, I started receiving photos anonymously. Francesca kissed him in the face, but he never refused. Once, Charalambos and I were on a video call in the dark, and I could hear Francesca’s breathless voice clearly while she whispered his name in the heat of it. Three years later, the day he returned to the pack, I saw her walking behind him. She had been with pup for five months, and there was a smug, victorious smile on her face. He looked at me apologetically. Guilt was written all over his face. "I'm sorry. I’ve only ever loved you. Once the pup comes, you can raise it." I was done. I had waited for three years. I made up my mind to reject him.

Laura Walker was forced to marry an old man by her mother so that her bride price could be used for her younger brother's wedding. However, Laura felt that she should be in control of her own life.Her blind date didn't go as planned. Instead, she ended up getting married to a stranger.The two of them had undergone a flash marriage and planned on setting guidelines so that they wouldn't disturb each other's lives. However, Laura didn't expect the man to cook for her, put her to bed and force her to call him "Honey"."Honey, I want a kiss.""Honey, I want a hug."Laura had thought that her husband was just a normal working class, so she had planned out their future in detail.That was until she realized that her husband had a garage full of luxury cars.Not only that, her husband looked identical to the richest man in Empfield!

Life is unfair, that's what Helga Novalie thought, living in poverty and torture from her drunk and gambler father. The girl had to sacrifice everything, her job and her future. Even the hope of getting out of that hell felt impossible. However, one night Helga accidentally witnessed a car accident where the female driver tried to save Helga but in vain. Who would have thought that it was the beginning of how Helga got out of the hell created by her father? However, Helga never knew that a new, colder, and more thrilling hell was waiting for her when Zean Wilder made Helga his replacement wife. A famous billionaire like Zean could not possibly be involved in the dark mafia world. Helga, who was trying to get out of that cold and dark hell, learned that the woman she had saved and given the necklace to was Helga's older sister who had long since left with their mother. Feelings of anger and revenge burned in Helga's heart and she swore to find whoever killed her older sister. However, Helga's existence is threatened because of a secret hidden in her necklace. Can Helga find her happiness amidst the hell that always surrounds her, and conquer Zean's cold and empty heart? Who would have thought that something big was waiting for them both?

Melissa's life is forever changed when she's betrayed by those she trusts the most, her fated Alpha, Rico and her best friend, Lorinda. Melissa walks in on her fated Alpha, Rico cheating on her with her best friend. “I thought you loved me?” she wailed in pain. All she could hear was the growling of her alpha towards her. She was broken, betrayed, humiliated and torn apart by the Alpha she loved. Unknowingly to her, he was being cast under a spell with the dark powers she never thought existed after her mother's death. Melissa was sold into slavery to a ruthless alpha, Troy, who she initially thought would be her redemption. She is forced to endure unimaginable hardships and humiliation even than she had experienced with her fated Alpha after his rejection. As she struggles to survive, she discovers a hidden strength within herself - supernatural powers that could be her ticket to freedom, or her ultimate downfall. As Melissa navigates her way being a slave to Troy, and striving to harness her powers. Will she finally find redemption and reclaim her rightful place when she figures out the truth about her past, or will she become a pawn in Troy's game of dominance?

We Are One Fantasy Romance Banished from the underworld and stripped of her place among her kind, Anika wanders the mortal realm alone—haunted, hunted, and broken. When Olivia, the mate of the reigning Alpha and a seer with a gift for prophecy, has a vision of a mysterious young woman cloaked in sorrow, fate begins to stir. One fateful night, their paths cross, and Olivia brings the wounded stranger into her home. Corbin, Olivia’s son and heir to the Alpha title, senses something ancient and undeniable the moment he meets Anika: she is his destined mate. But Anika carries dark secrets, scars from a past that threaten both her future and his pack. As their bond deepens, Corbin and Anika must navigate the politics of pack life, confront the dangers of Anika’s origin, and face a destiny that demands unity of body, heart, and soul. In a world where strength is tested and loyalty is earned, love may be the most powerful force of all. Together, they must rise. Together, they are one.

The night my husband, William Costello, was assassinated by his enemies was supposed to be a celebration—our wedding anniversary. I was dressed in his favorite red dress, waiting for him, when the phone rang. "Mr. Costello was shot at the harbor. The bullet went through the back of his head. He died on the spot." I collapsed to the floor. I clung to his belongings, mourning for a week straight. We even lost our unborn child during this time. Everyone said William and I were true love. Even the Don himself came to the funeral, resting a heavy hand on my shoulder with a sigh. He said, "All of Blackhaven knows you were the only woman he ever loved." Grief nearly destroyed me. I stood at the river's edge, ready to follow William into the afterlife. However, I overheard my sister-in-law, Emily Hawkins, leaning into my brother-in-law, Jones Costello, her voice dripping with a twisted affection. She purred, "William, I love you so much. Between Nina and me, who do you think is sexier?" "Of course it's you, babe!" came the husky reply. I stood frozen, my eyes wide and my body trembling. Why was Emily calling my brother-in-law by my husband's name?

Because I saved my husband during a car accident, I lost my eyesight. He wept, promising to treat me well for the rest of our lives to repay my sacrifice. I cooperated with the treatment wholeheartedly, hoping for a full recovery. But on the day I finally regained my sight, I stumbled upon something that shattered my world. In our marital home, his first love lay beneath him, her flushed face betraying the passion of the moment. Their bodies intertwined, and the air around them thick with stifled moans—a vivid tableau of infidelity. "She's just a blind woman. Why haven't you divorced her yet?" the woman murmured impatiently, her voice laced with disdain as she moved against him. My husband, immersed in pleasure, still mumbled an excuse. "My love, just a little longer. Soon, we'll be together openly…" I turned and left without a word, pretending I had seen nothing. As I walked away, I remembered the witch's sacrificial ritual in the misty forest—only a few days away. My husband's betrayal cut deep, carving wounds I couldn't ignore. I made up my mind to return to the forest, to embrace my identity as a witch once more, and to sever all ties with him. Yet, after I disappeared, word reached me that he was searching for me everywhere like a madman. Rumor had it he had completely lost his mind.

It had been five years since I started dating Ross Jenner. His family invited my mother and me to their family home in Fellaton to discuss our wedding plans and to spend Valentine's Day together. It was past 10:00 PM when my mother and I landed, but Ross wasn't there to pick us up because his college junior, Laurel Elledge, had just arrived in Fellaton. He told me to figure out a way to get a cab to the house myself. In a strange place, unfamiliar with the area, it wasn't long before we found ourselves in danger. Just over ten minutes outside the airport, we were robbed. My mother was injured while trying to protect me, and she collapsed, bleeding heavily. Desperate, I held onto her, frantically trying to call Ross. Each call was abruptly cut off, and when I finally reached him, he sounded irritated. "Jennifer, you're an adult, so stop acting like a child. You couldn't even hail a cab on the street? Laurel just got to Fellaton and isn't feeling well. I need to take care of her." Without waiting for a response, he hung up. I tried calling again, only to find that I had been blocked. In the end, my mother's injuries were too severe, and she bled out before the doctors could save her. As I stared at her lifeless body, tears flowed uncontrollably. When I finally checked my phone again, the first thing I saw was a picture Ross had posted on Twitter. In the photo, he was kissing Laurel and holding a bouquet of roses. [Spending Valentine's Day with the one I love most.] I quietly threw the gifts I had brought from home into the trash. Then, I left a comment, which said, [Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness.]

She exuded strength and control, like a rare, once-in-a-lifetime enchantress-wolf named Lucia. Her life took a thrilling turn when she fell for a billionaire human, but soon, a chain of extraordinary events unfolded. She transformed from a sweet, gentle girl into a formidable, perilous force. Love drove her to fight relentlessly, sparing no one in her path. Yet, her very existence was on the brink of doom as Roberto's mother uncovered her true identity.