The Ruins By Scott Smith Novels & Stories

My in-laws, who have flown back to the country for the Christmas holidays, visit my home on Christmas Eve for dinner. But Selena Collins, the housekeeper, has only prepared two plates of cold shrimp ravioli despite the fact that I've specifically reminded her about my mother-in-law, Lora Fischer's allergy to shrimps. Selena just tells me in a stoic manner, "Mrs. Peterson, I know that you country bumpkins love taking advantage of everything. So, I completely understand that your parents want to mooch off a meal from the Peterson family during the holidays. "But as Mr. Peterson's most caring housekeeper, I have the right to protect the Petersons' assets from getting leeched by outsiders. Yes, this includes a regular meal. "Then again, I have a heart of gold, you see. I won't starve the elders at all. These are leftover shrimp ravioli from last year. Your parents should hurry up and leave after polishing the ravioli off. "Mr. Peterson is very busy with his work. I can't let him deal with your impoverished parents after getting home from a stressful day at work." I'm stunned at first, but I soon realize that Selena has mistaken my in-laws for my parents. She's purposefully causing me trouble as always. I'm about to explain the truth to Selena when I see my enraged in-laws turning to leave. But Selena wastes no time in calling the bodyguards over to stop them. "I completely understand that country bumpkins like you two have poor character, but wasting food is a really bad trait. "Since the shrimp ravioli is already prepared for you, please finish them all before leaving."

"I am your Alpha," Liard growled, his body pressing dangerously close to hers. "You will not run from me." Helena’s breath hitched, her fingers trembling as they gripped the edge of the infirmary table. "You made a vow," she whispered, voice laced with fury and longing. "No mates. No love. Or have you already forgotten?" His jaw clenched, but his hands found her waist, heat radiating between them. "I tried to forget. I tried to fight it. But every time I close my eyes, I see you. I feel you." His voice dropped lower, a rough, desperate plea. "Damn it, Helena. You were never supposed to be mine." Helena shoved against his chest, her own emotions warring within her. "And I was never supposed to love you, Liard. But fate is cruel." She turned away, biting down the pain in her voice. "Do you know what they’ll do to me if they find out? Do you know what Rhider will do?" Liard’s grip on her tightened. "I don’t care." His breath ghosted against her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. "Let them try to take you from me. I will burn this world before I ever let you go." ********* For years, Alpha Liard Stormbane has ruled with a heart of ice, swearing never to take a mate, never to fall into the same weakness that destroyed his father. But when he is gravely injured and taken to the pack infirmary, fate shatters his control—his mate is none other than Helena, the pack’s healer…and his Beta’s mother.

They say she stole her sister's mate. But she was his Luna and he was supposed to Love her. Instead, she is betrayed by a man she trusted, forced to watch her sister take what was hers. Diana is broken, rumored to turn insane from grief. However, Under the light of the next full moon, The Lycan finds her- claiming her with a hunger that burns through her grief. Desire, danger and destiny collide as Diana discovers a bond she never expected and a love that refuses to let her go.

“Oh God…” she moaned, arching into him as his lips branded a trail along her collarbone. She fumbled with his buttons, tearing open the last of them. Her hands caressed the expanse of his bare chest, every inch as firm and sculpted as she'd fantasized since that absurd, embarrassing moment he’d walked in on her naked on her very first day in Terra Lucida. His abs twitched beneath her fingers, taut and hot to the touch, like he was barely holding himself back. Elias let out a shuddering breath as his lips grazed her shoulder, trailing slowly down. He pulled the thin straps of her nightdress down, kissing each newly revealed inch of skin. Trapped in a strange world where people ride carriages instead of Ubers. Lyra Beckham is horrified to learn she is the spitting image of a missing (possibly dead) woman named Lirae - who also happens to be the secret lover of a dangerously brooding prince named Elias. But things get messier when Lyra discovers Elias was the main suspect in Lirae's mysterious disappearance. She desperately plans to find a way back to her own earth before she ends up 'missing' too. Elias proposes that Lira pretend to be Lirae long enough for him to uncover what really happened. In return, he will help her find her way back home. Sounds simple right? But then, they had to fake an engagement that was quickly starting to become real. But when they stumble upon the truth, they realise that the only way out... is together.

Adrianna Yvonne's world is turned upside down when she walks in on her husband and sister in a compromising position on her wedding night. The betrayal cuts deep, and she finds herself reeling from the shock. In a desperate attempt to escape the pain, she flees to a nearby club, where she drowns her sorrows in alcohol and loses herself in the music. In her vulnerable state, she meets a mysterious stranger and, fueled by pain and recklessness, they share a one-night stand. However, the consequences of her actions become even more complicated when Adrianna discovers that the stranger she had a one night stand with is her husband's elder brother.

Iris Whitmore's world shatters when her Alpha husband Damon rejects and exiles her while pregnant, choosing his manipulative half-sister Clarissa instead. Poisoned, framed, and left to die in a storm, Iris is rescued by Donovan Ashford, Alpha of rival Nightshade Pack, who offers sanctuary without demands. Three years later, Iris has transformed from broken omega to confident healer, raising her daughter Haven in peace. When her grandmother Sage appears with shocking news—Iris is actually Alpha-blooded, her true nature suppressed by dark magic—everything changes. As Iris unlocks her powers, she discovers Donovan is her fated mate, their bond hidden by the same spell that stole her identity. Forced to attend the Regional Summit, Iris must confront her past while protecting Haven, whose unprecedented magical abilities make her a target. The conspiracy runs deeper than betrayal: ancient witch-wolf Lucian Cross and Clarissa orchestrated everything to create the perfect sacrifice—Haven—for a dark ritual. With her mate bond finally complete and her Alpha power unleashed, Iris returns not as the victim who fled, but as a force of nature ready to reclaim what's hers. She'll protect her daughter, lead her pack, and prove that what was meant to break her only made her unbreakable. Sometimes the greatest revenge is becoming everything they said you couldn't be.

"You're too weak to be my Luna." Those were the words that shattered Erin Arckwight's world. Rejected publicly by her mate - the Alpha of her own pack - she did what any broken wolf would do. She ran straight into the Forbidden Forest, the one place most wolves never venture into. But what most people do not know is that the Forbidden Forest doesn't break you. It remakes you. When Erin descends into the feral state that all werewolves fear, she doesn't lose herself. Instead, she awakens an ancient power that's been sleeping in her bloodline for three thousand years. And she's not alone. Kade Thornhart, the scarred and dangerous leader of the feral pack, doesn't trust the stubborn, sarcastic girl who stumbles into his territory. But he can't deny the fire in her amber eyes or the way his wolf claims her as his. She was rejected by an Alpha. Now she'll be claimed by something far more dangerous.

“I, Julius Armstrong, reject Doris Charles as my mate.” The laughter came right after. This was the second time my mate rejected me because I cannot talk. In the pack, they call me dumb not because I am stupid, but because I am mute. When I turned eighteen, my first mate rejected me for that reason. Today, it was the Gamma. He is twenty-one, the same age as the Alpha and Beta. This was his third rejection. The first girl was too fat, the second was too short and now, I was dumb. I never wanted to attend the mating ceremony. I knew how it would end, but my stepmother forced me to go, and my stepsisters came just to watch me get mocked again. The next day, wolves who had found their mates returned to officially claim them before the Alpha and pack leaders. I went only because I was forced, just to stand there and watch my stepsister get chosen. Then something happened that no one expected. The Alpha claimed me as his mate in front of everyone. Was I shocked? Yes. Did I believe him? No. Did I think it was a cruel joke? Absolutely. Because no Alpha would choose a rejected, mute girl like me.

CONTAINS ADULT SCENES! “Alena, I love the way you scream my name with me inside you.” Darren's lips curled up, his eyes enjoying the sight of Alena's flushed face beneath his muscular body. “Darren.” “Do you want this to end, Alena? Like how you left me on our engagement day, or do you want me to spend the entire night punishing you?” Darren asked, widening the smirk on his lips. Alena Wilson left her engagement to Darren Scott to marry Jason White, the man she thought loved her deeply. Alena was even willing to give up her luxurious life as heir to the Wilson family fortune just to be with Jason. However, Jason betrayed their marriage. He had an affair with Kyle Muller, Alena's close friend. Alena was humiliated, insulted, and divorced dishonorably. Jason's family kicked Alena out of the house that was actually purchased with Alena's own money. Jason's family felt victorious for having discarded Alena like trash. At a party, they were all shocked to see Alena step out of a luxury car, wearing a dress that further accentuated her beauty. Even the three handsome and influential CEOs who were also present there, Darren Scott, Gavin Scott, and Adrian Scott, walked over to Alena and each extended their hands while saying in unison, “Miss Wilson, would you like to dance with me?”

I'm Kate Bamford, and I'm an EA (Executive Assistant), and I've just started a new job with - quite honestly the most gorgeous man I've ever set eyes on. This is a shame because men - gorgeous, sexy, or otherwise are completely off my radar! I can blame my ex for that, he's a controlling, miserable PoS! Weeks of being told what I can and cannot do would drive anyone to murder. Oops! The less said about that the better. No, I didn't stick a knife in his black petrified heart, but I did cause him major humiliation, which, thinking about it might have been even worse. My big worry is I have a secret, and the last thing I need is for my ex or anyone else to find out. Nobody will rescue me if my secret gets out. I'm Darius Graves, CEO of Graves and Son. I have a big problem, it concerns my mother - a matriarchal socialite who lives 3,461 miles away from me in New York. It's not far enough! My 'dearest' mother thinks nothing of getting into her private jet and popping over to see me in London as if she's going to the corner shop for a pint of milk. The thing is, she wants me to get married, but only to a girl she chooses. There is not a snowball's chance in hell of this ever happening. No way. No how. My two best friends are always coming up with various solutions to this problem. i.e. Sell the bank, or keep the bank and work from home in Katmandu. However, their latest idea is a fake marriage. But to whom? I can only think of one person, and that is my new assistant. She's beautiful and thinking about her keeps me awake at night.