Thirteen Going On Thirty

“Olivia, are you sure you want to give up everything in the Red River Pack and come back home?” “Yes, I am sure.” My voice was shaky but I was determined. I wipe the tears that should not fall and gently touch the little life in my belly. I will do everything I can to save my baby. “I will pick you up in thirty days, after I come back from the border. You’re the Alpha Princess of the whole country: nobody can hurt you without my permission. “Thank you, brother.” I try to keep my voice steady. When the thirty-day countdown reaches zero, I will forever leave my mate and return home.

I ran away with my new husband, Keith, chasing something—adventure, maybe, or just a way out of my dead-end town. He promised Vegas, bright lights, and fortune. Said he’d win big at the Moon Crescent Casino. I went along for the ride, naively thinking this was the start of something new. Instead, Keith lost everything. And I mean everything. And his genius solution? He sold me. To pay off his gambling debt, he handed me over like property—to a pack. Not just one man, but three. Wolves, apparently. Dangerous, intense... and off-the-charts gorgeous. Husk is tall, dark, and terrifyingly silent. When he does smile, it looks like it hurts him—and frankly, it gives me nightmares. Winter, with his pale hair and soft eyes, is gentle… on the surface. But there’s something immense in him, some power pulsing under his skin, like he could take control of my very soul. Then there’s Sky—moody, brooding, unreadable. He shifts between warm and cold so fast I get whiplash. They tell me I have to stay with them at the casino for thirty days. Just thirty days, and the debt is paid. Sounds simple, right? Except nothing about this is simple. And I know there’s a catch. So, I run. Only to find out—they need me. Not for money. Not just for fun. For something deeper. Something... ancient. Suddenly, I’m not the girl people overlook. I’m not the small-town girl with a too-big heart and nowhere to put it. I’m the key to something much bigger, something magical. And maybe, just maybe, these wolves aren’t my captors… they’re my future. I left to escape. But it turns out, what I needed most was exactly what I tried to leave behind.

She had been blamed and rebuked; she had lost and been betrayed; she had tried to figure out who she was but instead got trampled upon. Roseline spent her poor childhood life in pain, distress, and hardship, even at the hands of her own father. But she stepped back, not giving up on herself. Lucian is a rich, cursed playboy of the Desmonds who had up to thirty girlfriends and, surprisingly, was catering to their needs. He met Roseline, who never liked him from the start and has been trying every possible way to avoid him. Lucian had been cursed by this same Roseline when they were both kids. But why do they have to meet again, fall in love, and also try to exchange destinies?

A reckless kiss that changes everything. Aurora thought kissing someone would be perfect to show her ex she has moved on, unknown to her it’s the beginning of an obsession. Dominic Ricci, a powerful mafia king, no one that touches him leaves him, even her, the moment she placed her lips on his, she became his, he holds secrets that could shatter her. When Dominic gives her an ultimate, stay with him for thirty days and he will ensure her safety or risk the lives of everyone she loves. Trapped in his world of secrets, Aurora realizes he is a ghost from her forgotten past. Who is he? Why is he willing to burn the world for her? How far will he go for her?

Thirty years ago, a progressive rock band called The Yellow Kings began recording what would become their first and final album. Titled “The Final Reconciliation,” the album was expected to usher in a new renaissance of heavy metal, but it was shelved following a tragic concert that left all but one dead. The sole survivor of that horrific incident was the band’s lead guitarist, Aidan Cross, who’s kept silent about the circumstances leading up to that ill-fated performance—until now. For the first time since the tragedy, Aidan has granted an exclusive interview to finally put rumors to rest and address a question that has haunted the music industry for decades: What happened to The Yellow Kings? The answer will terrify you. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

After the four elemental stones have been stolen, the magical kingdoms of Castamere and Everus find their kingdoms slowly dying due to the Great Plague. To restore order and balance, the stones must be found and returned to the Dragon's keep. Aeryn is the lost queen of Everus and heir to the Dragon Flame elemental stone. After the great war that leaves both kingdom in shambles, a dangerous sacrifice is preformed and she absorbs the power of the Dragon flame stone to keep it from getting into the wrong hands. The young queen is taken away from her kingdom few days after for her protection. She grows up as a commoner in her rival kingdom till she is kidnapped by a fanatic who sees the power in her fiery eyes. He enrols her into the Queenstrial as one of the thirteen maidens vying for the Crown Prince of Castamere, Lucien's hand in marriage. Her task is simple, spy on the Crown Prince and retrieve the elemental ice stone or risk the kingdom of Castamere and Everus destroyed by the great plague. Falling in love with the Crown Prince was not in the equation especially when he is also hiding a very dangerous dark secret.

"Fall in love with me, and you lose ten million." That's not a threat. That's the deal. Cassian Wolfe doesn't make offers. He delivers ultimatums. Billionaire. Sports mogul. Champion horse racer. He built an empire on broken rules and even more broken people. He doesn't negotiate. He dominates. He doesn't forget. He collects. And Sadie Sinclair? She was always his favorite thing to break. He tortured her through high school. Mocked her through college. Humiliated her in ways that still burn under her skin. He slammed her confidence into the dirt and then stepped over her like she was nothing. And now he's back, richer and colder than ever, with the same sharp jaw, the same cruel smirk, and a proposition that makes her skin crawl. Her father's legacy is dying. Silvermane Stables is seconds from being swallowed by debt. And Cassian is the only one holding a check big enough to keep it alive. But his terms? Brutal. She has to work under him. Live with him. Stand by while he takes over everything she ever loved. And help him launch one final race under her father's name. Thirty days. One contract. One rule. If she falls in love with him, even for a second, the ten million bonus disappears. She wants to hate him. Should hate him. But Cassian doesn't just get under her skin. He rips it open and dares her to bleed. He taunts. He smirks. He walks in like he owns the world and smells the second her knees go weak. He's poison. Pain. Power in a suit. And thirty days might not be enough to stop her from crawling into his bed and begging him to destroy her all over again.

BRIX AEDAM CROMWELL, a young, handsome and hot CEO. Sa edad na thirty ay may matayog at nangungunang negosyo sa bansa, and he is certified womanizer. Kung maganda ka, pasok ka sa kaniyang maiikama. Paano kung dumating ang magpapatino sa kaniya? Hindi babaing puwede niyang mapaglalabasan ng init, kundi isang bata. A four year old girl, at sinasabing siya ang ama nito. How did that happen? "I used c*ndom and it's all branded. Hindi iyon mabubutas. Hindi naman puwedeng lumipad ang sperm ko sa matris ng nanay niya? Imposibleng anak ko iyan!" Pero, kamukha niya ito... "Bu*llshit na sperm! Pakalat-kalat kasi sa daan."

When seventeen year old Brianna Whitlock dislocates her joint in a skiing accident, she is forced to take a break from what she loves most- dancing. By the time she returns for her senior year, she's hopelessly behind and fears all her years of hard work had been for nothing. Her only chance at catching up comes in the form of new school instructor- thirty three year old Luca Bianchi. Whom she holds only feelings of dubiety towards his training methods, at first. But when he starts unlocking her secrets and embracing her way of thinking, her doubt turns into trust and interest. Which eventually shifts into desire. With so much on the line, will her newfound emotions make her bloom or become her downfall?

On Halloween night, an accident struck the haunted house attraction. The children and I were trapped in a pitch-black room, while the staff outside spoke without the slightest urgency. “At this hour, the repair workers have already gone home. If you want them to come back, you’ll have to pay an extra thirty thousand in overtime. “If you’re unwilling, then stay inside for the night.” I begged them to call the repair worker first. We had been in the sealed space for too long, and one boy with heart issues was struggling to breathe. But the staff member only scoffed. “That’s got nothing to do with me. He’s not my kid. Either pay, or sit quietly.” Yet later, outside the emergency room, that same woman knelt on the floor in tears, begging the doctors to save her own child…