Trade Wind

Isabella Martinez never expected to trade her dreams for a marriage contract, but when her conniving step-sister flees an arranged marriage, she's forced to take her place. The groom? Alexander Kane, Manhattan's most ruthless CEO, a man known for destroying companies and breaking spirits. The same man who nearly ruined her father's company years ago. At forty, Alexander Kane has everything money can buy, except revenge against the Martinez family. When his intended bride escapes, he finds an even better alternative in her younger sister Isabella – the one person his rival truly loves. It's the perfect opportunity to complete his vendetta. What starts as a cold business arrangement soon turns into a dangerous game of attraction. Behind closed doors, Alexander's icy facade melts away, revealing a man haunted by past betrayals and unexpected tenderness. Isabella discovers that living with her enemy awakens desires she never knew existed, even as she uncovers the dark secrets that drive him. As their fake marriage transforms into something real, Isabella must choose between her family's loyalty and her growing love for Alexander. Meanwhile, Alexander faces his own demons: can he trust in love again, or will his quest for revenge cost him the only woman who's ever touched his heart?

“I’d give up my whole kingdom to be with you. I want to be your Prince Charming.” Aria has a big heart but bigger problems. Her whole life is a mess thanks to her controlling stepmother. But when she’s knocked over- literally- by the hottest man she’s ever had the pleasure of tangling up her body with, everything changes. Henry Prescott, second-string rugby player for the Paradisa Royals, is funny, sweet, charming, and oh-so-sexy. He’s got a rock hard body and tackles her in bed as fiercely as he tackled her in the park. Knowing nothing about rugby, but absolutely intoxicated by his accent, she finds herself falling for him. There’s only one problem: Henry Prescott doesn’t exist. The man she thinks she loves is actually Prince Henry, second in line for the throne of the nation of Paradisa. He’s the man who Aria’s entire department has to impress for trade relations. And that makes Aria’s stepmother’s plans even more dangerous. He’s the man who could destroy her world or make all her dreams come true. He lied about being a prince… did he also lie about being in love? NYT Bestseller Krista Lakes brings you this brand new sweet-and-sexy royal romance. This standalone novel will have you cheering for an American princess’s happily ever after.

As a snapping sound filled the air loudly, a rumbling echoed through the cold air. As three Twister's formed . Around her and the earth parted. Aspen screamed, " please im sorry, I had no choice!" she screamed. Falling just on the edge of the split erth. Looking down into the earth's fiery core. Swallowing hard." Please... Please I'll make this right! " she begged. . The wind picked up, a voice on the breeze "Thier is no making this right." The voice was cold. As a bolt of lightning cracked in the sky was now made up of deep red clouds . The earth shook, cause Aspen grip to tighten the edge her form shaking violently at this point. " Please. I.. I can.. I can give them their memories back! " She held the edge for dear life trying to wiggle back further away from the edge. That won't fix the damage you've done to my son! " The earth shook. Aspen a blood curling scream was heard. As Another flash of light hit the sky but it showed in the shape of a skull. As blood rained from the sky. " Please goddess she begged, As she fell i the firey abyss. I can give them their memories.

Eight months into my pregnancy, my husband finally makes time from his police duties to go to a prenatal checkup with me for the first time. The moment we step into the hospital, his satellite-encrypted phone buzzes urgently. The caller ID flashes briefly, and just like that, the man who's always calm and collected panics. "Honey, it's a red alert. Another international fugitive just crossed the border. I… I'm sorry…" He's clearly anxious, yet his tone is firm, leaving no room for argument. After apologizing, he rushes off. As I watch his SUV speed out of sight, my fist clenches tightly, crumpling the prenatal checkup sheet. I flag down a cab, slide into the car, and swiftly instruct the driver, "Follow that car. Don't lose it." A Red Notice for a fugitive? What a joke. My father, who works at the National Security Agency, barely catches wind of a notice like that. Yet, somehow, a mere police chief who only assists with cases is suddenly tasked with catching a high-priority criminal. Fine, then. I can't wait to meet the superior who's given him such an urgent assignment.

"I hate you so much, even the wind that soothes your face, scars my existence." Victor rebuked his mate Katia as she tried to treat his bleeding scar. Six months hitherto, Victor's existence was only but a myth after he was taken from his Alpha mother at birth and used as an experiment by the US military to create a hybrid. He was rescued by doctor Ronald when he was eight years old following an incident that took the life of the man he considered his only family. Ten years later, Doctor Ronald had preened Victor into not only a wise young man but a brave and self-discipline hybrid. Victor was given an assignment, to interact and get to learn more about humans and how to be one. He was sent to Greenwood high school by Dr. Ronald with the hope of getting him to adapt to their nature, but unknown to Dr.Ronald, the military was ahead of him as they planted Katia who acted as a fellow student and a friend to Victor to lure him to her trap and have him surrendered to the military. Darkness is imminent when Victor learns about his true identity upon the death of Dr. Ron who was murdered by katia, his mysterious mate. Will Victor ever let go of the past and accept his enemy as his mate or will seek vengeance.

One of the most painful things on earth is to lose a loved one. Whether in death or heartbreak. It's a pain different from all others. You feel every burn, every ache, your senses awaken, and greedily await a memory to sip in and then wreck your entire being. She took everything. His Light. His Heart. His Soul. It had no end. For years it went on like it would never end. But, it did. Just in passing, a normal day, a day like every other, but it was the day, his heart danced truly and his chest tighten as if a fierce wind had passed by, blending with his soul, leaving a suffocating feeling in his chest, a choking sensation in his throat, there was a pressure making it hard to breathe. ******* "My heart has heated for the human and my blood has flown for him. Every time I thought of him, my heart would ache. It would ache so much I couldn't breathe, the feeling of despair, yet sweetness... Even so, I still couldn't stop thinking about him." So...this is how it feels to love a person. "I belong to you, just as this merman belongs to the seas. Like a falling leaf belongs to its roots." "Nothing can stop me from falling into your embrace." ******* ®®

I have the same due date as Roxanne Coleman, the childhood sweetheart of my Alpha Mate, Sebastian Graham. However, her pup has been diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. That means it will never be as strong as a normal pup and may not even survive its first shift. Even the healers advise her not to give birth. Just as I begin to pity Roxanne, Sebastian makes a request that shatters me. He asks me to give our pup to her. "Roxanne's pack is harsh on her. They demand she bear a powerful heir," he explains patiently. "If they find out her pup is born with a heart defect, they'll kill her. "Please, I beg you. Save her. Let her take our pup." I stare at Sebastian in disbelief. "Are you saying we should trade our healthy pup for her defective one?" Seeing how resistant I am, he doesn't answer. In fact, he doesn't need to. … A month later, during a prenatal checkup, Sebastian secretly switches my medical report with Roxanne's. I can't believe he truly plans to steal my pup for her. At that moment, I broke down completely. So, I sever our mate bond and leave with our unborn pup. While Sebastian frantically searches for me, I accept the Temple of the Moon's invitation and become the only one who can speak to the Moon Goddess and deliver her oracles. And my pup will be the next Chosen One. From that day on, Sebastian is nothing to me.

I plan a family trip at my mother Lucia Sweeney's request. While avoiding the danger zones, my sister Linda Harper and I are ambushed by rogues. To protect her, I throw myself in the path of their claws and get driven into a silver mine. As I fall, my back is slashed open to the bone, and shards of silver embed deep into my right leg. The searing silver poison spreads quickly, burning through me and my wolf. My wolf is whimpering—she's close to death. However, as the pack's chief healer, Mom gathers all the healers around Linda to give her a full check-up over a few minor scrapes. I sob and beg her to save me first. "Mom, the poison has almost reached my heart. I can't hold on anymore." She turns around impatiently and yells, "Are you seriously still fighting with Linda now? Do you have any idea how close she came to getting clawed in the face by a silver claw? Our pack doesn't have a wolf as heartless as you!" And in that moment, I hear my wolf's final whimper, saying goodbye. I finally fall asleep in the cold wind, never waking up again.

In the land of Westfall, three packs rule: the Night Storm Pack, whose wolves are gifted with wind and storm abilities; the Shadow Rose Pack, who are masters of shadows and poison; and the Fire Moon Pack, who can wield flames and render themselves immune to fire. But only the luckiest packmembers have those powers, and not all who possess them have wolves. Meet Sasha Forster, a wolfless and helpless Slave of the Fire Moon Pack—until the ruthless Alpha Alain of the Shadow Rose Pack, the one who was cursed by her mother to marry Sasha and have an heir with her, saves her from her pack’s tyrannical Alpha. The Fire Moon Pack now whisks Sasha to be the payment to Alpha Alain and Alain is also trying his best to make her his and end the curse. But Sasha’s heart has already begun to beat for her childhood friend and her pack’s new Alpha, Ansel. Worse, Sasha became more perplexed when she accidentally revealed to the entire Fire Moon Pack that she has fire powers, and all the pack now either envy her or hate her. When her life and heart bombarded her with difficult choices, would she choose her heart over her mind? Or will she choose responsibility over love?

"You keep saying he died of black magic, but you're not telling me exactly how he died. If what you're saying is true... what happened to him??" I ask her with a raise of my brows. "The magic consumed him. He became power hungry. He started absorbing the powers from members of our coven. He wanted it all for himself. He had to be put down. He had to be stopped" She explains "Mom, what are you saying? Are you insinuating what I think you are? What do you mean he had to be put down??" The windows to her room bang open and cool breeze is rushing in, making the papers in her room fly haphazardly. "Layla, you have to calm down." She motions towards me. "So the coven killed him?? They killed my father and you didn't do anything about it????" I scream at the top of my lungs, the lights still flickering, tears pooling in my eyes and wind blowing in through the windows. "He killed two people from our coven! His eyes were completely black! The magic had completely taken over him. Your dad wasn't there anymore. So yes, we killed him to protect the rest of the coven…"