Trial By Fire: A Novel

I was born the Alpha’s heir, trained to lead, destined to rule. But on the eve of my mating ceremony, I caught my fated mate—Alpha Lucas—in bed with my stepsister. When I tried to walk away, he killed me. But death wasn’t the end. The Moon Goddess gave me a second chance. Reborn a year before my death, I vowed to change my fate. To stop the betrayal. To make them pay. But nothing prepared me for him—Kai, the ruthless Lycan King. My second-chance mate. The very man who once swore to sacrifice me for power. Now, I’m caught between two enemies. One who ended my life. The other who could save it… or destroy me all over again. Love, revenge, and fate collide in a world where wolves play for blood—and queens rise from ashes.

I trusted her with my secrets, and him with my heart.. now I carry the consequence of their betrayal. Catching my best friend in bed with my boyfriend shattered me. I walked away without looking back, only to discover I was pregnant with a child I never planned for. Rejected by my fated mate and betrayed by the one person I called sister , I was alone.. and drowning. Until I met him. He was mysterious, dangerous and irresistible. He offered me more than comfort, he offered me revenge , redemption, and a second chance at love. But trusting again might cost me more than my heart.. it might cost me literally everything.

I was married to one of the city's richest billionaires, but inside his home, I was just a ghost. Damian never once looked at me with love. Never did he touch me with kindness. He didn't see me as a woman, or even a person. I was just… a stand-in. A stand-in while he waited for someone else to come and my heart broke in silence. But the day he walked into our home with his first love, Vanessa, hand in hand it finally broke for good. I found my strength and I placed a signed divorce papers on his desk. Damian scoffed, his eyes cold. “You’ll regret this. You’ll crawl back. Women like you always do.” I thought he was right. I thought I had no one, nowhere to go, and nothing to live for. Until the black car stopped in front of me. That night, three powerful men stepped out, calling me by a name I didn’t even know was mine. Adrian Valehart, a ruthless tycoon whose eyes were as sharp as steel and silenced a room. Nathaniel Valehart, the cold, brilliant lawyer who never lost a case. And Leo Valehart, the superstar adored by millions. They told me I was, their long-lost sister, the only daughter of a billionaire family. I thought they were wrong. But when Adrian gave me shares worth billions, Nathan vowed Damian would walk away with nothing but shame. Leo wrapped his arm around me and declared to the world, “This is my sister, my one and only.” Everything changed And Damian… Damian refuses to let go. He came crawling back, begging for a second chance. “Please, give me another chance,” he said. But my three overprotective brothers wouldn't let him touch me and his pride will not die quietly.

"Gusto kong pag-isipan mo ang inaalok kong kasal sa 'yo. Hindi kita mamadaliin, pero hindi rin ako tatanggap ng sagot na hindi. Tandaan mo 'yan, Saskia. Una pa lang kitang nakita, alam ko sa sarili kong magiging akin ka pagdating ng araw. Malas lang ng nobyo mo at niloko ka lang niya sa kabila ng pagiging perpekto mong babae," sambit nito sa seryosong tinig. Isang estrangherong gwapong lalaki ang lumapit kay Saskia Magsaysay Santos sa kalagitnaan ng kanyang kalungkutan dulot ng pagtataksil sa kanya ng kaniyang long-time boyfriend na si Gerald at ng pinsan niyang si Vivian. Tinanggap niya ang alok ng lalaki ayon sa idinidikta ng kanyang puso't isipan. Ngunit paano kung matuklasan niyang ang lalaking pinakasalan niya, si Weston Buencamino Del Flores, ay tiyuhin pala ng kanyang ex-boyfriend? Mamahalin pa rin kaya niya si Weston, kahit na kadugo ito ng lalaking nanloko sa kanya? O isasantabi na lang ba niya ang lahat upang patuloy na mahalin ito?

"I didn't ask for your help, you piece of , so you can keep your arrogant remarks to yourself." I snapped back, not liking the stranger's approach. "What did you just call me?" He demanded, halting. His voice sounded like the thunder that made the ground underneath my feet quake. At this moment I knew I had overstepped my boundaries. **** Jaclyn Tarr had not lived a normal life ever since she was a child. She was born on the night of the Wild South fire and for some bizarre reason, a golden fire symbol existed on the skin right above her heart. This, coupled with the mysteries surrounding her birth, made her the abnormal one as a child. And even now at nineteen, she was still labelled the abnormal one due to her dormant werewolf gene. Her life, however, changes when Alpha Dane Vixon walked into her life and she fell in love with him, but little did she know the alpha wasn't who she thought he was and the love she felt for him would be the death of her.

Janessa Collins never asked for a life bound to the Mafia, but fate tied her to it the moment her father arranged her engagement to Eric Dela Cruz, the ruthless leader of the River Blood Mafia and her childhood sweetheart. Eric has built his empire with fire and blood, but his heart has always belonged to Janessa. To him, she is not just his fiancée, but his reason to keep breathing. Yet Janessa’s own heart belongs elsewhere… to Xavier, Eric’s loyal underboss, whose playful charm hides a deadly secret. Caught between a man who would burn the world for her and another who makes her feel truly alive, Janessa must navigate betrayal, forbidden love, and the shadows of power. But in the Mafia, love comes with a price and someone is always willing to collect.

They always said I was nothing—a mere omega born without a wolf spirit, meant to be ignored and discarded. My father sold me, my pack abandoned me, and I ran, desperate for freedom. But running brought me straight to him. Alexander Maximus. The Alpha. Cold, ruthless, and terrifyingly powerful. He says I’m his fated mate, but to him, I’m just a pawn in his plans, a tool to be used and discarded. Yet, every time he looks at me, I feel the fire of something deeper—something I can’t escape, even if I wanted to. But when I discover the truth about myself and the power locked within me, everything changes. I’m not the weak, voiceless girl they all thought I was. Secrets surround us, lies bind us, and my connection to Alexander may be the one thing that destroys me—or saves me. In his world, power is everything—but in mine, freedom is worth fighting for.

WARNING!!! THIS IS A TRUE SLOW-BURN ROMANCE. If you're looking for instant heat or early smut, you won't find it here. This is a slow, emotional, character-driven romance where every moment is earned. The fire comes later… and it’s worth the wait. Still here? Brave soul. Let's see how long you last. She woke from a two-year coma… into a billionaire’s revenge. Aria Williams opens her eyes and discovers she’s been forced into a contract marriage with Damon Stone, a cold, calculating billionaire who believes she’s her identical twin—the woman who stole millions from him and vanished without a trace. To him, she’s Ava—the liar, the thief, the woman he’s vowed to ruin. Only, Aria is innocent. She’s been in a coma for two years, unaware of the chaos her sister left behind. Now, trapped in a life that isn’t hers, she must navigate Damon’s wrath, her own fear, and the dangerous pull of a man who swore he’d never feel anything again. But as Aria fights to survive in a twisted game of mistaken identity, passion flares, secrets unravel, and the line between love and hate begins to blur. Because the most dangerous lie of all isn’t the one told to her... It’s the one she’s telling herself.

You are the bane to my existence, Ethan. Always hovering over me, dictating my life. But I won't let you control my heart." "Oh, Ava, if you only knew the chaos you've stirred within me. You challenge me in ways I never thought possible. I'm captivated by your spirit, your unwavering determination. Let me show you a love that defies expectations, a love that is entirely our own." "I'm not one to be easily swayed by words, Ethan. I need actions, true intentions. Prove to me that this arrangement isn't just another game of power and control." **** In the dazzling world of high society, Ava Sinclair is a force to be reckoned with—a fiercely independent woman who defies conventions and fights for her dreams. But when an arranged marriage binds her to Ethan Morgan, a brooding and enigmatic billionaire, her carefully constructed world is turned upside down. Ava resents the idea of being tied to a man she barely knows, and Ethan is equally reluctant to enter into a loveless union. Yet, as they navigate the intricacies of their forced arrangement, they find themselves drawn to each other in ways they never anticipated. As their initial animosity gives way to unexpected sparks, Ava and Ethan discover a connection that transcends their obligations. But with their families and society watching their every move, will they have the courage to defy tradition and pursue their own desires? Amidst grand balls, scandalous secrets, and whispered gossip, Ava and Ethan must navigate the treacherous waters of high society and their own guarded hearts. Will they succumb to the pressure of societal expectations, or will they dare to chase the love that sets their souls on fire?

The night Araya was born, the Moon refused her. Marked as wolfless, mocked and forgotten, she grew up as prey in her own pack. Even her fated mate broke the bond with a smirk and left her bleeding at the border — for rogues to finish. But they forgot one thing: Ash remembers. And so does the throne buried beneath it. The forest did not devour her. It bowed. The flame did not die. It waited. Until, in the silence between heartbeats, something older than gods whispered: “She is not blessed. She is not chosen. She is the reckoning the moon tried to silence.” Now Araya walks again — no longer mortal, no longer meek. She is Hollow-Blood reborn, daughter of the fire that swallowed fate, heir to a throne no god dares name. And fate has bound her to Dorian—Azrien—the exiled god chained to shadow and ruin. He expected to crave nothing but vengeance. Until her. Araya is the mate his immortal soul demands, the salvation he denies, and the spark that could either set him free… or burn the world to ash. But enemies stir in silence. Adira, the Luna who would claim the Alpha prince at any cost, forges a pact with a creature older than gods, a monster chained in rot and darkness. The price she pays will rip fate itself open. Betrayals. Forbidden desire. Gods who bleed. Wolves who kneel. And at the heart of it, one truth no prophecy can silence: The gods will end. She will not. And the last prophecy carved into stone whispers: “The Flame That Walks Returns. Let the gods burn first.”