True Blue By David Baldacci Novels & Stories

I am the only daughter of the Alpha King. When I was eight, I rescued a starving rogue pup named Alex from the border. I begged my father to take him in, and we grew up together. At eighteen, I discovered he was my fated mate. My father happily gave me to him in marriage, carved out a stretch of territory, and made him an Alpha. Everyone said we were a perfect match. Until a year ago — while I was pregnant — the boy who had always protected me and adored me fell in love with a Healer named Vivian. He told me that he'd always seen me as a little sister. He got on his knees and begged me to let him go. He was willing to give up the entire territory and his Alpha title. My hands trembled as I signed the Mate Bond dissolution agreement. But before it could take effect, that healer slipped wolfsbane into my medicine. I miscarried. When I finally opened my eyes, Alex rushed to my side with bloodshot eyes, held me tight like he was terrified of losing me, and apologized over and over. He said he was wrong. He swore he would devote himself to me completely. I was consumed by hatred. I ordered Vivian's execution. But Alex grabbed my hand and stopped me. He told me he'd already banished her permanently. For the next year, Alex was perfectly devoted — attentive to my every need. Then, seven months into my second pregnancy, I stumbled upon the woman who should have been long banished — Vivian, quietly settled at the edge of the territory. And Alex, leaning down to kiss her tenderly. If he loves Vivian that much, then I'll take back everything I ever gave him — and let him have his "true love." But if that's what he wanted... then why is he on his knees again, begging me to come back?

My name is Maya Chen, and I have seven months to stop being the only single senior at Lincoln High. Everyone else posts prom dates, couple hoodies, and first kiss stories. I post nothing. I watch from the sidelines while my friends plan futures in pairs and my mom asks when I will bring someone home. So I make a rule. Get a boyfriend before 18. No exceptions. I build a plan to survive the pressure. Date smart. Date safe. Date anyone who checks the boxes and gets me to my birthday without shame. The plan falls apart the second Cole Evans shows up. He is my brother’s best friend, holds a detention record that scares teachers, and wears a smirk that mocks every rule I wrote. He was never my type. He drives a rusted truck, smells like gasoline, and calls out my bad taste in boys. But he also finds me crying in the bathroom at Homecoming, teaches me to drive stick at midnight, and looks at me like I am not a task to finish. Now I am 18, my plan is broken, and the whole school saw me kiss the guy I swore I would never want. I thought I needed a boyfriend to fix my life. I need him. CHARACTERIZATIONS MAYA CHEN Role: Female Lead Appearance: Straight black hair she cuts herself, small scar on her eyebrow, lives in oversized hoodies and worn Converse. Aim: To stop being the only single person in her friend group before she turns 18. Personality: Sarcastic, organized, loyal, hides insecurity behind a planner. Flaw: Ties worth to relationship status because of peer pressure. Special Note: Uses control and rules to avoid feeling left behind. Hidden Truth: Believes if she does not get a boyfriend now, she never will

Three years into Olivia Reed's relationship with Cedric Jamison, he decides to propose to her. But Olivia ends up finding out that this is all just a plot cooked up by Cedric just to get revenge on her during her happiest moment. She watches as Cedric repeatedly sets up traps meticulously while listening to him using shoddy excuses just to fool her. Instead of exposing him, she merely watches his poor performance. Once Olivia has finally cleared all traces of their relationship and ensures that Cedric no longer has any ounce of control over her, she calmly vanishes from his life. At the engagement party that the future bride will never attend, Cedric finds out the truth. His eyes redden out of panic. "Olivia, I've already gotten rid of everything related to the scheme! I never wanted to hurt you, to begin with! "Olivia, you're the only woman I've ever loved!" … To Olivia, Ezra Slater is the bigshot in the elite society and a business magnate in the business world. He's noble-looking, cold, and very distant from people. That is, until he sheds his disguise and corners Olivia when he gets drunk. Only then does she find out that she's actually his secret crush. When Olivia and Cedric reunite once again at a banquet, Ezra's jealousy overwhelms him instantly. "Olivia Reed, I'm your actual husband here!"

Aurora and her Alpha mate, Ethan, have been trying for a baby for three years – so she’s heartbroken when she finally gets pregnant and he demands they get a divorce. She runs away with her son and changes her identity, planning to never look back. But when a patient in her old town desperately needs her help, she returns. And she meets Ethan all over again, as an entirely new woman. This is her chance – to get revenge. But as she tries to make Ethan fall for her, just so she can break his heart the way he once broke hers, Aurora’s own heart might be the one on the line. Will she get revenge? Or will she fall for the man that shattered her all over again?

After I register my marriage with Gabriella Archer behind everyone's backs, whenever she unlocks a new bedroom position with her childhood sweetheart, Nathaniel Taylor, she tells me that she'll throw a wedding to make it up to me. In three years, Gabriella has brought the wedding up 33 times. Of course, she has broken her promise 33 times as well. The first time she did, it was because Nathaniel's dog had died. In order to pay respects to it, Gabriella told me that she couldn't host any auspicious events for three months. I was still clad in a tux as I kept apologizing and making amends to all of our family, friends, and relatives beneath the stage. The second time Gabriella flaked out on me, it was thanks to Nathaniel's stomachache. She had the wedding car turned around so that she could buy medicine for Nathaniel and take care of him. In every wedding after that, Nathaniel would get into all sorts of troubles and ailments. I fought with Gabriella, and I lost my temper multiple times. But Gabriella often hit me with, "Nate and I are just friends with benefits. You're my actual husband here, so don't be petty." After Gabriella breaks her promise for the 33rd time, I'm finally done with her. So, I slide a divorce agreement in her direction. "The cooling-off period is over, so let's just finalize the divorce."

When Vessara Laurent discovered she was the fake daughter of the Laurent family, she did everything she could to welcome the real heiress home. Instead, she was betrayed, framed, and sent to prison for a crime she never committed. Five years later, Vessara walks free. The broken girl they abandoned is gone. Now she returns with unimaginable wealth, powerful allies, and secrets capable of shaking the entire city. Her first stop? The family that destroyed her. The sister who stole her life. The fiancé who betrayed her. They thought prison would break her. Instead, it forged a queen with countless hidden identities—each one powerful enough to shock the world. But revenge is only the beginning. On the very day she walks out of prison, fate reveals a shocking truth—she was never the fake heiress after all. The mysterious Barclay family, one of the most powerful legacy families in the country, claims her as their long-lost daughter.

Mistreated Luna of the dominant Shadowmoon werewolf pack, Naida was subjected to horrific abuse from her ruthless mate Rylan and his cunning mistress Lilith. Naida tries to flee after learning of their evil scheme to kill her, but Rylan and Lilith run her over, leaving her for dead. Naida unexpectedly reincarnates as Ravenna, the bold daughter of the Alpha of the Bloodmoon pack. But what happens when she gets entangled with a mysterious alpha of another pack? And what happens if they might know each other from their past life? Excerpt: 'Thе screech of tires echoed in the distancе as Rylan and Lilith drovе away, lеaving Naida to diе in a pool of hеr own blood. She was on the hard, cold ground, breathing heavily, the pain unbearable. She felt as though her body was about to break down from the injuries she had suffered. She saw a figure standing over her through blurry vision…Asher…, and then her eyelids fluttered shut once more. In that momеnt Naida's final thoughts wеrе: Why mе? Why did I havе to suffеr this horriblе fatе?'

I am not my parents' biological son. When they find their son and bring him back, he looks skinny and malnourished. My parents feel sorry for him, so they offer him compensation. But Kenneth Lawson says, "I am your son. If you are going to compensate me, then give me the company." My family persuades me by saying, "You are not related by blood after all. You should return the position to him." With a smile, I hand everything over to him. The next day, the company's biggest client, core technical team, and all distributors announce that they will only work with me. My parents panic and rush to beg me. I fold my arms and say, "Tell your biological son to come and beg me—the employee—to go back."

After four years with Killian, I got pregnant. I took the pregnancy test and my ID to a private hospital to set up a file, but when entering insurance information, I was stopped by the blonde administrative specialist. "Mrs. Smith, the system shows there is a problem with your marital status." She looked at me awkwardly. "Your marriage to Mr. Killian is not legally effective." I was stunned and instinctively retorted, "That's impossible. We registered in Las Vegas, all the procedures were..." "There is only an application record, no final signed effective document." The specialist turned the screen around and tapped the keyboard a few times. "Moreover, Mr. Killian's legal wife... shows another lady's name." That name was like a thorn, piercing fiercely into my retina. Elena. Killian's personal secretary, and also publicly recognized as the benefactor who saved his life in the Alps avalanche five years ago. I felt all the blood in my body flowing backward. How could it be her?

When the heatwave apocalypse hits the Earth, the ozone layer has completely dissipated, forcing mankind to move into the underground city. My husband, Rhett Calloway, and I get to stay on Level Two, seeing as we've funded the construction of the underground city. On day in the third year of the heatwave apocalypse, Rhett brings back a sickly young woman from the slums located on Level Three out of the blue. "Nora, the living conditions on Level Three are very difficult. Anna is in poor health. I can't just sit by and watch her suffer." After that, Rhett carries Anna Archer into our home. I keep my gaze lowered as I remind him, "Don't forget that there's a strict population count on Level Two. The available slots in every family are fixed." "I know that. That's why you need to head down to the slums on Level Three to replace Anna for the time being. Once she recovers from her illness, I'll bring you home." The moment I hear Rhett's response, I remain rooted to the spot for a long time. After walking out the front door, I do my best to suppress the quiver in my tone as I call a number that belongs to Level One. "I've already thought it through. I've decided to join the project to end the apocalypse on Level One."