Twelve Minutes

It had been five years since I started dating Ross Jenner. His family invited my mother and me to their family home in Fellaton to discuss our wedding plans and to spend Valentine's Day together. It was past 10:00 PM when my mother and I landed, but Ross wasn't there to pick us up because his college junior, Laurel Elledge, had just arrived in Fellaton. He told me to figure out a way to get a cab to the house myself. In a strange place, unfamiliar with the area, it wasn't long before we found ourselves in danger. Just over ten minutes outside the airport, we were robbed. My mother was injured while trying to protect me, and she collapsed, bleeding heavily. Desperate, I held onto her, frantically trying to call Ross. Each call was abruptly cut off, and when I finally reached him, he sounded irritated. "Jennifer, you're an adult, so stop acting like a child. You couldn't even hail a cab on the street? Laurel just got to Fellaton and isn't feeling well. I need to take care of her." Without waiting for a response, he hung up. I tried calling again, only to find that I had been blocked. In the end, my mother's injuries were too severe, and she bled out before the doctors could save her. As I stared at her lifeless body, tears flowed uncontrollably. When I finally checked my phone again, the first thing I saw was a picture Ross had posted on Twitter. In the photo, he was kissing Laurel and holding a bouquet of roses. [Spending Valentine's Day with the one I love most.] I quietly threw the gifts I had brought from home into the trash. Then, I left a comment, which said, [Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness.]

Zeus had spent the last twelve years of his life as a substitute for a powerful man, Damon, living a false life of wealth, all in exchange for money. What he hadn’t anticipated that the identity he had assumed would tie him to the most dangerous man of all. Odin Romano. “I am your god, and I am your devil here, Damon.” When Odin’s sister took her own life, she left a note with Damon’s name on it. Odin who was known to exhume graves and crush whatever remained would never let his sister’s “killer” go free. Soon, Zeus found himself kidnapped by a deadly handsome man. “Who… who are you?” Zeus’s face turned white when his eyes met with animalistic yet sexy brown eyes that could not possibly belong to a human. The man tilted his chin up not with his fingers but with his claws, his hot breath brushing against Zeus’ lips, “Call me Alpha.” Zeus was trapped, accused of a crime he didn’t commit, yet trying to convince Odin seemed impossible. At every turn, Odin was prepared to turn Zeus’ life into a living hell. Escape felt impossible, and, against all odds, the allure of his enemy grew more irresistible. Until ever so slowly Zeus becomes Odin’s obsession. “What the hell do you want from me now? Haven’t you had enough of your revenge already? Haven’t I paid enough? Let me go now. My fiance is waiting for me!” Zeus glared at his kidnapper who was pinning him down to his bed. “Your fiance?” Odin chuckled a dark smile tugging at his lips. “Tell her to rest. Your husband is back.” Falling in love with the enemy was unforgivable, but would their hearts follow the rules?

Marabelle Daisy Graystone has spent twelve years in witness protection, living among humans as "Daisy Thompson" while hiding her true nature—she's a rare "diamond wolf," one of the Goddess's chosen born once per millennium. Working at her burger restaurant while secretly running a multi-billion-dollar empire as bestselling author Black Orchid and artist Silver Knight, she's built a perfect cover in human society. But when Kieran, her murdered father's former Beta, tracks her down seeking to claim her power, her carefully constructed life shatters. Rescued by Jackson Hunter, the brooding son of the powerful Moon Hunter Pack's Alpha, Marabelle discovers he's her fated mate—the very wolf she's been avoiding for years. She'd overheard Jackson tell his friends that if she turned out to be his mate, he would reject her, choosing duty over desire. When Jackson arrives to return a precious family heirloom, Marabelle braces for the rejection she believes is inevitable. Instead, he confesses his feelings have changed—that witnessing her courage made him realise duty and desire can align. As their mate bond awakens her suppressed abilities, Marabelle must reclaim her birthright as Alpha of the decimated Silvercrest Pack while navigating treacherous pack politics. When the Moon Goddess herself appears to bless their union, their relationship triggers supernatural consequences that reshape the werewolf world. But happiness attracts dangerous enemies. Alpha Thorne of the Western Reaches emerges from isolation, claiming that "untrained" diamond wolves pose a threat to all wolfkind. Together, they forge an unprecedented alliance of eleven packs, creating the first Wolf Council in three thousand years. Racing against ancient powers that would control or destroy her, Marabelle must demonstrate that her unconventional path represents the future of their kind, proving that strength comes not from isolation but from the courage to build bridges between worlds.

At 10:00 pm sharp, a food deliveryman wearing a cap knocks on the door of Unit 502. "Excuse me, are you the one who ordered delivery?" Unit 502 is an apartment that's rented out to multiple people. There are three rooms here altogether. The one opening the door is my roommate, William Yates. He has his headphones on and is currently immersed in a game. So, he waves a hand impatiently. "It wasn't me." The deliveryman wastes no time in pulling out a machete. Immediately, he slashes William's throat in one fluid motion. Next, the deliveryman opens the door leading to another bedroom while holding the takeout. "Did you order delivery?" That room belongs to a gym trainer named Leon Holton. He's obviously taken aback by the deliveryman's presence. "Nope. Who are—" The deliveryman doesn't give Leon a chance to finish his question. He reacts by plunging the machete into Leon's heart. When I'm done with my shower, I open the bathroom door to see large puddles of blood on the floor as well as the deliveryman, who's wielding a machete. "They weren't the ones who ordered delivery. Did you do it?" Scared out of my wits, I subconsciously shake my head. "It's not me! I don't know anything—" Before I can finish speaking, the deliveryman hacks me to death. When I open my eyes again, I've gone back five minutes in time before I get murdered in cold blood. Almost immediately, I rush out of the bathroom, only to see the alarmed expressions plastered all over William's and Leon's faces. That's when I'm certain that everyone has gotten reborn. Suddenly, the doorbell rings loudly. A suppressed masculine voice echoes afterward. "Excuse me, are you the one who ordered delivery?"

When my best friend, Dulcie Quinn, and I went to Westhaven on vacation, my boyfriend, Shane Lewis, got me a lower berth in a soft-sleeper. Before I boarded, he pointed at the dark circles under his eyes. “I spent three days trying to snag you a lower berth so you’d be comfortable on the trip. “So no matter what, don’t give it up to anyone else. Not even Dulcie.” He looked so serious that I nodded and told him I understood. Sure enough, as soon as we boarded, Dulcie, who had the berth above mine, asked if we could switch. Remembering what Shane had told me, I shook my head and said no. I explained it to her too. I never expected something to go wrong that very night. When she climbed down to use the bathroom, she missed the handrail and fell. Clutching her stomach, she screamed, “My baby! My baby’s gone!” I did not even have time to ask when she had gotten pregnant. I rushed her off the train and took her to the nearest hospital. Late that night, Dulcie’s husband, Wallace Lambert, arrived at the hospital with Shane. By then, she had already undergone a D&C. The moment she saw me, she pointed at me and started cursing me out. “Do you have any idea how much I sacrificed for that baby?” Shane blamed me too. “I thought you were just joking when you said you were jealous of Dulcie. I never imagined you’d be cruel enough to do something like this!” I didn’t even get the chance to say a word before Wallace slammed me against the wall and strangled me to death. After I died, Dulcie ended up with Shane. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to three minutes before boarding the train.

BREE LEV. I thought it stands for something simple until I heard his deep soulful voice. A single hello was all it take for him to have my undivided attention. Akala ko hulog siya ng langit. Isang anghel na magsasalba sa akin. I was all wrong. He's a fallen angel with dark blue eyes and cold leather-covered hands. A man mantled with power and veiled with sin. We're opposites. I'm weird and a social butterfly. He's terrifying and brooding. A lone wolf. I love pinks and swirls. He prefers pointed knives and black guns. Darkness seems to be his fave companion and death his pastime. I, on the other hand, will always choose life. He told me to stay away from him. Guess, you know by now, that I did the exact opposite, right? I stayed 'cause I want him so bad, it hurts. I, Bree De Veyra, daughter of one of the families of The Council, lay my life to the head of the Foedus Corp– Lev Petrov. My father's sworn enemy. The master manipulator and my protector. Or my destroyer? LEV Three years ago, one phone call, two minutes. I swore I will kill her. Four weeks before her 16th birthday, I did the unthinkable. I destroyed her trust and left her. Broken and beyond repair. Twenty-four hours before her 18th birthday, nagbalik ako para bawiin s'ya. Twelve hours after I abduct her, we exchange I dos. Eight seconds after our first kiss, I know I will protect her with my gun and with my life. I, Lev Petrov, Heir to a fallen empire, vows to avenge Bree from all of the people that wronged her. It will be my life's mission until the last drop of my sinful blood...I will never let them rest in peace.

My boss had a new boyfriend called Eugene Larson. The first day he came to the office, he put on a great show of exerting his dominance. He deleted my number from my boss's phone right in front of me. Eugene waved his phone in front of me while playing innocently. "You can talk to me about anything you need to communicate to Tina, Mr. Sanders. I'll help you pass the message to her. I don't have much sense of security, so please don't mind this. It's to avoid any misunderstanding between us." I was hoping my boss, Tina Kayden, would be able to say something fair on my behalf, but all she did was stare at Eugene approvingly and adoringly throughout the conversation. She turned to me and said, "This is a pretty good plan, Mr. Sanders. Do take good care of Eugene from now on." As there was no way for me to reject her, I was forced to add Eugene's contact to my phone. However, the moment he had my number, he flooded my phone with messages. [Mr. Sanders, is the client you're meeting tomorrow with the surname Charleston a man or a woman?] [Where are you having the meeting tomorrow? Wear something casual tomorrow. It would be best if you avoid washing your face and hair. Otherwise, I would think you're trying to seduce my wife.] [I believe your relationship with Tina is innocent. You're not allowed to betray me because I'm treating you like my buddy!] [By the way, you have an extra duty from now on. You need to remind Tina every 30 minutes to send me a message telling me that she loves me.] As I read these ridiculous messages, I laughed in anger. I put my phone on silent mode and flung it to the side before going to bed. The next morning, I woke up to dozens of missed calls on my phone.

Richard Montague, a rich heir in Durmask, has just posted a new tweet on Twitter. The accompanying photo features a luxurious winery. The caption reads, "My wife loves this place a lot, so I bought it immediately." I tap on the photo, soon realizing that this is Amie Winery, the same place that I had briefly mentioned to Richard last week. Then, I recall the fact that he has told me that he's prepared a surprise anniversary gift for me in a mysterious tone. So, this winery must be the gift! With a wide smile on my face, I respond to his tweet in the comment section. But three minutes later, Kiara York, a popular celebrity from the same company that I'm in, quickly proclaims her love for Richard on the Internet. "Wow, my husband is so generous! I'm very satisfied with this gift!" All the onlookers and fans begin shipping Kiara and Richard like mad overnight. "What a sweet relationship! As expected of the rich heir in Durmask! Even the way he announces his relationship is very domineering!" The whole turn of events leaves me feeling stunned. Once I realize that Kiara is just trying to ride on the coattails of Richard's popularity, I quickly post a picture of my marriage certificate online. It comes with a caption. "If she's the legitimate wife, then who am I?" But Kiara soon posts a marriage certificate of her own. To my surprise, there's a photo attached to the certificate. Richard's face is shown in the photo. Kiara mocks me, "There's a limit to being a lunatic fangirl, you know! Rick and I are husband and wife by law! You can't just slap a Photoshopped picture here and pretend that he's your husband!" As I stare at both copies of the marriage certificates, which show the courthouse's stamp, I fall in deep contemplation. Then, I look at the place Kiara tagged on her Twitter comment. Finally, I can't resist calling Richard, who's currently overseas. "How dare you engage in bigamy behind my back!"

Heads up! This story includes mature themes, strong language, and steamy scenes. Readers discretion is advised. Warm lips pressed against the sensitive skin of my neck, just below my ear, sending waves of shock down my spine. “After promising me a hot fuck, you decided to ditch me, huh Clara?” a low, male voice murmured into my hair as his hands slid down, palms flattening against my stomach, pulling me flush against a hard, solid body. I wanted to push him away, probably punch him in the face also but I'm Clara. He thinks I'm her and I have to be her. I took a deep breath, a wide smile on my face as I turned in his arms, finally looking at him. To my surprise, he was handsome, dark hair, strong jawline and I could see the confidence in his eyes. He knew Clara...maybe intimately. "I thought she has Jeremy, does she just fuck around now", I thought. “I got held up, I'm sorry,” I managed, forcing Clara’s sly smile onto my face, praying it looked convincing. “Uh-huh,” he said, his voice a low rumble. He didn’t believe me, but he didn’t care. His hand came up, his thumb brushing my lower lip. “You owe me, Clara. Big time.” ****************************************** Jenna has always had the perfect life, Her mate, Damon...the Alpha of the pack who accepted her, a pack that wanted her as their Luna..... Until it was stripped off her on the coronation night. Just minutes to the coronation time, she wakes up in Clara's body (Her mate's sister) Now she's trapped...replaced and forgotten while someone takes her crown, her mate and her position as the Luna of the pack. She must solve that mystery while living Clara's messed up life.

The entire ward could hear the thoughts of the beautiful intern nurse, Sonya Row. When a patient kept vomiting nonstop, and I suggested increasing the pain medication, she stood nearby, sighing. [What should I do? Should I tell the family this painkiller can be addictive and really bad for the body? If they just wait a few more minutes, he'll recover on his own. There's no need to spend money at all.] The room fell silent in an instant. Everyone's gaze shifted toward me, and the family quietly refused my treatment plan. After that, I became the joke of the entire department. Every patient specifically asked not to be assigned to me. Later, while comforting a terminal stomach cancer patient, I followed her family's wishes and lied, saying it was just gastritis. Sonya complained about it in her thoughts. [The patient's practically dying already, but she's still saying she can be cured. It's obviously just to trick this old woman into draining her life savings on treatment.] That night, the old lady jumped off the building so she wouldn't burden her family. Her family thought I had revealed the truth and driven her to her death. They reported me directly to the hospital director, and I was stripped of my position as department head. Then, on a holiday weekend, the hospital admitted a pregnant woman with a suspected amniotic fluid embolism. To save her life, I had no choice but to remove her uterus. At that moment, Sonya's thoughts rang out again. [She doesn't have an amniotic fluid embolism at all. She was on her phone during surgery, which caused this. Now look what happened. This baby's a girl. This family wanted a son, and now they'll never get one.] The family attacked me on the spot, recorded it, and posted the video online to harass me. The desperate husband, obsessed with having a son, stabbed me to death to vent his rage. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Sonya first revealed her thoughts. This time, I could hear her thoughts, too.