Understanding Islam

You can call her Cindy or Elle, well her name depends on the town she's living in. Her real name's Leira Mint Salcedo, the girl who wants to die. Or at least that's what she always says and thinks about. Until at her fourth suicide attempt, an intruder named Chris suddenly came to her, asking for help. Soon as she opened her glass door, it felt like she welcomed him in her life. Crisostomo "Chris" Ychavez, a self-proclaimed man of his words who intervenes with Leira's fourth suicide attempt. He is kind, thoughtful, and a very understanding man who would want to help Leira to appreciate the beauty of life and making things right. Chris and Leira's uncanny encounters continued. They always meet accidentally. When she needs help, when she's afraid, when she's alone, even if she doesn't want Chris' presence, he is mysteriously, always there. After Leira runs away from her best friend, she is now jobless and renting at Lumiere Town. Without a job, she's on the verge of becoming homeless until Chris proposes something to her. Chris wants to travel to the Disney Republic and so she proposed to Leira to travel together. All expenses are shouldered by Chris, all he is asking is for Leira to come and join him. Left without a choice, she agreed. And so, they traveled the country together, met a lot of people, discovered some truths and lies, and the reason behind Chris' kindness towards Leira. Time is ticking for Chris and Leira is still thinking about her own death. Will Chris be able to save her after she finds out who he really is in her life, or it will gonna be a reason for her to continue her final suicide plan?

Damn, you're delicious," he murmured into her mouth. "You taste like a goddess." She heard the sound of his belt buckle, and her frantic heart stopped because she knew what was coming. "Damn, I need to be inside you," he declared with a hint of desperation that she loved. She reacted and helped him free himself from his pants because she needed it, too, and she needed it now. But when his member was finally free, and she felt him position himself, his gaze wandered for a moment to a spot behind them. It was only for a second, but that second was enough to see how the entire expression on his face transformed. The desire froze, and instead of the fiery, passionate man from a moment ago, he was that block of ice he usually was again. He took two steps back and looked down. She sat up, confused. "What's wrong?" she asked, baffled. He tensed his jaw and shook his head while zipping up his pants again. A whirlwind of emotions crowded her chest and got stuck in her throat. "Enzo," she called out, but he didn't respond. He bent down to pick up his shirt and walked toward his room without looking at her. "Enzo!" she yelled, but he ignored her and entered his room, slamming the door. She was left on the island, naked, not understanding anything. All the fire went out, giving way to a sadness that settled in her heart. He rejected her. Enzo rejected her. After his wife’s death, Enzo Romano swore his heart was buried with her. Cold. Ruthless. Untouchable. But when duty forces him into a contract marriage with innocent Arianna, the girl who secretly adores him, she finds herself falling for a man who will never love her back.

"I love you." She blurted out, eyes wide, filled with unshed tears as they both stared at each other. "I love you and I know you know that so please don't say what happened was a mistake or that you're leaving me." Her cracked at the last statement. "Don't destroy us." She moved closer to him, putting a gentle hand on his arm. He lifted his gaze to hers and she feared whatever it is he was going to say the way his eyes looked. They've never looked so....empty. "Darling, there is nothing to destroy if there was nothing to ever break. There was never an us Idalia." He stated venom lacing his words. "What?" Her voice cracked "Whatever happened between us was a mistake. I regret it." Her face crumpled as her hand dropped from his arm, putting space between them. "Don't say that." "Just leave Idalia." He turned his back to awards her and continued stuffing clothes into his bag. After some time, "Okay." She nodded her head in understanding, wiping her tears, trying to stop the already flowing tears. Glancing at him one more time, she walked out of his room. When Idalia Bianchi confesses her love to Ivan Volklov, her best friend and the heir to the Italian mafia, he does not reciprocate the feeling. Years after walking out of the room of the one she loves, he is back in her life. Her brother's best friend. It’s finally time for her to find a husband and according to her family tradition it has to be an arranged marriage and what better and safer match for her than a member of the Italian mafia. Even though there is already an alliance between the families, a marriage makes it more "sophisticated", like her father says.

"Is this just a game to you?" Aaron's eyes were blazing with fire. He was attempting to keep his wolf under control. I should've been terrified, but I wasn't. "You tell me..." I smacked my lips together, pretending his anger didn't bother me at all. "You're confusing me." A growl revibrated from his chest, as his hands coiled into fists. He was ready to walk away when I held my palm against his chest. His eyes delved deep into mine and I could see his desire growing.  "You can have any female you want, and yet here you are, chasing after me when you know exactly that I don't like you." My finger trailed down from his nose to his mouth, brushing his soft lips gently. "Am I a challenge you're trying to win? Because you know I am someone you can't have? Off-limits? Your Alpha's sister?" I could feel his body reacting to my touch, and it was all I ever wanted.  I wanted him to fall hard for me. In the same way that I was falling for him. ***** Book 3 of the Black Shadow Pack Series - While the story is stand-alone, I highly recommend that you read the first and second books in the series to gain a better understanding of the characters and the concept of The Claiming. Book 1 - HE'S MY ALPHA (Completed) Book 2 - THE BETA IS MINE (Completed) Book 3 - LOVING THE GAMMA (Completed) Spin-Off Book 1 - IN THE ARMS OF MY ALPHA (Completed) Spin-Off Book 2 - THROUGH THE EYES OF MY ALPHA (Completed) Spin-Off Book 3 - STEALING THE HEART OF MY ALPHA (Completed)

Lily never imagined she’d end up married to Ethan, her sister's boyfriend. But now, she finds herself under the same roof with Ethan and his family, her life taking an unexpected turn. Caught in the web of her confusion, anxiety, and the judgment of her family, Lily is left feeling more isolated than ever before. Once a close-knit and loving family, the atmosphere now crackles with resentment. Lily’s every move is scrutinized, and the disapproval from her own family is overwhelming. Her desire for acceptance seems impossible as the weight of her actions presses down on her. However, there’s one person who still offers her warmth, Mommy Maita, her mother-in-law. Unlike the others, she tries to make Lily feel welcome, offering her kindness and comfort. But Lily can’t help but question whether this kindness is genuine or just a way to keep up appearances in a family already torn apart by scandal. Ethan’s attitude towards Lily only complicates things further. His anger is palpable, and he seems resistant to accept her as his wife. Lily is left in the dark, wondering why he’s so hostile, when all she wants is a connection. But with every passing day, the emotional gap between them widens, and Lily is left questioning her place in this fractured life. Torn between her desire for love and the turmoil surrounding her, Lily struggles with feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. As expectations and societal pressures weigh heavily on her, she starts to wonder if she’ll ever find a way out of this mess. Lily finds solace in her friends Miya and Rafael. They offer her the understanding and support she desperately needs, reminding her that maybe there’s still hope in a world that seems determined to tear her apart.

“And what you tried today,” I winced in pain as he held my nape from behind before turning me around. I peered up at him in fear while he stared down at me with his intimidating eyes. His eyes were thundering. Leaning down further, he made my pulse rise. Being so close to him— a man, no less, I could see the clear spec of blackness inside his dark eyes. They were so raw and so dark and so piercing. “I would suggest you not try it again,” he added, his bottomless brooding eyes burned into mine, “because no matter how hard you are going to try, you are never going to get out of here without my permission. Away from my sight,” he vowed in a menacing tone that had no expression at all. “Don't get your hopes high.” Tears split down my eyes while he studied my face. “You like escaping. Don't you?” He explained to me in a condescending tone. “Let's see how you are going to try now with my eyes on you— all the time." “You can try all you want, but you can never break my spirits!” I looked at him, directly in his eyes without blinking. His eyes were still focussed on my face as he slowly stepped around me. “Do you mean it?” His voice was strangely soft, “Maybe I cannot. But.. ” Adding to his intimidating aura. Shaur. “No.. ” I whispered. “I can break him.” His gaze met mine in an instant. “You seem to have forgotten your own mental capacity of understanding certain situations. Let me refresh it for you.” His eyes seemed to burn holes at me. “I'd rather not get blood on your dress.” WARNING: This book contains strong language, dubious situations, deception issues, manipulations, abduction and dark romance.

In that moment, our lips were only a breath's distance apart. Antonio's eyes held an unspeakable yearning. His gaze dropped to my lips, his intentions evident. My own desire mirrored his, creating a powerful magnetism. Just as he closed the distance, I placed my free hand on his chest, stopping him in his tracks. "Antonio," I murmured, my voice trembling, "We can't..." He froze in place, his warm breath caressing my lips. His eyes held my reflection in them, fluttered shut for a moment as he absorbed my words. I saw a flicker of pain, quickly masked by a stoic calm. He nodded slightly. "I understand," he replied, quietly. His voice was steady, betraying none of the emotions I knew must have been roiling beneath his suave facade. "You aren't going to ask me why?" I asked him, my voice barely a whisper. Antonio smiled, a sad, understanding smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I'm not," he said slowly, "because I understand that you have a valid reason for your actions." "Antonio," I swallowed hard, my voice unsteady, "I...I am getting married tomorrow, to Alpha Boris." His eyes widened slightly, the shock of my revelation clear. "You are the future Luna…" he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. His fingers clenched into fists at his sides. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wilhelmina Growler is a force to be reckoned with, a fierce and dominant female werewolf. Her unyielding determination to become the alpha of her pack, the Gravemaw Hounds. However, her aspirations are cut short when shortly after becoming the Beta, Alpha Boris Gravemaw demotes her and forces her as his Luna. The night of the highly anticipated Moon Goddess' Ball, Wilhelmina's world is turned upside down when she discovers that Antonio Lothian, the Lycan Prince, is her destined mate.

Shantali Mae Cross, a security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Ancient Arts, encounters an impossible phenomenon during her night shift—smoke from the heating vents coalesces into the form of a cobra near ancient Egyptian canopic jars, showing her visions of possible futures. She sees herself accepting a promotion, arguing with a dark-haired man in a hospital, wearing a wedding dress, and standing at a graveside in autumn. Shaken by the experience, Shantali becomes obsessed with understanding what she witnessed, diving into research about serpent smoke divination practices. Her investigation reveals that others throughout history have experienced similar visions at crucial crossroads in their lives, but those who became consumed with interpreting and controlling their prophetic glimpses inevitably destroyed the very relationships and opportunities the visions had shown them. As Shantali spirals deeper into her research, she begins shutting out her boyfriend David, a fellow security guard who loves her deeply. When David witnesses the cobra phenomenon himself, he helps ground her in reality rather than obsession. Through her studies, particularly the warnings left by Dr. Amelia Thorne—a researcher who died alone after chasing similar mysteries—Shantali realizes the cobra's true message: choose love over fear, presence over obsession. The visions weren't warnings of tragedy but glimpses of a life fully lived with all its ordinary struggles and profound connections. When David proposes, Shantali chooses their real relationship over her pursuit of supernatural answers. She completes her research by writing a fictional novel about her experience, transforming obsession into art while helping future cobra witnesses understand that some mysteries are meant to guide rather than be solved. The story explores themes of choice versus destiny, the danger of sacrificing present love for future certainty, and the wisdom of embracing life's uncertainties alongside those who love us.

"Oh God!" I moaned softly, the heat of Noah's breath hitting my neck as he buried his face in it. His large arms wrapped tightly around me like he was telling me I was his forever. My arms also found their way around his neck, my hand grabbing his soft blonde hair as his piercing gaze met mine. His lips moved from my neck back to my lips where it was before. His tongue conquered mine while I squirmed inside and moaned in his mouth. I could feel his hot bulge pressing against my stomach. "we shouldn't be doing this Noah" I said breaking the kiss. "Why? Cause you're my brother's wife?" he questioned me, the corner of his soft full lips curling with a smirk. He didn't wait for a reply before going back in for a kiss. This man I was making out with on the kitchen counter was my husband's brother. *** Nana thought she had it all a high-powered career, a stable marriage to her husband Simon, and a future carefully mapped out by their influential families. But behind closed doors, her perfect life unravels as Simon’s cold indifference leaves her lonely and questioning everything. When Noah, Simon’s charismatic younger half-brother, returns from overseas, he’s no longer the boy she remembers. Now, he’s all grown up and offering the understanding and attraction she’s been starved of. As Simon’s betrayals cut deeper, Noah becomes her unexpected confidant, comforting her in ways she never imagined. Yet, beneath his caring facade, Noah has his own agenda, subtly steering Nana’s broken heart closer to his own. Torn between duty and desire, Nana finds herself trapped between two brothers: one who’s betrayed her and one who promises the passion she craves.