Viking Wedding Dress

Aria thought she had found her forever in Cassian—the campus golden boy, fated mate, the werewolf who promised her a better life. Until the night before their wedding she caught him in her wedding dress… with another woman. His cruel confession shattered everything: she was nothing but a stepping stone for his ambition. Humiliated and heartbroken, Aria publicly burned their future to the ground, slapping him in front of his pack and walking away with nothing but rage. Desperate to save her dying father and escape Cassian’s revenge, she turns to the one man who can protect her: Damian Hawke, the most powerful alpha in the state. The man she unknowingly kissed in a drunken haze the night before. Damian offers her shelter but only if she lives under his roof, works for him, and becomes… available. A maid by day. Something far more dangerous by night. Aria thinks she is trading one cage for another. She doesn’t know Damian is Cassian’s adoptive father. She doesn’t know the mate bond is already pulling them together. And she doesn’t know the secret buried in her own blood will change everything. Revenge was supposed to set her free. Instead, it bound her to the one man she should never want.

After three miscarriages for Xavier Lowe, I see it—my mother-in-law has three years left, my father-in-law nine years, and my sister-in-law two years. I say nothing. After the third miscarriage, my mother-in-law blames me, calling me a curse who "kills" children. My sister-in-law sneers, saying she almost died in a car crash the year I married Xavier—as if my bad luck dragged her down. My mother-in-law snaps, "She can't even keep a child. It must be because she's cursed!" Xavier just stands there, silent. He doesn't say a single word for me. I know that, deep down, he believes that I bring bad luck. Maybe it's also because he already has someone else—his secretary, Yvette Snyder. His mother has always liked her better, and he clung to her the night I lost my third child. I don't explain because I know the truth will only destroy them faster. On my 28th birthday, I catch a glimpse of my own countdown in the mirror. On that day, I take a leave of absence. I go to the funeral home and pick out an urn—pure white, just like the wedding dress I once wore. Wearing a beautiful floral dress, I text Xavier, asking him to meet me at the lake where we first met ten years ago. I wait from daylight until nightfall as my countdown ticks to zero. I die, and he never shows up.

She spent six years loving him. Six years planning forever. But on the eve of her dream wedding, Adrianna Rodriguez is forced to watch it all shatter, her groom, Damien Blackwood, is marrying someone else. Not just anyone. Her dying sister. Katherina’s final wish? To wear the dress Adrianna was supposed to wear and to marry the man she thought was hers. It was supposed to be a sacrifice. It felt like betrayal. Offered half of Damien’s empire as compensation, Adrianna is left broken into pieces and silenced. But broken hearts don’t stay quiet forever. What happens when love demands too much? When family guilt disguises cruelty? When forgiveness is no longer an option? In a world of twisted loyalty and secrets buried as sacrifice, Adrianna must choose walk away quietly… or turn heartbreak into revenge. Extract “She wants to marry me,” Damien said, his voice thick with emotion. “It’s her last wish.” Adrianna’s breath caught in her throat. The perfect wedding, the life they had planned, the vows they were going to say all seemed to fall apart in front of her. “My wedding,” she whispered, her voice trembling with heartbreak, “was supposed to be our day.” Damien stepped closer, desperation in his eyes. “I’m offering you half my properties. Two million dollars. I want you to understand… this isn’t just about money. It’s about family.” Her jaw clenched. Anger began to burn inside her like a wildfire. “Compensation? Is that what I am to you? A deal? A consolation prize?”Something you can pay off?”

"I’ve thought it through. I'll marry the Ashford family’s comatose heir." Rhea Vaughn leaned against the doorway of the Vaughn family’s old residence, her red lips curving into a sharp, mocking smile. The cigar in Victor Vaughn’s hand nearly slipped and fell onto the priceless Persian carpet. He jerked upright from his leather chair, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes stretching open as his face lit up. "Rhea, you’ve come around? That’s wonderful! The Ashfords have been pressing hard. You’ll need to marry into Harborwyn within two weeks. What style of wedding dress do you like? I will have someone order it for you—" "That’s it?" Rhea let out a cold laugh. "I’m taking your beloved illegitimate daughter’s place and marrying into that family for you, and you’re not going to show anything in return?"

Julian’s life is already a nightmare. He was just brutally dumped by his wealthy, arrogant boyfriend, Chase Sterling. To make matters worse, Julian’s twin sister runs away on the morning of her arranged marriage to Chase’s terrifying, billionaire father—the ruthless patriarch of the city's top law firm, Victor Sterling. Knowing Victor will destroy their family if the bride doesn't show up, Julian makes a desperate, suicidal decision. With his slender build and identical face, Julian puts on the wedding dress, the heavy veil, and walks down the aisle to marry his ex-boyfriend's father. Julian thinks he just has to survive the wedding night and find a way to annul the marriage later. But he severely underestimates the man he just married. When the bedroom door locks, Victor doesn't even bother lifting the veil. Instead, he unbuckles his belt and whispers, "Did you really think a piece of lace could hide you from me, Julian?" Victor knew it was Julian the entire time. In fact, Victor secretly orchestrated the sister's disappearance just to force Julian into his bed. Now, Julian is trapped in a strict, BDSM-laced contract marriage where his terrifying new husband will train him to be a lethal lawyer by day, and a perfectly disciplined boy by night.

After I was reborn, I was the one who changed the name on my blood bond with Prince Mortlock. I wrote in “Isabella”—the other vampire he’d always cherished, always protected. When Isabella wanted the ruby necklace, the one that marked the Prince's Mate, I let her have it. The wedding dress Mortlock had prepared for me? I gave that to Isabella, too. I did it all because in my past life, I got my wish. I became Mortlock’s mate, but I lived every moment in Isabella’s shadow. In the end, during a battle with vampire hunters, Mortlock ran to a wounded Isabella first. I was the one left to take a silver stake through the heart. So this time, I decided to let them be. To stay far away from Mortlock. But this time, the cold, distant Prince wept and begged me to be his mate again.

Mandy Connors has given up on men. Despite being smart, pretty, and just slightly overweight, she’s a magnet for the kind of guys that don’t stay around. Her sister’s wedding is at the foreground of the family’s attention. Mandy would be fine with it if her sister wasn’t pressuring her to lose weight so she’ll fit in the maid of honor dress, her mother would get off her case and her ex-boyfriend wasn’t about to become her brother-in-law. Determined to step out on her own, she accepts a PA position from billionaire Carl Salvo. The job includes an apartment on his property and gets her out of living in her parent’s basement. Mandy HAS TO BALANCE her life and somehow figure out how to manage her billionaire boss, without falling in love with him.

Before my crazy grandmother died, she gave me three walnuts. According to her last wish, I cracked open the first walnut on my twenty-fifth birthday. Inside the walnut was a slip of paper. 'Go to the skybridge and grovel at the first beggar you meet' was the instruction written on it. When I looked at the note, I could feel my cheeks burning with embarrassment. Still, I did as told. To my surprise, the beggar turned out to be an undercover cop. Only later did I learn that I had long been targeted by human traffickers, and the bow had saved my life. As for the second walnut, my grandmother told me to crack it open before I got married. When I put on my wedding dress, ready to marry the policeman who saved me, I happily opened it. This time, there was a crumpled old photograph inside. In the photo, my fiancé was smiling as he strangled another bride.

The night before our 17th wedding attempt, my mafia husband, Rafaeal Holloway, looks at me and promises an uninterrupted wedding. He solemnly swears. "Gianna, I promise you. I told Natalia that even if the sky falls, she'll deal with it alone." I am five months pregnant by then. After three years of dating and five months carrying his child, we've never managed to make it down the aisle because he's canceled the past 16 weddings. Every single time, it's for his sworn sister, Natalia Sullivan. The first time, she claims she has a fever. I spend the whole night at the hospital, still in my wedding dress, just to find out she has a mild cold. The second time, she claims her chest hurts. Rafael abandons me mid-wedding and rushes to her side, while she's out laughing over afternoon tea with friends. The third time, she cries for fear of thunder. He bolts mid-vows and leaves me alone in a hall full of staring guests. But everything's different now. Three days ago, a letter arrived from Northern Silenzio. My father, the Don of the Rossetti family, has finally summoned me home. If Rafael walks away for Natalia one more time, I'll leave for good.

"I'm willing to marry you." Jared Brooks and his brother, Shiloh, turned their heads. Standing before them was a woman in a wedding dress, but this was no ordinary bride. Her gown was stained with dirt and blood, her mascara streaked down her cheeks, and her makeup a ruined mess. Today was supposed to be Julia Watson's wedding day. She was set to marry her fiancé, Carter Ross, until her so-called best friend, Vivien Smith, announced to everyone that she and Carter were expecting a baby—and were in love. Shattered by the betrayal of her fiancé and best friend, Julia was ready to give up. That was until she spotted Jared Brooks, the CEO of Brooks Corporation, at the courthouse. "Who are you?" Jared asked, puzzled by the stranger's proposal. Jared had no intention of marrying a stranger, and even his brother found the idea absurd. He was about to leave when Julia made an irresistible promise: she could cure his brother's legs. "I'm Julia Watson of the Watson family," she introduced herself. Jared assumed Julia sought revenge against her ex-fiancé by marrying him. Little did he know, Julia harbored two dark secrets. First, she had a mission to complete. Second, she wasn't really Julia Watson.