We Are Venom

There are dreams we've carefully planned with specific timelines, only to feel dissappointed when none of them come true. It's as if we've been pressuring ourselves, comparing our progress to others, and in the process, we forget to pause, breathe, and relax. For Danica Raven Pineda, every second counts. Vacation? She'd rather spend her time reading books and attending seminars. She's set high expectations for herself, and relaxation hasn't been a part of her plan. At times, we also need to allow ourselves exceptions-like falling in love with someone unexpected, such as the Conglomerate Samuel Dane Salvador. She adds a new chapter of her life-- the one that she did not looking foward for based on the timeline she has set on herself.

The scent of pine and damp earth clung to the air as the full moon created long shadows across the Ancient Clearing. Tonight, was supposed to be our marking ceremony, a sacred ritual binding Alpha Anderson and his chosen Luna before the eyes of the Frostmoon Pack. “My heart,” his gaze locked on Leah, who stood under the moonlight “has always belonged to another. My first love, the one whose spirit has been weakened by the venom of wolfsbane, is my Luna.” He drew Leah closer, his hand possessively circling her waist. Under the watchful gaze of the moon, he smiled. “Our traditions are clear,” he continued, “Only the woman who stands with me at this altar, witnessed by all, shall be my Luna. Though I had always thought that Irene was my mate which I mistakenly marked a time ago. But thanks to the goddess for making me see clearly before it was too late.” They exchanged vows beneath the trees, witnessed by the werewolves and the Moon Goddess. The silver crowns were placed, the ceremonial kiss sealed their bond. I stood hidden in the shadows of the surrounding forest. For twelve years, from the moment my wolf recognized his at eighteen until my thirtieth moon cycle, my love for Anderson had never changed. But his heart, it was clear, belonged to Leah. If that was the truth, then I would release him. He had never truly seen me, never truly cared. Yet, the act of my departure seemed to unravel him in ways I couldn’t understand.

For eighteen years, my bestie Sarah and I were just regular humans. And then, all of a sudden, we both awakened our werewolf blood. She ended up mated to Logan, like, the most powerful Alpha around. And me? Fate, or whatever, paired me up with Ethan, an Alpha from a pack under Logan's. The day of our mating ceremony, Sarah was all like, "Go on, enjoy Ethan's mark!" I mean, the guy had an eight-pack and was drop-dead gorgeous. But almost a year into our mating, Ethan still hadn't marked me. I cried to Sarah, "What's the point of a mate who won't even mark me?" I never expected Sarah to burst into tears too. "Logan and I… our genes aren't compatible. He can't get me pregnant. I want to break our mate bond too!" So, just like that, we hatched a plan to escape. After a "car accident," both Alphas' mates vanished. It wasn't until we started our new lives that we found out... We were both pregnant!

"Do you mean we have to give out Emma as his betrothed bride in exchange for Maya?" "We have no choice. We have trained her and she will do well. We have to keep our own deal to the Carlos family." The steely resolve in Mr Lucas eyes told it was final. In a twist of fate, Emma, a country girl with a secret pas who was switched at birth is into a life of luxury becoming the real child of the family and as a replacement bride for the wealthy and enigmatic Adriel, the heir of the Carlos family. Bound by a marriage of convenience, they must navigate a web of secrets, lies, and hidden identities. But as they succumb to the attraction growing between them, Emma's remarkable talents and Adriel's unexpected strength redefines their love and their lives. Will their unexpected union be the key to unlocking their true potential, or will the secrets between them tear them apart?

"Loving you is the worst sin I've ever committed in my life, Tyron," Lizelle's bitter words seemed to burn her heart. The butterflies in her stomach died, the rain joined her lifeless heart, and above all, her self-loathing could not be erased as if it was a mark engraved on her entire being. What can we bestow for love? What can we waive? And what can we give up? People who were met at the wrong time and chance. How long can they forgive each other to forget the past?

Felicity Genson is a college student having her own version of a roller coaster ride of life. As she deals with her problem, Drake Montessario came into the picture. They became friends and developed feelings. Thus, it was a U-turn to their fantasy life. Stephanie Beatriz came and ruined their bubbles. Should Felt hate her or support his best friend Drake? In life, one thing that we should always remember is to be trust anybody. Even yourself. We make the stupid decisions we could when were in love. Just like Felicity.

"Casey, hurry up and pack. Tonight we will move!" "Why so suddenly, Mom? Where are we moving to?" "Your new father's house. I'm getting married to David next week. Your dream of having a family will come true. In fact, you will get the bonus of three handsome brothers." I don't argue. That same night I joined my mother and moved to my stepfather's house in a different state from where we live now. After a long journey, we finally arrived. David greeted us warmly. But, the beautiful dream I previously imagined must now turn into hell. I must be brother with my enemy! He is the young man who once humiliated me and who became my first love. What destiny is this?

"Oral? Rough nights? That's what I've become-the plaything of a man whose name echoes across Asia. We've done things in places where we could have been caught, places where his men could see us, and yet we didn't care. The only thing that mattered was quenching the fire raging inside our bodies. Free? No. Nothing is free anymore. Every desire, every twisted fantasy he wants to play out on me comes with a price-and he pays it without hesitation. Even when it's degrading, even when it crosses boundaries I once thought I had, I take it. No questions asked. But here's what keeps me awake at night: is this all I'll ever be? Are we bound to this cycle, trapped in this dangerous game forever?"

Hana Kinsley: I am one of the few humans not born or mated into this supernatural world. As the Princess of the Bloodmoon pack, I grew up eager for that one-in-a-million chance of a mate. After two years of searching, I knew it was time to live in the human world, away from all things supernatural. I thought starting fresh at Yale was that chance to lead an ordinary life. Oh, how wrong I was. Albert, Aidan, and Isak: By any standard, our friendship is an anomaly. Vampires, demons, and angels do not mingle, yet we have been friends for three centuries. To the students and faculty here at Yale, we are just young professors who joined the staff six years ago. Every year, we choose new targets from the crops of freshmen. This year is different, as we all set our sights on the Bloodmoon Princess. Who will our bet to have her first?

Sawyer Patterson intended to leave me again for his childhood sweetheart, Mathilde Payne. We'd been together for ten years, and this was our seventh engagement party. For the previous six times, Mathilde always had some kind of emergency. This time, I wasn't going to let him go. "We're about to exchange rings. It won't take long. She's just got a slight fever. It's not a big deal if you go later, right?" Sawyer lost it. "Can you stop making a scene? Mathilde has always been frail. We've been together for ten years. We can do without a ceremony." He walked out, leaving me behind with a broken heart. This time, I was truly done with him.