Winning The Week

On the third anniversary of our bond, I pushed open the private room door, my heart full of hope—only to see Chisel on one knee, leaning in to kiss Sylvia. In that instant, every thread of love and trust inside me snapped. “What are you doing?” My voice trembled; tears blurred my vision. Chisel looked up at me, eyes full of irritation. “Enough, Leah. Stop putting on that wounded look. We were just playing a game. I lost, that’s all. Why are you angry?” I could no longer bear the betrayal. After losing our pup, something inside me died completely. I decided to break the mate bond, to end this painful, scarred union once and for all. Even as Chisel kept apologizing, swearing he would change, I no longer believed him. My voice went cold: “Even if I forgive you, our pup never will.” I left the home that had once been full of love and hope, flying toward a new world that would be mine alone. On the other end of the phone, Chisel’s voice trembled. “Leah, I was wrong. Please… give me another chance…” I closed my eyes, inhaled deeply, and hung up. My voice was calm, final: “I have nothing more to say to you, Chisel.”

I'm supposed to be Kyle Thornwood's Luna. But for the past five years, he has abandoned 52 of our marking ceremonies, proving to the Moon Goddess that he doesn't deserve me. The first time, Elara Bennett—the Omega he took in—gets lost during a hunt. He cuts the ceremony short to find her, leaving me alone on the ritual altar while our bond unravels into nothing. The second time, right in the middle of negotiations with a rival pack, he senses through the mind-link that someone is bothering Elara. He drops everything and runs back, leaving me to face a room full of hostile wolves alone. After that, it doesn't matter which full moon I choose. Elara always has some crisis that needs him. She gets hurt during training, other wolves pick on her, or she has a bad dream. Eventually, something inside me breaks. I decide to sever this so-called destined mate bond for good. The day I leave the Graywolf pack, Kyle loses it completely. He tracks my scent everywhere, clinging to whatever is left of our connection.

In the shattered remains of Lupis Imperium, Prince Kael Stormfang and Selene Dawnveil, an Omega bound by a forbidden Soul-Oath, must navigate betrayal, war, and a crumbling empire. After an explosive uprising orchestrated by his trusted mentor, Cyrus Viper Thornwell, Kael is forced to confront not just the forces threatening his throne, but the lies that have been woven into the very fabric of his past. Bound together by a powerful and dangerous connection, Kael and Selene are the empire’s last hope. Yet, their bond is not just a source of strength, but of torment, as the secrets of their past threaten to tear them apart. Betrayed by those they once trusted, the two must work together to uncover the conspiracy that has shattered their world and led them to the brink of collapse. As war rages and forces of darkness grow ever more powerful, Kael and Selene must confront the truth about their loyalty, their love, and their shared fate. Together, they will rebuild the empire—but can they survive the cost of doing so?

The day before our wedding, my fiance, Yale Salvatore, died in an accident. He had been setting up the venue when the stage collapsed. I'm now a widow and carrying his child. Devastated with grief, I even tried to end my life. However, my parents-in-law urge me not to grieve too much. After all, I'm pregnant and need to stay strong for the child's sake. On the day of Yale's funeral, his older twin brother arrives from Novavista with his wife and child. They're here to attend the funeral. His face is so identical to Yale's that I nearly mistook him for Yale several times. By accident, I overheard a conversation between him and my in-laws. "You faked your death just for Gwen King? Sasha is pregnant with your child! Do you want your baby to be born fatherless?" "You did all of this just so you could be with Gwen out in the open?" My brother-in-law, exasperatedly explains, "Mom, Dad, Gwen has cancer. She has less than a month to live. She's loved me for years, and her dying wish is to marry me. "Once she passes, I'll return to Sasha's side and give her an even grander wedding. Then, I'll be there for the birth of our child, and we'll raise him together." Hearing this, I'm so shocked I can't speak. My so-called "brother-in-law" is actually my fiance, Yale! For the sake of helping another woman fulfill her dying wish, he doesn't care how upset or devastated I may be. And once he completes his benevolent mission, he intends to return to my side? No. My fiance, Yale, is already dead. I won't beg him to come back. And in three days, I'll be just like him. I'll be lying beneath a cold gravestone, and I'll forever vanishing from his world, he will never find me again...

I'm getting married soon—but not to my boyfriend of six years, Soren Cruz. He's the mafia boss based in Mehico and is currently busy "working" with his new underboss, Thea Ramirez. Lately, he's been so swamped with work that he completely forgot about me and our promise to get married on our sixth anniversary. At the Christmas party, he ordered Thea's favorite almond cake. He forgot I'm allergic to almonds. While his friends were messing around, a slice of cake hit me right in the face. I fainted on the spot. When I woke up, I told Mom I didn't want to marry Soren anymore. I'm going back.

On the day I got pregnant again, August decided to give up on gambling and work to provide for the family. I was so touched that I cried. With trembling hands, I handed him the money I had saved up after working odd jobs for a year. Two of the bank notes fell on the floor, and I picked them up before running after him. When I reached the end of the alley, I saw the mafia members who always came to our doorstep to demand repayment of our debt. They treated August respectfully. Apparently, his poverty was just a facade. “Mr. August, do we still need to surround your house and demand payment tomorrow?” August sat in a Lincoln limousine and said nonchalantly, “No need.” He stared at the ring on his finger and sighed. “It’s been years. It’s enough to prove that her love for me is real. She once worked so hard to pay off my debt that she suffered a miscarriage. “I already betrayed her once. It’s time to tell her about my true identity so that she doesn’t have to work so hard anymore.” But Ivy, his childhood friend, pouted. “You can’t! It’s not time yet to reveal the truth! What if she’s like your previous girlfriends and only cares about your money and your identity as a mafia boss? “You should wait a little longer and see whether she wants to have this baby.” August gave a wistful nod. “Alright. I’ll do as you say. In any case, she has been with me for so long. I don’t think she can leave me now.” I clenched the money in my hands and turned around. Tears streamed down my cheeks. I no longer wanted to live this lie dressed as love.

I was the true-born Luna heir, mistakenly switched at birth, while another had been raised in my place. When I was thirteen, my birth pack found me, bringing me home after a lifetime of being misplaced. But instead of the happiness I deserved, I was met with nothing but betrayal. My birth parents favored their adopted daughter over me. My destined Alpha was stolen by my so-called sister. The Beta mate who saved me from despair turned out to be part of a carefully laid scheme. Unloved by my own parents. Provoked by my sister. Abandoned by my Alpha. Deceived by my Beta. Happiness was never meant for me—so why should any of you have it? Since I can't have it, I choose to leave;

Ang aking asawa ay isang air traffic controller. Sa aming mga nakaraang buhay, ang aking anak na babae ay inatake sa puso nang ang flight na aming sinasakyan ay humarap sa isang bagyo. Nakipag-ugnayan ako sa aking asawa sa control tower para maghanda ng priority landing. Kasabay nito, bumagsak ang kabilang flight na sinasakyan ng soul mate ng asawa ko matapos tamaan ng kidlat. Ang aking asawa ay kumilos nang normal pagkatapos ng insidenteng iyon. Gayunpaman, nang maglaon sa kaarawan ng aking anak na babae, ikinulong niya ang aking anak na babae at ako sa bahay, at kami ay sinunog hanggang sa mamatay. "Kung hindi ka nagrequest ng priority landing, hindi sana bumagsak ang flight ni Kelly! Sa tingin ko ay wala namang problema sa anak mong babae. Ginawwa mo lang yun dahil sa selos mo para kay Kelly, ikaw ang rason ng pagkamatay ng ilang daang mga inosenteng buhay.” Ang aking anak na babae at ako ay hindi nakatakas, kami ay namatay nang kakila-kilabot. Sa susunod na pagmulat ko ng aking mga mata, bumalik ako sa araw na ang aking anak na babae ay inaatake muli sa puso. Sa pagkakataong ito, tuluyan nang nadiskonekta ng asawa ko ang tawag ko sa control tower. Gayunpaman, nang malaman niyang namatay ang aming anak na babae dahil sa atake sa puso, nabaliw siya.

“Chloe, noong bata ka pa, nag-arrange ng kasal ang pamilya natin para sayo. Ngayong nakakabawi ka na mula sa sakit mo, ayos lang ba sayo na bumalik sa Kingston City at magpakasal?" “Kung ayaw mo pa rin, kakausapin ko ang tatay mo at ikakansela namin ang engagement." Sa madilim na silid, tanging katahimikan lang ang naririnig ni Chloe. Habang iniisip ng tao sa kabilang linya na hindi niya siya makukumbinsi, bigla siyang nagsalita. “Ayos lang sa’kin na bumalik at magpakasal." Ang nanay niya, si Felicia, ay napahinto, malinaw na nagulat siya. “A… Ayos lang sayo?” Kalmado ang tono ni Chloe. "Oo, pero kailangan ko pa ng kainting panahon para asikasuhin ang lahat sa Marina City. Uuwi ako sa loob ng dalawang linggo. Mom, pakiusap simulan niyo na ang paghahanda para sa kasal.” Pagkatapos ng ilan pang salita, ibinaba ni Chloe ang tawag.

When I pester Sean Sackman, my childhood sweetheart, for a second time, he rejects me. "I don't have time for you now," he says. "It's Valentine's Day today, and the campus belle just agreed to go on a date with me this afternoon." Just as I am about to pleasure myself, his housemate, Chad Huxley, comes back. Several comments suddenly appear in front of me. "This is hilarious. The second male lead is literally burning with desire when he sees the female lead in her nightrobe. But he still has to hold it in and pretend to be unfazed. He's like a grumpy little puppy!" "I think the female lead should turn to the second male lead instead. Every time she goes to find her childhood sweetheart, the second male lead ends up taking a cold shower. Poor guy." "The second male lead might have an addiction, but he always keeps his hands to himself. Girl, a feast is literally right in front of you. Stop getting hung up on that idiot!" My eyes light up as I stare at Chad. "Can you help me with something?"