Winter Rise

"Don't you see? EVERYTHING comes at a price mio il amore" He's not just a man, he is the man. He runs New York nothing comes in without him knowing and nothing will most certainly get out. Ruthless, cocky enigmatic, and assertive. Just a few words to describe him. Talia Cruz- A trauma nurse in one of the richest hospitals in New York. Young and successful and she's so proud of herself. Well, she should be, made an orphan at just 13 her and her older sister Iris, never thought they would make it this far. Now that she's 22 with a supportive job Iris can finally move back to their hometown leaving Talia to take on New York by herself. When Talia sees something that she shouldn't see and is taken captive by Matteo Russo himself, does she crumble and fall or does she stay true her true self and rise even through all the struggles?

Two days after her husband forcefully made her sign the divorce papers, Diana found out she was pregnant. after he thought she had cheated on him. Lost on what to do and with her husband's sudden disappearance, she found help in none other than her ex husband stepbrother who proposed a contract marriage. Six years later, Ryan, her ex husband comes back in town, and as if the universe wasn't cruel enough, she coincidentally becomes his P.A. He was back for revenge, revenge for a crime she knew nothing about. And not even his cold, conniving brother can save her from him.

Azalea had decided to stop running from her past. That didn't mean that she was ready to embrace her future though. As if navigating through learning about her powers and dealing with all the drama surrounding her sudden reappearance wasn't enough, now someone's out to take her out of the picture entirely. Friends, family and a potential mate are all trying to protect her by caging her against her will. With too many secrets still in the dark, she does what she knows best and runs. But will she be able to shine bright enough to banish the dark or will she choose to let it consume her? Should she risk it all on a chance of true happiness or it is really just two sides of the same coin, both trying to gain control of her and her powers for their own purpose?

"Look at this rejected omega!" My ex-husband sneered, and his pack members burst into laughter. Standing beside him was my younger sister, the one he cheated on me with. She clung to his arm, flaunting their bond for all to see. "She must be here to steal you from me," my sister spat in disbelief. "She's not here for any of that," my second chance mate’s voice boomed as he entered the room, towering over everyone in his sharp black suit. The crowd fell silent, astonished. "She's my wife and mate now. She's the new Luna Queen!" he declared, bowing to me with respect and love as he took my hand. The shock on my sister's and ex's faces spoke volumes. They never thought I'd rise above it all. But even I couldn't help but wonder, Wasn't he crippled just one night ago? --- Carena devoted years to her marriage, serving her arrogant alpha husband and in-laws after leaving her birth pack for her fated mate. But her loyalty was repaid with the ultimate betrayal: discovering her alpha husband had been sleeping with her 19-year-old sister. Hurt and rejected, Carena was thrown out of the pack, forced to return to her birth pack with nowhere else to turn. To be accepted back, she was told she must marry the crippled alpha King. She thought that would be the end of it. But one night, she woke up to a troubling sight, realizing she needed to uncover the secrets of her mysterious disabled alpha King before it’s too late.

She was rescued by our pack, the Asara. We knew nothing about who she was before that. But with her delicious female scent, my brothers and I soon caught a whiff of her. We were quick to investigate. It didn't take us long to figure out what she was hiding under that oversized cloak. And we each wanted a part of it. She thought she could run from us? The best in enemy combat, the tracker and best sniffer in the pack, and the fastest one of us. Second only to our Alpha. The Mating Moon is on the rise and my brothers and I don't mind sharing. As long as we each get a taste of that sweet scent. And to partake of that delicious body. She might resist but we're strong, and she is one of only seven breedable females...she won't be going anywhere until we've had our fill of her. And under a Mating Moon, us males get insatiable. Go ahead. Run little Vanna Rae, it's more fun that way...

He was unlike anything one of our kind should have been. He was evil! And... he was my father! He had a duty as an Alpha to protect the pack, but it soon became apparent, the pack needed protecting from him! Unable to save our pack, My sister Winter and I had been left with no other option but to run for our lives. We hadn't been able to save our pack from our father... now I had to wonder... were we going to be able to save ourselves?

All human beings have been born with darkness inside. The challenge that we face in every passing day is controlling this darkness sheltered within us; if not, demons will feed on that darknes, find a way to possess both our body and soul, and wreak havoc to our lives as we know it. In this story, five unique teenage individuals harbor darkness within their souls using it to combat evil and save the mortal world from destruction. Along with their all-knowing homeroom adviser, these teens delve into the world of mythology and folklore. Join Cassidy, Noah, Maura, Lowan, Ross, and Ms. Reina in witnessing the war between the dark and the evil unfold. P.S. - Points of view change every two chapters. Please enjoy diving into their stories one by one.

My heart clenched painfully in my chest as I thought of what I was about to say. It was the only way to save him, I chanted over again. "I'm rejec-ct..." I stuttered and then cleared my throat. "I'm rejecting you, Slade Hall as my mate. Whatever bond you feel between us is null and void from today. And I am getting married to prince Damien Cord of MoonStone pack." Slade roared, and his eyes flashed goldenly. He shoved me away and fell to the floor, groaning in pain. I fell to my knees, sobbing. It wasn't because I did the right thing to save him; I had lost my mate forever and wouldn't be getting him again... . Winter was an Omega and switched at birth. After living a difficult life and almost getting used to it, she was revealed to be the Alpha's daughter due to her striking resemblance to the Luna of the Royal Moon Pack. Winter thought her life had changed for the better and decided to make do with what was before her; however, it was only the beginning of her predicament. When she believed she wouldn't get to live the life she wanted, her wolf came forth, and her mate was revealed. However, it was her brother whom the moon goddess had mated to her. What was worse was she wanted it. Many challenges lie ahead; how would Winter overcome each when most were from the people she assumed would watch out for her?

"Part One: TakenJessie Coford had a plan: work hard, save money, open her own restaurant. She sacrificed her relationship with the man of her dreams to get it. Then, in the blink of an eye, she lost her job and her apartment and her life crashed around her. Until a letter taking her to Fort Mavis, Texas, and an unexpected windfall.Part Two: TamedShea Prescott was astonished when million Cruz Castillo chose her to design his new home on his ranch. They hardly traveled in the same circles. But Cruz had been hot for Shea since he first saw her and at their first meeting the chemistry between them ignited. Cruz coaxed her deeper and deeper into a whirlpool of erotic sex, awakening latent sexual desires and bringing her orgasms beyond her wildest imaginings. Her body screamed yes at his every touch, but will she say yes to the most important question?USA Today best-selling and award-winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and paranormal to erotic. and has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.Taken by Surprise is created by Desiree Holt, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author."

"I, Alpha Dean Smith, reject you, Tamara Brown, you pathetic little orphan, as my mate and Luna," Alpha Dean Smith says. He has plans for his pack, and he first wants to eliminate all the pathetic wolves in his pack. Dean can not believe that the Moon Goddess played such a trick on him by giving him the most pathetic she-wolf in his pack as his mate. Tamara and her wolf Winter feel the pain of his rejection where they stand in front of the Alpha. She refuses to beg or cry. For too long did she allow everyone to walk all over her. "I, Tamara Brown, accept your rejection, Alpha Dean Smith. I may be a pathetic orphan in your eyes, but my parents gave their lives for your pack," Tamara says. Dean is furious! How dare she not beg him to make her stay? "Get out! Take the pathetic bunch of wolves with you! I never want to see you again! The Red River pack does not need useless wolves like you!" Dean shouts. Dean has plans for the Red River pack. He plans to make it the biggest and best pack in America, and he has no place for wolves who can not fight! Tamara starts walking away, and the other "pathetic wolves" follow her. "Why are you following me? You also do not like me! Go your own way," Tamara says as she walks towards the border of the Red Wood Pack.