Without Merit Colleen Hoover

"There should be rules if we are even going to do this," he said without looking at me. "I have always lived by the rules." He slid a file towards me. "This is the contract. The rules are stated there." I opened the file and glanced through it. "You can take it home and study them; give me feedback tomorrow evening. But I will read out the rules for you now because they start now, and in case your brain can't comprehend them, then I can explain." Anger seethed through me, and I almost threw the file back at him, but when I thought about the money involved and how it would benefit little Sophie, I bit my lower lip to push back the anger. He continued. "Rule number one; don't you fall in love with me." His eyes flipped up to me. "Crystal clear," I said. "That would never happen." Ellen never had fun in college. One night she decided to have fun with her friends and slept with a handsome stranger who disappeared before she woke up. A month later, she found out she was pregnant and searched everywhere for him, but to no avail. Five years later, she moved to a new city and met the same man she never thought she would ever see again. He didn't remember anything about her, and he was now a cold, arrogant man who needed a wife, and she needed money. They agreed to contract marriage with strict rules, one of them being never to fall in love with each other. They were sure they wouldn't break the rule, but as sparks grew between them and became too much, they found themselves trying hard to keep to the rules. Who will break rule number one between them?

**Sometimes, you don't get to choose your own destiny.** Maya Anderson is the first werewolf in living memory born to human parents. Kicked out of her home when she was sixteen, she's been on the run for nearly five years, trying her best to avoid other werewolves as much as possible. That is, until she stumbles into Edric Payne's territory, the Alpha of one of the biggest packs in the country, Mountain Fire. At twenty-five, Edric still hasn't found his mate, and their pack's been without a Luna for more than a year. Without a Luna, his pack is in danger of dying off, but because The Moon Goddess promised him he'd find his mate after he becomes Alpha, he's less worried about it than his father, Joshua, the previous Alpha of Mountain Fire. When Edric captures Maya, and claims her as his mate, she has no idea what he's talking about. She knows nothing about being a werewolf. In fact, she hates everything about them and herself, and she doesn't plan on sticking around to become some kind of Luna for a bunch of bloodthirsty monsters. However, a series of bizarre events compel her to stay with the pack. The moment they meet, Maya and Edric's destinies become inextricably intertwined, and they quickly learn that everything they thought they knew about their lives have been a lie. **

Warning. This book will contain scenes of Violence , Betrayal, and intimate scenes between a woman with more than one male at a time. With that said, Welcome to the Black Alder Series. This book will be written in three parts surrounding the lives of Elena, Kayla, and Arabella. Three women victims by their circumstances. Each of them has a destiny to face and they are all entwined with eachother in one way or another. Each possess a special ability. With that ability, they will seek to change their fates and become strong leaders for their families. Enemies lurk around every corner, wanting to claim the women for their very own, but these women are not going down without a fight. Read on to see how this all unfolds. Be prepared, it's a tunnel of emotions your about to go through. See you on the other side. Part one, Luna Rising, will center around Elena. Part two, Broken Chains, will center around Kayla. Part three, Midnight Sky, will center around Arabella.

After being reborn, I decided to write my sister's name on the marriage application. This time, I would help Sebastian Holt achieve his wishes. In this lifetime, I took the lead—I let my sister wear the wedding dress first and put the engagement ring on her finger. I personally orchestrated every encounter between Sebastian and my sister. When he took her to the capital city, I headed to Southport University without a second thought. In my previous life, even when I was over 50 years old, he and our son still knelt before me, begging for a divorce. This time, I would fulfill his final romantic destiny with my sister. Living this second life, all I wanted was to spread my wings and soar high, free from love's entanglements.

"Why do you always look at me like that?" she whispered. "Because you're unlike anyone I've ever known," Damien replied, his voice low and husky, sending shivers down her spine. "Your presence is like a thorn in my side." Eira scoffed. “You're nothing but trouble, Damien. A brooding vampire with an ego the size of a castle. But you need me. Without me, you’ll be dead.” “I hate that," he admitted. She smirked. "Hate that you need me? So, what is it, Damien? A weakness you'd rather keep in the shadows?" Damien leaned in, his face dangerously close to hers, his gaze dropping to her lips. Eira's breath caught, her shock palpable. "I might need you, Eira, but I don’t want you," he said, his eyes betraying a desire he refused to acknowledge. "Remember that." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, her thoughts in turmoil and her lips tingling with the ghost of an almost-kiss. *** The Silverstone Pack is out for blood, determined to avenge their alpha's brutal murder. All eyes are on Damien, the prime suspect, who now lives in the shadows, focused on survival. His only goal is to stay one step ahead and keep himself well-fed. But everything changes when he encounters a girl who is mysteriously immune to his powers. In her, he finds a glimmer of hope he thought long lost. Eira, heartbroken from a recent breakup, unexpectedly crosses paths with Damien. Her confrontation with him quickly turns into a nightmare when she is taken captive. Damien, desperate and cornered, offers her a chilling deal: help him save himself, or face unimaginable suffering. With little choice, Eira agrees, setting off a chain of events that will forever change the course of her life.

Addie has been blessed with one of the five gifts from the moon goddess, however it doesn't seem like a blessing. It is a gift that follows a bloodline and only gets passed along when the one holding the gift dies. Left with no family and hunted for her gift, Addie has learned how to survive without a pack and without friends, packing up and moving on when someone gets too close. In a small town in Idaho, someone has figured out her secret and Addie is ready to go on the run again until she is given a choice, cooperate or watch her one friend die. Choosing the life of her friend, Addie becomes a prisoner, bred for her gift and her bloodline. Will she escape and find her true mate?

A life changing attack forces Talie to leave her pack to join one ruled by one of the most feared Alphas in the world. No one talks about Alpha Kaden. He is ruthless, as terrifying as thunder and he will not accept just anyone into his pack unless they pay the price he demands. Talie is willing to do what it takes, and then she finds out that he wants her as his price. Kaden may look like he was carved by the goddess herself, but Talie lives by her own rules and will not bow to his demands without a fight. However, fate may have other things in stall for them. Her goal is resisting him, and his is seducing her—but dark secrets lurk in every corner of their pasts, threatening to send them and the sparks they have flying crashing down.

The unknown Internet celebrity Kristen Healey became popular overnight. There were many anti-fans and rumors about her. "I heard that she has a backer who was powerful and wealthy. She seduced five young masters of the Oliver Family and did not even spare the master of the Oliver Family. She is such a whore." The Oliver family denied the rumors, "Sorry, She is our beloved Miss!" Everyone was shocked! "She"s so beautiful. I guess she"s just an empty vase, without any acting skills." Kristen said nothing and then she won the award for Best Actress to prove herself. However, the anti-fans still didn"t give up. "What"s so great about Her? Isn"t it because she shamelessly pestered Mr. Wharton every day?" That night, a reporter took photos of the distinguished president of the TNK Group taking a necklace worth 100 million dollars. He said humbly to the beautiful woman in the garage, "Kristen, come home with me." "I"m sorry, Mr. Wharton, but my fans are all saying that I"m pestering you. Please stay away from me." TNK Group official immediately announced, "Everyone, I am pursuing Miss Kristen. Please don"t spread rumors, or it will be more difficult to pursue Kristen."

"I, Alpha Harden, accept Caitlin Graham as my Luna. She is my true mate." When those words echoed， Elara turned numb. She suffered a double betrayal from her friend and devoted boyfriend, and her sick father was framed and thrown in prison. Still, she chooses not to succumb to the pressure of becoming the Alpha's mistress. Elara finally accepts his rejection and is sent out of the pack as a rogue without a wolf. To save herself and her father, Elara turns to Arthur, the Alpha of the Dawn pack and Harden finds her with him. When they meet again, Arthur teases Elara in front of Harden, "Do you still want me to make love to you, tonight?" Arthur asked, and she replied much to Harden's surprise, "Arthur, can we do it tomorrow night?" Seeing her curl up in another man's arms, a lone tears slip from his eyes. Harden felt nothing but regret for losing the only woman he ever loved. He wanted her to come back to him, he wanted to tell her how much he regretted his actions, and he was ready to give up everything, including his position as Alpha of the pack. Will Elara go back to him? Read to find out.

In a whirlwind of emotions and tangled relationships, Rita and Jaden's marriage began as a result of an unexpected bet. Jaden, deeply in love with his ex-girlfriend Percy, was willing to compromise on his dreams to be with her. However, Percy had other plans, wanting to explore her options and not settle down. Believing Jaden would eventually return to her, Percy allowed him to date other women, leading Jaden to choose Rita as his bride. Rita, long harboring feelings for Jaden, agreed to the marriage instantly. Percy, confident that Jaden would never truly move on, decided to break the bet and reclaim him for herself. Caught between his lingering love for Percy and his desire to spare Rita's feelings, Jaden made a difficult decision. He would remain married to Rita for a year, but if Percy still wanted him back after that time, he would divorce Rita. Rita, blinded by her deep affection for Jaden, accepted this arrangement. However, a year later, Rita's world shattered when she discovered she was pregnant. Jaden, without hesitation, presented her with a divorce agreement, leaving her heartbroken and questioning their entire relationship unknown to him that she was carrying his unborn child. Now, Rita must navigate the aftermath of a marriage born from a bet and find a way to move forward for the sake of herself and her unborn child. Will she be able to heal her broken heart and find a new beginning?