In the kingdom of Aeryndor, Princess Liora, a brave and independent young woman, crosses paths with a mysterious and cunning gumiho named Taejin. Initially at odds, their fiery encounters evolve into an unexpected romance as they uncover secrets that bind their fates.
In the kingdom of Aeryndor. The streets are lively with merchants, peasants, and nobles going about their day. But inside the grand castle, a somber mood lingers. King Eldrin, ailing from a mysterious illness, lies in bed as healers struggle to find a cure.
Princess Liora, his only daughter, bursts into the chamber. Her determined expression hides her fear.
"Father," she says, taking his hand, "I will find the cure. You must hold on."
The court healer approaches.
"Your Highness, the only remedy is the moonflower, a rare plant that grows deep in the Eldermist Forest. But the forest is cursed-no one who ventures in returns."
Liora's resolve hardens.
"Then I'll be the first."
----
With her trusted horse and a small satchel of supplies, Liora rides to the edge of the Eldermist Forest. As she dismounts, the atmosphere shifts-the air is heavy, the trees dark and foreboding. She tightens her grip on her sword, muttering to herself,
"You can do this."
As she ventures deeper, eerie sounds fill the air-whispers, rustling leaves, and the distant howl of a fox. Suddenly, she hears a low growl behind her. Turning, she sees a man with piercing amber eyes leaning casually against a tree.
"You're brave, little princess," he says, his voice smooth and teasing. "Or foolish."
Liora draws her sword.
"Who are you? Show yourself!"
The man smirks. In a flash, he transforms into a massive fox with nine shimmering tails. Liora's eyes widen, but she doesn't back down.
"A gumiho," she whispers. "Stay back!"
Taejin, the gumiho, chuckles and shifts back into his human form.
"This is my forest, human. Trespassers aren't welcome."
"I'm not leaving without the moonflower," Liora snaps.
"Well then," Taejin replies, a mischievous grin spreading across his face, "you'll have to go through me."
---
Taejin lunges, and Liora barely deflects his attack. Despite his playful demeanor, his strength is overwhelming. Liora fights back fiercely, her skill surprising him. The two trade blows-Taejin using his supernatural agility and tails, while Liora relies on her wits and training.
"You're persistent, I'll give you that," Taejin says, dodging a swing of her sword. "But you're out of your depth."
"I've faced worse than you," Liora retorts, slashing at him again.
Finally, Taejin knocks the sword from her hand and pins her against a tree with one of his tails. For a moment, they're inches apart, their eyes locked.
"You're not like the others," Taejin murmurs, intrigued. "Most humans run screaming by now."
Liora glares at him.
"And you're not as terrifying as the stories claim."
Taejin laughs, releasing her.
"I'll let you go this time, princess. But if you return, I won't be so kind."
As he disappears into the shadows, Liora retrieves her sword, her heart racing.
"We'll see about that," she mutters, determination burning brighter than ever.
---
Back at the castle, Liora studies a map of the forest. Her hand hovers over the location of the moonflower.
"I'm not giving up," she says to herself. "No matter what."
Meanwhile, Taejin watches her from a distance, perched on a tree branch just outside the castle walls. A sly smile plays on his lips.
"This is going to be interesting."
---
Zara and Tyler-Gen Z's golden couple-were living the dream: wealth, passion, and a marriage that looked perfect from the outside. But behind the luxury was suspicion, betrayal, and heartbreak. When secrets explode and love is tested, their shocking divorce becomes the headline of the year. Will healing draw them back together-or is the end truly the end?
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
Allison fell in love with Ethan Iversen, the soon-to-be Alpha of the Moonlight Crown pack. She always wanted him to notice her. Meanwhile, Ethan was an arrogant Alpha who thought a weak Omega could not be his companion. Ethan's cousin, Ryan Iversen, who came back from abroad and was the actual heir of the pack, never tried to get the position nor did he show any interest in it. He was a popular playboy Alpha but when he came back to the pack, one thing captured his eyes and that was Allison.
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
It was a big day for Camilla. She looked forward to marrying her handsome groom. Unfortunately, he abandoned her at the altar. He never showed up throughout the wedding. She was made a laughingstock in front of all the guests. In a fit of rage, she went and slept with a strange man on her wedding night. It was supposed to be a one-night stand. To her dismay, the man refused to let her be. He pestered her like she had stolen his heart on that night. Camilla didn't know what to do. Should she give him a chance? Or just stay away from men?
Lyric had spent her life being hated. Bullied for her scarred face and hated by everyone-including her own mate-she was always told she was ugly. Her mate only kept her around to gain territory, and the moment he got what he wanted, he rejected her, leaving her broken and alone. Then, she met him. The first man to call her beautiful. The first man to show her what it felt like to be loved. It was only one night, but it changed everything. For Lyric, he was a saint, a savior. For him, she was the only woman that had ever made him cum in bed-a problem he had been battling for years. Lyric thought her life would finally be different, but like everyone else in her life, he lied. And when she found out who he really was, she realized he wasn't just dangerous-he was the kind of man you don't escape from. Lyric wanted to run. She wanted freedom. But she desired to navigate her way and take back her respect, to rise above the ashes. Eventually, she was forced into a dark world she didn't wish to get involved with.
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"