"Don't you dare take off the mask," my stepmother warned. I won't. Not when the man I've always loved believes I'm someone else. And I'm carrying his child. Elena Downs, the illegitimate Omega daughter of the Beta, has always been branded a bad omen. She was never meant to step foot in the Alpha's mansion, let alone marry him. But when her stepsister-Alpha Xavier's betrothe, vanishes on their wedding night, Elena is forced to take her place... behind a mask. Xavier loves Elena. He just doesn't know it's her. Her scent, masked by her sister's, pushes him away even as their bond pulls him closer. With every lie, every forbidden touch, and every heartbeat, Elena's secret grows, along with the life inside her. But when betrayal explodes into heartbreak and rejection, Elena disappears... Only to wake up in the arms of Alpha Logan, a rival leader with soft eyes, gentle hands, and no questions. But her past isn't done with her yet. Torn between two Alphas, hunted by secrets, and a love she never stopped feeling... Elena must decide: Will she return to the one that shattered her heart ?. Or choose the one who helped her heal?.
**Elena**
"How dare you try to seduce your sister's husband?!". She said as her palm landed hard on my cheeks. My face snapped to the side. I didn't flinch. I'd learned not to.
"I'm... sorry" I managed to say. 'I was only trying to look out for Helena". I continued.
"Oh, spare me that nonsense. You're nothing but a substitute, Elena, and you better get that straight into your head." She fired back at me.
This wasn't the first time I was hearing those words from my stepmother's lips. I had to pay the price for being bad luck and not protecting my sister enough that she had to run away.
"I promise, I'll not go near his room again"..I said, trying to hold back the tears.
For peace to reign and for my father's sake I had to put on this mask and hide the fact that I was in love with Xavier, my sister's betrothed husband and the father of my unborn pup.
"Now get dressed and spray this on your body, it has your sister's scent all over. And the Alpha wouldn't be able to tell the difference." She said her voice stern and cold.
"Yes, Mother".I responded..
I am Elena Downs, the most unlucky Omega and illegitimate daughter of our Pack's Beta.
One thing that kept me going was the striking resemblance to Helena Downs, My father's legitimate daughter- Or should I say, I was able to imitate every single expression, irritation as well as any body movement of hers.
Besides, it was the only way I could get my mother's attention which I'd always wanted.
Unfortunately, it only made the comparison even worse. I wore contact lenses to match Helena's brown eyes. Mine were hazel, Something my father once said made me prettier. But it got my stepmother even more angry.
And I don't know if that compliment made me feel good or not. But deep down I needed that assurance that I was still noticeable.
For some reason, I didn't mind being the side piece in the family as long as Xavier looked at me in ways that drove me crazy.
I'd never thought I'd want the very thing that was meant for Helena, but he loved me. He chose me over her and it fucking hurt me every single time they talked about the arranged marriage.
And thinking about it. I'm glad Helena vanished and I don't mind hiding behind this mask to be closer to him.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!".. Mother screamed as she watched the glass bottle shatter.
"I'm sorry, Mother,." I said almost immediately, going on my knees to pick up the pieces.
"Liar". I whispered to myself trying to hide the smile that brimmed across my face
I had done it on purpose. I wasn't going to spray this goddamn lotion tonight; I want the whole room to be filled with my scent.
I wanted Xavier to breathe me in. Only me.
"You good for nothing, imbecile. Can't you ever get anything right?. You always look for ways to piss me off. She yelled, yanking my hair.
"Argh.." I winced. "I'm sorry, Mother, please, it hurts."
"You better shut the fuck up and not attract any attention". She grabbed a piece and made its direction to my neck.
"Don't you dare try to act smart with me, Elena; if not, you'll wish you were dead instead." She said, staring intently at me.
I could see the hatred in her eyes, but why she hated me so much was something that bothered me.
"Yes.. Yes, ma". I responded. "Please, can you let me go now? It's hurting".
"Now, use this carefully. You better not mess it up-it's the last bottle I have. Don't ruin it! I'll have someone prepare more for next week," she said as she pressed the bottle into my arms.
I kept my head low, hiding the smirk behind my lips. Tonight would be different. Tonight, he'd notice me."
A few minutes later, I stood at the gallery entrance, adjusting the designer purple slit dress, and pressed the mask against my face to keep my identity hidden as I made my way to the gallery for the ceremony.
Today was the day Alpha Xavier would declare me his Luna in front of the entire pack, specifically the council. Afterward, we would have the midnight mate mark ceremony.
He had disappeared for three months after our wedding day, only returning now to conclude the remaining rites.
"Oh, how much we've missed him, Elena," Lira said.
"Quiet down," I mumbled to my wolf, trying to hide my blush as I stared at him.
Xavier didn't even bother to look up at me as I walked in.
"Does he not even notice us? Go sit next to him," Lira whispered again.
"Nope. I'm not going to do that. The last warning I got was enough for me."
"Erm... You look stunning in that dress," he said from behind me.
I knew exactly who it was and I had been trying my best to avoid any conversation with him.
"Thank you," I managed to reply.
Helena... you've been avoiding me," Nick said, his voice low as he brushed against my arm. "I've texted. Called. Nothing. Is this really how it ends?"
"What are you doing, Nick?" I asked, surprised.
His brows furrowed. "You're not acting like yourself, Helena. Your voice... your eyes..."
My stomach twisted. Did he notice the lens? No..he couldn't.
"You've changed," he said, stepping closer.
Nick was a problem I had to deal with-my sister's lover and my best friend, who was now all over me. Well, I can't blame him; he's been deceived, too.
"We agreed we would talk to your mom, babe. Why go through with it if you're just going to hide your face? For crying out loud, Helena, why did you choose him over me?" he said as he pulled me into a corner.
"Nick, I'm sorry, but there was nothing I could do..or we could do. And you, of all people, know that. Please forget whatever we had. It was just a stupid fling and it's all in the past," I said as I tried to leave.
"A stupid fling?" he repeated, pulling me back.
"Yes," I responded. "And now can you please stop this? I'm married now."
"I'm sorry, Nick, but I have to behave this way to get you off my back," I mumbled to myself.
I yanked his arms away and made my way back.
Everyone's attention seemed to be focused on the podium, and I tilted my head to search for his face. My height wasn't helping much.
"Thank you all for coming," Xavier began, diving straight into business. It seemed he couldn't wait to get started..
"As we all know, we're here for the Luna coronation-my Luna coronation. I really don't want to stall anything." He said.
As he continued his speech, I made my way to stand on the podium as well, camera lights flickering around us.
My stepmother gestured for me to move even closer to him, and I felt my heart racing.
Alpha Xavier then turned his gaze towards my direction for the first time in a while.
"I do not accept this mate bond or the coronation," he said, glaring at me.
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"
Once upon a time, there were two kingdoms once at peace. The kingdom of Salem and the kingdom of Mombana... Until the day, the king of Mombana passed away and a new monarch took over, Prince Cone. Prince Cone, has always been hungry for more power and more and more. After his coronation, he attacked Salem. The attack was so unexpected, Salem never prepared for it. They were caught off guard. The king and Queen was killed, the prince was taken into slavery. The people of Salem that survived the war was enslaved, their land taken from them. Their women were made sex slaves. They lost everything, including their land. Evil befall the land of Salem in form of Prince Cone, and the prince of Salem in his slavery was filled with so much rage. The prince of Salem, Prince Lucien swore revenge. 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳 Ten years later, thirty-years old Lucien and his people raided a coup and escaped slavery. They went into hiding and recuperated. They trained day and night under the leadership of the fearless and cold Lucien who was driven with everything in him to get back their land, and take Mombana land too. It took them five years before they ambushed and attacked Mombana. They killed Prince Cone and reclaimed everything. As they screamed out their victory, Lucien's eyes found and pinned the proud princess of Mombana. Princess Danika. The daughter of Prince Cone. As Lucien stared at her with the coldest eyes anyone can ever possess, he felt victory for the first time. He walked to the princess with the slave collar he'd won for ten years rattling in his hand as he walked. He reached close to her and with a swift movement, he collared her neck. Then, he tilted her chin up, staring into the bluest eyes and the most beautiful face ever created, he gave her a cold smile. "You are my acquisition. My slave. My sex slave. My property. I will pay you in spades, everything you and your father ever did to me and my people." He stated curtly. Pure hatred, coldness and victory was the only emotion on his face. .
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.
"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?
The dream of everyone with regards to marriage is to be able to find that special someone and settle down with them. Even arranged marriages grant you an opportunity to meet your partner briefly before the wedding. How will you feel about waking up in the morning with someone sleeping next to you who is not just anyone but your legally married partner yet with no memory of how that had happened in just a few hours of going out the previous day? This is the story of Jason Haward and Julia Harrison, two strangers trapped in a marriage they never planned. The quest to find out why led to the unfolding of a mystery which made them realize they are both living a lie. To find out more, read this amazing story of love, betrayal, revenge and murder.
After being kicked out of her home, Harlee learned she wasn't the biological daughter of her family. Rumors had it that her impoverished biological family favored sons and planned to profit from her return. Unexpectedly, her real father was a zillionaire, catapulting her into immense wealth and making her the most cherished member of the family. While they anticipated her disgrace, Harlee secretly held design patents worth billions. Celebrated for her brilliance, she was invited to mentor in a national astronomy group, drew interest from wealthy suitors, and caught the eye of a mysterious figure, ascending to legendary status.