Chapter 2 The Line I Wanted to Cross

A lie was supposed to be her weapon. But lies can cut both ways. Aliyah Santiago enters the Marino world with one mission uncover the truth behind her fiancé's death and make his killers bleed. Disguised as a Mafia princess, she plays the part flawlessly: poised, untouchable, dangerous. Every step she takes draws her closer to Brown Marino, the family's heir...and deeper into a labyrinth of obsession, betrayal, and power. But one man threatens to unravel it all. Ottavio, the Marinos' ruthless enforcer, watches her too closely. His suspicions slice through her disguise, his loyalty to Brown makes him untouchable, and yet when his hands brush hers, when his voice drops to a murmur against her ear Aliyah feels a fire she cannot control. "You think you can lie to me, princess?" "I've lied to everyone." "Not to me." Every stolen glance, every secret touch, every dangerous word exchanged pushes her closer to the edge. To fall for him would be reckless. To trust him could be fatal. But in a world where silence can kill and love is just another weapon, Aliyah must decide: is Ottavio the enemy who will expose her or the only man who can save her from herself? Deception. Desire. Danger. The game has begun, and in this game of Mafia thrones, hearts burn as fiercely as empires fall.

Twenty-year-old Alina Taylor was born under a cursed moon, shunned by her pack, and treated like a burden all her life. But when a violent power awakens inside her, the truth begins to unravel, she's no ordinary wolf. She's Moonborn, a child of prophecy destined to either heal the realm or burn it down. When her guardian strikes a deal to marry her off to a notorious brute, Alina runs right into the path of Lucan, the cold and powerful King of Werewolves. He's dangerous and feared, he has been haunted by visions of a girl who keeps saving his life in dreams he can't explain. Their worlds collide at the Moonrite Festival, and everything changes. As war brews and old enemies rise, Alina must choose who to trust, what to believe, and whether the fire inside her will be the realm's salvation or its ruin. In a world ruled by wolves, love might be the most dangerous thing of all.

He bought her womb. He never expected to lose his heart. Athena was sold like an animal to a ruthless Alpha who wanted an heir-not a wife. Marked as his breeder, she was his to touch, to hold, and to use. Athena suffered in silence, hiding the truth that she was his fated mate, hoping he would one day love her. But when she could no longer endure the pain, Athena fled-taking with her the one thing Alpha Raphael truly wanted: his child. And she vowed to make him pay for treating her as nothing more than a slave. Can the man who once shared her bed and haunted her dreams win her back?Or will Athena fall for the new Alpha who offers her something she never had-freedom and love?

"You are paid to protect me, not touch me," Aria snapped, backing into the velvet wall of the limousine. Aria Kingsley had been kissed before. But never like this. Not against the cold wall of her father's mansion. Not by the one man sworn to guard her body, not steal it. Aria has been raised like a jewel in a glass box-perfect, untouchable, and suffocated by her father's power. When a threat against her life surfaces, Damon Cross, a brooding ex-special forces soldier with scars he doesn't talk about, is hired as her personal bodyguard. Aria hates his rules. Damon hates her defiance. But the more they clash, the hotter the tension burns. Every stolen glance, every forbidden touch threatens to destroy the walls between them. Yet Damon's past is as dangerous as Aria's future. Enemies close in, secrets unravel, and passion becomes a risk neither can afford. In a world where loyalty can be bought and betrayal is inevitable, one question remains- Can Aria survive falling in love with the one man she was never meant to have? This story layers romance, betrayal, forbidden sex, family secrets, dangerous enemies, and shocking twists.

ALPHA XANDER Her moans grew louder and intense, her heart beating fast as his words made her jelly and wet in-between her V-spot. "I claim you, Elise, as my Luna and my mate. You are mine, and I will protect you with my life. No one will ever hurt you again." ALPHA DRAKE His tongue found her slender neck, marking every spot with kisses as she moaned, reluctantly." Be my mate, little devil. I will never let you escape me. You're the key to my power, and I'll stop at nothing to claim you as my own. I will mark you. Claim you and put my heir inside you." ** Mated To One, Pampered by Two Alphas Elise never expected to be entangled with the man who murdered her clan when she was just two years old while being mated to another that loved her so much. Sixteen years ago, her mother's love saved her and the words she always hears in her dreams gave her sleepless nights. Sixteen years later, she was a wolfless girl anxiously awaiting her mate. Rejected by her boyfriend, fate has other plans for her when she met him. Alpha Xander, the second chance mate who claimed her as his own. But the past refused to stay buried. The prophecy and the monster that haunts Elise's family returned, threatening to destroy everything. Including her mate. "You're the cursed savior, Elise. Your destiny is intertwined with theirs, for better or worse. The balance of power shifts, and the fate of our world hangs in the balance." But the lurking prophecy was only the beginning. The true enemy lurks in the shadows. Would Elise find out the true enemy? Dive into this epic tale of werewolves, magic, and second chances, where the lines between love and destiny blurs.

Growing up in poverty, Sunny never expected anything good from life. However, even he did not anticipate being chosen by the Nightmare Spell and becoming one of the Awakened - an elite group of people gifted with supernatural powers.