"Privacy is only temporary between you and me." *** At four years old, Sophia was spared the fate that befell the rest of her family. The daughter of the beta to a pack that had fallen, she should have been killed. Being within five years of age to the Heir Alpha for the conquering pack, she was allowed to live with the understanding that when the time came, she would provide the next generation of Alpha to him. The rules are clear on how to treat breeders, but Alpha Dominic never wanted just a breeder. The more freedom he gives Sophia, the greater the risk to her well-being. Without freedom, would she ever be able to choose him? And without a choice, could she ever love him? Neither are comfortable with the traditional expectations of their roles, but are they better off deviating from the norm? When given the chance, would she surrender her duty to Alpha Dominic to become a full-fledged mate to someone else? Word count: 80,000

"The Caregiver and the Mob Boss" ❦ Avelina makes her money by taking care of those who can't take care of themselves. When she is handed a case about a man who had needed a personal caregiver, she accepts. One thing Avelina never anticipated was the dangerous lifestyle he lived. Not only that, but she didn't expect for him to be so incredibly good-looking. Adrik Zolotov, the Russian mobster that everyone called "Mad Hatter". His insanity and crave for blood left him the most feared man of all. All he wanted was power and those around him to fear him. For a man recently diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, everyone believed him to be emotionally incapable of ever loving anyone. . . Imagine their surprise when he meets Avelina. ❦ "Mr. Zolotov, I have to make sure you bathe before I leave. It's apart of my jobs protocol," she said softly. The truth was that he made her feel nervous. There was so much coldness and evil in his eyes, it left a chill to run down her spine. "Fine," he stated before walking over to his bathtub. Her eyes followed his movements as he pulled off his shirt causing her to lick her lips and quickly look away. She could hear the sound of more clothes falling onto the ground until the sound of water running littered her eardrums. "You assist when asked, isn't that right?" He asked. Slowly, she opened her eyes to see that he had already gotten into the shower. "Yes," Avelina answered. "Bathe me." ❦ Dangerously far from cliché