They were crushed to serve, protect, and aid people with the powers that were burned deep within their DNA. But some fires refuse to be extinguished. Two-Sixty-Eight is one of many male Artificial Humans - experiments grown in secret underneath the towering LGA Hospital. An ironic disguise. Though they are born with the bodies of teenagers, inside they are still children - innocent minds wrapped in weapons of flesh. But innocence is a liability and their creators waste no time crushing it. From the moment they open their eyes, the torment begins. Merciless training. Punishment disguised as progress. Commands barked by Suited and Armed men who demand perfection. Obey or bleed. There was no other option. But one man dares to care. Two-Sixty's caretaker, Joseph Collins, goes against protocol and whispers forbidden truths - trying to keep the human part of him alive. On the other side of the laboratory, the female AHs are spared no more mercy. Designed not for combat, but for something colder. Surrogacy. But behind locked doors, a flicker of resistance grows within Two-Sixty's heart. He gathers a handful of trusted AHs and begins to question, to hope, to dream of The Outside - a forbidden place, that if uttered, could result in Capital Punishment. And no one ever came back from that. They've endured the crushing long enough. It's foolish to yank a dog's ear too many times. Eventually, they will draw blood. Backed into a corner, the AHs bet everything on a dream never tasted: escape. But will they succeed or will the price of freedom be paid in blood? It only takes a spark to start a fire. And this spark is about to ignite hell.

"I want you." With a touch as light as a feather, Cillian hooked a thick finger under her chin to get a better look at her face. "Look at me." Slowly, her eyes cracked open, but she didn't dare meet his eyes. His grip tightened ever so slightly, a warning. Her breath caught in her throat when she looked at him- I mean, really looked at him. His golden eyes were as direct, not even blinking as much as the average person. They glistened in the moonlight that peeked through the blinds, bringing an inhuman shine to them. A satisfied smile stretched across his lips until his prominent canines made an appearance. A finger tugged on the collar of her shirt and dragged it down- just enough to reveal the mark that was imprinted forever on her delicate neck. "Do remember what this means?" It was this speech, this deep, heavy voice of his that immediately set him apart from everyone else. No longer able to hold his gaze, her eyes fell and she shook her head. His hand caught somewhere behind her neck and base of her jaw to tilt her head back so her eyes met his. "I think you do." He persisted. His other hand came up to lightly brush the hair back away from her face. "What are we, hmm?" His fingers trailed down the curves of her body until they settled on her hips to gently tug her closer, pulling a sharp inhale from her. With their bodies pressed together, hearts racing in sync, and butterflies fluttering in both of their stomachs, she peeked up at him once more. A shudder shot down her spine as he leaned in to nuzzle her neck, his hot breath fanning against the mark. "C'mon, say it." He breathily taunted. With a shaky breath, she whispered, "we're mates." - ranks - #1 new story #1 wolf # 2 alpha

A thirty-seven-year-old woman who never breaks the rules finds herself facing unexpected consequences after a one night stand with a younger man. * * * ☆ FEATURED ON @WattpadStars reading list (stars did NaNo), @Romance (Romance spotlight: Featured stories), @AmbassadorsNG reading list, @Wattpad reading lists (escape through stories) (strong female leads), @WattpadExplorer reading lists (#CelebrateBlackStories), (Black girl magic) (April, Editor's pick) and @ContemporaryLit reading lists (Hot picks) (contemporary romance) (celebrate women's history month)☆ Genevieve Ukaji is a successful banker still single at thirty-seven-years-old. Her mother continues to remind her to find a husband. Her colleagues gossip about her behind her back, and to make matters worse, she wakes up one morning in a stranger's bed. Regardless, she decided to push the experience to the back of her mind until the stranger unexpectedly walks into her parents' home, and she realises the big age difference between them. Genevieve is too ashamed and embarrassed of herself. She wants nothing to do with him, but it's not the same for the cute stranger. He tries his hardest to bring her out of her shell. Amidst all this, Genevieve finds out she's expecting. For the first time in her life, she would have to decide if this glimmer of happiness is enough to face the fear of what others might say about her. THIS WAS A NaNoWriMo2020 PROJECT. THIS BOOK IS COMPLETE Started: 06/11/20 Completed: 29/11/20 Edited with the help of @SabaUmmeSalma

Please note that as of the 7th of October 2023, this book will become a sample of 7 chapters. "The way you are getting worked up over this . . ." he murmured, his voice low and gaze intense, "is making me think thoughts that I should not be thinking." *** When a man with a dark past and wounded visage to match arrives in the small town of Glendale, it sets the once peaceful place on edge. No one knows how he came to look like he did, and no one dares to get close to find out. All except for one widow, who will discover that their lives are more entwined than either of them ever thought possible.