Soren - a werewolf cast out by his family for being unable to shift into full-wolf form - arrives in the lower ward of Grey Crag territory with the woman he loves. He is determined to work hard, save enough money to give her a good life, and one day propose. To complete the fated bond. Then, one day, he discovers her secret. She has been unfaithful. Blind with rage, he sets out to confront the man who ruined everything. Only to find out the man is... Aldric is the supreme ruler of Grey Crag. The Alpha above all. His eyes should be pale gold. But when he looks at Soren, they gleam a gemstone dark green. "Has anyone ever told you... you smell sweet." Soren is stunned. He can barely believe his ears. Is this man mocking him? "You - mmph!" His instincts flare with danger. He tries to step back, but a searing pain already tears through his abdomen. As consciousness drains away, a voice reaches him through the dark. My target was never anyone else. It was always you.

A major ordeal has struck someone like me, a socially inept person who finds everything in life bothersome. Thanks to my average looks, I had been coasting through life effortlessly, but suddenly, I found myself the center of unwanted attention. And, as expected, I've somehow become Baek Eun-Seong, an extra whose sole joy is tormenting the main characters before ultimately meeting their downfall. Apparently, I've been kidnapped by the male protagonist, Cha Gil-Do... "Can I take a nap now?" "Are you out of your mind? Do you still not understand the situation?" "...Yes." I might be slow to grasp things, but hey, what's life, anyway? I'm just an extra, so I figure staying quiet will do the trick. I just want to be left alone to rest, but why are you keeping me locked up instead of dealing with the heroine?

SAMPLE -- TO BE PUBLISHED AS EBOOK AND PAPERBACK IN 2026 His orders were simple: interrogate the Demon prince and then kill him. He can't afford to pity the Demon--much less fall for him. *** Fourteen years ago, the Demons conquered the world, decimating the Guardian order and enslaving humanity. Now, the last Guardians live underground, quietly rebuilding and waiting for a chance to strike back. Remgar, a noble Guardian hardened by loss, is honored with a mission of vengeance: interrogate the High Demon Prince and break him. It seems like a dream come true-until he meets the prisoner. Isalio, the younger brother of the Demon High Prince, is sarcastic, disarmingly sweet, and far too human. As forbidden feelings percolate between interrogator and captive, Remgar is forced to confront a truth more terrifying than any Demon: he doesn't want to break Isalio. He wants to save him. Torn between the oath he swore and the heart he never meant to offer, Remgar must decide what kind of Guardian he truly is. Because in a world where evil reigns and love is a death sentence, choosing wrong could doom them both. |2024 Wattys Shortlist|