He was sent to learn from the king. He ended up unraveling him. Slowburn, longing, and the kind of tension that leaves scars. ✦•···················•✦•···················•✦ King Cassian rules Montverne with quiet grace and unshakable control. He speaks softly, moves precisely - a presence shaped and scarred by a tragedy. When Nikandros, crown prince of Dioneth, is sent to observe him and learn by example, it seems like nothing more than a political courtesy. But Nikandros is defiant by nature - reckless, sharp-tongued, and far too charming for his own good. He tests the rules, the patience of the court, and the composure of the king. But when Nikandros glimpses Cassian in a moment of raw vulnerability, something shifts. The distant figure the Prince imagined becomes achingly real - and far harder to resist. Between lessons, intrigue, and unspoken desire, both will come to realise that true learning goes far beyond what can be taught within the castle walls. After all, some lessons are learned through experience - and others through the heart. Date of publication: 04/03 - #1rst - Heartfelt (04/29) 🥇 ✦•···················•✦•···················•✦ 🥀This story was inspired by Laurent and Damianos (Captive Prince). Any resemblance is not a mere coincidence. 🥀 ‼️WARNING‼️: This story does not explore controversial themes as found in the book; however, it is intended for a mature audience. It features explicit sexual content, strong language, violence, manipulation, torture.

♱ WHEN LOVE REFUSES TO STAY DEAD ♱ Felix Harper, an indie filmmaker with his career on the rise, has always processed grief through horror. His new project is no different: an intimate retelling of Dracula meant to exorcise feelings he'd prefer to see dead and buried. But in his search for the perfect lead actor, the person he's least expected to see again walks into the audition room. Raphael Montrose is Felix's ex-best friend, the person who once knew him better than anyone. The person he hasn't spoken to in years, not since Felix sacrificed their friendship in a desperate attempt to protect what he loved. The person who still makes Felix's heart beat in his throat. Casting him would go against any sort of common sense. But when it comes to Raphael, Felix has never had any. As the two navigate filming a potential cult classic and rebuilding the fragile trust between them, old feelings resurface and the lines between past and present, performance and reality begin to blur. But when the ghosts of their past return to haunt, will they be able to face them, or will they be forced to bury their feelings for good? For readers who enjoyed If We Were Villains, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, a gothic second chance/friends-to-lovers romance spanning years of yearning, tenderness, betrayal and artistic obsession. ♱ cover by the amazing @raizelrose3

Nolan Reyes has the perfect image: varsity captain, social media star, always smiling. But underneath the jerseys and highlight reels, his anxiety claws at everything - especially his own reflection. Wyatt Ford doesn't care about high school fame. He's got books to read, muscles to build, and grief tucked away where no one can reach it. That is, until he stumbles across Nolan mid-panic, and everything changes. One touch. One breath. One chance at being seen. From hidden panic attacks to quiet late nights in someone else's sweatshirt, Nolan and Wyatt begin to rewrite what it means to be safe - and what it takes to finally come home to yourself.

Hadley Elliot's life is not where he expected it to be at seventeen. He feels like his friends no longer understand him, his parents' apathy is getting harder to ignore and his girlfriend, Elodie, just left him for their more popular classmate, Spencer. As Hadley finds himself becoming more and more detached from the people around him, an incident at school lands him in trouble and leaves him in Spencer's bad books. But as he tries to heal from his first heartbreak and find some deeper connection to a world that seems to be moving without him, Hadley decides to find love in the little things and, in the process, begins to form a bond he didn't expect with the boy who stole his girlfriend.

Riley, a young omega trying to free himself from an abusive family, joins the military to fight criminal alphas who are enslaving his kind, but he finds much more than just his freedom: his new family. *** Riley Steele, a skilled omega soldier, is ready to do whatever it takes to get accepted into Special Operations Unit set to fight domestic terrorists: alphas who are trying to bring back times when omegas were considered broodmares and slaves. This unit hasn't accepted omegas in years, and the people standing in his way are not shy to take advantage of his determination. What choice does he have? He's safe from his abusive family if he stays in the army, but the infantry is infested with alphas who see him as nothing but a toy, so he must grow stronger to protect himself. The path forward brings him more abuse by alphas who hate to see a strong, skilled omega in the army, but it's too late to turn back now after everything he's already endured to get there. His wish finally comes true, and is allowed to join the unit with a promise his life will be hell, and the people he should be afraid of are not the terrorists... No... It's his allies he can't trust. Pushed to his breaking point, Riley joins Tactical Team 07, a team of ten alphas, fearing he's made the biggest mistake of his life. But perhaps these alphas are different. Perhaps his new captain is as kind and caring as he seems. Perhaps his new partner doesn't actually hate his guts like he pretends. And perhaps he has found his new family, his brothers, and with them, he might even learn he no longer wants to fight just to protect himself, but to protect his country and the freedom of all omegas. Trigger Warnings: Violence, Blood, Death, Implied Rape Welcome to Shaded Universe, where domestic terrorism is a big issue; where the good guys are not always good, and the bad guys aren't always bad; where men are cute and cuddly, and where "good boy" and "baby boy" are common phrases even between friends.

College. For Ben's lifelong friend Sarah, it's the gateway to adulthood - a place for him to study, find a decent career, and maybe even a cute girlfriend. It's the beginning of their successful lives together, something they've been planning since before middle school. For Ben, it means finally getting to wave goodbye to his tyrannical father and live his own life. It's definitely NOT the place to get lonely, get drunk, and have sex with his infuriatingly hot roommate. Featured on WP's NA reads of the month September 2020