When the Eclipse Pack approaches him with an offer, Alpha Theo Stormblade doesn't ask why. He only asks one thing: "How much do they want?" Theo-once the Kingdom's most beloved, extroverted leader-has spent the last five years carved into stone. Cold. Detached. Unreachable. Since the death of his mate, the legendary Alpha has refused every attempt to push him toward a new bond. But when the elders insist he must produce an heir, Theo agrees to only one thing: A contract. A surrogate. Nothing more. Millie Rose has spent her entire life being overlooked. An orphan. A servant. A maid in one of the poorest packs in the Kingdom. Her parents were once powerful warriors, but Millie's future has been reduced to scrubbing floors, obeying orders, and surviving on scraps of respect. Until her pack sells her. When the Eclipse Pack hears the Stormblade Alpha is seeking a woman capable of bearing a strong heir, they offer Millie-quiet, obedient Millie-in exchange for desperately needed money. She meets every requirement on paper. Except one: She has no idea how dangerous Theo truly is. Brought to the Stormblade Kingdom under the terms of a cold-blooded agreement, Millie expects chains of duty. Theo expects silence and submission. But the moment their eyes meet, something ancient stirs-something neither of them agreed to, and something Theo refuses to acknowledge. He wants an heir. He does not want a heart. Millie wants freedom. She does not want to fall for the wolf who bought her. But fate has plans neither contract can contain. When secrets rise, desire ignites, and old wounds begin to bleed, one question remains: Will Millie become nothing more than the mother of his heir... or the Luna who heals a broken Alpha?

When no good deed goes unpunished... Created by the Moon Goddess to protect her wolves from predators and those in power, the magical Mahani wolves should live idyllic lives, but the reality is cruel. In return for this help, the werewolves and humans hunt, torture, and kill the Mahani. However, nothing can stop these wolves from helping those who need them. So what happens when the tribe protecting Europe realizes the Moon Goddess has several of their fates intertwined within a wolf pack? Will the abuse override the matebond? ------ *Sneak peek* I fought for control, as my wolf wouldn't let up. After a few minutes, my head hurt as bad as my heart. I slid down to my knees just as the most horrible pain hit me. My scream and my wolf's howl came out of my mouth simultaneously. I knew what was happening as I had lived through this nightmare already. He was losing his innocence without his consent. The tears streamed down my face as I yelled my anguish. My fellow pack members surrounded me, and someone was holding me as I sobbed my torment, but I don't know who. My wolf was no longer fighting for control, just releasing her own loud cries. I would never wish this on my worst enemy, and it was happening to my mate. Just as I thought I couldn't handle more, my heart skipped a beat, a pain I never wanted to feel again, as my entire body shut down. That monster just marked my mate. ----- This story is a paranormal/fantasy dark drama. The front-end materials provide a complete content warning since the chapters lack trigger markers. Stay safe in what you read. Because this is a new werewolf world, the front-end material also contains The Mahani World Guide, so you can get a feel for the ranks and powers before diving in. It is not a necessary read, but it's there if you need it. Started writing July 2023 Started posting Oct 2023 Completed posting Dec 2023 #1 in Werewolf - Jan 2024

Re-posting. The common story is that finding a mate is supposed to make the wolf stronger. For an alpha, finding his mate, blessed by the moon goddess, strengthens the pack. But there can be such darkness hidden in that dynamic. Even those of cruel hearts can seek the power of a mate. And the damage they cause might not ever be healed. ***** Prologue: Drip. Drip. Drip. The rhythm or the water would have been soothing if it hadn't been so cruel. Drip. As it was, it was nothing more than a taunting form of torture. Drip. Ears could hear the soft thudding of raindrops at the end of the hall as a door was pulled open in squeaking protests and then shut with a harsh metallic clang. How the rain made its way into the depths of the cement room, it didn't matter. It was there. Drip. Step. Drip. Step. The footsteps were strong and full of purpose. Though just as unwanted as the drops of water that fell too far out of reach. Unable to quench the dehydrated desperation chained to the wall. Drip. Step. Drip. Step. Only one set of footsteps. There was no question of the destination or purpose that carried them down the hall. Not that it was a surprise. It was always the same. First the pain, then the visit. The cell door opened to darkness. There was no energy to move, not even enough to will eyelids to open. Not that it mattered. The visit never changed. What more could be said? What more could be done? All that mattered was that stale, barely edible food was only given after he was done. Only then, could there be any comfort from hell. ***** WARNING- This story does delve into topics of kidnapping, imprisonment, rape, murder, and violence. Though the scenes are not explicitly detailed, underage readers are discouraged. Also note that I do not own the rights to any photos I have or might post for this story. Just photos I found online, cropped and edited. The story however, is all mine. No copy of content is permitted.