Angelica Winter, 19, is a human girl. She doesn't know much about life outside her mother's torments, and doesn't think she ever will. For ten years, she's been subjected to verbal and physical abuse, this horrible treatment makes her feel that she's not human, that she's nothing, but when she makes a mistake, she has to make a choice... sully her only purity or risk running away? Axel Moretti, 22, is a fierce Alpha werewolf. He's been searching for his mate for four years, gradually losing hope of having one because of his cruelty. Against all odds, he finds her. However, when he meets her, something goes terribly wrong. She's too frightened... and what's worse, she refuses to meet his eyes.
01
I rushed to clean up the water on the floor, using a handful of paper towels and quickly throwing them in the trash as if nothing had happened. My heart raced in my chest because of anxiety.
"What the fuck are you doing here? You can't eat my food! Put your ass on the floor! "Jade shouted, rushing to my now trembling figure and kicking me on the knee.
I crashed to the ground, lowering my head to avoid his face and another impact crashed into the middle of my back. Tears overflowed from my eyes and I grabbed the tiny cracks in the tile, feeling it pierce the steel-toed combat boot directly into my side.
My mother was away when my father cheated on her, she came back and found them together. My father, on the spur of the moment, didn't know what excuse to come up with, so he beat her almost to death. I was blamed. He left with the other woman and my mom was sure to keep me here, using me to vent her frustrations about my dad so she wouldn't have to buy things she broke in the house.
She thought I was stealing food because I was eating out of the trash, the leftovers she had were never everyday, but it happened. Whenever she was drunk or high, I would sneak in here like an animal to look for food in the dirty box without a bag.
If she ever saw me standing, I would be forced to the ground. I think my height intimidates her even if it can destroy me. She stands at the correct height of five feet three where I stand with five feet nine. I used to defend myself, but I realized that it was easier to accept; she was a Navy SEAL.
"Fuck you outside! Move it! "She screamed, kicking me in the side of the face and I closed my eyes to keep my tears at bay.
Eye contact is another big no-no. The last time I looked at her, she gave me calcium hydroxide eye drops, it was excruciatingly painful and I haven't been able to see through my left eye since. I have been half blind for two years, the luxury of being able to see with both of them leads me to silent screams. I forgot what it looks like...
I urgently crawled out of the room on my hands and knees, my head down as I rushed into the living room to return to my checkout. When I curled up in the cramped space, she slammed the exit closed and locked me in, kicking me in the side with a series of curses.
"You good-for-nothing scumbag! You are wasting a perfectly good space! I should throw you to the wolves and watch as they tear you limb from limb! "She threatened, planting a last kick outside and I flinched.
I looked at her retreating figure and collapsed, letting my tears flow freely with weak chills. The cold feeling of the crate against my skin created goosebumps. That's where I slept and that's where I go every time I disobey, it never lasts because she's too eager to start hitting me again.
She also took off my clothes, I'm not well enough for my body to be covered. The only time I have this privilege is when she sends me to the shops. I like to go out but it only aggravates my depression, it's a reminder that I will never be free. She went so far as to implant a tracer in the back of her neck just to make sure.
As for my bodily fluids, when I have to go to the bathroom, she takes me to the yard or forces me to go to my crate. We live far away from others, it's a small country house, so even if I have outside privileges, no one can see me to help me.
When my period comes, I have to bleed on myself. She won't let me out of here during this time, so I can't complain too much. I have to sleep in pieces of my uterine lining once a month for a week. I'm a big bleeder, which makes things much worse. It's also the only time I can swim. She is the one who cleanses me, touching every fold of my body with a moldy sponge. She doesn't believe that I won't drown.
I would like her to kill me if her hatred is as strong as it seems, except that she couldn't be without her punching bag.
I know that as long as she lives, I won't be able to do it.
𓃥
"Who told you that you could sleep? "I heard her screaming, waking up in jerks as fear stirred my spine. My leg was grabbed and I felt that my body had come out of the crate, my face was greeted by a pair of bony knuckles.
"Put this on! You're running an errand for me! "She demanded, pushing the clothes against me, and I grabbed them, trembling.
I did not hesitate to slip on the loose clothes from my position on the ground. It was a hoodie four sizes too big and a pair of sweatshirts too big too, they were exactly the same things I wear to every grocery store. They cover my bruised and malnourished figure with questioning looks, no one approaches me when I look so unattractive and that is his goal. If I made contact with someone, I couldn't imagine the way she would hurt me. I have never spoken to anyone other than her or my father in my entire life, a few years after my strokes, I decided to stop talking altogether. My voice made her angry and made things worse.
She barely let me finish when she slammed worn shoes on me. I slipped them in hastily, knowing that if I hesitated, she would have my head.
I then frowned at the newly formed hole in the side of the right shoe, seeing her stomping towards the front door and clicking on it unlocked.
"Now get the hell out of my house, you have an hour to get me the Blue Takis! "She spat, clicking on a timer on her phone and granting me access to the outside world.
It takes me twenty-five minutes to get to the store if I'm running. She always gave me horrible deadlines, but I knew better than to do anything.
My body crawled to the door and she kicked me on the porch, the second the door slammed, I pulled to a standing position and bolted. My vision was uneven at first due to my lack of nutrients, but I kept going, knowing that I didn't have time to stop.
My eye looked up at the rainbow sorbet sky as a distraction from the pain my body was screaming at me. A flock of birds was flying towards what seemed to be the endless horizon of a new world-a free world.
I wish I was a bird, all they know is how to be free. They live to be free.
The corners of my mouth lifted at the beautiful sight, unfortunately the smile that fought my frown never won its place on my lips.
Jade would put me through the worst torture of my life if I tried to escape, she uses her phone to track my location at all times. Moreover, she knows the terror she inflicts on me and she is aware of my silent voice. She cleared my throat to make sure I would never speak again if I changed my mind. I was able to make noises when I chose to mute the sound, but they quickly became annoying to her. She decided to shut me up completely and permanently.
The store appeared and I pushed my body beyond its limits, holding the pants up as I rushed through the automatic doors of the empty store. I spotted a cashier and no customers, thank god!
I lowered my head and walked down the aisles, stopping when the familiar purple and blue bag appeared. I started my way to it and grabbed it from the shelf, putting my hand in the pocket of the hoodie to make sure the card was still there.
After confirmation, I turned around to head to the register but I ended up hitting someone. My body felt like it had reached the stage of cadaveric rigidity when a cold bucket of terror stiffened every possible muscle in me at once. The shards in my hand fell to the ground as fast as I did and I burst into uncontrollable tears, my trembling body protecting my head as I waited for a brutal impact.
Elena Morelli loves two things. Her family and baking. She learned to cook from her nonna and father before she could even reach the counter. The Morelli legacy is solid, but once her weakened father dies, it crumbles under the cruel, unfeeling hands of her brother, Enzo. She is forced to marry into another Italian Mafia family to reinforce her brother's role, when suddenly fate turns everything on its head for her. Oisin Callahan, the head of the Irish mafia, who is said to kill everyone he meets, is vicious and as savage as they come. The Irish are strong and known for their whiskey and intelligence. Nothing and no one will ever be able to control this chaotic crowd. He's been stalking Elena for several years and decides to kidnap her on her wedding day. For better or for worse, until death do them part, but in Oisin's eyes, not even death can keep him from her Italian beauty.
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
When they were kids, Derek saved Norah's life. Years later, after Derek ended up in a vegetative state from a car crash, Norah married him without a second thought and even used her medical knowledge to heal him. For two years, Norah was devoted, seeking his affection and looking to settle her life-saving debt. But when Derek's first love returned, Norah, faced with divorce, didn't hesitate to sign. Despite being labeled as forsaken, few knew of her true talents. She was a race car driver, a famed designer, a genius hacker, and a renowned doctor. Regretting his decision, Derek begged for her forgiveness. Just then, a charming CEO intervened, embracing Norah and declaring, "Back off! She's my wife!" Taken aback, Norah blurted out, "What did you say?"
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
"You're mine, little puppy," Kylan growled against my neck. A soft gasp escaped my lips as his lips brushed my skin. My mind screamed at me to push him away-the Lycan Prince who had humiliated me again and again, but my body betrayed me, leaning into him before I could stop myself. He pressed his lips against mine, and his kiss grew more aggressive, more possessive as I felt my legs weaken. What was I doing? In a split-second, I pulled away and slapped him hard across the face. Kylan's eyes darkened, but the smirk on his lips exposed his amusement. "You and I both know we can't fight this, Violet," he said, gripping my wrist. "You're my mate." "And yet you don't want me," I replied. "You told me you were ashamed of me, that l'd never be your queen, that you'd never love me. So please, accept my rejection and let me go." "Never," he whispered, his grip tightening as he pulled me closer. "Soon enough, you'll be begging for me. and when you do-I'll use you as I see fit and then I'll reject you."