روايات وقصص ضمن Barnes And Noble Valley Forge

I was the most laid-back of all the women Isaac Sterling kept around. While the others did everything they could to win his attention and secure a place in his heart, I had long since given up trying. Instead, I spent my days lounging in the luxury mansion he bought for me, eating, shopping, and enjoying life. Every time Isaac started seeing someone new, the other women would worry that they would be replaced. I, on the other hand, barely reacted. Even when news broke that he was getting engaged, I did not care. I simply smiled and said, "Then I wish him a happy marriage and a lifetime of happiness." What no one knew was how deeply I had once loved Isaac. I had loved him enough to give up everything and stay by his side as he struggled from having nothing to becoming one of the most successful men in the city. However, the bright, noble young man I remembered had changed, and so, I proposed a breakup. With a frown, he lowered his voice and coaxed me gently. “Come on. Don't be upset. My engagement to the Harris family heiress is only a business arrangement. Just be patient for a little longer.” However, I had been patient for far too long. I endured being his lover without a title or a future. I endured the endless stream of women who came and went around him. I even endured watching him prepare to marry someone else. This time, I was exhausted, and I was leaving.

My boyfriend of five—Evan Callister, suddenly proposed to me. Everyone flooded me with congratulations. I felt happy too, quickly started planning our wedding. Then I overheard him talking with his gang friends. Apparently, I wasn’t his only option. Just one of five women he’d been seriously considering for marriage. A lineup that included his childhood sweetheart, a few of his long-time bed warmers, and some well-connected heiresses whose families could do wonders for his. “I didn’t imagine that you actually gonna marry Liora at the end, I thought Viola’s still the one you love.” And then Evan, “Liora’s father died. If I marry her, I could have all of her money and the casino. She cannot do a thing about it. She only has me as her family now.” “And what if Viola hears about your wedding and freaks?” his friend teased. Evan chuckled. “I told her that I will make Liora conveniently die after the wedding. Then her and I can get marry instead.” My heart iced over. But I didn’t cry or confront or even blink. Instead, I made the call to the man my father had always wanted me to marry — the one of noble status, the one everyone admired, the one I’d avoided. And just said one thing, “My wedding is three days from now. Come and elope with me.”

A century ago, the war between humans and beastkin nearly destroyed the world. To restore order, the five major beast clans—Dragon, Tiger, Leopard, Serpent, and Peacock—formed an alliance with humanity. Under the Treaty of Balance, every hundred years, a union between humans and beastkin must occur. The first child born of this union—a half-beast—will inherit the throne and rule over the Human-Beast Alliance. In my past life, I chose Max, the Dragon Clan's heir. Known for his unwavering devotion and noble bloodline, he seemed the perfect mate. I gave birth to the first half-beast child of the generation—a rare white dragon. Our son was named the next ruler, and Max rose to unmatched power. My half-sister, Alice, chose the Tiger Clan—seduced by beauty, blinded by arrogance. Her husband betrayed her, and she was left barren and disgraced. She envied me. Hated me. One night, she drugged me, set our home on fire, and watched as the flames devoured me and my son. But fate was not done with me. When I opened my eyes, I had returned to the day of the choosing ceremony—the moment that would decide our mates, our fates, and the future ruler of the realm. Only this time… Alice had already climbed into Max’s bed. She had been reborn too. But what she didn’t know was this: Max is not the devoted prince she remembers. He is brutal. Possessive. A beast of blood, not love. And this time, I won't make the same mistake.

Sofia Quispe was never meant to be a simple noble. As the supposed pureblood heir to the powerful Abribi Covenant, her fate was sealed in a political Blood Union to three powerful vampire princes: the dominant Zilo Graves, the ruthless Klaus Blackwell, and the ambitious Zack Rivera. This union was meant to secure the throne and unite the kingdom. But during the Ceremony of Binding, the blood doesn't lie. When Sofia fails to Awaken her vampiric gifts, a desperate bloodline test reveals the shattering truth: she is not a pureblood noble, but a disgraced Dhampir—half-human, half-vampire—the product of her deceased mother’s forbidden betrayal. In the rigid aristocracy of the vampire world, Dhampirs are considered abominations, a stain on bloodline purity. Renounced by her enraged father, Lord Quispe, and brutally rejected by the Princes who fear political ruin, Sofia is cast out of the Covenant citadel and into the perilous human world, a day-walker with no power, plagued by the maddening Blood Hunger caused by the trio’s incomplete Blood Mark. Rock bottom forces her into the shadows of the city, where she works at a supernatural bar, fighting to control the erratic power surges of her cursed bond. When a violent attack by feral vampires leaves her vulnerable, she is saved by Phuwin Montague, a powerful, enigmatic Vampire Sovereign from a rival faction. Phuwin sees not a flaw, but a unique political weapon—a Dhampir marked by a Prince. Drawn into his dangerous orbit, Sofia trains with an ex-military vampire hunter, learning to master her hybrid nature and the dark potential of her blood. But the psychic echoes of the incomplete bond still haunt her, pulling her

I, Zoey Carter, it was as if I was born to be punished. An accident, I lost my parents, and that was the day I was accused of murder. All those years of bullying and torture. Without my family, I thought my godmother's presence was a pathetic handout from the moon goddess. But now, I'm going to lose her again! I can't lose her, I don't want to actually become alone, a person who will never be loved! So I have no choice, I need money and I have nothing but a sound, needed womb. Yes, I'm going to be a surrogate! As a rumored murderer, of course I wouldn't be accepted. But this time, I had complete confidence that I was the best person for the job... *** "NEXT!" "Don't go inside!"My wolf, Tilly cries. "He will kill us!" I know it. But No! I must go! Even if it means death! I ignored a ranting Tilly and straightened my back,, look up noble and ready to fight with this jerk and his friends. The door opens in front of me and I step inside but as soon as my eyes meet their eyes. I can see the shock on Tristan's face to see me here, as if he just saw a horror movie that scared the shit out of him. But before I could react his Beta is grabbing me by my arms and pushing me into the wall, while gamma Nicholas blocks in his tracks. "What the F*CK are you doing here?! You murderer!" and grabbing my throat he lifts me in the air, holding me there.

Aria Lane lived her first life desperate for love that was never meant for her. Adopted into a noble family, she was cherished until their real daughter returned. From that moment on, Aria’s life became a nightmare. Forced into a mate bond with the man who believed she stole his sister’s rightful life, Aria endured years of abuse, humiliation, and slavery. Pregnant and broken, she and her unborn child paid with their lives for crimes they never committed. Death, however, is not the end. Aria awakens one day before her forced mating, reborn with all the memories of her past life intact. This time, she refuses to beg for affection or endure suffering in silence. Consumed by grief and rage over the loss of her child, Aria vows to destroy everyone who played a role in her downfall. Her first move is power. She approaches Draken Black, the feared Lycan King of Ironclaw, proposing a strategic marriage. In exchange for becoming his Luna Queen for two years, she offers information that will save his pack from future assassination attempts. Draken accepts—not for political gain, but because Aria is the girl he has loved since childhood and his fated mate, a truth she does not yet know. With Draken’s authority behind her, Aria systematically dismantles her adoptive family’s influence, stripping them of the status they cherished while remaining emotionally untouched by their downfall. Her vengeance brings her a quiet sense of closure, believing her unborn child can finally rest in peace. Yet fate complicates everything. Aria finds herself drawn to Darken, the King of Nycale.

Married for five years, Lorenzo, the underboss of the Moretti family, had never been without a woman. He found my “noble lady” posture stiff and vanilla. Dancers from Trinacria, headliners from the city’s nightclubs, his rotating stream of mistresses could fill the entire estate. Yet whenever I was displeased, whether it was throwing drinks or kicking someone out, Lorenzo never intervened. He’d only lit his cigar with casual amusement and said, “Relax. It’s just fun. No one can touch your position.” Then a clumsy, naive maid appeared. Unlike the others, she wasn’t flashy. However, when Lorenzo returned, bloodied, she’d hand him a cup of warm tea, her eyes red-rimmed. She watched him with pure admiration while he handled the family business. Lorenzo said the estate felt cold and lifeless except for her. He said only when she panicked did he feel like a hero being needed, rather than just a husband in a political marriage. Until she accidentally broke an antique vase left by my mother… Before I could react, Lorenzo stepped in and shielded her trembling form, glaring at me as if I were the enemy. “What’s wrong with you? If you’re crazy, go see a shrink. Don’t scare her like a rabid dog!” Watching his careful, protective expression, I smiled. I guess it was time for the Moretti family underboss to be replaced.

To Marry a Monster: Book 2 " My fiancé left me humiliated at the altar. So I walked next door and married the most dangerous predator in the city. I wanted the alliance. I practically begged for it to save the Whitmore bloodline from extinction. But when I stood in the Moonveil Grand Hall ready to bind my life to Ronan Blackwell, he did the unthinkable—he jilted me in front of the entire elite wolf society, leaving my family completely defenseless. With our enemies already closing in on our borders, I had exactly one move left. I marched straight into the Silverfang Ceremony Chamber next door. Inside, Lucien Afolayan—the ruthless head of the Afolayan Dominion—was standing at the altar alone, his own noble bride having just vanished into the night. I offered him a cold, desperate transaction: take me instead. Lucien didn't marry me out of love; he needed an elite vanguard commander, and I needed an executioner's army. But now that we're bound by blood and mafia law, the dynamics in his citadel are turning lethal. His dark, possessive touch is waking up a feral hunger I wasn't prepared for, and his amber eyes demand far more than a political contract. Now, the borders are fracturing under a silver-rot infection, a phantom stalker is hunting my scent, and Ronan Blackwell is suddenly realizing exactly what he threw away. My ex-fiancé wants me back, but Lucien has already tasted my skin. And an Alpha King never gives up his property alive."

I died five years ago. Now my husband, the Don of our Mafia family, wants me to take the fall for his sister again—this time for accidentally killing a British noble's heir during an arms deal. He's holding a fake confession letter with my forged signature, storming into my old apartment in the rust district, only to find it empty. Frustrated, he grabs the corner store owner downstairs, demanding to know where I am. The owner pauses, wiping his hands on his apron, calmly tells him: "Serafine? She died five years ago." "Heard it was retaliation from a rival family during the gang war. They ambushed her in an alley... shot her over a dozen times. She died immediately." My husband, Lucien, refuses to believe it. Convinced the owner is on my payroll, hiding me to help me escape his reach. He scoffs, his eyes filled with scorn: "Oh, so what? Because I called her out for messing up that last job, now she's throwing a tantrum?" "You tell her, if she doesn't come back and take the fall in three days, I'll revoke her grandmother's 'special family protection'! Let the old woman rot!" With that, he storms out, his rage still simmering. The owner watches him leave and sighs, shaking his head. "There's no grandmother left to protect... That woman passed away not long after Serafine did... couldn't survive the winter without our family's medical supplies and protection..."

In my previous life, I had married Luca Corleone, the most handsome Underboss in Cisilia. Everyone was envious of me. They all claimed that I became one of the most noble women in the country. My twin sister, Lia Rossi, went mad with jealousy. She pushed me down the stairs afterward. When I was at my weakest point due to a miscarriage, she used a pillow to smother me to death. When I open my eyes again, I've returned to the day the family meeting on the upcoming marriage alliance is held. Upon returning to the lounge, I witness Lia straddling Luca, clearly engaging in physical intimacy with him. Her legs are spread widely as her body rocks with every powerful thrust. "You came far too late, Elvira." Lia pants heavily while shooting me a smug look. "I'm the woman Luca loves now. See, we're even coupling with each other. In this lifetime, I shall be the one marrying him!" Everyone looks at me, waiting for me to back off from this relationship while suffering from a mental breakdown. But I just chuckle in return. Oh, my dear Lia… All she knows is that Luca is young, handsome, and insanely wealthy. But what she doesn't know is that he has a secret room tucked away in his bedroom that's completely filled with toys and tools meant to torture women. At the same time, he also plans to share her with the rest of his subordinates.