Shingeki No Kyojin: Before The Fall Novels & Stories

On the surface, Connor Shaw appears to be the coolheaded, celibate follower of the Fyerian faith who lives like a monk. All of Jewelton knows that about him. Behind closed doors, however, he suffers from a severe case of compulsive sexual disorder. According to the traditions of the merpeople, a mermaid like Sylvie Waverly will have to marry the first human she meets and perform the ultimate act of intimacy 999 times. Masquerading as a lovesick doormat, Sylvie does everything she can to marry Connor. However, the only one in Connor's heart is Anna Larson, his first love. Everyone assumes Sylvie will get jealous, but all she wants is to complete her mission as soon as possible and return to her own world. Once Connor has bedded her 999 times, Sylvie leaves him without a second thought. By the time Connor realizes Sylvie is the mermaid who saved him all those years ago and that she alone can cure him of his compulsive sexual disorder, it is all too late.

Sam and Nora were childhood friends whose bond was sealed with an arranged marriage. But soon after, Sam’s warmth fades, leaving Nora alone in a cold, distant relationship. His connection to Isabella, a woman from his past, casts a shadow over their marriage, fueling suspicions and driving them apart. After a heartbreaking divorce, Nora tries to rebuild her life, and just as her high school crush, Daniel, reappears, offering hope for a fresh start, Nora finds herself entangled in a secret that could change everything. As past emotions resurface and new complications arise, Nora must navigate the tangled web of love, loyalty, and deception. Can she move on from Sam, or is their story far from over?

For sixty-six full moons, Alpha Zephyr showered me with lavish courtship rituals, begging me to be his mate. On the sixty-seventh, I finally said yes. On our bonding night, I gave him an enchanted pouch with sixty-six moonlight crystals. We made a deal. Every time he broke my heart, I would crush one. It was the price of my forgiveness. In the six years since we mated, he has broken my heart over and over for his childhood friend, Chloe. Each time, I crushed a crystal. After the sixty-fourth crystal turned to dust, Zephyr finally seemed to notice something was off. I stopped telling him to keep his distance from Chloe. I stopped needing him around. But when he tried to leave me for that Omega one more time, I grabbed his arm. “You’re going to her. Should I crush another crystal for this?” Zephyr froze, his expression weary. “Do what you want. You have plenty left anyway.” I just nodded, watching his back as he disappeared. He still thought the moonlight crystals were endless. He had no idea there were only two left in the pouch.

The evening air was biting cold, sending shivers down Cole's spine. She was sure she'd turn into an icicle when, without warning, Vincent gently scooped her up. A soft gasp escaped her lips as he settled them both across the length of the bed, pulling her close as he draped an extra blanket over their entwined forms. A warm blush bloomed across Cole's cheeks as she became acutely aware of their intimate position. But Vincent, with his steady composure, seemed entirely unbothered, simply relaxing into the bed’s softness. "Get some sleep," he murmured, his voice a soothing rumble that resonated in her chest. Sensing her gaze, he added, "The power will be back on once the damage is repaired. So… just stay close to me until then." Cole took a deep breath, willing her racing heart to calm. Slowly, she let herself melt into his embrace, resting her head on his broad chest. The faint scent of spring blossoms and cypress swirled around her, a fragrance that felt both comforting and familiar. She nestled closer, the warmth of his body chasing away the chill as sleep began to tug at her eyelids. With each steady beat of his heart, Cole felt a sense of peace she hadn't known she needed. She smiled softly, the rhythm of his heartbeat the most beautiful melody, lulling her into the comfort of dreams. As survivors of a collapsed society, a group of doctors are the world's last hope for a cure. In order to protect each other and the future, they've worked in secret. Preserving resources which become scarcer year after year. Among these survivors, a pair of doctors endure challenges as a deadly contagion spreads. Against better judgment, an unexpected bond develops between them and their patient.

My name is Cedric Bainbridge. For six years, I've been hiding the fact that I'm married to Beatrice Thorne, the CEO. Despite everything, she won't allow our son to call her "Mom". Once again, his birthday slips her mind. Her thoughts are entirely consumed by her male secretary. I've had enough. I sign the divorce papers and walk away with our child for good. For the first time, Beatrice, who is always so calm, completely loses control. She storms into my office, demanding to know where I've gone. But this time, neither my son nor I will ever look back.

"This is the body donation agreement, Mr. Lewis. Please sign here." Joel Lewis looks at the paper before him. His hand trembles as he grips a pen. The other party can sense his hesitance. They say considerately, "Body donation is a big thing, and it's normal for people to change their minds at the last minute. You can go home and discuss this with your family—" "I've already signed it." Joel smiles bitterly. "Family" is a term that's beyond him. There's no longer any space in his wife's heart for him, after all.

When Samuel Larson came to pick me up from work at the county clerk's office, he suddenly slid a marriage license through the service window. "Actually, this one was fake the whole time. Getting back together with you was just a joke." Before I could process what he'd said, he waved a brand-new marriage license in front of me and grinned. "Yesterday, Jessie sat on my lap and kissed me. It felt so good I couldn't help myself. So I went and got a real marriage license with her." The second betrayal hit me as a bucket of cold water dumped over my head. I stared at him in disbelief. "Why?" I asked in a trembling voice. "Because you're gullible." He narrowed his eyes and savored the sight of me tearing up. He then smiled and handed me a tissue. "Back then, it took you three years to figure out Jessie and I were secretly seeing each other. "So we made a bet. We wanted to see how long it would take you this time." His gaze shifted to the fading hickey on my neck. He paused briefly before shrugging. "She bet it'd take you a year at most. That's why I've been leaving obvious clues all year. "But I got tired of acting, and you still didn't catch on. "Today's the last day of the bet. I wanted her to win and be happy. "I had no choice but to just tell you myself."

A long lost daughter. An Alpha. A tragic past. Forbidden Love. Aurelia Fuerte is imminent to suffer from unfathomable loss and grief. Her fate has already been engraved before her birth to the ruthless world. Thus, it only takes one thing to untie her from being slave of this misery. Is she strong enough to discover her power and control it? Will love be enough to stop the pain and mend the heart which has been aching for justice? How will she be able to discover the truth behind these mysteries if she will be caged inside the valley of death? Secrets are waiting to be unraveled. Blood will shed. Pangs to pangs. War after war. And in the end, who will be found dead?

After my girlfriend returns from a month-long business trip with her first love, she notices that I've changed. She sides with him to take over my project, but I don't quit in anger. Instead, I throw myself into helping him, even drafting proposals for him. She destroys the design I worked so hard on to help him snag the year-end bonus, yet I don't try to defend myself. I take all the blame and let her punish me however she likes. Even when she goes as far as to promote him to general manager against the rules, I don't get upset. I hand over all my shares, letting her distribute them as she wishes. My girlfriend wonders why I've suddenly become so submissive, while her first love just grins smugly. "See? I told you—giving him the cold shoulder works. Once he's afraid of losing you, he'll fall in line," he says. It clicks for my girlfriend. She smiles, tells me I've been good, and offers me a promotion. Then, she unexpectedly asks me to propose. But she doesn't seem to realize that while we weren't speaking, she has already signed my resignation papers. And I've already broken up with her. From this moment on, I sever all ties with her, and we no longer have anything to do with each other.

My daughter, Elise Dolton, got sick, so I rushed over to take care of her. The moment I stepped inside, a rotten stench hit me right in the face, so I offered to help clean the place up. Her roommates' faces dropped right away. "What smell, Mrs. Dolton? The place is fine." "If you think it's such a dump, then have Elise move out. Don't come in here acting like you're better than all of us. We're not putting up with that!" Even Elise shoved me impatiently. "If you’re here to visit, then just act like it. Stop making a scene and embarrassing me, okay?” They were all college roommates, splitting rent on a run-down unit in an old complex. When I went in, I noticed them gathered around a pot of spicy stew. The room was thick with steam and smoke, but it still couldn't cover that awful stench. Strangely, none of them seemed to notice it. Had something gone wrong with my sense of smell? That night, the smell was so overwhelming that I couldn't fall asleep. In the end, I realized the odor was coming from Elise herself. I hurried her into the bathroom and scrubbed her down over and over, but the smell didn't fade at all. It stayed just as strong. With no other option, I called a cleaner, planning to disinfect the entire place inside and out. But Elise's roommates felt offended and started arguing with me. In the chaos, someone shoved me. My temple slammed into the sharp corner of the coffee table, and I died on the spot. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the moment I first walked through the door. The stench rushed at me all over again...