maria oldham

A king bound by ambition. A girl scarred by fate. And a matebond powerful enough to bring a kingdom to its knees. Narine never expected to survive, not after what was done to her body, mind, and soul. But fate had other plans. Rescued by Supreme Alpha Sargis, the kingdom’s most feared ruler, she finds herself under the protection of a man she doesn’t know… and a bond she doesn’t understand. Sargis is no stranger to sacrifice. Ruthless, ambitious, and loyal to the sacred matebond, he’s spent years searching for the soul fate promised him, never imagining she would come to him broken, on the brink of death, and afraid of her own shadow. He never meant to fall for her… but he does. Hard and fast. And he’ll burn the world before letting anyone hurt her again. What began in silence between two fractured souls slowly grows into something intimate and real. But healing is never linear. And love? Love is a war. With the court whispering, the past clawing at their heels, and the future hanging by a thread, their bond is tested again and again. Because falling in love is one thing. Surviving it? That’s a war of its own. Narine must decide, Can she survive being loved by a man who burns like fire, when all she’s ever known is how not to feel? Will she shrink for the sake of peace, or rise as Queen for the sake of his soul? For readers who believe even the most fractured souls can be whole again, and that true love doesn't save you. It stands beside you while you save yourself.

Daisy - Her parents sold her as a child to gain money, and locked into a life under contracts she finds herself sold from one owner to the next. Her final owner: Dean, uses her in a way none of her previous owners have, and his gambling addiction has the whole house of slaves moving from city to city. Their final stop is in the Devil's city, and there is where Daisy first meets Demitri Devil, and he learns that Dean is not the man that his brothers want in their city. However, Daisy isn't weak and isn't afraid to fight for what she wants. Demitri Devil - Meets Daisy at a brothel, where he pays extensive amounts to have her. Only once in the room, he isn't after s*x, instead, he asks her why she is doing it, telling her there surely is another way. He never goes there to buy women but to try to show them they can survive another way. Only he is stunned to find out Daisy makes no money from her time in those rooms. The second time he finds her there, she looks ready to drop and surprises his brothers when he arrives home with her for the night. Marcello Devil - He told Demitri he was crazy for bringing her home and buying her for the night to give her a break. Only he goes one further and he finds her in another business, he offers her a week away from Dean. Dean is all too pleased to take the money. Calix Devil - Seems to be the only one making his brothers realise they can't keep paying to keep Daisy for the weekend to get rest, but that goes wrong when they decide to buy her whole contract.

My name is Katia; I want to find my fated mate and live a peaceful life raising our pups. The problem is I have holes in my memories and don’t understand who or what I am. I know I am a werewolf, but I am also something else. Rejection is the last straw! I am not worthy is the reason he gives. The pain doubles me over; my wolf is whimpering in my head, and tears are running down my face. I whispered my acceptance of his rejection and took off running. I ran through the pack house out across the green manicured lawn into the forest. "I'm sorry, my sweet girl," I say to my wolf. I'm sorry you have been stuck with me, and our life has been difficult. She whispers," It's not your fault, Katia." I don't know how long or far we ran, but we came to a cliff with a waterfall. The pain from the rejection is unbearable, and the hurt keeps pounding at me. I know I am missing something. Aza, my wolf, feels it, too; she says we are more than regular werewolves and are here for a reason. We cannot remember the reason. I stand staring at the water running over and down, creating the fall. I wonder what the reason is for the millionth time. Why can I or Aza not remember? Does it have something to do with the way others treat us? The way we have been sent to live with different people since the death of our parents? Does it have something to do with why my fated rejected me? I am tired of figuring out why our memories do not make sense. My sweet girl and I want peace, but we do not know how to obtain it. I stand staring into the oblivion of the pool at the bottom of the waterfall. So I stand there rejected, half a wolf, speaking with my Wolfie, my nickname for Aza, debating what we should do next. Someone was yelling my name from the direction I ran. I do not want to go back there. I hear laughter. Turning, I glance down over the cliff. There is another pack having a barbecue. The adults are laughing and watching the pups play. What looks to be the Alpha, beta, and gamma of the pack are in the water playing Marco Polo with some of the children. They look so happy and carefree. I want that. I wonder if Aza and I ever have a life like that.

If you think that you have been living in hell all your life, let me break that illusion for you,” Adrian said. He spoke slowly, his voice full of menace. “This place–this is true hell, right here, where I am. His statement, “In this place, death is not an escape, no matter how much you may yearn for it,” was enough to make the audience shudder, but all that tiny figure did was raise her lifeless, dull eyes. “Then help me, so I can remain here.” She replied, her voice barely above a whisper. There was a hint of a smile as she continued, “If I can't escape, then I should learn how to live in hell without getting burnt.” ********************************** In a world ruled by loyalties and bloodlines, Kira, the first daughter of the strongest family in the American mafia, finds herself entangled in an unexpected twist of fate. She was betrothed since childhood to the second son of the Italian mafia’s don, due to a blood alliance between both families. She was raised alongside him and always considered him as her everything, while joyfully waiting for the day they would finally get married. To her, their love story was set in stone. However, on the day of the wedding, Kira's world as she knows it comes crumbling down when receives a shocking revelation — instead of her betrothed, a different groom appears at her wedding. And to top it off, he was dressed in a prison uniform. What happens when Kira finds herself thrust into the clutches of Adrian Vasillos, the infamous ‘devil’ of the Italian mafia? Will she be able to navigate this world of danger, intrigue, betrayal, tested loyalties, and forbidden desires where she must come face to face with her deepest fears? Or will she finally discover the true meaning of love and get her happy ending? Read on to find out more in this twisted romance series…

"Warning! This book is highly rated! King Lucien hates her more than anything in the world because she is the daughter of the King who killed his family and enslaved him together with his people. He made her become his slave. He owns her, and he will pay her back in spades, everything her father did to him. And her father did a lot. Scarred him into being the powerful but damaged monster King he is. A King who battles insanity every single day; a King who hates—LOATHES—to be touched; a King who hasn't slept well in the past fifteen years; a King who can't produce an heir to his throne. Oh, will he make her pay? But then again, Princess Danika is nothing like her father. She is different from him, too different. And when he set out to make her pay, he was bound to find out just how different she is from her father. ********* It is the love that rose from deep-rooted hatred. Are you as interested in this ride as I am!? Then, fasten up your seatbelts. We're going on a bumpy ride!

Trigger/Content Warning: This story contains mature themes and explicit content intended for adult audiences(18+). Reader discretion is advised. It includes elements such as BDSM dynamics, explicit sexual content, toxic family relationships, occasional violence and strong language. This is not a fluffy romance. It is intense, raw and messy, and explores the darker side of desire. ***** “Take off your dress, Meadow.” “Why?” “Because your ex is watching,” he said, leaning back into his seat. “And I want him to see what he lost.” ••••*••••*••••* Meadow Russell was supposed to get married to the love of her life in Vegas. Instead, she walked in on her twin sister riding her fiance. One drink at the bar turned to ten. One drunken mistake turned into reality. And one stranger’s offer turned into a contract that she signed with shaking hands and a diamond ring. Alaric Ashford is the devil in a tailored Tom Ford suit. Billionaire CEO, brutal, possessive. A man born into an empire of blood and steel. He also suffers from a neurological condition—he can’t feel. Not objects, not pain, not even human touch. Until Meadow touches him, and he feels everything. And now he owns her. On paper and in his bed. She wants him to ruin her. Take what no one else could have. He wants control, obedience… revenge. But what starts as a transaction slowly turns into something Meadow never saw coming. Obsession, secrets that were never meant to surface, and a pain from the past that threatens to break everything. Alaric doesn’t share what’s his. Not his company. Not his wife. And definitely not his vengeance.

Future Alpha Wesley Stone's teacher assigns his class a pen pal project with a class located in another state. The young Alpha soon finds himself forming a close snail mail friendship with a young, orphaned human girl, Haven Kenway. Over time, they lose touch, but neither forgets the other. Years pass, and Haven now lives in one of the towns near Wesley's pack. When they finally meet in person, sparks fly, and neither can resist the attraction they feel for each other. As secrets about Haven's identity are revealed, Haven and Wesley must journey to unravel the truth about who she really is, and Wesley must protect her from those who wish to use her. *Please note this book is intended for 18+. The book deals with real life issues of childhood trauma, substance abuse, neglect, hospitalization, and will have graphic scenes of violence and descriptive s*x scenes, as well as adult language*

I was born to be extraordinary, meant to be a powerful force among all creatures. Born to three hybrid werewolves I should have been more powerful, more magical than any creature on this earth. But I am not. My wolf's fur is silver, but I do not possess any of the abilities of a silver wolf. My witch heritage should have been enough for my powers to manifest naturally but they did not. I am nothing more than ordinary. An ordinary disappointment to the family. I am a wolf with no abilities and a human with a smart mouth that gets me into nothing but trouble. Instead of continuing to disappoint my family, I ran, and unknowingly, I ran right into the arms of my mate.

“You're just a worthless Omega with no societal status in this Pack, so I can't accept you as a mate. It's an offense to my person!” **** Imagine getting rejected by your mate because he sees you as a low ranked wolf? Imagine getting sold by your mate to someone as ruthless as Alpha Lucian, who is feared by all Alphas? Arianna thought her life wouldn't get any worse after she gets rejected by her fated mate for being an omega, but FATE had something else in stock for her. Sold to a tyrant and cruel Alpha, who held a massive grudge against Omegas like her, she is left to battle between surviving in his pack, healing him and winning his heart as well. Would she be able to find happiness, especially now that she wielded something her ex mate needed badly? He wants her, but Alpha Luciano isn't ready to let her go. What would be her fate?

“Her fate had been sealed on a poker table when her husband traded her off and lost her to a man who was ruthless. Aslan Parker would get anything he wanted by hook or crook. He robbed everything from Elena. The fate smirked when he fell for her. But could Elena forget everything?” Present The woman was scared. The man was smirking. He was not a man, but a beast. He was destroying her like a monster. Everything good in him had died the day that bullet was shot at him. The whip cut the air and….. They say when you lose everything, you find yourself. It was true, only until you are not caught. She lost everything but won herself, but how long? He has the cage ready when all she want is to fly. Is there anyone else for her? What does fate hold for them?

Elena tried to get out of his grip but he was too heavy for her. “I am married.” She screamed. “You are not, not anymore.” He spoke as he bit her neck to the extent that she felt as if he will snatch out her flesh. “Please, let me go.” “That husband of yours lost you on a bet. I am the winner, and you belong to me. Just me.” She knew what Aslan was saying was right. John had indeed lost her on a poker table as if she was nothing but another of his belongings just like his watch or an old table. She pushed his chest with all her might but failed. It was her end. In this world where women were progressing, she was traded off on a poker table. She smirked at her fate. She was nothing. Nothing, but a lost bet.

Reid Thomas is known for having a revolving door of females in his bed and for not wanting a mate. He's even created rules for himself to follow so he doesn't fall into the trap of a committed, long-term relationship. But when he loses a bet to his best friend, he's sent on a blind date. There, he meets Taryn Campbell, a feisty warrior with a personality to match, who has him questioning his strict rules. After all, aren't rules made to be broken? *This is Book 2 of the Crescent Lake series. It can be read as a standalone, however, for context and an introduction to the world and characters, it is recommended that you read "The Alpha's Pen Pal" before reading "The Beta's Blind Date."*