Anime Girl Rejects Boy And Regrets It

Jared rejected me as his mate. Unknown to him, I was pregnant with his child. Five years later, he becomes my boss. My daughter asks about her father everyday. (How do I tell her he made it clear never to see me again?) His past made me realize he won’t make the perfect father. He’s cold hearted and grumpy, and doesn’t care what happens to us. This is why I keep the pregnancy a secret and when he finds out, he is so mad. (This is the wrong time because I’m looking for clues on my sister’s death) She was last seen with him yet he makes me believe he had nothing to do with it. Hopefully the reason he scorned me years back changes and I get my powers. I’d stop being attracted to him as soon as this entanglement fades. Or so I think.

"I will tie you to the bedpost, fuck you like a slut until you're screaming and pleading for mercy in fifty different languages, Phoebe. Mark my words." He vowed and my face seared with humiliation. Wasn't it laughable that I was not humiliated because of his words, but because of what the thoughts that lingered at the back of my mind were? I wanted every bit of it. The crazy wild sex, the toxic bond… somehow—the sound of them set my soul on fire. I wanted it all. ____ Phoebe Skywalker is a humble maid in the mansion of the Prestigious Blue Moon’s Alpha. When she is chosen as the Moon's Chosen who is destined to mate with the Alpha, no one expected this taboo as only elites were allowed to become the Luna. Unable to tolerate this humiliation, the arrogant Alpha rejects her. But the Alpha Council intervenes, forcing him to mate with the unlikely chosen one. Phoebe becomes the pack’s Luna but Alpha Kaene would never open his heart to her… or so he thought. When he tries his best to intimidate her, promising her unending nights of merciless lovemaking, Kaene doesn't expect the feisty side of Phoebe that he soon comes to discover. The taboo Luna shocks everyone as she not only shines in conquering enemies but also in stealing the heart of the stoic Alpha Kaene.

Born an omega in a time where omegas are rare and unwanted, Rory lived a life whereby he was always a second option in every situation. Omegas couldn’t birth pups, so no one wanted to be mated to them, except to fuck them and move on. He thought he was lucky to be betrothed to an alpha who loved him, but after a shocking betrayal, his heart turned to stone. Fleeing for his life led him into the clutches of Jason, a dangerous, ruthless wolf. He loses his virginity to him and the morning after, he realized that this soulless Alpha is his fated mate. But, once again, Rory is reminded of his curse of always being a second option when he got rejected. As if that wasn’t enough, he soon realized his life is in immense danger. Rory then decides to run away and start afresh in a different country. One thing Rory didn’t expect to happen, was for him to end up pregnant weeks after fleeing! ~~~ Years later, Rory now has an adorable son. He wasn’t the timid omega he once was, because he had managed to rise to the very top. Along the line, he managed to open his heart up to Kenny, a cute Alpha who loved and cherished him wholeheartedly, leading him to live a contented life. But when he collides with Jason this time, he wants nothing to do with the alpha who rejected him in the past. Jason, an Alpha of Alphas, felt his wolf wilt away the day he rejected his omega mate. He tried making things right, but the pretty omega who smelled of wildflowers and vanilla had completely disappeared from the face of earth. Now that he had encountered Rory again, he wasn’t ready to receive ‘no’ for an answer, and he was ready to do whatever it takes to get the omega’s forgiveness. However, Kenny wasn’t ready to let go of Rory either! A fight for the omega’s heart, who’s gonna emerge the victor? And what if they decide to share instead? | - | e x c e r p t | -| “Arch for me, pup.” The dark alpha husked and more color rushed into Rory’s face as the order settled in his stomach. For the first time in his life, Rory was completely nude in front of a man. He had assumed losing his virginity was gonna be brisk, and that it was gonna happen in the dark. He never counted on it going down this way, with an alpha whose dark eyes made his weak kneed and tongue tied, whose voice made his insides clench up, and whose touch made slick gush out of him like he was a faulty faucet. He pressed his flushed face into the sandalwood smelling sheets, limbs trembling as he arched his back even more, till his ass was very high and his chest pressed into the bed as well. “There you go, that’s a good boy.” The Alpha growled out, hands reaching out to knead his hips, and when he delivered a spank on Rory’s ass, a stuttered whimper spilled past the pretty omega’s mouth, muffled in the sheets. Moments later, fingers were digging into the omega’s hair, jerking his head up just as another spank got delivered on his second cheek, and this time, there was nothing to muffle the high pitched sound and it filled the air in a melodic tune. “Don’t muffle those sweet sounds, gorgeous. I want to hear every sound you make, I need to hear you as you fall apart from pleasure in my bed tonight, and that’s exactly what’s gonna happen.” * Cover isn’t mine. If owner requests, I’d take it down.

[WARNING: MATURE CONTENT 21+ // Watch Me Burn Them For You] "And if someday you see me, remember to forget my name, or karma will bow." **** For Awuor’s power, her people had done the unthinkable, in the history of werewolves. Her beta and brother, Dom, murdered their mother, the Sicario luna and blamed it on Awuor. In his grief, her father didn't bother to try and find out the truth, instead, for murdering her mother, he gave his daughter the worst punishment any alpha could ever get. He banished her from home, but Awuor’s wasn’t the usual banishment. Her father neither stripped her of the alpha title, nor did he make her a rogue. Instead, Alpha Sicario forced Awuor to be an exiled alpha, a woman so powerful, but with no one to rule over. Her mate, Jer, a power-hungry bastard, stepped up to rule the Sicario pack, since Awuor, the reigning alpha, was away, and Jer never once sought her out. Just like everyone else, he had betrayed her when he claimed a different woman, without rejecting Awuor. As the gates of Sicario closed on her, as her people watched her in disgust and disappointment, the daughter of Sicario had just one thought. A PROMISE of destruction & vengeance; she would ruin them all. *** [EXCERPT] "Either you're from the Dawson pack, the Bluemoon pack, or the Sicario pack, because you're definitely not from our Greyson pack. You must have done something really stupid for your alphas to banish you, even though you have no scent of the ferals. "So that could mean you're not a feral, but you're certainly not that important to your people. You seem to have an attitude and reek of power, that's why you don't appreciate anyone talking to you like a regular wolf. "But all of that doesn't matter right now, because you are the unwanted little wolf. The girl without a home, the rejected wolf who can't be claimed by anyone else. You're dressed in banana leaves because you have no clue how to make proper clothing on your own. "— or even check the feral cloth reservoir on the west of this forest. The fact that you have stayed so close to the other three packs is because you don't want to be away from home and are somehow hoping that they'd want you back. "Allow me to spell it out for you and make it easier for your probably useless brain to understand, little wolf, no one wants you. I'm only taking you to my alpha because your presence here is a nuisance to us, and for some reason, the alpha is interested in you. "And before you get any ideas about mates and whatnot, our alpha is already mated. So will you get up on your own, or do we have to take you stripped? Because I for one have no problem doing that. We could just treat you like the rogue that you're not," Adolf said to Awuor who still had her angry smirk on.

One day, James woke up after drunk then he argued with his girlfriend about how he doesn't want any kids while she wanted it. James was so disappointed that his girlfriend went to his bestfriend, Brian, and texted him about their breakups. After months, his girlfriend messaged him to meet again.

sinopsis SEMUA BOLEH BACA, TAPI INGET.. ADA RATING UMUR YANG HANYA MENGHENDAKI KAUM DEWASA! HAPPY READING... Dia.. Lucas Vantouxer. Pria dingin tanpa ampun pada siapapun yang berani mengusik ketenangannya. Kejam nan sadis pada siapapun yang berani menghianati. Mereka tak akan pernah hidup tenang jika sudah menyangkut Tuan Agung itu dalam kehidupan. Tak ada ampun bagi mereka jika sudah di seret masuk ke dalam ruangan berbau anyir nan banyak senjata api oleh para anak buah Lucas. Namun semua tetap sama, saat ia tak sengaja menolong gadis dengan pakaian tertutup tengah menghadang jalan dan perlahan masuk dalam lingkar kehidupannya. Gadis itu juga perlahan membawa pengaruh dan selalu menjadi penengah pada konflik-konfliknya. Ya.. perlahan namun pasti, entah dari mana Lucas selalu penasaran tentang gadis itu hingga gadis bermarga Waesley itu mampu membuatnya berubah. Kekejaman dan kearoganan yang selalu ia tampakkan perlahan memudar seiring berjalannya waktu. Mengikuti kata hati seperti yang pernah gadis itu katakan padanya. “kau harus mengikuti kata hatimu jika ingin hidup tanpa beban, Mr. Luc.” - Mrs. Waesley.

Because of the small mistakes she made during her life, Shirley Aschenford died full of regrets and was sent back to the past. The first thing she saw after her regression was her husband, whom she now knew suffered from temporary muteness due to a traumatic event, staring at her with a piercing gaze! He was an incredibly kind, loving, and patient husband—the very one she had madly tried to divorce in her first life. However! [I’ve already signed it.] Something was different about her husband this time. [It feels great to separate from you sooner ….] Her husband, Escar Aschenford, who in her first life had tried desperately to stop their divorce, now .... [… 'Ex-Wife.’] … Happily and with a beaming smile, signed the divorce papers as quickly as possible!

she is a were wolf , she is a normal member of the pack . she falls in love with the alpha's son but he is really proud and when it was time to mate , he rejected her with the thought that he can't mate with a low life especially as she is an orphan and has to work in the pack house as a servant. due to the rejection , she started training so much that she became really strong , she ended up leading the royal guards . she is the personal security for the alpha but she has mastered the craft of closing her heart off wen she is in the presence of the alpha's son . the celebration of the blood moon is a huge deal and dere are lots of preparation to be made , lots of packs are coming since the pack is one of the biggest south of the border, but there is another pack that is bigger than ..... pack ., it's the..... pack . and the alpha wants to broker peace between themselves because he is getting old and he knows his son is not fit to lead or take reasonable decision, if there is a war between the two packs a lot of other smaller packs will suffer so a peace meeting is the best solution, the alpha of the other pack is very young , his parents died wen he was really little and he grew up in the protection of the council , he has been taught how to lead , fight and have compassion but there is something different about him, he has this vibe and aura of limitless power and his reputation of being ruthless wen it's needed doesn't help . she went with the alpha to the meeting but stayed outside the door cause it was a private meeting, they agree and sign a peace treaty . the alpha comes out and she follows him but the packs other alpha does not come out , inside the room the alpha is trying to get control , his body is going crazy with feelings he perceives this awesome sent and finally falls and walks out of the room and notices it is coming from the guard of the alpha and his wolf starts howling wildly wen he finally gets his wolf under control he hears one crazy mind blowing word . "MATE". she turns back instinctively wen she perceives an awesome sent , it's been long she felt warm in her body , she turns around and sees the alpha of the other pack and her wolf whispered in her head "mate ". the word she hated the most she hoped she would never meet any other person who is her mate but it seems the moon goddess had other plans for her , she turns and walks out promising herself that she would never fall for anybody again.

She had just experienced the most humiliating rejection, unable to take the taunting anymore, she lashes out and runs into the woods to escape judgment. What she wasn't expecting was to run into the arms of drunk rogue wolves who wanted nothing but trouble. Fighting to survive and nearly losing the battle, she is saved by a handsome stranger who turns out to be her second mate. As the moon rises in all of its glory, they have a fiery night of passion, and by morning, he is gone. What happens when Melissa is accused of being a slut and then finds out that she is pregnant, and what happens when her stranger comes to save her but this time brings knowledge of who he was. An enemy. Her mate. How does she escape the same fate her parents had? She had a responsibility now, and that was to take care of her new family, and nothing was going to get in the way of that.

Ella Brown’s life was supposed to change for the better when she turned 18—gaining her wolf and preparing for her engagement to Alpha Kevin Taylor. But everything shatters when she catches Kevin with her stepsister, Sandra, the night before the ceremony. Heartbroken, she flees into the night, only to stumble upon her fated mate, the powerful Alpha Derek of the Moonstone pack. Their irresistible bond leads to a night of passion, but Derek coldly rejects her the next morning. At the engagement party, Kevin twists the truth, publicly humiliating Ella. Alone and betrayed by both alphas, she discovers she’s pregnant and flees her pack. Years later, as a renowned healer in the north, Ella is sought after by desperate packs suffering from a deadly plague. But when Derek shows up at her doorstep, demanding her help and refusing to let go of the bond he once rejected, Ella must decide—will she heal his people or make him suffer the way he made her? Can Ella protect her heart from the mate who broke it, or will Derek reclaim what he believes is rightfully his?

I was never meant to be discovered. After my father’s death, my mother severed ties with the Jacksonville Pack and retreated into the swamps to hide a secret—me. Raised in this dangerous, isolated wilderness filled with ogres, panthers, and bog hags, I’ve never had contact with anyone except my mother. That is, until the Alpha of the Jacksonville Pack shows up, claiming that we share the rare and fated bond of True Mates. Unfortunately, my awkwardness and lack of social experience make me an unsuitable match, and he quickly breaks our bond, sending me back to the swamps.Just when I’ve given up hope, a mysterious man rescues me and brings me to his home, where I meet his two rough, biker brothers. Cast out from the pack for defying its Alpha, these triplets are also lone wolves. Unlike others, they don’t mock me for my lack of social skills—they take care of me, heal my wounds, and show me the world I’ve been kept from. But dark forces are closing in, and they’re determined to claim my life just as they did my father’s. Can these three protectors save me from the same fate?"True Mate Rejected " is the first book in a trilogy of steamy, near-future paranormal romances featuring an innocent, sheltered heroine and her multiple, tough, protective mates who share her love. There’s no choosing between them. The book contains mature scenes for readers over 18, with mild kink and an age gap. All intimate moments are consensual.

In this world, having a spirit animal isn't just superstition or a metaphor. Half the population can actually summon them for their personal needs, which brings forth a lot of opportunities for humanity as a whole! People use it for good, making our way of life easier. But wherever there are opportunities, danger lurks. Living in this version of New York, the quite literal concrete jungle, makes our protaginist's life all the more interesting. I will also be posting this story on RoyalRoad.com

story of a girl who is in depression and mpd who hate by her family or crush who is she? what regret she have in her life? what future hold for her? Emily who tell everyone that she is innocent.she didn't do anything that made her family lost there reputation to public why doesn't she have friends what I happened in her childhood life? let's start with her life story of she find any love in her life or not? does she have a happy ending like every other novel have or a sad ending tho no one like in romance the chapter is upto me to when i upload but if you want fast upload there is a deal for that that is 10 collect = 1 chapter per day 5 power stone = 2 chapter per day 1 golden ticket = 2 chapter on this novel+1 chapter on (I am a villain of the novel i hate the most) stay tuned your one view is my motivation to create more chapters to write

Dylan is being hunted, and Zephaniah risks life and limb to save him while demon lords pull the strings. This story is graphic and will have some serious topics. Viewer discretion is advised

Cassie's life is turned upside down when her mate, Mason, abandons her for a woman named Kara. Cassie is feeling betrayed and left out. At her lowest, Alpha Xander from the rival Shadowfang Pack offers her a contract marriage proposal: He marries him to join their packs, unite the packs, and battle dangerous rogue werewolves. Cassie, though hesitant, agrees, hoping to find a new sense of belonging. Cassie finds out the secret of her parent’s mysterious deaths and uncovers a dark conspiracy to destroy the packs. Mason's secret baby adds another layer of suspense and complication to her new life. Cassie has mixed feelings about Mason and a weird feeling for Xander, too. Cassie must choose between her past and her future once Mason's secret is revealed. Find out what her choice would be!

Sophia is heartbroken when her mate, Alpha Blake, chooses her stepsister over her. Devastated, Sophia decides to start a new life in a different country, where she finds a job working for her pack's biggest enemy, Alpha Derick Mondragon. Although Sophia knows the risk of working for her pack's enemy, she needs the job to begin her new life. Derick has been silently searching for his mate for a long time, but he has not been able to find her. Despite meeting many female werewolves, none of them are his mate. Sophia endures the mistreatment from Derick and his werewolf employees, but her resilience and hard work do not go unnoticed by Derick. One night, under the full moon, Sophia and Derick accidentally touch each other, and they both feel a mate bond that has not been felt for centuries. Sophia and Derick are fated mates, and they both feel an instant connection. Derick realizes his mistakes and apologizes to Sophia, but will Sophia forgive Derick?

Axel, a notorious bad boy, falls for Emily, the perfect good girl, in their small town. Their worlds collide, sparking a forbidden romance that challenges their reputations, families, and own demons.

After getting rejected by her mate, Hayley finds herself in the arms of the most feared Alpha in the Kingdom. He claims her as his mate, and she is taken away to his kingdom to become his bride. However, upon arrival, she discovers that her newly found mate was nothing like the stories foretold. With his help, Hayley is able to find herself, and her history. And now she returns to the land that had once rejected her to claim what is rightfully hers. Will she show mercy to the people that once trampled on her happiness? Or will this new Heiress bring destruction to her enemies?

This is the story of a woman and her thirst for power and control. The way to show how evil she can be and how she realized everything she believed was nothing but a play of a bad fate. After everything she's done. After everything she's lost. She's angry and mourning, two deathly combination that sure to have an epic ending. And now she's back with a brand new story to write. How will she decide to run her second chance at life? *** "Why are you doing this?" his questions always straight to the point, but I don't have to answer in the same manner. He shouldn't know the reason why I'm doing this, not yet. "What do you mean?", I ask back with a tint of boredom. I have to hide well. "We could be happy together. You know I only have my eyes on you." I know, I wanted to say that to him. But this is not the same world I used to and I'm not the same old me. At the very least, I have to do this to repay all the things you've done for me. "You have no idea what you're saying, Cameron. Please give me some time to think." I turn my back to him, to the crown prince of the Loudrean Empire. "What's all this nonsense you've spouting since earlier? Give me explanation, Nina. What is going on?" his soft tone mixed with worries really tug at my heart but I know I couldn't delay this any longer. This is the best solution for him. Even if he doesn't think the same, I would still continue with this plan. I will destroy all of them. I will avenge your death along with my death. And I cannot do that while I'm standing beside you. I cannot ruin your second life as well. This is all on me. "Canina Rosemary, I demand you to look at me and answer me!" His sudden command jerk me back to reality. I look at him with a newfound thought that maybe, he's changed as well. Could it be? No, that could not be. I'm the only one that could remember our past life. Maybe the change of my decision would be the cause of his change? I lower my head with my hand on my chest and speak with utmost regret as I can, "Your highness, please forgive this humble subject, for I cannot give you the answer you're looking for. I will be happy to receive the suitable punishment for my inability to give you the right answer." Silence followed the answer I gave him, that I started to wonder if he's still standing in the same room. Light footsteps followed by his hand caught on my peripheral sight and I dare to look up to see what he's about to do. He cupped my face softly with his hands and I could only stare at him, speechless. Sky blue eyes staring back at me, and I could see what they're trying to convey through. No, please don't say it to me now. Please, do not do this. As if he understood what I was trying to say through my pleading eyes, he just smiled sadly and say what I'd dreadful to hear the most. "I love you, Nina. I'd hate to see the one I love lower their head in front of me. Please do not do that, ever." *** Hi everyone. This is my first attempt at historical story with an empire as a background. Hope you guys enjoy and please don't forget to comment and vote.

A new MMORPG took the gaming world with a landslide. With rapidly increasing players base, it was the best game ever made. Game offered jobs as well as real money events. In this game of dream there was a boy who dreams to be in top of leaderboard, with an intention of being the only king of game. About MMO Every player is given an unique skill and passive, There are countless skills so getting same as other is very rare. Game is controlled 90% by players, most of the jobs are also done by them. NPC's plays shorter role of giving small quests. The game feature open world with world bosses, PvP, PvE, Housing, Cooking, Blacksmithing Alchemy etc. All done by players. Tales of Tarum ( Background ) Once was a glorious kingdom ruled by 42 kings, but selfish desire to make this one single country led to bloodshed. Which lead to a single country but only 4 Kings remained. These 4 kings are choosen by in game event.

Alpha Logan made the biggest mistake of his life when he rejected his fated mate, Aria, deeming her too weak to be the Luna of his pack. Devastated and heartbroken, Aria fled, carrying a secret that would change everything—she was pregnant with Logan's child. Years later, she returns stronger than ever, no longer the fragile girl he once knew, but a powerful wolf and fiercely protective mother to their son. As old emotions resurface and the bond between them reignites, Logan is consumed by regret and a burning desire to right his wrongs. But the road to forgiveness is not an easy one, especially with a deadly threat looming over the pack. As enemies close in, Logan must prove his worth not only as an Alpha but as a father and mate. Will Aria find it in her heart to forgive the wolf who broke her heart, or has the past wounded them beyond repair? With danger closing in, they must come together to protect their pack and family—or lose everything.

Title: A Boy and A Girl Author: mischa143kelvin Genre: Travel Through Time Summary: There was a boy. There was a girl. They lived in two different worlds. They lived in two different lives. One suffers from the moment he exists. One was living in a wonderful life. Their life intertwined with each other by mercy. Will their encounter be his salvation? Will she be the one behind his redemption? Mercy joins two worlds in two different lives-a boy living in dark shadows since the day he was born, suffering until he remained to breathe, and a girl living in wonders surrounding her, basking in the beauty of life. But fate brought them together, then she is the beacon of light in his bleak existence. Friends served to balance out life's abrasiveness; love redeemed the redemption. Her friendship had become his savior while her love was the redemption of him. She made him find peace and beauty, making comfort and serenity come into his life. Through her, he mattered in reality; the pangs in his heart finally ceased. Deep inside him, however, memories resurfaced of a once-happy life torn apart by a tragic past. This boy yearned for his loving family and healing the wounds that scarred his soul. Under the brightness of this magical place, the girl gave him a chance to open his eyes and think everything would be alright. When he opened his eyes, revelation was waiting for him. His dreams and wishes were standing right before him, and the things that made him return to the warm arms of his family filled him with happiness. In the end, he finally learned that home is where the heart truly belongs. And for this boy and girl, they found a home in each other's love, a love strong enough to transcend two different worlds and bring redemption to a broken soul. Travel Through Time: The amazing journey of two souls tied together by destiny and the power of love that heals even the most depthful wounds. You are in for a ride as you get caught up in the telling of the strength that one human can have on another's life. From the Series "Travel Through Time"

Humans are filled with desires. The more they have, the more they crave for more. Ever since the dawn of mankind, human have thrived and climbed up the food chain, reigning as the true king of the world. But, what if that's not what the creator of the world had planned? What if they take matters into their own hand, putting humans to where they belong.

A ruthless betrayal. A forbidden night of passion. A power that could save their world—or destroy it. Betrayed by her mate, stripped of her position, and watching her father rot in prison on false charges ·Elena Silver's perfect life shattered in a single night. But fate has a twisted sense of humor. Fleeing to the Midnight Pack for protection, she ends up in the wrong bedroom, sharing a scorching night of passion with none other than the powerful Alpha King Alexander himself. As the ancient secrets come to the surface, the forces of evil gather, and Elina must make a choice: hide her power and watch her father die, or take a risk—including her inner self—to trust Alexander and let him know her deepest secrets. But can she risk her father's life on a man who has rejected her time and time again?

Time always goes forward, but never backward. We can’t change the past no matter what we do, as it has already happened. And all the things that you’ve done in the past, will never disappear. The moment I realized that was just a few days after I had just broken up with my now ex-girlfriend.

En una fría noche, un joven llamado Akira será perseguido por una asesina de dos metros de altura que aniquila a cualquier persona que se le cruce enfrente. ¿Quién es ella y por qué está obsesionada con Akira?.

Tessa and her boyfriend find themselves in a big schemes of a bad boy. Will they overcome their bad decisions? Will their love win?? Or she will lose her heart to a bad boy?

Just when sickly Danny, the biggest loser in town, thought he was finally going to be free of his tormentor (and family friend and crush, might I add) Vincenzo -coolest kid in school- walks into the same classroom. Vincenzo may seem blessed and highly favored, but he’s got some family issues that not even Danny can understand. Suddenly Vincenzo started acting nice and walking back and forth to school with Danny, making him wonder if there was finally something more between them. Has Vincenzo had a change of heart? Is this the calm before the storm? Will they be able to go back to the way they were as kids? Or will the unexpected appearance of Ashton Belle get in the way? TW:Violence, Mental Illness, Abuse

"The Candle And The Boy" is a profound psychological drama that tells the story of Ren, a young man living in a reality intertwined between life and death. After facing a mysterious death, Ren begins to search for the truth behind his demise, uncovering painful secrets about his life and family, particularly his mother. Throughout his arduous psychological journey, he encounters "the man with the red face," who seems to lead him toward the truth. However, with every step Ren takes, the illusion he lives in becomes increasingly evident. The novel explores philosophical concepts of death, truth, salvation, and illusion, transcending the traditional boundaries between life and the afterlife. The story raises deep questions about the relationship between personal pain and the search for meaning, and how the past can manifest in frightening forms that compel us to confront deadly truths about ourselves and those we love.