Michiru Gets Tied Up And Gagged By A Stalker

--- Isabella never chose this. Forced into a marriage with the most feared man in the criminal world, Matteo Antonio, her life is now bound by a contract she didn’t sign willingly. Matteo is a man with a reputation for cruelty, a man who doesn't believe in love or loyalty—only power, control, and the cold, unrelenting pursuit of his own desires. Yet, despite everything she knows about him, despite how much she wishes to escape, there’s something in Isabella that wonders: *What if?* What if there's more to him than the cold exterior he shows the world? Now trapped in a life she didn’t choose, Isabella faces a question that haunts her every day: Will Matteo ever feel for her? Will he ever truly *see* her, not as a prize or a pawn, but as a person? Or will she, slowly but surely, fall for the man who holds her captive—body and heart? It’s a game. One that neither of them can afford to lose. ___________________ "Don't act like this is some big mystery. We both know why I'm here. We both know why I said yes. And we both know you loved my siste" His eyes darkened, his smirk vanishing. He stepped forward, and I stepped back. One step. Two. My back hit the wall. He leaned in close, his breath warm on my cheek. "Who told you," he said slowly, voice as sharp as a blade, "that Matteo *Antonio* has ever had feelings?". I froze. His eyes were like ice, cold and clear, but so much more dangerous. The kind of cold that burned. And suddenly, I felt so stupid. So stupid. All this time, I'd assumed—*no, Gianna told me.* She told me Matteo had feelings for her. She told me he loved her, that she had him wrapped around her little finger. She told me he would have chosen her if she'd stayed. But she was wrong. Because I could see it now, written in his face, in his eyes, in the way he looked at me like I was just another piece on the board. Matteo Antonio didn't *love*. He didn't feel anything at all. "You thought I loved her, didn't you?" His voice was soft, deadly quiet. "Is that why you've been walking around here with your head held so high?" His eyes flicked to my lips, my throat, before landing back on my eyes. "Let me make this clear, *cara mia*." He leaned in so close I could feel his lips brush against the shell of my ear. "I don't love. Not her. Not you. *No one.*" I sucked in a sharp breath, my chest rising and falling so fast it felt like I might choke on it. He pulled away just enough to look me in the eyes, his face unreadable. "Go to bed," he said, turning away from me. His voice had gone cold again, as if the storm had passed. "Tomorrow, you'll learn what it means to be my wife." I stayed there, pressed against the wall, too stunned to move. And as he walked away, I felt it settle into my bones. I wasn't his wife. I was his *prisoner.*

Eleanor never expected that escaping her bullies by jumping over the academy wall would lead her straight into the arms of Adrian, the kingdom's kind and charming crown prince. Their connection is instant, and for the first time, Eleanor—a poor orphan—feels the warmth of love. But her newfound happiness is shattered when Briar, the fierce and intimidating alpha of the kingdom’s most powerful werewolf pack, declares her as his fated mate. Caught between two worlds, Eleanor must choose: Adrian, whose love is gentle and warm, like the sun; or Briar, whose love is intense and unyielding, like the weight of a mountain. As tensions between the kingdom and the werewolves escalate into a deadly conflict, Adrian is crowned king and vows to protect his people, even if it means driving the werewolves out for good. But Adrian hides a dark truth—he is one of them. Meanwhile, Briar is willing to risk everything to claim Eleanor and avenge his pack. With war looming and her heart pulled in two directions, Eleanor must decide where she truly belongs. Will she choose the light of the king or the shadows of the alpha? In a battle of love, loyalty, and revenge, the fate of the kingdom—and Eleanor’s heart—hangs in the balance.

"In this city, trust is a currency you couldn’t afford." Vince, a seasoned detective with a haunted past, never wanted to be in the spotlight. Yet fate, or perhaps something darker, had a different plan for him. Murder after murder followed his footsteps, and Vince’s investigation into a high-profile kidnapping soon spiraled into something far more dangerous. Beneath the surface of Bog Bay City’s glistening wealth and power, lay a criminal empire. As he dug deeper, he uncovered a web of lies, betrayal, and connections to his own shadowed history. With enemies lurking in every corner, he had to rely on his instincts, his allies, and his skills to uncover the truth and survive a world where nothing was as it seemed.

Lin Beifan traveled through the world composed of countless urban web articles and became a villain. He has a wishing system and can make a wish every day. With the ability of the system and his own rude operations, he broke all the protagonists, and the world line was chaotic. So, Tiandao repeated the plot and cursed Lin Beifan. For whatever wish he made, the enemy would get double! Lin Beifan chuckled: “That’s it?” “I make a wish to keep my body temperature at 36.8 degrees!” The first protagonist’s brain burned to 73.6 degrees, died! “I make a wish to sleep 12 hours a day!” The 2nd protagonist becomes a vegetative person, die! “I make a wish that I will be crushed to death by a 120-pound beauty!” The third protagonist was crushed into a piece of paper by a 240-pound fat girl, pawn! Just like that, the plot is messed up again! For Access To Upto 100 Chapters Before Anyone Else, Visit — Patreon.com/itsyourstorypage

That guy was my friend's boyfriend. After they fought, he came home and said he wanted my opinion. What exactly made his girlfriend change? I, who didn't have a bad feeling at all, put him in the house. Then he killed me! That bastard stabbed me multiple times with a kitchen knife and killed me. Even though he knew tomorrow was my wedding day. How sad. A death that made me curse all efforts. But, what could I do? I thought I was dead. I did. Because at that moment I didn't feel any air in my lungs. Because everything went dark. I didn't know anything until I opened my eyes and saw a beautiful ceiling with crystal chandeliers. Are there hospitals like this? I'm sure that even if the apartment I lived in was sold, I wouldn't be able to buy that crystal chandelier! "She's alive! SHE'S ALIVE! LADY ELEONORA IS ALIVE!" I turned my head and saw an old woman running while screaming. I'm alive? Really? But who is Eleonora? I'm Cristy! I don't understand anything yet. Not a single thing. People started introducing themselves as my parents, future in-laws, and fiancé. But I knew that none of them were telling the truth! Their smiling faces were terrifying masks. My gut screamed at me to run away. And I knew that my gut never lied!

Julius didn’t know what to expect when he stood in front of the grandiose gates, luscious fields, and beautiful students dressed in their pristine uniforms looking like a million bucks. He told himself that he wouldn’t get involved with anyone and that he’d keep his head down since the chances of him moving again were quite high. He didn’t expect to find himself to be so entranced with the dorm leader Agares Montgomery, the most handsome boy he’d ever seen. “So what’s Agares really like?” Julius asked. Silas grinned mischievously. “That’s a tough one.” Julius noticed the sly smile on Silas’s face and realized he’d been teased. “Just kidding~” Silas said, chuckling. “Well, Agares is a bit of a mystery. He’s strict but has a laid-back side too. He’s cold most of the time but can be surprisingly kind in rare moments?” Julius couldn’t help but laugh at the contradictory description. “Why do you make it sound like you’re unsure?” “Because he really is a puzzle. He’s not a bad guy, though. He keeps to himself and mainly communicates through the vice leader, Epaphras. He’s insanely popular, not just here but at Saint Ambracia Academy too. There have been incidents where girls from the academy tried to sneak into East Laurence just to see him. It’s crazy.” “Anyway,” Silas said, “you probably won’t interact with him much unless absolutely necessary, so don’t stress too much about it.” That should’ve been the case, and yet, he found himself interacting with the dark haired boy more and more, his admiration slowly started to change into something more. “Do I like him?” He couldn’t help but ask himself. ………………….. Avondale, a city of privilege and prestige, high school junior Julius Loriana steps through the grand gates of East Laurence Preparatory School, a renowned institution for the elite. Having spent years moving from city to city due to his father's job, he’s determined to keep his distance and stay under the radar in this new chapter of his life. But everything changes when he crosses paths with Agares Montgomery, the enegmatic dorm leader of House Ares. With his striking looks and effortless charm, Agares captivates Julius in ways he never expected. As Julius grapples with his resolve to remain detached, he finds himself drawn into a whirlwind of emotions that transforms his mundane existence into something exhilarating. Follow the love story between a shy boy and his socially inept senior as they navigate through the pains of love, friendship and the hell that is known as high school. …………………………… A little extra note: This is a sweet love story, a bit of a slow burn but definitely worth getting into.. Each chapter includes a song and I would definitely recommend you listen to the song (on low volume of course) while reading. You get to feel the full Julius Loriana experience by listening to the music he’s also listening to with each chapter. If this story happens to curry your fancy, then please give it a try, I promise it won’t disappoint (≧∀≦) ! Upload schedule: Everyday! *All images used are from Pinterest, including cover.

The female lead, a determined and independent doctor, never expected to be caught in a web of danger when she unknowingly saves a powerful CEO from a kidnapping. What seemed like a chance encounter quickly turns into a chaotic and tense situation as she discovers his abduction was part of a deliberate plan to uncover the person who hired the gangsters to kill him. As their paths cross again, the CEO’s manipulative tactics and unrelenting desire for control only fuel her resistance. She refuses to be controlled, but her emotions grow more complicated as she uncovers his hidden motives. Caught between their clashing wills and undeniable attraction, their fates become more entwined with each passing moment. In a world full of secrets and power struggles, can love truly blossom, or will their tangled fates push them further apart?

Content: [Matured] “Brother Abubakar.” Soliat’s hardened nipple brought a moan to her lips. “You’re too conscious, it’s driving me insane.” He brushed a thumb to her lips. “Let me ask you a question, what I did at the party, did you like it?” Her heart hitched and she did not know her nipple would harden more than it already had, except it did. “Answer me.” Slowly he trailed a hand from her face down to her neck, then her cleavage to in between her breasts, pushing the towel downward. “I—we—it was in a public place, I—I don’t know.” He eyes left his finger and the assault it was committing to look at her face. “Would you know if I did it again?” He did not wait for her to reply and dragged off her towel, kissing her to the bed. “Brother Abubakar,” she moaned. “It’s Abubakar now.” He broke the kiss to say. He peppered light kisses on her cheek and trailed it to the sweet spot on her neck. “I will touch you, Solia, but I won’t go all the way, is that okay with you?” He covered her breasts with his hand and her reply came in soft moans. “Ahh!” She whimpered when his finger pinched her nipple and a pleasure pain swept through her. “There’s a thin line between pain and pleasure, darling, and if you let me, I’ll show you.” Then he replaced his torturing hand with his mouth. “Abubakar.” She arched her chest so that his warm mouth would completely cover her aching bud. “That’s more like it, moan for me some more.” He gave her hardened bud a torturously slow lick while his hand manifested on the other peach. His hand travelled down her body, twirling on her skin and caressing her waist. “Do you like this, Solia?” “Yes, Brother—“ He bit her nipple. “Shall we try that again, do you like this, Solia?” “Yes, Abubakar.” Super hot, right? why not check out the book! It started with an idea and ended in the loving arms of a Muslim widow. Edegbe’s journey up north took a twisted turn and landed him in a dire situation where he had to choose between his friendship and love. In a frigid northern state, Edegbe finds that death is rife and normalcy is a luxury, but he is adamant and fights against all odds to achieve success. What he achieved instead is a dazzling relationship with a Muslim widow whose twin brother is madly in love with a woman whose interest, for a short while, laid with his friend. Edegbe let the drastic turn of event lead him, until he had to choose between his friend and the woman of his heart. Will Edegbe abandon his love, the woman who made the terrible things about the north bearable, or will he forfeit his friendship of many years? Please support with your gifts and votes.

James Hitchcock's betrayal by his wife and daughters started his hell. As time went by, he could never pick himself back up and died on the street in his old age. The goddess of time had watched the once kind-hearted man lose everything but still pushed forward even when his life never improved. In the realm of life and death, she asked James if he wished to have a do-over from when everything started falling apart. She is willing to give him three gifts of his choosing. To do as he pleases with. *Warning: This has mind control and mind manipulation* Mc will sleep with women who meet his standards while using it. But do not worry, he won't be stealing women.

A boy named Ishida Yuki is a genius in gaming. He is also a lazy guy who hates the real world. His entire life changed during a thunderstorm and he got isekaied to the classroom of the elite. However one thing has changed as there is magic present in the universe. This story is mostly written for fun so don't expect too much from it

When Amanda is forced to accept Travis as her shadow—a rugged, ex-monk turned bodyguard hired by her controlling father—her world of freedom and privilege is upended. To Travis, Amanda is everything he despises: reckless, privileged, and fiercely independent. But Amanda has her own reasons for testing his patience and breaking her father’s rules. Each act of defiance only tightens the guardrails around her life, making Travis’s presence an infuriating reminder of the pact they’re both bound to uphold. Set against the backdrop of her family’s sprawling estate, where secrets loom in every corner, Amanda’s battle for independence collides with Travis’s strict sense of duty. Their hostility becomes a game of wills, each sparking emotions they never intended—fierce anger that simmers into something neither of them can ignore. As Amanda chips away at Travis’s hardened exterior, she begins to unravel his past, igniting a tension that becomes more charged with every guarded glance and unspoken word. But some boundaries aren’t meant to be crossed. And as Amanda gets closer to the truth of her father’s hidden agenda, she realizes she’s not the only one risking everything to escape her family’s grip. Travis’s loyalties, once unshakable, begin to blur in the heat of their connection—a passion that threatens to unravel the lies they’re both entangled in. Guarded Ties: Where hatred meets desire, and loyalty holds secrets that could destroy them both.

After years of being the outcast, Lucifugus Blackwater has learned how to handle the life he has as a host of the mysterious foreign Beast entity Bandersnatch, and a werewolf shifter second. His sister, Luciana Blackwater, in contrast is the seemingly ideal wolf with all her future in sight. She is set for her coming of age ceremony and will become the next Blackwater Community leader. However Lucifugus leads a double life as a false rogue running rampant and playing 'hero', more or less helping clean up the messes within the city caused by supernatural mayhem. A life that he carefully built up with the assistance of the Deities Cernunnos and Dionysus (usually referred to as Dion). And has a less than business oriented relationship with them and frequents his companions for the sexual pleasure and comfort offered. After he saves one of Luciana's friends, Wellesley Guillotine, who becomes a werewolf via a rival clan's rogue wolf bite, it becomes clear the recent attacks are coordinated. To make it worse, other secrets Lucifugus had intended to keep hidden are unraveling with the growing conflicts outside of the Blackwater community and his stoic facade seems to be wavering on behalf of Wellesley and the growing circle of companions. The self-conducted investigation of Bandersnatch, approaching coming of age ceremony for his sister, normal issues of Wellesley prove complicated and make it hard to resist temptation to snap from the pressure. With the upcoming of his sister's coming of age ceremony, the Lycan monarchy has arrived and the Princess Alya Orchid Loomington turns out to be his second mate a sore spot after a rejection from the first. formerly titled "Double Life: Bandersnatch of the Full Moon"

Ein was a hitman on hire. A killer, a shadow, a death with insomnia, if you may. He had witnessed countless pairs of eyes dim as the light of life faded, leaving nothing but vile hollowness. Needless to say, the sight of a soul popping out of the dead body was a first. And it wasn't just any soul. It was the dead heir of Byers Holdings, the same guy he killed with his own hands. Turns out the rich boy Adriel had a horribly irritating and loud soul, but worst of it all - impossible to get rid of. Who would have thought that killing on a blue moon night could lead to being haunted?

Book One: After Lilith's mysterious disappearance, Ivy must follow her mother's last instructions, leading her to a bizarre land with new and foreign people. Unbeknownst to her, the people of that land are aware of her eventual arrival. However, they are also wary as they've received a prophecy that Ivy could be the savior of their colony or the one who destroys it. Book Two: Still, Zoe is left feeling distracted and distant several months later. Hope is not lost as she receives surprising news that she may(if she plays her cards right) be able to see Ivy again. Book Three: ---------------------------- Next Up is that one dream we all had when we were kids. When we would leave home in search of adventure and all sorts of creatures in our imaginations ran wild in this world. ----------------------------- I will update this story every Monday and now Saturday with a new chapter. "I will be posting this story on RoyalRoad.com" as well as ScribbleHub

By sheer happenstance, Wang Hui's casual purchase of a blind box revealed an entire miniature world. A mere scattering of crumbs could sustain a tiny tribe through the harshest winter, while a single soda can was sufficient to fully arm thousands of diminutive soldiers. To these minute humans, he was nothing short of a deity descended from the heavens. Even more astonishingly, subsequent blind box acquisitions unveiled a second, a third, and numerous additional miniature worlds. He could even interlace these tiny realms, observing from on high the clashes of varied civilizations. "With countless small worlds within my command," he mused, "I am the sovereign of these boundless miniature beings."

Taya Urg is an Omega wolf and the mate of Alpha Jacob Makenzie. However, after they get married, their connection begins to deteriorate, making them feel more like strangers. When Taya discovers that she is pregnant, she hopes to rekindle their bond with the news. Unfortunately, she catches Jacob in a romantic encounter with Rita Wheeler, Taya's twin sister. Devastated by the betrayal, Taya experienced a miscarriage and subsequently died from blood loss. In response to her plea for revenge, the moon goddess granted her wish, allowing Taya to be reborn in a new body, consumed by the desire for vengeance.  

Drake, an eighteen-year-old ordinary boy, was unexpectedly summoned from Earth to the magical realm called Elandor by Lena, a powerful Water Dragon Queen. She needed him to rid her body of bloodbane poison, and the only way to do so is through intimacy, an ancient ritual. But when the ritual ended, Drake absorbed not only Lena’s poison but also her fabled reverse scale, granting him incredible powers and marking the beginning of his transformation into a mage. Banished from the water dragon’s territory after the ritual, Drake is left to fend for himself in this unfamiliar world. To survive, he joined the Diamond Mage Academy and began to forged his own path. As he honed his powers, he made loyal friends and, along the way, found himself irresistibly drawn into the lives and struggles of the dragon monarchies. His once simple existence spiralled into something much larger as he formed deep bonds and built a harem filled with dragon queens from different territories. Drake’s hope for a normal life got shattered when he’s swept into a world crisis, facing a man known as Tiberius Victor, the mastermind behind the Crimson Rot catastrophe that plagued Elandor. Battling Tiberius across fierce wars, Drake realised Elandor is only a small fraction of a vaster world known as Avalon, a realm filled with mages of unimaginable power. This larger world doesn’t attract him, though, until his four dragon queens, Lena, Xena, Rena, and Zena, ascended to Avalon, leaving him behind. Drake committed to mastering his powers, reaching the pinnacle of magic in his current world (Elandor) as an archmage (9th Circle Mage), determined to reunite with his wives. Yet, as he journeys forward, he uncovers shocking truths about Avalon, his own mysterious origins, and the existence of entire worlds beyond his imagination. ***join my discord for group**** (share your thoughts) https://discord.gg/chcBMzXW

As the mighty Assyrians swept across the ancient landscape, their armies leaving a trail of devastation in their wake, Princess Elizabeth found herself desperate to escape the harrowing shadow of her fate. Longing for freedom from her treacherous family, she fled into the unknown. But, her hopes were shattered when her ruthless half-brother, King Alexander Louis Bernard—a man of formidable power and ambition—tragically took her life. Yet, destiny was not through with her. In a twist of fate, Elizabeth was reincarnated just before her untimely death, awakening with the memories of her past life etched into her soul. Again, she stands at a pivotal crossroads, enveloped in uncertainty and possibility. Will she surrender to the hands of fate once more, or will she muster the courage to confront the very embodiment of darkness—the heart of the devil himself? Fueled by the strength of her past experiences, Elizabeth feels an undeniable spark within her, a surge of power that promises to unleash her true potential. With each step forward, she holds the key to reshaping her destiny, ready to navigate the tumultuous journey ahead.

Kazuo Tanaka, an ordinary high school student, meets a bizarre fate: after an accident involving laxatives, a yakuza, and a truck, he dies and meets a beautiful but mocking goddess. She gives him a weird power as a joke: he can level up by pooping. Reborn as a kid in a magical world, Kazuo now Andreas, is the only one with this power, tries to turn this embarrassing ability into his superpower.

He looked into my eyes, his hand around my waist pulling me closer. "I need you to keep this a secret." He whispered his lips so close to mine, almost touching as he spoke to me. "I will," He punctuated my statement with a sweet kiss to the lips which came as surprise so much so that I pulled back from him. "On one condition though, we get to do this date thing again." I whispered back looking into his eyes wanting to see deeper than he was letting me. "Date is a strong word." He whispered back with a small laugh rumbling at the back of his throat. His words stung but I did not let it show instead I smiled at him bring my fingers up to touch his beard to distract myself from the sting. "What's the right word," I asked planting a small kiss on his lips. "A meet up." *** She knew she was the least to him yet she let herself get sucked into his life. A married man, happy with his family and beautiful kids and yet she could not stop herself from falling in love with him. To her, he was a sweet distraction from her routine boring life, some adventure, some love, something new to love on yet she knew it wasn't all mutual. The deal was too good and she drank of it, like the sweet poison it was.

Loud music is playing, some students are dancing and other are chatting. The few one who are alone are dispersed observing the others. My eyes scan the room for Liam. Fortunately, I see him standing at the entrance with Lucas, Mateo, Levi and Mason. My legs drag me to their direction and he smiles as he sees me. His friends pushed him to me and he looks like he hesitates for a while before walking up to me. Without a word, he grabs my hand and pulled me away from the noise. Now we’re standing in the boys changing room. Before I speak, he gently cups my face. His forehead is touching mine as his eyes flash in the evening light. My heart races and I look away shyly but he lifts my chin up with his finger. I admire his beauty,drowning in the rush of love and awaiting a toe-curling kiss. I hear his words; “Don’t be silly. You’ll never be my type.” Followed by a chuckle. My blood runs cold as my brain draws a blank *************** Liam Hunter, the name that could make your knees turn jelly. He had it all the looks, money and everyone’s dream girl, Beatrice. He was the school’s basketball team captain. Every girl was dying to spend even a second with him, well except her. His charms didn’t work on her and she seemed oblivious to his existence. Everything changes for Liam when he is dared to date Zara for a month and then dump her. It all starts as game, a mind game for Liam. But what happens when the heart gets involved? What will Zara do after learning the truth? Will she get over her love for Liam and go back to herself?

[Warning: Intense Dark Themes] Kyle's life spirals into chaos as he grapples with betrayal, isolation, and an all-consuming obsession. Estranged from his family and scarred by his twin brother Matt's treacherous actions, Kyle hesitatingly found solace in Ethan-a dangerously devoted figure whose loyalty masks unsettling secrets. As Kyle's dependency on Ethan grows, he is thrust deeper into a web of deception and violence that challenges his grip on reality. When a harrowing encounter leaves Kyle questioning his own sanity, he becomes entangled in Ethan's possessive grip, uncovering disturbing truths that threaten to unravel everything he holds dear. In a world where trust is a fragile illusion, Kyle must confront his haunted past and the lurking darkness within himself. With every revelation, the stakes rise, and Kyle must decide whether to succumb to the abyss or claw his way to a future where he can finally be free-regardless of the cost.

In the quiet, fog-shrouded town of Ashgrove, strange disappearances have become commonplace. Amateur sleuth Maya Hart reluctantly teams up with enigmatic local, Ethan Cole, to unravel the town’s sinister secrets. As they dig deeper, they uncover a web of lies, dark pasts, and a terrifying truth that may cost them everything.

This is a BL novel. In a desolate future where Earth has been subjugated by the Alki, an advanced species with unimaginable power and cold, unyielding logic, created by Anu, human kind's newest Goddess, society's remnants live as an objectified, broken people. The Alki view humans as inferior beings, fit only to serve their new masters. Ray Malek, once a simple cook in a small establishment is betrayed by his friends and thrown into Heathens Prison. A place where the only way out is as a slave. Sold to the sadistic Salazar a high-ranking Alki noble known for his detached, almost clinical cruelty Ray must find a way to survive his new reality. Stripped of his freedom, his identity reduced to that of an unwilling sex slave, a prized possession to be paraded as both a trophy and a warning. Salazar is everything Ray despises: calculating, arrogant, and unshakably confident in the Alki's supremacy. To Salazar, Ray is no more than an amusing plaything—a symbol of humanity's futile defiance. Yet, beneath the carefully curated facade of apathy, Salazar finds himself intrigued by Ray's unyielding spirit and refusal to fully submit. In defiance of all logic, Salazar begins to admire the very qualities he sought to crush. As weeks turn into months, Ray and Salazar are drawn into an intricate, dangerous dance of wills. Their interactions are fraught with tension, anger, and moments of vulnerability that neither can ignore. Ray, haunted by memories of his lost comrades and his own complicity in this degrading system, finds himself questioning his hatred for Salazar, even as he clings to him for survival. Salazar, in turn, faces an existential crisis, torn between the icy detachment expected of his kind and the inexplicable emotions that Ray stirs within him. Set against the backdrop of a crumbling Earth, where rebellion smolders beneath the surface and the Alki's rule is not as absolute as it seems, Poison Ties explores themes of power, freedom, and the complex, often painful nature of love. As Ray and Salazar navigate the fragile, shifting balance between their roles as captor and captive, they must confront the oppressive systems that define their world—and decide whether their bond can transcend the tais that bind them both. But in a world built on domination and control, love may not be enough to bridge the chasm between human and Alki—or to save them from the forces that would see them torn apart.

In a world where people's fates are written on their skin in glowing runes, Seraphina, a low-born girl with a blank slate, is shunned as an outcast. When the kingdom falls under attack by shadowy forces, she accidentally bonds with the kingdom’s strongest warrior, Kael, through an ancient ritual that transfers his runes onto her. Bound by a thread of magic that neither of them understands, they discover that their connection could either save the kingdom or destroy it. The runes on Seraphina's skin reveal a prophecy: one of them is destined to betray the other. As they journey together to uncover the origins of the shadowy forces, their growing romance is tested by lies, secrets, and the weight of their shared fate.