The Indomitable Huntress & the Hardened Duke
BOOK THREE of COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE:
After a bitter betrayal, he refuses to trust hunters, but a certain huntress catches his eye...
Greg Claw's bonded mate did the unthinkable, conspiring against him and his family during their time together, so she was punished with death.
Now he knows never to trust a hunter.
This includes the newly appointed Chief Octopus, Sushmita. But the more he's around her, the more intrigued he gets. The longer they work together, the more he can't deny the connection growing between them. It's not a bond, but there's certainly something.
Sushmita has her own secrets and motives for everything she does, and choosing this profession is no exception.
Greg finds himself caring about her… for her. When her former lover waltzes in, Greg wonders if this ex is what stands between him and Sushmita.
One thing's for sure, with threats pressing in close, danger lurking in the shadows, and things not appearing to be what they seem, Greg has to do everything within reach and beyond to protect everything and everyone he holds dear, which - oddly - includes her.
***
BOOK ONE: The 5-Time Rejected Gamma & the Lycan King
BOOK TWO: The Rogues Who Went Rogue
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Chapter: Bonus Scene 2/2: Chapter 60.5Days after Kenji’s update, Sush was no closer to figuring out the last time she came in touch with Upshaw, and Asahi pointedly told the eastern leader that despite the eastern attacks - which he was still blaming Kenji and his octopuses for - he would never stoop below professionalism and hunter hierarchy. That assertion was entirely believable because Asahi has never broken a single rule in his career - be it something as serious as committing treachery or as trivial as abiding to lunch hour to the dot. That brought them back to the lead itself: what did Upshaw mean? When did she and Sush last meet? It was probably when Upshaw was still in the western headquarters, and the exchange was either in a queue during lunch at the cafeteria or that they brushed past each other on the archer’s floor when their practice sessions coincided. In both scenarios, they wouldn’t have even spared each other a nod or greeting. Did that count as being in touch? “What’s on your mind?” Greg’s drawl bru
Last Updated: 2023-05-30
Chapter: Bonus Scene 1/2: Chapter 59.5After the meal, the families strolled around the greenery of small trees and flower beds, mingling with other families and teachers. Pups either left their parents’ side to play with their friends or were clung onto tightly by their respective parents as their teacher spilled every detail on their grades and behavior in class. Some grinned with pride while others hid behind their parents’ legs, which were as good a hiding spot as having none. Little Ken was well-loved in terms of character and behavior, but could use some help in sports. Reida and Ianne were a lovable pair mostly due to their inquisitive nature, but their chatter during lessons was incredibly hard to stop. The teachers - especially the science teacher - appreciated that their chats were about the scrawls of facts and processes on the board, but he made it a point to note that he’d appreciate it more if their discussion didn’t come when he was still talking and trying to get the pups to pay attention. Lewis was ado
Last Updated: 2023-05-30
Chapter: Stina's NoteDear readers,We’ve come to the end of The Indomitable Huntress & the Hardened Duke, and I want to thank everyone who has stuck around. I hope you can spare a few minutes to rate this novel and leave a review here and on *Goodreads*. It'll help a lot in seeking new readers and sharing the love!Thank you for the gems, comments, reviews, follows, and - most of all - patience throughout this journey. When I started Book One, I would have never thought this would be the direction I’d take in Book Three, especially not when I was writing the first few chapters of my debut, but here we are.I named the female lead Sushmita after my closest friend in the sixth form (she doesn’t know yet), coupled with Alagumalai which means “beautiful mountain” and is part of the name of my favorite English teacher (she doesn’t know either). I almost chickened out and was going to use something generic, but the tale didn’t carry the spark I wanted as I began writing, so I swapped it back. If either of them e
Last Updated: 2023-04-21
Chapter: EpilogueXandar’s jet landed next to the Forest of Oderem and everyone trailed out to meet Pelly, Octavia, Rafael and Amber. The forest greeted them with the waft of freshly baked goods and a gentle breeze, growing pink and amber-colored flowers around Enora and bringing the butterflies that she always loved seeing. One landed on her nose and Enora’s hands were about to catch it when it flew away. The breeze brought along dried leaves of different shape, color and texture, raining them on Reida and Ianne who collected them. The girls even brought a small sack to gather them after their first visit, always patting the branch that would magically extend toward them as a way of conveying their thanks. Sush lay her eyes on the forest for the first time, feeling an undeniable
Last Updated: 2023-04-21
Chapter: Chapter 85A week after they’d returned from their honeymoon, the pups came over. Christian had been adamant about keeping his family away from Greg in the beginning, but it was difficult to keep his son away from Sush, so trust was built over time. In the first twenty times Sush and Greg brought Lewis to the park when they took Enora, Christian and Annie went along, staying on the benches solely to observe, learning from there that their son had a knack for something other than his camera. Unlike Ken, Lewis wasn’t good with puzzles - wasn’t patient enough, but he picked up catapulting quite quickly, shooting fake nests off high branches, even accidentally catapulting Greg in his ass in his first try when Greg was placing the nests into trees. Lewis gasped and quickly hid the weapon behind his back the moment Greg turned around with a
Last Updated: 2023-04-21
Chapter: Chapter 84In the following week after returning from the kingdom, a paternity test was taken, and it confirmed Sush carried Ferdinand’s genes - a fact that didn’t surprise him but disgusted her. Of all the things she imagined her birth father to be, a defense minister that was the epitome of an irresponsible, disloyal, and unreliable hypocrite was not one of them.Upon learning this, Sush sat on the couch and stared into space.Greg came over soon after, placed her on his lap and asked whether she wanted to talk things through; preferred if he just held her and stayed silent; or simply wanted to be left alone so he should leave for now. At the mention of the last option, Sush grabbed onto his shirt - her action conveying that she did not want him to leave before her words did. She asked for the second option, and a very quiet
Last Updated: 2023-04-21
The Rogues Who Went Rogue
BOOK TWO of COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE:
When the line between allies and enemies blurs, a king and queen must trust each other—even when trust seems lost.
A rogue pack seems to possess almost impossible knowledge to evade capture as King Alexandar and Queen Lucianne learn a difficult truth - the leader of the rogue pack is bonded to one of their allies.
To make matters more difficult, something is stirring in the vampire community.
Rumors, reports, whispers of kidnappings and invasions. With threats pushing in from every angle the king and queen must fight to protect their kingdom, their allies, their friends, and even one another. As bonds are forged and broken, the royal pair must face a sinister thought—perhaps the threat looms within their circle.
And as their love and trust for another are put to the test, they must remember that dark forces are no match for their bond. But how can anyone fight an unseen threat with the ability to bring the kingdom to its knees?
When all seems lost, even a pinprick of light can ignite the fires of hope…
***
BOOK ONE: The 5-time Rejected Gamma & the Lycan King
BOOK THREE: The Indomitable Huntress & the Hardened Duke
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Chapter: Stina's NoteDear readers,Thank you for giving “The Rogues Who Went Rogue” a chance, and for following through to the very end. I hope that this sequel was entertaining enough to keep you engaged, and empowering enough for you to draw strength from it whenever you need the boost.I hope you can spare a few minutes to rate this novel and leave a review here and on Goodreads. It'll help a lot in seeking new readers and sharing the love!To anyone who dropped comments with encouraging words from time to time, thank you. You have no idea how helpful these have been on the days when I experience severe fatigue or writer’s block.Now, with regards to what’s in store for the next book in the Coalescence of the Five Series, it’s this - in Book Three, we’ll be acquainted with hunters and a potential duchess, but the publication date cannot be confirmed as of yet. I am discussing the contractual terms of a writing project with another platform, and if that proceeds, I would be working on that book in the s
Last Updated: 2022-04-01
Chapter: Chapter 145As he gently took the baby girl from her mother, everyone braced themselves for the deafening screams that would usually follow. But what came next was just soft coos as Enora leaned against her uncle’s shoulder, resting her head there with a soft smile. After a few quiet moments, Greg glanced at the child before looking back at Xandar and Lucianne when he questioned, “What did you two feed her this morning? What sorcery is this?” Christian had a theory, which he shared as he walked over to Greg, “Maybe she’s starting to warm up to us. Let me try.” As soon as Greg reluctantly detached Enora from his shoulder and the baby realized that she was going to a different adult that was neither one of her parents, she screamed and started tearing up as she pressed herself again
Last Updated: 2022-04-01
Chapter: Chapter 144The ceremony to return the title was held in the abandoned castle next to the Forest of Oderem. Pellethia had an unexplainable feeling that it had to be there, as did Lucianne. When the servants went to have the place cleaned up, all praying that they weren’t going to encounter anything out of the ordinary when they did their job, two among the sixty cleaners entered a room on the highest floor that was covered with a very thick layer of dirt and dust. When the two servants assigned to clean this particular room opened the windows to let in some air, a dash of breeze came from the forest and blew at a part of the dirt on the floor, making the poor servants flinch before instinctively holding each other as they quivered in fear. When nothing happened for the next few moments, they slowly released their hold of each other. Th
Last Updated: 2022-04-01
Chapter: Chapter 143Gerella walked gracefully down the aisle, and while all eyes were on her, her sights stuck to her groom who looked like he was close to tears as he beamed at her. When she reached him, he offered her his hand to help her onto the platform. The music stopped, and the guests took their seats once more. After the marriage officiant recited from the Scriptures of Matrimony, he announced that it was time for the exchange of vows. Toby began, “Ella, from the moment we met, I knew that my life was never going to be the same again. Not only can I now boast about being the only one among my friends to get the most beautiful hybrid for a wife, your mark practically gave me the license to also gloat about being able to see a discretus when they cannot. You have no idea how much fun I’m going to have lying about a discretus’s presence when we’re training.”
Last Updated: 2022-03-31
Chapter: Chapter 1427 weeks later “I’ve actually already had two. They taste pretty good.” Toby told Lucianne as they stood by the table with the trays of cupcakes. He then added, “I’m glad she decided to start a business out of this. Her baking skills are fantastic!” Hailey made those cupcakes. She was now a probationary kindergarten teacher on weekdays and a baker on weekends. She and the other mavericks still worked for Greg, but they were free to indulge in their hobbies and passions when they didn't have maverick duties. Some even pursued career paths that earned a salary the 'normal' way. Jade opened a cyber café which attracted lots of youngsters, and Hailey baked cupcakes or made pastries to sell to Jade’s customers. She offered him a small percentage of her earnings for his space. Some even came in just to buy her baked goods.
Last Updated: 2022-03-31
Chapter: Chapter 141After Margaret managed to compose herself, she cleared her throat, looked into Tate’s eyes that held so much love and assurance, and began reciting her own set of vows, “Tate, when we met, I thought that our bond wasn’t going to last. I thought that a rejection would follow, from you or me, or even from the both of us. You haven’t the faintest clue of how relieved and happy I am that I’ve been proven wrong. Very wrong.” “I was wrong to think that our bond is a mistake; I was wrong to judge you based on the title you inherited; and I was wrong to think that you could never love me the way I didn’t know I needed to be loved. Never in my wildest dreams could I’ve imagined falling in love again, and never did I think it was someone as perfect as you are, Tate. I held so much hate from my past, carrying it throughout my life, even scaring away a few acquaintances with my untamable inferno, yet y
Last Updated: 2022-03-30
The 5-time Rejected Gamma & the Lycan King
BOOK ONE of COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE:
After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What’s worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner.
King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn’t thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn’t seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he’s different; and a chance to love her.
But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
***
BOOK TWO: The Rogues Who Went Rogue
BOOK THREE: The Indomitable Huntress & the Hardened Duke
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Chapter: Stina's NoteDear readers,We’ve come to the end of “The 5-time Rejected Gamma & the Lycan King”. I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who has given this book a chance, and for following through to the very end.I hope you can spare a few minutes to rate this novel and write a review here and on Goodreads. And hopefully, you liked the story enough to drop a Gem or two (or more) :)When I started typing away on my iPad, I told myself that I wanted to give readers not just a story, but an experience. I wanted the characters to be felt, not just imagined. I hope that some of the characters have inspired you, and touched your heart in more ways than one. Perhaps you’ve even developed a crush in the course of the story XDThat being said, and without giving too much away, I hope that:i) Lucianne has exemplified strength, resilience, self-worth, and has shown you the upside of opening up to new possibilities;ii) Xandar has exemplified how important it is to let those
Last Updated: 2021-10-18
Chapter: Chapter 199Tears trickled from the corners of Lucianne’s eyes as the congregation clapped when Xandar came to the end of his wedding vows. Most of the women found it so heartfelt that they were already all teared-up. Even Christian pressed away the tears from his own eyes.After Xandar’s thumb wiped away his mate’s tears on her face, Lucianne cleared her throat and began reciting her vows which went through infinite drafts before this day, “Xandar, when we met, I was so blinded by my past that I almost gave up the best thing that was presented to me. You’ve always expressed how lucky you felt to be bonded to me but from the way I see it, I’ve been the lucky one.”“You asked me for a chance, a chance to show me that you’re different but you’re not just different, dearest. The way you lo
Last Updated: 2021-10-18
Chapter: Chapter 198Six weeks later, the royal wedding took place, and it was the largest wedding in Lycan and werewolf history...because werewolves were never invited to a Lycan’s wedding, let alone the Lycan King and Queen’s wedding. In the confinement units of prison, the police once again tied each Kylton to a chair and placed the same televisions from the coronation day in each of their units, courtesy of the King. They taped the heiress’s mouth after her first scream this time. Xandar decided that he would use the short period of time after the wedding and before the honeymoon to tell Lucianne about forcing the Kyltons to watch her coronation and their wedding. He didn’t tell her when he sent out the order because he didn’t want Lucianne to blink her doe eyes and talk him out of doing what he wanted to do. It wasn’t as if he
Last Updated: 2021-10-17
Chapter: Chapter 197Yarrington caught the Queen before she fell, handing her to the King as soon as he reached her side. Xandar rushed her to Dr Yeil’s medical centre. Christian, Annie, the alliance, Ken and Janice all waited along the corridor outside the doctor’s room.Xandar was looking at his mate’s unconscious body on the examination table in dismay. He felt her blacking out from across the hall, and the next thing he knew, he was witnessing her petite figure falling before the Education Minister caught her in swift motion.Dr Yeil extracted some blood, and got one of his nurses to go have it analysed. Two minutes into the body examination with his second nurse, Lucianne let out a moan. Xandar rushed to her side without a second thought and asked frantically, “Baby. Baby, can you hear me?”
Last Updated: 2021-10-17
Chapter: Chapter 196A week later, the wolves flew to Lycan territory again to attend Lucianne’s coronation. Every living creature from Blue Crescent flew over, and they left the safety of their pack to the warriors from an ally pack.Every Lycan and werewolf who wasn’t at the ceremony turned on their televisions or went online to watch the live broadcast, even the prisoners. Greg sat in the cafeteria with a few new friends he made, beaming as Lucianne’s face came on screen.In a separate prison, the Aphaels and Tanners stared at the screen with zero enthusiasm. Livia was the only one with a scorn when Lucianne’s face came into view.In each of their solitary confinement units, the Kyltons were barking expletives when the police brought in high resolution television
Last Updated: 2021-10-17
Chapter: Chapter 195Lucianne sat up and held her breath, as did everyone else. On the side, Greg seemed like he couldn’t care less what happened to him but it did concern him that Lucianne looked worried. She shouldn’t be under any stress given how hard the past few weeks had already been for her. He was only stealing momentary glances of her before but he was finding it difficult to look away now, until his cousin threw him a glare.Greg rolled his eyes just to annoy his cousin one more time before reluctantly looking away. Lucianne felt Xandar’s jealousy, so she pecked a quick kiss on his jawline to calm her beast. Xandar’s face softened, and he closed his eyes to take a whiff of her hair, indulging in her scent.Judge Cook cleared his throat and continued reading the judgment, “By law, the Duke’s act of poisoning t
Last Updated: 2021-10-16
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