The Alpha’s Substitute Love
Emerald used to be a violent rogue wolf, living freely with her pack until they fell to a brutal invasion. Captured and sold to a slave market, it was almost as if her fate were sealed as much as her spirit could be captive. Then Alpha Joel bought her as a slave, though, but to play a disturbing role in his life. She wasn't supposed to live freely, but to replace his lost love Lena, a woman whose memory still haunted him, keeping his heart captive.
The resemblance Emerald shares with Lena ties her to a life that is not even hers, racing in habits and appearance against the ghost of a girl she never knew. Yet as Joel gets closer to Emerald, he finds himself torn between his fixation with Lena's memory and the undeniable attraction of the fiery woman standing in front of him. But the ghost of Lena's past proves to be a deeper mystery than Emerald had anticipated. But when secrets arise and the past and present collide, it's up to Emerald to decide if her feelings for Joel can hold her in a dangerous life or whether her need for freedom is worth risking it all.
Read
Chapter: CHAPTER FIVE Secrets in the ShadowsAs Joel turned and walked away, leaving her alone by the river, Emerald watched his back disappear as a searing pang hit her chest. A wretched, hollow smile worked its way onto her face, the mocking of her own foolishness. She had let herself believe, even if only for a moment, that she could be someone meaningful to him. But the truth had settled in with one word: "Lena."Emerald wrapped her arms around herself, small and lost, until a soft bump against her hand brought her back into focus. She looked down to see the little rabbit she had been stroking, its small nose twitching as it peered up at her with large, innocent eyes. Other animals surrounded her ducks waddling near her, small birds chirping nearby, each one seeming to trust her, being drawn to her. It was as if they sensed her sadness, cuddling close to her as if to comfort her.Feeling a wave of warmth, Emerald sat back down on the grass, her heart lightning. She spoke to the animals in a soft voice
Last Updated: 2024-11-07
Chapter: CHAPTER FOURLessons in ShadowsEmerald sat stiffly, trying to listen as the woman in her room explained the details of Lena's life, but her mind kept drifting to the thought that with each word her own identity was slipping away. The room itself was quiet, peaceful even, but she felt anything but relaxed. Instead, a feeling of tightness settled into her chest, the same feeling she'd had since she stepped into this new life.The woman who'd been assigned to teach her, Mara, had a patient look in her eyes as she went over the instructions, but her tone was firm, showing this wasn't just a lesson-it was a command. Emerald made herself listen.She was a healer, a doctor for the pack, Mara began. Gentle with everyone, especially children; never raising her voice, she had this calming effect on the most anxious souls. Mara paused, her gaze razor-sharp as she looked at Emerald. Joel expects you to be just like that: kind, calm, sweet.Emerald nodded resentfully but swallowed it. She wasn't here to quest
Last Updated: 2024-10-31
Chapter: CHAPTER THREEBecoming LenaThose words seemed to ring in her mind, echoing on repetition, and went on: "You are here to be a substitute." Emerald stood there in a daze, her eyes enlarging on the man before her while her heart drummed in incredulity. A substitute? For what? For whom?She tried to comprehend what he had just spoken, but it was like her mind felt so greasy that the more she slid away. She had spent the last few hours working out in her head why he had bought her- why a powerful man like Alpha Joel would take her from the Dark Market. She had expected him to want her for work, perhaps some role in the pack. But to hear he wanted her as a substitute? Her hands fisted at her sides as her mind grasped for anything to make this all make sense.She finally looked up at Joel, sitting in the chair, face relaxed and detached. His body was loosely laid back in the chair; he was showing not even the slightest regard as if he were telling her about the weather. She couldn't conceptualize how he
Last Updated: 2024-10-31
Chapter: CHAPTER TWOTheir BeginningThe ride was silent. Emerald's heart beat fast as they moved through the thick forest, the unknown stretching before her like a shadowed path. Free from the Dark Market, her mind was a whirl of questions. Who was this man who'd bought her without hesitation? What did he want with her? And what would life now be?Behind her, Alpha Joel sat lost in his thoughts, clenching the reins tight while the horse pushed them onward. This is madness, he thought to himself. No one can be Lena. The name bit into his mind with a lingering bitterness-a ghost of a memory. Yet, he had purchased this girl, a decision now weighing heavy upon him. There was no looking back; Emerald was his responsibility now.Hours of riding passed, and they neared the grounds of New Oak. Emerald's eyes began to widen as they approached. The place was huge, stretching toward every horizon she could see. Stone walls of high standing surrounded the grounds, silent sentinels. The main entrance loomed high with
Last Updated: 2024-10-31
Chapter: CHAPTER ONEFreedom: You Are Safe!All chaos was alive within the Dark Market. The noise was nothing but a constant; the voices shouted, bargained, and called out prices. The people crowded every corner, jostling for space. The stalls lined the market, selling everything from different corners with knives and weapons, while others with animals caged, crying, and scratching at their bars. But the darkest part of the market lay right at its center, where people were sold as slaves, in chains, and on display.Before a stand caked with filth, a young woman sat with her hands tightly bound in coarse ropes; the wrists were red and raw. Long hair fell uncombed about her face, shading her eyes as she stared at the ground. She was about twenty, but days of hunger had made her thin, far too thin. Her clothes were loose on her body, hanging in torn and stained tatters, but beneath the grime and exhaustion, her beauty was undeniable: eyes fierce, even bowed, as if holding on to her last shred of dignity.Her
Last Updated: 2024-10-31
LOGIN
