Rise of the Living Forge - Chapter 146: The Bloodied Blade

Xu Jin simply bowed a few times in front of the nine star lanterns and came to this world that could guide the starlight into his body. Then, he bowed again in front of the nine star lanterns...

As a human, I should be miles away from any large shifter event. Especially the annual Mate Hunt.A hunt for mates. Doesn't that sound barbaric? Yeah, it's as bad as it sounds.Several packs in the area gather as their newly minted adult wolves shift. Females are let into the woods first and are given an hour's head start, just before sundown. Then it's time for the males, ostensibly thrown out to hunt down the scent of their fated (or chosen) mates.It isn't an event for the faint of heart, and it's definitely no place for someone who can't shift. So why the fuck am I here, running my little human heart out, chased by what sounds like an entire pack of wolves? Great question. I don't know, either.But I'm here.Surrounded by howls fueled by the thrill of the hunt.Feet bleeding. Lungs freezing.I am so fucked.----R18. Dark themes, including but not limited to: Murder, attempted murder, a stack of dead bodies, betrayal, mild sociopathy, an ML who appears to bathe in red flags despite his favorite color being green, an unwarranted hatred of blueberry muffins, and pillow thievery.

Teresa is a timid human whose life has been a series of unfortunate events—until she meets Lucian Blackwood, a very rich and handsome man who awakens a deep, unexplainable connection within her. But Lucian, an alpha werewolf with a haunting past, is repelled by Teresa’s perceived weakness, blaming weakness for the tragedy that shaped his life. Unable to accept her as his mate, he rejects and humiliates her, leaving Teresa shattered.Just as she’s picking up the pieces, Adrian Daegon, an ancient vampire with his own dark allure, steps into her life, determined to win her heart. Now, Lucian is torn with regret, desperate to reclaim the woman he cast aside. But to do so, he must face a powerful vampire and confront his own fears—while somehow convincing Teresa to forgive his betrayal and reignite their lost bond. Can love and redemption overcome the scars of rejection, or has Lucian's cruel mistake cost him his mate forever?Torn between two powerful forces, Teresa must decide where her true destiny lies—in the fierce grip of the wolf who scorned her or the dark embrace of the vampire who vows to adore her.

Evelyn had a normal happy life until the untimely death of her mother. Her loving father soon became an abusive drunk that would constantly beat her and her older brother Mason. After years of abuse one day Evelyn and Mason managed to escape the terror of their father, when Evelyn finally snapped and killed him.Unfortunately, even though they escaped their rotten father, their lives came to a violent and early end at the hands of a cruel fate.However, when Evelyn woke up after dying, she found herself in a dark damp place. And when she broke free from what confines her, she finds herself reborn as an owl.Follow along as Evelyn lives her second life as an owl in a world of magic and mystery, as she aims to rise up and become the strongest. So, no one can ever dictate her fate again.