RUNAWAY BRIDE: BEAUTY AND THE BEASTChapter OneThe Girl in the AtticLucia learned very young that some houses were colder than graves.Her father's house was one of them.It had once been a beautiful manor overlooking the kingdom of Eldoria, but famine had stripped it of its glory. The gardens were dead. The fountains were dry. The servants had disappeared one by one.Only three people remained.Lord Cedric Vale.His wife, Lady Seraphina Veyra.And Lucia.Lucia was not Seraphina's daughter.She was the daughter of Cedric's first wife, a gentle woman who had died when Lucia was seven.Seraphina had never forgiven Lucia for surviving her mother."You have her eyes," she often said.Lucia had never understood why that sounded like an accusation.By eighteen, Lucia had become little more than a servant in her own home.She slept in the attic.She ate after everyone else.She wore dresses that had belonged to Seraphina's daughters before they left for wealthy marriages.Every morning before sunrise, Seraphina woke her."Get up."Lucia would sit up quickly."Yes, Lady Seraphina.""Water.""Yes.""Firewood.""Yes.""Kitchen.""Yes."Lucia never said no.She had learned what happened to girls who did.One winter morning, Lucia accidentally dropped a porcelain plate.It shattered.Seraphina stared at the pieces.Then she looked at Lucia."You broke your mother's favorite plate."Lucia's face went pale."I'm sorry."Seraphina crossed the room.The slap sent Lucia against the table."You always were like her."Lucia touched her cheek."Like my mother?""Stubborn.""I didn't mean to—""I don't care what you meant."Seraphina grabbed Lucia's chin."You should be grateful I allow you to remain in this house."Lucia said nothing.Seraphina released her."Clean it with your hands."Lucia stared at the broken porcelain."What?""You heard me."She knelt.A sharp piece cut her finger.Blood dripped onto the floor.Seraphina smiled."Now clean it."Lucia did.That evening, she climbed to the attic and cried silently.She pressed her bleeding hand against her chest."I hate this place."A wind moved through the broken window.The candle flame beside her flickered.Then she heard something.A whisper."Then leave."Lucia froze.She turned.Nobody was there."Who said that?"Silence.Then, from somewhere beyond the forest, came a distant roar.Lucia stepped toward the window.Far beyond the dead fields stood the Blackwood Forest.The forbidden forest.The place where people disappeared.Lucia stared into its darkness.She didn't know it yet.But something inside those trees had been waiting for her.For eighteen years.---Chapter TwoThe Hunger of EldoriaThe famine became worse.Children collapsed in the streets.Farmers sold their homes for sacks of grain.People fought over scraps of bread.Then came the decree from the palace.The kingdom needed food.Lord Malachi Ravenscroft, the richest nobleman in Eldoria, possessed enormous grain reserves.He agreed to release them.But he demanded payment.A bride.Lucia discovered the truth when she overheard Seraphina speaking to her father."She is eighteen."Cedric sounded exhausted."Seraphina, she is my daughter.""And she is the only thing we have left."Lucia stopped outside the door.Seraphina continued."Malachi will give us enough grain to survive.""What happens to Lucia?""She becomes his wife."Cedric was silent.Lucia covered her mouth.Her heart hammered."No."Seraphina's voice became colder."You wanted to save everyone.""I know.""Then sacrifice one."Lucia backed away.She ran upstairs.Her father found her later.She stood beside the window."Is it true?"Cedric couldn't look at her."Lucia...""Are you giving me to him?""I'm trying to save you.""No."She laughed bitterly."You're saving yourself."Cedric's eyes filled with tears."I am sorry."Lucia stared at him.Those words were worse than hatred.Because he meant them.Three days later, her wedding was announced.Lucia was to marry Lord Malachi Ravenscroft.A man nearly three times her age.A man known throughout Eldoria for collecting beautiful things.And never letting them go.---Chapter ThreeLord RavenscroftMalachi arrived at the manor the evening before the wedding.Lucia saw him from the staircase.He was dressed entirely in black.His silver hair was slicked backward.His eyes were pale and emotionless.He looked at Lucia.Not at her face.At her body.Lucia immediately felt sick."So this is the bride."Seraphina smiled."Lucia."She forced Lucia forward."Come greet your future husband."Lucia curtsied."My lord."Malachi walked around her."Beautiful."Lucia said nothing.He lifted her chin."You'll learn obedience."Her heart raced.Seraphina smiled."She has always been obedient."Malachi looked at Lucia."Are you afraid of me?"L

THE WEDDING WITHOUT A GROOM The church bells rang at exactly noon. One. Two. Three. Their deep sound rolled through the old cathedral and disappeared into the gray afternoon sky. But there was no celebration. No music. No excited guests whispering about the bride. No groom waiting at the altar. There was only rain. Heavy, merciless rain that hammered against the stained-glass windows as though heaven itself was mourning what was about to happen. At the altar stood a woman in white. Mara Elena Vale. Twenty-eight years old. Former military general. Daughter. Victim. And, according to the agreement signed that morning, the new wife of the most feared Mafia Lord in the city. She stood perfectly still. Her wedding dress was breathtaking—white silk flowing around her like a cloud, a long veil trailing behind her, delicate diamonds glittering at her ears and throat. But there was nothing soft about her expression. Her back was straight. Her chin was lifted. Her eyes were calm. Too calm. On the altar beside her stood a large framed photograph of the man she was supposed to marry. Dante Blackwood. The Mafia King. Thirty-five. Powerful. Untouchable. And absent. He hadn't come. Mara stared at his photograph for several seconds. The photograph showed a handsome man with dark hair, a hard jaw and eyes that seemed capable of making an entire room fall silent. She almost laughed. Almost. So this is my husband. A photograph. She slowly turned her gaze toward the empty church. Only three people had come to witness the marriage. A lawyer representing the Blackwood family. An elderly priest. And her mother. Her mother sat several rows behind her, dressed elegantly, with her younger daughter, Celeste, sitting beside her. Celeste was crying. Mara's eyes settled on her sister. Of course. Celeste was always the one people protected. Always the innocent one. Always the precious daughter. Mara looked at her mother. For a brief moment, she wondered if there was even a trace of regret in the woman's eyes. There wasn't. Her mother simply looked away. Mara understood. This wedding had never been about love. It had never even been about marriage. It was a payment. Her mother owed Dante Blackwood's family an enormous debt. A debt she could not repay. The Blackwoods had demanded Celeste as the price. But her mother couldn't bear the thought of giving her beloved youngest daughter to a Mafia Lord. So she had given them Mara instead. Her own daughter. Her unwanted daughter. The daughter she believed could survive anything. Mara's fingers tightened around the bouquet. She remembered her mother's words from the night before. "Celeste isn't strong enough for this life." Mara had stared at her. "And I am?" Her mother had said nothing. That silence had been the answer. A bitter smile touched Mara's lips. They had made one mistake. They thought being strong meant being easy to sacrifice. They were wrong. Mara had spent years in the military learning how to survive impossible situations. She had learned how to remain calm when everyone else panicked. How to recognize danger before it arrived. How to fight. How to command. How to lose people without losing herself. She had faced armed men. She had slept beneath open skies during military operations. She had walked through battlefields. She had seen blood. She had seen death. And yet somehow, this hurt more. Because the people sending her into danger were the people who were supposed to love her. The priest cleared his throat. "Mrs. Vale..." Mara looked at him. "You may proceed." She glanced at Dante's photograph. Then she looked toward the lawyer. "Does Mr. Blackwood intend to attend his own wedding?" The lawyer swallowed. "No." A strange silence followed. Mara nodded. "Of course." The priest began reading the marriage vows. Mara listened without expression. When it was time for her to answer, she didn't hesitate. "I do." The words echoed through the empty cathedral. The lawyer signed. The priest signed. Mara signed. Then the marriage certificate was closed. Just like that, her old life ended. Mara Vale became Mara Blackwood. Wife of Dante Blackwood. Queen of a kingdom she had never asked to enter. She removed the wedding ring from the small velvet box. It was heavy. Cold. Beautiful. She slipped it onto her finger. Then she looked at the photograph one final time. "You don't know me," she whispered. Her voice was almost lost beneath the rain. "But you will." She turned toward the doors. Her mother stood. "Mara." Mara stopped. She didn't turn around. Her mother hesitated. "Please understand why I did this." Mara closed her eyes. Then she slowly turned. "Because you loved Celeste more." Her mother said nothing. Mara gave a small, painful smile. "Don't worry, Mother." She looked down at her wedding ring. "I've understood that for years." Then she walked

PROLOGUEThe Queen They Called Wolf-LessThe first wolf to kneel was an Alpha.Then another.Then another.Within minutes, the great hall of the Moon Kingdom was filled with hundreds of powerful wolves bowing their heads to the woman standing at the top of the black marble steps.Aria didn't move.Her silver gown dragged across the floor behind her, its long train scattered with tiny crystals that caught the firelight. A golden crown rested upon her dark hair.But it wasn't the crown that frightened them.It was her eyes.They were no longer human.A brilliant silver burned through them.Behind her stood Alpha Kael—the most feared wolf in the land.Blood covered his black battle armor.His sword was still in his hand.And yet he was kneeling.Not because he had been defeated.Because he was bowing to his Queen.Aria looked across the enormous hall.At the faces staring back at her.Some were terrified.Some were ashamed.Some could barely meet her eyes.And then she saw Selene.The woman who had laughed at her.The woman who had called her wolf-less.The woman who had once told everyone that Aria would never be worthy of an Alpha.Selene stood among the defeated wolves, trembling.Aria remembered everything.Every insult.Every rejection.Every cruel laugh.Every time she had been pushed aside because the Moonstone had declared her powerless.But there was something none of them knew.The Moonstone had never declared Aria powerless.It had simply been unable to measure her.Aria slowly raised her hand.A strange silver light spread across her palm.The entire hall fell silent.Then the ground beneath them trembled.A deep growl echoed from somewhere beyond the palace walls.The ancient wolves of the kingdom lifted their heads.They knew that sound.They had heard it only in the oldest legends.The First Luna had awakened.Kael looked up at Aria.For a moment, the terrifying Alpha who had commanded thousands of wolves looked almost vulnerable.His wolf spoke inside his mind.Mate.Kael had known it long before anyone else.He had loved her before he knew she was powerful.Before he knew she was royal.Before he knew the powerless girl everyone mocked carried the blood of the most powerful Luna to ever walk the earth.Aria turned toward him.Their eyes met.Kael smiled.“You finally showed them who you are.”Aria's lips curved into a faint smile.“No.”She looked back at the wolves kneeling before her.“They showed me who they were.”A sudden explosion shook the palace.The windows shattered.Screams erupted.Kael immediately stood.His sword flashed into his hand.“Protect the Queen!”Warriors rushed forward.Aria didn't step back.Instead, something inside her began to howl.Her wolf.The creature that had remained silent for most of her life.The creature everyone believed did not exist.It finally opened its eyes.Luna.The name thundered through Aria's mind.And with it came memories that weren't hers.An ancient kingdom.A crown covered in blood.A woman standing beneath a red moon.An army of wolves kneeling before her.Then a voice whispered through the darkness.They thought you were powerless.Aria's silver eyes brightened.Let them remember the mistake they made.She stepped forward.The palace doors exploded inward.Hundreds of enemy wolves charged through the smoke.Kael's warriors prepared to attack.But before a single soldier could move, Aria lifted one hand.The entire army stopped.Every wolf froze.Their claws remained suspended inches from the ground.Their eyes widened.Aria's voice echoed through the hall.“Leave.”One word.One command.Hundreds of wolves dropped to their knees.Kael stared at her.Even he had never possessed that kind of power.Aria looked toward the shattered doorway.Somewhere beyond the mountains, another howl answered hers.The war had only begun.And none of them knew yet that the greatest threat to the kingdom wasn't the enemy approaching their borders.It was the secret buried inside their Queen.---Fifteen Years EarlierA little girl stood alone beneath the Moonstone.She was trembling.Hundreds of wolves watched her.An elder raised his hand.“Place your palm upon the stone.”The girl slowly obeyed.Her small hand touched the ancient crystal.Nothing happened.No light.No flame.No sound.The crowd began laughing.Someone whispered:“Wolf-less.”Another voice followed.“She's powerless.”The little girl lowered her head.She didn't see it.Nobody did.A hairline crack had appeared beneath her palm.Deep inside the ancient stone, something had awakened.Something old.Something royal.Something that had been waiting for her birth.And while the entire kingdom laughed at the powerless little girl...the Moonstone was dying because it could not contain her.

previously on the King's Virgin maid ...... -CHAPTER SIX — THE LOST PRINCESS Elena barely slept after learning that the blood of the royal family did not flow through her veins.She sat beside the window of her chambers, staring at the moon.For weeks, she had wondered why the king looked at her differently.Why her presence unsettled him.Why the portrait of his dead mother looked so much like her.Now she had more questions than answers.A soft knock came at the door.Elena turned.Martha entered carrying a tray."You should eat.""I'm not hungry.""You haven't eaten since morning."Elena looked down at her hands."Martha... who am I?"The old servant slowly placed the tray on the table."I was hoping you would never have to ask that question.""Then you know something."Martha sighed."Your mother was called Seraphine."Elena's heart began beating faster."She was a witch.""Yes.""Was she evil?"Martha immediately shook her head."No. She was powerful. That is not the same thing."Elena looked toward the window."Why was she hunted?""Because your grandfather feared her.""My grandfather?""The former king."Elena's mouth fell open."King Alaric?"Martha nodded."Your father was one of his most trusted knights. When he discovered that the king intended to kill your mother, he helped her escape.""What happened to them?"Martha's eyes filled with sadness."Your father disappeared.""And my mother?""Everyone believed she died."Elena whispered, "But you don't believe that."Before Martha could answer, a loud crash came from outside.The doors burst open.Lucien's guards rushed inside."Your Majesty has ordered everyone to remain in their chambers!"Martha immediately stood."Why?"The captain looked frightened."There has been an assassination attempt."Elena stood."Against the king?"The captain shook his head."No."His eyes moved toward Elena."Against you." ---CHAPTER SEVEN — THE ASSASSIN Elena barely had time to react.A dagger flew through the open window.Lucien appeared from the corridor at the exact moment the blade struck the wall beside Elena's head."GET DOWN!"Elena dropped.Lucien drew his sword.Three masked men emerged from the shadows.The guards attacked.The room erupted into chaos.Steel collided.One assassin slipped past the guards and lunged toward Elena.She screamed.Lucien reached her first.His sword moved with terrifying speed.The assassin collapsed.Silence filled the room.Lucien stood over the body, breathing heavily.Then he turned."Are you hurt?"Elena shook her head."No."He crossed the room and grabbed her shoulders."Are you certain?"She nodded."I'm fine."Lucien released her.Only then did Elena notice his hand was bleeding."You're hurt.""It's nothing.""You're bleeding.""I said it's nothing."Elena frowned."Sit down."Lucien stared at her.Nobody ordered the king to sit.Nobody.But Elena walked toward the table and opened a medical box."Sit."Something about her voice made him obey.He sat.She carefully cleaned the cut on his palm.Lucien watched her."You should be afraid.""I am.""Then why aren't you shaking?"Elena looked up."Because you're here."His expression softened.For a few seconds, neither spoke.Then the door opened.The captain entered carrying one of the assassin's weapons."Your Majesty."Lucien looked at him."What?"The captain swallowed."We found this."He placed the dagger on the table.The royal crest was engraved into its handle.Lucien's face became cold."That crest belongs to the royal guard."The captain nodded."Exactly."Someone inside the palace had ordered Elena's death.Someone close enough to the king to obtain a royal weapon.Lucien rose."Double the guards around her quarters.""Yes, Your Majesty.""And no one enters her chambers without my permission."The captain bowed.Lucien looked at Elena."This changes everything."--- CHAPTER EIGHT — THE QUEEN MOTHER Lucien spent the entire night searching for the traitor.He questioned guards.Servants.Ministers.Even members of his own household.Nothing.Every trail ended in silence.Then, just before dawn, he entered the chambers of his mother.Queen Mother Isabella was sitting beside the fireplace.She didn't look surprised to see him."I wondered when you would come."Lucien closed the door."You know about Elena."Isabella remained silent."Mother."She slowly raised her eyes."Yes."Lucien's jaw tightened."How long?""Since the day she entered this palace.""Why?""Because I knew her face."Lucien stepped closer."You knew she looked like my mother.""I knew she looked like Seraphine."He froze."Seraphine?"Isabella stood."Your father's greatest mistake was believing he could control magic.""What does Elena have to do with magic?""Everything." DAUGHTER Lucien took Elena into the deepest part of the palace. The underground library had been sealed for decades. No servant was permitted to enter. Hundreds of books lined the walls. Elena looked around. "Why are we here?" "Because I owe you the truth." Lucien placed a book on the table. "Your mother was a Moonborn witch." Elena laughed nervously. TBC

THE KING'S VIRGIN MAID :true beauty A Fantasy Romance -- Every girl dreams of becoming the wife of a rich billionaire .......Elena a poor, innocent, softhearted maid in the imposing palace of king Lucian xiv okay...u might think it's a dream come true but getting the attention of the king could bring frustrations... especially for a weak girl like Elena,or thing really take a drastic tur . . . CHAPTER 1 . The King Who Feared Nothing King Lucien Valerius was feared throughout Eldoria. At thirty, he had conquered three rebellious provinces, defeated an invading army, and executed enough traitors that mothers used his name to frighten disobedient children. He was beautiful in the dangerous way a blade was beautiful. Tall. Powerful. Cold. And utterly untouchable. The palace servants knew better than to look directly into his eyes. Except for one. Her name was Elena. She was a young maid who worked in the royal kitchens. She had no noble blood and no influential family. Her greatest ambition was simply to earn enough money to keep her younger brother safe. One evening, she was ordered to deliver the king's dinner. She entered the enormous dining hall carrying a silver platter. Lucien looked up from his documents. "Come here." Elena approached nervously. "What is your name?" "Elena, Your Majesty." "Look at me." She obeyed. Their eyes met. Something strange happened. The king forgot what he had been reading. And Elena forgot to breathe. Neither understood why. But someone watching from the shadows understood perfectly. A woman whispered: "The prophecy has begun." --- CHAPTER 2 The Prophecy Elena knew nothing about prophecies. Lucien knew even less. But the old royal seer had warned him years ago: «The woman who will destroy your kingdom will also be the woman who saves your heart.» Lucien had dismissed the prophecy. Until Elena arrived. He began requesting her presence during meals. At first, it was harmless. Then he started asking her questions. "What do you think of the palace?" "It's beautiful." "Do you like living here?" "I like the kitchen better." Lucien almost smiled. "Why?" "Nobody expects me to pretend there." He stared at her. Everyone in his court pretended. Everyone lied. But Elena had no reason to flatter him. That made her dangerous. And fascinating. Then one morning, Lucien received an anonymous letter. STAY AWAY FROM THE MAID. He burned it. The next morning, another arrived. SHE IS NOT WHO YOU THINK SHE IS. This time, Lucien kept it. --- CHAPTER 3 — The Girl in the Garden Elena found an injured white wolf in the royal garden. She secretly treated its wound. When Lucien discovered her, he was furious. "That creature could kill you." Elena looked at the wolf. "It hasn't." "You don't know that." "Neither did it know whether you would kill it." Lucien went silent. No one had ever compared him to an injured animal before. "You're not afraid of me." "I am." "Then why do you speak to me like this?" Elena smiled faintly. "Because you haven't given me a reason to hate you." Lucien couldn't stop thinking about those words. That night, he ordered his guards to investigate Elena's family. The report arrived before dawn. Nothing unusual. Her family had been poor for generations. No connection to magic. No connection to royalty. No secrets. Lucien finally relaxed. He shouldn't have. Because the investigator had been paid to falsify the report. --- CHAPTER 4 — The Forbidden Wing Elena accidentally wandered into the forbidden wing of the palace. She discovered an enormous locked chamber. Inside was a portrait. A woman who looked exactly like her. Elena dropped the candle. The portrait showed a queen wearing a crown bearing the symbol of the moon. At the bottom was a name. Queen Evelyne Valerius. Elena stared in horror. She heard footsteps. Lucien entered. He saw the portrait. His expression changed completely. "Where did you find this?" "I don't know who she is." Lucien didn't answer. "Your Majesty?" He stepped closer. "You look exactly like her." "Who was she?" "My mother." Elena's heart stopped. "But... everyone says the queen died twenty-nine years ago." "She did." "Then why do I look like her?" Lucien had no answer. For the first time, the Black King looked genuinely afraid. -- CHAPTER 5 — The Queen's Secret Lucien ordered Elena confined to her quarters. She was furious. "You cannot imprison me!" "I can." "Why?" "Because I don't know what you are." Elena's eyes filled with tears. "I'm Elena." "I know." "Then trust me." Lucien looked away. "I want to." That answer hurt more than anger would have. That night, an old servant named Martha visited Elena. She revealed a secret. The late queen had given birth to twins. One child was Lucien. The other disappeared. Everyone believed the second child had died. Martha whispered: "She was a girl." Elena's blood ran cold. "Where did she go?" Martha looked directly at her. "She was taken." -- THE STORY CONTINUES IN THE NEXT SERIES.... THE KING'S VIRGIN MAID: royal blood