Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord - Chapter 202: Steam Rifle

The corridor was dark. Selene moved fast, barefoot against the cold stone, her heart thundering in her chest. She didn’t know how they’d gotten so close, how he had.But the moment she turned the corner, he was there, and he slammed her back against the wall.Her gasp was muffled by a rough hand clamping over her mouth. The other braced beside her head as his body caged hers completely. Heat rolled off him like a furnace. His scent hit her nose, faintly familiar. Like burnt cedar, cold steel, and storm.He leaned in, his voice a ragged whisper by her ear.“You’re Selene... my Selene.”Her blood ran cold. Her heart rebelled against her chest, trying to escape.“I’m not,” she hissed through gritted teeth. “You’re mistaken.”His fingers traced the curve of her jaw like he was trying to memorize it. “It’s you. I’d know your soul even if the world burned it from your bones.”“You’re mad,” she spat.But he suddenly dipped his mouth to kiss her hard, to confirm that it was really her.***Selene was the daughter of the cruel Alpha who ruled Moonveil through fear. Years ago, he wiped out an entire pack just to rise to power. But he made one mistake...he left behind four orphaned boys.Those boys returned as Alphas. They are stronger, colder and out for revenge.They took everything...his land, his title, and finally... his life. Selene was only seventeen at the time. She had no idea what her father had done. But that didn’t matter. To them, she was guilty by blood.They didn’t kill her. No. They did something worse.They marked her as a slave.In their world, even omegas had rights. Slaves had none. She became nothing more than property.But Selene still had hope. On her eighteenth birthday, like every werewolf, she expected her wolf to awaken. It was supposed to be the start of her new life.Instead, it turned into a nightmare.Her wolf never came. Her body remained cold and silent. And then… the bond appeared. She was mated to all four of them.The very Alphas who hated her.The ones who owned her.But the truth is Selene was never a wolf to begin with.As her body withers under the weight of the bond, a darker truth surfaces. She is not just a slave… she is the last living witch, born of the very bloodline werewolves have hunted for generations.Now, her enemies wear the mark of her mates...And the witch they thought they broke may be the one who burns them all.

[Female lead with no romantic interest + ancient female awakening + passionate righteousness + refusing to be a submissive woman] After failing to conquer the emperor, the system punished me by forcing me to livestream modern life to ancient people.

The man I personally supported to ascend the throne saw me wearing a strapless minidress and dancing seductively at a banquet amidst revelry and wine, and he flew into a rage, accusing me of violating womanly virtues.

I smiled calmly and pointed the camera towards a modern street, launching a shocking livestream for the ancient people!

“Good heavens? It’s nighttime now, but what are those pearls shining so brightly?”

Female lead: Those are light bulbs.

“There are indeed objects in this world that can transmit sound over thousands of miles away. What a marvelous treasure!”

Female lead: This is a cell phone.

“How could the women on the streets dress so scantily and shamelessly flirt with men? Don’t they know propriety? Why hasn’t the county office come to stop these debased women and thrown them into pigsties?”

Female lead: Because this is the glorious era of China!

(Warning: Mature Content - R-18)The Ultimate Heartbreaker Reincarnates, Only to Find Himself a Pathetic Pushover?In his past life, he had gone out of his way to win their affection, humbling himself to the point of self - annihilation. But how did they repay him?His first love abandoned him for a wealthy heir, mocking him as delusional and naive.His childhood friend despised his devotion, pretending not to recognize him when they crossed paths.And the queen bee of the school? She sneered at him, refusing to even glance in his direction.But now, the man has been reborn—cold, detached, and effortlessly commanding both power and allure. Women fall under his spell without hesitation.Until one day—His first love appeared before him in a slinky strapless dress, her eyes shimmering with tears, her voice trembling: “Please… give me another chance, Master. I’ll do anything you ask…”His childhood friend was pinned against the door, her breath uneven, her gaze filled with desperate longing: “Master, even if it’s just as your secret lover—I’d be willing…”The once - arrogant queen bee shed her coat, leaning close to whisper in his ear, her breath warm and shaky: “Master… please, let me make it up to you…”He let out a low chuckle, his long fingers trailing over their heated cheeks, his eyes glinting with mockery and disdain. “You want me now?” he murmured, his tone icy. “Too bad. You’re too late.”

At twenty-four, Ashley Flynn had endured more than most. From the tragic loss of her parents to the lose of her marriage–and now, the mysterious abduction of her daughter. Just when she thought life couldn’t get any crueler, her ex-boyfriend resurfaced. Rich, powerful, and more relentless than ever, Lorenzo Grey was determined to win back Ashley’s heart, no matter how much she hated him. Or how long it took him.When she turned to him for help finding her missing daughter, he saw the perfect opportunity he had long awaited.“You mentioned that you wanted to help me find my daughter,” Ashley said, her voice trembling slightly.“Yes, I did...” Lorenzo replied, watching her like a hawk. “...but it won't come without a price.”Ashley hated him even more for trying to exploit her desperation–but he knew this was the only tool he had left to reclaim what was once his. And now, Ashley must do what she felt was necessary, even if it meant breaking her own defenses and craving the very man who once shattered her heart. Because to her, a mother’s love knows no limits—and no sacrifice was too great.