The Divine Twilight's Return - Chapter 34: Star, The Test (5)

“I was scared!” she cried, interrupting him. “You're a married man, you have a wife now, and I didn't want to ruin that. I didn't know how you'd react. And I didn't want my children… our children… to be caught in the middle of more pain.”He looked at her in shock, breath caught in his throat. “You just said… our daughter earlier,” he said slowly.Yes,“ she answered. Jasmine and Hanith. They're yours.”Aaron's breath hitched, stumbled back a step, staring at her like he was seeing her for the first time again.“You told me they weren't mine,” he whispered.“I lied,” she admitted. “Because I was scared. I wanted to protect them. I thought if you knew, you'd take them away. And I also thought you wouldn't want them because you are married now.”“Five years,” he murmured, his voice barely audible. “I had children... and never knew.” He clenched his jaw, struggling to process everything.“They are your children,” she said softly. “And now your daughter needs you.”~**~A single mother, Katherine Prescott was the perfect definition of a B3 classy lady—beautiful, brainy, and brave. She worked her ass off to ensure her children never lacked, building a name for herself while running from the unwanted attachment of the past.But when the past she thought she'd left behind the day she fled with her babies came crashing against the walls she'd built—six years later—everything she buried resurfaced.What if the forgotten spark and desires kept pulling her back into the very past she wanted to forget? What if her babies wouldn't stop asking about their father? Can she really give him a second chance at love… and risk losing herself to passion again?Aaron Knight was a celebrity. He never believed he'd see her again. But there she was—still breathtaking, still beautiful as ever. He wasn't letting her go this time. He would get her back, by hook or by crook.Two problems: he was married… and she was already a mother.

Elia is a poor university student until the night she’s taken to the world of the Anima—ruled by humans whose ancient hearts pulse with the blood of animals. There she’s forced into a battle to the death. But when Elia survives, and refuses to kill her final opponent, the King must either kill Elia himself, or take her as his mate.

Reth, the brutal King of the Beasts with the blood of lions, shocks everyone when he chooses the weak, human Elia to become his Queen. He promises her every comfort of his wealth and position—but he is clear: She will not warm his bed. He chose her to defeat those that were trying to corner him into blending his Leonine line with the Wolves.

Elia needs the help of the Anima to become stronger and rule them well. But the vengeful Wolves see only a weak human that brought them shame. As Elia and Reth grow closer, the wolves are determined to destroy her. Will Reth and Elia admit their feelings for each in time to fight for the Kingdom—and their lives—against the villainous wolf-tribe? Or will the wolves kill Elia and steal the throne?

[Mature content - no sexual violence]

*****

He stalked towards her, chin low so the shadow cast by his hard jaw cut across the thick fur collar of his vest. His hair had fallen over his eyes in the scuffle, so he peered at her through it like a lion in the grass. With each step, his graceful, rolling gait reminded her of a predator stalking its prey. Despite the forest floor littered in twigs and leaves, he didn’t make a sound.

“Wh-who are you?” Elia stammered, backing away, her hands up. He met her step for step until she came up hard against the tree behind her—and didn’t stop until he loomed over her, so broad his shoulders and chest made a wall in front of her. She could feel the heat rising off his skin in the cool, night air.

“I am the Leonine King.” His voice was a dark, husky gravel. Behind him a chorus of wheezes, howls, and chirps of agreement rose from the people watching. “And you are?”

“Elia,” she breathed.

“Elia,” he growled, leaning in closer, bringing with him the scent of pine and rain and the musk of something distinctly male. “I am Reth.” He said the name with a strange, guttural roll in his throat. “I am King of Beasts. I am Clan Leader, and I am Alpha of WildWood.” Several snarls rose from the crowds behind him then, but he ignored them.

Elia swallowed as he leaned in until the scruff on his jaw rasped her cheek. “I am the King,” he said, “And you will be my mate.”

The forest behind him erupted.

After being set up and killed by her half-sister whom her ex-boyfriend had cheated with, Mu Siyin woke up one day to discover that not only was she alive, but she had traveled back in time to 2 years before her death.

Two years ago, Lin Chou Sui’s firefighter father sacrificed himself in a fire.

The last conversation between father and daughter ended in a big fight.

Lin Chou Sui woke up crying countless times in her dreams, wishing that if her dad could be reborn, she would obediently listen and never talk back.

Little did she expect that her dad would actually be reborn!

His soul possessed the body of Xiao Yan, the academic god of their high school.

…

Xiao Yan excelled in both character and academics. His total scores never dipped below 700. All the girls at their high school knew: getting into Tsinghua or Peking University was easy, getting close to Xiao Yan was difficult.

But Lin Chou Sui noticed that recently, the way Xiao Yan looked at her was very strange. His aloofness contained deep affection; his affection…was full of fatherly love?

So Lin Chou Sui’s daily life became:

Before exams, Xiao Yan would give her his notes to copy.

During her period, Xiao Yan would brew her red date tea and cook porridge.

Bad boys who blocked her path and harassed her would get kicked flying by Xiao Yan.

Lin Chou Sui was very touched. Other than her dad, no one had treated her this well.

…

On a hot afternoon, Xiao Yan sat with Lin Chou Sui on the stairwell to do homework, his gaze tender beyond words.

A light breeze blew by. The youth was about to lean in to kiss her.

Suddenly, a cold, icy male voice sounded in his mind:

“Young Xiao, may I ask what you intend to do with my daughter?”

Xiao Yan: ……

Xiao Yan crawled out from the mud. Beneath his cold and aloof appearance was a sinister and vindictive nature.

To climb from the lowliest dust to the summit out of reach, the path was filled with thorns. For this purpose he would stop at nothing, sparing no cost.

However, all the darkness and gloom in his life ended with that one strange encounter…

From then on, the skies cleared and his dead end led to new life.

A sinister genius boy meets a muddled Failure girl