the era of calamities - Chapter 31: Reunion

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.

With a stroke of misfortune, Lucas lost his life at the hands of a madman. Yet fate granted him another chance—reincarnation into a new world, only for him to lose his family while still young.In a realm brimming with magic and secrets, Lucas—now named Amon—leads a poor and ordinary life, no different from any commoner. That is, until one fateful night changes everything, opening the path to Arcadia Academy.Will his destiny finally change? Can he rise to power? Or will his cursed luck drag him into even greater danger? Will he be swallowed by death once again?Follow Amon’s journey as he unravels the secrets of the world, driven by curiosity, while struggling to survive.Thus, a new journey begins…

When struggling actor Liam Cross is gunned down during a bar robbery, he expects the lights to fade for good.Instead, he opens his eyes in a throne room surrounded by demons – standing inside a summoning circle meant to call forth an ancient Demon God.Only, the god never came.Just him.With no magic, no divinity, and no clue how he got there, Liam is mistaken for Azrakul, the Primordial Demon: a being of infinite power the Demon Queen desperately sought to save her crumbling empire.But when a mysterious System awakens, Liam learns the truth:He’s not a god… yet.[Designation: “Infernal Sovereign” — Activated.][Requirement: Subjugate the Realm of Demons.][Power Source: Fear. Faith. Belief.]The System doesn’t just grant strength.Instead, it feeds on the belief of others – turning fear, faith, and lies into real, tangible power.And as an actor who’s spent his whole life pretending to be something greater, Liam finally finds the role he was born to play.Now trapped among ancient monsters and scheming demon nobles, he must perform the part of a god convincingly enough to survive.Because if the demons ever discover he’s a fraud…He’ll die as the man he’s always been—or ascend as the monster he pretended to be.

[Mommy Villainess (The Lady with the Crab Mallet)]***[Original book cover. Artwork by Artist Michiro for WN Author sola_cola.]***In Tilly's past life, she was a villainess who neglected her husband and son for power. Then, the “real woman of the prophecy” came and took them away from her. When she failed to seize the throne for herself, she was executed for all the crimes she committed.Then, came her rebirth.She wants to meet her son again so she vowed to be a good person this time. Good enough to seduce Captain Kiho--- her husband in her past life.But soon, she realized that flirting with the captain is the least of her worry. After all, she discovered that her “evilness” in the past was caused by the true villain--- someone who wanted her dead to steal the special power that she didn't know she possessed.Power that has something to do with the Four Ancient Beasts of the Moonchester Empire: The Red Phoenix, the Blue Dragon, the Golden Tiger, and The Black Serpent.Apparently, she's the Beast Priestess...... and her lineage isn't supposed to exist anymore.Because of her blood, there are people who want her gone.So now, aside from having a happy life with Kiho and their son, she has a new goal: to burn down the b*tches who want to ruin her family again.***[EXCERPT]***[‘Why am I so horny tonight?’]Tilly thought to herself while sucking the crab leg suggestively. And then, she noticed that Captain Kiho gulped while staring at her mouth.[‘Ah, I’m not the only who’s hot and bothered here.’]She didn’t know if it was the alcohol in her system or her desperation to have a child…… but she suddenly felt like flirting with him.They were bound to get married and have a child together anyway.“Captain,” said Tilly as soon as she pulled the crab leg out of her mouth. “I can clearly see that we’re both attracted to each other. Shall we spend the night together?”Kiho remained pokerfaced but she saw panic cross his now glowing yellowish eyes. Ah, the captain was flustered. “My lady, you seem to be really drunk.”She walked towards him and when he didn’t move an inch, she stood in front of him and looked up at him with a grin. “Captain, are you the type of man who will only sleep with his betrothed?”“That seems to be the case, my lady.”He said that as if he was forcing the words out of his mouth. Plus, she could see in his eyes that he was conflicted– that it was hard for him to reject her.[‘Aw, I didn’t know that I have this kind of effect on my ex-husband.’]Or perhaps she just didn’t pay attention in the past.“Captain, I have a solution to your problem,” said Tilly in a playful voice. Then, she stood on her toes and whispered in Kiho’s ear. “Let’s get married.”