sanctuary of scars

[My WSA 2024 Entry novel! Please vote] Sanctuary—a word that conjures visions of peace, protection, and unyielding safety. But what truly defines a place as a sanctuary? Can any refuge withstand the relentless forces of destruction, or does it take something more—a spirit of defiance and hope? For Ruseigner and Mae Yakane, renowned wildlife conservationists and environmentalists, the word became their life's mission. As the march of human progress devoured the natural world, the Yakanes spearheaded a monumental effort to carve out a haven for the threatened wildlife and ecosystems they cherished. With global support, they set out to create a sanctuary—a symbol of hope in a world teetering on the brink of environmental collapse. But fate is a cruel architect. Just as their dream took shape, tragedy struck. Ruseigner and Mae were lost, leaving their vision unfinished. Their son, Froja Yakane, inherited not just their legacy but the weight of their unfulfilled promise. At just 19, Froja’s life was stolen by an assassin’s hand. In his final breath, he vowed to seize any chance at redemption—to be stronger, bolder, and more relentless in pursuing his parents’ dream. And fate, for once, showed mercy. Reborn in a parallel world, Froja becomes Canna—a young man with a second chance to build the sanctuary his parents envisioned. But this world is far from welcoming. As Canna traverses lands filled with strange races and uncharted territories, he faces challenges that test his resolve and his belief in the very concept of sanctuary. Enemies, both seen and unseen, conspire to crush his efforts, but in the darkest of moments, Canna finds allies in the most unexpected places. Through trials of strength, cunning, and heart, Canna learns that a true sanctuary isn’t just a place—it’s a beacon of hope, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and a defiance against the forces of chaos. Will Canna succeed in creating the sanctuary his parents dreamed of, or will he be consumed by the perils of this new world? In a tale of courage, transformation, and unwavering determination, Canna’s journey will reveal the true meaning of sanctuary—and the price one must pay to protect it.

( ON BREAK TILL FURTHER NOTICE ) “Protect, what needs to be protected. Help those you find worthy of help. Don’t let anger take over you, fight through sorrow, and rise a victor. Destiny did not choose you, you chose it, learn from what you’ve lost, and adapt right afterward, that's what it means to be a Martial Artist”

His neck burns. The spot where his mating mark should be burns the closer Travis got. He is shaking, aching all over, and he knows Travis’ touch would soothe him. But he is hurt and bleeding. He doesn’t want to repeat his life all over again with the alpha. Not when it led him to lose everything. And everything was him, Travis. Someone who once awakened him has done it again. His fated mate. Things have changed. He is a different person now. But his stupid omega is making a fool out of him by reacting in all the worst ways. “Don’t,” Day holds his hand out, heart racing. He doesn’t know why this was happening. His body and mind are clashing again, like they always do whenever they do this. “I am not some weak omega who is going to present to you simply because you were once mated to me. I am not going to submit to you. You are not my alpha.” Gods, how he wishes he could give in just this once. He can already feel the slick trickling down his thighs. Soiling his jeans. And going by the way Travis’ pheromones flare, nose twitching, he knows the alpha can smell he is losing the battle. … Day can find nothing wrong with his life. He is now enrolled in university, a whole new life away from his cage, finally growing up and discovering who he is. Then crosses paths with Travis. The alpha who makes him feel like he is being born and dying all at the same time. A thread is pulled every time he locks eyes with him, talks with him ... feels him near him. Every time his scent wraps his body like the softest cloud. With each tug, the life that has been carefully woven and fed to him starts to fall apart. Day realizes he isn’t who he has been told he is, and he was someone different once. Something else, but it was all taken away. Travis was taken away, too. All the scars unravel themselves on his bones, and he is once again breaking apart.

"You know what a good girl would have done? A good girl would have stayed home instead of sneaking out of her father's compound just to get a man to fuck her. A good girl wouldn't have stabbed a man like me with a pen. And most of all, a good girl wouldn't be turned on by holding a gun to a man's chest." I lean closer to her. "You're no good girl, Ivanna." "You… you're wrong." "Go on then. Come on. Pull the trigger." *** My name is Ivanna. I am the daughter of Misha Sidorov, the head of the Krasnoyarsk Bratva. I have just graduated and I’m about to go to college. My life is perfect until Sergio Sakharov comes into the picture. He is the darkness itself. He reigns over the entire Sakharov family and by extension, the Dvina River Vory Bratva. His word is law, and his desire is absolute. Everything changes in a split second when he steals me away and holds prisoner in Tyva, a bride for his only heir. But Sergio doesn’t take no for an answer. He always gets whatever he wants and against all reason, he claims me for himself instead. He thinks I’m the perfect match for his desires and he is determined to keep me close, even if I fight him at every turn. Except, I’m no helpless pawn. I’m not innocent. I have tasted his dark side, and I want more. The don himself, the man they call the Volkov of Dvina River appeals to me in the most sinful of ways. His wickedness draws me in, and when he decides that he wants me, I’m helpless. I can’t resist him, even if it means giving myself to him. He may think he has power over me and can control me every step of the way, but I’m about to show him who the real boss is.

When 'good girl' high schooler Athena falls in love with an ex-convict and bad boy, old family secrets comes back to haunt them and keep them apart. ~~~~~ Living up to her good girl reputation had never been an issue for Athena Brown, all thanks to her overbearing and controlling mother. She has the heart of an angel. Pure at heart, but has a mind full of scars. To her, pain is inevitable. That is until she meets Aiden Tobias Knight. Handsome, cocky, and with a criminal past, he was everything she needed to steer clear of. Everyone in her town knows about Aiden Knight- the troubled and ex-convict badboy who has anger issues and known for his numerous visits to jail. Those who look into Aiden's eyes only see pure fury and hatred. They all think he's beyond redemption, even Aiden himself. But not Athena. As someone who has grown accustomed to pain, she understood him a tad bit better than most people. She saw something more in those alluring green eyes. Something worth fighting for. Thanks to a school's project and Aiden's sudden interest in her, the two began spending a lot of time with each other and formed an unbreakable bond that unearths secrets and emotional turmoil for Athena and everything she had allowed herself to believe. And soon, their lives became dangerously intertwined in a race against time, lies and deceit. Twists gets turns, fates became entangled and life become even harder than before. The closer they get to each other and the more vulnerable they become, Athena has to wonder: is she saving Aiden from his darkness? Or is she pulling him deeper into hers? Read more to find out. The book is written solely from the female lead's perspective. It's also divided into two parts. ~~~~~~ Excerpt: Athena stares ahead into sheer nothingness as the cool evening breeze swept through her body, making her hair stand on end. Up to yesterday, she was the happiest girl on earth. But now, it's like she has lost all purpose, almost like every living moment makes a living scar. It leaves her bleeding helplessly, because she's all alone. She should've known happiness is never hers to begin with. She is not to love or to be loved. That's her fate. That's who she's meant to be. A soul that is forbidden to love or fall in love. Either she accepts this or she keeps getting inflicted with more pain and scars than she already has. ~~~~~ Lo and behold, here you have it guys. A slow burn whirlwind romance full of love, tears, lies, trust, pain and deceit, also known as Fading Scars: Scars Of The Past. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I love writing it. Instagram: CodeyVanilla Discord: CodeyVanilla#0574 Book cover: Credits goes to owner :)

Dante Russo is a lethal vigilante hiding behind a charming smile and a fake therapy arrangement. Adeline Fitz is the brilliant psychologist who unknowingly opens the door to his darkest desires. What starts as an assignment spirals into an obsession neither of them can control. She's the light in his chaos — and the only thing keeping his darkness from swallowing him whole. But when secrets start bleeding into passion, one thing becomes clear: She was never just his therapist. She was always his weakness.

In the jagged, rain-lashed peaks of the Black Timber Range, Elara Solari is done running. A twenty-four-year-old sorceress of immense but physically draining power, she has claimed a decaying mountain manor as the foundation for an impossible dream: a kingdom where magic, fang, and claw can coexist in peace. But in a world governed by "Low Honor" and centuries of genocide, peace is the most dangerous ambition of all. ​ Her first ally is Vardos, a massive, battle-scarred werewolf who was left for dead by his own pack. Bound to Elara by a life-debt after she nearly kills herself to heal his mangled body, Vardos is the ultimate cynic. He doesn't believe in her "sanctuary"—he only believes in the weight of his fist and the sharpness of his teeth. ​ As the manor transforms from a ruin into a fortress, it begins to draw the misfits and runaways of a broken world. But building a throne requires more than compassion; it requires the grit to do the "dirty work" the history books leave out. While Elara fights to keep her vision alive, Vardos must act as her High Executioner, standing between his new Queen and the relentless tides of vampires, werewolf legions and other enemies coming to burn The Lost Sanctuary to the ground. Every 10 collections ill drop 5 chapters.

Hi, my name is Nikita Slater and I'm the International Bestselling author of The Queens series, Fire & Vice series, The Sanctuary series, Driven Hearts series and several standalone novels. I've loved the written word my entire life and am an avid reader, as well as a writer. I live, eat and breathe books and I'm always working on something new! ​ I live on the beautiful Canadian prairies with my son and crazy awesome dog. I have an unholy affinity for books (especially dark romance), wine, pets and anything chocolate. Despite some of the darker themes in my books (which are pure fun and fantasy), I am a staunch feminist and advocate of equal rights for all races, genders and non-gender specific persons. When I'm not writing, dreaming about writing or talking about writing, I love to help others discover a love of reading and writing through literacy and social work. Only the strongest can survive in a hostile world ravaged by a disease that turns humans into primitives. She is the Desert Wren, a rebel bent on providing safe passage to illegal refugees entering into her Sanctuary city. If she’s caught she’ll be executed, but the price is worth the privilege of doing what she knows is right. Except when she’s finally caught, the sentence isn’t death, it’s her freedom. It’s the Warlord’s job to weed out the weak and sacrifice them for the good of the Sanctuary. Brutal and autocratic, he is the highest authority. The only threat to his dictatorship is a rebel faction rising up from the slums of his city. When he arrests a rebel leader, the Desert Wren, he sees his redemption. She will help him guide Sanctuary into the future. He just needs to convince his little captive that she’s better off with him than flying free. What is the price of Sanctuary in a dying world and is it worth the sacrifice?

Jillian Smith’s life takes a heartbreaking turn when her mother, Lillian, passes away. Struggling with grief, she faces even greater challenges when her father, Harlond Smith, remarries. Thrown into an unfamiliar world of deception and betrayal, Jillian is sent to the countryside, her education abruptly cut short by those determined to erase her future. But Jillian refuses to be a victim. With resilience and unexpected allies—including gang members who see her strength—she fights back against those who are aganist her. In admist of family conflicts, school rivalries, and dangerous threats, she discovers the power of love, friendship, and perseverance. Jillian joins Tingshua University in Chengdu where she takes a major in Cardiology to resolve a mojar knot in her heart. As she unravels the truth behind her expulsion and the enemies lurking in the shadows.Jillian must decide: will she let her past define her, or will she forge her own path to healing and love?

After an unfortunate incident 18 years ago, Sadie Trinity is now back in La Cuevas, to forget and move on from the past. Unfortunately, her scar on the upper part of her chest always reminds her of her dark days back then. That's why she alwaystend to abominate her scar and hide it from everyone. She thought it's just fine to live her life despising her scar, but not until she met Luke Harisson- the lead guitarist of the famous band in La Cuevas, together with her brother. He taught her things she have never learned before, and that is to accept and embrace her beautiful scars.