Story By Maureen Atsali
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Maureen Atsali

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I'm just a woman who loves to write. Please follow me and follow my books! You can find me on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092272442253 Thank you so much for reading and supporting my work!
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Inseparable
Updated at Nov 4, 2024, 06:59
“Oh my god, they are so handsome!” “I heard they haven’t found their mates yet.” “Why couldn’t it be me?” Now I was even more curious. When they went out with the plates, I tiptoed up to the swinging door. While everyone was distracted by the servers, I pushed the door open just a crack and peeked through into the formal dining room. By bad luck, the two men in question had their backs to me. They sat straight and tall, one in a dark red shirt, one in a light blue shirt. The red shirt had long hair pulled back in a pony tale. The blue shirt had a short, deliberately messy style. I couldn’t tell much from the backs of them except they seemed well muscled. I was just about to back out of the door when I was hit with the most tantalizing odor. It overpowered the spicy scent of my jambalaya and made me almost dizzy… I tried to put a name to it… sandalwood, sweet cedar, and sex. Do I even know what sex smells like? I was frozen and couldn’t move from the door. At the same time, the two men stiffened in their chairs and seemed to be looking around in confusion. Luna looked around them and saw me in the door way. Her eyes burned like fire into my skull and I finally snapped out of the trance I was in and slipped back into the kitchen. I was never supposed to be seen in the dining room – so my indiscretion would no doubt earn me a belting later. I went back to the clean up with a heavy heart.
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Good Men Are Like Unicorns
Updated at Sep 4, 2024, 22:20
"My grandmother always said that good men are like unicorns," my friend Dallas said, as she took another sip of the Whiskey Sour in her hand. "They are magical, mythical creatures that only exist in dreams and fairy tales." "Amen," I said in agreement, raising a cold, frosty daiquiri in salute. I was practically an expert. I had married my unicorn, my high school sweetheart, and after a short, disastrous marriage, I had divorced him to follow my own dreams. I could say with absolute certainty that unicorns were really arrogant, controlling ogres in disguise. Unicorns don't exist. Not for me anyway. But the chemistry, THAT was real. And when I met Japheth again after five years apart, the sparks were still there. One slightly tipsy moment of indiscretion landed me right back in the arms of my ex, who seemed bound and determined to prove that good men DO exist.
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Love in the Dark
Updated at Aug 27, 2024, 04:47
Everywhere it was the same. Disgruntled citizens were trying to start their cars to no avail. A few vehicles seemed to have died right in the street, barely even pulling off the road before they came to a complete stop. There was yelling and screeching from several apartment buildings, all of them crying over the same things. No heat. No hot water. No cellphones. No radio. He could practically feel the collective anxiety and anger rising around him. The little convenience store on the corner was open, with a sign taped to the door that read "CASH ONLY - CREDIT CARD MACHINE IS DOWN." Seth pushed his way in and picked up a package of donuts. Sadly, there was no coffee available here either, so he settled for a chocolate milk out of the cooler. "Hey Gary," he greeted the man behind the counter. "This is some shit, don't you think?" "Sure is," he rubbed a hand over his head as he counted out change to another customer. "I ain't never seen anything like this." "Me neither." I glanced around at the other customers milling around the store. I lowered my voice and leaned closer. "Listen, if people start acting weird, you better lock up and call it a day." Gary nodded. "Gotcha, Seth." Seth reached into his pocket for his wallet, but Gary waved him off. "It's on the house today." "Sure? Ok thanks man. Take care of yourself." I stepped out of the store, wondering if my presence in uniform would help keep people in line, or if I was making them more nervous. They shifted around me uneasily, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. When I got to the station, it was absolute chaos. There were dozens of people in the lobby, shouting complaints and demanding answers, while two officers at the desk helplessly tried to calm them. I stepped into the fray. "Hey, everyone stay calm!" I shouted. "There has been a power outage, and as of now, we are ALL completely in the dark. We do not know anything more than you do." The crowd dithered and moved around me like I wasn't even there. "If you are a person of authority, please step forward. Everyone else, please go home!" There was a lot of grumbling, but most of the people made their way toward the door. A couple of people stubbornly stayed, even though I doubted they were anyone important. I didn't recognize their faces. The two officers behind the desk visibly relaxed. "Thanks, man." Officer Lawrence breathed. "That was getting out of hand." "No kidding. What the hell is going on?" "Damned if we know anything," Officer Green said nervously, "The lights went out, and everything stopped working. The generator won't start, the radios aren't working, every phone in the place is dead, including the landlines. Laptops are dark. Cruisers won't start. All the units are dead in the water." I rubbed my hand over my face. "Who is here?" "Only us, McGreary, and a few guys from the night shift that couldn't get home." Lawrence checked his cellphone again, just to confirm that is really was off. "We figure everybody else is stranded at home. You must have walked in, huh?" "Yeah," I rubbed the back of my neck. I pulled the officers farther away from the people who were still milling in the lobby. "This is bad. Really bad. People are already on edge; I can feel it. One good spark, and this whole town is going to go up like a Roman candle." Green shook his head. "So what do we do?" "Who's the senior officer here now?" "I guess that's McGreary." Lawrence said. Lawrence was just a rookie; he'd been on the force less than a year. "Alright, I'm going to go talk to him. In the meantime, stay calm. Be gentle, but firm with everyone." As I was speaking two more women entered the lobby. "Encourage everyone to go home and wait for news there."
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Almost Stepbrothers
Updated at May 23, 2024, 10:48
Since my father died three years ago, my mother has bounced from one boyfriend to the next. When we moved in with Professor Williams, I didn't expect that his two full-grown sons still lived at home. Phoenix seems nice enough, but Jack really doesn't like me. He thinks my mother is a gold-digger, and I'm just her loser, tag-along daughter. I can hardly breathe when I'm around them, and since we live together, I can't escape from their heated stares.
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Borrowed Beauty
Updated at Jan 6, 2024, 12:32
What does it even feel like to be beautiful? My sister Renee is a beauty, for sure. Everybody knows it, and so does she. Did I fail to mention that Renee and I are, emphatically, NOT identical twins? We look nothing alike. She’s gorgeous, petite, delicate, and feminine. All she has to do is blink her big blue eyes, and the world falls at her feet. She is also a bit of a wild child. That is why Father had me chaperone Renee when she decided to head out to Prosperity Springs to meet up with the Salvador Twins. Unless…unless my father was trying to pass us off as a package deal? A two-for-one, twin-on-twin special. The idea made me throw up in my mouth a little bit. I wasn’t interested in finding a mate, or two, or five, or whatever. And those gorgeous guys wouldn’t be interested in Renee’s spare. It would just be an embarrassing situation for everyone involved. Why? Because I’m Olivia, the ugly sister. With Renee filling the center of a sex sandwich, it was pretty clear she didn’t need me around. Hell, even the Alpha had noticed how alluring she was. Of course, the alpha would be charmed by my sister. Of course, his eyes would become heated when they followed that plunging neckline down between her breasts. Every red-blooded man did, and behind his powerful alpha status, Josiah was still just a man. Heck, even hot-blooded women couldn’t avert their eyes from my sister. And I couldn’t avert my eyes from the Alpha.
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The Haunting of Westbane
Updated at Nov 14, 2023, 10:01
A group of friends bands together to create a paranormal investigation team in hopes of landing a series on a major network. A representative from the WIC Company approaches them with the opportunity to do an exclusive three-night investigation of their newly aquired property: The notorious Westbane Reformatory School, one of America's most haunted locations. There is an extra reward if the team can discover the whereabouts of a mysterious artifact that may have been lost on the property. Elijah thinks they've finally found their big break, until the lights go out, and the team finds themselves being drawn into the horror of Westbane. The ghost hunters have become the hunted, and not everyone will escape from Westbane alive.
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Defying the Alpha
Updated at Sep 24, 2023, 22:00
I propped myself up on one arm and looked down at Alpha Aiden. He was still pinned under my body on the floor, watching me with dark, hungry eyes. I licked my lips, which were already swollen from his kisses, and ran a hand through my tangled hair. Despite my mess, I felt beautiful. He made me feel beautiful and desired in ways that my husband, Ellis, never could. I didn't care that what we were doing was very, very wrong. ------ After losing his mate, Alpha Aiden is heartbroken, and on the edge of death, so he appoints his stepson Ellis to be the next leader of the Dark Rising pack. There is just one problem, Ellis is not exactly alpha material. To secure his place as leader of the pack, Ellis enters into an arranged mating with Cecelia Forge, the eldest daughter of the neighboring pack. A submissive Luna is what Ellis wants, but Cecelia is far from being a woman who simply takes orders. Promised to an alpha she has never met, only to discover that he is a fiercely ambitious man, Cecelia Forge finds herself a little too intrigued by the alpha's stepfather, Aiden. Even though he is barely a shadow of his former self, Cecelia cannot help but find Aiden entirely alluring. Will she jeopardize the allegiance that her marriage is meant for? Should she defy a man as dark and dangerous as Ellis? Can she overcome her forbidden desires?
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Scorched
Updated at Jun 19, 2022, 11:21
LGBTQ I wasn’t going to admit it to anyone, not even to Molly, but I was one of those fangirls. Well, not a girl, but… I don’t know what it was about him. It was as if he was so much larger than life, that he had his own gravitational pull, and I had gotten sucked into it. That was the only explanation I had for my tendency to stare at him all the time. Sometimes, like right now, Jackson would look up like he felt me staring, and meet my eyes. He never said anything, he just stared back at me until I looked away, trying to pretend like I wasn’t a total weirdo. That’s the thing about Jackson. Even though he’s got this bad-boy rep, and he’s all dark and moody, he’s never been mean to me. I’ve never actually seen him be mean to anybody. That’s part of the appeal. He pulled off “Bad Boy” without being an asshole.
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Revolting (Rebel Moon Series 1-3)
Updated at May 11, 2022, 21:28
"Nina, as part of the treaty negotiations with the Gold Mountain Pack, I have agreed to a marriage alliance. You, Nina Boyton, will marry the Alpha's son, Nolan Pierceson on the next new moon." I felt like someone had punched me, knocked the air out of me. "What? Daddy! How could you??" I whispered in shock. Arranged marriages were an archaic thing of the past. Nobody did that anymore, did they? Daddy looked pained. "I did it for the sake of our pack, Nina. We are a small pack, and since your mother..." he couldn't quite bring himself to say the word "died"..."We are weak and vulnerable. We need the protection of a larger, stronger pack. This political alliance will ensure our safety and our survival." I felt so many emotions whipping through me, I couldn't grab ahold of them. "But... why me?" I had two sisters, one older, and one younger. Janice was smart and strong, one of our best warriors. And the younger, Hannah was the beautiful one. None of us had found our mates, we were all single and available. I was almost sure if the Alpha of Gold Mountain had ever seen the three of us, he would have picked one of them. Not me. I am the most ordinary, non-descript, and insignificant of the Alpha's daughters. --------------------- My father has forced me into an arranged marriage with Nolan Piereson of the Gold Mountain Pack. What could be worse than being forced to marry a complete stranger that you don't love? Turns out, there are a lot of things that are even worse.
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The Billionaire's Private Nurse
Updated at Apr 21, 2022, 10:10
*Fall For A Billionaire* Romantic Suspense/Thriller Annie Clarke is a private duty nurse who has been contracted to take care of the enigmatic and anonymous "Mr. Green" after an attack leaves him paralyzed in a wheel chair. Kameron "Green" is a rude, arrogant billionaire, but this sassy nurse will put him in his place. She is determined to heal his heart while she heals his body, but will there be time for love before his enemies take him out of the game?
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Redemption
Updated at Dec 27, 2021, 08:17
*Taming the Feral Queen is the third book in the Rebel Moon series.* Shift. Shift damnit. Ah, that persistent and annoying voice again. She growled, half aware that she was only growling to herself. When was the last time she had shifted into her human form? Had it been days? Weeks? Wolves didn’t keep time. When you were a wolf, it was always now. Being human, thinking like a human was becoming increasingly tiresome and difficult, and she was forgetting why... why did it matter? Remember, the voice prodded. Remember what? Her vague memories of Hannah the human were distant and disturbing. It was much better to remain as an animal, think as an animal, survive as an animal. Michael Bishop. The growl in her chest grew deeper. The voice would have to bring that name into her mind. Immediately she was flooded with images of his face. So handsome, with thick arched brows over captivating green-hazel eyes, and a big, squarish jaw. Everything about the man had been big. EVERYTHING. Oh yes, she’d seen it all. With a whine she let the memory propel her back into her human form. If her wolf had been small, her human form was downright diminutive. She was hardly bigger than a child. her long red-gold hair was matted and dirty, and her naked body was gleaming pale in the moonlight. She rubbed at her arms, feeling the sudden chill of the night air against her bare skin. It was better to stay a wolf, where she had no need of clothing to keep her warm. She rubbed at her chest, at the constant dull ache behind her sternum. She was getting close, and the closer she got, the more the spot between her small breasts ached. The only way to get rid of the pain was to kill the man. When Michael Bishop was dead, she could go home.
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Ordinary Girl
Updated at Nov 5, 2021, 19:06
It was a small family-owned place that had awesome food. It was always crowded with locals, and tonight was no exception. The hostess found us an empty booth near the back and left us with a couple of battered, laminated menus. Gillian took a seat across from me and picked up the menu, she was just scanning the familiar options when her head shot up, and she sniffed. “Do you smell that?” I put my menu down slowly. Hell yeah, I did smell that. There were a ton of smells wafting through the diner, from the guy at the next table who had apparently bathed himself in bad cologne, to the smell of frying meat and French fries. But mingling in with all those scents was the sweet-tart smell of cherries and cherry blossoms. It was faint, yet still, it made my mouth go dry, and my skin prickle with anticipation. I twisted around to inspect the crowd, my heart beating rapidly against my ribs. She was here. Our mate was here.
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The Duke and the Enchantress
Updated at Sep 28, 2021, 19:18
“And what do you want from me?” She narrowed her eyes. “Your breasts.’ That took her by surprise. Her body jerked as though he had struck her. She blinked at him and said nothing. “Pardon, madam. Let me be clear. I need your services as a wet nurse to my daughter. One year of service, you walk away a free woman.” Liam felt the need to pace, but he couldn’t safely stretch his legs in the confines of her cell. Her stony silence was making him nervous. “You will live in comfort in the castle. You will be served three meals a day, you will have a private room with a maid, and you will receive a salary as befits a wet-nurse to a Lady.” “So, I will trade ...one prison... for another...” she said with a dry, humorless laugh. He was unaccountably offended by her response. He straightened himself and squared his shoulders. “Well,” Liam refused to beg. He took a step back. “If this is the prison you prefer, madam,” He started to turn as if to leave, though he had no intention of leaving the woman there in the cell. Even if she refused his offer, he wouldn’t leave her in this place. It was not fit for an animal, leave alone a woman. He was not a monster, not intentionally anyway. However, he needed her to agree to the position. His daughter’s life depended on it. “Fine,” the woman croaked, and took a staggering step. ------ The Duke's wife leaves after giving birth to their first and only child. The child is allergic to cow's and goat's milk, and requires a wet-nurse if she is going to survive. The physician recommends finding a woman who has recently delivered immediately to save the child's life. The guard reports that he knows of a woman in the dungeons who has just delivered. Willow Newhart is a woman from the village. Known as an herbalist and a healer, she was captured by the Priesthood and tried by the Bishop for witchcraft. The King has outlawed execution for witchcraft, but there is no law to prevent the Bishop from having her thrown into the dungeons. She has been in the dungeons for almost a year, where she has been repeatedly raped, impregnated and brutalized by the guards. She gives birth in the dungeons, but the guards kill the baby immediately. The Duke is totally unaware of the circumstances of Willow's imprisonment, and is only concerned that she accept his offer - a full pardon in exchange for one year of her service as a wet-nurse to his infant daughter.
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To Live Again
Updated at Aug 10, 2021, 09:00
Daniella’s eyes were wide and frightened. Her sight was growing dim. The distant lights outside the hospital room door were fading. There was only Death and darkness. Death was a vague figure of a man, darkness with form, blacker than black. He seemed to be pulling all of the light into his body and swallowing it… and she felt that she was about to fall into that void as well. He chuckled, a dry sound like bones cracking together. “I’m not satisfied with this ending. I am going to bend the rules.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m sending you back, beautiful one. I’m giving you this one chance to change the story. Who are you, that you push me so far? What woman is this that Death would break the rules of the cosmos just to watch you live again?” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. His lips were as cold as ice as they smiled against her smooth, soft skin. “Don’t disappoint me, my sweet.”
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Rebel Moon
Updated at May 16, 2021, 10:04
There was a bit of a commotion at the door, and my eyes immediately went to the sound, my body tensed and ready, just in case. Sometimes it wasn’t always peaceful when a bunch of Alphas gathered together in the same place. A big man shouldered his way into the conference room. His energy and his mere presence was overwhelming. I’ve always favored a tall, dark and handsome man, and this alpha fit the bill. He stood as tall as Shane, but he was bigger and broader. His black hair was brushed carelessly away from his face and fell in waves to his collar. His brows were thick, dark and brooding over bright, hazel-green eyes. He had a proud, straight nose, and soft, sensual mouth. His face was angular, with high, sharp cheekbones, and a strong, firm jaw. In short, he was delicious. “Who is that?” I whispered to Shane. “Michael Bishop. New Alpha of the East Glade Pack.” Shane whispered back, without turning his head. I couldn’t take my eyes off from him. He lowered his massive body down into a chair right across the table from me, giving me a perfect view of him for the whole meeting. He met my gaze across the table. I felt his eyes travel over me slowly, taking my assessment. I felt my skin warm up everywhere his eyes touched. Finally, he met my eyes, with one perfect eyebrow arched. I could feel his eyes mocking me. He was beautiful, proud, confident and arrogant. Damn it was sexy. I refused to go all fan girl on him. He already knew what he was, and the overpowering effect he had on everyone in the room, male and female alike. I’m pretty sure even Nina had checked him out, and she was a happily mated and married woman. I straightened my shoulders and picked up the paperwork from the table, as if I were suddenly intensely interested in the agenda for the day. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of being one more drooling wolf at his feet. Not while he was watching, anyway.
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Vengeance is Mine
Updated at Mar 9, 2021, 11:00
I don’t care what the police report says, my sister did not commit suicide. She was all I had in this world, and I knew her better than I know myself. Not only was she a joyful person who loved life, but because of who she was, what she was capable of, taking her own life was never an option. I will find out who murdered my sister, and then I swear, vengence is mine.
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Eudora's Baby
Updated at Dec 31, 2020, 16:40
Book 2 in the Eudora Series Eudora has been called back to take her place as the rightful heir and Alpha of the Black Crow pack. Her bodyguard Jasmin has begged for the chance to accompany her in the hope that she will find her long-awaited mate in the larger pack. But when Eudora's baby is kidnapped, Jasmin must choose between her loyalty to her pack and the allure of her mate.
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The Vampire King's Mate
Updated at Oct 24, 2020, 07:47
Nothing has ever gone right in Rose's life. Just when she thought things couldn't get any worse, she is attacked by strangers in her own apartment. A dark prince comes to her rescue and swoops her off his castle. Matthias Black offers her a fairy tale life, and everything she ever wanted, but he wanted something from her in return; a baby.
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Eudora's Gift
Updated at Sep 27, 2020, 19:10
Book 1 in the Eudora Series Eudora has been living with her abusive, alcoholic uncle for as long as she can remember. She is bullied at school, and rejected in the community. Her only solace is in the woods, where the trees whisper to her and give her strength and comfort. But since she has turned 18 she has been having strange dreams, of an unfamiliar man in the forest. Her dreams turn into reality, when her substitute English teacher walks in to her life.
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