Blackstone Code - Chapter 6:

In the year 2090, technology has advanced to the point where Simulation Boxes, (Sim Box for short) are common place, allowing for the user to link up their brain's neural network to a full dive Simulation. While initially used for educational purposes, recently a large gaming company, Averon, released a fully fledged immersive MMORPG simulation where users can become anyone they desire, level up, choose their class, and become a hero or a villain. The name of this simulation is The Shattered World Online.

Eli Winters had no interest in playing it. His father, a jobless bum who spent his entire life playing games in the hope of becoming a famous player or streamer, was able to use the release of The Shattered World Online to gain wealth and fame, quickly becoming the number one player and a household name as the game took the world by storm. He immediately abandoned Eli and his mother in favor of being with someone from his guild, despite his mother having worked two jobs to support them and raise Eli by herself. Eli had nothing but spite for his father and the game.

When Eli's best friend convinces him to try out the game, his father's fame begins to interfere, culminating in him being singled out and shunned by his peers, and his father offering to pay for his university tuition in return for Eli hiding their relationship and quitting the game. Instead of complying with his father's wishes, Eli decides to prove to everyone how useless a guy his father is by challenging him that if Eli is able to surpass him in the game world he must delete his account and quit his streaming career. His father accepts the challenge believing his son to be useless at games - but Eli will soon show him just how ambitious a spiteful person can be.

In the middle of a deserted island, a small boy wakes up with two sets of memories: one from his few years of life and the other from a man who lived to adulthood and achieved great things. When he least expected it, a powerful master appeared on the island and took him in as a disciple, revealing a shocking fact: magic exists in that world, and, thanks to it, humanity managed to conquer the galaxy.

A literal ‘red flag’ in a world that sees her as a threat.Excerpt:“You shouldn’t be here,” Zenon growled, his voice low, eyes dark with conflict as he leaned away.Elira looked up at him, lips parted and swollen. “Then why did you kiss me?”“I couldn’t resist you.” His arms tightened around her waist instead of letting go.“Then don’t,” she said, without breaking the gaze.“Remember, you asked for it.” Zenon’s eyes darkened with desire as his lips found the perfect spot on her neck.---Elira Shaw was never meant to shine.Born an omega to a once-respected Beta bloodline, she’s lived as a ghost in her uncle's home, the acting Beta of the Ashfang Pack.After her parents' mysterious deaths when she was thirteen, Elira became little more than a servant to her aunt and cousin, Regina, the flawless Luna-to-be, groomed to marry one of the Alpha's sons.With no rank, no power, and no name worth remembering, Elira has long accepted her fate.But her fate transforms on her 18th birthday — the night of the grand mating ceremony.Not one, but the wolves of all three of Alpha Cyprus Ashford’s sons recognize her as their mate.The pack erupts into chaos. Regina's engagement plans crumble in fury. And Elira, the despised orphan, is suddenly the most important wolf alive.

What life is left for a warrior when there is no more enemy to fight?

…He knelt before her in the posture of a soldier giving honor to their Queen. And she didn’t even know it.

“Harth,” he rasped, “I come empty-handed. I bring no weapon. Because I swear to you, I will never choose to harm you. Never draw your blood—in anger, or in fear. I bring no shield. Because I vow I will never defend myself from your eyes, your hands, your mind. I am yours.”

*****

After a year of peace in Anima, Tarkyn finds himself… lonely. As the Captain of the Queen’s Guard and a lion-shifter, he has met every female in the tribes, but never found his mate. Certain he must have overlooked someone, Tarkyn undertakes a grueling ritual, pleading with the Creator to reveal her. But the ritual presses him to the end of even his formidable strength.

Yet, the Creator heard his cry…

Discovered on the brink of death by his mate, Harth, and nursed back to health, Tarkyn now faces the most difficult battle of his life. Because Harth isn’t just a stranger to the Anima, she is a weapon of the humans who tried to destroy them.

Can the love of a warrior and his enemy bring peace to Anima? Or will they be torn apart forever by war between their peoples?

*****

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STANDALONE STORY: While Tarkyn’s story is a part of the Anima world and fans will be reunited with some of their favorites as side-characters, Tarkyn and Harth are new POV characters and their story is a new plot arc, so their story can be enjoyed without reading the previous books! But please add Falling in Love with the King of Beasts, and Taming the Queen of Beasts to your library to enjoy later!