
The Sleeper Awakening
Jennifer Cooper · Ongoing · 15.7k Words
Introduction
She lay in a supernatural slumber for three years, a pawn in her husband's cold bargain with his family's cruel legacy.
Now, awake and alone in a world that has moved on, Elena makes a desperate deal with fate itself.
Armed with an ancient ritual that could rewrite history, she returns to the past—not to win back Nicola's heart, but to escape it.
She flees to London, reinventing herself as an artist and daring to hope for a life without him.
But some bonds transcend time.
Nicola, the man who sacrificed everything to protect her, will stop at nothing to find her again.
When their paths finally cross under London's rainy skies, they must confront the truth: Was their love destroyed by betrayal or merely tested by it?
This is a haunting tale of second chances and the courage to choose one's own destiny.
This time, what will you choose?
Chapter 1
In June, Tuscany doesn't warm up gradually.
Cicadas sang from dawn until late into the night. Heat waves distorted the olive groves and vineyards on the horizon, and the air carried the sweet scent of sun-baked grapes mingled with pine and hay.
Those black clouds were a sure sign of rain.
——
In the evening, it was raining.
Elena Rossi stepped out of the taxi, the rain soaking her white linen dress.
The driver, Marco, an elderly man with wrinkled, slightly trembling hands, helped her with her luggage.
"Why not wait for a moment, Signora? The rain is too heavy," he asked, worried.
Ignoring him, Elena paid and turned toward the Valerio Estate.
She stood in front of the iron gate, which entwined thorns and white lilies. Rainwater slid down the metal's grain like tears.
Three years ago, she had been carried away from there.
It was a gloomy November day.
Before the ambulance door closed, she caught Nicola Valerio standing in the doorway like a statue, utterly expressionless.
Now, she was back. It is doomed to be a new chapter.
She pushed open the heavy wooden door.
The butler, Giovanni, came from the kitchen carrying a silver tray.
Seeing her, he was startled, and the tray nearly fell.
"Mrs. Valerio, you...you're awake?" His voice trembled.
Elena was dripping wet from head to toe. Her white dress clung to her gaunt figure. Her collarbone stuck out, and her ribs were faintly visible beneath her skin.
"I heard voices," she said hoarsely.
"From the banquet hall?" she asked, eyes glittering with intensity.
"Yes, Mrs. Valerio. The master is entertaining guests—the Count of Calabrese and several family elders."
Elena smiled faintly, walking to the banquet hall.
The heavy oak door stood ajar, and warm yellow light spilled through the crack.
Her hand paused on the doorknob.
"That ceremony was far too conservative," Nicola said coldly, as if he were discussing the weather.
Through the crack in the door, Elena could see the scene in the banquet hall—seven or eight people seated around a long table.
In a dark gray shirt, Nicola was seated at the head of the table.
Opposite him sat his father, Theodore Valerio, the man she had feared ever since the day she married Nicola.
"She has slept for three years," Nicola continued, "and the curse remains unbroken. Now she is unable to have children.
Just leave her to the elders."
Theodore paused, then said coldly, "It would be better to replace her with Bianca, and you two can have another child."
Outside the door, Elena's hands clenched into fists.
So that was it.
It wasn't an accident after all.
The "Sleeping Maiden" curse afflicted every member of the Valerio family.
Desire to have grandchildren, Theodore had forced Nicola to bring her to an ancient "curse-breaking ritual" three years ago.
They claimed the ritual would break the curse and allow her to bear a healthy heir.
That night. She was taken to the crypt beneath the family chapel, where seven candles burned, each representing a metal.
Dr. Conti, dressed in a black robe, chanted in Latin.
Then a searing pain struck, her vision blurred, and darkness engulfed her.
When she awoke, she opened her eyes and saw everything in white.
"You actually woke up, oh my God, it's a miracle," Dr. Conti exclaimed.
She learned that she was the first in the family's history to be awakened prematurely by the "Sleeping Saint."
——
Elena leaned against the wall, closing her eyes.
Tears streaming down her cheeks, she chuckled softly.
*Well, it was Nicola who had been tampering with the ritual. *
The memory of their first encounter came to mind.
It was a hot summer eight years ago.
She was going camping in the Tuscan hills with her friends.
A sudden downpour caught them, and she fell in the mud and tumbled down the slope, nearly losing consciousness.
Fortunately, a man appeared at this time.
Holding a black umbrella, Nicola approached and lifted her.
Resting her head against his chest, she could hear his steady and strong heartbeat. A strange mix of cologne and something savory filled the air.
It smelled like spring.
Yes, she fell in love with him in that moment.
Later, she learned that he was the heir to the Valerio family—the man her father had always wanted her to marry.
She had thought it was a gift from fate.
But now, she realized she was wrong.
It was nothing but a deal — a business alliance.
——
Elena took a deep breath and pushed open the doors to the banquet hall.
The whole group fell silent.
All eyes turned toward the doorway, where a soaking-wet woman stood with an unsettling smile on her pale face. Her hair clung to her cheeks, and droplets of water trickled down her chin.
"Elena?" Someone broke the silence.
It was the Earl of Calabrese. He was an elegant elderly gentleman with snow-white hair, dressed in a tailored suit.
He was shocked, and the wine glass in his hand tilted slightly, spilling a few drops onto the tablecloth.
Ignoring him, Elena stared at Nicola.
Frowning, Nicola set down his glass and rose.
"How did you get here?" he asked.
There were no caring words.
Elena scanned the room.
The banquet hall remained as it had three years ago, yet something had changed. The thick carpet was pale beige, and the oil paintings on the walls depicted 16^(th)-century religious themes. It was clearly Bianca's taste.
Has Bianca Calabrese become the mistress of this house?
When I, the true Mrs. Valerio, lay in the hospital like a vegetable?
"Elena," Theodore said, his voice tinged with disbelief. "You're awake. It's so--"
"Unexpected?" Elena laughed, cutting him off. "Yes, truly unexpected. I thought I'd sleep forever and let you smoothly bring Bianca in."
"What are you talking about?" Nicola chimed in.
"Well." Elena turned away. "I'm just here to collect my things."
"You have nothing to collect," Nicola said coldly. "Your residence remains intact."
"My home is not here," she declared, leaving the banquet hall at a pace bordering on a run.
"Nicola, go see to her." Theodore's voice echoed behind her.
"She needs to calm down," Nicola said flatly.
Elena sprinted down the corridor, tears blurring her vision.
Portraits of generations of family members hung on either side of the corridor.
Under their gazes, she ran faster.
Last Chapters
#17 Chapter 17 Matteo
Last Updated: 2/14/2026#16 Chapter 16 The Wedding
Last Updated: 2/14/2026#15 Chapter 15 Breaking the Vow
Last Updated: 2/14/2026#14 Chapter 14 The Check
Last Updated: 2/14/2026#13 Chapter 13 The Café
Last Updated: 2/14/2026#12 Chapter 12 The Umbrella
Last Updated: 2/14/2026#11 Chapter 11 The Truth
Last Updated: 2/14/2026#10 Chapter 10 Reunion
Last Updated: 2/14/2026#9 Chapter 9 Go Find Him
Last Updated: 2/14/2026#8 Chapter 8 The Library
Last Updated: 2/14/2026
You Might Like 😍
Surrendering to Destiny
Graham MacTavish wasn't prepared to find his mate in the small town of Sterling that borders the Blackmoore Packlands. He certainly didn't expect her to be a rogue, half-breed who smelled of Alpha blood. With her multi-colored eyes, there was no stopping him from falling hard the moment their mate bond snapped into place. He would do anything to claim her, protect her and cherish her no matter the cost.
From vengeful ex-lovers, pack politics, species prejudice, hidden plots, magic, kidnapping, poisoning, rogue attacks, and a mountain of secrets including Catherine's true parentage there is no shortage of things trying to tear the two apart.
Despite the hardships, a burning desire and willingness to trust will help forge a strong bond between the two... but no bond is unbreakable. When the secrets kept close to heart are slowly revealed, will the two be able to weather the storm? Or will the gift bestowed upon Catherine by the moon goddess be too insurmountable to overcome?
Invisible To Her Bully
The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates
"Let me go," I whimper, my body trembling with need. "I don't want you touching me."
I fall forward onto the bed then turn around to stare at him. The dark tattoos of Domonic's chiseled shoulders, quiver and and expand with the heave of his chest. His deep dimpled smile is full of arrogance as he reaches behind himself to lock the door.
Biting his lip, he stalks toward me, his hand going to the seam of his pants and the thickening bulge there.
"Are you sure you don't want me to touch you?" He whispers, untying the knot and slipping a hand inside. "Because I swear to God, that is all I have been wanting to do. Every single day from the moment you stepped in our bar and I smelled your perfect flavor from across the room."
New to the world of shifters, Draven is human on the run. A beautiful girl who no one could protect. Domonic is the cold Alpha of the Red Wolf Pack. A brotherhood of twelve wolves that live by twelve rules. Rules which they vowed could NEVER be broken.
Especially - Rule Number One - No Mates
When Draven meets Domonic, he knows that she is his mate, but Draven has no idea what a mate is, only that she has fallen in love with a shifter. An Alpha that will break her heart to make her leave. Promising herself, she will never forgive him, she disappears.
But she doesn’t know about the child she’s carrying or that the moment she left, Domonic decided rules were made to be broken - and now will he ever find her again? Will she forgive him?
The Biker's Fate
I squeezed my eyes shut.
"Dani," he pressed. "Do you get me?"
"No, Austin, I don't," I admitted as I pulled my robe closed again and sat up. "You confuse me."
He dragged his hands down his face. "Tell me what's on your mind."
I sighed. "You're everything my parents warned me against. You're secretive, but you're also honest. I feel wholly protected by you, but then you scare me more than anyone I've ever known. You're a bad boy, but when I dated a so-called good one, he turned out to be the devil, so, yeah, I don't get you because you're not what I expected. You drive me crazier than anyone I've ever met, but then you make me feel complete. I'm feeling things I don't quite know how to process and that makes me want to run. I don't want to give up something that might be really, really good, but I also don't want to be stupid and fall for a boy just because he's super pretty and makes me come."
Danielle Harris is the daughter of an overprotective police chief and has led a sheltered life. As a kindergarten teacher, she's as far removed from the world of Harleys and bikers as you could get, but when she's rescued by the sexy and dangerous Austin Carver, her life is changed forever.
Although Austin 'Booker' Carver is enamored by the innocent Dani, he tries to keep the police chief's daughter at arm's length. But when a threat is made from an unexpected source, he finds himself falling hard and fast for the only woman who can tame his wild heart.
Will Booker be able to find the source of the threat before it's too late?
Will Dani finally give her heart to a man who's everything she's been warned about?
I Slapped My Fiancé—Then Married His Billionaire Nemesis
Technically, Rhys Granger was my fiancé now—billionaire, devastatingly hot, and a walking Wall Street wet dream. My parents shoved me into the engagement after Catherine disappeared, and honestly? I didn’t mind. I’d crushed on Rhys for years. This was my chance, right? My turn to be the chosen one?
Wrong.
One night, he slapped me. Over a mug. A stupid, chipped, ugly mug my sister gave him years ago. That’s when it hit me—he didn’t love me. He didn’t even see me. I was just a warm-bodied placeholder for the woman he actually wanted. And apparently, I wasn’t even worth as much as a glorified coffee cup.
So I slapped him right back, dumped his ass, and prepared for disaster—my parents losing their minds, Rhys throwing a billionaire tantrum, his terrifying family plotting my untimely demise.
Obviously, I needed alcohol. A lot of alcohol.
Enter him.
Tall, dangerous, unfairly hot. The kind of man who makes you want to sin just by existing. I’d met him only once before, and that night, he just happened to be at the same bar as my drunk, self-pitying self. So I did the only logical thing: I dragged him into a hotel room and ripped off his clothes.
It was reckless. It was stupid. It was completely ill-advised.
But it was also: Best. Sex. Of. My. Life.
And, as it turned out, the best decision I’d ever made.
Because my one-night stand isn’t just some random guy. He’s richer than Rhys, more powerful than my entire family, and definitely more dangerous than I should be playing with.
And now, he’s not letting me go.
Balance of Light and Shadow
Little did she know how much both worlds need her to bring peace and true freedom.
Mr. Ryan
He came closer with a dark and hungry expression,
so close,
his hands reached for my face, and he pressed his body against mine.
His mouth took mine eagerly, a little rudely.
His tongue left me breathless.
“If you don't go with me, I'll fuck you right here.” He whispered.
Katherine kept her virginity for years even after she turned 18. But one day, she met an extremely sexual man Nathan Ryan in the club. He had the most seductive blue eyes she has ever seen, a well-defined chin, almost golden blonde hair, full lips, perfectly drawn, and the most amazing smile, with perfect teeth and those damn dimples. Incredibly sexy.
She and he had a beautiful and hot one-night stand...
Katherine thought she might not meet the man again.
But fate has another plan
Katherine is about to take on the job of assistant to a billionaire who owns one of the biggest companies in the country and is known to be a conquering, authoritative and completely irresistible man. He is Nathan Ryan!
Will Kate be able to resist the charms of this attractive, powerful and seductive man?
Read to know a relationship torn between anger and the uncontrollable desire for pleasure.
Warning: R18+, Only for mature readers.
My Possessive Alpha Twins For Mate
My drunk stepfather remained indifferent, his weight suffocating, making it hard to breathe as my heart raced.
Suddenly, the door slammed open, and two figures burst in.
"Get off her!" a deafening roar echoed.
I didn't expect the twin brothers who'd bullied me at school to come charging in like gods to save me.
After my grandmother passed, I had to move in with my mom and stepdad, who treated me like a servant. I prayed every day for my 18th birthday to come, so l could leave and escape this broken home.
However, on my first day at my new school, l encountered the legendary twins everyone feared.
To make matters worse, the Moon Goddess revealed they were both my mates!
After helping me out with my stepdad, my twin mate cornered me, played with my hair, and whispered possessively, "You belong to us, our little mate..."
Badass in Disguise
"Jade, I need to check your—" the nurse began.
"OUT!" I snarled with enough force that both women backed toward the door.
Once feared by Shadow Organization that drugged me to replicate my abilities into a more controllable version, I had escaped my restraints and detonated their entire facility, ready to die alongside my captors.
Instead, I woke up in a school infirmary with women arguing around me, their voices piercing my skull. My outburst froze them in shock—clearly they hadn't expected such a reaction. One woman threatened as she left, "We'll discuss this attitude when you get home."
The bitter truth? I've been reborn into the body of an overweight, weak, and supposedly dim-witted high school girl. Her life is filled with bullies and tormentors who've made her existence miserable.
But they have no idea who they're dealing with now.
I didn't survive as the world's deadliest assassin by allowing anyone to push me around. And I certainly won't start now.
Oops, Wrong Girl to Bully
My back hit the desk. Pain exploded through my skull.
"Girls like you don't get to dream about guys like Kai." Bella's breath was hot on my face. "You don't get to write pathetic love letters."
She shoved me again. Harder.
"Maybe if you weren't such a desperate little—"
I fell. My head cracked against the corner.
Warmth trickled down my neck. Blood.
Their laughter turned to gasps.
The door slammed.
I tried to stand. Couldn't. The room was spinning, fading to black.
Someone... please...
Angelina, the most powerful Alpha who conquered forty-nine packs, dies in a yacht explosion—only to wake up as Aria Sterling, a fifteen-year-old Omega's daughter who just died from bullying.
The original Aria's life was a nightmare. Humiliated when golden boy Kai Matthews posted her love letter online, then shoved to death by his girlfriend Bella Morrison. But that's not all her family faces:
"You got until Monday," the tattooed gangster sneered at Aria's mother. "Ten grand cash. Or I'm taking collateral—your kids' organs fetch top dollar. That pretty daughter of yours? She could make us money another way too."
Now Angelina's lethal combat skills awaken in this fragile body. No more hiding. No more fear.
Armed with an Alpha's ruthlessness and a mysterious blood-red pendant, she'll dismantle everyone who hurt this family—one calculated move at a time.
Crowned by Fate
“She’d just be a Breeder, you would be the Luna. Once she’s pregnant, I wouldn’t touch her again.” my mate Leon’s jaw tightened.
I laughed, a bitter, broken sound.
“You’re unbelievable. I’d rather accept your rejection than live like that.”
As a girl without a wolf, I left my mate and my pack behind.
Among humans, I survived by becoming a master of the temporary: drifting job to job… until I became the best bartender in a dusty Texas town.
That’s where Alpha Adrian found me.
No one could resist the charming Adrian, and I joined his mysterious pack hidden deep in the desert.
The Alpha King Tournament, held once every four years, had begun. Over fifty packs from across North America were competing.
The werewolf world was on the verge of a revolution. That’s when I saw Leon again...
Torn between two Alphas, I had no idea that what awaited us wasn’t just a competition—but a series of brutal, unforgiving trials.
Author Note:New book out now! The River Knows Her Name
Mystery, secrets, suspense—your next page-turner is here.
Mated by Contract to the Alpha
William—my devastatingly handsome, wealthy werewolf fiancé destined to become Delta—was supposed to be mine forever. After five years together, I was ready to walk down the aisle and claim my happily ever after.
Instead, I found him with her. And their son.
Betrayed, jobless, and drowning in my father's medical bills, I hit rock bottom harder than I ever imagined possible. Just when I thought I'd lost everything, salvation came in the form of the most dangerous man I'd ever encountered.
Damien Sterling—future Alpha of the Silver Moon Shadow Pack and ruthless CEO of Sterling Group—slid a contract across his desk with predatory grace.
“Sign this, little doe, and I'll give you everything your heart desires. Wealth. Power. Revenge. But understand this—the moment you put pen to paper, you become mine. Body, soul, and everything in between.”
I should have run. Instead, I signed my name and sealed my fate.
Now I belong to the Alpha. And he's about to show me just how wild love can be.












