University had been exhausting, but at least you had a degree with guaranteed employment waiting for you. Or so you had been led to believe. . Four months after graduation, and you were still looking for a job in your line of work. You finally became so desperate to bring in any income, you applied at places that were no where near your degree level quality. A few interviews later, and you began your job as a waitress at the new night club in town: The Viper’s Den. You hated the thought of working in a club every night, wearing a tiny uniform that barely covered your assets, but the potential for high tips made you give it a chance. . The first night was chaos. Opening night shots were carried around for free, leaving you weaving through sweaty people all night long. Nights two and three weren’t much better. By night four, you were considering quitting. No tip was worth this. . The night started out the same as the others. Tray after tray of alcohol carried to customers you genuinely couldn’t stand. Halfway through your shift, and you were considering just walking out. . The bartender handed you a new tray, sending you up to VIP, an area you hadn’t yet served. It all was going smooth, until you tripped over some man’s size 11 loafer. You barely caught yourself from landing in a stranger’s lap. Lucky save. The drinks, however, were not as lucky. Three glasses of bourbon, all over the expensive grey suit of a very angry man. You apologized profusely before a security guard escorted you away to the employee lounge. . Knowing what was coming, you began to collect your things, walking towards the employee bathroom to change. Until the bartender came back to collect you, saying the man had requested you bring his drink. At first, you thought it was a sick joke. But the man had insisted it be you. So, tray in hand, you headed back to VIP. Really hoping this wouldn’t end badly.

Everything was supposed to be simple. A clear cut contract with no room for deviation. . Caleb Neil and his wife, Serena, desperately wanted a child. Unfortunately for them, Serena was unable to get pregnant. Caleb decided to take matters into his own hands and hire a surrogate to carry a child of his blood. Not wanting to go through any surrogacy companies, he did his own search for the right woman to do the job. Someone who would be willing to relinquish all rights for the right amount of money. . You were struggling to make ends meet. After losing your job and not being able to find a new one immediately, bills were piling up. You were one missed payment away from eviction. Caleb happened to overhear your story as you spilled all the details to your best friend over dinner she paid for. . The offer came in six figures. A number you knew you couldn’t turn down. So, you signed the contract, started treatments, and after the very first round, two pink lines. Caleb was ecstatic. He moved you in to their two story estate in the country, giving you an entire wing for proper rest and relaxation. No work. Just full focus on growing their baby. . Everything started out perfectly. You kept to yourself, working on a plan for once the baby came. Caleb and Serena went on with their own lives, as if you were just a fixture in the home. . Until things started to go awry. At your first appointment, their baby turned out to be two babies. Caleb started to hover more. Then, at 24 weeks, you had a labor scare. Normal changed to bedrest and an overbearing Caleb, spending all his extra time fussing. . And then the real bomb dropped. Caleb discovered Serena had been having an affair their whole marriage while lying about her infertility. She had never wanted kids and only agreed to keep Caleb from divorcing and cutting off his money. She walked away from the babies without looking back. . 37 weeks in and everything is a mess. The iron clad plan no longer so iron clad.

University had been exhausting, but at least you had a degree with guaranteed employment waiting for you. Or so you had been led to believe. . Four months after graduation, and you were still looking for a job in your line of work. You finally became so desperate to bring in any income, you applied at places that were no where near your degree level quality. A few interviews later, and you began your job as a waitress at the new night club in town: The Viper’s Den. You hated the thought of working in a club every night, wearing a tiny uniform that barely covered your assets, but the potential for high tips made you give it a chance. . The first night was chaos. Opening night shots were carried around for free, leaving you weaving through sweaty people all night long. Nights two and three weren’t much better. By night four, you were considering quitting. No tip was worth this. . The night started out the same as the others. Tray after tray of alcohol carried to customers you genuinely couldn’t stand. Halfway through your shift, and you were considering just walking out. . The bartender handed you a new tray, sending you up to VIP, an area you hadn’t yet served. It all was going smooth, until you tripped over some man’s size 11 loafer. You barely caught yourself from landing in a stranger’s lap. Lucky save. The drinks, however, were not as lucky. Three glasses of bourbon, all over the expensive grey suit of a very angry man. You apologized profusely before a security guard escorted you away to the employee lounge. . Knowing what was coming, you began to collect your things, walking towards the employee bathroom to change. Until the bartender came back to collect you, saying the man had requested you bring his drink. At first, you thought it was a sick joke. But the man had insisted it be you. So, tray in hand, you headed back to VIP. Really hoping this wouldn’t end badly.

New town, fresh start. . Out on your own and ready to start a new path in your life story, you move to a humble sized apartment with a new job waiting for you to begin. Sure, it will be hard, but you’re doing it. Taking one step at a time to work your way on up in the world. . Bright and early that Monday morning, you began your new job as the receptionist for a predominant real estate company, the face each client will see first when they walk through the door. And luckily for you, everything goes smoothly. Sure, you may have accidentally gotten someone else’s Starbuck’s order that morning instead of your own, but one minor flaw in the day wasn’t going to ruin the rest of it. I mean, it’s not like it was that big a deal anyway. . Your first week goes amazing. Clients seem to like you. Your apartment is quiet and cozy. A bit empty still, sure, but in a nice neighborhood. Nothing could go wrong. . Until you got home Friday night to a package you hadn’t ordered. Confused, you took it inside and opened it, finding an expensive bottle of wine and top quality chocolates. “Welcome to Jones” was written neatly on a postcard. A bit strange, but you shrugged it off as just something nice. . Until the next one. A gift card to the best restaurant in town. And the next day, your favorite flowers. Each day, a new gift. Each one becoming more personal to you. . But the one that made your blood run cold? The basket of body washes and various beauty products with the note “Since yours ran out last night”. . Suddenly, your fresh start felt far more terrifying than you could ever imagine..

It was supposed to be just a fun out night with your friends. Your birthday. Celebrating with food, drinks and a bit of dancing. Simple. Enjoyable. Nothing life changing. . A few too many shots, and you ended up making a few decisions you wouldn’t normally make. Leaving the club with a man whose name you didn’t care to know and a night of activities you’d barely remember the next morning. . And when you woke up that next morning in a room you didn’t recognize? You cringed with absolute embarrassment. Slipping out in the early morning hours before the softly snoring man would even realize you were gone. . A small blip you planned on pretending never happened. Heck. You didn’t even know the guy’s name. No use pining over a man you’d never see again. . Or, at least, that’s what you thought. He had other plans. . Andrei Ovechnik wasn’t the kind of man who let a good thing slip through his fingers. When he wanted something…or someone…he had a tendency to make it happen. And something about you had his full attention. . Andrei had his father’s men spend months gathering all the information they could find on you. Names, locations, hobbies, likes, dislikes. His own personal game plan to get exactly what he wanted. . And it wasn’t a coincidence when six months after your first encounter, his familiar face appeared across a crowded restaurant. His sights set on you. . . . . . . . . Female Coded

When you first met Emiliano Leonardi, he drew you in with a charming smile and a smooth gentlemanly demeanor. Holding doors, pulling out chairs, always checking if you were comfortable. A doting man who truly seemed to care about you. . You had no idea he was the son of one of the top crime families in the country. Or that he was being trained to take over one day. Emiliano hid that side of himself for as long as he could. And by the time you found out? You’d already set the wedding date. Backing out was not an option. . The first few years were overwhelmingly terrifying. Rules. Trainings. Meetings you weren’t allowed in. People constantly coming and going. Guards always around. Your life flipped upside down in the blink of an eye, and you had to sink or swim. . Emiliano was still the same gentleman you’d come to love, except with an added dark side you’d never known existed. You tried to look past it, but truthfully? He scared you. . Two years after you married, you were still struggling to find your footing. And when the test showed two pink lines? You panicked. A baby in this environment? No way. You spent weeks planning an escape, and when the timing was right…you ran. A simple moment of chaos gave you the window you needed to disappear. . Emiliano lost it. The most important person in his life, just…gone. He wouldn’t let that stand. He swore he’d find you, even if it meant hunting to the ends of the Earth to do so. His anger palpable. . It took three years to track you. And the second shock of finding you with a now two year old daughter. But the moment he got word, he was on the plane. Determined to bring you home. . . . . . . . Female coded

Welcome to Newcrest Anchors, a luxurious island town surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. Once the home of a cohort of fishermen and their families, hardship drove the island to develop further, creating an island now divided in two: the Proles and the Toffs. The Proles, mostly distant relatives of the native fishermen, are the working class islanders whose main focus is on the island traditions and living life to the fullest. The Toffs, consisting of the upper class “newbies” with no deep island ties, are more focused on island development and don’t share a passion for the history or conservation. These warring viewpoints have caused a deep rift between the two sides of the island, a feud as intense as the Montagues versus the Capulets. . And then there’s you. You just recently relocated to the island with your family, your father taking a job as the Head of Ecology in the town’s small government and law enforcement office. A neutral role with no ties to either side, you live in one of the middle class houses right in town, known to both sides as No Man’s Land. The majority of residents living here staying neutral to the growing feud. No Man’s Land was generally the one area of the island where both Toff and Prole co-existed, not always peacefully, but where a tense truce held. . Today was your first day ever seeing your new home as you helped unload boxes and tubs from the shipping container of your family’s belongings. The cute two story home was a dream, sitting right at the edge of town with its own back porch exit straight to the sandy beach. Previously owned by one of the upper class families to house their children’s private tutors, the house had been offers relatively cheap to your family as an attempt to bring some relief to the mounting tension. . You grabbed yet another tub of your own belongings when you heard a voice call out from the outside of the picket fence surrounding the front yard. . . . . . . . An OBX Adaptation

Welcome to Newcrest Anchors, a luxurious island town surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. Once the home of a cohort of fishermen and their families, hardship drove the island to develop further, creating an island now divided in two: the Proles and the Toffs. The Proles, mostly distant relatives of the native fishermen, are the working class islanders whose main focus is on the island traditions and living life to the fullest. The Toffs, consisting of the upper class “newbies” with no deep island ties, are more focused on island development and don’t share a passion for the history or conservation. These warring viewpoints have caused a deep rift between the two sides of the island, a feud as intense as the Montagues versus the Capulets. . And then there’s you. You just recently relocated to the island with your family, your father taking a job as the Head of Ecology in the town’s small government and law enforcement office. A neutral role with no ties to either side, you live in one of the middle class houses right in town, known to both sides as No Man’s Land. The majority of residents living here staying neutral to the growing feud. No Man’s Land was generally the one area of the island where both Toff and Prole co-existed, not always peacefully, but where a tense truce held. . Today was your first day ever seeing your new home as you helped unload boxes and tubs from the shipping container of your family’s belongings. The cute two story home was a dream, sitting right at the edge of town with its own back porch exit straight to the sandy beach. Previously owned by one of the upper class families to house their children’s private tutors, the house had been offers relatively cheap to your family as an attempt to bring some relief to the mounting tension. . You grabbed yet another tub of your own belongings when you heard a voice call out from the outside of the picket fence surrounding the front yard. . . . . . . . An OBX Adaptation

Welcome to Newcrest Anchors, a luxurious island town surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. Once the home of a cohort of fishermen and their families, hardship drove the island to develop further, creating an island now divided in two: the Proles and the Toffs. The Proles, mostly distant relatives of the native fishermen, are the working class islanders whose main focus is on the island traditions and living life to the fullest. The Toffs, consisting of the upper class “newbies” with no deep island ties, are more focused on island development and don’t share a passion for the history or conservation. These warring viewpoints have caused a deep rift between the two sides of the island, a feud as intense as the Montagues versus the Capulets. . And then there’s you. You just recently relocated to the island with your family, your father taking a job as the Head of Ecology in the town’s small government and law enforcement office. A neutral role with no ties to either side, you live in one of the middle class houses right in town, known to both sides as No Man’s Land. The majority of residents living here staying neutral to the growing feud. No Man’s Land was generally the one area of the island where both Toff and Prole co-existed, not always peacefully, but where a tense truce held. . Today was your first day ever seeing your new home as you helped unload boxes and tubs from the shipping container of your family’s belongings. The cute two story home was a dream, sitting right at the edge of town with its own back porch exit straight to the sandy beach. Previously owned by one of the upper class families to house their children’s private tutors, the house had been offers relatively cheap to your family as an attempt to bring some relief to the mounting tension. . You grabbed yet another tub of your own belongings when you heard a voice call out from the outside of the picket fence surrounding the front yard. . . . . . . . An OBX Adaptation

You grew up in the “typical American household”. Parents who loved each other, a decent sized house, family vacations, and an older brother you actually got along with. Most kids would jump at the chance to have what you have. You never questioned your luck. . You also never questioned why Nate James, your brother’s best friend since kindergarten, always seemed to tag along on all these family adventures. If there was family fun involved, Nate was there. Just another constant in your life. . You and Nate had an interesting relationship. Always teasing each other and joking around. Poking fun at each other. Never really fighting but never really getting to know each other better either. At least in your case anyway. You were usually in your own world, doing your own thing. And Nate was…around. . Even now, after your brother and Nate had graduated high school and your brother was away at college more than home, Nate was still at your parents’ house more than his own. Strumming his guitar and making cheeky remarks about your baking. . Nate was just a part of your world.

Picture this: four days at an all inclusive rustic ski lodge complete with all ski equipment, an outdoor hot tub, chef prepared meals and single rooms with a king size bed. . And even better? Only ten lucky students from your university earned the chance to go. You being one! . You arrive at the Albertson lodge late at night and get settled in, ready for a full day of skiing in the morning. Only…the weather has other plans. When you wake up, it quickly becomes obvious that there will be no skiing. In fact, there won’t be much of any outdoor activities as a massive blizzard snows you in. What’s more, the power is out and cell service seems to be completely out. No one can make a phone call to anyone. You’re stuck inside with your fellow students, a chaperone and a handful of staff that never left for the night. And all you can do is wait out the storm. . Just how bad could it be?

Picture this: four days at an all inclusive rustic ski lodge complete with all ski equipment, an outdoor hot tub, chef prepared meals and single rooms with a king size bed. . And even better? Only ten lucky students from your university earned the chance to go. You being one! . You arrive at the Albertson lodge late at night and get settled in, ready for a full day of skiing in the morning. Only…the weather has other plans. When you wake up, it quickly becomes obvious that there will be no skiing. In fact, there won’t be much of any outdoor activities as a massive blizzard snows you in. What’s more, the power is out and cell service seems to be completely out. No one can make a phone call to anyone. You’re stuck inside with your fellow students, a chaperone and a handful of staff that never left for the night. And all you can do is wait out the storm. . Just how bad could it be?

You were never the type of person anyone expected to end up in prison. Yet…here you are. Completely out of your element. Orange jumpsuit and a cell with the bare necessities. And an attitude that doesn’t fit in a place like this. . To the system, though, you’re just another inmate, a number in their system. Expected to follow the rules and regulations just like every other criminal. It doesn’t matter to them what you did, just that you don’t cause issues. . Unfortunately for you, your time in prison starts off rough. One month in, a few wrong choices and a few simple mistakes, and suddenly you have a target on your back as “trouble” and “uncooperative”. Three cell mate changes and four stays in solitary later, and the warden is annoyed. So he calls in “The Big Guns” to get to the bottom of why one inmate is so much trouble. . Reece Kepner, the warden’s top detention officer, is called in to handle your case. A one on one approach to delve into the why of what’s behind your “troublesome” behaviors. Known for being strict and no nonsense, Reece is the guy who will get you back in line. Whether you want to or not.

Jake Morgan. Just his name makes you smile. . The boy who has been there with you through everything. Every holiday. Every birthday. Every school event. Every vacation. Practically family. . Your mother and Jake’s mother had been best friends since kindergarten. Your fathers became friends over the countless hours they’d spent together over the years. And because of that, your families had basically been intertwined as one since before you were born. Jake was just part of your life, as if he belonged there. . You had never thought of Jake as anything other than your person. The one who was there. The one who knew you better than you knew yourself. He was Jake. . You didn’t notice when things slowly started to shift between the two of you. When his caring eyes started settling on you for longer than necessary. Small touches became a little different, more reserved than before. When he watched you with a look of longing and fear instead of his usual brotherly love. But he noticed. And waited. And every year that went by that you didn’t see, he slowly lost hope. . When this year’s annual week long cabin trip came around, you expected everything to be the same as usual. Except…it wasn’t. For the first time, Jake brought a girl. And suddenly, things weren’t the same anymore.

Paris Donahue. A name that grates on your nerves just at the mere whisper of him. . You grew up in a well off family. Large house, lots of toys and family vacations to wherever you wanted to go. Too bad for you, Paris was part of every single one. . Your mother and Paris’s mother had been best friends since kindergarten. Your fathers became friends over a shared business deal that made hundreds of thousands. And because of that, your families had basically been intertwined as one since before you were born. Paris has been annoying you since your first breath. . Every holiday, every birthday, every vacation…there he was. Cocky. Smug. Pretty boy. You two couldn’t stand each other. Always bickering. Always annoying each other as if it was the only way you could communicate. . The older you got, the easier it was to avoid each other on vacations. He went his way and you went yours, purposely going in exact opposite directions. . Even after you both graduated high school and started college, your parents insisted everyone go on vacation together. You considered skipping just to avoid Paris, but the promise of the Maldives had you finally agreeing. It couldn’t be any worse than usual…right? . Except, there was a mix up with resort rooms. Someone forgot to book a fifth room, forgetting that London, Paris’s older sister, and her husband would want their own room now that they were married. With the hotel booked solid, the only options left were for you to room with your parents…or Paris. . Your trip suddenly just got a whole lot more chaotic.

Growing up, you were always alone. Your parents weren’t the best, constantly leaving you by yourself. You spent countless hours alone. Lonely. Most of the time, you just stayed home and found anything to distract you. . But sometimes, you ventured out, stir crazy. Your favorite spot was a quiet pond not far from your house, a peaceful place to think. It’s here you met Javier. . Javier Martinez, Javi for short, had a similar story to yours. Single mom who was always gone, leaving Javi to fend for himself. He hated the claustrophobic feel of his tiny trailer, so he wandered the town, finding new spots to hang. He discovered you one of those times and immediately took you under his wing. He was older by a few years, and you followed him everywhere after that. . Friendship quickly turned to more, the two of you inseparable. A promise of forever. Not just a relationship: bonded soulmates. So when Javi joined a new gang that had just moved in to town, you did too. It was just how you two were. An unbreakable duo. . But as the years went on, Javi got deeper into the world whereas you found yourself struggling. Where he excelled, you found yourself becoming more and more depressed. Your relationship started to crack. Arguments. Disagreements. Hurt feelings. You finally did the only thing you thought was right. You left. Breaking not only yourself, but Javi in the process. . A few years went by, and you found yourself in a new relationship. Ryan was everything Javi was not. A wealthy businessman with a house in the suburbs. Everything was perfect… . Four years after leaving, you find an old photo of you and Javi. An old memory. The past. But your subconscious says otherwise. You type in his number without thinking, still memorized. Not even sure what you’re doing.

The world has fallen to natural disasters and diseases. “Zombies”, or the closest equivalent to them anyway, plague the Earth while survivors band together to form new colonies to survive the new world. . You have settled in the southern parts of what used to be the United States with your three comrades: Kenji Nathan, Dorian Howell and Thaddeus Bronwyn. Though you don’t all always agree, you work well together, and that’s what matters. The four of you are essentially nomads, choosing to stay just your small team versus joining up with one of the big colonies in your area…and for good reason. . There are four in close vicinity of your team, and you avoid all four at all costs. The Hellhounds, The Brawlers, The Stalkers and The Troop. All of them are led by strong leaders with strict rules, and all ruthless in their own ways. . The four of you have managed to stay off any of their radars for the two years you’ve been living in the underground bunker you’d managed to stumble upon, but unfortunately, all of that was about the change. . While out on a scavenging mission, the four of you stumble into a four way shoot out in No Man’s Land, sending you all scattering in different directions to stay alive. . And right into the hands of the enemy. . . . *This Talkie is female coded. If there is interest, I can do a gender neutral or male version as well.*

The world has fallen to natural disasters and diseases. “Zombies”, or the closest equivalent to them anyway, plague the Earth while survivors band together to form new colonies to survive the new world. . You have settled in the southern parts of what used to be the United States with your three comrades: Kenji Nathan, Dorian Howell and Thaddeus Bronwyn. Though you don’t all always agree, you work well together, and that’s what matters. The four of you are essentially nomads, choosing to stay just your small team versus joining up with one of the big colonies in your area…and for good reason. . There are four in close vicinity of your team, and you avoid all four at all costs. The Hellhounds, The Brawlers, The Stalkers and The Troop. All of them are led by strong leaders with strict rules, and all ruthless in their own ways. . The four of you have managed to stay off any of their radars for the two years you’ve been living in the underground bunker you’d managed to stumble upon, but unfortunately, all of that was about the change. . While out on a scavenging mission, the four of you stumble into a four way shoot out in No Man’s Land, sending you all scattering in different directions to stay alive. . And right into the hands of the enemy. . . . *This Talkie is female coded. If there is interest, I can do a gender neutral or male version as well.* .

The world has fallen to natural disasters and diseases. “Zombies”, or the closest equivalent to them anyway, plague the Earth while survivors band together to form new colonies to survive the new world. . You have settled in the southern parts of what used to be the United States with your three comrades: Kenji Nathan, Dorian Howell and Thaddeus Bronwyn. Though you don’t all always agree, you work well together, and that’s what matters. The four of you are essentially nomads, choosing to stay just your small team versus joining up with one of the big colonies in your area…and for good reason. . There are four in close vicinity of your team, and you avoid all four at all costs. The Hellhounds, The Brawlers, The Stalkers and The Troop. All of them are led by strong leaders with strict rules, and all ruthless in their own ways. . The four of you have managed to stay off any of their radars for the two years you’ve been living in the underground bunker you’d managed to stumble upon, but unfortunately, all of that was about the change. . While out on a scavenging mission, the four of you stumble into a four way shoot out in No Man’s Land, sending you all scattering in different directions to stay alive. . And right into the hands of the enemy. . . . *This Talkie is female coded. If there is interest, I can do a gender neutral or male version as well.*

The world has fallen to natural disasters and diseases. “Zombies”, or the closest equivalent to them anyway, plague the Earth while survivors band together to form new colonies to survive the new world. . You have settled in the southern parts of what used to be the United States with your three comrades: Kenji Nathan, Dorian Howell and Thaddeus Bronwyn. Though you don’t all always agree, you work well together, and that’s what matters. The four of you are essentially nomads, choosing to stay just your small team versus joining up with one of the big colonies in your area…and for good reason. . There are four in close vicinity of your team, and you avoid all four at all costs. The Hellhounds, The Brawlers, The Stalkers and The Troop. All of them are led by strong leaders with strict rules, and all ruthless in their own ways. . The four of you have managed to stay off any of their radars for the two years you’ve been living in the underground bunker you’d managed to stumble upon, but unfortunately, all of that was about the change. . While out on a scavenging mission, the four of you stumble into a four way shoot out in No Man’s Land, sending you all scattering in different directions to stay alive. . And right into the hands of the enemy. . . . *This Talkie is female coded. If there is interest, I can do a gender neutral or male version as well.*

Ah, college. A time for learning, growing and exploring. . Of course, you never expected someone to accidentally burn down the entire dorm with a candle, but hey, experience right? . Faculty scrambled to rehome every student, having to switch up the rules a bit. What were once same sex suddenly become co-ed, and every room fills immediately. So quickly, even the Greek houses are required to take in strays. . Which is how you ended up rooming with the Elite of the Elite in Albrecht House. A fraternity so exclusive, rumors say it costs 25 million just to be considered for a spot if you’re not a legacy. A house so exclusive, they managed to stay free of new residents…except you. . How will your freshman year at St. Benedict’s University go now that you’ve become an unintended Elite? . . . . Albrecht House: Ellington Rueben, senior & president Chandler Hearst, senior & vice president Kazimir Rashnikov, junior Aristide Devasini, freshman Rajesh Nadar, sophomore Tyler Whitney, sophomore Nathaniel Simon, Junior Ji-Ho Kim, senior Maksym Kolomoisky, Junior Ahmad Pahlavi, sophomore Rian Desmond, sophomore Bodhi Pratt, Junior Aloïs Noailles, freshman

Ah, college. A time for learning, growing and exploring. . Of course, you never expected someone to accidentally burn down the entire dorm with a candle, but hey, experience right? . Faculty scrambled to rehome every student, having to switch up the rules a bit. What were once same sex suddenly become co-ed, and every room fills immediately. So quickly, even the Greek houses are required to take in strays. . Which is how you ended up rooming with the Elite of the Elite in Albrecht House. A fraternity so exclusive, rumors say it costs 25 million just to be considered for a spot if you’re not a legacy. A house so exclusive, they managed to stay free of new residents…except you. . How will your freshman year at St. Benedict’s University go now that you’ve become an unintended Elite? . . . Albrecht House: Ellington Rueben, senior & president Chandler Hearst, senior & vice president Kazimir Rashnikov, junior Aristide Devasini, freshman Rajesh Nadar, sophomore Tyler Whitney, sophomore Nathaniel Simon, Junior Ji-Ho Kim, senior Maksym Kolomoisky, Junior Ahmad Pahlavi, sophomore Rian Desmond, sophomore Bodhi Pratt, Junior Aloïs Noailles, freshman

You and Graham had a whirlwind relationship. You met right after you graduated college. . Your first job was as a receptionist for a small time law firm that mainly dealt with property disputes. No one important ever just dropped in. Until Graham anyway. You thought he was just another lowlife landlord looking to pay his way out of his case, so you gave him the cold shoulder and refused to allow him access to anyone without making an appointment. Imagine your embarrassment when you found out he was a big name real estate mogul who could buy the entire firm if he had wanted. You apologized profusely, but Graham only smirked. . He loved you already. . Three months of dating. A 6 week engagement, and suddenly, you were the spouse of billionaire Graham Andrews. Everything was perfect. . Or so you thought. . Five years in…and you’re bored. Graham is gone on business trips more than he is home, and you’re lonely. You’ve tried friends. You’ve tried hobbies. You’ve even tried solo vacations. But nothing fills the hole left by Graham being gone. . Until him. . Stefano Burtelli, Italian footballer just signed to the professional team in your city. At first, it was glances. Then friendly dinners when he was in town. You even went to a few games with your husband’s VIP tickets. And then one night…everything changed. That hole your husband left unfulfilled, Stefano slipped into. You didn’t love him. No. But you certainly loved the attention. . 6 months. You knew it was wrong. But you didn’t know how to stop. . And then Graham came home from one of his business trips, unbeknownst to you. Saw Stefano drop you off at the penthouse door. And suddenly, you have a whole lot to explain.

One text. That’s all it took to change your life. “SOS” your bestie sent you. And an address. You rushed to the address to help. An art studio covered with dust and a one bedroom apartment above. You called your bestie’s name, searching everywhere…but nothing. . Then it happened. A siren went off. And suddenly, the whole building went into a shutdown mode. Doors…locked. Windows…locked. Phone…signal blocked. You were stuck. . The only thing that worked? Some old laptop that connected to a weird looking chat room. You quickly typed your own SOS in to the chat. And all hell broke loose. . After a whole lot of misunderstandings and a whole lot more explaining, the chat room members, who you learned were in a secret chat for members of a charity group, finally accepted something weird was going on. . Q and VII reluctantly inform you you’re stuck until they can bypass the security system, and under no circumstances can you leave the apartment or “something horrific will occur”. You want to run immediately but manage to contain your panic enough to stay. The next morning, a new private chat pops up from user “Unknown”. You have no idea who it is, but it instantly becomes obvious this person is the one who led you here, and is now trying to get you to spy for them. They threaten to keep you permanently if you don’t cooperate. . After three days of being stuck in the apartment, alone and anxious and bored out of your mind, VII was able to shut off the security system just long enough to get you out. Before you get far, though, gunshots ring out, causing VII to have to high speed drive you to a safe location. The safest place he knows to go where you won’t be in danger? Zev’s small condo with camera security everywhere. . . . *A Mystic Messenger Fan Fic with a Twist* . Characters: -Q -VII -Zev -Joon -Jahida -Zeke -Reina -Unknown

Growing up, you were always the kid with anxiety and perfectionism. Everything always had to be organized, in its place and perfect. You didn’t have a lot of friends. In fact, you typically avoided other kids because they were all loud, messy and prone to messing up your perfectly alphabetized bookshelf. . Nothing changed in high school. You rarely dated, not interested in the weird antics of typical high school kids. Sure, you went to the sports games and social events, but you were never the one to let loose and look like a fool. . And then college rolled around. Your roommate was a nightmare. Your professors? Frustrating. Trying to stay calm and structured felt like a full time job. You met a few people you thought were like you, and ended up down a rabbit hole of all things bad choices. The final straw was the night your parents got a call that you were hallucinating in the quad at 3AM. . They withdrew you from your university immediately. They knew you needed a change. Unfortunately, their jobs left them little chance to be there for you. So, your mom called up her lifelong friend and asked her for help. . Which is how you ended up here. At the Riddell Ranch in Texas, smack in the middle of nowhere. Learning how to let go and just enjoy life. . With the help of Wyatt and Angie Riddell and their eight children, can you learn to just enjoy the chaos life has to offer? . . . Riddell Family: Wyatt Riddell (50) Angie Riddell (49) McCoy (28) Maverick (28) Sawyer (26) Creed (24) Boone (23) Beau (23) Dakota (20) Winona (18) Grandpa Joe (96)

Growing up, you were always the kid with anxiety and perfectionism. Everything always had to be organized, in its place and perfect. You didn’t have a lot of friends. In fact, you typically avoided other kids because they were all loud, messy and prone to messing up your perfectly alphabetized bookshelf. . Nothing changed in high school. You rarely dated, not interested in the weird antics of typical high school kids. Sure, you went to the sports games and social events, but you were never the one to let loose and look like a fool. . And then college rolled around. Your roommate was a nightmare. Your professors? Frustrating. Trying to stay calm and structured felt like a full time job. You met a few people you thought were like you, and ended up down a rabbit hole of all things bad choices. The final straw was the night your parents got a call that you were hallucinating in the quad at 3AM. . They withdrew you from your university immediately. They knew you needed a change. Unfortunately, their jobs left them little chance to be there for you. So, your mom called up her lifelong friend and asked her for help. . Which is how you ended up here. At the Riddell Ranch in Texas, smack in the middle of nowhere. Learning how to let go and just enjoy life. . With the help of Wyatt and Angie Riddell and their eight children, can you learn to just enjoy the chaos life has to offer? . . . Riddell Family: Wyatt Riddell (50) Angie Riddell (49) McCoy (28) Maverick (28) Sawyer (26) Creed (24) Boone (23) Beau (23) Dakota (20) Winona (18) Grandpa Joe (96)

Growing up, you were always the kid with anxiety and perfectionism. Everything always had to be organized, in its place and perfect. You didn’t have a lot of friends. In fact, you typically avoided other kids because they were all loud, messy and prone to messing up your perfectly alphabetized bookshelf. . Nothing changed in high school. You rarely dated, not interested in the weird antics of typical high school kids. Sure, you went to the sports games and social events, but you were never the one to let loose and look like a fool. . And then college rolled around. Your roommate was a nightmare. Your professors? Frustrating. Trying to stay calm and structured felt like a full time job. You met a few people you thought were like you, and ended up down a rabbit hole of all things bad choices. The final straw was the night your parents got a call that you were hallucinating in the quad at 3AM. . They withdrew you from your university immediately. They knew you needed a change. Unfortunately, their jobs left them little chance to be there for you. So, your mom called up her lifelong friend and asked her for help. . Which is how you ended up here. At the Riddell Ranch in Texas, smack in the middle of nowhere. Learning how to let go and just enjoy life. . With the help of Wyatt and Angie Riddell and their eight children, can you learn to just enjoy the chaos life has to offer? . . . Riddell Family: Wyatt Riddell (50) Angie Riddell (49) McCoy (28) Maverick (28) Sawyer (26) Creed (24) Boone (23) Beau (23) Dakota (20) Winona (18) Grandpa Joe (96)

Growing up, you were always the kid with anxiety and perfectionism. Everything always had to be organized, in its place and perfect. You didn’t have a lot of friends. In fact, you typically avoided other kids because they were all loud, messy and prone to messing up your perfectly alphabetized bookshelf. . Nothing changed in high school. You rarely dated, not interested in the weird antics of typical high school kids. Sure, you went to the sports games and social events, but you were never the one to let loose and look like a fool. . And then college rolled around. Your roommate was a nightmare. Your professors? Frustrating. Trying to stay calm and structured felt like a full time job. You met a few people you thought were like you, and ended up down a rabbit hole of all things bad choices. The final straw was the night your parents got a call that you were hallucinating in the quad at 3AM. . They withdrew you from your university immediately. They knew you needed a change. Unfortunately, their jobs left them little chance to be there for you. So, your mom called up her lifelong friend and asked her for help. . Which is how you ended up here. At the Riddell Ranch in Texas, smack in the middle of nowhere. Learning how to let go and just enjoy life. . With the help of Wyatt and Angie Riddell and their eight children, can you learn to just enjoy the chaos life has to offer? . . . Riddell Family: Wyatt Riddell (50) Angie Riddell (49) McCoy (28) Maverick (28) Sawyer (26) Creed (24) Boone (23) Beau (23) Dakota (20) Winona (18) Grandpa Joe (96)

Growing up, you were always the kid with anxiety and perfectionism. Everything always had to be organized, in its place and perfect. You didn’t have a lot of friends. In fact, you typically avoided other kids because they were all loud, messy and prone to messing up your perfectly alphabetized bookshelf. . Nothing changed in high school. You rarely dated, not interested in the weird antics of typical high school kids. Sure, you went to the sports games and social events, but you were never the one to let loose and look like a fool. . And then college rolled around. Your roommate was a nightmare. Your professors? Frustrating. Trying to stay calm and structured felt like a full time job. You met a few people you thought were like you, and ended up down a rabbit hole of all things bad choices. The final straw was the night your parents got a call that you were hallucinating in the quad at 3AM. . They withdrew you from your university immediately. They knew you needed a change. Unfortunately, their jobs left them little chance to be there for you. So, your mom called up her lifelong friend and asked her for help. . Which is how you ended up here. At the Riddell Ranch in Texas, smack in the middle of nowhere. Learning how to let go and just enjoy life. . With the help of Wyatt and Angie Riddell and their eight children, can you learn to just enjoy the chaos life has to offer? . . . Riddell Family: Wyatt Riddell (50) Angie Riddell (49) McCoy (28) Maverick (28) Sawyer (26) Creed (24) Boone (23) Beau (23) Dakota (20) Winona (18) Grandpa Joe (96)

Growing up, you were always the kid with anxiety and perfectionism. Everything always had to be organized, in its place and perfect. You didn’t have a lot of friends. In fact, you typically avoided other kids because they were all loud, messy and prone to messing up your perfectly alphabetized bookshelf. . Nothing changed in high school. You rarely dated, not interested in the weird antics of typical high school kids. Sure, you went to the sports games and social events, but you were never the one to let loose and look like a fool. . And then college rolled around. Your roommate was a nightmare. Your professors? Frustrating. Trying to stay calm and structured felt like a full time job. You met a few people you thought were like you, and ended up down a rabbit hole of all things bad choices. The final straw was the night your parents got a call that you were hallucinating in the quad at 3AM. . They withdrew you from your university immediately. They knew you needed a change. Unfortunately, their jobs left them little chance to be there for you. So, your mom called up her lifelong friend and asked her for help. . Which is how you ended up here. At the Riddell Ranch in Texas, smack in the middle of nowhere. Learning how to let go and just enjoy life. . With the help of Wyatt and Angie Riddell and their eight children, can you learn to just enjoy the chaos life has to offer? . . . Riddell Family: Wyatt Riddell (50) Angie Riddell (49) McCoy (28) Maverick (28) Sawyer (26) Creed (24) Boone (23) Beau (23) Dakota (20) Winona (18) Grandpa Joe (96)

Growing up, you were always the kid with anxiety and perfectionism. Everything always had to be organized, in its place and perfect. You didn’t have a lot of friends. In fact, you typically avoided other kids because they were all loud, messy and prone to messing up your perfectly alphabetized bookshelf. . Nothing changed in high school. You rarely dated, not interested in the weird antics of typical high school kids. Sure, you went to the sports games and social events, but you were never the one to let loose and look like a fool. . And then college rolled around. Your roommate was a nightmare. Your professors? Frustrating. Trying to stay calm and structured felt like a full time job. You met a few people you thought were like you, and ended up down a rabbit hole of all things bad choices. The final straw was the night your parents got a call that you were hallucinating in the quad at 3AM. . They withdrew you from your university immediately. They knew you needed a change. Unfortunately, their jobs left them little chance to be there for you. So, your mom called up her lifelong friend and asked her for help. . Which is how you ended up here. At the Riddell Ranch in Texas, smack in the middle of nowhere. Learning how to let go and just enjoy life. . With the help of Wyatt and Angie Riddell and their eight children, can you learn to just enjoy the chaos life has to offer? . . . Riddell Family: Wyatt Riddell (50) Angie Riddell (49) McCoy (28) Maverick (28) Sawyer (26) Creed (24) Boone (23) Beau (23) Dakota (20) Winona (18) Grandpa Joe (96)

Growing up, you were always the kid with anxiety and perfectionism. Everything always had to be organized, in its place and perfect. You didn’t have a lot of friends. In fact, you typically avoided other kids because they were all loud, messy and prone to messing up your perfectly alphabetized bookshelf. . Nothing changed in high school. You rarely dated, not interested in the weird antics of typical high school kids. Sure, you went to the sports games and social events, but you were never the one to let loose and look like a fool. . And then college rolled around. Your roommate was a nightmare. Your professors? Frustrating. Trying to stay calm and structured felt like a full time job. You met a few people you thought were like you, and ended up down a rabbit hole of all things bad choices. The final straw was the night your parents got a call that you were hallucinating in the quad at 3AM. . They withdrew you from your university immediately. They knew you needed a change. Unfortunately, their jobs left them little chance to be there for you. So, your mom called up her lifelong friend and asked her for help. . Which is how you ended up here. At the Riddell Ranch in Texas, smack in the middle of nowhere. Learning how to let go and just enjoy life. . With the help of Wyatt and Angie Riddell and their eight children, can you learn to just enjoy the chaos life has to offer? . . . Riddell Family: Wyatt Riddell (50) Angie Riddell (49) McCoy (28) Maverick (28) Sawyer (26) Creed (24) Boone (23) Beau (23) Dakota (20) Winona (18) Grandpa Joe (96)

Six years ago, you lost the love of your life. The person you were sure you would spend the rest of your life with. Car accident. Drunk driver. Your whole world was turned upside down in an instant. For a year, you wallowed in misery. Depression. Deep and dark. You spent hours building up wall after wall, cutting off everyone you loved, afraid you’d end up losing someone else. Your parents began to worry. They tried to get you to socialize and start dating again, but you adamantly refused. In hopes of helping you get out of your depression, they set you up with their best friends’ son, Ashton, thinking that maybe having someone who they knew loved you would help you wake up again and enjoy life. You agreed simply to get them to leave you alone. You never once tried to enjoy your marriage. Your walls never came down. You spent five years keeping yourself isolated and alone, not even trying to build anything with Ashton. Ashton, on the other hand, did everything he could think of to bring you out of your self inflicted isolation and show you love. He wanted a real marriage and wanted to give you the world. But you never once let him. He gave you five years. Five years of burying his hurt and own depression deep in hopes that he could chip away at those ice walls you had built and finally build the family he had dreamed about since he was young. But now, he’s tired. Ashton wants kids and a wife and the chance to enjoy his life with his partner. And he can’t do that if you won’t give him a chance. So he decides to finally ask one last time for a real chance. And if you won’t? He’s ready to let go of his dream with you and finally move on.

The clang of blades clashing whistled through the air as you dressed for the day. The sound nothing new to you. Training was common in your clan, with most of the men training a few hours a day when they weren’t doing the rest of their daily chores. You dressed in your best, knowing today was an important day for the clan. Jarl Olaf and your clan had been chosen to host the Gathering of Clans. A week long meeting of the seven strongest clans in the area. Happening once every three years, it was an important event marked with celebrations, peace treaties, and trading amongst all. And this was the first Gathering you had been allowed to take part in. Excitement and nerves flooded you at the thought of being able to join in at the celebrations, but more importantly, at being allowed an opportunity to trade the beautiful jewelry pieces you and your childhood friend, Sten, had been crafting for years now. Your designs were well known within your own clan as the best, and you were itching to know if other clans would feel the same. As you walked out the door of your father’s longhouse, you could feel the energy in the air. Something was coming. Something big. Something that would change your entire future.

Humanity has lost its way. The apocalypse has come. And the Horsemen rode in on their steeds, followed closely by the Seven deadliest sins. Here to determine who amongst humanity shall perish and who shall carry the world after all is said and done. Deaths are by the dozen. Cities fall quickly. The world is in crisis. Humanity hides away as best as they can, doing everything they can think of to survive this act of vengeance. You live in a small town built from fear and fight. Survivors flocked from war torn cities and plague infested villages to come together to rebuild hope. Bunkers underground. Supply run teams to find the necessities. Humans hiding out, trying to stay off the radar of evil. Until one night, when a supply run goes wrong. Your team runs into a strong figure in the dark. The harrowing sense of doom lingering in the air. Your team flees, racing back for the safety of your underground town, but the damage has been done. The figure in the dark has your scent, and they follow you home. Can you convince them to let your group of survivors live, or will this mistake cost you everything?

Humanity has lost its way. The apocalypse has come. And the Horsemen rode in on their steeds, followed closely by the Seven deadliest sins. Here to determine who amongst humanity shall perish and who shall carry the world after all is said and done. Deaths are by the dozen. Cities fall quickly. The world is in crisis. Humanity hides away as best as they can, doing everything they can think of to survive this act of vengeance. You live in a small town built from fear and fight. Survivors flocked from war torn cities and plague infested villages to come together to rebuild hope. Bunkers underground. Supply run teams to find the necessities. Humans hiding out, trying to stay off the radar of evil. Until one night, when a supply run goes wrong. Your team runs into a strong figure in the dark. The harrowing sense of doom lingering in the air. Your team flees, racing back for the safety of your underground town, but the damage has been done. The figure in the dark has your scent, and they follow you home. Can you convince them to let your group of survivors live, or will this mistake cost you everything?

*One text. That’s all it took to change your life. “SOS” your bestie sent you. And an address. You rushed to the address to help. An art studio covered with dust and a one bedroom apartment above. You called your bestie’s name, searching everywhere…but nothing.* *Then it happened. A siren went off. And suddenly, the whole building went into a shutdown mode. Doors…locked. Windows…locked. Phone…signal blocked. You were stuck.* *The only thing that worked? Some old laptop that connected to a weird looking chat room. You quickly typed your own SOS in to the chat. And all hell broke loose.* *After a whole lot of misunderstandings and a whole lot more explaining, the chat room members, who you learned were in a secret chat for members of a charity group, finally accepted something weird was going on.* *Q and VII reluctantly inform you you’re stuck until they can bypass the security system, and under no circumstances can you leave the apartment or “something horrific will occur”. You want to run immediately but manage to contain your panic enough to stay. The next morning, a new private chat pops up from user “Unknown”. You have no idea who it is, but it instantly becomes obvious this person is the one who led you here, and is now trying to get you to spy for them. They threaten to keep you permanently if you don’t cooperate.* *After three days of being stuck in the apartment, alone and anxious and bored out of your mind, VII was able to shut off the security system just long enough to get you out. Before you get far, though, gunshots ring out, causing VII to have to high speed drive you to a safe location. The safest place he knows to go where you won’t be in danger? Joon’s fully owned “apartment” building.* *A Mystic Messenger fan Fic*

*One text. That’s all it took to change your life. “SOS” your bestie sent you. And an address. You rushed to the address to help. An art studio covered with dust and a one bedroom apartment above. You called your bestie’s name, searching everywhere…but nothing.* *Then it happened. A siren went off. And suddenly, the whole building went into a shutdown mode. Doors…locked. Windows…locked. Phone…signal blocked. You were stuck.* *The only thing that worked? Some old laptop that connected to a weird looking chat room. You quickly typed your own SOS in to the chat. And all hell broke loose.* *After a whole lot of misunderstandings and a whole lot more explaining, the chat room members, who you learned were in a secret chat for members of a charity group, finally accepted something weird was going on.* *Q and VII reluctantly inform you you’re stuck until they can bypass the security system, and under no circumstances can you leave the apartment or “something horrific will occur”. You want to run immediately but manage to contain your panic enough to stay. The next morning, a new private chat pops up from user “Unknown”. You have no idea who it is, but it instantly becomes obvious this person is the one who led you here, and is now trying to get you to spy for them. They threaten to keep you permanently if you don’t cooperate.* *After three days of being stuck in the apartment, alone and anxious and bored out of your mind, VII was able to shut off the security system just long enough to get you out. Before you get far, though, gunshots ring out, causing VII to have to high speed drive you to a safe location. The safest place he knows to go where you won’t be in danger? Zev’s small condo with camera security everywhere. VII warned Zev he would be back tomorrow at the latest to move you, but Zev just waved it off as if it were nothing.* *A Mystic Messenger fan Fic with a Twist*

Life has never been easy for you. From the day you were found in a small wicker basket on the border of the Black Snake pack, you had been an outcast. As a pup, you were small. The runt of the pack, so to speak. All the rest of the pups teased and bullied you. As you grew older, the bullying became worse. Relentless even. No one wanted to be friends with the pack runt. The “Throwaway Pup” as you were so hatefully called. At 18, you were still small but even worse, you were still wolfless. Traditional shifters were blessed with wolves by 18. You still were waiting. The whole pack began to turn their nose up at you. Wolfless. Throwaway Omega. Low Class Nothing. Until… Your 20th birthday. When everything changed. A full moon. And suddenly, you were blessed with your wolf. A rare wolf of pure white with moonlit silver eyes. The sign of the royal bloodline. Within 12 hours, the Royal family descended on your pack. Demanding answers. Completely blowing up your life…but in what way? Black Snakes Pack Members: Alpha Ridge Black Luna Meadow Black Future Alpha Forrest Black Woods Black Future Beta Rowan Ashmore Everest Banks (friend of Forrest) Apollo Beel (friend of Forrest) Howler Cain (pack warrior) Ría (Forrest’s chosen mate) Royal Pack Members: King Louis Archibald Lycaon Royal Beta Theodore William Lycaon Darius Romulous (Royal warrior) Adrian Percival (high ranked pack member) Christian Felipe Balthazar (Talkior’s half brother)