The Blacksmith's Heart

The Blacksmith's Heart

BehindTheBrightBlueEyes · Ongoing · 127.6k Words

870
Hot
870
Views
0
Added
Add to Shelf
Start Reading
Share:facebooktwitterpinterestwhatsappreddit

Introduction

Elara has always been strong—because she’s had no choice. Poor, overlooked, and dismissed by a town that values silk and silver over grit and sweat, she has survived by sheer will alone. Every coin, every scrap of food, every ounce of strength in her body is earned the hard way. She’s used to being underestimated, even despised.

But under the light of the full moon, everything changes.

When a stranger with molten-gold eyes steps from the shadows, Elara feels power in him that both terrifies and awakens something deep inside her. He knows her name, knows the fire she hides beneath her rough exterior—and he sees her as no one else ever has.

Drawn to him by forces she can’t explain, Elara is swept into a world of primal instinct and raw desire, where danger stalks the woods and secrets pulse in every heartbeat. His touch ignites heat she has never known, his presence makes her body ache with longing—and yet he is more than a man. He is wild. He is untamed. He is a predator who claims that she is his.

Torn between the harsh life she knows and the forbidden passion calling to her, Elara must decide: will she fight for her place in a world that never wanted her… or surrender to the fierce love of a man who was never meant to be human?

Chapter 1

The clang of the blacksmith’s hammer echoed through the valley of Langshire, long after the sun dipped behind the pines. Sparks lit the shop like fireflies caught in a storm, flaring bright and dying just as quickly. I tightened my grip on the wooden bucket I carried, feeling the strain against my palms, raw from a day’s labor. Water sloshed against the sides, heavy, just like every burden I’d carried since I could remember.

The forge roared, hungry and impatient, flames licking at the metal like wolves nipping at the heels of prey. I had a deadline to complete the upgraded breastplate for the new Beta in the neighboring pack, and there was no way I was tarnishing my perfect record for timeliness on this one plate. The last thing I needed was whispers about Elara the blacksmith growing sloppy. No, I had a reputation to protect—even if it was the only thing in this world I truly owned.

As sweat dripped down my brow, I rubbed the beads on my sleeve, a habit I picked up from my grandmother, careful not to disturb the timing of the kiln. The world outside might not care about timing, but here, in my forge, every second mattered. Steel demanded respect.

It had been a long day, and my body begged me to stop, but I pushed through the weariness. My vision blurred from lack of rest, black spots blooming at the edges of my sight. I blinked furiously, forcing the cloudiness away, and lifted the breastplate onto the anvil one last time. With painstaking care, I etched my signature finish into the underbelly—a small heart with a notch taken out of it. A mark no one else dared to use, but one my clients quietly sought out. My work had soul. My mark told them it had been forged with blood, sweat, and willpower, not just steel.

I nodded in approval at the piece, setting my tools down and wiping my hands across my apron, though all it did was smear the grime. Glancing back at my work of art, I caught my reflection in the polished steel. I laughed dryly at the sight—half my face blackened with soot, hair tangled in sweaty strands, eyes bloodshot and hollow from a week of missed sleep. The breastplate gleamed proudly while I looked like I’d crawled out of the ashes myself.

“Whelp, that is as good as it is going to get,” I muttered, the sound swallowed by the walls of my shop.

With a sigh, I pulling the doors closed. My sign, tilted again in the evening breeze, caught my eye. “Elara’s Creations,” it read in curling script. I straightened it carefully, then tapped the wood and pressed a kiss to it—a ritual for good fortune, or maybe just habit. Either way, it comforted me.

My feet dragged on the dirt road, leaving tired streaks in the sand. The valley had long gone quiet, the market stalls shuttered, smoke rising in lazy tendrils from chimneys. The path home wound past the forest’s edge, and there, nestled half into the hillside, leaned my cottage. If it could even be called that.

My chest tightened at the sight. My little home, already sagging from years of neglect, had been defaced. Bright streaks of paint slashed across the front, scrawled words that burned worse than fire.

My heart sank as I brushed my hand across the first one. FUC—

The paint smeared under my fingers. Still wet. Whoever had done this hadn’t even given me the dignity of waiting for it to dry.

Frustration flared hot in my chest. If I had left work sooner, I might have caught them in the act. But then the breastplate would not be finished, and I couldn’t afford that. I clenched my jaw, letting out a shaky breath. There was nothing I could do tonight. The words would wait for me in the morning, as all burdens did.

I unlocked the front door, jiggling the stubborn lock three times until it gave way with a reluctant creak. A bucket sat by the threshold, waiting to catch the next rainfall and keep the floor from flooding. Inside, the familiar scent of woodsmoke wrapped around me, a small comfort. The hearth still held a flame, and I smiled faintly, knowing I could heat the leftover soup without too much effort.

Kicking off my shoes—worn thin, soles nearly flapping—I lowered myself to the floor. The boards creaked under my weight, as if they too were exhausted. I stared into the fire, shoulders sagging, thankful that no matter how shabby or marked by others’ cruelty, this place was still mine. My sanctuary.

Sleep tugged at me hard, and I didn’t even bother to fetch my blanket from the counter. I curled on the floor, letting the warmth of the fire wash over me, and drifted off with a gnawing feeling that I’d forgotten something important.

Dreams swept me away. In them, I was strong—stronger than the merchant’s daughters in their velvet gowns and silken gloves. Stronger than the alpha’s sons, who had framed me for cheating and cost me my rightful graduation. Stronger than any merchant on the block with their rich parents’ coin. In dreams, I was not scraping by, alone and barehanded. I was a hero.

In dreams, the trials I endured became stepping stones, not chains. My skin glowed with power, my chest lifted with pride. I was everything I wanted to be.

But dreams don’t last.

The whispers started first, curling like smoke at the edges of my mind. I leaned in, trying to make sense of them, but they grew louder—insistent, cutting, cruel. Shouts replaced whispers. Accusations. Mockery. My glow dimmed as shadows pressed closer, and before I could shield myself, a rush of icy water drenched me.

I gasped awake, sputtering.

“Rent’s due!” a voice bellowed from outside. The light through my window was pale, not even dawn yet.

A harsh kick struck my ribs, rolling me halfway onto my side. Pain flared sharp, and my breath caught.

“If you’re not up soon, you’ll stay down for good,” Hector growled, his boot pressing one last threat into my side before stepping back.

I scrambled upright, clutching my ribs. “Hector, I have your payment. I’m meeting my customer at eight. I’ll have the full amount for you then, I swear.” My voice cracked, more pleading than I wanted.

“That’s two hours late,” he sneered, mimicking quotation marks with his fingers. “Better hope your customer actually shows up. Otherwise…” He let the threat hang in the air, followed by a laugh. Then, with a slam of my already-broken door, he left.

The silence after was louder than his shouting. My chest rose and fell in shallow breaths.

I forced myself up, wiped the damp from the floor where I had slept, and steadied my shaking hands. My ribs throbbed, my pride smarted, but there was no time to dwell on either.

I lifted my gaze toward the hearth, toward the faint crescent moon still visible through my window. Closing my eyes, I whispered a prayer to the Moon Goddess, voice raw but steady.

Please. Let this Beta be punctual.

Last Chapters

You Might Like 😍

Bound By Power, Torn By Love

Bound By Power, Torn By Love

2.1k Views · Ongoing · Cynthia Adama
She is the only daughter of a notorious mafia boss, but she is forced by her father to marry a hateful bastard in a contract marriage. To avenge her father, she has a one-night stand with a charming man, but unexpectedly falls into the trap of another terrible man, who is her father's enemy and another mafia boss. His mission is to make her father disappear.
She regards him as her only salvation, but he regards her as a pawn for revenge. When two enemies dance on the sharp knife, what will be the final outcome?
Accardi

Accardi

994.7k Views · Completed · Allison Franklin
“I thought we discussed this earlier, Weakness? I warned you. His death is on your hands.”
“I thought you said you were done chasing me?” Gen mocked.
“I am done chasing you.”
Before she could formulate a witty remark, Matteo threw her down. She landed hard on her back atop his dining room table. She tried to sit up when she noticed what he was doing. His hands were working on his belt. It came free of his pants with a violent yank. She collapsed back on her elbows, her mouth gaping open at the display. His face was a mask of sheer determination, his eyes were a dark gold swimming with heat and desire. His hands wrapped around her thighs and pulled her to the edge of the table. He glided his fingers up her thighs and hooked several around the inside of her panties. His knuckles brushed her dripping sex.
“You’re soaking wet, Genevieve. Tell me, was it me that made you this way or him?” his voice told her to be careful with her answer. His knuckles slid down through her folds and she threw her head back as she moaned. “Weakness?”
“You…” she breathed.


Genevieve loses a bet she can’t afford to pay. In a compromise, she agrees to convince any man her opponent chooses to go home with her that night. What she doesn’t realize when her sister’s friend points out the brooding man sitting alone at the bar, is that man won’t be okay with just one night with her. No, Matteo Accardi, Don of one of the largest gangs in New York City doesn’t do one night stands. Not with her anyway.
Let Them Kneel

Let Them Kneel

234.5k Views · Ongoing · My Fantasy Stories
Kaelani spent her life believing she was wolfless.
Cast out by her pack. Forgotten by the Lycans.
She lived among humans—quiet, invisible, tucked away in a town no one looked at twice.

But when her first heat comes without warning, everything changes.

Her body ignites. Her instincts scream. And something primal stirs beneath her skin—
summoning a big, bad Alpha who knows exactly how to quench her fire.

When he claims her, it’s ecstasy and ruin.

For the first time, she believes she’s been accepted.
Seen.
Chosen.

Until he leaves her the next morning—
like a secret never to be spoken.

But Kaelani is not what they thought.
Not wolfless. Not weak.
There is something ancient inside her. Something powerful. And it’s waking.

And when it does—
they’ll all remember the girl they tried to erase.

Especially him.

She’ll be the dream he keeps chasing… the one thing that ever made him feel alive.

Because secrets never stay buried.
And neither do dreams.
Mates: Regrets and Redemption

Mates: Regrets and Redemption

2k Views · Completed · Oniella Lawrence
I thought I had it all figured out. I rejected my destined mate for the love of my high school sweetheart, Curtis. But everything shattered when Curtis met his mate and chose to lie to me instead of rejecting her.

With my heart in pieces, I sought solace in the last place I expected—my Alpha's arms. One night turned into a dangerous entanglement, and now my Alpha refuses to let me go. As the Alpha’s obsession grows, I'm caught in a web of desire and fear.

Curtis, the boy I once loved, still holds a promise I made, but the Alpha’s powerful presence pulls me deeper into his world. Should I forgive Curtis and keep my word, or should I risk everything for a chance at something wild and unpredictable with the Alpha who won’t take no for an answer?


“There are no limits between us,” he chuckled, the mirth sparkling in his gorgeous eyes. “And all of this stems from the night you gave me both pain and pleasure. I’m simply returning the favor.”

He took two steps forward, and I stepped back. “But…” The memory of what I had done filled me with fear, and I knew I had to get out of there. “I…”

“No, Firecat.” He placed an index finger on my lips. “This will take your mind off that son of a bitch.” His strong hands pulled me by the waist until I felt his hard manhood.
HER ALPHA, HER SAVIOUR

HER ALPHA, HER SAVIOUR

2.4k Views · Ongoing · Iris
I sold myself to a monster to save my mom—and walked into a cage.

Kane Hellboud, charm and wealth personified, wanted only me in exchange for her treatment. No cameras, isolation, or noose-like rules were part of the deal. Behind his smile? Cold, violent possessiveness that destroyed our fake marriage.

Most of all, I didn’t know the supernatural walked among us, hiding in the cracks of ordinary life. Not until Abel Stone stepped into mine—dark-eyed, sharp-tongued, and oozing dangerous promises. He’s my new boss. He shouldn’t make my skin tingle or my pulse race. I shouldn’t feel this primal pull, this illogical recognition that tugs at something deep in my bones.

Around him, lights burst, electronics fry, and something ancient in me awakens.

Kane feels it. His grip tightens, punishments turn brutal, and he hides the truth of what I am.

Trapped between two powerful men, I’m no prey, no pawn—no helpless victim.

Prisons burn. Monsters bleed. As for me? I'm the storm in skin—deadly beyond suspicion.
Bound by Fate, Freed by Choice

Bound by Fate, Freed by Choice

5.3k Views · Completed · Nafisatuu
When Lyla's fated mate is revealed as Alpha Kaiden—her sister's ruthless ex-husband—the only thing he offers her is public humiliation and a brutal rejection. Heartbroken and branded as unworthy, she flees her pack, determined to uncover the truth behind her sister's mysterious disappearance.

Her escape leads her to Alpha Rowan, the commanding leader of the Blackwood Pack, who offers shelter, protection, and an unexpected chance at a new life. But Rowan’s fierce and jealous fiancée sees Lyla as a threat, and the pack’s charming Beta is drawn to her quiet strength.

As a dangerous attraction simmers between Lyla and Rowan, they begin to unravel a dark web of secrets that implicates Kaiden and threatens both their worlds.

With her hidden power awakening, Lyla must navigate treacherous loyalties, face the alpha who shattered her, and decide: Will she follow the destiny fate forced upon her, or claim the love and strength she has chosen for herself?
Tempted By The Enemy

Tempted By The Enemy

3.9k Views · Completed · rituparna darolia
Twenty-two-year-old Alyssa Van Every is in a dilemma. Her close friend, Sienna, is marrying billionaire, Lucas Donnelly who, along with his brothers, happens to be her older brother, Alex's sworn enemy.
She escapes to Preston Island to attend the wedding without informing him only to collide with Lucas’s hot, fiery and arrogant brother, the twenty-three-year-old, Nicholas Donnelly. Sparks immediately fly between them but Alyssa refuses to acknowledge them fearing her brother's wrath.
The wedding is over and Alyssa tries hard to forget the mysterious Nicholas Donnelly but can he forget her? Can he ignore the attraction he feels for her, feelings that have resurfaced after ten years?
What will Allyssa do when she is stalked by the man who has been invading her dreams since the day she met him? What will she do when she is whisked away to a deserted island by the unpredictable Nicholas Donnelly? Can she tame her heart or surrender to sinful temptations? Read to find out!
Part of the Temptation Series. Can be read as a standalone.
The Alpha's Stripper Mate

The Alpha's Stripper Mate

53.8k Views · Completed · Havilworth
"Come here."
"What?" It was out of my mouth before I could stop it. I did not wait for him to answer me, I walked toward him.
"Dance on my lap."
My head screamed at me to turn around and run. But my whole body responded to his command.
"Yes, Alpha," I pulled my dress over my body, it dropped over my head and fell to the ground behind me. I was left in nothing but my matching bra and thong. My hands covered my chest on reflex.
"Let me see."
My hands dropped to my sides.
I lowered myself into his lap, facing him. His eyes peered into mine, and I could feel his hot breath fan my face. His dick responded to all my moves, hardening against my now-moist vagina. I swallowed hard, allowing my lips to part in a ragged breath. His hands trailed up to my waist.
"No touching."


At the tender age of eleven, JoJo Wyatt was forced to grow up far sooner than she should have. Born to a cruel father and a weak mother, she quickly realized she had to become the breadwinner for herself and her sister. Nothing else mattered to her, not even the hottest men. In fact, she despised them. After one horrific night, she swore never to have any contact with the male species again. That was, until she started working for him as his stripper.
Meanwhile, Alpha Lake Rush, thirty, was the most feared Alpha in the country. Burdened by his own share of life's struggles, he had learned only to be cruel and reckless, rejecting not one but two mates. But what happens when he discovers yet another mate, and she turns out to be his stripper?
Lightborn: The Demon’s Bond

Lightborn: The Demon’s Bond

5.2k Views · Completed · ngocvynguyen985
Valerie accidentally forms a bond with Maxwell, a light demon, and begins seeing the dangerous supernatural world hidden around her. As the two constantly bicker yet protect each other, Valerie gradually discovers her own light-based powers and confronts many dark forces, including a serial kidnapper, the dark demon Zane, and other malevolent entities. Maxwell, haunted by the death of his former lover Juliana, repeatedly tries to distance himself from Valerie to keep her safe, causing both of them pain. Yet every time Valerie is in danger, Maxwell returns to save her, and their feelings grow deeper. The climax comes when they face Mason, a fire demon who hunts human–demon couples; Valerie risks her life in battle while Maxwell nearly collapses from exhaustion. In the end, Mason is destroyed, the threats fade away, and Valerie and Maxwell can finally stay together in peace.
The Family Books 1-3 (A Mafia romance)

The Family Books 1-3 (A Mafia romance)

2.1k Views · Ongoing · Emma Mountford
Saints and Sinners- She was the light to my dark.
The saint to my sinner. with her innocent eyes and devilish curves.
A Madonna that was meant to be admired but never touched.
Until someone took that innocence from her.
She left.
The darkness in my heart was finally complete.
I avenged her, I killed for her, but she never came back.
Until I saw her again. An angel dancing around a pole for money.
She didn’t know I owned that club. She didn’t know I was watching.
This time I won’t let her escape.
I will make her back into the girl I knew.
Whether she likes it or not.
2/ Judge and Jury- I can’t stop watching her.

I’m not even sure I want to.

Taylor Lawson, blonde, beautiful, and totally oblivious to how much dangers she’s in.

She’s also the one juror in my upcoming murder trial that hasn’t been bought.

The one who can put me behind bars for a very long time.

I know I should execute her.
After all that’s what I do.

I am the Judge.
I eliminate threats to The Family.
And Taylor is a threat.
But I don’t want to kill her.
Possessing her, making her love me seems like a much better plan for this particular Juror.

3/ Rags and Ritches-
Game of Destiny

Game of Destiny

1.2m Views · Completed · Dripping Creativity
Amie's wolf hasn't shown herself. But who cares? She has a good pack, best friends and a family who loves her. Everyone, including the Alpha, is telling her she is perfect just the way she is. That is until she finds her mate and he rejects her. Heartbroken Amie flees from everything and start over. No more werewolves, no more packs.

When Finlay finds her, she is living among humans. He is smitten by the stubborn wolf that refuse to acknowledge his existence. She may not be his mate, but he wants her to be a part of his pack, latent wolf or not.

Amie cant resist the Alpha that comes into her life and drags her back into pack life. Not only does she find herself happier than she has been in a long time, her wolf finally comes to her. Finlay isn't her mate, but he becomes her best friend. Together with the other top wolves in the pack, they work to create the best and strongest pack.

When it's time for the pack games, the event that decides the packs rank for the coming ten year, Amie needs to face her old pack. When she sees the man that rejected her for the first time in ten years, everything she thought she knew is turned around. Amie and Finlay need to adapt to the new reality and find a way forward for their pack. But will the curve ball split them apart?
Rise of the Banished She-Wolf

Rise of the Banished She-Wolf

409.8k Views · Completed · Lily
"White wolf! Kill that monster!"
That roar stole my eighteenth birthday and shattered my world. My first shift should have been glory—blood turned blessing into shame. By dawn they'd branded me "cursed": cast out by my pack, abandoned by family, stripped of my nature. My father didn't defend me—he sent me to a forsaken island where wolfless outcasts were forged into weapons, forced to kill each other until only one could leave.
On that island I learned the darkest edges of humanity and how to bury terror in bone. Countless times I wanted to surrender—dive into the waves and never surface—but the accusing faces that haunted my dreams pushed me back toward something colder than survival: revenge. I escaped, and for three years I hid among humans, collecting secrets, learning to move like a shadow, sharpening patience into precision—becoming a blade.
Then, under a full moon, I touched a bleeding stranger—and my wolf returned with a violence that made me whole. Who was he? Why could he wake what I'd thought dead?
One thing I know: now is the time.
I have waited three years for this. I will make everyone who destroyed me pay—and take back everything that was stolen from me.