Ashley Delaney Hale has always been surrounded by protection. In Beacon Hills, that’s the only reason she’s survived this long. But protection has a way of changing—especially when it comes from someone like Brett Talbot. He was supposed to keep her safe. That was all. Watching her, guarding her, making sure nothing ever got close enough to hurt her. But somewhere along the way, that protection turned into something darker. Something possessive. Now, every glance she gives someone else, every step she takes without him, feels like a threat he can’t ignore. And as danger closes in from all sides, Ashley begins to realize the truth—Brett isn’t just protecting her anymore… he’s claiming her. In a town full of monsters, the most dangerous thing might not be what’s hunting her— but the one who refuses to let her go.
Birmingham, 1921. Seventeen-year-old Ashley Delaney Hale lives a simple life with her parents, working as a barmaid at The Garrison Pub. She never expected her ordinary days serving drinks to change with the arrival of one of Birmingham’s most feared men. When the infamous Thomas Shelby notices Ashley, her quiet world is turned upside down. Soon, lavish bouquets, expensive jewelry, elegant gowns, and mysterious invitations to glamorous galas begin arriving at her family’s doorstep. While Ashley struggles to understand why such a powerful man has taken an interest in her, her parents grow increasingly concerned about the attention of someone whose name commands both respect and fear. As rumors spread throughout Birmingham, Ashley finds herself caught between the peaceful life she’s always known and a dangerous world filled with wealth, influence, and secrets. With rival gangs watching every move and her family’s safety hanging in the balance, Ashley must navigate a future she never asked for—one that could change her life forever. Sometimes the most ordinary people become the center of the most extraordinary stories… and sometimes one chance meeting is enough to alter fate forever.
In the dark and smoke-filled Kingdom of Small Heath, King Thomas Shelby rules with power and fear from the grand Shelby Castle. To the people of the kingdom, Queen Grace Burgess is the picture of elegance and kindness, beloved by all who know her. When seventeen-year-old Ashley Delaney Hale is sold into service and brought to the castle as Queen Grace’s new maid, she expects a life of luxury and security. Instead, she discovers a palace filled with secrets, sorrow, and shadows. As Ashley and Grace form an unlikely bond, the young maiden learns that life within the royal court is far more dangerous than it appears. Together, the queen and her maid must navigate the darkness surrounding the throne and find strength in one another in a kingdom where appearances can be deceiving and survival often depends on courage, loyalty, and hope. A dark, gothic tale of friendship, resilience, and the hidden costs of power, The King of Small Heath and the Maiden explores what happens when two lives become intertwined within the shadows of a troubled kingdom.
Six months after losing her mother, sixteen-year-old Ashley Delaney Hale is uprooted from her life in San Francisco when her father, Derek Hale, decides they need a fresh start in his hometown of Beacon Hills. Now a single dad working as a mechanic, Derek is struggling to keep his family together while carrying grief and secrets he isn’t ready to share. Meanwhile, Ashley is forced to start over at Beacon Hills High, where she quickly befriends Liam Dunbar and unexpectedly connects with her kind and understanding history teacher, Scott McCall. Then there’s Brett Talbot. Cocky, irritating, and entirely too amused by getting under her skin, Brett seems determined to make himself a permanent part of Ashley’s life. Unfortunately for him, she’s completely unimpressed by his charm—and unfortunately for her, he doesn’t seem to mind. As strange things begin happening around town and whispers follow the Hale name, Ashley realizes Beacon Hills is hiding secrets far bigger than she ever imagined. Between grief, new friendships, unexpected feelings, and mysteries tied to her family, she and Derek may discover that coming home changes everything. A story about loss, healing, second chances, and finding family in unexpected places, where old wounds reopen, new relationships bloom, and sometimes the people who annoy you the most end up mattering the most.
Ashley Delaney Hale is human—but that doesn’t mean she’s safe in Beacon Hills. At 16, she’s clever, brave, and loyal, yet surrounded by werewolves, hunters, and constant danger. But the greatest challenge isn’t always supernatural—it’s navigating the protective, possessive instincts of Brett Talbot, the boy who has always watched over her. When other guys start paying attention to Ashley, Brett’s jealousy flares, testing the limits of his control and forcing Ashley to confront her own feelings. Between high school drama, supernatural threats, and Brett’s intense devotion, she discovers that sometimes love can be just as dangerous as any monster lurking in the shadows. In a town of claws, secrets, and loyalty, Brett’s possessive instincts might just be the thing that keeps Ashley alive… or the thing that changes everything between them.
Ashley Delaney Hale is seventeen, kind-hearted, independent, and perfectly happy living a quiet life working at a small tea house in Birmingham. She knows nothing about the city’s dangerous underworld—and she certainly doesn’t know the man who walks through the tea house doors one rainy afternoon. Tommy Shelby. To Ashley, he’s just a mysterious, intimidating customer who seems to carry far more darkness than he lets anyone see. She doesn’t know his name is feared across Birmingham. She doesn’t know he’s a powerful mob boss. And she has no idea why he keeps coming back. But Tommy finds something in Ashley that he hasn’t felt in years: peace. Around her, the noise in his head becomes quieter. She doesn’t judge him, fear him, or care about the Shelby reputation. She simply sees Tommy as a person. As Tommy begins quietly protecting Ashley from the dangers surrounding his family, Ashley slowly finds herself pulled into a world of secrets, enemies, and violence she never knew existed. Because when Tommy Shelby cares about someone, his enemies notice. And now Ashley may be the one thing Tommy cannot afford to lose. She might be the change Tommy needs—but can he protect her from the world he built before it’s too late?
At nineteen, Ashley Delaney Hale has one priority—her little daughter, Arabella. After her boyfriend, Theo Raeken, shattered her heart by cheating on her, Ashley and her two dads, Derek McCall-Hale and Scott McCall-Hale, left Beacon Hills behind for a fresh start in London. It was there that Ashley discovered she was pregnant and chose to raise Arabella surrounded by the unconditional love of her family. Now, they’re returning to Beacon Hills—the town Derek and Scott once called home—hoping to build a new life. Reunited with her lifelong best friends, Liam Dunbar and Mason Hewitt, Ashley begins settling back into the familiar town. But when Liam’s older brother, Brett Talbot, learns the truth about everything Ashley has endured, he quietly vows to protect both Ashley and Arabella from the man who broke her heart. As old memories resurface and Theo’s return threatens the peaceful life Ashley has built, she soon realizes that Beacon Hills holds more secrets than she ever imagined. The people she trusts most have been hiding the truth for years, and the family she thought she knew is far more extraordinary than she ever believed. Filled with romance, mystery, found family, and supernatural danger, The Secret They Kept is a heartfelt story about healing after heartbreak, discovering hidden truths, and finding the courage to protect the people you love most.
Sixteen-year-old Ashley Ryland McCall thought she knew what fear was. Growing up in Birmingham, England, Ashley has spent years watching her father, Scott McCall, suffer behind closed doors because of his abusive boyfriend, Ennis. But when Ashley comes home from school early one day and discovers that Ennis has finally gone too far, she knows they can’t stay any longer. That night, Ashley and Scott leave everything behind and escape to Beacon Hills, California, hoping to find safety with Scott’s mother, Melissa. But starting over isn’t as simple as they imagined. As Ashley begins attending Beacon Hills High School, she notices that something about the town isn’t normal. People whisper about disappearances, strange attacks happen in the woods, and everyone seems to be hiding secrets. Then Ashley meets Derek Hale, an auto mechanic she encounters while visiting the library. Derek is quiet, mysterious, and unexpectedly protective of her—but Ashley doesn’t know that he is hiding a dangerous secret of his own. He’s a werewolf. Just when Ashley and Scott begin believing they might finally have a chance at a new life, Ennis discovers where they’ve gone. Determined to find his boyfriend and daughter, Ennis will stop at nothing to bring them back and reclaim the control he believes he still has over them. Now Ashley and Scott must stay one step ahead of Ennis while navigating the dangerous supernatural world of Beacon Hills. With Derek hiding his true identity, mysterious dangers surrounding the town, and their past threatening to catch up with them, Ashley must learn that sometimes the safest place isn’t the place without monsters. It’s the place where the right people are willing to stand beside you and fight. In Beacon Hills, Ashley came looking for a home. Instead, she found secrets, danger, friendship, and someone willing to protect her.
After months away in London, sixteen-year-old Ashley Delaney Hale returns to her hometown of Beacon Hills hoping for a fresh start after a traumatic event changed her life forever. But coming home isn’t as easy as she imagined. As Ashley begins her sophomore year at Beacon Hills High, she quickly realizes that everyone remembers her—and everyone has their own version of why she disappeared. Rumors follow her through every hallway, secrets linger behind every smile, and the town she once called home suddenly feels like a place she barely knows. The deeper Ashley looks, the more she realizes Beacon Hills is hiding something far darker than high school gossip. Strange occurrences, unexplained disappearances, and mysterious behavior from the people around her lead her to question everything she thought she knew—including her own family. With danger closing in and the truth buried beneath years of lies, Ashley must uncover the secrets of Beacon Hills before her past catches up with her. Because in Beacon Hills, some secrets refuse to stay hidden.
At 16, Ashley Delaney Hale is human in a town overrun by werewolves, hunters, and secrets that could kill her. Born to Derek Hale but raised alongside Scott McCall as her adoptive father, Ashley grew up surrounded by the supernatural yet grounded in love, loyalty, and courage. She may not have claws or fangs, but her sharp mind, quick instincts, and unwavering heart make her a force to be reckoned with. Between high school life, family secrets, and the dangers lurking in Beacon Hills, Ashley must learn that being human doesn’t mean being powerless—and sometimes the bravest acts come from the heart.
In the peaceful kingdom of Beacon Hills, King Scott McCall and Queen Allison Argent rule with wisdom and compassion, creating a land where everyone has a place to belong. When the royal castle hires Derek Hale as its new blacksmith, he arrives with his quiet sixteen-year-old daughter, Ashley Delaney Hale, who becomes Queen Allison’s personal maid. Since losing her mother as a child, Ashley has rarely spoken, choosing silence over words. Though shy and reserved, her kindness and gentle heart soon catch the attention of Prince Brett McCall-Argent, the heir to the throne. Unlike others who see only a servant, Brett sees Ashley’s quiet strength and goes out of his way to protect her, accompany her around the castle, and earn her trust. As an unlikely friendship blossoms between a prince and a silent maid, their growing bond challenges the expectations of the royal court. Together, they must navigate courtly whispers, hidden secrets, and the responsibilities that come with their very different lives in a kingdom where courage, loyalty, and compassion can change fate.
Sixteen-year-old Ashley Delaney Hale-McCall finally has the family she’s always dreamed of after being adopted by Derek Hale-McCall and Scott Hale-McCall. When her fathers decide to move back to their hometown of Beacon Hills, Ashley leaves her old life behind and starts over as the new student at Beacon Hills High. Ashley doesn’t care about fitting in. With her flowing bohemian clothes, silver rings on every finger, colorful beaded and woven bracelets, crystal jewelry, and long dark wavy hair decorated with tiny braids and hair jewelry, she’s unapologetically herself. Her unique style quickly makes her the target of the school’s popular crowd, earning her teasing and unwanted attention. The biggest thorn in her side is Brett Talbot—the handsome, arrogant, and cocky captain of the Beacon Hills High lacrosse team. Used to being admired by everyone, Brett clashes with Ashley almost immediately. She refuses to be intimidated by his popularity, and their constant arguments spark a rivalry neither of them can ignore. But high school drama becomes the least of Ashley’s worries when people begin disappearing throughout Beacon Hills. Strange attacks, terrifying rumors, and unexplained events spread across town, leaving everyone on edge. As the mystery deepens, Ashley begins noticing that her fathers seem to know far more than they’re willing to admit. They disappear at odd hours, warn her to stay away from the preserve after dark, and grow increasingly protective with every new disappearance. Determined to uncover the truth, Ashley finds herself drawn into a world hidden beneath the surface of Beacon Hills—a world filled with ancient secrets, dangerous creatures, and supernatural forces lurking in the shadows. Even Brett starts behaving suspiciously, making Ashley question whether the boy she can’t stand is hiding secrets of his own. As the darkness surrounding Beacon Hills grows stronger, Ashley must discover who she can trust while learning that sometimes being diffe
Seventeen-year-old Ashley Delaney Hale-McCall has never wanted to live in her father’s shadow. When her family moves from San Francisco back to Beacon Hills, Ashley believes she’s finally getting the fresh start she’s always wanted. Her father, Scott Hale-McCall, is a famous lacrosse player who has stepped away from the spotlight to return to the hometown he shares with his husband, Derek Hale-McCall. For Ashley, Beacon Hills is supposed to mean a normal school, new friends, parties, and finally getting to experience life as an ordinary teenager. But the moment she arrives at Beacon Hills High, everyone knows exactly who she is. She’s Scott Hale-McCall’s daughter. Suddenly, everyone wants to be her friend. She’s invited to parties, offered seats at the most popular tables, and surrounded by people who are fascinated by her father’s fame. Ashley can’t help wondering if anyone actually cares about the girl behind the famous name. Then she meets Brett Talbot. Along with his friends Liam Dunbar and Mason Hewitt, Brett is one of the few people who doesn’t care who Ashley’s father is. He sees her for who she really is, and for the first time since arriving in Beacon Hills, Ashley feels like she can simply be herself. But just when Ashley begins to feel like she might finally belong, strange things start happening around town. Students disappear. Unexplained incidents begin piling up. People start acting strangely. And Ashley notices that her dads seem to know far more about Beacon Hills than they’re willing to tell her. Ashley came to Beacon Hills looking for a normal life. Instead, she’s about to uncover secrets that could change everything she thought she knew about her family, her new friends, and the town she now calls home. Because in Beacon Hills, everyone has a secret. And Ashley may be the biggest secret of them all.
After losing her biological parents in a tragic car accident, six-year-old Ashley grows up in a quiet orphanage, believing she’ll never find a family of her own. Shy, gentle, and happiest with a book or a drawing pad, she rarely speaks to the visitors who come searching for children to adopt. Everything changes when Derek McCall-Hale and Scott McCall-Hale arrive. Instead of choosing a child right away, they return day after day, patiently earning Ashley’s trust through stories, laughter, and small acts of kindness—including a special stuffed wolf that quickly becomes her most treasured possession. As their bond grows, Derek and Scott realize Ashley is already their daughter in every way that matters. When they officially adopt her, Ashley leaves behind the only home she’s ever known to start a new life in the small town of Beacon Hills. To Ashley, Beacon Hills is simply a new beginning with two loving fathers who chose her when no one else did. But what she doesn’t know is that the quiet town hides extraordinary secrets, and so do the family and friends waiting to welcome her. Filled with heartwarming family moments, found family, healing, mystery, and slow-burning supernatural discoveries, this story follows one little girl as she learns that home isn’t where you’re born—it’s where you’re loved.
