Estuary Food Chain

Addy Walker once believed love was supposed to be loud—felt in bedtime stories, laughter in the kitchen, and the warmth of arms that made the world feel safe. That’s how it was before her mother died. Before her father changed. Grief hollowed him out. The man who once teased and protected became a shell—quiet, cold, unreachable. Then came the bottles. The slammed doors. The bruises. Addy, now eighteen, has learned to survive in silence—walking lightly, speaking carefully, hiding her pain beneath long sleeves and polite smiles. She works long hours to keep food on the table while her father sinks deeper into debt and addiction. One night, she comes home to a dark, freezing house—again. The electricity is off. Again. And she knows why. She confronts him, her voice sharper than it’s ever been. He denies it at first, but the truth is already spread across the kitchen counter in final notice bills and losing betting slips. He’d gambled away the electric bill money on a horse. The argument erupts. He screams, she stands her ground. When he slaps her, she doesn’t flinch. Something inside her shifts. She’s done waiting for the man he used to be. Addy packs a bag. She’s leaving—for real this time. No plan. No destination. Just freedom. But as she storms out into the rain, a long, black car pulls up to the curb. A man steps out—tall, broad-shouldered, older. His face is hard, almost frightening in the shadows, but he’s striking. Dangerous. And calm.

He's sugar. She's spice. Together, they will never work. She has done the impossible. Working for the country's most difficult boss for seven years. Rosaline Carter's work life is fueled by her love for spicy food, a fat paycheck, and dreams of sending her brother to Harvard. She's sworn off love completely. Until that fateful monday morning. "I need a fiancée, Miss Carter. And I need one who at least knows my favourite brand of coffee." A contract marriage to her boss, the impossible and difficult Alaric Sylvester? Rosaline never even saw him as a man to begin with. But for five billion dollars? She would propose to Mr Ice king and plan the wedding alone. Alaric Sylvester hates his assistant. With her sensible shoes, horn rimmed glasses, and perfectly polite way of speaking, she never fails to get on his nerves. She's the last person he wants for a wife, or even a romantic figure. Yet she's the best option. No one knows his schedule by heart, or his love for sweets. It's just three years. And he'll never see her again. With his inheritance on the line, the board of directors hounding him for being too antisocial, and rumours starting to stir...he will do anything to save his reputation. Including marrying his cold hearted assistant. And with her hatred for sweets, he's sure he'll never like her. It's only a marriage agreement. The terms were simple. But simple doesn't always equal easy. And the human heart is a traitorous beast.

It was our wedding anniversary when my husband's high school sweetheart posted a sonogram picture on her social media, with her captioning a public thank-you to my husband: [Thank you to the man who's been there for me for ten years, and for giving me a son.] The room spun, and anger surged through me as I quickly commented: [So, you're proud of being a homewrecker?] Almost immediately, my husband called, his voice full of rage. "How can you think such disgusting things? All I did was help her with IVF, fulfilling her dream of becoming a single mom. "And by the way, Ruby only needed one try to get pregnant, while you’ve been through three rounds with nothing. Your body is useless!" Just three days ago, he told me he was going abroad for business—ignoring my calls and messages the entire time. I thought he was just busy. However, it turned out he was with her, attending her prenatal checkup. Half an hour later, Ruby posted again, showing off a table full of delicious food. [I got tired of French food, so Ash made me all my favorite dishes. He’s the best!] I stared at the pregnancy test in my hand, the joy I had felt earlier now completely gone. After eight years of love and six years of swallowing my pride just to keep the marriage alive, I’m finally ready to let go.

I, Zierno the famed assassin, am hunting the mythical Mist Mare. My king, my friend, has promised me command of his guard if I gift her to him. I never fail a mission. The beast will belong to the King of the Netherlands, one way or the other. It’s deeply amazing how much can go wrong in a single day. From capturing the rare creature for my liege, to it nearly making off with my king. Now I’m on his short list of enemies. During my mad flight from the castle, I thought to save an injured woman. I couldn’t have been more wrong. What I have now is a sack full of problems. This pretty red-eyed woman, being the largest. She looks like a sweet creature one moment. Then the next, a bloodthirsty demon. And truthfully, I’m terrified. I’ve never seen anything like her. “Chain me to the wall” She says. Normally I’d think that might make for an interesting afternoon. Now I’m thinking I’d rather be anywhere but where she can shriek at me when she has one of her ‘spells.’ “Go talk to the sorcerer.” She orders. As though I should know who he is. “I need your help.” She says, as though I’m intended to be some great savior. I’m a killer not a saint. Meanwhile, I’ve gotten word that the King has sent out an army to hunt me down and drag me back to face the consequences of a potential assassination. One which I did not intend! So my plan right now…Is essentially just to stay alive.

Alpha Devon had finally found his mate. There was only one problem (not really) she was human (or so he thought). Mykayla along with her younger sister Breaynia and their cousin Danique had recently moved to Washington State. They had no idea that they had moved into the Sylvyr Moon Packs territory. Sylvyr Moon, being the sole pack in the state, is one of the strongest and most powerful in the Pacific Northwest. Alpha Devon but now he has to find an easy way to explain the supernatural world to her. However, Mykayla is already well versed in the supernatural world. She along with her sister grew up alongside a pack in New Mexico. While exploring their new neighborhood Mykayla feels like she is being watched. Across the street stands Devon watching her. Their eyes meet but when Mykayla looks back up, he is gone (or so she thought). Unbeknown to them Mykayla is hired at Alpha Devon’s company as his PA. While Mykayla tries to fight her developing feelings for her boss Devonn is trying to make the bond stronger between them. One night Devonn’s beta, Kaleb, comes running into the room while he is speaking with his parents letting them know that Mykayla’s apartment building is on fire. That triggers a whole chain of events that no one saw coming. A manilla envelop is left attached to main gate of the territory Alpha Devon knows this is deeper than just some other asshole Alpha that has his sights set on his mate. The pack needs help! Alpha Devon’s cousin Naetaya tells him that she has some friends that can help. No one could prepare for who or what her friends were.

Danice left the divorce papers on the bedside table. Ten years. She endured and stayed silent—all for the sake of love. Despite the opposition from those around her, she clung tightly to her position as Julian’s wife, believing that he cared for her. But it was all just her delusion. It had been ten years of a loveless marriage. Danice touched the burn scar on her face. This disfigured face had become both her shame… and her proof of love for him. But what she didn’t realize was that it had also become the chain that bound him to this lifeless marriage. He had married her… out of pity. That realization hurt more than any insult others hurled at her because of her appearance. She had held him back for ten years. And she had suffered enough. It was time to let go. Danice finally realized that her ten-year marriage had been a shackle—for both of them. Just as she found the strength to let go of the love that had never been returned… death came for her. When she thought she had stepped into the afterlife, she opened her eyes— Eleven years in the past. Unmarried. She hadn’t even met Julian yet. Danice believed that a merciful God had taken pity on her and granted her a second chance— A chance to live for herself, to love herself. And so, that’s exactly what she did. She avoided meeting Julian at all costs, and even found a way to escape the accident that had once disfigured her face. Everything seemed to be going smoothly— But... Why was the man who had never once looked her way… suddenly appearing everywhere she went? This… this wasn’t like the past at all!

In a world where dragon shifters once ruled alongside humans in a delicate magical monarchy, a catastrophic war 300 years ago left the dragons nearly extinct. Now, in modern-day Seattle, 25-year-old Maya Chen discovers she's the last fertile female dragon shifter when she spontaneously shifts during a panic attack at her corporate job. The twist: There are only seven male dragon shifters left worldwide, each bound by ancient magic to different elements (fire, ice, storm, earth, shadow, light, and void). Maya's emergence triggers a supernatural召唤 summoning that compels all seven to converge on Seattle, their dragon instincts screaming that the survival of their species depends on her. But Maya isn't interested in being anyone's salvation. She's a fiercely independent software engineer who just learned that her chronic anxiety and "weird dreams" were actually her dragon trying to emerge. As the males arrive—each incredibly powerful, devastatingly attractive, and convinced they're destined to be her mate—Maya must navigate not only her new abilities but also the political intrigue of a hidden supernatural world. The complication: An ancient enemy, the Order of the Silver Chain, has been hunting dragons for centuries and will stop at nothing to eliminate this last chance for the species to survive. Meanwhile, Maya discovers that the seven males can't all survive—the magic binding them means that when she chooses her mate(s), the others will lose their dragon forever. The story blends urban fantasy with romantic tension, found family dynamics, and the pressure of being the key to an entire species' survival while trying to figure out who you really are. However, what if all seven of them were her mates? Would that allow them to save their kind?

“You breathe when I say you breathe. You look at me when I command it. You belong to me, Little Bird… body, soul, and every filthy thought in between.” Aria was born to be forgotten—an Omega with no name, no family, and no future. Beaten, broken, and sold by her pack to a slave auction, she swore she’d never submit again. Until he walked in. Damien Voss, the infamous Mafia Alpha whose name makes even kings tremble, bought her at a ridiculously high price—without blinking. To the world, he’s the devil in a designer suit. To Aria, he’s the monster who caged her, marked her… and awakened something inside her she can’t control. She hates him. She craves him. And the worst part? Her wolf wants him too. But when another Mafia boss whispers promises of freedom in her ear, Aria finds herself standing between two devils — one who wants to own her, and one who wants to use her. Her heart beats for the man she swore to destroy, and her body betrays her every time he whispers her name. “You can run, Little Bird,” Damien murmured, his hand closing around her throat, possessive and tender all at once. “But I’ll find you. And when I do, you’ll beg me to chain you again.” In a world ruled by blood, power, and secrets, love is the most dangerous sin. And Aria is about to find out that the devil doesn’t just want her submission— He wants her soul.

Summer Molina doesn't know how many times her mother told them the story about the island who abandoned them, many years ago. Even she doesn't know the entire story behind that, that story opened her mind that the world was made very cruel. At her young age, she chose to leave their city to find a job somewhere, where she can earn higher salary, until it brings her to the island of El Salvador. An island far from civilization that hides a very beautiful town. All she thought that she will find there a job-but she is wrong. The white sand shore, clear blue water, the sunset, everything in the island make her realize one thing—she was on the island that she thought that only exists in her mother's story. Works as a secretary of Lucius Salvador the ceo of the El Salvador's chain of hotels and restaurants. A great business man and leader in the age of twenty-two. But behind of his greatness, he is undeniably cold to anyone. No girlfriend, no flings, his life is for nothing but for business. He seems like a snowman in the middle of fiery summer. After several months of work with Lucius, summer discovered some secrets lying behind them, and one of those is the reason of their bitter fate. Driven by anger, summer wants to revenge against the Salvador. She believes that every man's weakness is a woman's beauty. So, she decided to use hers. She will play him like a puppet under her strings of beauty, while taking them down little by little. But she is wrong. Igniting her cold target is not a great idea. Once he burns, his flames will claim and destroy her… inch by inch.  

Tessa and Raymond’s marriage was never about love, it was convenience, appearances, and expectations. Raymond, with his conventional charm and striking handsomeness, was admired by everyone, but his heart was never fully hers. He had always been drawn to Danielle Green. He claimed she was just a friend, but Tessa knew better. Every secret outing, every hidden smile all carved wounds into Tessa’s heart, leaving her feeling invisible in her own marriage. The tipping point comes when Tessa stumbles upon a post online, a wave of public scolding aimed at her for supposedly breaking the home, for being the obstacle to Danielle. In a blaze of frustration and humiliation, she serves Raymond divorce papers. But instead of freeing her, Raymond refuses. He offers her silly, manipulative terms to meet him, seduces, and taunts her, proving he will never let her go easily. Fueled by a mix of rage and determination, Tessa begins to reclaim her power. She finds herself drawn into a complicated dynamic with Derek, Raymond’s best friend, a man with his own history of tension with Raymond and secret feelings for Tessa. The attention stirs something in her: attraction, validation, a hint of revenge. It ignites a spark Raymond cannot ignore. For Raymond, it is only the beginning. The thought of losing her shook him to the core. He begins to fight for her in ways he never has, even as his love twists into jealousy and obsession. When Raymond finally drops the mask, revealing the man beneath the arrogance, the man terrified of losing her, Tessa is forced to ask herself the question she swore she’d buried: Can love truly be reborn in the depth of hate, or is his devotion just another chain designed to keep her bound?