**SEQUEL TO BREAKING THE ICE** Liam Astor is home. Home where his family is. Home where is skating partner stayed. Home where he trains every day to make his Olympic dreams come true. Home, where he had to throw himself into his career, so he doesn't lose himself in memories of a near-love who fell apart before it fully took form. Eli Blake left. He left to a new country, a new city, a new life. He left to follow his plan. He left to become the person he promised himself he would be, doing what he does best. He left to live his pro hockey dream, away from all the reminders of a life being his true, unashamed self, which he knew he could never have. Liam thinks about Eli every day. And Eli can't forget, no matter how hard he tries. Maybe there's a reason neither of them can let go. And maybe there's still hope.

In the Astor Group Ice Arenas, the worlds of ice hockey and figure skating merge by the border between working-class Brunson and the upper-crust Lake City. Liam Astor is the boy everyone knows. Everyone knows he's the son of the CEO of Astor Investments Group. Everyone knows he only skates with his partner. Everyone knows his favorite hobby is turning heads and slacking jaws. And everyone knows he had a summer fling with another boy when he went away before senior year. Eli Blake is the boy who's lost too much to throw his goals all away for distractions. He has a plan to make it out of Brunson, and it involves throwing himself at his chances of a pro career with the NHL. No college, no grades, no detours except whatever he strictly has to do to get by and make it to his ultimate goal. Eli is a mystery to Liam. And Liam is too enticing for Eli to be able to resist. Maybe the boy everybody knows has a secret side to him as well. And maybe, the boy who can't afford distractions could use one after all.

Jake Taylor is a simple guy of simple pleasures. Family-focused and happy to help, he's proud of his little community in Gunner, East Tennessee. A good son, a dedicated brother, a loyal friend, and an honest man - that's all he strives to be. Ray Cooper can't wait to get out. Hungry for more and ready for freedom, he works hard and keeps to himself while maintaining the eye on the goal - move out and disappear. Any ties he has to Gunner are nothing but reminders of how the world is stacked against him. Ray and Jake don't so much crash into each other's lives as they slowly ease in. But their plans for how the rest of their lives look like don't match, and Ray's past is an ever-looming threat. They shouldn't make sense together, but maybe they do. So what now?

Danya, a mage with a secret, is nineteen when he's finally sold as a gift. But the man he's been given to has no need or want for a slave.

[Sequel to Frayed Ties] Fanner has spent his entire life being an unwanted failure of a Companion, so even if training to become a healer means a life of isolation and pain it isn't so bad because at least it's something he's good at. At least he's valued. And then one day things go too far and he proves himself the ultimate failure at that as well. Afraid of the consequences of his actions, he runs away. Yore isn't expecting to find an injured Companion of all things on his way back home, and he's immediately suspicious. He wants to treat the young man kindly and tell him everything is going to be okay, but there's too much at stake to risk telling him anything until Yore can be sure he's not there to spy on them. Can they find trust in one another while they're both holding onto so many secrets?

It's a time of rebuilding and change, but for some it's time for a long overdue holiday. Hamish, Duran, Slone, and Cookie head out on an adventure to see the world and make new friends in their own special ways. One thing's for sure, nothing could possibly go wrong.

What are we without flesh and blood? Are we nothing but a beating heart in a ribcage, a marching soul inevitably leading to our demise? Or are we here as a test of loyalty to our God, a God we do not know but must trust? And without this trust, we will be punished indefinitely for questioning his divinity. And what is a sheep without his shepherd? Without God, are we nothing but sheep led astray? How will we be guided to the light without a shepherd on earth? Should we trust our shepherd to tell us the truth? Or will we be covered in the blood of the lamb? A shepherd with blood on his hands could infect his flock with poison. And with this poison, he has control. And to Luke, this poison is all he knows. His seventeen years of life have been devoted to nothing else but God. He wakes up, goes to school or church, and sleeps; rinse and repeat. There is no place or time for anything else in his life, such as television, going out with friends, or discovering new hobbies. His father, Pastor Ivy, ensures this. His life purpose will be to serve the Lord and nothing else. A purpose that Luke believes is the right way. What else would there be to life? He hadn't questioned this until he met Gabriel, a man who was the complete opposite of him. A man who was strong in his sense of self. A man who didn't bow to anyone or anything and stood firm in his beliefs in The Church of Satan. A man who Luke feared. But also a man who felt like home to him.

[BOOK TWO] Hugo never thought a sexuality crisis would be on the cards for him. Seriously, him being anything not straight was never even really something he'd even thought about. That was, until he kissed his best friend and it should have meant nothing but well... did this type of thing come with an instruction manual? Alex just wants to keep his best friend. Does he have feelings? Maybe. So far he's managed to ignore them. Conceal don't fucking feel as the Disney obsessed dickhead would say. But hell, he had feelings for Hugo of all people? Seriously? What the fuck universe? After winning nationals, Hugo starts acting weirder and weirder, Alex has no idea what to think. Usually, weird is normal for Hugo. They both struggle to reconcile their rapidly fading friendship. Then, well... Shit happens, and Hugo and Alex are forced closer than ever. It's a whole thing. Seriously. IMPORTANT NOTE: this is a continuation of head over heels, it picks up where the story left off, only from Hugo + Alex's povs :) I would HIGHLY recommend reading head over heels first.

Fabio Costa has plenty of talent, a sharp tongue, and unlimited energy to burn, but his forehand could be improved. Enter Julian Foster, a retired Wimbledon Champion with a bad knee and zero patience for Fabio's antics. When the two of them team up, their unexpected bond takes them from the gruelling Challenger circuit to the glamorous world of Grand Slams. But as their connection deepens, amidst intense training sessions, press meltdowns and far too many shared hotel rooms, their feelings for each other threaten to bring down everything they have ever worked for. cover art by the amazing @aphedragonfly CW: Language, Alcohol, Injuries, Mentions of past emotional abuse. +++ All tennis players featured in the story are completely fictional. All similarities to existing players are due to there being only so many ways you can hit a ball with a racquet. +++ Featured by WackyWriters [Judges' Favorites March 2025]

Joel has always hated werewolf society. As one of the lowest ranked werewolves of the Bournville pack, he has learnt to clench his teeth and smile while having to bow to the authority of the higher ranked members of the pack. When Joel takes a job washing pots at the Alpha's manor house, he has no idea how quickly his life is going to change. Casper, the Alpha's son has spent the last five years unsuccessfully looking for his mate. When an unlikely friendship forms between Casper and Joel, they both begin to question everything they thought they knew and whether there is more to their friendship than they realise. Emily is the daughter of an Alpha from a rival pack. When the Alphas of the two packs decide to form an alliance, they decide the perfect way to achieve this is through the marriage of their children Emily and Casper. When the time comes, will Casper choose Emily over his possible mate? Or will the decision never be his to make?