WolfM

It's one of my favorites too

I'm okay with heights as long as there is something solid under my feet. I don't mind working on the roof of a building or being on the side of a cliff. But there has to be something solid. I'm short and do have some fear of high places. Inside the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas, getting close to the observational deck windows which are angled out, I got dizzy. Like Ethan, I was glad I took in the view, but I was happier to do so from further away from the glass. In that case I still had something a solid floor under my feet, but it was more than I could handle. Oddly I had no issue what so ever doing the bridge climb on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Possibly because of the safety cable I was attached to.

I'd like to see the falls. Not sure I'll ever go, but it looks fun and beautiful. One thing I enjoy about writing is doing the research of places I include. Often finding thing or places I never imagined.

As always, thank you for the spelling catch. Fixed it. Okay, I've got to have some fun here, plus it's payback even though any spelling corrections you pointed out were a great help to me. It's noble fir, not nobel like the award. I personally love a noble fir. They make a beautiful tree with branches open just enough for lights and decorations, but still look full. Living where I do, mine needs to be artificial due to both cost and they dry out too fast. If I had to do it over again, I'm not sure if I would have gone so formal for the wedding. I'm learning more and have seen a few that were laid back and really fun. Though I planned to wear a kilt for mine, something on the beach with both grooms in speedos sound like it would be fun too.

To quote Mahatma Gandhi on justice and revenge, he said that an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. Jackie is also the mother to the pack in her position as luna.

Unfortunately, Michael didn't really know anything of importance beyond the borders of Parker Valley. He knew about the rogues and tracked down enough to find them. But the greater picture of the lycan world he didn't care. The brutal side of their animal nature was of interest to him. Politics and the greater lycan government would have been boring to someone like him. Probably a waste of time unless he thought it could be used to gain greater power.

I didn't intend to write a prequel on what to expect for US politics, but certainly one group seemed to follow along. You're comments always make me smile.

I could picture that happening. The rogue compound would have been around 280 miles give or take in a straight line from Niagara, along the flat norther border near Montreal. Still, they need to keep their gifts in check so they don't do more damage than needed.

By normal pack dynamics, if there was a challenge of some kind between Ethan and the rogue leader and Ethan won, he'd effectively be the new alpha of the gang.

Thank you, Will. It was fun transitioning between the two events.

I stand corrected. Thank you And I know we had this discussion in the comments on Embers.

The one turning the GPS on and off isn't a feral. He's a member of the rogue wolf pack. They have and use ferals, but "Paul" isn't a feral. To the wolf community, and to the different species of shifters as well, a mating bite is the most intimate action one can take to show their love and devotion. It's an instinctual action, but one done out of love. The mark is also part of the bond that develops between true mates and imprinted mates. There might be some longing from women who had their eye on Aiden, but I doubt there would be jealousy since their nature as true mates is well known. Slowly but surely, Ethan's instincts on how to use his gifts is building. Rather than dumping all his energy into his actions, he's learning to meter it. It still tires him, but with each use he gains a better understanding of what he's doing. Thank you for your gracious comments, Will. You always bring a smile to my face.

I still need to see the movie Avatar. Others have made the same comment, but at the moment while I understand the concept, the full reference is lost on me. While I may have pushed the limits, Ethan being god like was the last thing I wanted. As his wolf showed by doing a double shift, he is an alpha in his own right, just like Aiden is. It also means the couple are exceptionally strong wolves. Either or both could easily challenge John for control of the pack. Luckily both don't feel the time is right to do that or start their own pack. There is more protection for Ethan and his abilities by remaining under John. While I always intended for Ethan to have access to the four base elements, it was his transition to a wolf that completed what his body needed to wield more that just water. If he hadn't met Aiden in the forest, his water abilities might have slowly developed, but that's provided he didn't end his life as he'd planned to do. Michael is the type who tries to find a weak spot to attack. He generally isn't brave enough for a head on, direct attack. It's why he went after Ethan as a way to destroy Aiden.

Yeah, there were a good amount of errors. Even with multiple people looking over it that's still bound to happen. Thank you for the catch. I've always used MS Word for writing. Thanks to @Backwoods Boy, starting with Embers I try to run each chapter through Google Docs as well before it's final edit. It's amazing what mistakes one system picks up that the other ignored. While Ethan can fix the physical damage, the psychological problems are beyond even his growing abilities. Still, having a trained therapist work with the new wolf in addition to anything Ethan can do for him gives the former feral a fighting chance at integrating into the pack.

Kind of in the way a very young rattlesnake tends to expel all it's venom in a single bite, Ethan expends all his energy because he hasn't learned how to meter it. The use of his abilities is also a reflex action instead of by conscious choice. As you said, practice makes perfect.

I'm flattered to be mistaken for someone as talented as Mann. And while I've never worked with him, he and Carlos edit for each other so it's not like we're that far separated on the site. Knowledge he's passed on to Carlos gets passed on to me. Ethan most definitely isn't aware of what he's doing. It wouldn't be in the realm of possibilities he could imagine. His attackers only knew something was painfully impacting them, kind of like a swarm of bees hitting the windshield on the freeway.

Thank you, Will. If you asked my husband or anyone I've dated in the past, they'll confirm I can be a bit frustrating. lol. While I originally pictured this book being possibly fifteen chapters, twenty tops, as my writing style took shape on this project I went with a slow pace. It felt more natural as opposed to the ones that immediately get to the heart of what's going on. I'd rather savor the moment that have instant gratification.

Thank you for the editing catch, Will. I've made the change. You pointing out the line, "till they neared the bench they started at." actually needed two corrections. I probably would have ignored ending the sentence with at, but I couldn't leave till there since it was incorrect. That should have been 'til since it's the contraction of until. As my writing has progressed through the various stories in the series, I've tried to move away from using contractions in narrative and relegate them only to dialogue. It doesn't always work out, but this process has always been about learning for me. Being a playful teenager with the ability to shift to a wolf opens up many entertainment possibilities. In the wolf community, being referred to as a dog is considered offensive, so likewise actions that mimic a domesticated pet are not always viewed well. But since the animals love to run and he has a new brother he wants to have fun with, it takes playing catch to a new and joyful level.

In this case it's used to point towards Ethan's education level as he stopped school at age 15. Also his environment for the approximate four years he was on the street before meeting Aiden would lead to a somewhat colorful and slang filled vocabulary. As always, your comments make me smile, Will.

Loved this, tim. It's a wonderful story that made me smile. It flows well and practically plays in the mind like a Pixar short movie. Hugz to you, my friend.

You always make me smile, Will. No clue to question one. I'm not sure if a moderator would know the answer to that. For question two, the way I've always pronounced it would be A-den.

No apology needed. There have been many cases where it's a word I've used while speaking, but it's simply slang and not real. Carlos usually called me on those during editing and got me to change them.

Thank you, Will. Even with multiple eyes, some things get missed in editing. With this being an early chapter when I started working with Carlos, there was so much to start learning and correct, things like this are inevitable, but thanks for the catch. I made the change. In the world I write, while Lycanthropy from medieval times only referred to those who could shift from human to wolf, I'd say it was mainly due to only wolves being in that region. Like many words from history, they've taking on more generalized meanings. In this case, the shapeshifter communities all refer to the virus that gives them the ability to change as Lycanthropy. As to the weight of a lycan vs. a regular timber wolf, when Aiden is in human form, he's over 225lbs. I can't remember if I gave a close proximity in the story. His wolf is just as heavy. The mass issue and possible suspension of disbelief comes into play with his alpha hybrid being even bigger or heavier. It's also the case with Ethan's wolf. He's short and probably in the 130lbs. range, but when he shifts, his wolf is comparable to Aiden's. Also when he goes to his hybrid, the five foot three inch human body gains around two feet, plus the extra weight. While not possible by any means in the real world, it is a fantasy world where humans change to animals and sometimes the laws of physics get set aside. This was a fun question, so thank you for asking it.

Thank you, Will. I need to read The Jungle Book. In the world I write, the word lycan and lycanthropy have transitioned from meaning only wolf to any human/animal shapeshifter. With respect to anyways, I'll quote from Merriam-Webster Dictionary: Anyways is a real word and has seen use meaning "in any manner or respect" for over 800 years. Many believe the newer usage of "anyways" meaning "at any rate, in any case" is not a real word, but it and other modern usages of "anyways" have consistent use for at least 100 years as well confirming that it is a real word.

Thank you for taking the time to read multiple books with characters you didn't like. I can't please everyone, which is okay.