Laura S. Fox

Hey, it's a legitimate question! (said Jack)

Oh, they do And they will go all the way! (pun intended)

It's understandable... I guess even if you come to it directly after Wolf in the City. Apparently, real authors know it is a real pain to re-write parts of a story to fit another story. I had to learn this the hard way.

Chapter Three – Cards Don’t Lie Theodore gritted his teeth as he climbed the face of the building where his enemy was hiding. For a long time, he had trained to resist all the trickery used by foes of wolves and he had thought to have developed a strong resistance. Yet, that human had hit him in the head with the alpha-killing weapon, and he had fallen to the ground like a log. His assistant had found him after calling exasperatedly to let him know that his schedule had changed but he

Thank you, Chris!

I hope to succeed doing that... I have it all planned out

He-he, keep that hope alive!

Oh, Maestro, starting hot as blazes... yes, Mr. President fits Lyn so well - driven, ambitious, dedicated, hard-working. As for him always 'campaigning'... oh, yes, he does that, poor soul. He needs to fight to get there, he needs to fight to keep his hard-earned position. And it really comes well to match Alexander's 'His Majesty'. The rivalry that starts in college between Lyn and Alexander - as perceived by Lyn - is heavily related to this. Alexander doesn't have to fight. He doesn't even need to try. Lyn - and I know that if we're honest, not only him - feels compelled to see an academic rival in Alexander. The same thing would happen when a hard-working person debates with someone labeled a genius. It can feel so unfair that some people have it easier! But Lyn knows Alexander is more than his status. Yes, I put 'fear' in there because it is defining for Lyn. He is someone who fights for survival. So he sees threats when other people might see something else... And 'fear' leads to 'anxiety' and 'anxiety' leads to the need for a plan. So I hope now more people can sympathize with Lyn and his single-mindedness in his later years. That will be challenged, too, at the appropriate time. The last paragraph of your comment... well said. There's an association going on there, and it's rooted deeply in Lyn's brain.

The reaction for your comment - the 'wow' emoji - is for your guess that the guy in high school could be Alexander. I'm known for my twists, but that's not it, lol. It's so interesting to see how people interpret the story as they read it. That was one particularly interesting line from Alexander... although when I wrote it, I didn't realize it would hint at Alexander having known Lyn from before. But then, reading your comment, I started pondering and realized... Oh, well, it's a little secret, but I see no harm in divulging it here since I don't think it's going to prove particularly revealing - you guys already know this truth that 'hides' behind what I'm about to tell you. I often use music as my inspiration... and while writing certain things, I listen to certain songs (on repeat, for real, obsessive and all). And in this case, there were two lines of a popular song that I 'linked' with the scene, and they go like... I knew you in another life You had the same look in your eyes... I'm glad you felt for Lyn He's not a bad guy. Just tortured, often by his own design.

Correct

Lyn and Brad met freshman year at the start. I know that the guy in this chapter might sound like Brad, but he's mostly a 'type' - Lyn's type back then and a little later.

You will be getting to know Lyn's mom a little, too. After all, she raised Lyn, and even with all her faults, she did give him a measure of right and wrong, and I want that to be conveyed through the text. I like to believe that Lyn is a deeply moral person (in the good way). The new guy might sound like Brad, but he's not. I know I'm too well known for my twists, but I don't want people to get so sidetracked for no reason. Also, he was in the chapter to personify what Lyn wished he could have and couldn't allow himself to have.

Loved the bullet point list As I might have mentioned before, past chapters are meant to paint a picture of Lyn, the way he was, how he became what he was, how his relationships with his two best friends evolved. Yeah, Lyn needed to focus... even if it was detrimental for him, emotionally wise. I'm glad to see that this chapter explained Lyn's drive to succeed.

Chapter Twenty-Seven – Safe and Kind He couldn’t sleep, which was a first since his roommate had become extremely meddlesome. Although he had been dealing with insomnia for many years, he had gotten used to sleeping better after only a couple of nights spent here. One solution was to blame it on Alexander, who still wasn’t back. What did Alexander think about Lyn’s planned meeting with Brad? No matter how hard and long Lyn thought about it, he couldn’t make sense of his friend’s react

Day 3, he-he, you guys are running ahead :))

Still day 3, according to my untidy notes!

You're right, and it's the third day - still - of their vacation.

This chapter takes place during the third day of their vacation! I know, I know...

I do admit he deserves it... And yes, he's not shallow, and he's not self-absorbed, but his fatal flaw... oh, man, how his fatal flaw works against him.

I'm glad someone does notice Lyn's evolution! Yes, he is thinking of Alexander, even with the man by his side, and his thoughts are, ahem... quite self-explanatory. Your reading of Luke's character is chef's kiss, Maestro. He's the kid in this group. He's had Brad to himself, and we know Brad is able of not acting his age, because of his love of 'fun' and all that entails. And here comes Lyn, and Luke understands - with unconcealed shock - that things aren't like he imagines them. I think it's a trait that applies to plenty of young people. It's not judgement on my part, I promise. I was young once, I know it happened to me, too. When you're young, you think you hold all the truths, that you somehow have everything figured out, and all these grownups are... well, insert what term you want, I don't want to make Luke sound too insulting. If you're faced with reality, it can shock you. Sometimes to the core. I don't say that it's that life-changing for Luke here, but his convictions get shaken a little, mostly about himself. He's young, rich, attractive. Who could compete with him, really? And I think it's safe to say that it's Lyn's concern that destabilizes him. I bet he'd love to call Lyn 'daddy' That's his juvenile way of practically telling Lyn he could feel drawn to someone who actually cares enough to give him a life lesson or two. And yes, there can be consequences to being people's anchor... Lyn does see himself in Luke, and I think it's how empathy works. Alexander is strong in his eyes; Lyn doesn't feel the need to protect him. The fact that Alexander is doing the protection - in the past and now - goes against Lyn's self-perceived role he established for himself. We do care about our self image, we do, I'll fight whoever says otherwise... Talking of perceiving things... yes, what Lyn confesses about having kept Alexander's gift is essential. And his declaration - 'as I continued to hate you' - is related to the thing that broke them eight years ago. They're still not addressing it; I know. Lyn will surprise you at some point with other confessions related to it. Alexander hopes/knows what Lyn is truly thinking, and he will call him out on it. About Alexander having been forgotten by Lyn... oh, this story is to date the hardest thing I've ever tried to pull. The succession of the memory chapters matters. It's all I can give you right now, since there's such a long way to go still. And did I mention I'm so glad you noticed signs of change in Lyn? Let's see next time how he fares at his 'test' - the next present chapter and the next might give you more about 'present' Lyn than you might hope for

There is oh, such a reason for Alexander's marriage...

My notes - which I keep very untidy, not gonna lie - say this: 'it is still the third day up to chapter 25 included' I feel like my longer stories should come with a warning from now on: bound to cause frustration. This one is particularly long, and if it gets too tough... all I can recommend is to return to it once it's finished.

Since it's not meant to be a mystery on its own, I can safely say Alexander's spouse was a woman. The last year of college with its memory scenes... will push your understanding of the story in different directions, me dares to think.

Although I like replying to such insightful comments point by point, starting from the top, I'll make an exception this time and start with the last paragraph. I find your interpretation quite interesting, and it is, indeed, a consequence of getting to know Alexander better and better. He is part upset at Lyn, but he also prefers to give Lyn space. We already know he's taking things slowly and carefully as the grownup he has become. And now, back to the top. Aggressiveness is a way to hide vulnerabilities, hence the back and forth between the characters, with Lyn being the target, more or less. As for Lyn's own pep talk, let's recall how much he doesn't want to be a problem or an issue for anyone. I adjusted the succession of the chapters with the alternating memory scenes so that readers can pick up clues on Lyn's past and overall behavior. At the honors mixer, he knew he was as good as invisible if he didn't open his mouth. That's part of him. He doesn't want to cause problems. Oh, what did Luke want to say? That was sneaky, even for me! The wildest guess on this topic I ever got from a reader was this: Can I... kiss Alexander? Big lol, I loved it. Not it, though. The three-hour meeting might come with its fair share of surprises! From both sides - Lyn's and Brad's.

Yes, great catch - it's the right now that does the whole sentence in, doesn't it? Brad is simply not used to Lyn pressing him for being honest or pressing him, period. Lyn did change, even if it doesn't appear so.