Cane23

Wow - three in one. What a great ending, @Topher Lydon! But you have to come back to Charlie’s world - eternity is far too long to leave him without his soulmate.

Of course he is...he's Mr. Shaw after all! 🙂

You are amazing Chris, this place would not be the same without you!

Interesting idea @BendtedWreath, I’m curious - how did you choose the stories? Was it a bit of “eenie, meenie…” or something more deliberate? 😁 I’ve read at least one story from each of the authors you mentioned, and for one of them I’ve read literally everything they’ve published here on GA. That’s partly why I’m so interested in your selections - because for most of the authors on your list, the story you picked wouldn’t have been my first recommendation. With the possible exception of @Rob Colton —his Timber Pack Chronicles is a classic. It was actually the first shifter story I ever read, and it sparked my love for the genre, which I later expanded with works from @kbois, @WolfM, @astone2292 and more recently, @Laura S. Fox. You chose poems from @Parker Owens but if you ever feel like trying one of his novels, I’d strongly recommend A to Z. It’s another GA classic - an absolute must-read. @Wayne Gray's Curing Humanity is one of his newer stories and definitely a great read, but I’d still suggest starting with his masterpiece, Ash and Ember. As for @LitLover - another author who’s no longer active on GA - my first pick would be Unforgivable. It’s a different genre (romance), but a very good novel. For @Arch Hunter, I’d go with Dark Star. It’s one of those high school coming-out stories that really stands out instead of blending into the crowd of similar works. I saved @CasualWanderer82 for last, since he’s already said plenty about Wicked Games. Should I recommend something else? Honestly, I’m not sure - I’m one of those readers who’s gone through everything he’s written. I could, probably, go on but...I'm eagerly waiting to see your A2 list! 😁

And end the story... 😁

I love Jung! Wrestling with the Numinous in order to achieve integration. Riley has fought the fear, now he has to fight obsession... To heal, Riley has to "kill" the myth of the King (Protector) just as he watched the reality of the stepfather die. He needs to see his protector not as a savior, but as a man - perhaps a flawed or even manipulative one.

“270275” Ben said softly. “Deal?” Is this the date of birth?! 🤣 It is so...I don't know...Ben?! 😂

If by “fixing it” you mean unlearning harmful patterns and developing healthier ones, then yes - this is a project that makes sense. There isn’t a simple cure for sociopathy; at best, there’s consistent modeling, feedback, and correction that can help someone behave in more socially acceptable, empathetic ways. As for redemption or absolution, I don’t think this is primarily a moral tale, nor is it our role to judge the characters. What we can do is try to understand them - and perhaps observe how they move, however imperfectly, toward more constructive behavior. No saints here, just flawed people navigating change.

Aww, that, actually, sounds...romantic...

He wasn’t making a weapon or a king. He was trying, desperately, to make a person—a perfect, understandable, obedient person—because the real ones were too chaotic, too flawed, too painful. He was trying to make a friend in a language only he understood. Here are some answers to the questions I asked in previous comments...

When Pip said, "You have me." - I thought he was going to use his wings for transportation!

Do opposites attract? Probably not, that’s just an urban legend… or maybe not. Two former brothers-in-law: Dan - a stubbornly straight, rugged truck sales agent with two failed marriages and three kids - and Rami, a home stager, gym enthusiast, and unapologetically gay. One project brings them together...redecorating Dan’s house to sell it for a good price. But as the tension rises, the masks begin to slip… and then what? Some would call it destiny. Others might say it’s something that should have happened long ago - just waiting for both men to grow up and meet each other honestly. Witty (with @Boy Mercury X's signature humor), hot, emotional, and deeply heartwarming - this is a story that’s easy to recommend and even harder to forget.

There’s something “ugly duckling–like” about Riley - a raw intelligence shaped by the street. He lacks formal structure and polish, but that may be exactly where his potential lies. Ben could turn that into something extraordinary. The question is - what? It’s certainly not Kier. Riley may be shedding the fear he’s carried since childhood, but that doesn’t mean he’ll become a cold, unfeeling machine. There’s still a heart in him. So, Ben… what are you trying to create?

My favorite genre lately. I’d personally add a few more stories to my list, but overall it’s a great selection of authors and stories.

Amazing chapter, amazing story. I was laughing so hard during the family dinner scene - feeling the tension right along with Dan and Rami… wondering if that chair would survive 😂. But by the end of it, I had tears in my eyes. There was so much love, acceptance, and a beautiful sense of normality.

Oh, you’ve brought out a classic - from a queen herself. The real question is... when is @Mrsgnomie going to deliver a new story?!

Vince and Jack are becoming wolfs...hm, who would say... I thought they are going to be claimed by Theo first.

Grandpater the politician and grandson the demon, destroying legal documents as if it were a child’s game - a match from hell! Charlie wants to study philosophy too… hehe, Hartley’s home is about to become the Scuola di Atene!

Yes, seems that Ben had to remind us (and himself) what he is (was)...

Ben - from hunter to avenger!

Wow, you’re truly a master of storytelling. The way Dan gradually took over every part of Rami's life and space made me feel suffocated as well. Still, it’s great to finally see a forty-year-old “baby bear” ready to learn and grow.

Oh. My. God!!! Natasha is worse than I thought. A woman who uses the f-word in a sentence more than all the adjectives, nouns, and verbs combined is asking her son, “Where did you learn that word?!” I might be surprised by her profanity, but I’m even more surprised that Martin ever chose to marry her!

Avus?! 😁