Ray’s mother had just left a pile of clean laundry on the desk. Including a pair of shorts she’d reprimanded his friend for getting all muddy playing football. “When did we play football? Josh asked. Ray straightened where he sat on his bed “We didn’t.” “Oh, did you play with the boys?” TJ and Harry could be a bit of a handful and Ray spent a lot more time parenting his siblings than playing with them, but he couldn’t think of another explanation. Ray was licking his lips, ey

I figured I’d slow down a bit with the supplemental materials to let you focus on the story itself, but here’s what I just couldn’t not say about the last few chapters.   **   Sometimes people mentioned having kids and he shuddered in revulsion. They clearly had no idea how hard it truly was to be responsible for another human being. He loved his siblings more than life itself, but for that very reason he knew he was way too vulnerable to open his heart to another child. If h

Ray didn’t think much of it when at the end of the party, Iesu asked for his number. Their houses weren’t close and they weren’t in any of the same classes at school, so it wasn’t like they’d cross paths unless they made plans.

It wasn’t often Ray slept over at his place and even when he did, he tended to wake up before Josh, some deep-seated instinct to check on everyone else shaking him from slumber.

The dinner party had been a success. For that much, Ray could be glad, but he couldn’t quite get over the shock that he was part of it. He’d stayed afterwards to help clean up the worst of it—his mum had waved him away when he’d checked if she needed his help with the kids. “Juliet needs you more, dear,” she’d said with a glance around.

Later, it would seem strange. Or perhaps that’s not right; it seemed strange then as well. The bright lights everywhere, the loudness of everything humans did, and the freedom . I’d gone from my real life, surrounded by family and pack, contained but restrained by their love and expectations to freedom. At least that’s what I thought of most, that I was free, that I could do anything I wanted and for the first time in my life no one would judge whether it was fit behaviour f

After much discussion, they had settled on having three tables, since otherwise the older Halley kids would end up babysitting instead of enjoying themselves.

He didn’t want to see Josh after what he’d said. Or he did, with an appropriate apology so Ray could let it all go. Except he couldn’t stop thinking about why Josh would say that. Had Iesu really been trying to, like, chat him up? Only it didn’t matter, did it? It was a shitty thing to say anyway. Ray knew he wasn’t popular in his pack. He was too quiet and too busy and too unwilling to go wild with other kids his age. And it wasn’t even something he could blame on having to

So I thought I would do a floorplan of the Halley's house, at least the ground floor where most of the action takes place... And here you can see my results (I even have a video of me drawing the thing!) But I won't use the video because what actually happened is that I fucked up.

It was late enough when he got home that both his parents were in, sharing popcorn in front of the television like something out of a sitcom. His mum’s sister liked to joke that it was lucky betas didn’t bite and bond because if the two of them got any more connected, they’d fuse into one person. They clearly hadn’t expected him back, then again for all they’d never had more children, they sure seemed to enjoy each other’s company. At home, Josh often felt like a guest overst

Josh was either staring at Ray’s hands or blankly staring at the space where they rested on his knees. His friend’s distraction wasn’t new, for the past few days, it was like they’d switched places. Ray often got teased about having regular contact with the faeries, but he paid attention to Josh .

Josh was either staring at Ray’s hands or blankly staring at the space where they rested on his knees. His friend’s distraction wasn’t new, for the past few days, it was like they’d switched places. Ray often got teased about having regular contact with the faeries, but he paid attention to Josh . Still, he had no idea how to figure him out when he wasn’t talking. Ray describes himself as an observer from the very first line, and so does Josh… It’s not untrue, but Josh is som

Since this chapter is longer, I figured I’d use quotes instead of annotating the whole thing. Let me know which one you prefer for future chapters. Also, questions are super welcome! I’m curious if you spot something I didn’t.

Josh didn’t mind school. It wasn’t the most interesting, but everyone in the pack was expected to graduate, so he did the work. He understood their isolated little community couldn’t afford any attention from the local council and as long as their weirdness was limited to living in the middle of their vast territory and missing school for their ‘religious’ holidays, it was easy for humans to tolerate.

He’d more or less accepted the drawings were gone. Hoping for a miracle, he’d gone through the whole house by himself, then once more with Marisa’s help. He’d even asked everyone else in his family about the red folder, praying they wouldn’t notice his racing heart. And he’d paid attention to their hearts, just in case someone gave signs of unusual discomfort. But all he’d got were shrugs and some sympathy from his mother.

He’d more or less accepted the drawings were gone. Hoping for a miracle, he’d gone through the whole house by himself, then once more with Marisa’s help. He’d even asked everyone else in his family about the red folder, praying they wouldn’t notice his racing heart. And he’d paid attention to their hearts, just in case someone gave signs of unusual discomfort. But all he’d got were shrugs and some sympathy from his mother.

In honour of Josh's first chapter, here is an even longer video :p

Crossover short between The Alpha Solution and His Brother's Dowry.

Ray was a little high strung, but he wasn’t normally such a ball of nerves that he couldn’t stop tapping his foot in class. It probably wasn’t that loud by human standards; the teacher kept going on about markets crashing, but it was obvious to Josh.

Ray’s mum liked to tell people that he’d started drawing before he could speak. Most people took it to mean he’d been precocious; but it could mean the exact opposite as well. Whatever it meant, it was still true: Ray preferred drawing to speaking one hundred percent of the time. It was slower, for one, and he needed that time. He didn’t know why, but the world felt harsh to him, too much and too fast and too careless. He managed, because he had to. Meals had to be prepared,