The Wolf Inside

Little Wild Animal Universe #2

by DiscontentedWinter

Teen Wolf Fanfic

Alex Hale is a boy. The wolf inside him isn't.
It's hard being different.

Words: 64977 Complete

Genres: Fan Fiction, M M Romance, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Romance, Fantasy, LGBT

195 pages, ebook

First published September 11, 2015

About the author

See also: Lisa Henry

Permission granted by the author

Reviews

[Lisa Henry]

I found a picture of a sad wolf cub and now I need a hug.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rereading. July 19, 2016
Alex's story highlights gender fluidity, but I think it speaks to the outsider in all of us. For neurodiverse individuals, I especially think the hyper-separation of self in processing is a mutual bond.

Still lovely.
<<>>--<<>>--<<>>--<<>>--<<>>
It's OVER!

This was a great exploration of gender fluidity. DW's creation of a new character in the Hale family with his male human form and female wolf form was brilliant. Stiles was as much a scene stealer here as Alex was in Little Wild Animal so turnabout is fair play.

The buddy read was awesome. Sharing the ups and downs and chapter cliffhangers, bitching and moaning, griping and railing--it was a BLAST! Thanks, Bree for having us crash at your place; the puppy piles were GREAT!

[Jyanx · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was amazing. I'm usually not interested in original characters, but Alex and Jason has so much life, and so much personality it was impossible for me not to love them. They were just as vibrant as the show's cast, and just as complex, and that made all the difference to me. The plot was interesting, and well crafted. I was absolutely invested in the outcome, and although it wasn't an easy journey the end was definitely worth it.


art credit - Wolves Cuddling by Motzii

[Bree Cheese · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I started this fic like: \o/

And then some friends showed up to buddy read: \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/

And then the author stopped by: \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/

And now this story is finished and it's amazing, seriously it's like: \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/\o/ \o/ \o/

[Dalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was awesome! I loved Alex a lot. I would have read it in one day if life didn't get in the way so much.

[Meep · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the feelz.

Alex was a side character in Little Wild Animal the little boy with a female wolf, an original concept and character but fit neatly into this Teen Wolf AU world.

More than the Alex-Jason romance this is Alex's story; the pain, confusion, teenage rebellion and learning what family - what pack means. It's sweet, funny and heart-breaking in turn.

Alex is easy to love and various pack members step up to show their worth. Stiles is hyper comedic relief occasionally sharing some simple wisdom, Derek is the best big brother and Peter.. I did enjoy Peter in this :D

A great read, I'm in awe at the speed it was written.
The final chapter is a bonus from Jason's pov and it ties everything up nicely, developing him from 'a nice boy' into a real person.

And thank to Bree Cheese and co for the buddy-read - it was great fun sharing all the highs, the nail-biting, the cursing the sadistic-but-lovely author, moments with you guys.

[Optimist ♰King's Wench♰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really sweet.

I didn't love it as much as Little Wild Animal, but I really liked it.

The story is well constructed with hurdles and teen angst. I thought the voices of Alex and Jason and all their awkwardness as 13 through 15 yr olds was authentic and popped of the page (kindle) for me. I felt all those blushes and 'yeahs' and scuffing of trainers. I remember all those 'ums' and 'ohs' and getting angry about have NOTHING TO WEAR!!!!

I still love love LOVE this universe and the pack dynamics. And Peter, of course. As soon as it became clear what was happening all I thought was, 'CALL PETER! RIGHT NOW! He will find a way.' and he did. Because Peter.

Stiles is still the comic relief in all the best ways. I think I might've choked a little bit when he told Der to bring him an orca.

I think I just wanted Alex and Jason to be together more. I feel like they were only together for like a minute and they were so cute. I wanted more of that.

p.s. The cover or print by Bree is truly lovely and inspired.

[BWT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering Alex was an original character created specifically for Little Wild Animal it's amazing how brilliant and seemlessly DW has woven this character into the TW universe.

As I got to see and experience Alex's life I felt like I got to struggle along with him, which makes the ending that much more wonderful.



I would have liked a few more sexy times, and I really would have preferred to get more time with Alex and Jason together. Those two little niggles aside -

Once again DiscontentedWinter made me laugh, cry, rage and cheer. I loved it!

[♣ Irish Smurfétté ♣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's my equation:

* One star for keeping such a huge cast of characters, not just straight but, consistent throughout this story, every single one playing their role. I mean, all the Hales, Stiles and the humans, Deaton, Jason and Simon, all the Argents, and on and on! I would have needed a flowchart. DW deftly moves them around like the wolfy chess pieces they are.

* Alex. One star for Alex. Not so unique in the world, as people just like him exist, but rather unique in literature. Full of heart and fear and pain and love.

* One star for Peter. Nuf said. (And ooooh, for hinting at, ya know... heh! Maybe we can get their story from back then? We were given so little. Petopher!!!!!!!!!!!! Pleeeeeeease??!!)

* One star for emotional, adventurous, entertaining writing and storytelling. I mean, fo realziz! From pack politics to heartbreaking experiences, family dynamics and various and sundry relationships, all swirling around out there on the Preserve. I feel like this universe is filled to the brim with untold tales.

"Cake is so good, though," Stiles says. "Why does it hate me?"

Truer words, Stiles, truer words.

Bonus!! Smoooooke onnnnn Waaaaaterrrrrrr!!

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fantastic original story set in a TW AU with incarnations of characters and relationships we already knew and loved from Little Wild Animal, and DW more than did them justice. This story gave me big smiles, lots of laughter, a fair share of heart pangs, outraged shocked face, and, at times, an intense sense of betrayal (Mated?! How could you, Lisa Henry? *sobs* You're a monster!).

There is just no other character out there quite like Alex Hale and he absolutely deserved a Jason Cormack in his life. *happy sigh*

Thanks for the story!

[Jilrene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first fic I read as it was being posted. That was terrifying because DW kept ending with a cliffhanger. Pure torture. ;) Seriously though, this is another excellent story.

[Sunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

This story had so many wonderful things...awesome story filled with tension, twists and turns, sweet MCs that went through hell before they got their HEA, and well developed secondary characters who added support and humor.

My emotions were all over the place...sad, angry, stunned, hopeful, happy (so many grins) and then I went thru it all again, anxiety and delight continuously taking turns.

So good. *hugs e-reader*

Thank you to everyone on Bree's review thread for the awesome BR!

[Lilia Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

This was a great read, developing on an already fantastic and complex AU setting, with the added plus of some suitably horrible Argent skulduggery. More to the point, the use of the shifter trope to explore gender was, quite simply, brilliant. I loved so many things: Alex, the sensitive and moving depiction of his struggles, his family's different ways of supporting him. And let's just give a shout out for the picture of Peter Hale here. AMAZING. And Stiles. And Derek. So terrific. My one big problem was with Jason. For me, he never moved past the male Mary Sue, a wishful of collection of good-guy virtues, designed to give Alex the love he so deeply deserves, but without any clear sense of independent motives or real flaws. (Caveat: This may be a personal bias of mine, since he really reminded me of my mother's idea of a "nice boyfriend," in contrast to the sarcastic, moody, fucked-up guys I actually dated, all of whom she loathed. And in this case, I was right.) That being said, I did love how unhesitating he was in his acceptance of Alex, but his very perfection risked pushing that acceptance into afterschool-special style advocacy and away from something sharper and more compelling.

Despite my problems with Jason, I really do recommend this, both for its insightful exploration of gender issues and just as a great, suspenseful, angsty, and very moving story.

[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Simply an honest look at supporting character Alex (Derek’s younger brother) and the internal and external struggles he goes through in accepting himself.

Poignant and as a warning, quite heart wrenching, as Alex has some very trying growing pains - bullying, first love, lost love, self harm, depression. Ingenious how DW used this world she created to bring light and perspective to such a little known and explored topic of gender identity, and it was done with thoughtfulness and grace.

This definitely appealed to my love of shifter books and the idea of destined mates. Though I anxiously had my doubts, Alex eventually gets his well deserved, sweet happily ever after.

[Fifi LaFleur · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great journey! Alex is definitely capable of carrying a story all on his own. What great and wonderful original characters DW created in Alex and Jason.

This story had it all, sweet young love, tragedy, angst, drama, kickass fights AND a happy ending.

Peter is wonderful. Stiles s ridiculous and great. Gah, I loved it all. I know this was about Alex but the story of the humans is kinda huge and I was left wanting to know even more about everyone in this world and how they progress.

[Aimee ~is busy sleeping~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell head over paws in love with this fic, with Alex and Jason. Best original characters ever. I loved this so much more than the first one, though the first was also pretty good. This one was just extra special.
Happy sigh < 3
***
I check this fix for updates at least once every hour. I'm obsessed.

[Dreamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant original character fic from DiscontentedWinter. Just loved this story about Derek's brother Alex whose wolf is female causing Alex to be confused about his sexuality and bullied in school. Jason does not care about Alex's gender issues, he just knows he wants to be with him/her. Alongside this, we have a feral exuberant Stiles providing a little light relief. I would award six stars if I could!
Art by the-bree-cheese

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was WAY more angsty than I thought it would be.

Alex is a boy, but his wolf is a girl. (Alex is Derek’s younger brother.)

Wen he is 13, Alex meets Jason. Jason doesn’t care that Alex feels like a boy sometimes and a girl at other times. Jason was the best. He was so sweet, I loved him.

But what wrecked me were the 4 years they were apart. Alex really hit rock bottom then and did some awful things to himself.

I cried. I cried, I cried and I cried some more. It made me so sad.



I did enjoy this, because the writing is of course superb (Hello! It’s Lisa Henry), but I need something uplifting now.

Oh, and Peter is the bomb in this one!

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure I've ever bawled so much from a book. I'm talking tears streaming down my face. Just the gender identity issues Alex was going through, and then his unanswered cries for help. Kinda devastating. But moments of love and beauty that made it worth it. And thank crap for the happy ending or I couldn't have stood it. Nice little chapter running through events from Jason's POV was a pleasant surprise at the end.

Re-Read 4/2020: So. Freaken. Great.

[Trix · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm joining in the chorus of reviewers that are going crazy over this story. This is truly a work of art!

I went through the whole spectrum of emotions in the hours I spent reading:
- anxious and angsty alongside Alex, as he struggled to understand and separate his boy feelings from his girl feelings;
- admiration and amazement for Alex’s perseverance and fortitude against the bullying at school, his own confused and muddled thoughts and his attraction towards Jason;
- apprehension for the hardships I knew Alex would need to face;
- anger; so much anger for the things Gerard did to his pack, not only to Jason and Simon but Alex by extension, Chris, Kate, Derek; anger for the hollowness in Alex’s chest, after Jason left, pushing him to self-destruct, not knowing and not caring what he was doing to himself; anger that the Hale pack was helpless to save Alex if Alex didn’t want to save himself;
- compassion for the wounds Alex’s soul had to endure; the realization that some things can’t be avoided and need to be learnt, despite the pain they bring with it;
- depression for Alex, the easy slide into forgetfulness and self-destruction; I could almost feel the empty place inside where Jason used to be;
- ecstasy for Alex and Jason’s reunion; the chills and excitement of closing a wound, of filling the void;
- fear for the ways Alex could have been lost and irreparably damaged;
- gloating that Gerard got was coming to him; that Peter was shrewd enough to outsmart Gerard;
- hated DiscontentedWinter for ripping that naive, innocent happily ever after from Alex, that sweet union he and Jason could have had, without any hurts; loathed Troy and Althea for helping to sully Alex’s beautiful soul and body; loathed the nameless bastards that took advantage of Alex and made him hate himself more;
- hope; such a fragile and threadbare thing after everything Alex went through; I was afraid to hope things might ever be right again; hope that Jason had not forgotten Alex; hope that Alex could finally see the damage he was doing to himself and his family; hope that love could heal wounds and bring people back together;
- joy that Alex and Jason got their happily ever after all; joy for the short Stiles glimpses and cameos;
- love for the complete way in which Jason dedicated himself to Alex; the strong connection between them;
- sorrow for the experiences Alex had to endure; the struggles, poison and suffering inflicted on him before he could claim his chance at happiness.

What an amazing story!

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's Discontented Winter. Of course I loved it. Seeing as Alex and Jason are OC's, it is a credit to this author how well they fit into the TW world - I have to admit to not usually being a fan of OC's in fan Fic. I adored Alex though. His struggle, his slow acceptance of love, of being loved, his pain and anger. Wow. So well written. As ever Peter was fabulous and Stiles <3

A great story.

[Tamika♥RBF MOOD♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't commented on the last few chapters at Ao3, because I cried every one of them. I loved this one.

I love L.H. writing, it's freaking amazing. She has written one of the best O.C ever. I absolutely loved this fic, I loved the companion piece as well.

[Tara♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an fantastic follow-up to Little Wild Animal. Alex was a total scene robber in that and so deserved have a story.

"I think you're perfect. I think that if sometimes you feel like you're and boy and sometimes you feel like you're a girl, that's okay. That's who you are. And I love every part of you."

My favourite thing about his story is the support Alex gets from Jason and the Hales (especially Derek and Peter). The most difficult thing about it was seeing Alex get truly lost and reading about teenagers being little shits who deserve to be punched in the face. With a chair.

Oh and the other thing that was no fun to read? Gerard Argent. DW manages to make him a bigger asshole than he was in the show. That's pretty assholeish.

Really enjoyable and all kinds of angsty at times but fear not, there is a HEA!



Seriously, they are so adorable it's ridiculous!!

[Paws · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dammit Lisa can write! Doesn't matter if it's fan fic or a novel. (I'm at the boss battle near the end)
Done! I can put my tissues away now...
GREAT book.

[Pjm12 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent addition to the Discontentedwinter collection. Alex is a wonder, and there's so much happening to him|her, all written with love and affection. Jason's journey is just as difficult (but we don't get to see much of it, thankfully).

Happily Stiles is the tension relief here. Always goofy, always happy. SO in love with his Der.

While Lisa sometimes goes Zero Dark, I have to trust her to bring me back into the light.

And she does here, so beautifully.

Sigh. Loved it. Thanks.

[Ery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaaaauuuggghhhh!!!!!

[Chellabration · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Warning: I rate FFs differently than I would regular novels.)

Lisa! You are a freaking genius!

A boy, whose wolf is a girl... I fell in love with Alex's character in the first rendition of this FF.
I have to give you so much props for creating such a unique original character!

I felt Alex's emotions through the pages, felt the inner turmoil! Loved every written word and simply could not get enough.

I can't recall anything that I didn't like about this.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this is kind of Sterek fic it's also very much original as the central story revolves around two original characters, Alex - whose wolf is female and for whom the lunar phase effects his gender preference, and Jason - the boy who loves him for exactly who he is.

I read this straight after Little Wild Animal so flipped through the recap chapters quickly before getting to the new stuff. Alex's internal conflict over his gender and his reaction to Jason having to leave is heartbreakingly real. But the pair do get there HEA ... oh and there is bonus human Stiles and the newly turned Scott.

I am not going to search out further sterek fic... but should there be other stories set in this AU I'd definitely read them.

[Plainbrownwrapper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the way Lisa distills emotions so well, the way she thinks through the implications of being a werewolf of essentially two unstable genders, and the way she makes you feel the emotional consequences of life events. Good stuff all around. Perhaps the conflict wrapped up a bit patly -- but, hey, it's romance.

[Eugenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. Here we have the story from book one, told from Alex’s POV. It’s quite angsty since he’s dealing with some serious issues being a boy with a female wolf.

This story also goes several years past where the first book left off. I liked the first book more, but this one grew on me the farther along I read.

I’m totally addicted to these books. I had to look up an episode of Teen Wolf on Netflix, and I realized that I didn’t really need it—although Stiles is just as hyper in the tv show as he is in these books!