Playing With The Alpha

2026

AUTHORS NOTE:

Twenty-Fifteen.

Twenty-Twenty-Six.

It has been eleven long years since I started this original Wattpad story. I was seventeen years old, spending months reading incredible creators who inspired me to finally write my own.

Why a werewolf story?

One answer: Fated Mates.

I loved vampires at the time (and secretly wished Edward Cullen was my boyfriend too), but then there was Jacob and I love dogs, so it just made sense! LOL. I fell in love with the idea of being bonded to another and the love was depicted as pure and yes it could be very toxic, depending on what story you read but I read so many that made me a hopeless romantic and having a cutie-patootie shifter partner that is always warm-skinned was my thing. My imagination in those days was off the charts and I could get lost daydreaming effortlessly... until one day, I couldn't.

Life happened.

Things sucked the fantasy, creativity and happiness right out of me. Growing up took a major toll on my ability to escape into other worlds. At the time, even seeing this story hit a million reads couldn't fix how miserable real life felt as a teenager. Over the years, I tried to come back. Sometime around 2020, I was writing scenes down on napkins at work (yeah... my dreams of being a millionaire by nineteen didn't quite pan out) and starting drafts on here, but I lost the napkins and lost my spark AGAIN. Looking back at it later as an adult, I realized how much I had outgrown that original plot. (At one point, I think I was going to make Leah the lost daughter of some crazy werewolf hunter? LOL). I just didn't have the inspiration to drag it out of purgatory.

But eleven years later... (drum roll, please!) my spark is back.

With the encouragement of my family, I've decided to finish what I started. However, it's getting a major upgrade.

Here is what you need to know,

The cast and all the original characters are back, but Alpha Randi got a name change. Don't worry, it fits his personality way better and he is an even bigger asshole in this rewrite and I love him for it. The tone is no longer so cringy and neither is Zayne (thank the gods) and Leah isn't a whiny, sappy MFC. The story is a thousand times more mature, with a real plot where every single character matters. No one is just taking up space.

So yeah... Eleven years later.

PLAYING WITH THE ALPHA is finally getting the ending it deserves. Honestly, if I had forced myself to finish this years ago when I wasn't mentally ready, I would have ruined its potential. Maybe that's just copism to make myself feel better about the time passed, but they say everything happens for a reason!

And to those of you who have been commenting and asking for updates for years, I want to sincerely thank you and apologize for the massive wait and although this is not an story update, THIS IS an author update and I want to let you know since May 2025, I have been rewriting and preparing this entire story. I didn't want to make an announcement until I was further along/completely done because I didn't want to make you wait all over again, but I'm aiming to be completely finish and ready by next year or 2028. I am self-publishing this story and I am giving it absolutely everything I've got. I'm incredibly nervous, but I know this new version is gold. Whether you've been here since day one or you're brand new, I think you are going to adore these characters.

Now that I've officially announced my resurrection from the dead, I guess I'm morally obligated LOL, but I'm ready to commit.

Thank you for waiting for me.

#PWTA