by
Tricia Owens
ADULT title
Tricia Owens
ADULT title
Publisher: Self-Published
Cover Artist: Tricia Owens
Genre/s: Paranormal MM Romance, wolf shifters
Heat Rating: 5 flames
Length: 84 000 words
Release Date: July 2, 2019
Blurb
As the brother of the pack alpha, Wren knows his place, even if that place occasionally brings him to harm. But when a handsome new alpha and his pack come to town, challenging the status quo, Wren finds himself torn between the old wolf shifter attitude and a new one.
Gideon is the alpha of the Corwin pack. Though he moved into the territory to take advantage of business opportunities, the moment he encounters the young black wolf with the blue eyes, he finds his priorities changing. Wren is obedient as a good beta should be, but Gideon is banking on him having a rebellious streak. The only way to find out is to gamble: by forcing a marriage between their packs. But it's a step that unleashes homophobia, deadly danger, and the discovery of a dark secret that was never meant to surface.
Excerpt
Gideon slowly lowered himself to one knee.
Wren sucked in a breath. “You shouldn’t—”
“I believe you when you say you don’t follow True Call.” Gideon’s voice was low and rich. “But I also believe that a part of you has grown used to it and is struggling with the concept of an alpha who doesn’t need to hurt you to command you.”
“Get up,” Wren gritted out. He was beginning to sweat. Even though he knew his reaction was disproportionate to what was occurring, his body refused to listen. “You shouldn’t be on your knees in front of me.”
“This bothers you, doesn’t it? Me in a classically subservient position.”
“It’s not right.”
Wren went taut as Gideon raised a hand and stroked the tips of his fingers down Wren’s throat. His forefinger paused, resting atop his pulse.
“What if I’m on my knees for you?” Gideon stroked across his pulse point. “Seems you like that better, hmm?”
“Please stand up.” Wren dug his fingers into his thighs.
“No.” Gideon dropped his gaze. “I like the view here.”
He eyed the bulge in Wren’s jeans as though considering whether it would fit in his mouth. Though the thought of Gideon giving him a blowjob was mind-blowing, Wren wasn’t sure he wanted it to happen.
As if he could read Wren’s mind, Gideon glanced up at him. “You’d tell me no, wouldn’t you? If I offered to.”
Wren wished he could close his legs, but with Gideon kneeling between them he was stuck. Vulnerable.
“What if I didn’t offer?” Gideon dropped the hand that had been touching Wren’s pulse. He placed it high on Wren’s thigh, a mere inch from where all the blood in Wren’s body was gathering. “What if I told you I’m going to do it and I want you to sit here like a good little pup and enjoy your alpha’s attention?”
A moan crawled up Wren’s throat, but he caught it at the last minute, releasing a strangled sound instead. Gideon’s eyes darkened and the wry amusement that had been lingering on his features fell away.
“Should I test you?”
Gideon slowly lowered himself to one knee.
Wren sucked in a breath. “You shouldn’t—”
“I believe you when you say you don’t follow True Call.” Gideon’s voice was low and rich. “But I also believe that a part of you has grown used to it and is struggling with the concept of an alpha who doesn’t need to hurt you to command you.”
“Get up,” Wren gritted out. He was beginning to sweat. Even though he knew his reaction was disproportionate to what was occurring, his body refused to listen. “You shouldn’t be on your knees in front of me.”
“This bothers you, doesn’t it? Me in a classically subservient position.”
“It’s not right.”
Wren went taut as Gideon raised a hand and stroked the tips of his fingers down Wren’s throat. His forefinger paused, resting atop his pulse.
“What if I’m on my knees for you?” Gideon stroked across his pulse point. “Seems you like that better, hmm?”
“Please stand up.” Wren dug his fingers into his thighs.
“No.” Gideon dropped his gaze. “I like the view here.”
He eyed the bulge in Wren’s jeans as though considering whether it would fit in his mouth. Though the thought of Gideon giving him a blowjob was mind-blowing, Wren wasn’t sure he wanted it to happen.
As if he could read Wren’s mind, Gideon glanced up at him. “You’d tell me no, wouldn’t you? If I offered to.”
Wren wished he could close his legs, but with Gideon kneeling between them he was stuck. Vulnerable.
“What if I didn’t offer?” Gideon dropped the hand that had been touching Wren’s pulse. He placed it high on Wren’s thigh, a mere inch from where all the blood in Wren’s body was gathering. “What if I told you I’m going to do it and I want you to sit here like a good little pup and enjoy your alpha’s attention?”
A moan crawled up Wren’s throat, but he caught it at the last minute, releasing a strangled sound instead. Gideon’s eyes darkened and the wry amusement that had been lingering on his features fell away.
“Should I test you?”
About the Author
Tricia Owens has been writing m/m fiction since 2000, after stumbling onto the term ‘slash’ and thinking it referred to horror stories. She is the author of Sin City, A Pirate’s Life for Me, and Juxtapose City series, among several others. She lives in Las Vegas.
Author Links
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My review:
3.75 out of 5 stars
Mated by Tricia Owens features beta wolf shifter Wren, who gets used by his pack leader/brother as a pawn in an inter-pack dispute. Gideon, the alpha of a new neighboring pack, is ready to overturn the status quo, and that includes forging a connection with the delicious beta who has captured his attention, despite anyone else’s plans.
This adult gay paranormal romance has interesting twists and turns in the dynamics in two separate wolf-shifter packs. The contrast is nicely portrayed between the harshly enforced hierarchy in the Sezary pack with their adherence to True Call that embraces their wolf nature and the Corwin pack that emphasizes logic and reasoning and comfort in their human aspects. I like the way the connection gradually strengthens between the two main characters but I was disturbed both by Gideon’s manipulation and hidden agendas and by Wren’s non-action during a pivotal point. To me, that would complicate any relationship and make it difficult to move forward, inserting the strain of deciding whether to trust each other.
I enjoyed watching Wren using his wits to solve issues and find a way to facilitate a positive outcome. The heat that intensifies between the two main characters is nicely portrayed, and the back story that is gradually revealed is heartbreaking and poignant, but things felt a little rushed at the end and I thought the decrees were accepted a little too easily. I feel there are loose ends still dangling, so I hope a sequel is in the works.
Those who enjoy male wolf shifters, pack dynamics, and a bit of a mystery should give this story a try!
A copy of this title was provided to me for review
Sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteNot a typical shifter story, that's for sure.
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