Thrust into a nightmare, Thea thinks all hope is lost, until an unexpected rescue by three strangers. Forget returning to her old life though, because not only does a psycho vampire want her back, a trio of wolves wants to claim her as their mate.
What started out as a search for his missing sibling, turns into a rescue mission of a woman who makes his inner beast howl. Trent knows it wrong to want his dead brother’s mate, but he can’t help himself, and neither can his friends. However, danger stalks the one they want and they’ll have to face true evil before they can set her free.
And for an outcast wolf, the path to redemption is lonely. Can Jaxon ever atone enough to be welcomed back to his pack and into the arms of the woman he loves?
eBook, 206 pages
Excerpt:
Excerpt 2(For Jaxon fans):
The house phone rang, the digital display showing a number she didn’t recognize. Bailey answered. “Hello.”
Nothing. A silence broken only by static hummed in her ear, but of more interest, the scar in her lip tingled. “Jaxon?” she whispered, her heart stuttering to a halt. “Is that you?” For a moment, only more static greeted her. Then . . .
“Hi, sweet cheeks.”
Suddenly boneless, she slumped into a chair. For a moment, pure shock kept her silent. Not for long. “Oh, my god. You’re alive. I knew it. I knew you didn’t die. But where are you? Where have you been? Why haven’t you called?” she accused. Left unsaid was why didn’t you return. They both knew how impossible that was.
“I’ve been here and there. Trying to atone for my actions. Not succeeding as well as I’d hoped.”
Closing her eyes, she let herself drink in the sound of his voice. He spoke with a weariness that made her ache, ache for the man who used to laugh all the time, the man who sounded so alone. “Are you the one who’s been killing rogues before the extermination teams arrive and spoiling everyone’s fun?”
A chuckle rumbled through the earpiece, and she smiled at this ghost of his former self even as tears filled her eyes at the wry twist. “Maybe.”
“It’s dangerous.”
“It’s necessary,” he countered. “I would do anything to help keep you safe.”
He’d already proven that when he dove off the cliff with Roderick, saving her and the others. “I miss you, Jaxon. I miss you so much, and I know they won’t say it, but the guys miss you, too.”
“They miss the fact they haven’t been able to kill me yet.”
“No! They—”
“You don’t need to lie, sweet cheeks. I know they hate me, and with good reason. I betrayed them and you. Because of me, you got hurt. You could have died. I’d hate me, too, if I were in their shoes.”
“Isn’t there a way to fix this? I want you to come home. To me. Although you might not be too impressed. I’m the size of a house now.”
“I bet you look beautiful no matter your size,” he softly whispered. “And I miss you, too. I dream of you every night. But that’s all we can have now. Dreams. There is no forgiveness for me, only revenge against the one who did this, which is why I’m calling. I know I don’t have the right to ask, but I need a favor.”
“Anything.”
“There’s a girl.”
“Really?” Bailey couldn’t help the jealous lilt of her question.
“Not my girl, so don’t start growling, sweet cheeks. She belongs to some friends I made. She was Roderick’s prisoner until we rescued her.”
“Oh, the poor thing.”
“Yeah. She’s a little traumatized, but strong. Thing is, we think Roderick did to her what he did to you. Somehow, he’s woken her wolf side.”
“Has she changed yet?”
“No. And she won’t for a while, I’d wager, because she’s also pregnant.”
The news rocked her. Bailey had suffered in Roderick’s care, the vampire somehow bringing forth a heritage she’d never known existed. The first time she shifted was not an experience she wished on anyone. The poor girl. “Who’s the father?”
“He’s dead. It was his brother and his buddies that rescued her when they came looking.”
“Are you talking about Trent, Marc, and Darren? Wyatt and Gavin came back from a meeting with Nathan a while ago talking about how this guy and his friends left to look for his brother. Nathan had to declare them rogue because of it, which seems kind of extreme.”
“That’s them. And Nathan had to do it. He’s the one who advocated the curfew and combining of the packs for strength. To have someone leave in blatant disregard for the decree would have made him look weak.”
“He could have sent a squad of fighters with them.” Although Bailey respected Nathan as a leader, not an easy position to maintain with the large number of males, testosterone making some of them brash, she didn’t always agree with his decisions.
“And they would have gotten in the way of the search. Roderick’s smart. He’s got spies, obviously, because how many of our raids has he escaped from? Trent’s best bet was going as a small group. Distract the rogues, a quick in-and-out, taking out a few rogues on the way.”
“What happened to the brother? You said he was dead.”
“Yeah, he didn’t fare so well as the object of Roderick’s mind games and killed himself before Trent found the vampire’s lair. I met up with Trent and his buddies about a day after I located their camp. We were too late to rescue David, but we managed to rescue the girl and we’ve escaped for the moment. But—”
She finished his sentence. “Roderick will want her back. We can’t let him have her, Jaxon.”
“I know, which is why I’m calling. Trent’s talking to Nathan right now. We’ve got a plan, but I want you to do something for me.”
“Tell me what you need.”
“I need you.”
The soft admission whispered across the phone line, and her heart stuttered.
eBook, 206 pages
Expected publication: July 20th 2012
ISBN 13: 9781937394578
Source: Author, for the purpose of an honest review
Genre: Paranormal Romance, shifter, ménage
Series: Pack, book #3
Best read in order: yes
Stars: 3
Flames: 4
My Review:
Eve’s Pack series is one of my favorite series from her. The world is darker than what readers typically find with her books. The lycan culture she has created is intense. They have very strict rules they live by for survival. Her lycans have polyamorous relationships so that they may thrive in their survival. I like how Thea gets every quality she needed in a male in the different guys. Trent is the strong backbone to Darren’s gentle caring.
Eve’s Pack series is one of my favorite series from her. The world is darker than what readers typically find with her books. The lycan culture she has created is intense. They have very strict rules they live by for survival. Her lycans have polyamorous relationships so that they may thrive in their survival. I like how Thea gets every quality she needed in a male in the different guys. Trent is the strong backbone to Darren’s gentle caring.
Seeking Pack
Redemption had an ick factor for me that is not going to bother any other
person. The heroine Thea is pregnant. I’m strange, but it just wasn’t sexy. Eve’s
books are full of sexy deliciousness. She writes amazing couplings and tripleings.
I couldn’t get into the love scenes with this book.
This book had three main focal points (aside from the evil villain):
Thea getting rescued and mated to her men, Jaxon trying to get back into the
good graces of the Pack, and Thea’s dreams and memories of David. I wanted all
to go well for Jaxon. I cried at the end of Betraying
the Pack. His character tied into the events taking place in this book, but
he took away from Thea and her mating. David’s memories got in my way.
This is not my favorite Eve book, I won’t lie. I loved much
of the story though. I enjoyed seeing characters from pasts Pack books. I was
so happy that a resolution for the Jaxon issue was found. I was very pleased to
see the progress with the Roderick situation. Woot! Go team Pack! I wish there
would have been more page time for Thea and her developing relationship with
her mates. There were a few moments it felt rushed.
The ending gives readers a glimpse of another female. So I
am pleased that there will be more of this very sexy shifter world to come from
Eve.
Excerpt:
Thea hid like a coward in the bathroom. She’d jumped on the
chance for a shower, locking the door behind her and stripping the stinking
gown from her body. Oh, to feel clean again. She cranked the water until steam
rose before she stepped in. The hot spray hit the gash on her thigh, and she
hissed. In the mad flight down the mountain then the wild race to get away,
she’d actually forgotten about it. Peeking down at it, she noted it didn’t seem
as ragged as before, the edges sealed together, healing already, impossible as
it seemed.
Turning her attention away from the cut, she tilted her face into the spray to let its cleansing warmth wash the traces of her captivity from her skin. The tiny shampoo bottle that all motels seemed to stock gave enough to soap and rinse twice. As for the bar of soap, she scrubbed herself almost raw with it to erase the taint of her captor.
With nothing left to wash, she leaned her forehead on the tile and just let the water cascade down her bare shoulders. Let herself finally think.
What am I going to do?
Hours ago, she’d waited to die, but her unexpected rescue meant she had a second chance. We have a second chance. She cupped her rounded abdomen. But a chance to do what? And go where? Roderick wouldn’t let her go without a fight. He’d have a hard time finding them tonight—or so she hoped. However, he would track her, find her, and when he did . . .
Will I be alone, unable to defend myself, or among men who’ve proven themselves capable of fighting? Or at least they were skilled at fighting wolves like themselves. How they would fare against the vampire remained unknown. Chances were they’d cave to Roderick’s will like David and the others had, doing his bidding, which meant she was screwed.
Screwed if I stay. Screwed if I leave. The water turned cold, matching the chill that clutched her heart as despair, her close friend, returned.
She turned off the tap and sank to the bottom of the tub, the noisy fan in the ceiling muffling her sobs. She was so tired of being scared. So tired of . . .
A scream left her lips as the door to the bathroom smashed open and bodies crowded outside the curtain then tore it open. With only a heartbeat to scramble, she pulled her knees up and together in front of her bulging belly, draping her arms over the top as she tried to cover herself from the gaze of three pairs of eyes turned her way.
“What’s wrong?”
“Do you need help?”
“For Christ’s sake, someone hand her a towel.”
The overlapping inquiries and demands stopped her sobs, but her breathing still hitched as she stared at them with tear-streaked cheeks.
Darren knelt at the side of the tub and draped a towel over her shoulders, the corner of it hitting her legs. She clutched it and shivered.
“Why are you all in here?” she stammered when they continued to watch with grim expressions.
“We heard you crying and thought you were in trouble.”
Heard her? His simple claim slapped her with the fact that these men, no matter how nice they seemed, were not human. They were animals. Animals like David and the others who hurt her. Terror gripped her, and her tears flooded anew. What do they want from me?
Turning her attention away from the cut, she tilted her face into the spray to let its cleansing warmth wash the traces of her captivity from her skin. The tiny shampoo bottle that all motels seemed to stock gave enough to soap and rinse twice. As for the bar of soap, she scrubbed herself almost raw with it to erase the taint of her captor.
With nothing left to wash, she leaned her forehead on the tile and just let the water cascade down her bare shoulders. Let herself finally think.
What am I going to do?
Hours ago, she’d waited to die, but her unexpected rescue meant she had a second chance. We have a second chance. She cupped her rounded abdomen. But a chance to do what? And go where? Roderick wouldn’t let her go without a fight. He’d have a hard time finding them tonight—or so she hoped. However, he would track her, find her, and when he did . . .
Will I be alone, unable to defend myself, or among men who’ve proven themselves capable of fighting? Or at least they were skilled at fighting wolves like themselves. How they would fare against the vampire remained unknown. Chances were they’d cave to Roderick’s will like David and the others had, doing his bidding, which meant she was screwed.
Screwed if I stay. Screwed if I leave. The water turned cold, matching the chill that clutched her heart as despair, her close friend, returned.
She turned off the tap and sank to the bottom of the tub, the noisy fan in the ceiling muffling her sobs. She was so tired of being scared. So tired of . . .
A scream left her lips as the door to the bathroom smashed open and bodies crowded outside the curtain then tore it open. With only a heartbeat to scramble, she pulled her knees up and together in front of her bulging belly, draping her arms over the top as she tried to cover herself from the gaze of three pairs of eyes turned her way.
“What’s wrong?”
“Do you need help?”
“For Christ’s sake, someone hand her a towel.”
The overlapping inquiries and demands stopped her sobs, but her breathing still hitched as she stared at them with tear-streaked cheeks.
Darren knelt at the side of the tub and draped a towel over her shoulders, the corner of it hitting her legs. She clutched it and shivered.
“Why are you all in here?” she stammered when they continued to watch with grim expressions.
“We heard you crying and thought you were in trouble.”
Heard her? His simple claim slapped her with the fact that these men, no matter how nice they seemed, were not human. They were animals. Animals like David and the others who hurt her. Terror gripped her, and her tears flooded anew. What do they want from me?
* * *
Excerpt 2(For Jaxon fans):
The house phone rang, the digital display showing a number she didn’t recognize. Bailey answered. “Hello.”
Nothing. A silence broken only by static hummed in her ear, but of more interest, the scar in her lip tingled. “Jaxon?” she whispered, her heart stuttering to a halt. “Is that you?” For a moment, only more static greeted her. Then . . .
“Hi, sweet cheeks.”
Suddenly boneless, she slumped into a chair. For a moment, pure shock kept her silent. Not for long. “Oh, my god. You’re alive. I knew it. I knew you didn’t die. But where are you? Where have you been? Why haven’t you called?” she accused. Left unsaid was why didn’t you return. They both knew how impossible that was.
“I’ve been here and there. Trying to atone for my actions. Not succeeding as well as I’d hoped.”
Closing her eyes, she let herself drink in the sound of his voice. He spoke with a weariness that made her ache, ache for the man who used to laugh all the time, the man who sounded so alone. “Are you the one who’s been killing rogues before the extermination teams arrive and spoiling everyone’s fun?”
A chuckle rumbled through the earpiece, and she smiled at this ghost of his former self even as tears filled her eyes at the wry twist. “Maybe.”
“It’s dangerous.”
“It’s necessary,” he countered. “I would do anything to help keep you safe.”
He’d already proven that when he dove off the cliff with Roderick, saving her and the others. “I miss you, Jaxon. I miss you so much, and I know they won’t say it, but the guys miss you, too.”
“They miss the fact they haven’t been able to kill me yet.”
“No! They—”
“You don’t need to lie, sweet cheeks. I know they hate me, and with good reason. I betrayed them and you. Because of me, you got hurt. You could have died. I’d hate me, too, if I were in their shoes.”
“Isn’t there a way to fix this? I want you to come home. To me. Although you might not be too impressed. I’m the size of a house now.”
“I bet you look beautiful no matter your size,” he softly whispered. “And I miss you, too. I dream of you every night. But that’s all we can have now. Dreams. There is no forgiveness for me, only revenge against the one who did this, which is why I’m calling. I know I don’t have the right to ask, but I need a favor.”
“Anything.”
“There’s a girl.”
“Really?” Bailey couldn’t help the jealous lilt of her question.
“Not my girl, so don’t start growling, sweet cheeks. She belongs to some friends I made. She was Roderick’s prisoner until we rescued her.”
“Oh, the poor thing.”
“Yeah. She’s a little traumatized, but strong. Thing is, we think Roderick did to her what he did to you. Somehow, he’s woken her wolf side.”
“Has she changed yet?”
“No. And she won’t for a while, I’d wager, because she’s also pregnant.”
The news rocked her. Bailey had suffered in Roderick’s care, the vampire somehow bringing forth a heritage she’d never known existed. The first time she shifted was not an experience she wished on anyone. The poor girl. “Who’s the father?”
“He’s dead. It was his brother and his buddies that rescued her when they came looking.”
“Are you talking about Trent, Marc, and Darren? Wyatt and Gavin came back from a meeting with Nathan a while ago talking about how this guy and his friends left to look for his brother. Nathan had to declare them rogue because of it, which seems kind of extreme.”
“That’s them. And Nathan had to do it. He’s the one who advocated the curfew and combining of the packs for strength. To have someone leave in blatant disregard for the decree would have made him look weak.”
“He could have sent a squad of fighters with them.” Although Bailey respected Nathan as a leader, not an easy position to maintain with the large number of males, testosterone making some of them brash, she didn’t always agree with his decisions.
“And they would have gotten in the way of the search. Roderick’s smart. He’s got spies, obviously, because how many of our raids has he escaped from? Trent’s best bet was going as a small group. Distract the rogues, a quick in-and-out, taking out a few rogues on the way.”
“What happened to the brother? You said he was dead.”
“Yeah, he didn’t fare so well as the object of Roderick’s mind games and killed himself before Trent found the vampire’s lair. I met up with Trent and his buddies about a day after I located their camp. We were too late to rescue David, but we managed to rescue the girl and we’ve escaped for the moment. But—”
She finished his sentence. “Roderick will want her back. We can’t let him have her, Jaxon.”
“I know, which is why I’m calling. Trent’s talking to Nathan right now. We’ve got a plan, but I want you to do something for me.”
“Tell me what you need.”
“I need you.”
The soft admission whispered across the phone line, and her heart stuttered.
