Release Day!

Hi all,

My latest title, Pack Initiation (sequel to Pack Rules), is now out! (Excerpt at the bottom)

Darren Lane, a newly turned werewolf, finds love and friendship in experienced were Paul Christenson, and is soon invited into Paul’s wolf pack, led by alpha Ethan. Problems soon surface, though, when Paul’s old pack leader, Gabriel, attempts to blackmail Paul into committing a brutal crime. Just what is it that Gabriel holds over Paul’s head?

Paul is left with a dilemma. He refuses to do what Gabriel asks of him, but if he doesn’t Gabriel will reveal to Ethan the reason why Paul was forced out of his pack. He could tell Ethan himself and minimize the fallout, but he knows his new pack leader. If Ethan found out about Gabriel’s threats, it could lead to a pack war.

With tensions increasing between the two wolf packs, will Darren and Paul come through with their relationship, and their lives, intact?

Excerpt -

A new scent. Paul paused in the shadow of a nearby tree heavy with snow and sniffed the air. It was certainly a shifter, a male shifter, but the scent was muted. Light, almost airy, too. That meant that whoever they were, they hadn’t been a shifter for long.

On powerful legs, he sprinted in the direction of the scent. He was downwind, and the wolf was new and probably not used to their abilities, so he could get close as long as he slowed as he got near.

The trees rushed by on either side as Paul bounded through the deep snow. Going so fast was reckless if he hadn’t known the area, but Paul had hunted and played in the copse of trees for years. He knew every rabbit hole, every exposed root.

On he ran, dodging remembered trouble spots, running on instinct and adrenaline. The scent grew stronger as the other wolf changed direction, and Paul slowed and headed off to the side, coming to a halt behind a thick-trunked oak.

The new wolf came into sight a few seconds later, apparently unaware of Paul’s proximity. The wolf was smaller than him, with a lighter brown coat, but moved just as fast, if not faster. His muscles shifted under his skin like finely tuned machines.

Just as Paul thought he was in the clear, the wolf skidded to a halt and spun to face the tree he stood behind. Better senses than I gave him credit for.

Paul padded out from behind the tree, his pace slow, his stance unthreatening. The new wolf backed up a few steps, then stopped. He was obviously confused. Maybe the guy thought he was the only shifter in town. Boy, is he in for a shock.

The two wolves stood stock-still for a few seconds, then the new wolf bolted back the way he had come. Paul watched him go, then headed off further into the woods. He had some thinking to do.

* * * *

Darren scrabbled back through his tunnel into his shed and shook the dirt free from his fur, spattering the wooden walls with snow and dirt. He shifted back into his human form and quickly pulled on his clothes.

Who the hell was that wolf? No, not wolf, werewolf. Somehow Darren knew that the guy was the same as he was, and it freaked him the hell out. He retrieved his door key and placed a hand on the cold shed door, then paused. What if the wolf had followed him home? Wolves in the wild were territorial, so it made sense that at least some werewolves would feel the same. The wolf could be waiting on the other side of the door.

“I can’t stay in here all damn day,” he muttered.

After a deep breath, he pushed the door wide and stepped out, half expecting to be bowled over. There was no one, and no footprints in the snow other than his own, either. With a sigh of relief he jogged back to his kitchen door and let himself in, locking it behind him then kicking off his snow-covered boots.

The more he thought about the encounter, the less concerned he became about the wolf being hostile. Yes, the wolf had hidden behind a tree, and only a chance gust of wind had alerted him to its scent, but when discovered, the wolf revealed itself and didn’t show any hostility. If it wanted to, it could have torn out Darren’s back leg as he ran away. It would have been an easy kill.

He shuddered, and it wasn’t just from the low temperature. Before his change, even the mere thought of such fights would have him come out in a cold sweat, but since the wolf took up residence in his head, a coldness had settled over his thoughts. He wasn’t a fan, but it had its advantages. It was much easier to remain calm in situations that used to make him anxious. On the other hand, it had shortened his temper significantly. It was a tough balance to maintain.

Something on the floor caught his attention. It was the flyer for The Wolfpack. The opening of the door must have blown it off the table. He stooped to retrieve it and clipped it back onto the fridge.

A drink would take his mind off things. He’d call Robby and see if he was up for a night out.

“But first, a shower before I freeze to death.”