Inge Saunders
Thirteen years ago Rebecca Ferguson died, at least to everyone in the Black Hills territory. With a human mother and unable to shift into a wolf, Magnum Tao, the deranged alpha of the Tao Pack would’ve had both her and her father killed for deceiving him. Magnum didn’t allow humans to mate with members of his pack.
Now Magnum is the one who’s dead, and Rebecca can return.
But coming back from the dead, building a new life after her divorce, and opening a library in town aren’t the only obstacles Rebecca faces. Elijah, her father, doesn’t approve of her being in Los Lobos to the point where he forbids her to get involved with the pack, especially the males.
Their relationship has suffered because of her absence and she hopes to bridge the divide, confident that she doesn’t want a romantic entanglement with anyone human or wolf, anyway.
In walks sexy private detective Blaine Walker.
Thirteen years ago Blaine stumbled on his mate at the local swimming hole. The next day, she was dead. Once he learns Rebecca is alive and living in Los Lobos, he decides it’s time to give up his career in Brooklyn and return to the Black Hills. But he knows it won’t be easy to claim her since Elijah’s unnaturally overprotective. The only way Elijah will back off is to challenge him.
A challenge that will end in one of their deaths.
The Tao Pack’s rebuilding itself and needs to guard against any threats outside or in. For Blaine to have any chance to claim Rebecca, Elijah needs to be dealt with and to deal with Elijah, Drew, the alpha of the Tao Pack, has to sanction the challenge according to pack law.
Rebecca can’t deny the old attraction she felt for Blaine is still there and even stronger now that they are grown up. She’s caught between the man fate has brought back to her and her father, whose affection she’s craved her whole life.
But there’s a secret governing Elijah’s erratic behavior that can cost Rebecca everything she’s worked hard to build and everything she thought she could never have with a man or wolf.
Will Rebecca and Blaine beat the odds stacked against them?
Or will the choices they make ultimately lead them down a path both of them don’t want?
As with many daughters, Rebecca was sent away from the Tao pack under Magnum’s rule and most believed her to be dead. Though her father sent her for a different reason, she is a latent wolf and he spread the rumor of her death.
Before she left she had an encounter with another wolf, Blaine. She knew even then there was something different about him, but he too left the Tao pack to save his own life. He was too dominant and so a threat to Magnum.
With Magnum dead and Drew rebuilding, Rebecca has returned to the Black Hills and is contributing by converting a building into a library.
Blaine has discovered that Rebecca is alive and back in the Black Hills. Now he has also returned but needs a promise from Drew in return for his blood oath to the Alpha.
This is a favorite scene.
“Why do you want to come back?” Drew’s tone held a bite.
No pleasantries. He should’ve been submissive. Instead, he lifted his head. Neither Drew nor Ryker flinched as he gazed at them. I need to be honest if I’m going to get anywhere with these two.
Ryker seemed one step away from grabbing him by the shirt collar and throwing him out for his insolence.
“I’m here because the Black Hills is home.”
Drew’s eyes narrowed. He had noted his phrasing. “I’m the alpha here, Blaine. You’ll have to swear a blood oath to me.”
A blood oath would prevent Blaine from killing Drew. “Has everyone sworn such a pledge to you?”
“Only those who place the pack above their ambitions.” Drew showed a flash of teeth. Steel reflected there.
His gaze shifted to Ryker who took a step toward him. He couldn’t take on an alpha and an enforcer. Maybe one at a time, but not together.
He understood why Drew wanted the commitment from him. The pack was healthy again. If a wolf came along to upset the order the alpha had built, who knew what could happen. Blaine’s family had left because Magnum’s insanity had infiltrated all aspects of pack life. Drew worked on restoring the pack again.
If Drew wanted him to swear an oath, then Blaine needed him to do something in return. “I’ll pledge my loyalty to you through a blood oath, if you’ll support my choice of mate.”
Drew’s eyebrows went up. Ryker, true to form, didn’t blink an eye.
“Why would you need my support?”
“It’s Rebecca Ferguson.”
Ryker straightened, taking on a solid stance next to Drew. The discussion wasn’t a threat to the alpha in any way.
“Her father won’t allow it.”
“I know.”
“He’s alpha of his household.”
“I know.”
“Are you going to challenge him?”
“If I have to.”
“And you want me to sanction it.”
“Yes.”
Drew sank into his chair. “What does Rebecca have to say? The last time I spoke to her, she didn’t mention you.”
Blaine smiled. He hadn’t earned himself any favors. “She doesn’t know yet.”
“You expect me to support your claim without her being aware of it?”
“You expect me to swear a blood oath to you without assurance whether or not you’ll turn into your father.”
The menacing growl from Ryker vibrated through the room.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Blaine.”
“All of us have done it for our mates.” He stared from one to the other.
News traveled through the wolf-grapevine. Drew’d had to gain his mate, Betty’s, trust when he returned to Los Lobos after she believed the lies his father told about him. Ryker had overstepped their laws by mating a human, something the old alpha would’ve killed him for. But Drew didn’t seem to have a problem with humans becoming part of the Tao pack.
“Elijah isn’t going to hand over Rebecca to you. He went to extreme measures to keep her safe.” Drew sat forward again. “Even with the new order, he’s still protective of her.”
Blaine didn’t budge. He knew what he wanted. And he rarely lost.
“I will sanction the challenge if Elijah concedes to it.” Drew shook his head. “And I have a feeling he will.”
“I’ll take the blood oath.”
“As simple as that.” Blaine nodded.
“You’ll obey the law of the land and the pack. Be committed to rebuilding the town. To protect. To serve.”
“I understand.”
Inge Saunders. The Wolf’s Choice (Kindle Locations 280-321). Decadent Publishing.
Elijah doesn’t want his daughter to be part of the pack, he doesn’t want her to mate with Blaine. His fear has to do with his experience and his reasons will surprise you.
A feisty tale, with fun, sadness, a challenge and plenty of sexy scenes.
5 Contented Purrs for Inge!
Inge Saunders lives in the biggest small town in South Africa‒ Worcester. She fell in love with books when she started reading romance novels with her grandmother. Intrigued by the worlds books unlocked, it was inevitable she would take pen to paper. She holds an Honors degree in Community Development and Learning Support and loves to sink her teeth into the research part of a story.
When she’s not writing about that ‘inexplicable attraction’ she’s reading almost every sub-genre in romance out there, spending time with friends and family and taking hikes in her hometown’s National Karoo Park.
Inge’s been a member of ROSA (Romance writers’ Organization of South Africa) since 2012 and has three titles published with Decadent Publishing, Falling for Mr. Unexpected, Dance of Love & The Wolf’s Choice (Black Hills Wolves).
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