For Love of Grace out today and on sale!

"For Love of Grace" (MFM)
"Werewolves Wanting Love" book 4
This title is offered at a 10% discount. Offer ends midnight CST, July 18th.
Grace Patterson needs peace and solitude. Jarin Proctor is too dominant. He’s a Dom and a vulture. And Mark Hamill is too protective. He’s a werewolf. But they both love her. She likes them both a lot, but they drive her crazy with their attention. What is she to do? Grace’s grandfather convinces her to go to the inter-species mating party, which she does. Grace likes the idea of a ménage, but there are no men there who appeal to her as much as Jarin and Mark do. And she knows neither of them could make her happy.
Her grandfather tells the two men to work together to win her and share her. Jarin doesn’t think he could bear to have another man touch his woman, but Mark reminds him that she keeps refusing them. Can a wolf and a vulture cooperate and win her? When the three of them get caught in a flood, can they work together to solve the problem, or are their personalities too incompatible?

http://www.bookstrand.com/for-love-of-grace

STORY EXCERPT

She looked so very beautiful standing there. Jarin couldn’t believe how much he’d missed her since she’d gone to collect her possessions. But now she was back, and this time she was staying permanently. He rushed across the room and opened his arms, wanting to grab her to him and hold her tight.
Instead she put up her hand in a stop sign and said coldly, “I don’t believe I invited either of you people into my home.”
“The door was open.” Jarin couldn’t understand what she was complaining about. He needed to hug her, to welcome her back here. To invite her into his arms forever.
“Next time I’ll remember to lock it.”
Jarin was aware of Mark leaving the room, but the man had always been a weakling. Grace obviously didn’t understand. Maybe she’d been so busy looking around, she hadn’t heard them. “We’ve come to help you unload your things. We’re here to carry your furniture inside for you.”
“Thank you for your concern, but I don’t need help. The truck is equipped with a wheeled luggage trolley.”
“But your bed, your refrigerator, your couch. You can’t possibly move such big, heavy items alone,” argued Jarin. He didn’t understand her attitude at all. He and Mark were here to do the heavy labor for her. All she had to do was tell them where to place each item.
“Very well.”
Grace seemed to deflate before his gaze. Her happy smile and the aura of excitement that had surrounded her when he arrived had gone. She was cold and closed off now. But she’d agreed to let them help, so it was all good.
She turned the U-Haul truck around so the back faced the door of her home and there was not much distance between the two, and then stayed in the apartment directing them where to place her things. She wouldn’t let them move her boxes of possessions, though, insisting they stay in a stack against the wall. Long before Jarin was ready to leave, long before the room was in any semblance of order at all, she shooed them out of the apartment and took them to her grandfather’s house.
She put the coffee pot on for them, and then hugged her grandfather. “Thank you for the apartment. It’s perfect.”
Jarin watched the interaction between the two Pattersons. The old man was cantankerous, but it was clear he loved his granddaughter. Jarin could understand that. He loved her, too. It seemed to him he’d loved her forever. When she’d visited Vulture Valley as a teenager he’d been enchanted by her golden hair and the way she understood the desert. As they’d both grown older his love for her had deepened. Now it was almost a physical pain in his heart that she didn’t seem to understand how perfect she was for him and how much he needed her.
She went out to her father’s kitchen and brought in the coffee and a plate of cookies. “Grandpa, where’s the key to the apartment, please? I want to lock the door.”
The old man frowned. “Oh, yes, it did come with keys. But no one needs such things out here. I put the paperwork in the filing cabinet. Perhaps they’re in there.”
Instead of sitting down to talk to them, Grace disappeared from the room again. About ten minutes later Jarin watched her go over to the apartment and lock the door. Then she went around to the lean-to beside the house and took out her dirt bike. She started the engine and rode it around the backyard a few times then rode it up the luggage ramp and into the U-Haul truck. Next she put the luggage trolley back into the truck, packed up the ramp, and closed the door.
Jarin was confused. Surely she wasn’t going joyriding on the dirt bike right now. He’d planned to follow her to the next town in his truck and bring her home after she returned the U-Haul. That would give him an hour or seventy minutes to convince her to let him date her. But no. Before he could even get his thoughts together, the truck bumped its way out of the backyard and was gone.
“What the fuck?” he exploded.
“There are only three coffee cups. If you’d paid attention, you would have known she wasn’t coming back right now,” said Mark quietly.
“But I wanted to go with her to return the truck.”
“I think we can safely assume that she wanted to go alone.” This time there was a hint of laughter in Mark’s voice.
Jarin jumped to his feet, ready to punch the stupid, smart-ass grin off Mark’s face, but Mr. Patterson said, “Boys!”
“I haven’t been a boy for ten years,” he grumbled, sitting down again and snatching the last cookie off the plate.
“Well, stop acting like one then,” said the old man.
Jarin bit off a chunk of cookie then drew in a deep breath to control his anger. All that happened was a bunch of cookie crumbs went down his throat the wrong way and he ended up coughing and coughing, until his face was red, and his eyes were watering.
Mark left the room and came back with a glass of water and a handful of tissues for him, but he had no breath left to thank him if he’d wanted to. Which he didn’t.
He’d just gotten his breath back and was sipping his water when Glen said, “You two boys aren’t paying attention at all. She went to that mating party thing, remember? Where a lot of the women mated two or even three men. Stop trying to win her over one at a time. Your attempts are a waste of effort. Instead, if you can figure out a way to work together to both mate her, you just might succeed. Now off you go and learn how to do it. Don’t come back until you’ve gotten a proper plan.”
Jarin stared at the old man. “Two men? A ménage? Both of us together?”
“Exactly. Now go away and don’t come back until you know how to succeed.”

http://www.bookstrand.com/for-love-of-grace

Ten Brand New Free Stories on the App!!

Coming on 13 July!

"The Nurse and her Wolves" This story is the Prequel to the "Werewolves Wanting Love" series.
Josiah Miles is concussed on the way to the mating party when he stops to help a broken-down truck. He and Riley Steele meet Nurse Eilidh Brennan and know she’s the woman for them. But Eilidh isn’t looking for a man of her own. She’s only there to work.

http://www.bookstrand.com/apps_2014_promo

Three Make a Ménage

Three Make a Ménage (MFM)
Werewolves Wanting Love book 3

Tybalt Mundy and Zane Saville were thrown out of their pack after the mating party because they didn’t agree to their Alpha’s sons usurping their place there. Dorothea Chisholm takes them to the shape-shifter clinic. Dr. Oscar Thorne suggests the three of them go to Arizona to bring back a difficult old patient. Two of his rehabilitation aides found their mate at the party, and he’s short two staff members. Thea thinks it might be fun to spend more time with the men, so they set off on the road trip.

The men have a lot on their minds. They’re now homeless, unemployed, and friendless, simply for obeying the rules. Thea is furious that they, the victims, have been made to suffer. But soon they find great comfort and friendship with each other.

Until they meet up with their patient and his granddaughter and a whole passel of new problems come at them from every direction at once.

http://www.bookstrand.com/three-make-a-menage

STORY EXCERPT

Dorothea Chisholm stood in the center of the now empty foyer of the Konference Kabins conference center. She grinned at the manager and said, “Wow. I never thought it could all be dismantled and packed away so fast. You have a mighty fine staff team here. I wish every conference I organized the events for was as well managed as this place.”

“It’s been a pleasure holding the DADISP. I hope you’ll consider us for your venue again next year.”

“It’d be hard to find a better place. But it’s not my decision, of course. Who knows who they’ll ask to organize it next year. If there even is one next year.”

Dorothea felt a touch of sadness run through her. It wasn’t just the usual letdown when the adrenaline of being on call twenty-four-seven for a week of events faded. Two hundred werewolf shape-shifter bachelors desperate for a bride had been here, and not one of them made her pulse pound and her panties dampen. In the words of Ebony and Ivory Tainton’s mom, likely she was being too picky and needed to settle for Mr. Good Enough instead of continuing to look for Mr. Right. But somehow Thea wasn’t ready to take that step yet. She always knew she’d be hellishly busy this week, but she’d thought maybe a man or two might interest her enough for her to want to get to know them better.

She shrugged. Well, the week was over. The second Desperate and Dateless Interspecies Week-Long House Party was over, and no man had attracted her attention. Sometimes that was simply the way the cookie crumbled. It was time to pull up her big girl panties and get on with the job. She had a hire truck full of equipment to be returned to a bunch of different companies who’d loaned it to her for the week. It was afternoon already, and if she didn’t get everything returned today, she’d have to pay another day’s hire fee. She needed to get moving.

“Once again, thank you,” she said to the manager, then hurried out into the sunshine, wiggling her shoulders, and turning her face up to the warmth. It was already fall. It’d be winter and snowing far too soon. She might as well enjoy the good weather while it was still here.

The truck she’d hired was right out front of the building, actually on the lawn where the sports courts had been for the duration of the DADISP. Wolves tended to have a lot of energy, and with so much testosterone crammed up together, Thea had done her best to ensure that there was a good range of activities where the wolves could burn off their excess energy in socially acceptable ways. Although as the week had progressed, plenty of them had found a woman of their own and were burning up the sheets instead of the volleyball court. She giggled, remembering how both her friends Ebony and Ivory had found two men each to share her. Then she sighed. Two men sounded wonderful, but even one man would do, if only there was someone who excited her mind, her heart, and her hormones simultaneously. Oh, well, maybe next year.

She ran up to the truck and pressed the beeper to unlock the door. Then she noticed two men sitting on the grass a couple of yards away from the truck. They had several suitcases with them and it seemed to her they were hoping she’d notice them yet not quite confident enough to speak first.

She certainly knew who they were. They were the men who’d been tied up in their cabin by the sons of their pack’s Alpha. Apparently he’d been more interested in marrying off his sons than in abiding by the rules of the DADISP.

What they’d done was a crime in shape-shifter law, although probably only a minor offence under American law. If they had a good lawyer, likely they could pretend it’d all been just a game gone a little wrong and they’d be let off with a fine. The shape-shifters would not forgive them so lightly however. Everyone knew how important it was that the women could trust the men they met at the mating party. There would be no future mating parties because no woman would risk coming if she thought anyone could come and look for a wife without passing the registration tests and proving they were genuinely looking for a mate, and honorable people as well.

She pointed to one with light brown hair. “Tybalt Mundy?” and then to the tall, lean blond. “Zane Saville? Why are you still here?”

“We are no longer welcome in our pack,” said Zane.

“We were hoping you could drop us off at the nearest Greyhound bus terminal, please. We were talking to one of the men here who said there’s very little unemployment in Nebraska so we thought we’d go there,” added Tybalt.

Zane stood up and bowed his head before her. Then he looked into her eyes, his own full of pain. “We wish to make contact with the werewolf packs there, but of course our own Alpha will not give us a reference. We are persona non grata now.”

http://www.bookstrand.com/three-make-a-menage

Two Lone Wolves

Two Lone Wolves (MFM)
Werewolves Wanting Love book 2

Ivory Tainton wants a Dom. Hadrian McNaught’s a Dom but he and Gregory Boland want Ivory to get to know them as people first. They’re both lone wolves who have met up with each other and now want a woman to make them into a family. Ivory isn’t listening. This is her opportunity to find out all about BDSM and she isn’t waiting for all their explanations. Ivory’s one of the dance teachers at the DADISP with very little free time. How can they get to know her when she’s always racing off to do something? How can Hadrian explain BDSM to her when she wants to jump straight in and experience it herself? And how can they get her to understand how very dangerous it is to allow anyone calling himself a Dom to teach her instead of waiting for them?

http://www.bookstrand.com/two-lone-wolves


STORY EXCERPT

Ivory Tainton made her way through the crowds at the barbecue, looking for a group of women to talk to. There were sixty women at the Second Desperate and Dateless Interspecies Week-Long House Party—known as the DADISP—and almost two hundred men, so finding an actual group of ladies wasn’t as easy as it sounded.

Also, there seemed to be an excessive number of security guards standing around. Now, okay, the barbecue was out on the lawns of the Konference Kabins convention center, but even so, it was well inside the fenced property, not on the roadside or being held in a public park or something. Why were there so many beefy security guards surrounding the barbecue pit, the food tables, and the dance floor?

The DADISP was a week-long event and tonight was the third night. Ivory and her sister Ebony were here as dance instructors and already Ebony had found two men who made her very happy. There were two men Ivory liked as well, but what she wanted was some men who’d introduce her to BDSM and neither of the men who wanted to get to know her better would do that. So now she wanted to talk to the other women here and see if any of them had met up with a Dom they’d introduce her to.

How the hell will I ever know if BDSM is what I’m looking for, if no one will teach me? Or at least give me an introduction to a BDSM club with high standards and a rule about only permitting safe, sane, and consensual play.

“Ivory?” Dorothea, the events coordinator for the DADISP, gripped her arm. Ivory turned around, and sighed. Standing one on either side of Dorothea, making her look even smaller than she really was, were Hadrian McNaught and Gregory Boland, the men who had made it quite clear they’d like to get to know her better. She stifled her sigh and looked at them both critically. They really were very easy on the eyes.

Hadrian was maybe five feet eleven tall, with a very stocky and muscular build. He’d told her he’d been born in the mountains of Wyoming and he looked as if he had the sheer mass and power to move a mountain any time he wanted to. He also had thick black hair, and very dark, almost black eyes, that seemed able to look right into her innermost being.

Gregory was a couple of inches taller than Hadrian and it was his eyelashes that she’d noticed first about him. She’d kill for eyelashes like his, they were so long and thick. His hair was light brown, although his brows and lashes were darker, and his eyes were hazel, not that she could tell in the semidarkness right now.

Purposely ignoring the men, she smiled at Dorothea. “Hi, Dorothea. Why is there so much security here tonight?

“Oh, you know what wolves are like. They’re just naturally protective.” Dorothea stepped back and Hadrian and Gregory moved to take one of Ivory’s arms each.

“May we escort you to get some barbecue?” asked Hadrian.

Ivory sighed again. They were really nice, and she was hungry. Just smelling the delicious meat cooking had made her ready to eat. But she wanted a Dom and was running out of time to find one. Gently but firmly she pulled herself free of them both. “Not tonight, but thanks anyway.”

Turning swiftly, she dived between some men and reappeared the other side of them hurrying to the group of women she’d sighted just before Dorothea had stopped her. Maybe one of them could point her to her Dom.

http://www.bookstrand.com/two-lone-wolves

One Very Special Woman

Werewolves Wanting Love book 1

The moment werewolves Merek Hopwood and Benedict Shearer see Ebony Tainton they know she’s the woman for them. Only problem is, she and her sister Ivory are the dance teachers at the conference, with very little time to party and the need to treat all the men perfectly equally.

Merek, a Dom, and Ben set out to spend every available moment with Ebony, which means attending every class she teaches. Merek also takes the time to plan some special things she might agree to do, such as a picnic. They’re very happy when she agrees to have lunch with them, but frustrated by having to share her with the many other wolves who also want to dance with her and talk to her and her sister.

They only have a week. Will they ever get her alone to show her how much they love her and want to make her theirs?

http://www.bookstrand.com/one-very-special-woman

STORY EXCERPT

At the door, women lined up on one side and men the other, and security was checking the women and letting them in first. Only when no women were waiting were the men allowed in. Consequently even though they were early, the men’s line was long.

Once they were finally scanned inside it was no better. There was a bar at one side of the room, with a huge range of beverages and several wait staff, and a stage with a band on it. The band looked pretty normal to Merek, a keyboard player, several guitarists, a drummer, a couple of singers.

The rest of the room had a row of chairs against the wall, interspersed with little tables holding giant potted plants. Now he looked again, there was a line of equally large green plants in front of the stage, and more potted plants in the corners of the rooms, as well as by the doors where he’d entered and not noticed them as he passed. He was focused on looking for Ebony and Ivory, but he couldn’t see them.

Deciding he’d rushed too much, he looked at each woman more carefully but no one had butt-length black hair, or a whole lot of dark hair piled up on her head.

Well, likely that was a good thing. He only needed to watch the door and sooner or later she’d arrive. The band was playing, but it was background sort of music, not dance music.

“Shall we walk?” asked Ben softly.

He nodded. Yes indeed, it was important not to appear as stalkers. Not that they were stalkers precisely. It was just that they’d already chosen their woman. Merek wondered how many other men had found the woman they wanted already. And how many of them wanted Ebony? His major hope was that at least half the men who’d been talking to the women at lunchtime had their hearts set on Ivory, not Ebony. Ivory was very beautiful and seemed a lovely person. Merek would be more than happy to have her as a sister-in-law. But it was Ebony who made his cock stand up and who tugged at his heart strings with every smile and frown she made.

Very slowly they circled the large room, nodding and smiling to some of the people they’d already met, but nowhere did they see Ebony and Ivory. When they reached the bar, they both chose glasses of light ale. Now was not the time to get drunk. They stopped about halfway down the side of the room, where they had a good view of the doors.

He was startled when the music stopped and a woman welcomed them. She was quite a small woman with light brown hair and dressed in a white dress with some sort of ribbons tied up under her breasts.

“Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the Second Desperate and Dateless Interspecies Week-Long House Party. My name is Dorothea and I’m your host this evening. I know some of you will be thinking how very formal and structured the week is and how many rules we’re imposing on you. The rules are there to ensure that all the women here are comfortable, and that the men all understand it is always the woman’s choice as to what happens here, including whether or not she dances with you. Just to show you what rules are really like, the first item this evening is going to be a formal dance from the days of Regency Britain. You will notice that everyone is wearing gloves, and that the only place anyone may touch a lady is on her gloved hand.”

Dorothea had been holding something in one hand, which turned out to be long white gloves. When she pulled them on they came up over her elbows. Merek barely had time to assimilate that fact when three men and two women came out from behind the stage and stood in two lines in the center of the dance floor. The women on one side and the men on the other. The three men were wearing tight pants that stopped just under their knees and long socks that vanished inside the knee breeches. They had tight coats with long tails. One of the two women was a blonde wearing a pale pink dress with a ruffled hem and pink ribbons on it and the other woman was dark and wearing pale lilac. Ebony! Ebony and Ivory! So that’s where they were, out back waiting for this dance.

Merek relaxed as he watched the six people dance. It was actually damn complicated and quite energetic. Certainly they never even brushed their bodies against each other in the twists and turns of the dance, as they ducked under joined hands, and twirled around each other. There were a lot of tricky little steps to the sides and backward and forward as well as the weaving in and out things they did. Merek was glad he hadn’t had to learn that and wondered who the three men were. Fitness instructors or personal trainers maybe? Those people in the olden days must have been damn fit to do dances like that all night long.

At the end of the dance the six dancers bowed and walked around back of the stage again, and the band began to play a modern dance.

Instead of joining the people crowding onto the dance floor, Merek moved smoothly up the side of the room, wanting to see Ebony. But the dancers had completely disappeared. Well, fuck!

http://www.bookstrand.com/one-very-special-woman

Extravagantly Loved: The Book of My Heart

I know that "real" authors aren't supposed to have a favorite book, but "Extravagantly Loved" is very special to me. Janet and Malcolm are real people. When I was looking for a fitting way to end the very special "Werewolves of Hanson Mall" series, it occcurred to me that Janet deserved to find her own happy ending. That someone ought to deal with Malcolm appropriately.

And "Extravagantly Loved" came into being.

DEDICATION
To the original Janet.
I know you’ll never let Malcolm defeat you, so hang in there, hon.
Besides, all the readers and I have got your back!


Janet Young’s brother, Malcolm, has threatened to kill her if she tries to retrieve all the money he stole from their father. She contacts Cadfael Hanson, Alpha of the Hanson Mall werewolf pack, and asks to hire a couple of his biggest, toughest security guards until the case comes to court.

Berian Davies, a trained security guard, and Hal Rowe from the Simon pack are determined to protect her. Berian thinks a farm boy will be useless. Hal doesn’t even know what a CFO is. But they’re both determined no one will harm Janet.

Unfortunately Malcolm is manipulative, cunning, and vindictive and he hasn’t gotten that memo. Somehow the two werewolves are going to have to learn how to cooperate with each other, keep Janet out of danger, avoid Malcolm and his attacks, and still get Janet to her meetings. It isn’t going to be easy. It might not even be possible to keep her alive, far less unharmed.

http://www.bookstrand.com/extravagantly-loved

STORY EXCERPT

“I’m the firstborn. I’m the son. You are nothing. Second born and a worthless female as well. Everything belongs to me and I’m going to take it. If you get in my way and get hurt that’s your problem. Father’s property is mine and only mine. Stay out of my business or accept the consequences, you fat cunt!”

Janet Young stared at her cell phone in distaste. Malcolm might be ranting and crazy but he wasn’t insane. In a court of law it was likely he could manage to convince a jury he was playacting, not even threatening her. She sighed and saved the call onto a memory stick, which she then inserted into her iPad, and e-mailed to herself in another e-mail account.

That done she tapped her fingers on her desk thoughtfully. “He’s fucking serious. He’s always been a selfish shit. I can’t assume he’ll grow a brain any time soon.” Picking up her cell phone again she scrolled through several screens until she found what she wanted. Cadfael Hanson’s number. Cadfael was the managing director of Hanson Mall, but more importantly, the Alpha of the Hanson Mall Werewolf pack. He had a passel of mountainous security guards. She needed to hire a few of them right away. Her brother was a typical bully, which meant he was also a coward. But to avoid him hitting her over the head with a baseball bat one dark night she needed someone to watch her back, and there’d be no one better than a nice big werewolf.

“Cadfael.”

“This is Janet Young, Mr. Hanson. I don’t know if you remember me, but—”

“I do remember you. You worked with Georgia on the family history project and brought us some information on the well-being center. How can I help you?”

“While I was working interstate temporarily my brother Malcolm stole all our father’s assets. The judge has ordered him to present a complete accounting of his and my father’s finances to the court by next month and it’s sent him batshit crazy. He’s threatened everyone who opposes him.”

“Georgia mentioned that. The security staff here at the mall is alert for any potential trouble.”

Janet winced. The shape-shifters had helped her and inadvertently she might have brought trouble to them. “I’m sorry about that. It never occurred to me he’d be angry with anyone other than me.”

“You aren’t to blame for another person’s actions.”

She was aware he was a very busy man with a lot of responsibilities so she hurried on with her question. “I was hoping you could direct me to some of your part-time security guards or former security guards who are interested in a short-term position as my bodyguard. Malcolm is not happy with me and he’s a very vindictive person. I was hoping to hire two or three of the largest, toughest-looking men you know who could be my bodyguards until the case comes to court in a few months.”

Janet could hear the smile in his voice as he replied. “The biggest ones I can find, huh? Very well. I should be able to get back to you by the end of the day. You’ll be paying the standard rates, I assume?”

“If they are big and tough looking I’m happy to pay ten percent over the usual rate, or fifteen percent if they have extra skills.”

“Good. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Thank you.”

Janet hated the thought of having to put herself under the control of a couple of men who she didn’t even know, but a lifetime association with her brother had taught her not to trust him. He was extremely vindictive and very likely to take his anger out on anyone less powerful than himself. For the first eighteen years of her life that had far too often been her. He’d stolen or destroyed all her favorite possessions, looking angelically innocent when she told her parents, who always believed him when he said she was lying. She’d never bought a car in high school, knowing that it would be just one more thing he’d take from her. She’d even come to believe him when he constantly claimed she was fat, stupid, and worthless. Certainly she’d never gotten good marks on any assignments at school, mainly because he either destroyed them, or hid anything she needed to complete them properly, including all her textbooks.

But once she got to college—in a different state from the one he was attending—her marks suddenly improved enormously. Possibly because the stress of always having to hide everything from him, and even from her parents, had passed.

Janet shook her head at herself. She had no doubt her folks had loved her, but they’d always believed Malcolm rather than her. Now her mother was dead and her father, Norm, had early stage dementia. Certainly Norm couldn’t be left alone and needed to be somewhere people could care for him, but he didn’t deserve having Malcolm steal all his possessions and money. Right now Janet was paying all his bills. She didn’t begrudge the money to her father. He’d cared for her for the first eighteen years of her life after all. But she also didn’t see why Malcolm should take her father’s assets when the old man needed them himself.

Janet gave herself a little shake. It was time to forget about Malcolm and get on with the work her bosses expected her to be doing.

http://www.bookstrand.com/extravagantly-loved

Tightly Held

"Tightly Held" (MFM) "Werewolves of Hanson Mal" book 5

Werewolves Ethan Simon and Nolan James are sent to Hanson Mall to help Georgia Edwards with the shape-shifter family history project. They’re determined to succeed at their job, bring honor to their pack, and also to claim Georgia, who’s a wolf, as their mate.

But it’s not that simple. They have an enormous amount to learn. The city is very different from their home on the farm. Georgia is their boss and they love her far too much to hurt or embarrass her by clumsy actions. Besides, more drama from the discredited well-being center comes to light, and something has to be done to drag their own pack out of poverty, as well.

How will they ever be able to demonstrate to her how much they’ll love and adore her if only she'll give them the chance? All they want to do is hold her tightly in their arms forever, but making it happen is proving incredibly difficult.

http://www.bookstrand.com/tightly-held

STORY EXCERPT

“You two boys fancy yourselves in love with that redhead from the Hanson Mall pack, don’t you?”

When the Alpha of the Simon pack asked a question, only a very foolish wolf would lie. “I’d certainly like to get to know her better, sir,” said Ethan Simon.

The Alpha’s piercing black gaze moved from his face to Nolan James’s but Ethan was too smart to move a muscle. The Alpha wasn’t finished with them yet.

“I don’t know, sir. I don’t know her yet, sir.” Nolan was sounding even worse than he had.

“Cadfael Hanson, the Alpha of the Hanson Mall pack, has agreed to take you two to help with the werewolf genealogy project. You will obey him in all things.” The Alpha’s voice was stern and Ethan could clearly hear the unspoken words. “The honor of our pack rests on your shoulders.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You will be starting at the bottom. You know nothing of their work but you will apply yourselves, work hard, and learn all the tasks as fast as you can. There’ll be no sneaking time off or wasting your opportunities.”

“No, sir.”

“We will do our very best, sir. Thank you for choosing us,” said Nolan.

“You will not antagonize Georgia Edwards. She is your superior in this work. She’s also a female wolf and there are far too few of them around for you two to recklessly waste your chances with her. If you discover she won’t accept you, make sure she doesn’t develop a distaste for this pack. There are other young men here who deserve a mate as well.”

“Yes, sir.”

Ethan thought he was starting to sound like a children’s toy that was broken and could only say one thing. But he was fucked if he could think of anything else to say. It wasn’t like the Alpha was looking for a conversation here. And the chance to find a mate was a huge gift as well as a challenge. He was up for the challenge and had no intention of wasting the gift.

“Sit down.” The Alpha waved to the couch opposite him. He was sitting in the huge armchair in the front room of the old farmhouse where he often sat, his back ramrod straight, though not at all relaxed. Ethan thought his gray hair had thinned even more the past few months. The pack was struggling to survive. They all couldn’t help but notice it. If he and Nolan were being fed and kept in another pack, that would take a little bit of pressure off the rest of the Simon pack. But only a new income stream could save them. He knew the Alpha was working on something but had no idea what it was or whether or not it would actually be successful.

“You don’t need to know all the ins and outs of the changes that will be happening in this pack, but in order to succeed in your task I’m about to tell you some things. This is strictly pack business, and not to be chattered about with your friends. I’m telling you so you know how important it is that you either succeed in your mission, or at least leave the pathway still clear for me to send others to follow you. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir. I appreciate your trust in us,” said Ethan.

“I’m honored you’ve chosen us,” said Nolan.

The Alpha wrinkled his nose, but Ethan thought he relaxed back into his armchair just a fraction. So far so good. Although I wish I knew what the fuck is going on.

“The lack of females being born into our pack is not something that’s unique to our pack, or to Ohio, or even to the Unites States of America. All around the world werewolf packs have noticed the lack of female babies being born over the past few generations. The Supreme Alpha of North America is aiding a research project that’s tracking shape-shifter genealogies to determine if there’s a cause for the lack of females, or if it’s a regular cyclical trend. It seems when male wolves mate with female humans, more girls are born. Not that it helped the Simon family. Quintana’s the only girl in three generations. Still, that’s what they’ve discovered.”

Ethan knew that. He was Quintana’s cousin, sharing the same human grandmother she had, although his father was the third brother born to their grandmother and hers the fifth.

“The Supreme is involved, sir?”

Yeah, good catch, Nolan. I didn’t know that.

“The Supreme’s headquarters is coordinating the project. The Hanson Mall pack is providing the key staff for it. Georgia Edwards and Wynn Evans. You will do exactly as they tell you. Always remember you’re there to learn and to help. If they tell you to fetch coffee, you go get it without complaint. I have chosen you both believing you are smart enough to learn whatever you need to learn, and to keep your mouths shut, and work hard on any menial tasks you’re given until you know enough to perform more advanced assignments. I will be extremely annoyed if I learn that either of you has been rude or lazy. And if it happens that you fail and the pack is not permitted to send anyone else on this project, the results will be extremely severe for you both. Have I made myself clear?”

“Yes, sir,” said Ethan.

“Crystal clear, sir. We won’t fail you or the pack,” said Nolan.

http://www.bookstrand.com/tightly-held