With his ice-blue stare locked on her, Jake rose to his feet, all taut muscle and predatory power. His energy swept over her like a tsunami, forcing all of the moisture to abandon her mouth while parts much lower wept with want. Her inner Wolf howled, answering the call of this Alpha, the first Dominant male ever to make her sit up and take notice. Holy crap. Her muscles shook with the need to bound over to him, jump in his arms, wrap her legs around his torso and writhe against his hard, hot, tattooed body.
Jake said something to his uncle then stalked straight at her, cutting a path right through the middle of the tables and the many, too-curious patrons.
A whimper escaped her throat.
Surprise sparked in her brother’s brown eyes. “You’re kidding me. Him?” He burst out laughing. “Wow, sis, that’s some major, big-time irony right there.”
Darci’s expression conveyed her bewilderment. “Now what are you two talking about?”
Her annoying brother grinned. “See that angry Alpha headed our way? My sister here rejected him when they were teens and he’s apparently her—”
Lexi socked her brother in the ribs. “Shut it, Ross.”
“Ouch.” Ross rubbed his side and chuckled at her plight. The jerk. “Come on, Lexi, you have to admit the hilarity of the situation.”
No, she did not. Nor did she have to admit that J-Bird was right all those years ago. He was her mate. O to the M to the G…. They were mates.
Even so, he didn’t look happy to see her at all. In fact, he looked positively enraged. Shit, shit and triple shit. What a mess she’d made eight years ago. Well, she was woman enough to pull on her big-girl panties and fix it. She straightened her spine and lifted her chin in challenge, meeting Jake’s stormy stare. He halted before her.
I can do this. “Hey J-Bird. Nice to see you.” Lovely. Her voice sounded like she’d eaten the gravel from the lot in front of Gee’s bar. Embarrassment heated her cheeks.
One breath, two breaths, three…. J-Bird glared. Tension coiled between them in the silence. Lexi bit the inside of her cheek to avoid babbling at him. She’d said hello. It was his turn. Damn it, J-Bird, say something. He wasn’t making this easy.
“Alexina.” His arctic tone dismissed her and slapped her in the face at the same time, leaving her disappointed and confused. No one called her by her full name. No one except her parents when she’d done something wrong as a kid. He might as well have said, “Screw you,” while slamming a door in her face.
His focus shifted to her brother. “Hello, Ross. Been a while.” His hand shot out to grasp her brother’s in a cordial shake.
“Good to see you, Jake. Join us for lunch? My treat. We can catch up on old times.”
“No, thank you. I’m done. Nice to see you again, Ross.” Jake nodded at Darci. “Miss.” He brushed past them and out the door.
“What. Just. Happened?” The, “I’m done,” he uttered in his delicious British accent seemed aimed more at her than at her brother’s offer. And the fact he hadn’t even looked at her before stalking out all sexy in his gloom and doom? Yeah, that hurt.
“I think you know, sis.” The amusement left her brother’s face and sympathy glimmered in his gaze. “Question is, what are you going to do about it?”
She’d never run from a fight in her life. She wouldn’t start now. “Grab a table. I’ll be back in a second. Or not.” She ignored her brother’s knowing grin and hurried out the door.
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://rabidreads.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Celia-Breslin.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]
Celia lives in California with her husband, daughter, and two feisty cats. She writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance, and has a particular fondness for werewolves, vampires, and the Fae. Her award-winning vampire series – The Tranquilli Bloodline – is available from Champagne Books. Diamond Moon is her first werewolf story for Decadent Publishing’s Black Hills Wolves shifter series. When not writing, you’ll find Celia exercising, reading a good book, hanging with her family, or indulging her addiction to Joss Whedon’s TV shows and movies.
Newsletter
Under a Mating Moon by Celia Breslin
Series: Black Hills Wolves #27
Published by Decadent Publishing
Published on: September 18, 2015
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Werewolves
Pages: 114
Format: eARC
Source: Author
British Alpha wolf Jake Matthews spends his days among humans, pursuing a lucrative music career and avoiding his pack’s politics. When his current DJ tour takes him to the US, he stops in Los Lobos to visit family, and runs into the one Wolf he never wants to see again—the mate who rejected his claim.
While visiting her brother in Los Lobos, free-spirited Lexi Luparell is shocked to encounter the Wolf she’d denied when they were teens. Now she must face her guilt for the cruel way she spurned him all those years ago, make amends, and admit the truth. Jake was right all along—they’re meant to mate.
Lexi would love to explore the mate concept and her overwhelming attraction to virile, Alpha Wolf Jake, but he wants nothing to do with her. How can she break down his defenses when she’s the reason he built them in the first place?
Jake dates only human women now. Lexi had her shot at being his mate, and she threw it away. But when her life is threatened, he may have to rethink his position and do whatever it takes to claim his one true mate.
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So now we’re back in Los Lobos, site of the authors previous novella, Diamond Moon. I enjoyed that read, and quickly agreed to read this one as well. I received a copy of the book from the author, in exchange for a fair and honest review.
When Jake, a wolf shifter, was fourteen he realized that his mate was sixteen year old, Lexi. Lexi, being a pretty typical teenage girl, was pretty horrified with the idea and completely spurned and embarrassed him. Because of this, he never dates other wolves, only humans. He moved away from the U.S. to England, and now has a lucrative career as a dance music DJ and travels all over. During his latest DJ tour, he takes the time to stop in Los Lobos, to visit family. Los Lobos is home to a wolf pack, exclusively. What he didn’t know is that Lexi is there for a visit as well. Recipe for disaster or for a life long mating? And the question is because Jake is still hurting from Lexi’s rejection and wants nothing to do with her.
I did really like the character of Jake. He’s an extremely dominate alpha male, and Alpha heir to his father’s pack in England. After hearing the story of how he got turned down by Lexi, I really felt for him. So I knew that it was going to take some doing for me to like Lexi. I shouldn’t have worried, an older Lexi is also a much more mature Lexi, and after she sees Jake again she realizes he was right about them being mates all those years ago. And she is horrified at what she did to him. Can she get Jake to overcome all his bad feelings for her before he leaves again in a couple of days? That’s the premise of this story, and I did enjoy it.
We do get to see the couple from the last book in this series by this author, Ross and Darci, so it was fun to catch up with them, as well as returning to Los Lobos. The author also added in a side story with an stalker ex of Lexi’s showing up. What could have been just a romance, becomes a thriller of sorts, and that really added a lot to the story for me.
Keep in mind that this is a novella, so although there is some development of the characters, and some world building, there really isn’t as much as is usual in a book length read. It actually didn’t bother me as the story kept me reading, and I really enjoyed the whole thing. Of course it was a really fast read. If I had a criticism, it would be that I really am not a big fan of the cover. Jake is supposed to be really good looking, and the guy on the cover just isn’t. So don’t let that be a turn off.
Recommended to adult paranormal romance readers. Adult due to some pretty steamy scenes.
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I’m Lorna and I live in Maryland. Since retiring, I spend my time mostly reading and reviewing books. My favorite reads are Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Young Adult. I read a lot of indie books in addition to traditionally published books. Favorite paranormal creature? Vampires, but I am really liking werewolves more everyday.
Wow, that is a lot of book in a series! It’s good that after that many books you can still enjoy them. 🙂
Stormi recently posted…Tuesday Teaser: A is for Arsenic
From what I understand, they are all novellas and you don’t have to read them in order. I have only read the ones by this author actually 🙂
Oh well that is cool, I didn’t even realize they were all different authors, I just seen the wow amount of books..lol.
Stormi recently posted…Audiobook review of My Highland Spy
Ouch! I’m sure Lexi deserves the cold shoulder Jake just gave her but man! I’m glad you enjoyed this novella, Lorna. You know I can go either way with novellas so I’m glad this one was satisfying. And I’m certainly curious to know how things work out between Lexi and Jake. 😉 Do you have to read this series from the beginning?
Bookworm Brandee recently posted…Blogger Chick Chat ~ Knave of Broken Hearts ~ Tara Lain
Hi Brandee,
It is a multi- author series: we share the world (location and some basic rules), but each story is as unique as the author who wrote it, meaning you can read the stories in any order you wish. Happy reading!
Celia Breslin recently posted…Black Hills Wolves Blog Hunt, Sept. 10 – 25, 2015
And it’s not like with a book series that has novellas that aren’t that important to the story-each one of these ARE the story 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Spotlight and Early Review: Under a Mating Moon by Celia Breslin (@Mollykatie112, @CeliaBreslin, @DecadentPub)
Wonderful excerpt! This looks like it will be a great series and one that I would really enjoy as well!
kindlemom1 recently posted…Review: The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich
I have only read this one and the other one by this same author but those two are both good reads I thought 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Spotlight and Early Review: Under a Mating Moon by Celia Breslin (@Mollykatie112, @CeliaBreslin, @DecadentPub)
Wow that is a lot of books
And the best part is you only have to read the ones you want to-they are only set in the same world, not in any order.
Lorna recently posted…Spotlight and Early Review: Under a Mating Moon by Celia Breslin (@Mollykatie112, @CeliaBreslin, @DecadentPub)
Hi Lorna and Carmel,
Thank you for hosting my wolves on your blog today. And thank you, Lorna, for taking the time to read and review. Much appreciated!
Cheers,
Celia
Celia Breslin recently posted…Black Hills Wolves Blog Hunt, Sept. 10 – 25, 2015
You’re welcome! The book was a pleasure to read 🙂
Oh how tough on Jake and I can see why you were wary of how it would be with her, but that’s neat that the older Lexi was a mature woman.
I’ll have to try this series.
Yes, Lexi as a teen was not very nice to Jake to say the least!
Lorna recently posted…Spotlight and Early Review: Under a Mating Moon by Celia Breslin (@Mollykatie112, @CeliaBreslin, @DecadentPub)
Holy Hannah! That’s a lot of books. Gah. Yummy alpha is such a great motivation. Lol.
Joy // Joyousreads recently posted…[570]: Overruled by Emma Chase
Well you only have to read the ones that interest you-they all stand alone but take place in the same location 🙂 And they are all novellas!
Lorna recently posted…Spotlight and Early Review: Under a Mating Moon by Celia Breslin (@Mollykatie112, @CeliaBreslin, @DecadentPub)
Considering that this is a novella, it sounds like a lot happens! I like the sound of Jake, you hooked me when you said Lexi rejected him when they were young. I was worried you would’t like her, glad that’s not the case!
Naomi @ Naomi’s Reading Palace
Naomi recently posted…Waiting On Wednesday # 158 – Madame X / An Inheritance of Ashes
Yes he was the kid brother of her friend so you know how teenagers can be. I liked the premise as well. And I did like Lexi in the end 🙂
OMG..that is a lot of books in a series.and my tbr pile is huge..but this does sound yummy..I do love alphas!!
kimbacaffeinate recently posted…Melting Point by Kate Meader
Jake sounds like a great character in this one.