Mate of the Wolf

Mate of the Wolf by Mandy Rosko is a nice short story. The relationship that develops between Shelly and Michael will keep the reader interested. Though the idea of falling for your captor is the premise of the story, the author never really shows the reader the true pull between these mated characters which makes it seem a bit creepy to me.

The story’s heroine, Shelley, is a movie star who needed some time away from her busy life. While she was camping by herself in the woods, she’s kidnapped by Michael. She soon finds out that Michael is actually a werewolf. He keeps her chained in his cabin but she doesn’t seem afraid of him. When he doesn’t behave the way a typical kidnapper might, she wonders what exactly it is he wants. The next couple days of her life are strange but ultimately take her to something she’s always yearned for.

Michael knows immediately that Shelley is his mate, though this isn’t directly shared with the reader. After months of self-imposed exile while on the run from a vampire princess who desires his rare silver pelt, he wants nothing more than to claim his mate. But he’s also his pack’s alpha with a primary duty to protect his pack. While he can’t deny the part of him that wants to claim her, his life is too dangerous for her. Michael is obviously conflicted but with so little of the story from his pov, the reader sees him mostly through Shelley’s eyes.

Everything seemed to fall very neatly into place for Michael and Shelley – almost too easy – allowing for little suspense or angst which makes a story more compelling. While the author gives us perspective into Shelley’s character, Michael doesn’t get the attention he deserves and leaves a gap in the story. By the end, the reader understands his motives but still knows little about his character. The author does leave the ending open for a possible sequel – maybe this is where the suspense with the drama surrounding Michael may play out.

This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews and can be found at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=2551

RATING: 3 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries.