For years, my life has been a nightmare. Trapped in a lab where humans use me as a test subject, they’ve stolen everything from me—including my memories. A careless mistake gives me the opportunity to escape, but the world outside is harsh and unfamiliar.
Lost and alone, I stumble into the path of an Alpha who turns out to be my fated mate. Luke quickly becomes my anchor in the whirlwind of uncertainty and, despite my instinctual fear of alphas, he’s safety, pack, and home.
But I don’t get to enjoy my newfound happiness for long.
Forced to flee when the humans track me down, we embark on a road trip to find the truth about my past. As we search for answers, we discover our fates are more intertwined than we imagined and the secrets we uncover threaten to tear us apart.
If Luke and I hope to build a future together, we have to confront the mysteries of our past—even if that means risking the very thing we’re fighting for.
Lost Wolf is an MM fated mates shifter romance set in a world where mpreg is possible (but does not occur on page in this book). It is the second book in the Exiled Omegas series and features an amnesiac omega who has no past and the devoted Alpha who becomes his future.
Tessa Kane writes MM paranormal romance and swears tea fuels her creative escapades better than coffee ever could. When not crafting stories featuring a diverse range of supernatural creatures finding love, you'll often find her engrossed in books spanning almost every genre—a habit that may occasionally hinder her word counts.
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below. I press my face against his fur and wrap my arms around his neck, burying my nose in his fur, and take a deep breath.
ARC review
I’ve read a few books with a similar premise lately but this one has been my favorite by far. I finished it really quickly after starting it and I had a good time. I’ve also read lots of books with high levels of spice lately and it was nice with a bit of a break from that. There is spice and it’s detailed, but there’s not a lot of it. I thought that fit the story well.
Definitely recommend if you enjoy fated mates, wolf stuck in shifted form, escaping from captivity and some action and suspense.
Aaand, although books where the epilogue is from the POV of a different character entirely instead of an actual epilogue for the MCs normally annoys the hell out of me, it did actually make me want to read the next book. I don’t know how to feel about that, lol.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️ Fated mates Omegaverse Wolf shifters Stuck as a shifter Pack alpha Past trauma Size difference Amnesia (before meeting other MC) Virgin MC Desperate and whining Mpreg universe Low spice
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️ On-page captivity Details of non-consensual medical experimentation Animal abuse (MC abused in shifter form) MC hit by car Panic attacks (on page) PTSD symptoms Injured MCs and SC MC injuring himself in state of panic Explicit sexual content Death of parent (past, off page) MC experiencing amnesia (pre-meeting other MC) Slick MCs drugged on page by SC MC hurt by shock collar Vomiting Graphic violence On-page killing of bad guys by MCs Death of estranged parent (off page) Mpreg possible (does not happen in this book) Homophobic side character
⚠️Book safety ⚠️ Cheating: No Other person drama: No Breakup: No POV: 1st person, dual Genre: Omegaverse romance Pairing: M/M Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles Main characters’ age: 19 and 20 Series: Interconnected standalone Kindle Unlimited: Yes Pages: 249 Happy ending: Happy ending for the couple — series cliffhanger
“I like you in my clothes,” he says, his voice gruff as he steps closer. He leans down and takes a deep breath near my neck. “You smell like me, like us.” A shiver goes down my spine and the back of my neck tingles as his breath brushes across my skin. If this is the kind of attention it gets me, I like me in his clothes too.
Luke wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me closer until I rest my cheek on his chest as the water streams down around us.
This is another case of me liking book 2 better than book 1. We have a more concise plot than book 1, which leads to it feeling less scattered. Although, granted, many of those scattered points on book 1 are relevant here. And I like Luke, so I'm happy he gets someone. And that little epilogue will have me itching until book three is out, which is honestly quite promising. So far, I'm impressed with Tessa's work and waiting for book three to come out
I admittedly wasn’t super excited for Luke’s book (I’m still waiting on Ben and Theo’s second chance romance!) but this well exceeded my expectations. It was a really interesting story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Luke’s love interest is a mysterious omega (dubbed “???” in the chapter titles) who has been stuck as a wolf for years and thus cut off from his human side for just as long. It’s really interesting to spend quite a few chapters in ???’s mind as he’s running on instinct and fear. It was a cool way to tell the story.
I do think ???’s thoughts could have been a bit more wolfy but he does spend so long in wolf form that it probably wouldn’t have been as engaging if he had been. And you could tell the difference between him as wolf, him as human still with wolf instincts, and him fully human so I certainly give Tessa props for that.
The biggest improvement in Lost Wolf from book 1 Lone Wolf is the story pacing. I really enjoyed book 1 because it’s pure fun, but I definitely understood where people were coming from when they criticized the insane pacing of that book. Lost Wolf is much more evenly paced with rises and falls in the action. The prose also improved a bit from book 1 to book 2.
Something I really appreciate about this series is that the omegas are never wilting flowers or damsels in distress. They fight and defend and escape by their damn selves. And the alphas have all been very sweet, no love interests are alphaholes over here. My perfect omegaverse dynamic tbh.
I do still need Ben and Theo’s second chance romance but I am quite excited for the next book’s lead too 👀 he was given a very good set up in this book.
The second that woman rang a doorbell my anxiety spiked and didn’t stop till the end. I like the first half up until the claiming itself because at that point it seems like omega MC just does a 180 personality wise. It was very disappointing, because the story was there and we could’ve had a nice slow burn and wooing… But other than that of course the story is okay, the villain is easily identified and from that point forward I kept pulling my hair and made some breaks in reading because Remi giving bunch of identifying information to a stranger from a known aggressive pack was just ludicrous. I threw my hands at that, because after everything that happened in book 1, you would think they were more cautious than that. It was a wtf moment for sure. The whole story after that was very predictable but didn’t lessen my anxiety whatsoever knowing it was a happy ending. Anyway, two boys find their happy ending and that’s about it. It was shorter than most books I’ve read but entertaining…
Ollie’s memories are fractured. All he knows is that he has been in his wolf form for a long time and the chances of him escaping that lab from hell is slim. But then a mistake is made and he finds his opportunity. He runs free of his cage but he is weak and soon is injured and blacks out. In and out of consciousness, he never expects to wake up to his fated mate. Feeling safe for the first time in a very long time, Ollie hopes he can regain his memories and be away from the bad alongside Luke. When Luke gets a call about a shifter stuck in his wolf form, he never expects the wolf to be his fated mate. But once he knows Ollie is his, he isn’t letting himself go. Even when Ollie is an omega too and there are still others out there against male omegas. He’ll protect Ollie and figure out where he came from and how he ended up in the lab filled with humans. But the answers they find may not be anything expected or wanted. I really enjoyed Ollie and Luke’s story. It was fun being back in this world and watching these two find their happy ending after everything they have endured. And we got to see some familiar faces from book one as well! It’s for sure an interesting world and storyline we have going on and I am looking forward to reading the next book!
Fantastic addition to the series! Fate bought Ollie and Luke together but things don’t go smoothly. Poor Ollie went through hell but meeting his mate changed everything.
I can’t wait to read Blake’s story. He definitely deserves his own HEA after everything he’s been through.
*I voluntarily read this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else's*
Luke’s story was just horrible. If he, or the side characters, weren’t made to look incompetent they were written to be down right stupid.
***************** S P O I L E R *******************
If I recall correctly, the very first thing that I found was ridiculous was that after Luke found out Ollie had been kept in a lab by humans that KNEW he was a werewolf, no one thought to check for trackers, especially Doc, who’s supposed to be some kind of wildlife rescue dude on the side. Then, the fact that they reason away that the Triumvirate needs to be called after finding out this news, which is something much bigger than a small town, uneducated 19 yo alpha can handle. Then, after Doc’s house is compromised by the humans that know about werewolves, Luke leaves Doc and Macy there to await the Triumvirate’s arrival… not at a nearby hotel or anything, not knowing anything about what these humans are capable of.
Then, in Madison while visiting Keir, Remy, who is supposed to be the smart one, reaches out to the pack Ollie came from, not knowing whether they had something to do with his captivity or not and actually tells them that Ollie is with him! I thought they were calling to find Blake, but somehow that’s deflected and Remy spills all the tea. No trump card and no finding out about Blake. The real kicker is that Ollie keeps getting memory flashes and keeps having horrible thoughts about his packs, vice happy ones, yet he agrees to go there, a lone omega wolf, with one alpha, to this potentially hostile pack that Remy has explained is very hard to reach, and very isolated. No self preservation skills whatsoever. Keir is also there and his only advice is to complete the mate bond before going…. 😐 After all the danger Keir has been in, that’s his only advice. Julien doesn’t even have anything to say. So all the characters went plum stupid all at once in order to progress the storyline.
Prior to arriving at the Rockcastle pack territory, Luke is contacted by Yang and Smith, who tells them that this pack has ties to the human lab that held Ollie and that they would like for them to gather intel for them since it’s been about 20 years since the Triumvirate last contacted this pack. Now, if the fact that they have ties to the lab doesn’t raise red flags and tell you to be wary, I don’t know what does. Yet, the author has them waltzing in there, not really being suspicious of anyone, despite the perceived animosity throughout Ollie’s POV, which he just ignores, as well as the disdain the Alpha feels and shows towards omega Ollie. Yep, we ignore all that and go inside, ignoring all the suspicious actions of Alpha Mate Wanda and her blantant issue with anyone thinking they can replace her beta son as heir to the pack, even her mate. We ignore that the other pack members have collars around their necks, although somehow we are able to acknowledge that they are servants… and at one point, author even has Luke talking about them getting paid for this… it’s like, seriously? Can he read the room? He could smell fear coming off of Ollie, but none of the servants? Then they commence to eat and drink merrily after knowing all that they were told and seeing all that they have seen! Even after Luke begins to feel the effects of his roughied drink and questions it, seeing Macy taking a hit and Ollie damn near passed out… HE SIPS THE SHIT AGAIN! Like seriously! Can you be any dumber! Needless to say, they all got roughied and locked up in varies ways.
Later, after Ollie escapes and tries to find Macy, the author has him running through the woods barefoot, but has him mentioning his pain and cuts and bruises when he finally stops running… um shifter healing? He had no signs of injury after three years of captivity, but suddenly he has cuts and bruises on his feet? On top of that, he can’t even see at night! She has him say he can see better than humans but he still can’t see in the dark. What? Why? Unnecessary added drama.
So, Ollie finally finds and frees Macy a they are standing outside the building waiting to scale the fence. Clay shows up and walks to the building to unlock the door. Instead of them both running to safety while he unlocks the door and goes inside, Macy had the bright idea to stay behind and fight him and let Ollie runoff instead. Ridiculous. They both could have escaped! But you know what happened… Wanda showed up, used Macy as bait and lure Ollie out. Then Wanda claws Macy anyway… idiots.
I would have put this on the DNF list if I hadn’t gotten to about 75% of the book completed before everyone’s IQ dropped a few octaves…. Before, the stupidity was here and there but the barrage of dumb hit as soon as they got to Rockcastle Pack Lands. It’s like the area was covered in a mist that reduced brain cells to nil.
Oh, and the whole thing that started this entire adventure, you know, the human lab experimenting on werewolves? Nothing was mentioned to have been done about it. Guess it’s still there.
I am a glutton for punishment and wanted a heavy hurt/comfort to tide me through the work week and boy did I get it - at least in part.
Tessa Kane starts us right in the heart of pain where she writes in a way that makes it seem as if you are right there in amongst the confusion and anguish felt by our unknown protagonist.
This is then added to by our second hero (who we meet in the first book) which gives us the outsiders perspective of the effects of the first few chapters. Honestly dual POV all the way.
The story does lose me though as the resolutions and recoveries come all too quickly. we are set up with this intriguing story and it takes two or three chapters afterwards for our two guys to get busy. I had to skip these first intimate scenes as it was uncomfortable and felt too rushed. If you have triggers please be mindful.
To preface my next point, I always try to give shifter/fated mate books the benefit of the doubt and some leeway because of the all too common gift of the fated bond but personally, I found this one too quick in the comfort/healing journey. It was jarring how the reader is given a front row view of what a traumatized character experienced and we are expected to believe that all can be resolved in a night?
I also feel the same about the ending, it felt rushed with too many plot points included too quickly. We didn't really get to see any real in depth resolutions or satisfying revenge (bloodthirsty reader I know I know) and it kind of meant I felt a bit flat after expecting more.
Saying this, I did love the writing style. I felt drawn in and I couldn't't stop until I knew what had happened. Engaging imagery and intense scenes led to an easy and enjoyable quick read which is why I have rounded up my stars.
Overall, I enjoyed this story but felt the wider issues needed to be explored in more detail after a great beginning.
3.5 Stars
I received an ARC copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
LOST WOLF is the second book in the Exiled Omegas series and you don't need to have read book one, although I found it helpful. Luke is the Alpha of the Sweet Water Pack and you get a little history to that as the story begins. The omega, known as ??? for the first few chapters, can't remember much, although he does know he had a different form at one time. When a mistake happens, even in his drugged state, he takes advantage of it and runs away, ending up in Doc's care, who calls Luke. And there you go...
Once again, this is a fast-paced story but it reads so much better than book one did. It isn't all frantic but has ebbs and flows as the story progresses, which I particularly enjoyed. Plus, Luke and Ollie have the opportunity to get to know each other. There were a few whispered comments that disappeared into the aether when I would have loved to have known what was said, but that's just me being nosey.
One thing that both books in this series have shown is that Omegas are not weak. They are not pampered princesses, waiting in a tower for their prince to come rescue them. Nope, they will fight for those they care about and what they believe in. This makes for such a good story!
It looks as though Blake's story is coming next (Ollie's Alpha brother) and, I for one, cannot wait! Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books! 28 Oct, 2024
Before reading LOST WOLF, you are not required to have read Exiled Omegas, though I did find it beneficial. The story opens with some background on Luke, who is the Alpha of the Sweet Water Pack. Though he is aware of having had a different shape in the past, the omega, who is referred to as??? in the early chapters, has trouble remembering anything. He takes advantage of a situation when he is under the influence of drugs and flees, eventually landing in Doc's care, who then contacts Luke. You have it... The plot moves at a breakneck rate, yet this installment is immensely more enjoyable to read than the first. I liked how the tale goes through ebbs and flows rather than being constantly hectic. Along with that, there's a chance for Luke and Ollie to bond. I wish I could have heard a few whispered remarks that were subsequently lost in the ether, but I suppose that's just me being nosy. Both volumes in this series have shown one thing: Omegas aren't frail. By no means are they helpless princesses curled up in a tower, waiting for their prince to save them. No, they will stand up for what's right and defend the people and things they care about. What an engaging tale!I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review
Through a series of actions, a young wolf is able to escape from the lab where he was held captive. Not knowing what to do, he wanders and winds up with a vet after being hit by a car. This leads him to meeting Lucas, an alpha, and his fated mate. Maybe his luck has changed. Lucas helps him shift back to his human body but his memories are fragmented and he does not know his name nor what happened to him. Lucas and the young man go on a quest to find his past. His past will haunt them both and may cost them more than they thought possible.
You will find yourself pulled into this story on page one as we learn and see what this young man/wolf had been subjected to. Your heartstrings are also pulled as these two try to find his past with help from Lucas and his friends. What they find is incredibly scary and so very sad the lengths some will go to for money and power. We also get a teaser at the end for the, hopefully, next book. This one is fantastic. Don’t miss it. I received a complimentary copy of this book. This review is my honest opinion.
Ollie and Luke’s book was an interesting read. It was luckily lacking the never ending drama and angst that filled the first book in the series but don’t let that fool you into thinking this book isn’t pure chaos.
These characters have a knack for getting into terrible situations and meeting some less than stellar characters and packs. I liked the background and storyline for this book and enjoyed how Ollie’s history is also adding to the next book.
Ollie and Luke themselves were sweet together but the book itself is very light spice. I wish that Ollie had more of a transition from wolf to functioning man. The scenes between him and Luke at the beginning were some of the best. But then from one page to the next, Ollie was talking and acting totally normal which was pretty hard to believe.
I’m curious about the next book and excited to read about Ollie’s brother.
Tropes: Fated Mates, Mpreg (none on page), Dual POV, Found Family, Alpha/Omega Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 Spice: 🌶️ 1/5 Relationship: MM
I enjoyed Lone Wolf very much and loved the frantic pace of the story, which mirrored Keir's life on the run, always moving and literally fleeing sometimes. The beginning of Lost Wolf is dramatic and traumatic, with a captive wolf that doesn't know who he is and an young alpha who unwillingly drives through the night and ultimately finds his very unexpected and hard-won HEA. I liked both omega and alpha and thought they were sweet together, but I did feel as though they were both very naive, underestimating dangers when all their spidey senses should have been tingling. I loved seeing Keir, Julien and Remy again, but Remy's wisdom and common sense deserted him completely uncharacteristically and also naively at a really important moment, which didn't ring true at all. I was surprised at the epilogue but very intrigued too and can't wait to read the next book.
3.5 stars - A complex fated mates shifter world in an ongoing series.
This is the second instalment in the series, and although each book focusses on a different couple I do think prior reading is pretty essential, as the world and expanding cast of characters are complex, the storyline fast-paced, and it definitely helps to understand everything that's come before, especially as regards the status of omegas in this series. It's a dual POV story with our two MMCs, and although there's a strong romantic element in that the story centres on a couple and is partly driven by their relationship, I'm not sure I'd necessarily describe it as a paranormal romance - there's a big complex (and quite trauma-led) plot unfolding behind all the storylines which is the main focus, except in the occasional bedroom scene, and despite the jeopardy the MCs find themselves in, overall the book is fairly low angst.
I liked this book and I do think it could work as a standalone; I did enjoy seeing characters cross over from book 1 though. Luke is so protective and a really sweet mate for Ollie. Ollie is strong, brave and shows a lot of resilience for having been through so much. I liked their dynamic and was glad to see them get a HEA. Although there were elements of romance it was much more about the wider action than lots of steam. Some of the later plot was a tad predictable but I enjoyed the glimpse of Blake in the epilogue and it left me eager to read his book (hopefully next!). Overall, a good read with two great characters who are fated mates.
Great adventurous intrigue. Ollie, takes his chance and escapes the lab where he was held captive. He looses a confrontation with a vehicle and is taken to the Vet. He meets Luke who happens to be his fated. Once he returns to human form, he realizes his memory isn't very good and he has amnesia. He has to deal with many anomalies and discrepancies without knowing who is friend or foe. Trust, is a luxury. Ollie and Luke go on an adventure of discovery which is not smooth or easy. They learn a lot about themselves, each other and his captors. Ollie, shows hidden strengths and neither a weakling nor a pushover.The journey for Luke and Ollie to find their path is filled with revelations and answers. Good story, nicely done. I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
DNF. Too stupid to live trope with a fun new twist of the idiots aren’t just being brave and impulsive as they run headlong into danger, they think about it, consult with their friends, then do the dumbest thing they could possibly do immediately after they all decide that doing that thing would be bad. They just blatantly contradict themselves as though they didn’t just decide to avoid the unknown bad guys by calling them immediately and everyone is like, okie dokie, seems reasonable I will dial the number for you. Plus, bad romance novel logic of the recently escaped torture survivor, who was feral, couldn’t speak, was scared of everything… is somehow also down for sex day 2? Immediately after a nightmare too. Totally makes sense (/s). I just couldn’t do it.
The second book in Tessa Kane's Exiled Omega series features Luke and Ollie. Ollie escaped from a human run lab, but having spent so much time in wolf form, he has lost everything. Including his name. Luke is protective and caring. Ollie is a strong wolf, even though he's 'only' an omega. But the humans want him back, and there's danger and suspense along the way. Slow burn, there's some steam, but not too much overt sizzle. Like book one, I found it a very quick read. And that epilogue? I really can't wait fore Blake's story. I received an advanced copy of this book and this is my review.
Wow! I absolutely loved this book. Amazing characters and wonderful plot. Very beautifully written and easy to read.
I was intrigued from the start and read this book in one sitting. Ollie and Luke’s story is full of suspense and mystery. I loved the relationship between Ollie and Luke, how they overcame the hurdles that were thrown at them, and came out stronger together.
Overall I loved this book very much. If you’re looking for a MM fated mates, shifter romance then you’re probably going to love it.
This was a fast easy read for an afternoon. It's a romance, paranormal with a little mystery thrown in. I liked that Ollie was strong and not a weak omega that needed his big, bad alpha to save him. I like that Luke didn't even hesitate to accept a male omega. They fit together well. I liked the story and seeing characters from book one. There is one scene where someone has loose lips, giving away information they shouldn't that was frustrating to me. But it didn't ruin my enjoyment of the overall book. Looking forward to book three.
Tessa is a new to me author, as is shifter romance. To me, I think this book is a great start into a new genre.
This book can be read as a standalone, which is what I did. I didn't realize that this is book 2, with book 3 coming sometime later. I loved enjoyed this book. Low steam, great plot, great action, and the perfect amount of angst to keep me wanting to read. In some places, it was a bit rushed, but still, overall, a wonderful read and I can't wait to see Blake's story.
I'm a fan of contemporary amnesia romances so it was interesting to get this version of a fated mates/shifter one. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I like the way the author handled the amnesia both in the actual story and it the formatting. There was a suitable evil villain in this one and the tension was kept at a good level all through the escape and hunt. I'm really enjoying this series so far and look forward to the next book.
This is a wonderful addition to the Exiled Omegas series. I quickly fell in love with Luke and Ollie and were rooting for them all the way. A well written story where we do meet familiar faces from the first book. Luke and Ollie get their HEA but the plot thickens around what is actually happening. Really looking forward to the next in the series.
One of my favorite tropes is this type of book where a shifter has been captured and is freed and finds their fated mate. Tessa Kane does a pretty decent job with this trope and I hope to read more of this series with a lot of interesting things going on in the background.
It was a good book. I loved seeing the past characters. This book was very dramatic and pretty much instalove and insta trust. I did like Luke though. While I do like book 2 better then book 1 I was not crazy at how fast Ollie went from being terrified of people to trusting Luke with his life, I would have liked to see some trust building. I do hope we get to see Ollie’s brother found.
He has been a test subject for years and he hates humans. He is lucky when he finally manages to escape and yet he is about to bump into an alpha who may just become more. He has no memories so when danger arises they go in the hunt for answers. See just what they will both find as they try to find the answers they both need
This second installment has a persistent dark theme, with only a few lighter moments. If you’re OK with that, you might enjoy the book. But while I would like to follow the storyline, I’m just not a fan of the fighting and extreme evil secondary characters this series seems to represent.
I’m enjoying this series, I liked both Ollie and Luke as characters and it was good to see Kier and Julian again. I thought the story was well written and had plenty of action although their road wasn’t easy they got their hea and now I’m really looking forward to Blake’s story and also hopefully seeing him and Ollie getting their family reunion.
This is such a good story. Ollie escapes, thank goodness from humans, (there is no more vicious creature than humans) and thankfully he eventually ends up with Luke. The perfect Alpha. The pair find his pack and things go from bad to worse from there. Thank goodness Luke is a really good Alpha. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
I loved this book. These kind of hurt/comfort premises really draw me in to the story. Great world building and wonderful characters. I loved both Ollie and Luke. Their story was an adventure to discover what Ollie's forgotten- the amnesia adding to the suspense. I was a bit heartbroken over what had happened to him.
I was hooked to the story and can't wait until the next book. 5 stars