Free the Wolf: Alex Steward Book 3

by Stefanie Gilmour

Alex is more unified with her inner wolf than ever, but now the Committee threatens to tear them apart.

As her connection to the creature within her solidifies, Alex’s other relationships fracture. Anne now views Alex with suspicion. Emma is quickly losing patience with their new living arrangement. And Ben, having dodged arrest for violating the terms of his tether, hasn’t contacted Alex.

But there are larger problems for Hopewell’s werewolves. Joe Stone, a Committee member and mayoral candidate, continues his crusade to control supernatural citizens. To stop Stone from gaining more power, Alex scrambles to link him to the Hunter who murdered a werewolf.

As she hunts for evidence, Alex discovers someone is asking about the horrific day her inner wolf emerged—the day they left a man to die in the woods. Thanks to Stone’s new laws, those details require Alex to be put on trial by the Committee and, if found guilty, be tethered.

How can Alex stop Stone if what she’s fought to accept, the wolf within the woman, is taken from her?

282 pages, Paperback

Published May 18, 2024

About the author

Stefanie is a graphic designer who enjoys creepy and fantastical stories. Her short fiction has been published in The Quiet Ones literary magazine.

Plants, concerts, books, and writing are a few of her favorite things. She’s a Midwest native and lives there with her patient husband and their tolerant cat.

Reviews

[Linda Bieze · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this final book of the Alex Steward trilogy, friends and enemies old and new all play important roles.
Mayoral candidate Joe Stone, also a member of the Committee that governs the supernaturals who live in Hopewell, is wielding more power. Werewolf Alex’s significant other, the tethered wizard Ben, is on the run after a Hunter, possibly hired by Stone, killed another werewolf.
And there’s a new wizard in town—Sebastian Visser, a practicing necromancer. Is he here to steal Ben away from Alex? Or worse? Who even invited him to this party?
Stone has proposed new rules that will retroactively punish supernatural citizens for past infractions of the rules—even if they were committed years ago and outside Hopewell. As a result, Alex finds herself tethered for something that happened years ago in her New York hometown.
Alex’s parents and grandmother arrive in Hopewell just in time to see her arrested and tethered. Now, the inner beast with whom she had been making peace is nowhere to be found, and Alex’s supernatural powers have been silenced. Nevertheless, Alex continues to dig for proof that Stone hired the Hunter who killed the young werewolf, Isaac.
Things keep getting worse. Nate and Trish, the werewolf owners of Hell’s Bells and Alex’s mentors, are arrested. Vampire Fillip also wants to get his teeth into Stone. And Alex’s cop friend Anne, a Commoner, apparently has inherited the Hunter’s powerful key.
How will Alex be released from the tether? Will she and Ben be reunited? Author Stefanie Gilmour deftly weaves all these plot strands together to bring a satisfying end to the tale. But Hopewell may never be the same.

[Sherrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is unique for being supernatural without being porny or centered on a romantic plot ... like, I feel good recommending the series to my daughters. There is romance but the MC has an identity and story arc separate from the burgeoning romance with Ben ... in fact, he's absent for a lot of this book.

This book picks up right after the events of book 2, so definitely recommend reading all 3 books in order so you can fully get what's going on. That said, if you start with book 3, you can pick up the plot pretty quickly, and it moves quickly in a very satisfying way. Joe Stone is on the Council now and doing his best to oppress all supernatural creatures. Joan and Ben are on the run and MIA. Anne isn't speaking to Alex, Nathan and Trish are in bad trouble, and Fillip is calling in his marker in a really bad way. There's a new character, Sebastian, who's louche and has questionable motives, and whom Alex doesn't know whether to trust or not.

I get super impatient with characters who are incompetent, and at times, Alex is such a mess, I want to shake her. BUT she's also undeniably likeable. I can't help rooting for her. She's really loyal and self-aware, and she's driven to right wrongs. I also am totally invested in the other Hopewell characters, especially Trish, Nathan, Ben, Emma and Anne (her controversial choice in this book notwithstanding). I enjoyed meeting Alex's family for the first time ... I hope they reappear and we learn more about her werewolf forebears.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book in the series and the ONLY way things could have wrapped up for the frustratingly stubborn Alex Steward.

In the third book in the Alex Steward series, we are pulled in from the first page as Alex faces her biggest trial yet, and stumbles to its conclusion as only Alex can. I both didn’t want to know and couldn’t wait to find out what she was going to do next, that’s the beauty of this character Gilmour has created. I was furious, agitated, overwhelmed and relieved right along with Alex and her pack. Do yourself a favor and check out this series!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that Alex is a messy heroine. One who is realistically impulsive and brave and terrified and loyal and forgetful and so many things at once. She’s the type of woman who, when push comes to shove will go down swinging, and then only feel mildly chagrined about it if someone else gets hurt or takes the blame instead of herself. The stakes just kept getting higher and higher and higher in this novel and I just kept rooting harder and harder for her. I really hope this isn’t the last we see of Alex, because I enjoy this series immensely.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: Stef is a friend and I got an ARC copy of this book. The most riveting and action-packed of the series so far. The whole series is paced well and it was fun to see things really start moving in Hopewell. I also thought the relationship of Alex and her wolf got more nuanced and descriptive in this one. Meeting her family and the addition of Sebastian was pitch-perfect (especially Lunella). You can see Alex's maturity bloom in this one which was a delight to read. I really enjoyed it and couldn't put it down. Looking forward to more adventures!

[Bethany Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun quick reading trilogy. I think the 2nd and 3rd books were better than the first, so overall a satisfying series. I bought these books directly from the author when she had an exhibit booth at my wife's roller derby tournament. Gilmour is a great storyteller, with enough fantasy to transport the reader even as a sprinkling of details grounds it very much in our current lived reality. Recommended for queer fantasy lovers in particular.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️- Alex is still trying to acquire the acceptance of werewolves, but it doesn’t seem to be easy when one person is working hard to deem werewolves as dangerous. It also doesn’t help when Alex’s past catches up with her.

This book is SO good! I love how Alex’s growth is shown quite a bit in this one. The characters were great and the storyline was enjoyable!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent conclusion to the trilogy, the best of the three books. Alex faces more obstacles than ever, even as she stubbornly battles to bring justice to her community. The ending is earned and satisfying. Although it wraps up the main story, I hope we get more of Alex’s adventures!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex is learning to embrace every part of her wolf. But when an outrageous man named Stone starts causing trouble with extreme laws for supernatural beings, can she and her crew stop him? Well-written characters; a page turner.

[Mya Willson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought a third book could satisfy me until the fourth comes out, but I'm already counting the days. I can't wait to see what happens next!

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Free the Wolf was a great read from start to finish! In every book in this series, the main character, Alex, barely gives herself time to rest before another problem (often of her own making) comes rushing at her. This book pushes Alex beyond what she's experienced before. She's really put through the ringer and the constant excitement is what makes this the best book in the series so far.

One of my favorite things about reading a series is getting to know the characters and these books do not disappoint. I enjoy growing into the characters along with the author, learning who they are and what makes them tick. By the third book in this series, I really felt like I understood Alex and her friends and I enjoyed going on this journey with them.

If you liked either of the other books in this series, or if you just enjoy fun urban fantasy, I highly recommend Free the Wolf!

[Alyson Raven · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author did it again! Took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, twists, turns, and intrigue. Things went in a direction that I was truly not expecting, and I really did care about and feel for the characters involved. I read the book within 24 hours of starting it, and then regretted it because it meant that this instalment was over too quickly. If you are an Urban Fantasy reader who enjoys stories involving werewolves, vampires, wizards, and fae with a strong female main character – this series is for you.

[Amy J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a thrilling story. Couldn't put the book down, once I began reading it. Never a dull moment. Very relatable and relevant to what's been happening currently, socially, politically and culturally. I'm always left wondering what will happen next.

[Martha Grimes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book #3 is a thrilling and emotional ride for Alex and me as the reader, wow! Both villains and heroes alike. Urban Fantasy readers won’t be disappointed with the twists and turns this story takes!

[Luanne Kraus]

This is the third in the series. They just keep getting better!

[Lisa Kraus · Rating 5 out of 5]

So fast-paced, it’s hard to put down!