Lena and Kael’s Journey . . .
** 4.5 Stars **
Darek, a Hunter, was torturing Alpha shifter Kael, having fed him wolfsbane to keep him weakened and unable to fight back while he pushed a silver knife into his side just far enough to cause pain but not kill him. Their intention was to wipe out the shifters completely. Now Kael feels he has failed his pack when he couldn’t stop the Hunters. Another Hunter mentioned that Theron should also be wiped out… he was the traitor who sold Kael’s pack to these Hunters -- but they would not escape either. And Darek continued torturing Kael, aware he could not even shift to heal himself. And the worst was yet to come...
More than 5 years later, Lena watched her father Theron on his knees; she was terrified of Alpha Kael and the stories she heard about him. She knew her father had told Kael’s pack to Hunters, but she tried to be different and right his wrongs. But here she was, kneeling an chained, able to do nothing. When her father finally went to far with his insults, Kael ripped out his throat. Lena felt a burden lifted, then nothing. A warrior asked Kael if he wanted her thrown in the dungeon and he glared at her like she was a debt long overdue. But she pleaded for the life of the pack members who were not at fault for her father’s betrayal. When Kael finally was ready to decide the fate of his captives, he spared their lives but did not make them part of his pack. They deserved nothing from him, not even mercy. But Lena would become his personal slave. He says he wants to make her suffer, but will he? And when she listens in on a conversation he and Vivienne are having as Vivienne is pushing him to marry him now, he tells Lena she will be punished. She doesn’t beg or try to talk him out of it. She is ready to face it and doesn’t pull away, behind the fear is a resolve that hasn't shattered, despite his threat to break her… so he kisses her to humiliate… and instead he is the one who loses control as he deepens the kiss. And when he ends the kiss, she slaps him across the face! As he angrily faces him, his wolf, for the first time in many years, spoke to him… Mine! He thought his wolf was gone forever. Is there hope that he still exists? Is there hope that he can find a future with his mate?