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Mating Run #2
Rivals
He signed up to be hunted—but he never expected his rival to be the one catching him.
Buttoned-down human Nick has spent years butting heads with wolf shifter Viktor—his arrogant, insufferably handsome coworker. When they clash in meetings, Viktor always finds a way to come out on top.
Nick hates him. Truly.
Which is why he never expected to run straight into Viktor on the mating run.
One night. One chase. A pack of anonymous werewolves free to take what they want from a human. It was supposed to be simple—one secret night of pure submission.
But now, the man who’s spent years challenging him in the office has him pinned down in the woods.
And this time? Viktor definitely has the upper hand.
But if Viktor thinks Nick is going to roll over without a fight—he’s dead wrong.
Rivals is a high-heat knotty wolf shifter/human enemies to lovers romance with a HEA. It's part of the Mating Run series, but can be read as a spicy little standalone.
Buttoned-down human Nick has spent years butting heads with wolf shifter Viktor—his arrogant, insufferably handsome coworker. When they clash in meetings, Viktor always finds a way to come out on top.
Nick hates him. Truly.
Which is why he never expected to run straight into Viktor on the mating run.
One night. One chase. A pack of anonymous werewolves free to take what they want from a human. It was supposed to be simple—one secret night of pure submission.
But now, the man who’s spent years challenging him in the office has him pinned down in the woods.
And this time? Viktor definitely has the upper hand.
But if Viktor thinks Nick is going to roll over without a fight—he’s dead wrong.
Rivals is a high-heat knotty wolf shifter/human enemies to lovers romance with a HEA. It's part of the Mating Run series, but can be read as a spicy little standalone.
122 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 7, 2025
104 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 17, 2025
3*** stars
I’m not quite sure what I expected here but to put in one word it would be: More.
The title of the book is deceiving. I thought the hunt would take place with them being in some kind of wolf form but there was no shifting at all. It was sex. Nothing more. And even as I usually don’t mind that when I choose to read an erotica and/or a short/novella I would’ve still wished for a tiny bit more plot and maybe a domestic scene or two there at the end to round out their HEA? What we get tho, is a one-year-later that comes out of nowhere right after the werewolf knotted the human in the woods which also only shows another sex scene in the office’s supply room with only a hint of what had transpired in the past year.
I’m leaving this unsatisfied but I was still kind of hooked while I read it. Tho the writing was very repetitive which lessened my enjoyment a bit further. Don’t know if I will come back for more of this. Probably not.
************
Mating Run Series
Book 1 - Caught
Book 2 - Rivals - 3.0 stars
Book 3 - Stalked
Book 4 - Kept
Book 5 - Ours
Book 6 - Off Limits
I’m not quite sure what I expected here but to put in one word it would be: More.
[…] he'd never once felt his knot begin to form. It was a sacred part of werewolf physiology—a biological bonding mechanism that emerged only with true mates. Not with one-night stands. Not with colleagues. Not with Nick from fucking work.
The title of the book is deceiving. I thought the hunt would take place with them being in some kind of wolf form but there was no shifting at all. It was sex. Nothing more. And even as I usually don’t mind that when I choose to read an erotica and/or a short/novella I would’ve still wished for a tiny bit more plot and maybe a domestic scene or two there at the end to round out their HEA? What we get tho, is a one-year-later that comes out of nowhere right after the werewolf knotted the human in the woods which also only shows another sex scene in the office’s supply room with only a hint of what had transpired in the past year.
I’m leaving this unsatisfied but I was still kind of hooked while I read it. Tho the writing was very repetitive which lessened my enjoyment a bit further. Don’t know if I will come back for more of this. Probably not.
************
Mating Run Series
Book 1 - Caught
Book 2 - Rivals - 3.0 stars
Book 3 - Stalked
Book 4 - Kept
Book 5 - Ours
Book 6 - Off Limits
October 8, 2025
Nate + Viktor 🖤
Work rivals | Surprise mates | Involuntary knotting | "Mine"
Is it really love if your mate doesn't fight another wolf off of you while they're both buck ass naked in their human form? Just picturing flaccid dicks flopping around while their owners punch each other 😂
The taunting after they both figured out who the other was, killed me.
“What’s wrong? Impotent?”
“Look at you, ... So damn desperate. .... Still trying to pretend you’re in control.”
And I love a good "relax, I got you" moment between enemies
⚠️potential spoilers below in detailed tropes, content and warning lists
Tropes/content:
Work rivals
Wolf + human
Mating run
Surprise mates
Primal play
Touch him and die
Involuntary knotting
Sex over the copy machine at work
Taunting and teasing
Brattiness
Face fucking
Power swapping
Rescues him from another wolf
"Tell me to stop"
Strict roles
Mine mine mine
Jealousy
Possessiveness
"Relax, I got you"
Bareback
Warnings:
Breath play not previously consented to during a face fuck
Spit for lube
Work rivals | Surprise mates | Involuntary knotting | "Mine"
Is it really love if your mate doesn't fight another wolf off of you while they're both buck ass naked in their human form? Just picturing flaccid dicks flopping around while their owners punch each other 😂
The taunting after they both figured out who the other was, killed me.
“What’s wrong? Impotent?”
“Look at you, ... So damn desperate. .... Still trying to pretend you’re in control.”
And I love a good "relax, I got you" moment between enemies
⚠️potential spoilers below in detailed tropes, content and warning lists
Tropes/content:
Work rivals
Wolf + human
Mating run
Surprise mates
Primal play
Touch him and die
Involuntary knotting
Sex over the copy machine at work
Taunting and teasing
Brattiness
Face fucking
Power swapping
Rescues him from another wolf
"Tell me to stop"
Strict roles
Mine mine mine
Jealousy
Possessiveness
"Relax, I got you"
Bareback
Warnings:
Breath play not previously consented to during a face fuck
Spit for lube
June 29, 2025
2.5 stars
Once again, this is another erotic short that was OTT, but written well and hot.
Once again, this is another erotic short that was OTT, but written well and hot.
August 30, 2025
Love an enemies to lovers story.
Read
February 18, 2026i’m going to be honest i was ~50% into this (and yes i did start this in class) when i realized this was JUST smut. (sorry i have tunnel vision and my play books tab is like MINUSCULE on the public computer in class) i then checked the page count and less than a hundred pages…..honestly making it this short is doing it a disservice bc like. i finished this in like 40 min and i wanted MORE i wanted the schmoop i wanted more regarding the fated mates realization. perhaps im not the target audience bc im sure someone got off to this. not this asexual freak though (did notice. pretty solid written sex though! like way more readable than the not sex and the tension TENSIONED i love barbs and cutting remarks) but like this could have been SUCH A GOOD FULL FLEDGED NOVELLL pleaseeeee i was so excitedddd. but i mean for what it is, it’s good i guess!
also midway thru their semi public epilogue sex my lovely friendly acquaintance/the girl who sits next to me in class asked if i was okay. so im scared to think abt what i looked like reading that…
also midway thru their semi public epilogue sex my lovely friendly acquaintance/the girl who sits next to me in class asked if i was okay. so im scared to think abt what i looked like reading that…
September 22, 2025
Too abrupt an ending. Where was the HEA?. I was just left in limbo. Some people will be okay with the ending. Not me. They didn’t even say “I love you”. I just feel deflated and shortchanged. I’ve read one other of this authors work and I don’t remember feeling empty like this. I’ll give another book a chance but I’m going to go to the end, which I never do, to see how it ends first. If they don’t get their HEA it’ll be a DNF unfortunately. I can’t waste my precious reading time on a book that leaves me feeling bereft.
October 8, 2025
This is a good enemies-to-lovers story, but I'm not a fan of the rush, rush ending.
Viktor and Nick were enemies at work. So they come together - really come together - during the mating run. As in, fated mates coming together. Then they spend a year (I think?) keeping it secret? Even at the end, nobody knew about their relationship because they kept the banter going at work.
The word 'boyfriend' was used, but no 'I love yous'.
Rushed HFN ending.
4 stars instead of less because I did like them together, and I got a kick out of Nick's taunts.
Viktor and Nick were enemies at work. So they come together - really come together - during the mating run. As in, fated mates coming together. Then they spend a year (I think?) keeping it secret? Even at the end, nobody knew about their relationship because they kept the banter going at work.
The word 'boyfriend' was used, but no 'I love yous'.
Rushed HFN ending.
4 stars instead of less because I did like them together, and I got a kick out of Nick's taunts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2025
MM🌈
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Paranormal
Werewolf
Coworkers/rivals
Nick and Viktor are coworkers and have a heated rivalry. Viktor is a werewolf and Nick thinks his ego is too big. They exchange snarky jabs as often as possible.
Tonight is the hunt, where werewolves are allowed to hunt down a mate in the forest. Humans get one year living expenses if they volunteer. Nick volunteered this year. And who catches his scent and realizes he is his mate….Viktor.
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Paranormal
Werewolf
Coworkers/rivals
Nick and Viktor are coworkers and have a heated rivalry. Viktor is a werewolf and Nick thinks his ego is too big. They exchange snarky jabs as often as possible.
Tonight is the hunt, where werewolves are allowed to hunt down a mate in the forest. Humans get one year living expenses if they volunteer. Nick volunteered this year. And who catches his scent and realizes he is his mate….Viktor.
July 30, 2025
These Two
This one was yummy but the crap talk between them…. I laughed out loud. And once again I can see this being a longer story or leading into a bigger one. Looking forward to the next book!
This one was yummy but the crap talk between them…. I laughed out loud. And once again I can see this being a longer story or leading into a bigger one. Looking forward to the next book!
April 9, 2025
Very nice, short enemies to lovers to mates. Primal play duh..knots...hells yeah and kinda sweet. Perfect
Read
April 23, 2025DNF
May 5, 2025
4 Stars
This one was hot! Much better than the first one. The characters actually had some depth even if that was just snark. The spice was good also.
This one was hot! Much better than the first one. The characters actually had some depth even if that was just snark. The spice was good also.
May 31, 2025
love these two!!!
Yep book number two so far the best!!!! I loved it every moment! I want more of these two and I want puppies!!!!
Yep book number two so far the best!!!! I loved it every moment! I want more of these two and I want puppies!!!!
July 31, 2025
3.5 stars
Fun
Fun
October 20, 2025
Quick spicy read
I loved the enemies to lovers and it was even better that they were co-workers. Plenty of spice to go around.
I loved the enemies to lovers and it was even better that they were co-workers. Plenty of spice to go around.
June 27, 2025
Very funny I enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews