The Tether Protocol

Sovereign #2

by N. von Wolf

I escaped the hangar.
Left behind the experiments, the restraints – and the man who rewired my body with every touch.
Now I hide in the city’s underbelly, bartering code for survival and secrets.
I’m building something. A way out.
I know he's here. He remembers everything I felt. Everything I begged for.
And he’s not just watching anymore.
The Sovereign wants to erase me.
He wants to own me.
And I?
I'll set the fire myself.

The Tether Protocol is a gritty, psychological dark sci-fi romance about a tech-savvy heroine, a cybernetically augmented brute unravelled by obsession, and a world ruled by AI where autonomy is coded, suppressed, and violently reclaimed.
For a full list of Trigger Warnings, visit Author's website
This is Book Two in the series and continues directly from Book One. While brief context is included, you’ll get the full impact (and avoid spoilers) by reading Book One first.

Genres: Dystopia, Kidnapping

231 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 2, 2026

About the author

N. von Wolf writes dark, psychological romance set in worlds where myth bleeds into obsession and love walks a razor’s edge. Her stories explore the intimate territories of power, trauma, and fate – whether in vampire courts, ancient battlegrounds, or dystopian futures.

Rooted in the Balkans and shaped by years in Ireland and Scandinavia, she draws on haunted history, folklore, and cultural echoes to craft emotionally charged tales where the past never sleeps and the heart is never safe. Her favourite playgrounds are epic fantasy, historical and paranormal fiction – but she loves to dip her toes into sci-fi waters, as well.

By night, she writes of forbidden desires and fractured worlds; by day, she thrives as a Technical Engineering Team Lead, a wife, and a mother of two.

You can see what she's currently brewing on her website, or follow her on Social Media:

Reviews

[Jenalle Duffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story, without fluff and repetition to fill it out. Worst part is waiting for book 3.

[Raven Darkholme · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an avid reader for decades, it’s rare for me to encounter an author whose gift feels truly unique. After reading literally thousands of books, I can usually recognize the influences, tropes, and techniques at work. Every now and then, however, I come across a writer who creates something different.

What struck me most about this series was the strange sensation that the characters continued to live and breathe after I put the book down. Most readers have experienced not wanting to stop reading because they’re eager to find out what happens next. I’ve felt that countless times. What I had never experienced before was not wanting to put the book down because I felt I might miss something while I was gone.

Logically, I knew the characters would be exactly where I left them when I stopped to wash dishes or take the dogs outside. Yet the author immersed me so completely in their world that it felt as though life might continue without me. As if something important could happen the moment I looked away.

It’s a rare and remarkable achievement. Whether that’s a testament to the author’s talent or a sign that I’m finally losing my mind, I’ll leave for others to decide. Either way, N. von Wolf has gained a devoted fan.

[Anu · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tether Protocol builds psychological tension so effectively that I found myself reading half‑breathless. Hazel remains a compelling character, and her realizations feel like they unfold in the reader’s own mind. Jasen, meanwhile, is exactly the predator he was designed to be. The dynamic between them — hunter and hunted — is sharp, tense, and impossible to look away from. Two brilliant engineers pushing each other’s limits, and you can’t help wanting to know who comes out on top.

Riva, Ger, and Mick are intriguing additions, and they feel like characters whose roles will matter beyond this installment. And without spoiling anything, the twist near the end genuinely surprised me. I even went back a few pages, annoyed at myself for not catching the clues earlier.

The psychological core of the story ties neatly into the bigger “what if” about AI dominance — what happens when technology sets the rules and humans have to adapt. It’s unsettling in the best way.

The only reason this isn’t a full five stars is that the book doesn’t give all the answers yet. It teases, withholds, and leaves you waiting for the next part — intentionally and effectively.

I’ll be waiting for the sequel, hoping it delivers the answers this one made me crave.

[Neapolitan670 📚🖤 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The foundations maybe be in place but the execution is going to take Hazel some serious working out and on top of this she has a Jase, and he’s more ingrained into her than she wants but his obsessive determination to ensure she is his could be their downfall. Throw in another, who is more than meets the eye and she is on course for decimation herself…

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛 𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚑𝚎𝚠𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚎-𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚢, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚠𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝.

Once again I couldn’t put this one down, the storyline, the tension, the spice, her strength, keeping me gripped to its pages with my pulse racing at times on Hazel’s behalf. This dystopian world, its humans, cyborgs, sentinels, elites and the AI controlling is building up through each book and I can’t wait for the next instalment. The writing within this series, is almost poetic in its fictional prose, the narrative ensuring our brains give us effective visualisations of this world and the characters.

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A continuation of the dystopian psychological spicy romance novel series by N. von Wolf! These books are on the shorter side, but they don't feel short. So much is packed in, and the writing is so good that I wanted to read slow to catch everything! These books are fast paced without feeling rushed or cut short.
I loved how the Sovereign world opened up in book 2 here. New characters, new dynamics, new views of the world. What doesn't change is the rush of feelings and confliction between Hazel and Jase. What will Jase do when he catches Hazel?? Let's just say there are a couple pretty spicy scenes!

[Molls Bells · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are great! I cannot wait for the 3rd!!

[Jeanette_Ava_Botanica S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Morbid: 💀💀💀


A dark, psychologically messy romance wrapped in a dystopian, tech-driven nightmare.

No softness. No easy answers. No clean lines between right and wrong.
Only obsession that follows you… no matter where you run.

This book didn’t just pull me in — it locked me inside its world.

Hazel is one of the most compelling FMCs I’ve read in a long time. She’s not a soldier with perfect aim or unrealistic strength — she’s a technician. Her weapon is her mind. With an augmentation hidden in her thumb, she repairs, adapts, invents, and survives. She’s sharp, calculating, always thinking three steps ahead.

But what makes her unforgettable is the conflict within her — she wants revolution, yet her body, her past, and her skills are all tied to the very system she’s trying to destroy.

And that system?
It feels too real.

This isn’t surface-level sci-fi. The technology shapes everything — identity, morality, relationships. Humans are reduced to tools, technicians forced to maintain the very machines that control them. It makes you stop and wonder… how many humans are truly left?

Then there’s Jase, the MMC.

Augmented. Obsessive. Relentless.
A hunter who refuses to let his prey go — not out of duty, but something far more dangerous.

Their history adds weight to every interaction. She’s lived with him. Survived him. Killed with him. And still chose to run. But Jace doesn’t forget. He tracks her, marks her, binds her, manipulates her — in the most twisted way.

And the love triangle?
It doesn’t soften anything. It tightens the tension.

Their dynamic is suffocating in the best way.
One moment I wanted to crush his skull, the next I was kicking my feet giggling.

Nothing here is simple. The revolution Hazel joins isn’t heroic — it’s brutal, uncompromising. If you’re augmented, you’re no longer human. No mercy. No nuance. That moral clash runs through everything and refuses to let you settle.

And the ending?
Wild. Tense and twisty.
The kind that leaves you staring at the last page, a smooth cliffhanger.

What impressed me most is how this book expands beyond the first. It doesn’t repeat — it evolves. The world is bigger, darker, more textured. The stakes are higher, the psychology deeper, and the concept far more unsettling.

This is a story about control, identity, obsession, and what it means to still be human when everything inside and around you is trying to take that away.

I’m completely invested.
And I need the next book immediately. 🖤

__________
Check the trigger warnings — this one will ruin you in the best way.

TW include, but are not limited to:
• Body horror
• Dub-con & non-con
• Corpses handling
• Gore & decapitation
• Loss of privacy through surveillance & tracking
• Forced incapacitation

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Erin Ellison · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I used to think survival was enough. But surviving in this world is just oppression with breath in the lungs. It took everything from us."

I definitely recommend reading book one, The Chain Loop first! This one is a continuation of the timeline.

What a mindfu**!!! I think having everything in Hazels POV is amazing. You see and witness everything she does but you also feel EVERYTHING shes feeling. Since there aren't other POVs you only know what she knows which makes this whole thing 🤯🤯🤯
So when she's having this inner turmoil you also experience that to the fullest extent. This gave me whiplash but in the absolute best way.

Half the time I'm cursing because I wish we had Jases POV because I NEED to know how he actually feels and what he's actually thinking and the other half I'm like this is freaking brilliant.

There's a couple parts that made my eyes try to leak. This whole world the author created feels so real. This runs so deep emotionally, psychologically. Such an amazing series. That ending!!!!! Whhhhaaaaatttt 🤯 I wasn't expecting that

There's clearly something that connects/ tethers them together but is that something actually love? Will they get their HEA even though they had the messiest start (but given the circumstances...) Or a connection that's built on this captor/captive, obsession, damaged, just can't help but make terrible decisions when you're around this person? All I know is the stakes are at an all time high for survival. I'll be cheering Hazel on not only in the love dept but in the taking down the sovereign as well. I'll be patiently waiting to see how this entire thing unfolds!

While this could be read as a standalone (I guess?) i would def read the first one first. There's enough context in this for a standalone however the book one really establishes quite a bit and this one expands. I'm so looking forward to book 3.



✔️Dark sci-fi psychological thriller romance
✔️ obsession
✔️stalking/ control
✔️Spicy
✔️Emotional instability
✔️Trauma
✔️morally damaged people
✔️Post apocalyptic

[Marina I. · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS! This is proper dark romance! No mooshy love. No sugary instalove. No soft stuff just to make it easier to digest. Everything here is obsessive, dangerous, and earned.

The opening of this book is amazing. I read the first book before this one, and as a returning reader, it reminded me on the important aspects of the world. In fact, it expands it even more, makes it feel contaminated, hungry and alive. It also plants the central tension beautifully: Hazel wants revolution, but her own body and memories are already compromised.

What I loved most is that the romance actually feels dark. The antihero is one of those guys you hate and love at the same time. One moment I wanted to scream at him, the next I was completely under his spell. That push and pull is done sooo well, and it keeps squeezing all the way through the book.

And the heroine? Thank God she is not some helpless, silly girl stumbling from one disaster to the next. She fights like a warrior. Not just physically, but with her mind, her skills, her instinct, and she refuses to break. She is clever, capable, and fascinating to follow.

The middle of the book was where it really sank its claws into me. That was the point where the emotional tension, the danger, and the shifting loyalties started layering on top of each other in such a perfect way. The love triangle is especially strong there, and not in a shallow or gimmicky way. It genuinely adds conflict, heat, and emotional complexity from the side of the heroine. You really feel her dilemma.

And the ending? Wild. Tense, addictive, and loaded with momentum. It left me with that delicious type of reader agony where I needed more the second I finished.

What also impressed me was how different this feels from book one. It does not just repeat the same beats. It expands everything. The world feels richer, darker, bigger, and far more textured now. It really deepens the setting and makes the whole series feel even more ambitious.

There are so many twists throughout this book, and they kept me hooked the entire time.

I cannot wait for the third book! Write faster!

[After Dark Chapters - Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

“They don’t see the core of it – this isn’t about actions, turf or loyalty. It’s about survival. It’s about humanity clawing its way out from under the steel boot of the demon it had once built – and let devour everything.”

⭐️ 3.5/5

N. von Wolf continues to prove why she has become a must-buy author for me. I love how she adapts her style to the world she is creating. The tech elements, AI-controlled society, and bleak dystopian atmosphere pulled me in again. This world is harsh, complicated, and completely immersive.

This installment was slower paced, and I found myself questioning some of Hazel’s choices along the way. I rolled my eyes at Hazel a few times because she is so conflicted. Jase loves her, but his obsession also means he could take away the very thing she is trying to reclaim: her ability to choose. That complicated push and pull is what makes this series so fascinating. The second love interest did not work for me, although the twist was really good. I was expecting something was up and was pleased with the outcome.

I think this one landed closer to 3.5 stars because I wanted more from the story. I was still invested in the world, the writing, and where things are headed, but this felt more like a setup for what is coming next. I’m definitely continuing because I need to see how this all unfolds.

[Bethany Grunau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the second in a series, The Sovereign, and my second ever Sci-Fi Dark Romance. It's a genre I didn't know existed, but now I want more of it. I went into this series thinking that I wouldn't like it because Sci-Fi is a genre that I don't tend to read much of; especially one with cybernetic technology in it. I also didn't expect to like the idea of a man with cybernetic technology, but in a specific comic book series I always preferred a certain soldier over a captain... so maybe I was more into Sci-Fi than I had originally thought. And if that soldier is more up your alley than a captain is; then you just might like this book as much as I did. The story line is unique, futuristic, and not for the faint of heart. And it leaves you wanting MORE. And the very detailed, extremely helpful glossary makes it easy to understand the technical and engineering phrases that not everyone would commonly know. That alone makes me rate it as a 5 star read. Take a chance and try a new genre, you just may like it!

[Laura La · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one completely pulled me in. Even though it’s the second book, it can easily be read as a standalone and that’s because the author does a great job setting up the world and the characters.
I appreciated the technical side of it. The details add depth without slowing things down and make everything feel more real and immersive.

I loved the FMC. She’s not the classic apocalyptic-world type the soldier with perfect aim but no real training. Nope...her weapon is her brain. She thinks, adapts, and survives, and that just works.
The tension, the dynamic, the spice, the whole setup flows smotthly.

Also, not going to lie… I now kind of want a pair of RangeCuffs

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book I've read from this author. I understand this is book two, and the world building in this one was enough that I didn't feel lost in not reading the first book.

This book is only in Hazel's POV, and I usually don't read single POV, but for me, in this story it worked. I was right there with Hazel, pulled into her world and what she was feeling.

A very captivating book that stays with you after the last page.

[One Midnight Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read The Tether Protocol by Ness Von Wolf without really knowing what to expect, and it ended up pulling me in more than I thought it would. Since it’s the second book, you can tell the world is already established, but instead of just continuing the story, it actually goes deeper — especially when it comes to the whole idea of “tethering.”

What I liked most is that the concept doesn’t feel superficial. It’s not just some futuristic tech thrown in for effect — it actually shapes how the characters think, behave, and relate to each other. At times it even made me stop and think about how much control we really have over our own choices.

The characters felt more real to me in this one. They’re not overly likeable or “perfect,” but that’s kind of the point. Everyone feels a bit conflicted, a bit stuck, and that made it easier to stay invested in what happens to them.

It’s definitely not a standalone book — you’d get more out of it if you’ve read the first one — and it clearly sets things up for what’s coming next. But it didn’t feel like filler. More like a bridge that actually matters.

Overall, it’s a thoughtful, slightly unsettling sci-fi story that focuses more on ideas and human behavior than just action. It stayed with me longer than I expected.