Chief

The Iron Wolf Company #1

by Delmire Hart

Rebelling against his father and his royal heritage, Darnell founded the mercenary band The Iron Wolf Company many years ago. The alpha enjoys his life on the road with his trusted band of roughs, forging their own fate and building up their company’s name.

Until his father, the king, finally makes good on his threat and arranges him an omega mate.

Weston has spent the last four years in another kingdom learning about his healing Gift from the prestigious Kitari Guild of Healers. He returns armed with knowledge of his own power, herbs, and medicines only to discover that he won’t be helping with his family’s clinic like he always dreamed.

Darnell doesn’t want to be held back by anyone and must come to terms with what having a mate means, while Weston struggles to find his place amongst a band of coarse mercenaries.

61,000~ words. Alpha/omega non-shifter romance.

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, Omegaverse, Romance, Historical, Royalty, M M Fantasy

216 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 7, 2017

About the author

Delmire Hart is a little ginger kiwi born in the peaceful country of New Zealand before she migrated to the wondrous crazy of Australia. Starting off as an avid fantasy reader and nerd extraordinaire, she was that one weird kid carting around brick-sized novels with glee. This closet romantic didn’t understand just what she was missing out on until she ventured into the depths of the internet seeking the perfect blend of erotic and romantic. Fantasy can be as sexy and sensual as you want it to be! Miss Hart now takes great pleasure mixing steamy gay romances with magical twists and intriguing dynamics. While always a sucker for a happy ending, she is a big believer that the journey to get there is the fun part and endeavours to create varied worlds for all to enjoy.

Reviews

[Shin Mon Thway · Rating 4 out of 5]

So ... after two weeks of negotiating and rearranging the schedule for countless times, Lorraine and I could finally BRed this delicacy. 😁 And special shout out to Bo for getting this book under our radar. 👍 I’ve always loved Delmire Hart’s writing. Her book “The Grumpy Thistle Fairy” was one of my favorite short reads last year. And my love continues to this amazingly realistic and heartwarming book. 😌 Though this is not rich in world building, I believe the character depth and development of this story is quite amazing. 💙 I fell in love not only with the two main characters Chief and Angel but also with all the other misfits in the mercenary band. 😍 They are crude, lewd and quite brutish at the first encounter but they sure grow on you. 😉 After being thrust together into not a very desirable situation, Weston and Darnell found themselves mated for life.



Weston is a Kitari healer who has the gifted art of healing power and comes from a long line of healers. After studying 4 years in the Kitari healers guild, Weston found himself already sold off to an unknown alpha by his parents when he returned home after learning all the arts of healing. He always thought he’d have the choice to chose who to mate but now, his fate is hanging precariously in the hands of an alpha whom he’s never even met before.

Darnell the youngest son of the King aka the prince aka the chief of the mercenary band never in a million years thought he’d be mated to an omega whom he’s never even met of. He hates the treachery and backstabbing of the court and prefers the simple life of a mercenary on road. And now, he found himself mated to an omega who has the healing gift. Life on the road is hard and dangerous and it certainly is not the place for a gentle and soft omega. And worst, he doesn’t even know how treat his new mate. Nevertheless the duties are in order and the journey must continue. And he must find a foothold with his omega ASAP if he dreams of having a chance at love with him.



I love how absolutely realistic and charming this book is. Darnell and Weston didn’t fall head over heels in love instantly. 😊 Their love is a conscious love that they both learnt how to and cherish each other more than anyone in the end. I loved how vivid and real their journey to the Oceanside town is. It was like reading a beautiful travel diary. 😌 And loved the UST and blossoming relationship with Darnell and Weston and Weston’s budding friendship with everyone else in the band. And my, the sex was hot! 😱 And knotting! 🔥 I was quite miffed with Wolf but forgave him after I learnt his past. I would have rated this book higher if it was edited better. But it didn’t deter my enjoyment of the book at all. Read this in one sitting and loved every single second of it. Now onto book 2!



4.25 love can make anyone romantic stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

[Elise ✘ a.k.a Ryder's Pet ✘ · Rating 3 out of 5]

⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Not Bad, But I Needed More*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱

The book centers around mercenary leader Prince Darnell ‘Cheif’ Antonio Salvatore Harvey the Third and Weston ‘Angel’, a Kitari healer of Guild of Healers. Weston had spent 4 years learning how to use his gift of healing, only to come home to be told that he's been sold as a mate. Knowing that it'll help saving many people, he agrees without any fight. His mate? Darnell. A warrior who isn't interested in a mate, specially considering an omega isn't fit for a life on the road, on dangerous missions. But as time goes, Weston and Darnell gets closer and Darnell's dream of having a base is getting closer.

Overall, when I first started the book, I though ‘No, this isn't for me’ with all the ‘!’ being used, but luckily it didn't seem to last. I liked the story, the friendship and the characters as individual, however, I wanted more. More of family bond, more depth and frankly, I wanted more action. More fighting with swords and showing how good the company is. Which we only got to see like 2 time shortly.

Also, not to spoil or anything, but this book didn't feel like a closure for Weston and Darnell, so I'm a little bugged that next book isn't about them. I'm also not sure if I want to continue the series, even though this was an enjoyable read. I liked it. I didn't love it, but it held my attention. Oh and what's the ages for the characters? I should also mention that I wished Darnell was more... alpha. I mean, he's an alpha but I wish he acted more alpha in a possessive and demanding way, you know?

Other Characters:
→ Claud (alpha), Darnell's uncle.
→ Wolf (alpha), Darnell's second command.
→ Tiger (alpha), Darnell's third in command.
→ Deadeye (beta), Bandit (beta), Sting (beta), Oak (alpha), Watchdog (beta), Hawk (beta), Pip (beta), a member of the mercenary band The Iron Wolf Company.

“I am of the opinion there are two types of love; the feeling of love that is in the songs and dreams of youth. It is passionate nights and ballads of flowery feelings. It is a fleeting thing that is gone with the wind. The conscious choice to love someone, to put aside their faults, to reach compromise, to stand beside them and love them through all life’s hardships. That is the love I wish for you both. It is the love I feel for my mate, the flames in my heart strong even though she no longer walks this earth.”
Weston stared up at the alpha, speechless. The feelings he spoke of shone in his eyes for the briefest of moments and his heart ached at the flash of sadness that replaced it. He had never heard of love spoken in such terms and he filed away his father-in-law’s words for later inspection. It was a perspective he would have to examine in his thoughts on his own. It gave him a flash of hope though, perhaps it was not a dream that his arranged mating could end with love.

Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Fantasy Historical Romance (M/M).
Series: - Series, Book One.
Love triangle? - No.
Cheating? - No.
HEA? - Not really, though it might be considered a HEA for this couple.
Favorite character? - Weston ‘Angel’.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Yes.
Would I recommend this book/series? -Sure.
Will I read this again in the future? - Probably not, but who knows.
Rating - 3 stars.

[Bo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me preface my review by saying there are some editing issues, and wrong words used in this book. Occasionally, it would pull me out of the story with a frown. However, I loved the characters and the plot of this book so much, I almost didn't care. We get an arranged marriage between an alpha Prince and a gifted omega. Weston has been off at school for 4 years studying the healing arts. His family lineage is full of gifted healers, and he seems to have the most power. He's dreamed of coming home to work in his parent's clinic. However, his homecoming is cut short when he's told he's been betrothed to the alpha Prince. This is no ordinary Prince either. He left the kingdom to start his own band of mercenaries. Darnell is very stand offish because he doesn't know how to act. I loved all the mercenaries with their bawdy banter, and their dream to have a home. Wolf is the second, and he's a complete ass for most of this book. However, he redeems himself later. I'm off to read his book next. This author has really grown on me. I think with some better editing and proofreading her books could be great.

[Steph ☀️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not too bad of a AOB read...

Okay, so besides this book needing editing I was a tad bit disappointed with it. Here are some of the reasons in no particular order.
1. This story would have definitely benefited from more world building.

2. While we are told about this group of mercenaries, I felt that there should have been more "jobs" or something because I didn't feel that they were what one would think of as mercenaries.

3. While the story has aspects of Mpreg and Weston can get preggers, it just doesn't happen. I am not upset nor do I feel cheated that it didn't happen. Honestly, when his heat finally did struck it really felt anticlimactic; no pun intended.

I am interested in Wolf's story, so I more than likely will give that one a go.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I found a new favorite author and series!! So many characters with different personalities in this group of missionaries and I can’t wait to read each ones own story. 😊

[~nikki the recovering book addict · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars, all things considered

I love the world building. I typically enjoy this kind of stories set in fictional worlds and in medieval times where one still gets around with a horse. I’m sure there’s a legit genre name for this kind but I’ve never really bothered to find out. Lol..

Anyways, all things considered, the story was an entertaining one. But by gosh, the author really needs to hire a proofreader! It’s mired with spelling errors, incorrect word errors (that’s something you see on the very first page!) and heaps of grammatical errors!

If the story werent so entertaining, I think I’d have pulled out my hair by now. I had to check where the author was from. And she’s from a country whose first language is English! I can’t understand how this happens!

Anyhow, i want to say, for those who typically skip badly edited books, consider giving this one a chance. It really is quite good if you can look past the errors.

[JenMcJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is written in a world that encompasses *MPREG** Had I realized that I would not have invested any time into this because I know how much I hate it. I did finish it, sadly, without the "heat", knotting and mpreg trope, this would have been a better book, IMO, but then again, I hate mpreg. I feel that if the idea that the ultimate romance/connection/true love indicator has to include kids through pregnancy, no matter how absurd the idea, the ultimate romance/connection/true love ideal has been widely missed.

There is no world building around the mpreg, no explanation of how it would work, but it has the usual "wet" self lubing ass, magic knotting orgasm and the usual delirious heat which are so boring to me. If you are so horny, that quite frankly you wouldn't really know who you are fucking, where is the erotica?

Glad it was KU.

[Lyndac · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would've given 5 stars if there had been some editing done. I would've also liked more world building/explaining, but maybe that was part of the lure of the story.

[Amanda Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. It was set in a ABO universe but with a different take on it than I have read before.

Weston is an omega who has just returned home after 4 years of studying his Gift at a prestigious school of sorts. He finds out that his parents received a hefty dowry for him to be married to the youngest prince, who also happens to be the leader of a band of mercenaries called The Iron Wolf Company.

Darnell is the youngest son to the king but has never enjoyed the rulings of the court. Instead he formed a band of mercenaries that are more family. He finds himself having to bond with an omega who is there to help with the healing of his band.

I liked that even though they had to bond the same night they met, it wasn’t instant love. They felt the pull towards each other due to their status and bond but they got to know each other. There was hesitation and doubt, but Weston and Darnell grew closer the more they were together. Yes they had sex (and went through a heat) but it was the relationship that grew and I really enjoyed that.

[J1B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could have liked this more. It hit many of the tropes that I love in MM: medieval fantasy gifted healer, arranged marriage, sword and board adventure, and even gay characters (I'm pretty sure). The writing obviously needed further editing, but I actually have no issue with bad editing if the story is solid, which this one was. No, the biggest problem is this is yet another MM omegaverse with Female Alphas and Omegas. This is a bananas concept, since the omega conceit exists to allow males a vehicle for pregnancy; females are already capable of pregnancy, so the omega conceit is redundant! Too often this is an excuse for the alpha/omega dynamic to just be a proxy for gender roles, and I HATE this interpretation. It's lazy and leads to ridiculous pairings like a female alpha with a male omega, leaving the mechanics of pregnancy very much an open question! Unless females have a secret penis down there (and I admittedly have NO idea if this is the case or not, and as a platinum star gay I have never and will never come into contact with one to find out) that male omega is going to have a hard time conceiving.

[Beth doesn't write enough reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a lot to enjoy here. Full characters, interesting storyline and drama.

However the proofreading and editing is several lacking. The dedication is hilarious after reading the book;

Massive shout out to the people who helped look over the story as I wrote it but huge hugs and endless thanks to Deenita especially for helping me find all the mistakes < 3

I can only imagine the horrors Deenita found if this final release has this many mistakes. There are a couple in my highlights as an example.

I’m told book 2 is better but still a mess and being the glutton for punishment I am I will read it because despite my low rating & complaints I did love the characters, storyline & the tiny bit of romance tucked in.

[Beaumont · Rating 3 out of 5]

New to me author. I absolutely LOVED the concept of this book. It’s everything I never realized it wanted! I also haven’t seen anything too similar to the idea before, so that was fun! Unfortunately there were a lot of typos and the story definitely needed some smoothing out. The back half, where I was looking forward to Weston integrating into the group, dragged quite a lot for me. I was really sad about that, because the parts I was looking forward to happened but that about it: they just seemed to happen without much else, if that makes sense? Still, this author has some fantastic ideas so I would like to try other books from her to see if this one was kind of a fluke.

Weston is an adult male omega. He has “olive skin” with red hair, green eyes, and a “scrawny” build. His age is unspecified but he’s probably somewhere between 20-22? He’s a healer and has completed four years of training for this. He has an omega mother and an alpha father. He finds out his family promised him as the husband of the king’s youngest son years ago, and that money paid for his training. His parents essentially run a clinic and the money went to support that too. He has a younger omega sister. He’s a Kitari healer, meaning he has the Gift (basically magic but they don’t call it that) of healing with only his own magic. This is the reason he’s selected by the king.

Darnell is an adult male alpha. He’s white with brown hair and eyes, and a “large bulky frame”. His age is unspecified but he’s probably 2-10 years older than Weston? Possibly he’s the same age but it’s unlikely in omegaverse. He also calls Wolf “old” and Wolf isn’t even 40. He implies he prefers women and preferred to “find his own bride,” but is also interested in men (bisexual). He has never slept with an omega but he’s not a virgin either. He’s the youngest child of the king. His mom has passed away. His dad is an alpha king. He runs a mercenary group and has little patience for nobility. He wanted to renounce his royal status but his dad wouldn’t do it. He has no idea he’s been betrothed for years. His father picked a mate for him because Darnell would not.

The healing magic was OK. Basically Weston sang a song and his hands (and sometimes eyes) glowed with green light.

Didn’t like:
—Some pretty frequent major typos (using your instead of you’re, wrong words like peel instead of peal or rivière instead of reverie, he instead of she, almost exclusively using the possessive instead of plural or vice versa, etc.)
—so many !!!!!! used in the first half
—some awkward writing choices (almost every other sentence or more ended with an exclamation point! Not all sentences need them! Otherwise it seems like everyone is screaming all the time!)
—Weston’s mom was hard to read. She was a very awkward attempt at a woman character and it had a lot of giggling and silly-headedness
—the implication that alphas and omegas only “played” with betas before settling down with a “real” partner
—dragged a little in places despite being a short book, and felt repetitive at times (like Darnell describing his dream home with the same words several times)
—inconsistencies (ex: someone had never heard of a Kitari healer, then the next page is talking about the tales they’ve heard of the healers)

Did like:
—omegas aren’t forced to be virgins until marriage. Weston had several previous beta sexual partners
—mating bonds could be formed without sex, but it’s a lot more painful that way (biting)
—that omegas also marked alphas with a mating bite
—the existence of women alphas. If there are men and women omegas, why are there never the reverse? I like that that was the case here! Though we never actually see a woman alpha… :(
(I know some people get bent out of shape about female alphas but come on, magic healing and male omegas makes perfect sense? It’s not a solid argument to be mad about female alphas - they’re cool and we never get to see them!)
—what a super fun premise! I love it!


Tropes and content warnings:
—arranged marriage
—fantasy medieval-ish setting
—omegaverse
—size difference
—mercenary leader x healer
—omegas are similar to the classic image of Victorian women, as is common in this genre
—damsel x warrior
—frequent embarrassment (Weston)
—strict gender roles for alphas and omegas
—child with cancer who cannot be healed by magic
—lots of crying (Weston)
—kidnapping and human trafficking (side characters)
—reference to precious enslavement (secondary character in Chief’s band)

Other:
—Third person dual POV
—romantic rival: no
—cheating: no
—breakup: no
—kids: no, but the MCs plan to have kids in the future
—breakup: no
—sexual roles: strict. The omega bottoms and the alpha tops
—HEA: yes for this couple

[Susana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prince Darnell Antonio Salvatore Harvey the Third left his pompous name and his title behind, to become the leader of a successful band of mercenaries. He never thought his father the King would make good of his threat of finding him a mate if Darnell did not do it himself. Unexpectedly mated, Darnell doubts whether the little Omega will be suited for a life on the roads…. Or how his ruthless fellow warriors will react to his presence…
All that Weston wanted when he finished his four years of training as a Kitari healer was coming back home and being able to help his parents in their family clinic. The disappointment he fells at discovering he’s been sold to a powerful alpha is only surpassed by his anxiety at his future. What kind of life awaits him on the road? And will his reluctant new mate and his rough companions be able to accept him?
This is a really nice Alpha/Omega romance, and an excellent first book for a series. Both main characters are likeable, specially Weston, who endears himself to the reader almost from the start. His sweetness and his willingness to help people, together with his despair when he cannot heal those who come to him, make him very special. Weston is a gifted healer who trained four years with the Gild of Kitari Healers, paid with the dowry the king gave his father when he arranged his marriage. This comes as a big surprise to him, but he soon accepts his fate. His kindness and gentle nature slowly grows on the members of the Iron Wolf Company, the band Darnell leads, who nickname him Angel. The other members of the band are all interesting characters: Deadeye, Wolf, Bandit, Hawk, Pip, Oak, Watchdog… I’m looking forward to finding out more about all of them. Basically, the book deals with how Darnell and Weston fall in love, and the adaptation of Weston until he becomes a full member of the Company. There are adventures and there is romance, and all in all it makes for a very satisfying story. The only problem I had with this story is the edition. There are plenty of typos which makes it a bit messy sometimes. It would improve with some revision…. Anyway, I did enjoy this story a lot, and will certainly continue reading the series.
Really enjoyable

[Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

‎What an adventure!


‎I enjoyed the journey to this world. I hope the worldbuilding was more elaborate, but the pacing was right. It set the mood perfectly. It felt like traveling with them.


‎I was truly charmed not just by the main characters but by the side characters as well.

I liked Weston for being selfless. He was kind, gentle and caring. The usual characteristics of omegas. Some would probably get fed up with that version of omegas, but not me. I liked him. At the end of the day, he was a survivor. His strength lies in his empathy and compassion.

‎Darnell, who had no experience dealing with omegas, was at a loss. He didn't know what to do with his new mate. So what did he do? He treated him like one of the guys. Which means ignoring him. His reaction was pretty understandable, once you realize that he truly had no idea about caring for his own mate. His members were kind enough to help him with his omega. Thank God for the small miracle.


‎I felt so sad for Weston in the beginning. He must have felt so alone with strangers who didn't know what to do with him and his own mate ignoring him. But he prevailed and in the end he was able to win their hearts.

‎Darnell, for all his flaws, was a good leader. He cared deeply for the members of his band. He treated them like his family who always had his back. It was obvious he knew them well enough. It was heartwarming to know he included them in his dream.
‎

‎I really liked the connection between Weston and the Iron Wolf Company. Just like his relationship with Darnell, his connection with the members built slowly. It wasn't love at first sight or lust between our main characters. It was gradual understanding and appreciation. The friendship between the members was so precious. I really like their chemistry.

‎Overall, this was a satisfying story. I hope there are more stories about them.

[Boyslove · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice read. Not great, not bad.

There needed to be a lot more editing to the book, errors appeared very often, I normally don’t take stars off for errors/small editing, but there were just a lot in this book, so I did.

I think there should have been mpreg. Mpreg is possible in this book which I’m sure scares off lots of people who can’t stand mpreg or whatever, but for those of us who don’t mind it and even enjoy it in moderation, I feel like it was a disappointment that there was no actual mpreg.

I feel like Darnell and Weston needed another book primarily about them that kind of finished off their story, or perhaps the first book should have been slightly longer.

3 stars, although with a little editing I’d be happy to say 3.5 stars.

It may sound like I didn’t like the book, but I actually did like it. Even with its flaws, I found myself enjoying this, mostly, easy read.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't bad, but it was a little boring. The author could have done so much more with the book! There was hardly a plot (plot= getting to know each other, with a few semi-exciting scenes that don't really relate) and the world building was weak. There was so much potential! The characterization was strong, but unfortunately for me, that's my least important criteria. But nothing really happens besides getting to know the characters- 85% of the story is them just traveling. I kept waiting for something to happen :(
I will read the second book. Hopefully, there's... more.

[Eli · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet and easy read. A little omega with an healing gift. An arranged marriage. A band of colorful fellows. A slow burn kind of romance (even though they tie the knot really early on the book)
My major letdown was with Angel/Weaston: why do omegas keep getting depicted as little blushing gentle guys, who are afraid of violence but show unexpected strength when protecting their loved ones. Why the eternal trope of "you don't see your own beauty/charm/cuteness/whatever and that makes you beautiful" ?
I'm kind of tired of those clichés and that's why, even though it was an agreeable novel, I can only give it 3 out of 5 stars.

[lorikayhorsfall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love is not lost , it's just waiting to be found .

This book led me down a path of not just two men but a whole crew of men learning to open up to each other and let love become a accepted part of their lives . This is a good book for anyone who finds it hard to accept that they to can find love .

[Kenzi Bond · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure about this series at first but it grew on me. There are many different aspects to the non-shifter alpha-omega world and I think this one was a nice example. When I reached the end of the first book, I just had to purchase the next one because I couldn't leave Wolf, without knowing his story. Overall, I think the world created and the character dynamics made this a good read.

[Local ankle biter · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars only because it is a comfort read

needs an editor so bad but its fun. I kinda wouldve liked it better if it was just aboiut their travels and stuff without the plot thrown in there at the end.

Delmire pls if u read this i love ur little band of crude men i will always want more content abt them

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

I love this book! This is of my favorite books and my favorite book from this author. Miss Hart is a great author. I always buy her book. Because Iknow I will get a book I can read over and over again. If you read one or ten books a month. This should be one of them

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh the spelling/wording issues!!! I liked the story and the setup of this band of mercs, but it really need a proofreader. Not just misspelling, but the use of wrong words or extra words in the sentence throughout the story. I almost dnf'd because it was driving me crazy.

[Ariel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. It had great characters and a good plot, but I had to take a star off because it really needs an editor. Poor grammar and missing or wrong words pulled me out of the story multiple times which was frustrating.

[Omega696 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the arranged marriage part with all the finding your place in it part. The characters were interesting and I liked the main couple plus all the secondary characters, even the king. It was a nice and relaxing story.

[Blake Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good!

It is low angst, and the story flows extremely well. I am not going to lie; Weston got on my nerves a tad with being so emotional about random things, but I really like how the book ended and the connections the characters made.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Jessie H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 Stars

[Caroline Brand · Rating 3 out of 5]

The spelling and wording errors were very distracting in this one. A proofreader would have made all the difference

[SunShiney10 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay book, nothing special

[Megan Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, this book has editing problems for sure. But the difference with this book, compared to others that have the same problem is that after a bit the story pulled me in enough that I barely registered them.

It’s a really solid start to a series IMHO.