Arri had been abused and picked on all his life. Born a runt, and then maturing into an omega, he was cast out of his pack. Figuring he’d not find another pack willing to take him in, he struggled to make a life for himself in the human world. If he didn’t have bad luck, he had no luck at all. Jobs were hard to come by, and he wasn’t able to keep them for long, his omega empathy causing humiliating meltdowns. He’d been robbed, mugged, and nearly raped too many times to count. Arri’s wolf was fundamentally broken, with no way to emerge, or protect him, finally withdrawing deep within him and remaining silent. Then, a day came when things changed. Answering yet another employment ad, he was stunned to find the source of the advertisement was a beta wolf, then was shocked further when he was presented before the alpha of the Woodlynn pack. He’d heard rumors about this pack, the alpha considered one of the strongest on the continent. He believed the rumors after meeting the large male. Arri’s silent wolf had awakened, whispering to him, calling the alpha, mate, which was ridiculous. Alphas didn’t mate with lowly omegas. Especially male omegas, even though Arri was perfectly capable of giving an alpha pups, or so he’d been told by the old ex-beta he’d befriended. But then again, male omegas were rare, and thought little of, viewed as weak, considered unnatural. So, he would ignore his wolf, do his job, and keep his head down, not causing Alpha Dryden any cause to fire him. \~\~\~\ Dryden knew there was something different about the assistant his beta, Vann, had brought to him. He was human, yet he smelled of wolf. But not a scent Dryden had ever experienced before. Vann hadn’t seemed to notice, though Dryden suspected his beta was still angry at Dryden insisting on a human assistant. How could he tell his beta he’d felt an uneasiness in his pack, a danger that he couldn’t put his finger on, and didn’t want to trust any pack-mates to handle his affairs? As time passed, his instincts that something was wrong within his pack grew, along with the certainty that Arri was not what he seemed. It was when Dryden was visiting another pack, tremulous negotiations for an alliance in the works, and Arri was attacked, that the truth came out. Dryden’s assistant was an omega wolf. And not just any omega, but a Fae Omega, which would be the reason Dryden hadn’t known. Omega wolves were rare, and most packs banished them for their weaknesses. But a Fae Omega was unheard of, most believing them myths. The Fae had died out a long time ago, and for an omega wolf to be born with Fae blood was incredible. But that wasn’t Dryden’s biggest problem. The moment Arri had shifted, Dryden’s wolf went into the blood-mate fever, the need to claim the omega the only thing he was capable of thinking about. But to claim Arri, Dryden would have to fight the alpha of Arri’s home pack, and he wasn’t sure he could win. And, then there was the unknown threat within his own pack that he still needed to figure out.

Sometimes…being a hero hurts. Vann was thrilled for his alpha, Dryden claiming his mate, and now expecting a pup. Thanks to the alpha-beta link between them, the only downside was how much Dryden’s happiness emphasized Vann’s own loneliness. There was a wolf who caught Vann’s eye, possibly his fated mate, but Vann couldn’t claim a male. It was too engrained in him to seek out a female mate. An alpha female. Then, the unimaginable happened. Once again, Arri was abducted, and held captive. Except this time, Vann was as much a prisoner as Arri. Day after day, Vann endured Kale’s cruel torture so that Arri would be as safe as possible. But the pup was coming soon… …and Vann’s vow as alpha guardian took on a whole new meaning. Unable to bear the shame, and guilt of his actions, and unwilling to return to Woodlynn to face his alpha, Vann fled, abandoning Dryden now that the male had his mate back safe, and sound. \~\~\~\ Dryden was beyond worried that his lead beta, his alpha guardian—his best friend—had disappeared without a trace. Knowing what drove the male to take off didn’t matter to Dryden. Vann had saved his mate, his family. He’d fulfilled his vow, and then some. Dryden was indebted to Vann, and missed the beta desperately, more than he thought possible. But Vann’s disappearance was only the tip of the iceberg. There was no peace for his family, he was depending on Rovyn more, and more, and yet, couldn’t because the beta had claimed his mate, and needed time with Anrean. Then there was Border pack, his brother Massey having stepped down, and gone home, leaving Dryden as alpha to both Woodlynn, and Border. Not something that was going over well with the Border wolves. Even Kasp, a psychotic wolf who once belonged to Woodlynn a few years ago was challenging his right to lead Border as the alpha who bested Sbrel. And to top it all off, Truin, one of his beta-in-trainings, and Vann’s fated mate, had left in search of the missing alpha-guardian, without permission. His life in chaos, Dryden wasn’t sure what was going to happen. Would he defeat the challengers bent on destroying him? Would he, and Arri ever have time to raise their pup without constant threats? Would Vann ever return?

Life had gotten complicated for Alpha Dryden. His alpha guardian, lead beta, and best friend had disappeared. A new threat, or three had surfaced, and to make things worse, he’d been challenged by several Border Pack wolves. Once he’d saved his mate…again, he thought things would settle down, and he and Arri could enjoy their son. But it wasn’t to be, and Dryden was lost without Vann. A feeling he wasn’t enjoying. The pain of separation was more than he thought possible, and he wondered if it would ever go away, or if Vann would ever return. \~\~\~\ Vann had run, but fate had caught up with him. Manipulated by the alphas of the pack he was hiding in, he had to struggle with his desire, and his wolf with Truin so close. But, fate was a bitch, and Vann found himself in a predicament he was unprepared to handle. Just when he’d thought he might escape again, he was thrust into a situation he thought impossible, and his resolve was crumbling. Pain had been his constant companion since fleeing his pack, and his alpha. But now, there was hope, and Vann wasn’t sure he deserved it. But, just maybe, if he forgave the pain within him, that hope might blossom into something real.