THE ALPHA’S MATE (The Wolvers #1) by Jacqueline Rhoades

THE ALPHA’S MATE by Jacqueline Rhoades

THE ALPHA’S MATE is the first storyline (May 2012 release) in The Wolvers series by Jacqueline Rhoades.

Former librarian 32year old Elizabeth Reynolds was on sabbatical and moving to Rabbit Creek. Locating her new place was a bit of a nightmare, but finding herself in the arms of a complete stranger made everything worthwhile. With her car stuck in the mud and strange animals in the forest, Elizabeth hope she hadn’t made an awful mistake. Spending the night at a complete stranger’s home would take on a whole new meaning when she found herself fighting off a pack of wolves while a fire raged all around.

Marshall Goodman is the chief of police, owns the local specialty mill and alpha male of the pack. His attraction to Elizabeth is instant, but the signals she is sending are confusing all of the males.  At some point, Elizabeth is under the mistaken notion that Marshall is already in a committed relationship with his cousin Henry, but it is Marshall who believes she knows they are wolves.

Elizabeth was introduced to the local folks but Charles Goodman, Marshall’s brother seemed to take a special interest in the new resident of Rabbit Creek. Thinking that Marshall was gay, Elizabeth made a half-hearted attempt at seduction, but realized that Charles wasn’t the man for her.  But when a beaten and bloody woman is found in her front yard, Elizabeth must contact Marshall hoping to save the young woman’s life.  And to Elizabeth’s amazement, she will find a shifting wolf that was once Marshall Goodman.  But it will be the women of the Creek that take Elizabeth aside and tell her the story of their wolves.

There was a fight brewing for wolver territory and Alpha.  Fires, assaults and bullets wounds would find Elizabeth with a house full of shifters and an injured wolf to care.  Marshall was the Alpha and he had to protect his wolves and his territory, and for all intents and purposes, Elizabeth was his to protect.

Elizabeth was an unexpected gift to the Alpha and his Pack. They told her tales of their matings and stories about the townsfolk, and Elizabeth decided to write a story of their lives-without the paranormal content. But Marshall also had a job to do and the marijuana grow-ops were taxing his time and his men.

Charles made it a point to introduce himself to Elizabeth’s family. Suave and sophisticated, Charles hoped to find a mate in Elizabeth, and something about the man drew her like a moth to a flame. As the alpha of his own Pack, Charles was committed to moving forward and modernizing their ways, but animosity between the brothers ran deep and long.

The fight for possession would turn personal. When Marshall was injured trying to protect Elizabeth, it was Max ( the young woman found injured) who would explain the reason for the alpha rage.  There was something about Elizabeth that drew the other alpha males around but the circumstances had changed and now it was an act of revenge.

The Goodman family had a gift.  As Alpha, Marshall’s gift was needed whenever there were injuries and wounded wolves, but there was no one around when Marshall needed help.  Elizabeth knew that only one other male in the family would be capable to heal the man that she loved, and by calling him in, she may have sealed her fate. But Elizabeth believed she was no Alpha’s Mate and insisted it had all been a mistake.

A challenge had been issued for the Alpha position, the Pack and its’ mate, and Elizabeth was the prize.  When another alpha claimed the rights by an ancient Pack law, it was up to Elizabeth to figure a way to save Marshall, the Pack and her life. A little research and a couple of friends in high places, Elizabeth found a loophole that would hopefully benefit Marshall’s pack and see the rightful Alpha back in charge.

THE ALPHA’S MATE is a romantic adventure about a Pack looking for a mate (for its’ Alpha) and thinking they had found her in Elizabeth Reynolds. The major character development is smooth, but there are a number of secondary players that get lost in the mix.  Sometimes too many characters and names make for a confusing storyline and at times I had to go back and double check.

Jacqueline’s version of the mating heat adds a twist that at times had me worried as to the direction our heroine was heading, but in the end, the Alpha finds his mate and his heart.  The Alpha’s Mate looks at the magical allure of the shifter wolf and why we love our storybook alpha males.  A great start to another series by Jacqueline Rhoades.

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Reviewed by Sandy