Survival, 2
Chloe struggles to rationalize why she strolled past two friendly police officers and calmly walked away with her kidnapper. The intense attraction she feels for Raff is confusing enough, but the sense of belonging she feels around all the guys has her second-guessing reality. Can getting abducted, being injected with experimental drugs, and told you are no longer human be the best thing to ever happen to a girl?
Excerpt:
“Spare me the flowery words. Something happened. I can tell I’m different. I’m not saying I’m buying into your crazy stories, but I feel the need to stick around until I figure it out. That’s all.” I was emphatic.
“It’s the beginning of the pack bond.” He rubbed my leg again.
How could his touch be both incredibly annoying and wonderfully soothing at the same time? I felt weak for giving in and allowing my captivity to become self-enforced, yet I experienced such a sense of completeness when I was with the guys. “Stop trying to brainwash me.”
He removed his hand from my leg and placed it back on the steering wheel. I immediately felt the loss. A tortured sigh escaped his lips. “Even seeing isn’t believing with you.”
“I believe I woke up covered in blood and naked. That doesn’t prove I turned into an animal. The simplest solution is I hallucinated because you drugged me.”
“Does it feel different with me then it has with other men?” he prodded.
“What?” I snorted. “You need an ego boost?”
“Our connection is more than physical. Admit it.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, hugging tightly. My gaze strayed outside the window. I was finding it increasingly difficult to make eye contact.
“You’re embarrassed,” he accused.
I shook my head, more to chastise myself then to deny his words. I refused to rise to the bait and hand away any more of my soul than I had in the diner. Raff jerked the car to the side of the road and threw it in “park.” It appeared he wasn’t going to leave me with any dignity.
“Do you feel how deep our connection is?” He faced me and leaned in. His presence in the car grew, and I was like a caged animal.
“What do you want from me?” I screamed in his face.
“For once? How about the fucking truth, Chloe?” He reached for my hand and placed it over his heart. I could feel it beating wildly. My own traitorous heart raced to match the flutter. “This heart beats for you. I’m not a true alpha without you. This is not a pack without you. You are my mate. I will never feel complete without you. Please stop pretending this thing between us isn’t real. You’re just hurting us both. Admit you feel the same things.”
“You don’t get it!” I yanked my hand back. “I do feel it. I’m not just embarrassed. The better word would be ashamed. I just walked away from my freedom! You took my life away from me. You changed me without my permission. God help me, but I do feel complete with you, and it is pissing me off! How dare you be everything I want! Any woman with an ounce of pride would have run. I stayed because the thought of leaving you and the guys was unbearable.” A dam of tears burst. “I’m ashamed of myself. I should be stronger. I should be fighting harder. I shouldn’t be a willing captive.”
My sobs turned ugly. I struggled to breathe as I buried my face in my hands. The sound of my seat belt unclicking was followed by strong arms engulfing me. Raff drew me across the bench seat till my head rested on his chest. I continued to gulp in air during my soul-shattering keening. Raff made soothing noises and stroked my hair. The deep sense of mourning vanished as his body warmth seeped into me.
“I’m sorry,” his voice shook with emotion. “It was a shit thing to do to you. I couldn’t see past the survival of our kind. It’s not fair to expect you to embrace it all. I don’t want you broken, darlin’. I love your fire. I wish I could give you the choice, but what I did can’t be undone. We are part of each other now. It’s only gonna’ get stronger.”
The confession of my shame was at least cathartic. I was able to pull myself together and lean back. “Where does that leave us then? A part of me still wants to hate you.”
Raff flinched but nodded his understanding. “Your resentment is warranted. I’m hopeful it will lessen in time. Hate and love are the most powerful emotions, yet in our case the line between them is blurry. Our mate bond and the pack bonds are going to make you want to love.”
“You see how messed up this is, don’t you?”
“I do.”
I slid back over and refastened my seat belt. “Then you’ll understand why I will need to make you work for it.”
A strangled sound between a laugh and groan echoed in the truck cab. “I’d expect nothing less.”
Loved this book, especially as a continuation of the the Survival story. It's never slow and has just the right amount of back story, new characters, action, sex, and fun twists. I highly recommend starting with Book 1 and quickly moving on to this one! Can't wait for more.
Raff and Chloes story continues. She still struggles with what her heart says and what reality should be. She thinks this cant be real but she feels safe with Raff and the others. Its a pack thing. Couldnt put either book down.
Chloe learns she is a shifter, which she can't wrap her head around. Raff and his brothers try to convince her but she needs more proof. With all that is happening she also learns her whole life has been a lie told to her by her mother. Now she doesn't know who and what to believe. Time is running out and Raff and his brothers need Chloe to accept them before the next shift. This book was great and I can't wait for the next book in this series.
Part 1 was already great and kept you glued to your book and now we move on to the sequel and we get the second part of Raff and Chloe's story. Once again you are stuck with your book and we find out more and there are many twists and turns. I also recommend reading this part, it is definitely worth it. I can't wait for the next part of this series.
This is the first book I've read written by Maria Mercurio; I can’t wait to read more of her books. This is the second book in the Survival Series; it is a stand-alone short story. The story is about Chloe and her reactions to her kidnappers. I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
An emotional journey she was traveling on, finding out who she is and being with the pack. Book certainly had me gripped and couldn’t put down. CharActers were certainly mesmerising. Definitely an enjoyable read I recieved a free copy via Booksprout and I’m giving my review freely and honestly
This was an interesting tale and different from most shifter stories I've read. Chloe was a dormant wolf shifter who was kidnapped by her true mate Raff and given something that allowed her to shift into her wolf form. This was all a shock to her as she thought she was human and didn't know shifters existed. She was not happy about this yet felt attracted to Raff and the developing pack bond. Will she give Raff and her small pack a chance or will she run away? Check out this imaginative tale to find out.
Raff and Chloe's story. Chloe is trying to process being kidnapped, and now a female alpha. Raff, on the other hand, has a tongue of liquid chocolate. Any time he spoke to Chloe, his words are magic.
This is book 2 in the "Survival" series and it's just as engaging as the first book. Both books have a strong female character who struggles with autonomy against a group she perceives to be limiting her. The story centers around a woman who is kidnapped because she is a fated mate to an alpha. She has never been aware of her shifter side. I love the underlying principle, that you may be happier and stronger as a group (pack) than as an unhappy individual. The story is not violent and while there is sex and nudity, it's more R-rated in nature. The series is a fun, quick read if you enjoy shifter books. It's not too intense. The next book is about a couple who we meet in this story, and I think it will be interesting to see how that plays out. I will look forward to reading it!
I have to admit (sheepishly) that I somehow missed that this was book 2, and I haven’t read book 1. I am definitely going to read book 1 to find out how the whole thing started! So obviously I was a little slow to understand all that was going on. That being said, I still was able to immerse myself into this story. I liked the setting and the characters, and there was good character development throughout the story. I LOVED the author’s imagination regarding the politics within the packs, and the role of the Alpha female to keep them all together. Of course, the ending was a “Damn, I want to read more!!!” *grin* So now I can’t wait for more, and I’m glad I can go back and read. Book 1!
I totally take back my review from the first book. I understand now where the author is taking this story. It will be a series of books that continue with the original characters but highlight new ones along the way. Like a saga. The writing is amazing and I am hooked. It is different than the usual shifter romances because it focuses on the uncertainty of the forced shift into a wolf by her mate. She struggles with the emotions of not being able to choose for herself. There is a lot of history pertaining to the pack and Chloe’s family. I really love the closeness of family she has with her pack. Raff treats her like a princess even when she is acting like an a** coming to terms with her wolfness. I can’t wait to read the next book.
This book was a good read, however i did struggle to read it at first because i had not read book one. However, reading in between the lines i got the gist of what had happened in book one. In this second book , we see that Chloe has been kidnapped, and she struggles with herself about who she is and what she is. Raff has not permited her to see her mother, but its her mother who Chloe thinks has all the answers. All in all it was a good book to read, i only gave it four stars because i struggled in the start to think about what was going on.
This is the continuation of Chloe, Raff, and the packs story. This is book 2. In book 1, Chloe was kidnapped and injected against her will. The substance made Chloe shift. Chloe had a dormant shifter gene and without the medication Chloe would essentially always been a lone wolf instead of a alpha female. Chloe has struggled to believe that is the truth. Raff takes Chloe and his pack home to meet his family. Chloe ends up finding out a lot about her family, her mom was hiding. Chloe has to decide, give into the mating bond, or walk away forever. Chloe isn't just bound to Raff, she's bound to his pack too.
Emotional Read Chloe is trying to come to terms with what has happened to her and that she now completes the pack she belongs with! An emotional journey as she finds herself and come to terms with her past, present and future with an Alpha mate who is patient and strong. Wonderful characters within and outside their pack with a storyline that will keep you on your toes!
I am so mad at her mom for hiding her heritage from her so long. And being kidnapped and mattd without realizing your apart of the main pack is scary as crap.
Love this book--short read but super intense story--loved the story and how it all played out was truly a great read--
I read book one and got hitched. And once I started reading this I was no able to put it down. I felt everything what Chloe was feeling and getting frustrated with everything that was happening around. Again as in the 1st book I feel that we need the male POV, at least just a peek inside that brain. I can not wait for the Miles' story!!!
Raff and Chloe’s story is amazing wish there was a 3rd book about there continued life as there is so many unanswered questions. Do they get married and have kids and do they find mates for the rest of the pack so many unanswered questions
