Off The Beaten Path LGBT, Gay Paranormal Romance, Shifters
Independently Published
January 11, 2021
188
When Ward Johannsen’s little girl Ava shifted into a werewolf, she was taken into custody by the feds and shipped off to the nearest pack, all ties between father and daughter severed. Ward burned every bridge he had discovering her location, and then almost froze to death in the Colorado mountains tracking her new pack down. And that’s just the beginning of his struggle.
Henry Dormer is an alpha werewolf and an elite black ops soldier who failed his last mission. He returns home, hoping for some time to recuperate and help settle the pack’s newest member, a little pup named Ava who can’t shift back to her human form. Instead he meets Ward, who refuses to leave his daughter without a fight.
The two men are as different as night and day, but their respect for each other strikes a spark of mutual interest that quickly grows into a flame. They might find something special together—love, passion, and even a family—if they can survive trigger-happy pack guardians, violent werewolf politics, and meddling government agencies that are just as likely to get their alpha soldiers killed as bring them home safely.
Available at Amazon.
Reviewed by Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Review Team
Ward Johannsen had a one-night stand that resulted in the birth of his daughter Ava. Not wanting any part of motherhood all rights to Ava were turned over to Ward who couldn’t be happier, Ava was the light of his life and being her father was a job he took very seriously and never regretted her birth for even a second. Four years old and Ava is off for her first day of school a day that would change Ward and Ava’s lives forever and would result in her being taken away from him.
In school Ava shifted into a werewolf and by law she was immediately taken to the nearest pack to be raised. Ward was not allowed to see her and had no idea where she was but there was no way he was going to accept what happened and with the help of a friend he located the pack something that could put him in prison if the wolves didn’t end his life first. There was nothing that would keep him from his little girl and as he stood outside the pack gates freezing, he was greeted by Samantha the Alpha’s sister who knew who he was and knew he was Ava’s dad. Ava has not shifted back to human and is not doing well physically, not eating and just howling. Sam is hopeful that Ward can get through to his daughter but when her brother Henry Dormer the Alpha arrives, he is anything but welcoming.
Henry has just come back from a mission something that all Alpha’s are required to do, serve their country going places and doing things normal humans can’t. Without permission from Homeland Security Ward’s arrival and acceptance on pack land could put everyone in trouble. Henry accepts the fact that Ward might be the one able to encourage Ava to shift back to human and he couldn’t help but be impressed with Ward who didn’t shy away from him or any of the other pack members in fact his first visit to Ava ended up with him hitting the doctor in the head with a rocking chair. He can’t be next to Ava because she has no way of controlling herself as a wolf but when she sees her dad it is evident to everyone that she knows who he is and wants her daddy.
Werewolves were accidentally created and are under total control by the government and whoever is put in charge of them. They have no say over their lives and unfortunately as so often happens those in charge rule with cruelty. Henry works with Ward on getting through to Ava and the two men begin to have feelings for each other but the powers that be are not going to make a relationship possible and if Ava doesn’t shift back her life will be in danger.
This was a beautiful story about a father who won’t give up on his little girl no matter what stands in his way. An Alpha who goes off to follow the orders of the man who holds his life in his hands to do whatever it takes to protect his pack and the human who unexpectedly entered his life and may be the one to change it for the better. I am sure you will love this story and like me find yourself angry at a government who tries to beat down beings different than them.
