Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Mating the Predator

SERIES: Paranormal Wars: Stone Haven #4

AUTHOR: Shea Balik

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 122 pages

RELEASE DATE: April 5, 2020

BLURB:

Zeke Torres was always picked on because he was a scared mouse shifter. When his mother married a hawk shifter, he had to suffer through his stepbrother’s cruelty on a daily basis. He fought hard for his independence and vowed to never be under the control of anyone else.

Rangi Ku is an eagle shifter and Director of Communications for the Alliance’s Northern Territory. Working late one night, he was shocked when his computer was hacked (a feat that no one had ever done), with a message asking for help. He saved the man who hacked into their network and was surprised to find Zeke was his mate.

When Alek, their Alpha Primus, accuses Zeke of being a traitor, Zeke must find the courage to put aside his reservations and trust Rangi to protect him. A predator mating his prey may not seem plausible, but Rangi is determined to show his little mouse he is more than just a bird of prey.

REVIEW:

Possible triggers: severe abuse and beatings

I think this is one of my favorite books of this series so far, and for so many reasons. It’s been, to me, the most intense one so far, and that’s saying a lot. I was wondering if the Alliance was actually going to come back from this one, but because of one sweet mouse shifter who was always called weak, he actually proved how strong he really is.

Zeke has known pain for years. He finally thought he was pretty much free, until he comes home to find his abuser/step-brother in his home. Forcing Zeke to quit his job and even out of his own bed, Zeke is back to living the life he did as a kid. Being abused and called weak. It wasn’t until his step-brother needed his help with something on a program, that Zeke was able to send out a distress signal, hoping the people he sent it to would come get the sought after step-brother of his and end this crap in his life. What he didn’t expect, was not only did it get to the right people, but he found his mate as well. As soon as Rangi saw him, he knew Zeke was his. But how do you get a little mouse to trust his eagle won’t hurt him, when he’s been preyed on by another bird predator? And when they all get home, Alek seems to be going nuts, even going so far as to arrest Zeke for being a traitor. It’s just one thing after another happening where Alek seems to be losing his mind. And he is, but not for the reasons everyone thinks. Only Zeke now knows why and it’s going to be a task to catch the one who is starting all this crap to begin with. And ending with his step-brother. But can they do it in time before even the Alliance breaks into shattered pieces?

I hate abusers. So so much. Any people, being or whatever that tries to use their strength or whatever they think they have to make others feel weak and belittled. Only to make themselves look like the big bad guy. I hate them. The truth is, it doesn’t make them the bigger person. It makes them the weakest. Because they have to use bullying and abuse to make them look better while the ones being abused are the strong ones for having to survive what they are going through. Unfortunately, some don’t survive. Or they use suicide to get out of it. But, in a twisted way, they are still stronger because they tried. They tried to keep holding on in the face of everything. And Zeke is no exception. He has finally had 20 years to be free of his step-brother. Or so he thought. His world just seems to keep crashing down around his ears when he finally finds out the truth of how far under the punks thumb he was. 

But the worst part about all this, was the role he and Alek both had to play. Zeke still hasn’t fully recovered from what his step-brother did to him, and psychologically, it’s going to take even longer to heal. And the front Alek had to put up, even fooling his own mate, was absolute horror for them all. But Zeke, being the strong one he truly is, is the one to set everyone back on the path they needed to be. Even going so far as forgiving those who hurt him. And setting an example for the others. It takes a big man to do that. He’s so far from weak, it’s not even funny. 

There’s a lot going on in this story. A lot. It’s going to be rough going even more from here on out, from the way it looks. With one of Alek’s enforcers missing, trying to help his mate, with new beings on the horizon and the enemy seeming to be everywhere they turn, it’s going to take all the have to get past it all. And I am ready for the next one.

RATING: 

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