Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Cuddling with a Coyote
SERIES: Wolves of Stone Ridge
AUTHOR: Charlie Richards
PUBLISHER: eXtasy
LENGTH: 90 pages
RELEASE DATE: April 23, 2023
BLURB:
Out of the Cage: While doing a favor for the leader of a wolf shifter pack, a spec ops soldier makes the discovery of a lifetime.
After having been illegally experimented on by a shadow branch of the military bent on creating the perfect super soldier, Ulrick Lanston needed a place to relearn himself. Not only did they bond him with a massive jaguar, allowing him to turn into the cat at will, they’d messed with his brain, taking away his free will. After losing his handler and ending up at loose ends, Ulrick tracked down an old army acquaintance he could trust. That led him to Alpha Declan’s wolf shifter pack, and he’s been hiding out with them for over a year. They’ve helped him come to grips with the changes made to him, teaching him how to become one with the animal now living within him.
When Alpha Declan asks Ulrick to sneak into the territory of a coyote shifter pack to look for a missing pack member, he can’t say no. While doing reconnaissance, Ulrick runs across the prettiest coyote he’s ever seen. His jaguar wants to rub all over the wonderful-smelling shifter, marking him as his own. Ulrick knows what that means. His cat has decided the coyote is his mate.
Can Ulrick win the affections of the skittish coyote shifter and bring him home with him while still fulfilling his mission for Declan?
REVIEW:
Note: While this is number 61 in this series it can be read as a stand alone.
This story has us following another one of the soldiers who has been “turned” into a shifter by a secret and illegal military operation. Ulrick had his DNA changed to allow him to shift into a jaguar and to do the bidding of the military commanders. After that he ends up on his own. He looks up his old military teammates and finds the wolf pack at Stone Ridge. There are far more than wolves in the pack and though he’s not a wolf and doesn’t think of himself as part of the pack, he is definitely accepted into the fold. Alpha Declan needs him to help find a missing pack member who has returned to his home Coyote pack to visit his family. When he hasn’t checked in, everyone is worried.
Ulrick is happy to help but he’s aware that this might not be an easy gig because the stories of the new alpha are not good. He knows that Jocomo, the missing coyote has gone to check on his brother Jeremy, but then the leads stop. Ulrick, being a jaguar is really good at stalking 😉 When he arrives, he sees a young coyote shifter at a water hole and he scents him – and holy hell! It’s his mate! He managed to connect with the coyote, but Taylor, the coyote is going to be in trouble if a) he’s late getting back for his chores and b) if anyone smells Ulrick on him he’s really going to pay.
Turns out that despite all precautions, Taylor is abused (not a new thing) by the enforcer for the pack. Ulrick overhears this and he’s furious. He also runs into Jeremy, when he’s on his way to rescue Taylor and discovers that things are worse than he thought and time is of the essence to save Jocomo. Thankfully they get some help and get out of dodge!
This is a quick and easy read – although the abuse of Jocomo and Taylor are a bit disturbing. The support from the Declan and the Council ultimately come to the rescue for our hero and his mate 🙂 Ulrick is a very caring mate and helps Taylor escape from the bad place he’s been. There’s a little twist in the fact that Ulrick isn’t a “born” shifter, so he’s still sorting feeling his way along a bit with the paranormal world. But he’s determined to be there for Taylor. They are cute together since Taylor can’t imagine how lucky he is to find his mate and have his mate be such an impressive man and shifter. If you’re a fan of this series, you will enjoy seeing some friends from the past. Recommended for fans of Charlie Richards paranormal universe stories.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS:
eXtasy