Full Description

Destiny of the Wolf

By the author of Heart of the Wolf, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

"This delicious alpha hero will leave you wild for more." — Nicole North, author of Devil in a Kilt

All she wants is the truth…
Lelandi Wildhaven is determined to discover the truth about her beloved sister's mysterious death. But everyone thinks she's out to make a bid for her sister's widowed mate…

He's a pack leader tormented by memories…
Darien Silver blames himself for his mate's death. When her twin arrives in his town, he finds himself bewitched, and when someone attempts to silence her, he realizes that protecting the beautiful stranger might be the only way to protect his pack—and himself…

PRAISE FOR TERRY SPEAR'S HEART OF THE WOLF:

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

"The vulpine couple's chemistry crackles off the page."
Publishers Weekly

"Centers on pack problems in a refreshingly straightforward way. The characters are well drawn and believable, which makes the contemporary plotline of love and life among the lupus garou seem, well, realistic."
Romantic Times

"A sensual, action-packed read that you won't want to miss."
Shape Shifter Romance

"Full of action, adventure, suspense, and romance— one of the best werewolf stories I've read!"
Fallen Angel Reviews

"A lively read that keeps the reader on their feet, and an excellent addition to the serious wolf-lover's library. When it comes to authenticity, this novel truly embodies the 'heart of the wolf'."
Jennifer L. James, Montestruc, Book Fetish

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Excerpt

Excerpt

Excerpt from Chapter 1 of Destiny of the Wolf

Why had Larissa, her loving sister, ended up dead— here, of all the godforsaken places in the States? Maybe that was the reason—off the beaten path, surrounded by wilderness, a place to hide from the harsh realities of the forced marriage, safe from Bruin's retaliation should he ever have located her. But she hadn't been safe. And now she was dead.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lelandi Wildhaven thought she saw her cousin, Ural, slink into the woods in his wolf form, but she had to be mistaken. He wouldn't be angry enough with her to shapeshift this close to Silver Town and risk alerting the gray lupus garou pack that a couple of reds had slipped into their territory.

Ignoring her gut instinct telling her this was a very bad idea, she pushed open the Silver Town Tavern's heavy door, the squealing of the rusty hinges jarring her taut nerves.

Five bearded men sitting at a table turned to stare at her, and at once she feared the worst—they saw straight through her disguise.

She shoved the faux eyeglasses back into place, hating the way they kept sliding down the bridge of her nose. The weather-beaten cowboy hat she'd picked up at a resale shop half swallowed her head, making her look like a little kid wearing her dad's Stetson. Amber glass lights hanging from brass rods high above softly illuminated dark oak tables and a long, polished bar. Slow-spinning wooden fan blades circulated the air, impregnated with the smell of gray lupus garou. Her nerve endings prickled with fresh awareness. Dingy antique mirrors covering the back wall behind the bar bore mute witness to the goings-on in the place, as she suspected they had for decades. If they had captured all the images of the bar's existence what a story those mirrors could tell.

Another bearded man crouching beneath the lip of the bar suddenly stood to his full six-foot-four height. The glass and dish towel he held nearly slipped from his grasp as his appraising glance took in every inch of her. His lips turned up at the corners slightly. Deep laugh lines were etched in his tanned skin and shaggy black hair extended to his shoulders, giving him the appearance of a rugged mountain man, unused to civilized trappings. What disturbed her most was that he was a gray, like the men drinking at the table. She'd anticipated it would be a human-run establishment frequented by lupus garous, like the bar back home.

"What'll you have, miss?" he asked, his voice warm and welcoming.

Expecting a chilly greeting—their kind didn't welcome strangers venturing into their midst, especially if she were human and this was an exclusively gray lupus garou tavern—she hesitated.

"Miss?"

"Bottled water, please." She'd meant to sound tough, to match the look of the place. She'd intended to be someone different, with her red hair dyed black and the high-heeled boots giving the impression she stood taller, more like them. The blue contacts she wore hid her green eyes sufficiently, but she still felt like Lelandi, triplet to Larissa, with barely any visible difference in appearance, except her eyes were greener and her hair more red and less golden than her sister's had been. Had her voice betrayed her?

The small smile on the bartender's face was more likely because she was a stranger who'd walked into a wolves' den without protection than because she'd given herself away. She cursed herself for not disguising her voice better, but the barkeep's warm demeanor gave her a false sense of security, which could be the death of her if she wasn't careful.

The bartender handed her a chilled bottle of water and tall green glass. "New in town?"

"Just passing through," she said, paying for the water.

"Sam's the name, miss. If you need anything, just holler."

"Thanks." Hollering for a drink was definitely not her style.

She chose a table in the farthermost corner of the room, half-hidden in shadows. Although any of them could see in the dark as well as she could, this location would keep her out of the main flow of traffic. She hoped she'd seem inconspicuous, not worthy of anyone's scrutiny, and most of all, human.

Lelandi glanced at the door. According to her information, Darien Silver—Larissa's widowed mate— should be here soon.

One of the men got up from his seat and gave Sam some cash. The man cast Lelandi a hint of a smile, then returned to his chair. Small for a gray, stocky, hair a bland brown, eyes amber, his clothes carrying a coating of dust, he had a soft, round baby face. Looked sweet, a beta-wolf type. Smudges of dirt colored his cheeks, and he wiped them off with the back of his denim shirtsleeve. His eyes never straying from her, he smoothed out his raggedy hair and took another swig of his beer.

Sam joined Lelandi and handed her the cash. "Joe Kelly paid for your drink, miss. He works at the silver mine, which explains his slightly rough appearance. But he cleans up good." Sam gave her a wink, and returned to the bar.

Should she turn down Joe's offer? On the other hand, if he was interested in her, maybe she could discover the truth quicker.

"Thank you," she mouthed to Joe Kelly and his chest swelled.

The other guys started ribbing him in low voices. The tips of Joe's ears turned crimson.

Her stomach clenched with the notion that Larissa had had the audacity to mate with a gray, especially when she had a mate already. She'd said she wanted to find herself,
and she did. Six feet under. Yet, Lelandi couldn't help feeling it was her own fault, that if she'd taken Larissa's place back home, or even run away with her, she might have kept her safe. But what about their parents? She couldn't have left them behind—not with her dad so incapacitated—but hell, she hadn't been able to protect them either. They had been murdered anyway.

She tamped down a shudder, hating that she hadn't stopped any of it. But once she learned what had happened to Larissa and put the murderer in his grave, Lelandi was going to locate her brother and their uncle— damn both of them for leaving the family behind.

Reviews

Reviews

Armchair Interviews Shawn Remfrey
Lelandi Wildwood has a mission. After her brother abandons her, her parents are murdered, and her sister mysteriously commits suicide, she decides she must leave her pack to find out what actually happened to her sister. Leaving behind her pack of red werewolves is easy, since their leader is corrupt, cruel, and plans to force Lelandi to marry his brother. Entering Silver Town to investigate her sister’s death, however, is not quite so easy. Silver Town is run by gray lupus garou, who are natural enemies with the reds.

Darien Silver isn’t having an easy time in Silver Town either. First the suicide of his beautiful wife. Then someone is stealing money from the silver mine, which is the heart of the town. Plus he has to deal with all of the politics that go with being the leader of the grey werewolves and the town. Then he walks into his bar only to find a small woman there who looks exactly like his dead wife. What’s a poor guy to do?

Praise for Terry Spear! I thoroughly enjoy werewolf books but sometimes they tend to get a little too stereotypical for me. We all know that werewolves shift with the full moon, can take human shape, and can be killed by silver bullets. What I love most about these werewolves is that they read books about werewolves and watch werewolf movies. They tend to mock the media that feeds into the werewolf stereotype and that makes the book hilarious. The thought that some werewolf out there is reading this book added a whole new dimension of delight for me.

I have to admit that in the first few chapters I was confused, but it’s quickly cleared up and everything makes sense. Once you get past that point, the story is a fun glimpse into an animalistic lifestyle full of death, betrayal and love.

Armchair Interviews says: Terry Spear also offers up the chance to purchase autographed copies of her books via her website.

The Pen & Muse
This tantalizing, action packed romance, revolves around Darien Silver. A man who is tormented by his mates death. The one person he did not expect to come into his life was his mate’s twin, Lelandi. When Lelandi is threatened by those who want to hurt her, Darien has to protect her. What will they encounter? Who will fall? Those who love action packed romances with all the magic of fantasy will enjoy the ride Terry takes you on from start to finish. The chemistry of Darien and Lelandi set the pages of Destiny of the Wolf afire! Be sure to pick up your copy and be ready to be swept off into a world of romance and werewolves!

Genre-Go Round Book Reviews Harriet Klausner
With the homicides of her parents and her sister Larissa allegedly committing suicide, Lelandi Wildwood no longer feels safe amongst the red werewolf pack in spite of her brother being a member. He in fact wants nothing to do with her though she is not sure why. She wants to learn why Larissa who loved life would kill herself, but hesitates until she learns the abusive alpha pack leader plans to wed her to his brother. Lelandi leaves the pack in search of understanding why her sibling took her life. She travels to Silver Town, run by the gray werewolves who detest the red.

The greywolf leader widow Darien Silver is trying to understand why his wife committed suicide. He also needs to catch the thief stealing from the economic soul of his pack’s existence the silver mine. He enters the Silver Town’s Tavern only to be shocked out of his fur when he sees his wife sitting inside. Lelandi and Darien have in common learning why their beloved Larissa killed herself.

DESTINY OF THE WOLF is an enjoyable satirical werewolf romantic suspense that takes a delightful bite at the mythology of moon howling shapeshifters while also ridicules racism. The support cast serves mostly to enhance understanding of the lifestyle of the packs especially that of the grey or the lead couple who risk their lives with a need to know why. Fans will relish this wonderful lampooning of the lycan legend inside an exhilarating thriller that enables the audience to get beyond the myths into the HEART OF THE WOLF.

Bitten By Books Shirley
Destiny of the Wolf is the second installment in Ms. Spear’s Wolf shapeshifting series but can be read as a stand-alone. The books in the series are only loosely related, but this one will have you looking for the first book, Heart of the Wolf.

Lelandi Wildhaven arrives in Silver Town to find and kill her sister’s murderer. She knew that her sister Larissa had run away to escape an abusive mate, but she did not know that her sister had since been living a lie. Now, Lelandi is right in the middle of it and seems to have brought trouble with her. It is tough enough that she is a red wolf shapeshifter in a town totally owned and run by a gray pack, but the pack leader, Darien Silver, is also Larissa’s widower. The mutual attraction between Lelandi and Darien is a complication. How can she possibly desire her sister’s mate? Is Darien attracted to Lelandi only because she and Larissa are sisters in a set of triplets and look exactly alike? Is Lelandi scamming Darien, and is she a liar just like her sister? Everyone’s eyes are on these two lovers as they work things out while they also try to track down Larissa’s killer, retaliate against both her mate and the pack leader who tolerated her abuse, and save Lelandi from Larissa’s fate.

This story is full of twists and turns that keep you guessing. The first appears early, in chapter two, and it is a doozy that may have you spinning for a while. Painting a believable picture of pack life, Ms. Spear does an excellent job creating the story’s characters - and there are lots. Lelandi and Darien certainly dominate the tale as two strong individuals who struggle with their emotions. Darien is easily turned on by Lelandi, and things get hot and steamy when they get together. The secondary characters are well developed and not only add interest by creating separate conflicts but also help build the main characters and contribute to the suspense. By the end of the book, major issues are cleanly resolved but there are a few loose ends. Lelandi’s pack leader brother is still searching for a mate, and a newly turned red were female remains unattached. Possibility for book three? One can only hope.

Darque Reviews Kimberly Swan
When Lelandi Wildhaven ran from her red pack and the fate they intended for her, she knew she had to find the answers to what truly happened to her sister Larissa. Her arrival in Silver town, home to the gray pack who took Larissa in, causes more than a mere ripple of suspicion among the werewolves.

Darien Silver, alpha leader of the gray pack, can hardly believe his eyes when he sees Lelandi. His deceased mate had claimed she had no family. As new information comes to light, it’s clear that someone is set on destroying Lelandi. He’ll do everything in his power to keep her safe and find a murderer among those he’s always trusted.

Destiny of the Wolf follows Lelandi’s search for answers in the death of her sister Larissa. With a heavy dose of suspense, Ms. Spear weaves a romantic paranormal mystery that will keep readers on their toes. While the heroine’s sister is a character that even in her absence may be someone that readers will tend to dislike, Lelandi is someone you can’t help warming up to. I’ll be looking forward to this author’s next werewolf adventure.

Paranormal Romance Reviews Karen Michelle Nutt
"A Werewolf Tale that will have you belieiving they live among us!"

Lelandi Wildhaven doesn’t believe her twin sister committed suicide and plans to find out what happened. The pack doesn’t like or trust Lelandi since they think she’s there to claim Darien for herself.

Darien Silver is the pack leader. He’s still dealing with his mate’s death. He doesn’t want her twin sister nosing around where she doesn’t belong. He didn’t expect to feel the immediate attraction and it has nothing to do with the fact that she looks like his mate. There is something more as if they were destined to be together.

When someone tries to silence Lelandi, Darien is determined to protect her. Someone in his pack has betrayed him and he must uncover who it is before it’s too late.

I love Ms. Spear’s lupus garou society. She creates a world that makes you believe werewolves live among us. The chemistry between Darien and Lelandi sizzles the pages. They are both equally matched in determination, proving their alpha standing to the pack. The mystery is brilliantly woven into the tale, adding to the suspense as you wonder who the villain is. This a definite keeper on my shelf!

Sam’s Book Blog Samantha Atkin
Lelandi Wildhaven comes to town with one thing on her mind: find her sister’s murderer and then avenge her death. What she isn’t prepared for is falling for her late sister’s husband and finding herself in serious danger. There are a ton of suspects to choose from as none of the females and some of the males in the pack are happy that Lelandi is there and think that she is after her sister’s husband and the leader of the pack Darien. And the question remains as to whether Lelandi can find her sister’s killer or not...

Where do I begin with this one? This was a good read for me. I really enjoyed the mystery of this story and was constantly trying to figure out who the "bad guy" was. I never did figure it out which made the suspense constant for me. I was turning the pages trying to see what would happen next as fast as I could. I liked the chemistry between Darien and Lelandi especially since Lelandi was portrayed as an alpha female werewolf. It made it seem like she was more of an equal to Darien which I thought was refreshing. My one complaint with this book was the multiple points of view and the way it would change back and forth between the characters. I would have to go back and reread at times as I wouldn’t know who was talking at that point. It ended up being confusing at times especially at the beginning when everyone thought that Lelandi was her sister Larissa. Otherwise though I did like this book and am glad that I had a chance to read it. Terry Spear was a new to me author and I will be looking for more of her books in the future. Overall, a good read :)

Jennifer’s Random Musings Jennifer Yates
In what is one of my favorite reads so far this year, Terry Spear provides readers with a suspenseful paranormal romance that I couldn’t put down!

I was drawn into the story from the very first page as we meet Lelandi Wildhaven, a red wolf shapeshifter who has come to Silver Town to investigate the death of her triplet sister. Despite her determination she faces some difficulties as the townspeople are reluctant to believe in her motives for being there and someone is out to stop her from discovering the truth. Lelandi is a strong character full of grit and determination whom I instantly liked. I especially loved the strength she demonstrates throughout the story as danger seems to stalk her at every turn.

As for the hero of the story, still blaming himself for his mate’s death, Darien Silver, the alpha pack leader of a group of grey wolf shapeshifters, is enchanted and confused by the appearance of one who looks so much like his deceased mate. Lelandi’s appearance and the danger that seems to follow her leave Darien with questions that only Lelandi can answer, but Darien is not sure he’ll like those answers.

Unsure of who to trust and determined to prove her sister’s death was not a suicide, Lelandi discovers some interesting details that could and does endanger her own life. And when she finds herself under Darien’s protection, she learns more about the pack leader and his role in her life. As Lelandi and Darien work to discover the truth they face danger, but also discover a love and fate that neither can deny.

I really enjoyed the relationship and chemistry between Lelandi and Darien. Both are very headstrong individuals, as both are alpha wolves, and butt heads time and time again as they argue over what is best. Yet they also share a touching and sensual romance and bond. Darien is an instinctual protector and Lelandi does not make his job easier. In addition to Darien’s determination to keep Lelandi safe once he learns of her identity, he also must keep his own pack safe. There are quite a few interesting characters in Darien’s pack, each with distinct personalities that really helped to make the story interesting.

The strong and interesting cast of characters as well as the suspenseful plot help to make this one highly entertaining read. I was fascinated by this page-turner as I wondered what would happen next and I was definitely not disappointed as all of the different surprises and twists to the story led to one fabulous ending that I didn’t see coming.

Destiny of the Wolf is a wonderful read full of action, suspense, and romance that I would highly recommend you read!

The Good, The Bad and the Unread Sandy Marlow
This is my second book by Ms. Spear, the first being Heart of the Wolf, which I also reviewed. I had an issue with the heroine in HotW, but this time around I enjoyed everything about Destiny of the Wolf, and especially the heroine.

Lelandi is a strong and independent woman — she has to be if she’s to be an alpha’s mate. But when she begins her journey to find her sister’s killer, she has no idea that is where her life is headed. She’s a lone red wolf seeking information from a pack of grays, and their alpha is her sister’s widow. It doesn’t take long for Silver Town’s citizens to become suspicious of her and for attempts to be made on her life once she starts digging for answers, and that only guarantees the alpha will bring her closer to protect her.

Even donning a disguise can’t keep Darien from recognizing his dead mate’s sister. He also recognizes the pull of a mate’s bond with Lelandi that he doesn’t quite understand. He feels guilty for not protecting his mate, so he’s determined to protect Lelandi and get her out of his pack as soon as possible. But before that happens, too many questions begin to surface about his mate’s death and Darien also begins to realize his dreams of his mate are not what he thought.

These two characters are very intriguing and perfect for each other. Lelandi gives Darien all kinds of trouble with her stubbornness when she refuses to let her investigation go. Darien is a protector to the core, and with surprising facts surfacing about the mate he thought he knew, he now has to keep his pack as well as Lelandi safe.

The love scenes between Darien and Lelandi are intense and romantic, and their relationship takes off quickly and grows strong just as fast. They are a duo to be reckoned with once they both give in to their bond.

The action is fast paced, especially the fight scenes between rival packs. There’s also a couple of subplots that are very interesting and add to the story as a whole. Ms. Spear does a great job of misdirection throughout the story, so a couple of surprises spring up near the end to make the main mystery quite intriguing.

I really enjoyed Darien’s triplet brothers, Tom and Joe, too. They’re not as alpha as Darien, but they’re close enough to make them terrific heroes. I hope they eventually get their own books. But whether or not they are the heroes of Ms. Spear’s upcoming books, I’ll definitely be reading those stories. I can see a lot of growth in her writing, as this book attests, and I know there are more great stories ahead from her.

Grade: A

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Specs / Support

Trade Paper Specfications

• Length: 6.88 in
• Width: 4.19 in
• Height: 0.00 in
• Weight: 8.00 oz
• Page Count: 448 pages