The Lone Wolf's Rejected Mate

The Five Packs, Book 3

By: Cate C. Wells

Narrated by: Samantha Leatherwood, Aiden Snow

Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

After one night, he walked away. He’s going to live to regret it.

Mari
Growing up alone in Quarry Pack, I always dreamed of a mate who’d sweep me off my feet and carry me away to our very own cottage that we’d fill with pups and love and laughter. A real family.

What I got?

Wham, bam, thank you ma’am.

The pack sees Darragh Ryan as a tortured hero with a dark past, protecting the pack from afar.

I know better. He’s a jerk who can’t deal with people so he’s chosen to live in the wilderness and—I don’t know—brood. One thing I do know is that he doesn’t get to reject me.

I reject him.

Darragh
Mari doesn’t understand what she doesn’t know. She’s naïve, soft, and way too young and sweet for a life of self-imposed exile.

She’s a grown female who sits in trees, reading books, and wears party dresses to garden. Everything she owns is pink. Her wolf is probably pink.

She can’t handle the real world, and she sure can’t handle my wolf. No one can.

One day, she’ll understand why I won’t claim her, and she might not thank me, but she should.

Because my wolf? Given half a chance, he’d tear her apart.

The Lone Wolf’s Rejected Mate is the third novel in The Five Packs series, but it can be listened to as a stand-alone. No cheating. HEA guaranteed. Intended for adult listeners only.

©2022 Cate C Wells (P)2023 Cate C Wells

Angst and love!

Mari and Darragh both have gone through so much. This story will break your heart but trust the author to put it back together. Both characters grow throughout to understand themselves and ultimately choose to fight to have their HEA.

Emotional, Hard Won Fated Mates

Darragh and Mari were perfectly imperfect, they both had some serious emotional baggage. At first I wasn't sure how they were going to make it work, they didn't seem right for eachother but the author did these two justice. While I understand why Darragh leaves to protect Mari this is crushing, and without giving more away this couple takes even more hits. Their HEA was very hard won.
Love Aiden Snow and Samantha was great, they brought the emotions and story to life.

I still love shifters and fated mates no matter how many of them I read, this one is at the top of my list and definitely my fav of the series

Darragh & Mari

I love anything Cate writes and absolutely love this story. My only complaint is how the female narrator performs the male dialogue- she sounds, toothy? Idk how to explain it but I picture a bulldog with an underbite. When she’s speaking as Darragh it’s so garbled I barely understand what she’s saying.

Good book

I enjoyed the story very much. I wish that there wasn’t so much angst in it from the female lead.

My Favorite of the 5 packs!

We finally get a glimpse into the feral wolf’s reason for being moon mad, we find out what’s been happening to the missing shifters and we also find a HEA . This book was worth a credit in my opinion and this series just keeps getting better.

Dark and Captivating!

This is the third book in The Five Packs series, a forbidden Shifter Romance, in an ongoing interconnected series. Darragh and Mari's story is entertaining, dark, and heartbreaking, filled with angst, danger, suspense, and twists and turns. Mari is naive, but smart, determined, and strong. Darragh is enigmatic, tortured, and ruthless. This story is darker than the other books in the series. The world building is captivating. Samantha Leatherwood and Aiden Snow did an excellent job bringing this story to life. I enjoyed it. Looking forward to more in the series. #StoryOrigin

Loved

The Lone Wolf's Rejected Mate book has captured my soul like no other in the series. From the very first chapter, it ensnared me with its irresistible allure, refusing to release its grip until the final page.

This masterpiece has left an indelible mark upon my soul. I am forever captivated!

XOXO Lottie.

Bravo

I mostly use reviews to vent and rarely give high stars, but credit where it’s due this was a perfect story. Engaging from start to finish, deep, smart, emotional as hell, and extraordinarily well written.

The mmc (Darragh) is the lone wolf. He’s part of Quarry pack, but not. We’re told because of a childhood trauma his wolf is feral, untrustworthy and kills without compunction. It’s all sweet Darragh can do to keep it contained, so he stays far away. The mfc (Mari) you’ll remember from Una’s origin story in book 1. She’s the baby whose moon mad father punted her, tried to kill her, maimed Una and then got murdered by the then Alpha (Declan Kelly). Mari’s mother shortly after committed suicide. So she’s always been an unprotected female. These were a couple of seriously broken shifters.

The relationship in this book is messed up. I’ve read other reviewers that likened it to domestic violence. But there was only a single (heartbreaking) incident of violence perpetrated by the wolf against his mate and you might say it was caused by a ptsd episode rather than malice.

The wolf in this book did not create of a culture of fear through it’s behaviour the way a domestic abuser does. Because Darragh kept it suppressed/isolated/even chained, the wolf was feared mostly by reputation. To me the unpredictability of the wolf juxtaposed by the kindness of the man is much more akin to living with a schizophrenic.

All of the books in this series are about rejection. It’s right in the title. But this one took it to another level. The rejection was crafted so well it was decimating. If rejection is one of your unhealed wounds you will weep for Mari.

By midpoint the book takes a very violent turn (human violence). So be warned, what the MCs suffer is dark and goes on a little too long. Their time in that shipping container… smh. As for the love element of the story, Darragh was a good man and he tried, but he was bound by his limitations. It was Mari (who was some 20yrs his junior!) that did all of the heavy lifting as far as communicating and taking all the emotional risks. Unfortunately it always seems to be that way for women. There’s an HEA, but it was SO hard won and SO heavy. Fulfilling but heavy.

Childhood Trauma Feelings of Isolation

Darragh and Mari each have had extreme trauma as children resulting in their negative views of themselves. An age gap and outwardly differences in appearance and lives make their fated mating journey difficult and speaks to you compassion for the two. But what a journey and growth for both characters.
Love this series and look forward to Kennedy and Annie’s stories.
Narration is always perfect in Cate C Wells audio books.

Mari and Darragh

Darragh is a loner and there are very good reasons for that. He only goes into town when necessary. Mari is his mate. He tries to protect her from his beast. When his wolf becomes uncontrollable, he leaves her for many years. Of course, she felt rejected by her own mate. He tries to protect her from afar but that only works for so long. At times, this story kept me guessing what would happen next. Samantha Leatherwood and Aiden Snow did a great job with the narration. I received this free copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.