
A powerful Alpha wolf shifter and a strong-willed human overcome traditions ingrained over generations and uncover long-buried secrets to fulfill their destiny as true mates.
Regarded as the strongest wolf shifter in generations, Alpha Zev Hassick is surprised and confused by his attraction to his best friend. His very human, very male best friend. A male shifter has to mate with a female shifter to keep his humanity, so shifters can't be gay. Yet, everything inside Zev tells him Jonah is his true mate.
Maintaining a relationship with the man he has loved since childhood isn’t easy for Jonah Marvel, but he won’t let distance or Zev’s odd family get in their way. When unexplained ailments begin to plague Jonah, he needs to save his own life and sanity in order to have a future with Zev.
Zev and Jonah know they're destined for each other, but they must overcome traditions ingrained over generations and long-buried secrets to fulfill their destiny.
“I don’t disagree with you, Mother. Clarissa is a very beautiful woman. But I’m not going to date her.”
Zev didn’t bother trying to hide the frustration in his voice. Honestly, how many times would he have to tell his family that he wasn’t interested in their setups? Exhaustion beating at him, he leaned against the back of the leather couch and rubbed his palms over his eyes. Sleep rarely came to him, and when it did, he remained partially alert, terrified of losing his humanity while he was unconscious. He was barely hanging on as it was; this intervention was the last thing he needed.
Grandma Mae’s voice broke into his thoughts. Her frustration with Zev had reached such a high level that she willingly questioned him, her Alpha, a practice unheard of in her generation. Then again, maybe it wasn’t just her frustration; maybe Zev’s attempts to…
Wake Me Up Inside is the first book in the Mate series from Cardeno C and I can't wait for more. Cardeno C has a straightforward narrative that delivers the story in a manner that makes it easy for the reader to follow the timeline of Jonah and Zev's relationship as it grows from childhood to adult. ... Take a good long look at that marvelous cover and it gives you an accurate picture of a scene in the book. Boy and wolf pup and Jonah and Zev, always together no matter the form Zev is in. How does that idea not draw you in? It is the characterizations that make or break a story for me and in Zev and Jonah we get two characters to connect with immediately.
The romance is so magnified, so spectacular, you can’t help but read with the kind of smile that makes your cheeks hurt from stretching.
Cardeno did it again, another brilliant book I couldn't put down. ... For Zev, the future Alpha and leader of the pack, was never about finding a mate it was about timing to let everyone know he found his mate when he was a little over 1 year old, and that said true mate was a boy name Jonah. A lot of things had to happen before Zev can introduce Jonah as his mate. A long time spend apart from each other that only hurts them both every day. Secrets, some that are kept to protect the ones they love. Some, that they didn't even know existed. And Zev and Jonah, GOD! they are hot together!!! ... I can't wait to read book II, Cardeno got me hooked again.
I quickly became enamored with Zev, Jonah and their world. I was glad that I got to come along for the ride and was treated to a few surprises along the way. Love is a precious thing and these two learn to grab for it and fight hard to keep it. Their story is a wonderful addition to this series and I hope that we get to see more from this world.