Out Today: Not the Leader of the Pack

I'm so excited to share my new paranormal erotic romance with you — Not the Leader of the Pack. I'm proud of this book — it's hot, it's set in a world that fascinates me, and writing it helped me get through a rough time. I'll be doing a blog tour at the end of June, so there will be plenty of chances for me to talk more about all the things that went into putting this book together. In the meantime, here's some information (be sure to scroll down to the end to see my buy one, get one free offer).

Blurb:

Rival alphas Juli Gunby and Neil Statham want to tear each other apart — but will they do it in battle or as mates?

When Juli Gunby left Missoula, Montana, she didn’t intend to come back. Not to her exacting alpha werewolf father, and certainly not to Neil Statham, the beta who rejected Juli’s girlish advances. Her father, as usual, has other ideas, using his dying breath to pass pack leadership to his daughter. Juli resolves to carry out her duty to her father and her pack, but the one man she wants on her side has made himself her enemy.

After years of loyal service to the pack, Neil expects to take over as alpha when his mentor dies. As good as it is to see Juli again, he knows he can’t trust her. After all, she abandoned both him and the pack years ago and never looked back. Neil determines to fight for his rightful position in the pack, even if that means going up against a woman who fills him with an overwhelming urge to mate every time she walks into the room.

Someone needs to lead, and the more Neil and Juli fight, the more they attract interference from those who would control the pack and destroy the ties between them.

Buy Links:

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Breathless Press

Excerpt:

"Juli. We're the only pack members who saw your father pass that ring of leadership to you." He paused to allow the significance to sink in, the bar noise around them rising to fill his silence. "You have another life in Lewistown. You have a career. You've made it clear you're not interested in this pack. We can say whatever we want about what took place in that room. He could have passed the ring to me as far as anyone else knows. No one would question that."

He would have kept talking, except that Juli wrenched herself violently out of his grasp at that point. "Not interested in this pack? We can say whatever we want?" He heard her just fine over the music despite the new distance between them. In fact, he worried who else had heard her mention the pack. And who else had seen that furry paw she'd thrust into his face. 


They both froze for a second, staring at her latest lapse of control. 


"Damn it." Juli's curse came out more as a growl than as words. 


"We need to get out of here," Neil said. "You just focus on staying cool." She knew better than to argue with him. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out, leaving their beers behind. They could finish this conversation in his truck. 


They ran for the truck like the rest of the world was on fire, and slammed the doors behind them once they got there. Juli writhed in her seat, gasping, her wolf form rippling just on the other side of her skin. Neil panted in response. He didn't normally have trouble controlling his shift, but with her beside him, so close, too much of him wanted to meet her in a place of complete abandon. He wanted to run with her under the moon, fight her for supremacy until neither cared who wound up on top or on the bottom. Then, with one last vicious pounce, he wanted to surrender to the merging of their bodies. He swallowed hard. 


Stats. He ran through the winning World Series teams for the last three decades. He tried to calculate his total career RBIs. The stream of data calmed Neil down. He started the car. "I'm going to drive us somewhere a little more private," he told Juli. "Just in case." 


"Back to the hospital." 


"You're in no shape—"


"Back to the hospital." She showed fangs. Neil didn't need that so soon after he'd regained his own control. He stopped arguing and pressed the gas. They'd go somewhere. He just needed to be driving so he had something to concentrate on besides the idea of Juli giving herself up to the beast. He needed a really good reason to remain in human form. 


The truck's cab filled with her labored breathing. Neil turned on the radio to distract himself from the sexual images the sound called up for him. He'd always avoided being alone with her, afraid to give even the appearance of impropriety. Right then, Neil wasn't sure if he was grateful for the trouble he'd saved himself or sorry as hell for what he'd missed. The instinctual attraction he felt for her was off the charts. 


He got so caught in his reverie that only Juli tugging at his sleeve alerted him that her struggles had become sobs. "Neil, can you pull over?" Her voice sounded deflated. "I'm sorry I insisted about the hospital. I'm not ready to go back there yet." 


Her obvious misery immediately pierced his sexual fog. Neil pulled the truck into a convenience store parking lot and looked at her. "Do you want a minute? I can go get some water." 


"No, it's okay." She hesitated, chewing on her top lip. "I'm obviously way out of control." 


He watched her face carefully. "About what I said in the bar... I didn't mean to offend you." 


"You just think I don't care about any of this." 


"Well, do you?" 


Her head snapped up and a bit of the wolf flickered behind her eyes again. "How can you ask me that?" 


Neil blew out a long breath. She wanted him to make his case? He could do that. "You know being pack alpha doesn't pay. What about your fancy job in Lewistown? The one that was so important you couldn't come back here to visit your dad?" 


She rubbed her eyes. "Can you try to keep the venom out of this, Neil? Jeez, you're so bitter, you'd think I failed to visit you." Bingo. But Juli continued speaking, oblivious. "Gabriel's not going to like it if I resign. He talked a lot about developing new talent when he hired me. But it's not like the Council can't run without me. This was my father's last request. Besides, the pack probably needs me more." 


He swallowed, unable to believe she had the nerve to say these things. "Maybe I'm underestimating how good you are at walking away from things. Foolish of me, since I have personal experience." Neil shook his head, uncertain if the anger surging through him was directed at himself or at Juli. "The pack needs someone really committed, Juli. Not someone who will leave again the next time it's convenient." 


She snapped her gaze to his, her eyes widening with understanding. A wave of fear rushed through him. He'd revealed too much of his personal feelings. They needed to decide about the pack first. "You were the one who rejected me, Neil," Juli said, her voice so soft he almost couldn't hear her. "All I did was move on."

Bio:

Annabeth Leong has written romance and erotica of many flavors -- dark, kinky, vanilla, straight, lesbian, bi, and menage. Her titles for Breathless Press include Not His Territory, Not the Leader of the Pack, and a contribution to the Ravaged anthology. She enjoys writing about the tension between passion and control that werewolves embody. Unfortunately, when Annabeth loses control of herself, she does not gain the power to change shape. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island, blogs at annabethleong.blogspot.com, and tweets @AnnabethLeong. She loves talking books on Goodreads, too: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5295946.Annabeth_Leong

Buy One, Get One Free Offer:


Not the Leader of the Pack stands alone, but I've written in its world before. I’d love to share the previous title, Not His Territory, with current readers. If you’d like to participate, e-mail proof of purchase of Not the Leader of the Pack, such as an Amazon receipt, to annabeth dot leong at gmail dot com and let me know your e-book format of choice. I will buy a copy of Not His Territory for the first 25 people who respond.

Behold! Cover Art for Not the Leader of the Pack

Breathless Press has one of the best cover artists in the business — the talented Victoria Miller — and she's outdone herself for my forthcoming release, Not the Leader of the Pack. Slated for release on May 31, this tells the story of two werewolves battling over pack leadership — and fighting down a powerful urge to mate. I'll be posting a lot more information in the next month.

This book is set in the same world as my previous Breathless release, Not His Territory.



Keep an eye out for excerpts and more in the month to come! In the meantime, you can warm up with Not His Territory, here.

Not the Leader of the Pack

I'm thrilled to announce that my Breathless Press title, Not His Territory, is getting a sequel!

I love the world of that book, and am glad to revisit it. Not His Territory is a paranormal romance set in the Northwestern United States. There, the werewolves chafe under the strict control of the legalistic Werewolf Council. Though the Council claims to be protecting the interests and safety of werewolves, many feel it's trying to legislate the wolf right out of the members of the packs. Against this backdrop, primal urges boil over into romance, sex, and rebellion.

Not the Leader of the Pack, as it's currently titled, introduces a new pack and a new romance. If you read the original, which is set in Big Timber, Montana, you may recall that Raul at one point refers to "the situation in Missoula." Not the Leader of the Pack tells the story behind Raul's comment:

When Juli Gunby left Missoula, Montana, she didn't intend to come back. Not to her father, who became ill-tempered after being abandoned by his mate, and certainly not to Neil Statham, the pack beta who rejected Juli's girlish advances. But a trip to her father's deathbed threatens to become a permanent stay when the old man uses his dying breath to charge Juli with pack leadership. Juli wants to fulfill his last request but Neil, feeling betrayed that the responsibility isn't passed to him, threatens to lead the pack to revolt if Juli becomes alpha. Neil and Juli can't compromise, and the more they fight, the more their old feelings of attraction rise to the surface. It's clear they're going to tear each other apart eventually, but it remains to be seen whether they'll do it as rival alphas fighting for leadership or as lovers in the throes of passion.

For Not the Leader of the Pack, I sank into the world a lot more -- this book is about four times the length of Not His Territory. I can't wait to tell you more about it as release approaches (and I'm dying to see what delicious cover Breathless makes for this).

A Review and Character Interview

My werewolf novella, Not His Territory, got 4 sweet peas on Mrs. Condit and Friends Read Books!

Ms Leong is a creative writer who takes a well-known story and puts her own twist on it, producing something quite new and imaginative.

The site is worth checking out even if you're already familiar with the book, because I did an exclusive character interview that's only posted there:

Me: You look great for a woman who’s gone into hiding.

Chandra: I do? I haven’t thought much about my appearance lately, to be honest.

(Here, she dabbed self-consciously at a non-existent speck of mascara.)

Me: More relaxed than I’d expect. Have you been sleeping better?

Chandra: Sleeping? Oh God, is my face red? Raul and I definitely make sure to get a good night’s sleep. To go to bed early, anyway. I mean, we spend a lot of time in bed. Oh, hell. Can you edit that to make me sound less —

Me: Less madly in lust? Not a chance.

Chandra: I knew I shouldn’t have agreed to this.

And, of course, you can pick up the book here.

Release Day For Not His Territory!

That hot cover is for my new release from Breathless Press, Not His Territory.

Here's a blurb:

Werewolf investigator Raul Silva has always followed orders, but the latest might be one too many. Can he really resist his target's hot ex-wife?

After a devastating encounter with an illegally shifted werewolf, a wounded Raul Silva slumps on Chandra Williams's doorstep, begging for refuge. As an investigator for the legalistic Werewolf Council, Raul's been sent to look into instability in the local pack. Chandra's presence makes him want to succeed at his mission for personal — not professional — reasons.

The Werewolf Council disapproves. Chandra is strictly off-limits for Raul according to both the traditions and laws of the werewolves. But after a life devoted to upholding principles, Raul's instincts and desires are boiling to the surface. Can Raul resist Chandra, or will he break with everything he stands for to pursue a woman who is not his territory?

And a short excerpt:

"Can I take off his marking? I'm glad it kept you safe, but I'm not his territory. It's not his house. I pay for it."

Raul's eyes took on a strange weight. Chandra shivered, too aware of his body. "I wish it were that simple."

"Why isn't it? I can buy spray paint and cover up his mark."

"A territory dispute must be resolved on the full moon in the ancient way."

"The ancient way?"

"A challenge. A battle for control. It's done in fully shifted form."

"Well, I'm not a werewolf. What am I supposed to do?"

"We're set up to be self-policing. Your ex shouldn't be behaving the way he is. Marriages to humans are somewhat frowned upon and are supposed to be done with full knowledge and consent on the part of the human. This obviously wasn't how he did it with you, since you know nothing of our customs. A human has good reason to be wary of marrying one of us, though. Werewolf law often resorts to the ancient way for final arbitration. A human is at a disadvantage in any dispute with one of us. It's much easier when we keep to ourselves." Both of Raul's hands gripped the tablecloth now. Chandra wondered what part of this upset him so much.

"So you're saying he shouldn't have married me."

"Not if he planned to treat you this way." Raul's voice came out as a snarl.

"I mean, because it breaks werewolf law."

"It's not that a werewolf can't be with a human," Raul said. His emphasis on the words "be with" sent a chill down her inner thighs. "It just needs to be done properly." Now Chandra grabbed her own handful of tablecloth. She needed to figure out how to get free of her ex, not become distracted wondering what Raul would consider the "proper" way to be with a human.

"Okay, well." Chandra's voice shook. She forced herself to look at a spot on the wall beyond Raul. If she looked directly at the man, she'd be off on another fantasy before she knew what hit her. "Since that's water under the bridge at this point, isn't there any way to dispute his claim on my house?"

Raul's hand brushed hers. Chandra jumped. "Another werewolf could dispute on your behalf. I could do that for you. If you wanted. I owe you my life as it is."

Chandra waited for him to move his hand away. He did not. She went on speaking anyway, despite the bolts of arousal shooting through her lower belly. "And what then? Am I—I mean, my house—is my house your territory if you win?" Her arms trembled. The idea of being his territory sounded medieval to her brain, but her body loved it. Enough that she involuntarily crossed her legs and squeezed them together, further igniting the heat between her thighs.

"In theory," Raul said slowly. "I suppose so. In practice, only if you want it to be." He smiled. "I'm a werewolf, not a caveman."

You can grab it from Amazon, or from the publisher's site.

While you're over there, check out the new release, One Wild Vegas Night, from my fellow Ravaged author SJ Thomas.

Not His Territory

Check out the cover to my forthcoming werewolf book, Not His Territory. Truly, the art department at Breathless Press has outdone itself. Here's a description of the book, which is slated for release in October:

Raul Silva is an investigator for the Werewolf Council, and has dedicated his life to procedures, regulations, and holding back the beast within. When he visits Big Timber, Montana, to investigate reports of unruly pack behavior, he meets Chandra Williams, ex-wife of the local pack alpha and the best reason he's ever found to unleash the beast. According to Council law, she still belongs to the pack alpha, but Chandra insists that she is not his territory. How many rules will Raul break for Chandra's sake?

This isn't the first time Breathless has unleashed a wickedly hot cover for a werewolf book. Remember how hot and bothered I got over the cover for Ravaged? The good news is you don't have to wait until October for this one. It releases in early August, and you can preorder now.

New Werewolf Erotica on the Way!

A quick update to say I just signed a contract with Breathless Press for a new erotic werewolf novelette, currently titled "Not His Territory."

More details when it gets closer to release, but for now I'll say it's about a woman caught between her werewolf ex-husband and the werewolf investigator who's come to town to challenge him.

Breathless is publishing another werewolf story of mine, "The Arcadian Cure," in the forthcoming Ravaged anthology. I'm hoping to keep a good thing going, and am still thinking about lycanthropes. Perhaps more will be on the way.