Well, hello all you beautiful people. You know what time it is. Ladies and gents, guys and dolls and everyone in between. Gather around. Get you something real nice to sip on and comfy to slip on. Cuz it's time for Smite Club. Here's your hosts, Chelsea and Hannah. Hey everybody and welcome to Smut Club. I'm Hannah. And I'm Chelsea and this is the show where we are two licensed professional counselors and life coaches who like daydrinking and reviewing romance novels of varying caliber.
Nailed it. Nailed it. We've almost 100 episodes in. finally really solidifying our our elevator pitch. I really uh appreciate the dedication to and I feel like each time we just like change one word. Yeah. Yeah. Get a little tighter, a little better, you know? Yeah. Today felt good. Good. But also there are episodes where I'm like we are almost 100 episodes in and I'm still [ __ ] this [ __ ] up. So today did feel I'm like oh we made
it. Y'all, that's how you know this episode is about to be amazing. Yeah, the energy is good. We've started strong vibing. Yeah, there's no way it can get derailed now. What book is it, by the way? I know. It sounds like you were setting me up for a joke right there. There's no way it can be derailed now. What book is it? You know, it wasn't my intention, but I did pause and go, I don't actually know what we're reviewing today. It is called The Alpha's Savior by Reese Breeden.
Breeden. Braden. Breeden. Breeden. Yeah. Breeden out there. Okay. Is it reverse heron? No. No. But there was a um a tweet the other day where the National Park Service had posted a thing about like um help needed for a breeding specialist for black bears or something like that and somebody comment section I bet was incredible. Yes. So, so one person responded and they were like, "I'm begging you. Please change the wording of this." And somebody responded to that and was like, "Shut up, hetero."
And I was like, "Oh, sweet Jesus." Like, it was very good. It was very good. I enjoyed it. I was hoping that the comment was just going to be like, "I'm begging you. Please do not just shut up. Shut up, Hero. Don't ruin this for the rest of us. And then somebody else was like, "Get out of my way straight." I was like, "Wow, it feels like the flag in at the college and community." Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. E plurabus anus. Yes. Yeah. It's a butthole. He kept not seeing it.
So, uh, my niece's boyfriend just started taking classes at the local college and him just like saw him after his first day. Just happened to be over at their house. I was like, "How was your first day?" He's like, "Everyone there was so weird." And I'm like, "So, there's this show called Community. It came out a long time ago, but I really think it's going to normalize experience." Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I was like, "Oh, it will give you all of the validation and normalization that you need."
Mhm. Mhm. From top to bottom. Yes. Okay. Sorry. I recognize that I I'm like, why am I always leading up on a community? I'm always derailing us with community, which I encourage and appreciate. So, um, this is a shifter romance. Okay. Um, so Haley is our female main character. What kind of shifter? Wolf. I see. Okay. Listen, Suzanne. Right. There's so many different like I'm like you get like a red panda shifter. You do. Yeah. Also easier to say. Yeah. Yeah. There was the raccoon dog shifter.
The tanuki. Is that what that's called? My husband would know. It's a Japanese I starts with a t. Sure. I I feel relatively confident because my I don't feel confident either way. So, um fun fact, our podcast is produced by Fight Entertainment. It is. Um and the logo for Fight Entertainment is a Tanuki. It is. I do kind of want to say Tuzuki, but when I say Tuzuki, that feels very wrong. And I would bet It sounds like a Greek dip with a little feta on it. Yeah, you get it.
Your tuzuki your that you always have with lamb. Oh man. Okay. So, it's a wolf. It's a Yes, it's a wolf shifter. And it is not um shifters are not known in this world, right? So, they live in secret. They live in secret and separate sort of communities. Okay. Um but they're still part of their town. They're just, you know, separate in a lot of ways. So Haley is our female main character and she's out for a jog and she is strictly human. We learn here
that um she just moved to this town. She kind of picked it at random. She's just settling in all that kind of stuff. So she's getting to know the town by going for a jog, whatever. And she sees like basically disaster it is happening in front of her where a little boy runs out in front of a car. Oh. And she immediately starts doing calculations and she's like, I'm too far away. Like this is about to be really bad when this guy comes like barreling out of nowhere and pushes the kid out of
the way. But he gets hit. M and when he gets hit, he like rolls down this embankment and she's like, "Oh god." Like right past her. And so she runs after him and sees that he's fallen into the river. It's like, oh, horrible. Well, that escalated quickly. Real swift, right? So, she's immediately like, I got to get him out. Like, that's that's what I got to do. I'm the closest one. And so she jumps in and is able to get him out and starts doing CPR until help arrives
immediately. Like when the paramedics show up, another guy who is this person who we learn is his name is Cooper is the guy who got hit. Okay. Cooper's best friend Ethan shows up and he's like freaking out. The paramedics are like, "You're gonna have to follow us." Like it's clearly he's really really hurt. Like this is really bad. And so as soon as they get him into the ambulance, Haley collapses because this is like
cold. It's getting into the colder months, she just jumped into a river and, you know, hauled a dude who's probably twice her size. You know, she like her like the exhaustion, the adrenaline, the Okay. So she just basically falls out. And listen, I'm would prefer it be that one. And then she I'm like, "Oh no." Like then I was like, "Oh, she fell out for the logical reasons." Yes. Yes. For like, "Oh my god." Yeah. She like, "Holy [ __ ] this just happened." Like crazy.
So the best friend essentially catches her and is like, "I'm taking you to the hospital." And then she blacks out. So he follows the ambulance. She wakes up in the hospital. Um the best friend is there and he's like I just wanted to say like you don't understand what you've done for me, for my family, for our community. Like thank you so much for saving him. Like if you ever need anything, we are going to be there. Like every single one of us, you just say the word.
And um Haley turns out got hypothermia um and a couple of other you know like exhaustion related things. So she's getting treated smaller lacerations if you will. Yeah. Yeah. Just from the the activity. A lot of jostling. A lot of jostling. That's it. Um and so the as Ethan I forgot to mention this is dual point of view which does matter at some points. But as Ethan is like earnestly like holding her hand like thank you so much. She's like is he hitting on me? Like what is happening?
He's thanking me too emphatically. Like it feels deeper than just a thank you. A lot of eye contact. She's like, "Good sir, I have hypothermia." She's like, "Your hands are so warm." Um she's like, "It's weird, but maybe get a little closer. I'm freezing." Yeah. Um but you know, she just is like, "Hey, no worries. I just did what you know um I'm glad he's going to be okay cuz the best friend says like looks like he's going to fully recover like you got to blah blah blah.
So then we switch to Cooper's point of view. So he wakes up in the hospital as well. His sister is a doctor there and so um she's checking on him and Ethan comes in and Cooper immediately loses his [ __ ] He's like, "Why do you smell like my mate? Like, you're not my mate, obviously. So, where the [ __ ] is she?" And Ethan is like, "Uh, maybe simmer down." Like, Ethan's like, "Good to see you alive, man. Happy happy to be here." I was just thanking your mate emphatically for saving your life.
He's like, "Didn't know she was your mate. And even if I did know that, I figure you wouldn't want me to let her fall and get a concussion because you don't want me to touch her. You're welcome for bringing your mate to the hospital to get checked out and make sure she's fine. So Cooper's got like bruised ribs and a broken leg and all this stuff, but he's like, I got to go. She's here in the hospital. She's hurt. Like I got to get
up. I got to go to her. Right. So while they live in secret, their mates can be human and not actually shifters as well. Yes. So we learn in later books cuz this is a series and it follows um Haley and her sisters um and then one of well the sister Cooper's sister Ila uh she gets a book too. Um and so does Ethan but um I mean Ethan deserves a book after all he's done already. He's very precious
actually. So, um, yes, but we find out later in the lore that like you have to have some shifter DNA in there somewhere, but it trace amounts of shifter. Yeah. It could be generations and generations back. Someone had a shifter inside them generations ago and and so do you just a smaller one? I don't know. just a smaller shifter. Oh, Cooper might take offense to that. Oh no. Um, but Ethan basically is the voice of reason throughout all of this. And he's like, "Hey man, she thinks you're human.
Your mate is human." And Cooper's like, "What? My what?" Like, cuz it's very, very rare. It's possible, but it's very rare. So, um, okay. He's like, "Oh." And so Ethan's like, "If you come hopping into her hospital room after she just watched you get hit by a truck and almost drown, she's going to freak out." Like, just to be clear, cuz he will heal all of this likely within a week um at most. And so he's already starting
to feel better. I think we could deem Ethan's insight and judgment as intact. Yes. Yeah. As good. Yes. Which is why Ethan is the beta and Cooper is the alpha of this pack. I was I mean I was assuming that well the you don't know what you've done for me and my community. I'm like okay. So who is Cooper to their community? He's clearly like who is he going to be? He's going to be important somewhere. So that makes sense. He's the alpha of their pack. Yeah, that is a important role.
Yes. And so, um, Cooper is like, "Fine, I guess, but I need you to watch her." He's like, "That's basically your only job right now is to make sure that she's safe." Because there's a lot of um like political tension right now within the pack and like with other packs in the area. And he's like, "If anybody were to find out that like my mate is human and unbonded and unprotected, like that
could be really bad." So like he's freaking out, which I just like I love how quickly these books shift cuz I'm like, "Bro, 2 hours ago you didn't even know she was alive. She was as safe as could be and just like living her life." And now you're like, "I know of her existence. She's not safe anymore." And I'm like, "Wait, what? What? Nothing. Nothing has changed. No. No. Just the fact that you know, but maybe if you shut up about it, nobody else will know,
right? And like maybe if only like you and Ethan and Ila keep this under wraps. Like Yeah. Everybody shut up. Like Yeah. It's not a huge safety concern. No. Um and actually, so I forgot to mention, which is not like super important for the story, but I thought was interesting. the his family basically owns like a huge construction business that is extremely well off.
Okay. And so they have donated so much money to the local hospital that they basically have their own wing that's shifter only, which is why Leila works there. It's very rare they actually need services like that, but they can't have regular human doctors working on them when it does happen. Um, you know, I appreciate that detail cuz I feel like that is something that a lot of books would just like overlook and you're like, "Wait, what? How?" And they just don't notice and you're like, "Oh, no.
This makes more sense." They have their own wing. Yeah. They're all shifters or mates of shifters or whatever. So, um, all the doctors and nurses in that part of the hospital. Um, so Haley, we're back to her. She gets released from the hospital and she is overwhelmed by the response from the town. She's literally like the town hero. Like she goes to get something to eat. People are picking up the bill. She tries to go to work. Her boss tells her, "No, absolutely not. You
get as much time off as you need. You come back whenever you want." Like, so did she know who Cooper was before any of this? no idea cuz she literally like just moved here. Um, valid. And so she's like, "All right." Like um and um so she sees Ethan again, like he's bringing her some of her belongings and stuff that were left by the river and things like that, checking on her.
Um, and he seems pretty nice, but overall she's just like shaken and is like, "Yeah, who did I save?" Because people are losing their ever loving minds. Like he's he's it's just a dude. Yeah. You're like, it was just the kind human thing to do. I didn't know I was like saving someone important. I just like saw a tragedy and did what I could to help in that moment. And now my tab is getting picked up.
Yeah. She's like, "Is he the mayor?" Like, "What is happening right now?" Um, and so, um, I mean, kind of if you think about it, a little bit. Yeah. Um, and so Cooper is having a really difficult time like being away from her because like the pull is so strong now that he knows that she is out there. Like it's really difficult her at some level.
Yeah. So, I guess when she when he first was revived by the river, I guess he smelled her, but like he really smelled her on Ethan, which would also make sense because her mouth was on him like she was performing CPR. So, yeah, I guess that that could Mhm. awakened the pull of a mating bond. There it is. Yes. Yes. Um, so, um, he decides, his dad is very supportive. They're a very tight-knit family. And so after his dad kind of talks him down, he decides he's going to
shift and go sleep outside her house. Um because he's like, "I know I can't be with her, but I can be like near her." Um and so um he is like formulating a plan to take it slow. How do I approach her? What does that look like? How do I tell her that I'm a shifter? like he's like really planning the next 3 to 5 years for them and she is like unaware. She's like, "Wow, I really saved someone important." Huh. Yeah, cool. I got an extra day off of
work. That's nice. like um and so um he again he's like it is way too dangerous for her like for us to announce that I found my mate until we have like she's been marked and bonded and all that stuff. Okay. Um and also his mom is going to go insane like that she's human or just in general. just in general, he's like she's immediately going to as soon as she knows she exists, she's going to start like fitting her for a dress and like asking when we're going
to have babies and stuff. Um, and actually my next note is no one seems concerned that she's human. So in this community like faded mates is above all else. like it's possible to have like a chosen mate, okay? But um for the most part, like 100% completely, it doesn't matter where they come from or what they look like. If they are your faded mate, they will be accepted by the community. Um and so yeah, he that's convenient.
I always find books interest like because I remember I was talking about a book I don't think we ever reviewed it but talking about one off pod a while back where like they were made like they like weren't attracted to their mate and like didn't even like end up with their like I don't know cuz so many of the books are like well we're made and like their scent is so incredible and I'm like yeah like what happens if you're like [ __ ] really them yeah so that does happen in some of the
later books and that's part of why I really enjoyed the series overall. Even though there were a couple of things I wasn't a big fan of, it was just really interesting. She did like a rejected mate and like um a mate who was like really this guy like kind of energy. Um and so yeah, I just enjoyed like the range that we got from it, you know? Well, cuz I also feel like a lot of them will do like the we they were like fighting their attraction and then like something
Yeah. switches or flips and they like suddenly realize it was their faded mate all along, but like something was like blocking them or whatever, blocking the channel for them to like have that. And I'm like, oh, I'm just always curious how different authors choose choose to write their own version of it. And so I do like this one where it's like, hey, they're faded. Yeah, that does that's it. Yeah, we're going to work through a lot for a faded mate. Yes.
Yeah. And so, um, that's like each one of these books in the series is like a different like major trope, but I like her frame on all of them. They're really interesting. Um, but and remind me of the author's name. Reese Breeden. Breeden. Yep. Yep. That's the one. Don't know how I forgot. So the next morning, Haley goes to step outside and she sees this massive black wolf and um she's like, "It's really pretty. I should be much more frightened than I am, but like she's like, "It's not
posturing at me. It's like several hundred feet away." Like, yeah, it it doesn't seem to currently be posing a threat to me, but I should also probably be leerier. Yeah. Lerier is more leery. Oh, okay. Going to look that one up later. Be more hesitant. Cautious. Be more cautious than I currently am. Um, so I know how to use those grammatically. Trepidacious. Um, so she just writes the wolf off. She's like, "Oh, I didn't know there were wolves in the area. I will be more
mindful on my runs." And goes to the hardware store. So the house that she bought is a big Victorian and she her dream is to turn it into a B&B. So she works as an accountant. Okay. Um but that's the dream is to start her own B&B. So the place needs a lot of work and so she's, you know, doing her thing in the hardware store and Ethan shows up. Um and he gets very weird. He's like a bed and breakfast like strangers in your house. Oh. Oh, he's like, "Okay." She's like, "This dude is
[ __ ] weird." Like, she's like, "Yeah, it's a normal business model. I didn't invent it." The the bed part of a bed and breakfast is pretty important. It's the first bee, bud. Like, you know, she's like, if they don't sleep there and they just come for breakfast, it's just a restaurant. It's just Jay Christopher's at that point, you know? It's just a restaurant I sleep in. H just a J Christopher. That was a deep cut. That was deep. All right. But for those it lands with, it'll land so well.
Yeah. Yeah. Which I feel like is the secondary tagline of our entire podcast. Maybe our entire being. Yes. That too. Not even not even podcast related that too. Yeah. Um Yeah. So Ethan, she's still like, "What is this dude's deal? This is so weird, bro." And she's like leaving and driving away. He like helps her load her car and stuff and she's like almost home and she's like, "Ethan didn't buy anything. What is happening?" She's like, "I don't
like it. I don't like it." But then I Okay, I appreciate that she has situational awareness. Yes. Yeah. She's like again, is he hitting on me? Was the whole like we are forever in your debt thing like a real life thing? Do these people believe? I just thought he was grateful. I didn't think that meant he was going to follow me around to different stores and help me load my car. I didn't know he was going to be my
personal assistant. Um, so then a few days later when um, Haley is back at work, Cooper's mom shows up at her office um, and is absolutely she's just at like a local accounting firm in town. Yeah. Um, so mom is just absolutely like gushing with gratitude like, "Let me take you out to coffee. Like, let me do this." And Haley is like, "No, thank you." She's like, "Wow." But the mom is like, "Well, I know you can't just leave work right
now. I understand that." But it's actually Cooper's sister's birthday coming up. You're coming to that. You're gonna come to the party. You're So, does mom already know it's his mate? No. Mom is just This is just her energy. She's just so much. Yeah. Throughout all of it, she's so much. Um, and so, but Haley also, she hasn't really made any friends yet. And so, she's like, "All right, like I'll go to this this woman's birthday." like that sounds nice, you know, um
you know, going to the party. He's like, "So, how do you know the birthday girl?" Okay, so like a couple weeks ago, her brother almost died. I'm the one who saved him. Yeah. Do you read the paper about how he fell in the river? That was me that got him out of the river. When it said someone did CPR, I was the someone. Yes. Um, and she's like, people are sending her flowers and like it's really a lot and she's really like does not understand what's happening. But
then the sheriff shows up. His name is Marcus. They are friends. Haley and Marcus are friends. Okay. And the mom kind of gets a little like side eye because um Marcus like brings her a coffee. He's like, "I was checking on you. How are you doing?" And the mom immediately is like, "Oh, obviously." Like I see. a little something something. Yeah. So, when she was inviting her, it was just out of gratitude. It wasn't even to like set her up with Cooper. It was just like, "You don't know people.
You're new." Yeah. We love you so much for what you did. Come to this birthday. Yeah. And now she's like, "Okay." So, her and the sheriff, she's like, "I do like Marcus. He's a very handsome man." Like, as soon as he leaves and Haley is like, "Okay." Um, so it's now 3 weeks after the accident and Cooper is finally going to go meet Haley. He's got like a a boot on or a cast or whatever on one leg, but he's like, "She'll never know." Oh, like she
won't understand. Like, I'll just tell her it wasn't as bad as everybody thought. Like, Mhm. 3 weeks later, your neardeath accident, you're down to a boot. Yeah. All your internal bleeding and organs are just no problem. I mean, here's the thing. It sounds silly, but I also know you recently had emergency gallbladder surgery. And when you showed up at my house, like within a couple weeks, I was like, she looks far perkier than I anticipated. So, maybe Cooper's on to something.
Maybe. So, maybe so. Um, so glad you're well. Thank you. Me, too. Um, I still do have random twinges and it's like the the final sutures are going away, but it's really only when I'm laying down at night if I like move certain ways. So, I kind of forget. Yeah. Right. Exactly.
I'm like, you literally text me that you were having like emergency surgery and then the next time I saw you, I'm like, "Oh, did do I have a misunderstanding of what emergency surgery entails?" because Hannah's just back up and moving. Yeah. Yeah. The first week was rough, but after that it was really fine. Um, and oh my gosh. So, because I no longer have a gallbladder, as we have discussed, certain foods don't sit very well anymore. And Matt, I got really upset one day cuz I can't drink coffee
anymore. And the next day, Matt came home and he was like, "I did some research and I found you these supplements at a shop in town. They are gallbladder enzymes that are supposed to help you so that you and so he keeps asking me he's like, "Have you tried the coffee yet?" And I'm like, "Still no because I haven't had a day where I'm just at home." You're like, "I'm not going to chance it on a work day." Right. I'm not going to chance it before I go to Chelsea's.
Also, have you tried mushroom coffee? No, but I've been doing a lot of reading about it. Yeah. Yeah, I may try that out. I also guess like not consuming lots of caffeine is probably better for all of us instead of finding other alternatives. Yeah. Through which we can mainline it. Yeah. Yeah. Um I I am trying all different sorts of things right now. But that was just so cute that he was like so excited to to bring that home. Your husband is the most precious. I know. He is the purest person.
I know. Yeah. cuz he text me for the first like he and I had never Why would we be texting, right? We've literally never actually been in the same room, right? Uh but when you were having your surgery, it was funny cuz you told me he would be texting me at some point and I was like, "Okay, sure." Like I know you're having surgery.
Okay. Like I appreciate. Well, I was like, if something's really bad and I can't go back to work and I can't text, but the way in which she text, she's like, I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to reach out. And in my head, I'm like, what? Matt, nothing. There was nothing to reach out about sooner, my dear. Like, oh my gosh, why are you apologizing? Your wife is having emergencies. I probably didn't communicate very well about like that. It really wasn't that
deep. Like, it was really only if things got bad. I Because I was pretty high. You were on a lot of pain meds. Oh god. Cooper did not get to have that experience of being super high on lots of drugs. He's really fine. Well, I bet they metabolize pain meds differently anyway. They probably do. Probably burn through them too fast.
Mhm. Like I feel like I forget what Shifter series I was reading, but they were like had to have like special alcohol cuz they like couldn't get drunk off normal stuff cuz their body processed it too quickly. Mhm. The Honey Badger Shifter series that I read. Forgot about that one. Um, the honey badger shifters have to do special uh like vodka that's laced with snake venom because their metabolisms are so crazy as honey badgers that they just process alcohol like nothing and most poisons
generally like nothing. And so they have to lace their alcohol. Snake venom poison literally. Um, but anyway, and isn't that a great metaphor for Oh god. I don't want any more metaphors. I just want a silly shifter thing. I just want to have a glass of wine and not feel guilt about it. Yes. Um but um so he decides he's going to go to her house because she's renovating the whole thing, right? So she's going to need contractors. He is part of a contracting company.
Oh, hey, it just happened to hear you might need a contractor. Let's see. Well played. And so, um, he is like, as soon as he starts talking to her, it's a little bit golden retrievery where everything she does is like the most incredible thing he's ever seen. He's like, "Oh my god, that little hair falling out of her ponytail is the most incredible thing that I've ever experienced." Um, I wish I could just tuck it back behind her ear for her, but it's too soon.
Yeah. He's like, "Don't be weird. Put your hands in your pockets. Don't touch her." Yes. Probably. That probably was a line in there. Um, but he is like getting to know her a little bit better, learns that, you know, she's single, um, that she's new to town. And for some reason, as he's like going to leave, cuz they agree like he's going to be by each day to work on the house and he's cutting her and deal, whatever. He like goes to leave and then he's like, "I can't do
it." And turns around and just like kisses the [ __ ] out of her. And then he's like, "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow." And like gets in his truck and goes home. So then she's like, "People show their appreciation in such weird ways in this town." She's like, "Seems like there's some cultural differences, you know?" So the next day also where did she like where is this? So it's not clear. It seems like maybe the Northwest like it's got sort of like Pacific Northwest.
Yeah. Did she move from somewhere in the Northwest? Do we know why she up and relocated? Not yet. Okay. So, she moved like clear across the country. Um but she didn't just move like 30 minutes over from the next town. She literally left everything behind. And um that's part of I skated over when the sheriff brings her coffee. She's like, "Oh, his mom thinks we're together. She doesn't realize like there's more going on
here." Like, yeah, it it could be bad that my name was in the paper cuz they did like a story on her while she was in the hospital. But like we don't have we don't know anything else except she moved. just there's some like light hinting at like the reason she moved across the country was not just for a change of scenery. Yes. And she doesn't like that her name was in the paper, but what is she going to do about it? You know, um let Cooper die next time then.
Yeah. Right. Just stand by. There were other people there. Um someone else would have given him CPR eventually. It's the bystander effect. Everybody look it up. It's not real. Actually, all subsequent research indicated it's not real. I like that you mentioned it and then immediately disputed it. I mentioned it and then I was like, "Oh no, I'm perpetuating the lies." Anyway, way to hold yourself accountable, Hannah. Thank you very much. We practice
rigorous honesty. So the next day he shows up to her office to take her out to lunch so they can continue to discuss like the plans for the house and they talk about siblings. Haley, so Cooper has two brothers and a sister. Okay. Um he is the second oldest. Oh, yep. And his older brother has been kind of gone. like he just sort of up and left and we it's not explained here yet,
but he's been gone for like 2 years. Um, so did we review another shifter romance where they were like twin brothers and then the one was pretending to be the other one that whole time? Yeah, I think we did. The name is escaping me. Yeah. Well, cuz the one Oh, I did it, too. You did? Yeah. Son of a bulldog. It's gone. It'll come to me at like two son of a bulldog. Thank you. I was recently thinking about now that my son parrots what I say a little more readily.
I was like what creative swear words can I start utilizing? There's always Matt's favorite which is pickles been uh odd doodles has. That's very good. That's very good. Well, a song came up on uh Spotify and I forget the artist name. I should look it up and remember it. But the whole thing is like the doodles I'd undo. Yes. One for the dent in the rental car, one for the joke that I took too far. Like the doodles I'd undo is the whole That's so cute. It really is.
I really like that. I really like that. But it is inspired my like ah doodles. It works so well with a 2-year-old. Um, so I So all of Cooper's siblings and all of Haley's siblings get a book. Um, so Cooper is explaining his people. Um, and then Haley shares that she actually has an identical twin sister. She has another sister and a brother, but she kind of throws out there that, um, she hasn't really seen them in a while. Um, but she's really hoping she's going to
be able to see them soon. And like Cooper can tell she's getting a little bit like down and so he's like something else. There's more at play here. Yeah. But he kind of brushes it aside cuz he's just like so happy to be in her presence. So Cooper um shows to her house daily before the crew and the two of them have coffee. It's very cute. He's like sticking to his plan to take it slow even though he randomly started making out with her before this. Um, got to let her know you're interested.
Right. Right. Right. Right. And then you got to Yeah. You can't No. And then you got to back off after that. Yeah. Just to send the most mixed signals so she has no idea what's going on. Yeah. I mean, I do feel like walking it back to morning coffee. Yeah. I feel like we like start with morning coffee then grow Yeah. to the the kids. Ideally. Ideally. So, it's been now a couple of weeks of this. Oh. And so, then he tells her that um he'd like to make her dinner that night.
And so, it's a very cute little meal together. And he tells her or no, he's been he's thinking about like he has no love life at all. Like he is like purely virginal because he has been waiting for his mate. He didn't ever want to bring in a mate. and then have them have to deal with like pack members that he'd slept with and stuff like that. Did he write I kiss dating goodbye? No. He could have though. Probably. Yeah. Unrelated, but did you RIP James Dobson? He just passed recently.
He did. I know the memes have been superb, joyful, horrible, and hilarious. Yeah. Yeah. The contempt felt around the world for that man could like power a town. Like if you could harness it, Allah screams or laughter in Monsters, Inc. Yeah. Everyone started going, "Take the shackles off. Yes. And if you're wondering what we're referencing, we did also recently have a Veggie Tales SM. We did. We did. Yeah. We're really happy you're all here with us. Yeah. Thanks for going on this journey with us.
It's been a good one, I think. Um so um after dinner they do wind up having kind of a a steamy make out session but um he's like hey I need to leave before I do something ungentlemanly like he starts to pull back and she's like who says I want you to be a gentleman or whatever. So then fingering to completion like or spiritually she said something of that nature and got fingered to completion. Yeah. Um lots of dirty talk kind of like
domish like more top energy I guess. Um big focus on consent like tell me what you want, tell me where you want it, like say it out loud, that kind of stuff. Um and Haley goes to return the favor. Um, but Cooper's like, "No, we need to wait." And she's like, "Dudes are so weird in this town. What are you people doing?" I am literally offering I was listening to a podcast and they were talking about um like the decrease in sexual activity in
Gen Z or something like that. And somebody one of the hosts was like, "Yeah." So they were like, "They're not having sex." But they didn't specify what kind of sex. Like, you know, a Yankee and a mouth job. They like that's those weren't options. And the co-host was like, "I'm sorry. A what and a who? Like what? What are you saying?" And I thought of you. Thank you. I'm honored to be thought of in that moment. That is a hilarious
way to wear that. Also a fascinating trend that I didn't know about. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And but I do think that is also a valid question of like what? Yeah. Well, not even what changed, what constitutes his sex in that study because yes, a Yankee and a mouth job, wasn't it? Yeah, a mouth job. That does unfortunately feel like how I would refer to it. And now I will moving forward. I love that we have new vernacular. Um, but no, that is a fascinating it is really interesting.
Why Why is it decreasing? Is that what they were? So, they were kind of talking about that, but they were also talking about the flaws in the studies. And so, a lot of what's been reported has maybe been a little bit skewed and maybe a little bit like fear-mongery and like, you know, what's the real information? And also, does it matter? Like, if they don't want to have sex and they aren't having sex, why are we worried about it?
Probably because of the declining birth rate, which is a separate issue. Yeah. I'm also the same issue. Oh my god. Yeah. Well, and also like and I think we like I grew up with a girl who straight up was like, "Yeah, my boyfriend and I have anal all the time, but like I'm still a virgin." Right? And I'm like, "Okay, well, so if that's how we're we're quantifying that score and they ask you in the survey, there is going to be a decrease in sex reported."
Mhm. Even though you're telling me that went down in the Ross dressing room, but sex for Jesus in the Ross dressing room. It's for the Lord. This is has nothing to do with the Lord. Cooper. Cooper is trying to keep control of himself. But also, stop. You just fingered her to completion. I know, bro. You want that [ __ ] Let her blow you. So, why am I trying to convince him? Well, she's also trying to convince him throughout the book, which gets tedious at some point, but
So, this isn't like a one-off. This is just like his inner Yeah. Oh, okay. So, the next morning, Cooper picks up Haley for a hike. Um, and um, Haley, we're in her point of view now, and she's trying not to get too attached. She's like, she should get attached. I mean, she doesn't she doesn't know that yet, but like I get her hesitency. And I'm like, girl, she's like, I this can just be a s like a a summer fling or whatever. I forgot it's cold outside. Um, well, they did move to the north.
They did. Um, and so she is, um, you know, trying to be cool and everything. Um, but he's very sweet and very attentive. He's very gentle with her. And, you know, they talk about work and she actually realizes she's doing some work for Cooper's dad, like for their business. Um, and they're going to go like on a work conference, and turns out like Cooper is also on that conference. It's
like a big deal. Um, and um, Haley is like starting to feel a little bit like an idiot because she is so into him and he keeps like putting the brakes on things and so she's like, I really need to temper myself here. Well, it's such mixed signals even though like I don't I don't believe Cooper understands that he's giving mixed energy. No, he doesn't. He like thinks he's being like honorable and respectful and like and keeping her safe so people won't know that like you
know make her a target or whatever. Um and they have a nice just a really nice time. Um and then um this is the first introduction of the nickname princess that we have throughout. Um okay. It feels like it took a while. It did take a while. It was a slow build for that. And then Haley and Ila, the
sister, um later on they're bonding. Um, they go for a night out and Haley reveals to Ila that she's been hiding from a violent stalker ex, which is why she moved across the country and even her family doesn't know where she is. Um, and so she's like, you know, please don't tell Cooper. Like, I don't want to scare him off or freak him out. Like, I'll tell him in my own time. This doesn't feel like something that Ila
should keep a secret. It's not. But that's why the sheriff checks on her all the time because the first thing she did when she got to town was introduce herself to the sheriff and tell him the situation. So, she's more thinking from like a romantic standpoint. They've known each other for like a couple of months maybe. They're like just starting to get to know each other romantically. She's not even sure if he's actually invested. He's only digitally penetrated her at this point.
Not digital penetration. Digital digital get. Um so, um Cooper is anxious to get to the bar because he's going to crash girls night because of course he is. Um but he has to pick up his big brother from the airport. Um Oh, who's coming back? Yes, he's coming back. So, the brother has been traveling because his mate rejected him. um and is essentially that's essentially unheard of like in their Yeah.
species like that does not happen. And so he declined alpha and left and nobody really knows where he's been or what he's been doing all that time. Just a rambling man. Yeah, literally. Um so all the siblings and Ethan are at the bar. Um, Cooper is just enjoying spending time with her with his family. It just feels really nice. Um, and then Cooper gets hit on by a female pack member um, who's very obviously trying to put the moves on him while he's like got his arm like behind
Haley's chair. He's not demonstrating that they're together. He's not like claiming her, but he's also not distancing himself. But I, you know, I had that thought earlier when you mentioned like he has been single and hasn't really engaged in dating. I'm like, "Oh." And then he his brother takes off, he becomes the alpha. I imagine a lot of uh women in that pack would love to be the pack alpha. Like they're they're really trying. A lot of
them are. So um the girl kind of realizes that he seems to be focused on Haley and dumps her drink on her. Um and is like that's shitty. Like while Haley's on her way to the bar, she like runs into her and like dumps her drink and is basically like, you know, you mean nothing to a man like Cooper. Like you could never satisfy him. Blah blah blah. Um and Haley was like, okay, so we're just having fun then. I'm still winning that. So thank you. Yeah, that's always like such an interesting
Yeah. dynamic that I feel like happens in books more than I'm like does this actually happen in the real world? Not that I've ever experienced. I'm also like you aren't like Yeah. Okay. So, you'll never satisfy a man like that. But like he's clearly sitting with his arm around your chair. Like Yeah. Does he know you'll never satisfy him like that?
Yeah. Yeah. But also like it makes me think of um I just watched some something maybe on Tik Tok recently when this woman got like she was really upset about some situation and then she went I can't believe this [ __ ] out here got me defending a man and I was like okay all right I very much enjoyed that the psychiatrist I fell in love with my psychiatrist. Yeah. Well, and once again, we set up like as soon as it started sh I fell in love with my psychiatrist. I was like, "This
is not on your psychiatrist." I can already tell from where we're starting, this is a a a heavy sprinkling of cluster B. Yeah. It was bizarre to watch cuz she'd be like, "His boundaries were immaculate." And that's why that's how he was showing me. Yeah. What? Oh, yeah. the delusional gymnastics that that were being done. But yes, the y'all got me got me out here defending a man. Really? Yeah. This poor psych psychiatrist,
not a psychologist, psychiatrist. I'm like, this man is just trying to see his patients. He's like, I literally am just trying to give you aderall. Get out of my face. What is happening? Oh. So, um, that whole thing happens and Haley immediately like is over it and just is moving on, dancing, having a good time, but the sheriff is there and Cooper gets weird vibes because the sheriff seems to be watching Haley. Um, and so he goes over and he's like, "Um, are you into
her? Are you guys together?" Whatever. So, everyone is posturing at this bar. Yes. Yes. And Marcus is like, "No, she needs friends, Cooper. Like, she's been through a lot. Maybe pull back. Like, you need to chill out." Um, and he was also like, "By the way, I can smell the mates on you. Like, you need to be honest with her, like straight up." Um cuz the sheriff is a bear shifter and so his sense of smell is a lot stronger and he's not part of the pack which is why he feels free to
speak to the alpha that way. Um so um he like Marcus keeps saying like she needs someone right now like you need to just show up for her like quit doing this weird thing whatever you're doing. And Cooper is like what is he talking about? Like I don't It's almost like she lived a whole life before she showed up in your city a couple months ago, my dude. She didn't just materialize to give me CPR specifically like some kind of lame water nymph that like sprung from the water when he jumped in it.
Staying alive. That one is the right. Yeah, it is. Yeah. Yeah. Um, so then they wind up making out a little in the bar like hallway, bathroom, like away from everybody, but it's clear everybody knows what they did. Like because most of the people in the bar are shifters, like they can smell the arousal on them and them all
over each other. Um, and yeah, like it is a little like, "Hey, Cooper, what do you think you're doing here?" He really thinks he's doing a lot and he's doing the most irritating option. Um, but he really believes he's keeping her safe. Like that's really what he thinks he's doing, which doesn't really track, but in his mind, that's what it is. So, a few days later, like
things are continuing to move. Um, and Cooper realizes like he needs to tell her about the shifter thing before his sister's birthday because they usually go on a big pack run, like after events like that. Um, but um, she comes over, they have dinner, um, and they wind up banging and cuz he initially was like, I can't have sex with her until I tell her the truth or whatever. Um, I mean, of all of the moral boundaries he has like imposed on himself, that one was actually probably a solid one.
Yeah, that one was probably the one to keep because then again, there's a big emphasis on consent and all that good stuff. But then he's like, um, oh damn, I don't have a condom or whatever. And she's like, you don't need one. No condoms, just trust. Obviously, she doesn't say that. I added that, but my tone remained the same. So, I realize that could have been confusing, but um I was just like, "So, you're going to raw dog her?" But, okay. All right. She's like, "I
have an IUD or whatever." Um, and so they have an amazing time and then Cooper confesses that he was a virgin. Um, and Haley is like, "Um, you don't have to lie about it." Like, You found my [ __ ] with surprising ease. You know, for someone who's a virgin, she thinks he's like Isa Fisher and Wedding Crashers. When she's like, "No, guys just think it's hot when you say that. I'm definitely not a virgin." I'm like, "Wait, she's just telling every guy you're my first
nightmare. Nightmare fuel." Oh my god. Um and so, um Haley, um asks to stay the night. She realizes like they're kind of moving too fast, but she's just kind of in it now. And she doesn't understand. She feels this like pulling connection to him and she's like something is there's something else happening here, but like I really don't want to leave him. Um so Cooper is worried that um they've gone too fast, blah blah blah. Um Haley wakes him up with a BJ and he's
less worried about it. Um, so, um, that'll solve a lot of worries in life. It will, won't it? Yeah. The the old surprise BJ. So, Cooper is, um, like really actually into her as a person. Um, but she he's worried about like how everything is going to shake out because I just need them to like talk to each other at this point. So, I'm trying to skate over half of this stuff. So, um, please don't skate on on my account. No, that's how I felt when I was reading it.
Like, there came a point when I was like, "This book is 100 pages too long." Like, oh my god. You know, so I was just reading another Kristen Ashley book that I opened it and I was like, "This [ __ ] is 678 pages." I made it 400 pages in and was like, "I'm out." I know I have 278 pages left. I'll just last chapter it. I understand where this book is go. Like, we didn't have all the information. Oh my gosh, take 200 pages out and I would still understand it. Why is this happening?
Yeah. Yeah. Um, but so big plot point is that Haley figures out the deal she was working on for Cooper's dad for the accounting thing is actually bogus. That the sale was um basically they knew the building was not up to code and basically was going to burn down at any moment, which is why they were trying to sell it. And Haley caught it. Um, wait. So Haley caught Cooper's dad trying to No, the dad was going to buy Oh, they were the ones buying it, not
selling it. Okay, sorry. Yeah. Um, and so as soon as she realizes it, she drives straight to the pack house, which she thinks is like the overnight like bunks for the construction crews who like sometimes work long hours. They just let the guys stay there if they need to. Um, you know, if that's the narrative she wanted to fill in, I get how cuz why would you think it's a wolf shifter? Yeah, sure. It's bunkousing for all the construction workers.
She's like, is this a weird cult? Like when she goes through the gate and she's like, I don't have time to deal with that right now. Um, so she goes to meet with the dad, he's super impressed. Um, and he's like, I'm going to have this out with him at that conference we're going to go to. um and offers her a job with the family business. He's like, "I really think you'd be an incredible addition to the team." So, the dad knows that Haley is his mate, is Cooper's mate.
Um but nobody else in the family knows except Ethan and Ila. So, um on the way out, she hears Cooper's voice and so she like follows his voice down the hall cuz she knows his office is there. Um but she stops because she hears her name. So she like waits.
So Cooper's younger brother is trying to fish for information about Haley and Cooper is trying to like push him off because his brother's kind of like the [ __ ] boy of the pack and like not taking things seriously and Haley's going to peer it out of context. Yeah. So, Cooper's dad is pushing through the the pack link, but he's ignoring him. And the brother makes some shitty comments about like, you know, Haley, obviously, she's just a bed warmer. That's why you're, you know, keeping her around
like this, blah, blah, blah. And Cooper is like, uh-huh. Yep. Like trying to get him out of the office. But that's all Haley hears. It always goes so well. Yeah. So, um, brother also tells him that the mom did set him up with a date, like an eligible shifter date for the birthday party. Um, the Oh, yeah. So, and did Haley accept the job or did she say she'd think about it?
She said she would think about it. She wanted to talk to Cooper about it because it's like, you know, the guy she's seeing, it's his family business, like, you know, respectful. Yeah. Yeah. Um, so Haley obviously heard everything. She's completely heartbroken and she's like, "Yeah, I remember now why we don't deal with men anymore." And um, completely ignores the guys when she gets home cuz there's a crew at her house, including his other brother, Cooper's other brother.
Um, and so they clearly know something is wrong and that she's upset. Um, but she just wants to be left alone. So, she just goes straight to work and is like, "I'm not dealing with any of this." Refuses to speak to any of them. So, the brother is like, "Hey, Coupe, what the [ __ ] did you do to Haley?" What did you do? We like the older brother. Yeah. Cuz he's like, "If you [ __ ] this up with your faded mate, I will actually kill you." Cuz like I know what it's
like to be rejected. It would be better if you were dead. So, you need to figure out what the [ __ ] you did and get your [ __ ] together. Yes, it's very serious here. And so, um, some random dude also shows up at the house, like seems to be lost or something. It's kind of weird. And the brother just like shuts the guy down and gets him off the property. Um, I see.
So, Cooper decides um to go to Haley's office and she's not answering any of his messages or his calls or anything and she's like, "Hey, so maybe get out." M and he's like, "I I don't understand. Like, why are you why are you being like this?" And she's like, "What kind of person stands by and lets someone talk about a woman that they care about that way and agrees and doesn't say anything? I I don't have any interest in continuing this." I appreciate her backbone.
Yeah. Um I mean, I know he's not going to accept her backbone. No. But I do appreciate it. He does try to like convince her of stuff and she's like, "Okay, so if you're not going to leave, I'm going to leave. Thank you so much." And he's like chasing her, begging her. Um, and she starts to put things different things together. And she's like, "Oh, okay. So, we've never been on a date in public, have we? We've never been to dinner together. We've
never been out together. The only time you and I have been in public together is when we were in a group at the bar. you are go right like you're clearly either ashamed of me or using me or what but I'm not interested in it. Um he never took her to his place which is the pack house. Um he does have a separate cabin which comes up later but but he also never took her there. He never did. So he's like pleading with her to like let him explain and she's like I don't think you need to explain.
I think you should just go ahead and kiss me right here on the sidewalk in the middle of town. And he hesitates and she's like, "There's my answer. That's all I needed to know. Thank you so much." And um Haley drives away just realizing that she had a lot more feelings with him than she'd really accepted and is really upset about it. Um Cooper gets a smackdown talk from the sheriff again. Um and I like Marcus. Yeah, me too. I like him a lot. Um, and he's like, "Hey, also uh
you need to leave her alone. She is not a wolf. She does not understand what's going on. She does know. She probably has feelings for you and you essentially just rejected her and she doesn't understand why she feels the way that she does. If you try to go all alpha on her right now, it is not going to work. You need to give her some space." Um, so which is, you know, insight that I feel like Cooper probably needed to hear. 100%.
Yeah. Yeah. Because he was absolutely going to get drunk and then try to go to her house and wind up making it worse. Um, so Marcus, getting drunk and showing up at someone's house rarely makes it better. Um, yeah. No, I was like, can I think of a time? Yeah. I was that I was literally doing the same. I was like, "Can I think of a time when it has made it better?" No. No. No. I cannot think of a time. Yeah. Yeah. Go with option B. Go to sleep. Yeah. Like lay down.
Don't get in the Uber. Um, hand your phone to someone you trust. Like Brida in community. I don't know why I did that. so emphatically. Um, we are really great at a at a full circle community moment. Yeah, we really are. So, Marcus then shows up at Haley's house a few days
later. She's an absolute mess. She's like not sleeping or eating and she does not understand why she's like being so upset about this guy that she slept with like two times and like has known for she's like, "You didn't even know him that well. Why are you so upset about this? Why are you giving him this much power over your life?" Yes. She's like, "Why are you unable to wash your hair over a man? Come on." Like, for [ __ ] sake, you got me out here defending a man for real.
For real. So, um, Marcus is like, "Hey, so Cooper [ __ ] up, but I think that you probably need to talk to him. Like, I think there's a lot going on." So, today is Ila's birthday party. So, you're gonna go shower and get ready, and I am gonna take you to the birthday party. Okay. This is a great friend. He really is lovely. Um, and he does. Yay. Mhm. He does. So, the party is pretty nice at first. Um, like Haley's having a good time. She doesn't see Cooper anywhere, which is probably why she's
having a nice time. But then his mom shows up with a woman and is like, "Oh, have you seen my son? this is so and so. I wanted to introduce them. I really think they would get along really well. And Haley is like, great. Um, just go [ __ ] myself. Thank you so much. Yeah, I'm just going to go get a drink. And so she then runs into Cooper um inside kind of away from everyone. And he is begging her to talk. Um, but then somebody else shows up and Cooper is immediately like, "Oh, hello. This is
Haley, our family accountant." And she's like, "Okay, thank you so much. You guys enjoy your evening." Yes. And you're really showing me how into me you are when you are introducing me as the family accountant. Yeah. And she's like, "Marcus knows nothing." So Cooper's continuing to panic. the guy is actually a very dangerous alpha. Um, and he was trying to protect her. So, uh, he tries again to talk to her, continues to shut him down. And, um, she just keeps reminding
herself it was just a few dates. And she decides she's just going to go home. She's like, I don't. And she's like, you know, I tried it. I got out of the house. I did what Marcus asked me to do. And clearly, like, none of it matters. So, she gets home and she's just ready to go to bed and just be done with all of this when her doorbell rings and she thinks that it's Cooper because she looks through the peepphole and there's a bunch of flowers. Um, but it's not.
It's not. Yeah. No, it's her ex. And so, she opens the door and sees her ex's face and somebody hits her from behind. What? Yeah. So, there was somebody in the house as well and she didn't know. So, we flashed to Cooper. He's drinking and wallowing and generally being kind of a [ __ ] His head hurts really bad and he's not understanding why. Um, but he's trying to drink fast enough to get drunk. So, he's just like pounding whiskey. Um, laced with the snake. Different book, but also incredible.
So good. Um, and um, so he's not interested in the pack run. He just wants to wallow. Ethan comes in and he's like, "Hey, man. Maybe just go to bed. You're gonna fix it tomorrow, okay? Like, we'll fix it tomorrow." So, we're back to Haley. She wakes up tied to a chair. Um, her ex is there with two other guys. Um, and the ex is like, "You embarrassed me and you have to pay." Because she like refused to marry him and reported him for like he physically
attacked her. And so, when she refused to marry him, Yes. She was the embarrassing one in that situation. Yeah. And so she reported him and nothing happened because he's an attorney and has a lot of cop friends. So like nothing ever happened to him, but he was highly embarrassed like at his firm and stuff. And so good good. You should be embarrassed, you piece of [ __ ] Be more embarrassed. You're not embarrassed enough for my liking. Like oh the ways I want to shame
you, buddy. Um, you embarrassed me so much when I beat the [ __ ] out of you and you to on me. Yeah. What? I can't believe I gave you a concussion and then you had to go and tell people about it. It was just a little concussion. No need to get out of sorts. It was mild. Like, you could still read. I've had a lot of concussions. You could still look at blue light. What's the problem? You're literally fine. So, um, Haley is like, "Oh, he's here to murder me." Like, this is fully
unhinged. Like, she's finally starting to like fully come to her senses and realizes like the men with her are, um, people he has hired specifically to kill her. And so, um, she's like, "Yeah, and nobody's going to be looking for me because I stomped off after having a fight with Cooper. So even if somebody texts me or tries to call, like they're not going to think anything of it if I ignore it. So she's like looks like
we're saving ourselves, kiddos. And so she like finds her moment, breaks out of the chair, kicks the [ __ ] out of her ex. Um winds up stabbing a guy with a screwdriver cuz this is an active construction site. And so she Oh, they just tied her up at her house. Yeah. They kept her They didn't take her to a secondary location. No. Okay. So she's like, "This is my
dining room. What is happening?" Like, so she stabs a guy with a screwdriver and then she winds up jumping out a second story window still with her hands bound. She did all of this with her hands bound and then she takes off barefoot through the woods. She knows generally the direction of Cooper's cabin and so she's just like oriented that direction and runs that way.
Um, Cooper is continuing to drink and be a [ __ ] when his sister comes in with Marcus on the phone and Marcus is like, "Hey, somebody heard a gunshot at Haley's house. I need you to go get there like right now." Um, he is at stuck at an accident scene, like a multiple car pileup, and he he literally is unable to get to the house. Okay. And so I was wondering, I was like, why did why didn't you just go yourself? could do it, Marcus.
So, at that point, Ila finally tells Cooper about Haley's ex cuz he has had no idea this whole time still. So, Cooper flips out, mind links with his big brother who had just dropped Haley off. And um the brother turns around and goes to check on her house. He was like, "She was fine. Like, I watched her go into the house. I heard the door lock. She's fine, but I will turn around and go check. So, he gets to the house, find
the guy that she stabbed. He is now dead on her floor, and he's like, "So, things aren't fine. Uh, things things might have escalated since I dropped her off." Yeah. Um, and so Cooper shifts and takes off running through the woods. He's like, "I'm gonna find her." She's still He doesn't even know he's a shifter. She has no idea. So, Cooper finally finds her and her ex is like
standing over her with a gun. He takes the ex down fully um and breaks his arm and his leg, but when he turns around to check on Haley, she has picked up the gun and is aiming it at him because she's like, "What?" Um there's a giant woof that I need to protect myself from. Right. And then Cooper shifts and she's like, "Cool, good, great." Like, "What the fuck?" She throws herself at him and she's like, "Get me out of here." Like, "I I whatever. I'm probably hallucinating. I probably have a
concussion. Just get me the [ __ ] out of here. I don't even care." Um, so Leila, the sister who's a doctor, checks on her, says she's okay. But Haley is not speaking, but she's also not letting go of him and he's starting to get really freaked out like cuz she's just not moving. And so um she has a pretty bad cut on her head um and a broken hand and some other things. So they get her taken care of. Um and um Ila's like, "Hey, so I heard you know about the whole shifter thing.
You okay? Have any questions?" Cuz Ila like took her aside and was like, "Are you hurt anywhere? I can't see. Is there anything?" You know, whatever. Mhm. And so she's like, "So and Haley's like, "Yeah, um to be fair, a lot has happened tonight and uh I don't think I have fully processed that. I'm not scared of you guys, but like um but also like my ex did just show up with two hired hitmen and tried to kill me. It's a lot to process. I may have killed a man with a
screwdriver. So maybe uh with her hands behind her back is honestly impressive. Yeah. Yeah. And they might have been I don't remember where her hands were. Regardless, her hands were tied together and she killed a man with a screwdriver, which is just it was we give her credit regardless of where her hands were. It's very good work. Um, Cooper decides to take her to his cabin um because she can't stay in the house, obviously. It's an active crime scene.
So, um, Cooper is very gentle, very kind, taking care of her um all through the night. The next day, Marcus shows up with Ila. Marcus is getting her statement um and um Ila is checking on her injuries and stuff, making sure she's okay. And she's just like, "Oh, I miss my family so bad." She's like, "This community is so lovely, but like I miss my people and like she's grateful, but she's also really sad." But now she's like, "I guess I can call my
sister." Like that's good news. Like, so I guess they caught Bad news. I killed a man. Good news. Good news. Would you like to come out for a visit? Book a flight. Got a guest room. We'll have several at my bed and breakfast.
So, um, Cooper feels like everything is his fault and, you know, he's freaking out and they wind up having a big heart to heart and they have like their solidifying [ __ ] of like, you're mine and, you know, this is it for me and blah blah blah, but he still doesn't bond her. He's like, I can't do that yet. She's just been through a trauma. And it's like, okay, buddy. Yeah, Haley is getting so agitated because he's still not acknowledging her in public and she's like, I hate it here.
Like, everybody has explained about faded mates, so she understands more now, but she still is like, this is [ __ ] When you understand it, it makes it even less logical as to why he's taking his time. Yes. Yeah. And so she's like, "Okay, so basically you think that because I'm human, I'm too weak to handle this and that's why you won't claim me. That's what you're telling me." Right? I got myself out. Like to be clear, you didn't save me. Like I saved myself and still,
right? So she's getting more and more angry. Um and she's like, "I'm just going to go see my family because I can do that now. So bye. going home. I have other options now. Yeah, going home. So, um, Ethan follows her. Cooper is like, "You have 3 days and then I'm coming for you." And she's like, "Okay." Like, whatever. Shut the [ __ ] up, Coop. Like, yeah. Yeah. I I'm like rooting for them and he's so annoying.
He's really annoying. So, like the she's there for one night at her parents house and she comes downstairs and Ethan is in the kitchen like eating breakfast and she's like, "What?" And her mom's like, "I found this young man on the porch." Oh my god. Oh my god. And so, um, there's very cute like bonding with the family with Ethan. They're like, "Oh, is this your boyfriend?" And he's like, "No, please don't say that. Don't even joke about that. Please
don't. Um, so she's like, "I like having my dick still attached to my body, and if you make that joke again, it won't be anymore." Yep. Yep. Um, so her sister, her younger sister, gives her a pretty firm come to Jesus, and she's like, "Okay, so I get it. I do get it. And he really thinks he's caring for you. If you want to show him that you're strong enough to handle it, then you need to show him you're
strong enough to handle it. So go to this work conference, which we have now found out is a wolf thing. Go to the work conference, be as fully sexy as possible. Kill in every meeting, and if he wants to show up, he can show up. Yeah. Keep living your life and being a badass. Don't let him take that from you. And he'll either get it or he won't. And it's actually very funny the dynamic between Ethan and the sister because initially he's like, "Yeah, listen to
her. I like her a lot. Give give Koopa a break. He's really trying." You know, and then when it's like, "Wear sexy clothes for the conference." No, I I like her less now. He's like, "No, no, no, no. Maybe wear a turtleneck under a long sleeve cardigan to the conference." Yeah. So Haley shows up at the pack house because after her 3 days are up or whatever because um she can't be at Cooper's house right at his cabin because of the the rumors that that
would start. She can't be in the bed and breakfast because she can't be in the bed and breakfast really. Like she's pretty sure she's going to have to move. She's like I don't think I can live here. Um, that would be hard to overcome being attacked in your own home. Mhm. Yeah. And Leila is staying elsewhere for a few days. So, she's staying in Ila's apartment at the pack house. What's the problem? Um, and um she just continues to hold her
boundaries. So, at the conference, there is a big confrontation about the deal that Haley figured out um and realized was a scam. And um Cooper really wants to like interfere because one of the guys is getting pretty aggressive, but he's like, "But I really can't." And Haley doesn't need him to interfere anyway. And he's like, "Oh." Everybody is now coming to him and they're like, "So tell me about this human accountant. Like she's beautiful. She's smart. She kept her cool in a room
full of alphas posturing at her. Like tell us more about her." like we really like her and he's like, "Oh, no." Because he's an idiot. So, yeah. Well, I mean, like he's had a very low view of her, right? While also being like, "No, she's like I'm cherishing her." I'm like, "No, the best thing that's ever happened to me." You're really that way. Act that way. So, that's basically what she tells him. She's like, "I don't think you
understand. You continue to follow me around, but you push me away in public. Everybody is just gonna think that we're [ __ ] buddies or something. And frankly, that's all we are right now. And you're not protecting me. You are damaging my reputation. Yeah. Why are we doing this? Either claim me or leave me alone. Like, period. So, Haley then runs into the head alpha of the region who invites her for a drink. And he seems to be kind of into her. Um, but it he says he thought she
was his faded mate. Like when he saw her and like first smelled her, he really thought so. But the more he's talking to her, he's realizing that she's not and he's really sad about it. But he really likes her. And so um she just hangs out with him basically for the duration of the party. The regional alpha. Yeah. So he is the regional manager and Cooper is the assistant to the regional manager. Not okay. To the Yeah. There are multiple assistants to the regional manager.
Yeah. Not assistant manager. No. So never assistant to the regional alpha. He has not like earned to drop that too at this point. So um are there executive alphas in this hierarchy? Not that I'm aware of. Seuite. I'm pretty sure there is a council though. It's a complex corporate structure. Um so um Cooper keeps telling Haley how much he misses her and she's just getting more mad. She's like this was your idea. and he he's like getting more jealous that she's like dancing with Blake or
whatever. Um but he sticks to his plan. He's not going to mark her, whatever. And my notes literally say this back and forth [ __ ] continues. It just there's more like description of scenes like this over and over. Oh my gosh. So, I didn't outline them. I don't know. But but quite frankly, and I mean this with no disrespect to your outline, when the ex showed up. Yes. I thought we were done. Yeah. I And so then when you're like And then Yeah.
She goes to the conference. I was like, "Wait, what?" Yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, okay. Yeah. The conference I completely forgot about after the ex showed up, right? Because that's like the in any other romance novel, like that is the the big crescendo. Yeah. Yeah. That that's the story. Um but it continues. There's another party several days later. Um Yeah. Those conferences aren't just one day big corporate wolf conference like that. So Haley is once again dancing with the
head alpha at a party. Um literally everyone is telling Cooper that he is a [ __ ] [ __ ] cuz she's like looking beautiful out here on the dance floor laughing with this amazing alpha whatever like who is incredibly powerful and he's over here with his thumb in his
ass like a [ __ ] idiot. And basically he gets told that repeatedly and finally he loses his [ __ ] and claims her in front of everyone like yanks her away from the alpha and is like she's mine and Blake's like I know you dumb [ __ ] like like I literally have been dancing with her and like lightly flirting with her for days trying to get you to do this. Yeah. Really thought like this would be the catalyst like
Yeah. Yeah. Like I thought you were going to say, "May I cut in 5 days ago, you bitch?" Right. Right. And I've also been stopping all the other people from hitting on her. Yes. He's like, "I don't even like to dance. Like I don't even like to dance." That's not in the book, but I wish it were. Do you see these twinkle toes? I have blisters. So, um, they have a solidifying [ __ ] It's incredible. On the dance floor. No, they do make it back to their room. Um, and so then everyone is incredibly
happy. Cooper's mom is already talking about like where them grandb babies at. Like everybody's just so excited. She really pivoted quickly from I'm introducing him to a suitable option, right? But again, faded mate trumps all in this universe. So it's the epilogue. So it is Haley's um bachelorette hen party. Okay. where weeks weeks later her twin sister is like, "Hey honey, so you have
had a traumatic year. Are you sure that you need to be getting married to this man right now?" Cuz also her sisters are like, "I think this is a cult. Like these people are [ __ ] weird." Cuz none of her family knows about the shifter thing. So they're like, "These people are [ __ ] bizarre." Like what is this? They're not wrong. No. And so, but Haley is like, "Hey, I love you and I appreciate you so much. Please don't worry about it. I'm super happy. We're getting married. It's going to be
incredible." And that's the end. So, I think part of the thing with this book, and I think why it was too long, because that wasn't necessarily my experience with the other books in the series, is because she was setting up all of the other characters for their future books as well, right? Because the head alpha gets a book, Marcus gets a book, like all of these side characters, and even the the business deal that falls through and all that stuff. That's like an arching plot
through several of the books. And so that's where it's like, yeah, so Haley's plot is the ex showing up, but like the series plot is the conference and all this other stuff. So, I really liked the perspective and how it was a little bit different in some ways and like, you know, I appreciated the story in general, but I think she had to like draw out the back and forth to introduce all these side characters cuz there were even other ones I didn't even mention. Oh gosh.
Um, and so I think that that's kind of why that happened that way. I would say it's definitely worth the read. and the story or the the series is worth the read. Um, but yeah, I I became less and less into Cooper the longer it went. I feel like when this started off I was like, "This is strong. This is real strong." And then like by the end I was like, "Cooper, what are you doing?" Mhm.
He is, I will say, like redeemed in the later books because he's still around and so like you get to see he still is the pack alpha. Yes. And you get to see their dynamic mature a little bit like you know in a collateral way. Um but yeah, overall a very enjoyable book and a great series. Yeah, it was very endearing. He got annoying, but it was still very fun. Yeah, I did. It did probably go longer than I because I really thought it was gonna I thought that was the the end.
I remember when I was reading it, I was like, "Oh my god." Like, "Oh my, okay, we're killing people. Like, we're attacking people." Oh, oh my god, I have like 200 pages left. And then you look down, you're like, I'm only 63% of the way through the book. What the [ __ ] I was like, uh, where are we going from here? Yes. Cuz like the X never comes up again. It's like Haley has nightmares and so she's not going to move back into the B&B. She gives it to one of her sisters. So Oh, yeah.
That makes sense. Mhm. Cuz they will also move across the country now that they they will No, she's there. Yep. What's our rating system? Um, well, I was going to say screwdrivers, but that's a little dark. Oh, I was like, what's a thing from this book? a screw. Whoops. A spreadsheet. Um, we could do uh regional managers laws. We could Yeah. I I really don't feel like there's just like an immediate obvious She was at the hardware store a lot, right? CPR compression like CPR dummies.
Yeah, this book is not lending itself naturally to a rating system. Mm-m. This is the most we've struggled in a long time. What if we just go out of stars? Full moons. Would that make you feel better for the shifters? Yes. Okay. For the shifters, full moons, which has no impact in this book. They shift when they want. But we're going full moons. Um we'll say out of um 10. Uh we will go I'm going to say seven. Yeah. You know. Mhm. He was too annoying for an eight.
Mhm. But it was until he got annoying, it would have been an eight. Yes. Yeah. And I would say the setup for the series, like the context of the rest of the series helps a little bit as well. And so, yeah, I would go seven. Seven full moons. Yeah. Any waning. No. Any waxing crescent? I almost was like, uh, it's going to be a six with a waxing gibbus. I don't know why I did that voice. I don't know that I've ever done that voice in my life. I'm glad you felt safe enough to try a new voice.
Okay, seven full moons. No waxing or waiting. Gibbus goodbye moons cresence. Not the Pillsberry. Oh, I could go for that right now. I could [ __ ] that up. Oh, okay. Let us know how many full moons and crescent rolls you would rate this one. Uh, don't forget to like, subscribe, DM us any recommendations that you'd like us to review in the future, and we'll see you next time. Bye, smudsluts. Bye. Well, that's it for this week, Smud [ __ ] We hope it was good for you, cuz
it sure was great for us. If you're digging what we're doing, it would mean a lot if you'd take a minute to rate and review the show wherever you're listening right now. Maybe tell that sexy someone to lend us an ear. We love you. We appreciate you. And we'll see you next week. Stay smiley.