For years, Riven has lived alone on an isolated estate, more beast than man to anyone who might glimpse him. He knows every river, tree, and boundary of the land that has become both sanctuary and prison. Trespassers are an irritation he usually drives away. Then Elara crosses the line with her companions, and the scent of the woman in his woods awakens instincts he has spent years controlling. Elara came looking for adventure, not a creature from a nightmare. The horned, clawed being stalking the property should send her running. Instead, fear gives way to fascination as she discovers intelligence behind the monster and a loneliness that feels painfully human. Riven has been trapped by forces older than either of them, unable to leave the land and hunted by people who would rather mount proof of his existence on a wall than understand him. The closer Elara gets, the more dangerous her presence becomes for them both. Her old life, her companions, and the outside world do not easily make room for a bond with something they call a beast. Hunters see Riven as a prize. Others see Elara as foolish for protecting him. Riven sees the first person in years who looks at him and asks what he wants. Attraction becomes loyalty, and loyalty becomes a vow neither can take lightly. But the curse that keeps Riven hidden has rules, a history, and consequences that cannot be defeated by desire alone. If Elara wants to help him reclaim his freedom, she must face the truth behind the estate and the people determined to keep its secrets buried. Because once the hunt begins, loving the beast may make her the most valuable target in Thornwood.
For years, Riven has lived alone on an isolated estate, more beast than man to anyone who might glimpse him. He knows every river, tree, and boundary of the land that has become both sanctuary and prison. Trespassers are an irritation he usually drives away. Then Elara crosses the line with her c...