I really enjoy the shapeshifter short stories by Michelle Houston, usually they always have something special, a detail that made it worth to read them. In this case she plays a bit on the classical elements of the genre, the Alpha males and omega men. Ben is a turned shapeshifter, meaning that he didn't born to it but was turned by a rogue werewolf. In this paranormal world, otherworldly creatures like shapeshifters law themself with a Council, and that Council first killed the rogue werewolf and then 'trained' Ben to be a 'good' werewolf. If Ben wasn't able to fit, he would have been killed. Lucky him he fit but there is a catch: Ben is gay and there are no gays in the born werewolves. So he decided to live in an self-imposed isolation in a remote cabin.

Years later he receives a call: another innocent man was turned and Ben has to teach him how to behave or he will be killed. Nathan is young and cute, and gay... I don't know if Ben is more interested in training him to avoid him to be killed or for the fear to loose is only chance to have a mate.

This is really only a short story, probably I summarized all the story in those two sentences above. But as I said, it was very nice, and above all I liked Nathan's character: he is a sweet omega werewolf, so sweet and tender that he can be the perfect mate for Ben, that is not a real Alpha male. In a bigger contest, Ben would have been not the leader, but there, in their isolated cabin, he is the king. And as I said, Nathan is perfect for him; for a real Alpha, probably Nathan doesn't fit, he is not enough perky, he is too sweet-tempered, but for Ben he is right like he is.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0024NP48E/?tag=elimyrevandra-20

This was an extremely satisfying short story, with a nice romance. Ben was savagely turned into a werewolf years ago. He’s gay and despairs of ever finding a mate because biologically born werewolves cannot be gay. Then a pack Elder informs him he must take in a newly turned were and teach him control or he will be destroyed. When Ben lays eyes on Nathan he finds the potential for love at last, but only if Nathan can control his beast.

This story has just enough background to make the characters solid while still keeping pace for a short story. The paranormal aspect is happily more than just window dressing as it plays a role in the plot as well as the romance. The writing is clean and the sex is graphic. Overall, I liked the story enough to try another by this author. Recommended! ( )