Alpha & Omega is a novella by Patricia Briggs. It appears in the anthology On the Prowl, and marks the start of a new series, also set in the world of Mercy Thompson, but not featuring Mercy herself. Instead, this series focuses on Charles Cornick, who played a very peripheral role in Moon Called. Charles is the second son of Bran the Marrok, leader of the North American werewolves. Half American Indian, Charles is possessed of very special powers due to the unusual circumstances of his birth. He works as Bran’s hitman, among other things. As far as I can ascertain, Charles is Bran’s second in command.
The story is set at the same time as certain events in Moon Called. It’s not strictly necessary to have read the first couple of Mercy Thompson books before reading Alpha & Omega, but I would recommend it.
Anna is a werewolf, but not by choice. Attacked by an ex-boyfriend against her will, she was forcibly changed into a werewolf and held at the whim of Leo, the local alpha, and his pack. Damaged and frightened, Anna longs for escape but feels her situation is hopeless. One day, she reads a story in the local newspaper about a murder and a missing teenage boy. She recognizes the boy in the photograph as one who had also been held captive by the same pack. Realizing something sinister is afoot, Anna overcomes her terror and calls the Marrok for assistance.
As luck would have it, Bran had already dispatched Charles to Chicago to meet with Leo. Bran arranges for Anna to collect Charles from the airport and promises her protection. When Charles meets Anna, he immediately recognizes her for what she is: a rare and valuable type of wolf called an Omega. Charles is attracted to Anna. He is horrified that Leo would abuse such a fragile creature and his protective instincts come to the fore. Anna is bruised from her ordeal but not entirely defeated. She’s equally attracted to Charles but is unsure she can trust him.
Despite its brevity, Charles and Anna’s tale is heartwarming. Unlike the Mercy Thompson series, the novella is told in the third person, which allows us to see both Charles and Anna’s points of view. The romantic element is more prevalent here than in the Mercy books, and is likely to appeal to fans of paranormal romance, as well as those who like urban fantasy. The suspense plot involving Leo and his pack is very well done and neatly ties up a loose end from Moon Called.
Alpha & Omega is an excellent start to the series and makes me want to read Cry Wolf, the first full-length novel, immediately. Grade: A-
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Great review! I haven’t read this novella yet, although I have recieved the book in the mail and can’t wait to read it. I’ve read the first 4 books in the Mercy Thompson Series. I’m going to have to push this up in my TBR pile.
Jenni @ Falling Off The Shelf
@Jenni I think the novella can be read independent of the Mercy Thompson series, although I found having previously read ‘Moon Called’ useful as certain characters appear in both. What I have been told is that it’s advisable to read the novella before ‘Cry Wolf’, the first full-length book in the Alpha and Omega series.
Good review. I have Cry Wolf in the TBR pile, but I didn’t read Alpha & Omega–I usually don’t read novellas. But this one sounds pretty good.
@heidenkind I would strongly recommend you read the ‘Alpha and Omega’ novella before starting ‘Cry Wolf’. Although ‘Cry Wolf’ is the first full-length book in the series, the novella is the first official installment and contains some essential backstory. If you don’t want to fork out for the ‘On the Prowl’ anthology, you can buy the ‘Alpha and Omega’ novella separately in ebook form.
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